An Unexpected Match (8 page)

Haley skimmed the Old Testament words again, the Scripture story she'd heard so many times before sounding different today. No, she wasn't a parent. She could only imagine the love she would feel for her own child and the overwhelming pain she would feel to lose that child. Still, if the fiercely protective way she was beginning to feel about Elizabeth gave her a clue, that love would be all-encompassing and the loss, incomprehensible.

With her free hand, she slipped her arm around Elizabeth's tiny shoulders. As Haley settled her hand against her side, she couldn't resist peeking up at Matthew, who sat with a black leather Bible open across his lap. He was staring at the child next to her, stark emotions clear on his face. As if he sensed her watching, Matthew shifted his head slightly, and his gaze connected with Haley's.

At first Haley stiffened, and she wondered if she should sit away from Elizabeth, if Matthew thought she was distracting his daughter by holding her so close. But then a strange, warm look appeared on his face. Was it understanding that she read in his eyes? Did he realize that he wasn't the only one who cared deeply for his child?

“Yes, Abraham was willing to sacrifice what was most dear to him,” Reverend Boggs continued. “Our Father usually asks far less of us, and yet for most of us, the sacrifice is still too great. What could you give up to do God's
work? Your Sunday night TV dramas? Maybe the Wednesday night bowling league?”

Haley couldn't help smiling at the direction the minister's sermon was taking. By the time that the closing prayer was spoken, she'd already determined that if she gave up feeling sorry for herself, she would have plenty of time to do church work.

“Uncle Dylan. Uncle Logan.” Elizabeth squeezed her way past her grandmother to reach the two men on the end of the pew once the service had concluded.

“Hey, munchkin,” Logan said, swinging his niece up for a bear hug.

Dylan leaned in to kiss the child's cheek. “I've missed you too much.”

After Logan lowered Elizabeth to her feet, he turned to hug his mother.

“What kept you two this morning?” Amy Warren said in a saccharine-sweet voice.

“Ask Logan,” Dylan said drily. “Or better yet, don't.”

Logan shrugged. “Why, Mom? Are you planning to sacrifice your children, just for being late to church?”

“Very funny,” she said.

Trina, who had come around the other end of the pew, stepped up to her friend's sons. “She won't do that, but she probably knows why some animals eat their young.”

Soon the Warren and Scott families—complete for the first time in a long time—were exchanging awkward hugs in the nearly empty sanctuary. Even Matthew had made his way back from the receiving line and was frowning at his brothers who'd been MIA all week.

The scene made Haley smile. It felt like a flashback to her childhood, to the time when she still believed that all stories had happy endings. Before any of them knew about
divorces, deaths and failed engagements. It was so great having them all here together. Too bad this was only temporary as a couple of them had a flight to catch.

“I
don't think it's going to work out.”

Trina Scott had been stirring two sugar cubes into a cup of Earl Grey, but at her best friend's words, she set aside the cup from her favorite tea service.

“What are you talking about?”

Amy Warren rubbed one stocking-clad foot against the other and straightened the floral-print skirt she'd worn to church and then to the airport. Lifting her cup and saucer from the coffee table, she took a sip and lowered it again.

“You know what I mean,” Amy said. “The plan.”

Trina turned her head from side to side then grinned when she remembered they were alone. She didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing them. After she and Amy had returned with Haley from the airport, Haley had headed off on errands, giving the two friends a chance to chat. Trina appreciated not having to be so careful with her words, at least for a while.

Earlier in the week, she and Amy had agreed to avoid continually mentioning their matchmaking plan in front of the others. A love match might be more likely to sneak up
on their children if they weren't being so up front about their roles as catalysts for the intended happy developments.

She waved away Amy's worries with a brush of her hand. “When did you become such a naysayer?”

“I'm not a naysayer. It's just—”

“Just that you're being a Gloomy Gail. ‘Oh ye of little faith.' Come on. We just haven't given our plan enough time to play out yet. These things take time. Caroline and Matthew are just getting to know each other.”

Amy raised a brow but sipped from her cup again rather than making a cynical comment.

“You know what I mean,” Trina said with a frown. “Sure, they
know
each other, but they're hardly acquainted at all as adults. They haven't had time to see the incredible people they've become.”

Amy drew her eyebrows together. “I don't know.”

“It might have been easier if Matthew weren't the only guy around all week. What really happened to Dylan and Logan, anyway?”

“I just can't figure those two out.” With a huff, Amy folded her arms across her. “As you can tell, they've come out of hiding now that they know all the big family gatherings are over.”

Trina nodded, sharing her friend's disappointment. “Even without their absence, this week wasn't exactly the perfect matchmaking moment. Especially with all that fuss to deal with over the wedding that never was.”

“And never should have been,” they said in chorus and laughed.

Trina turned to stare out the window, where the sky stretched in miles of gray. “Haley doesn't realize yet what a blessing she's been given. One of these days, though, she'll figure it out.”

“She always does eventually.”

Trina nodded. Her friend was right as she'd been about so many things over the years. Haley would find her way just as her sisters had. Only it would take her a little longer than the others. “At least Matthew and Haley worked out whatever differences they were having about Elizabeth's care.”

“Did Haley tell you anything?”

“Not a word.”

“These ungrateful children,” Amy said. “Can't even give their long-suffering mothers a morsel of information when the story looked so interesting.”

Trina's hand shook as she chuckled, causing the tea to slosh in her cup. She set it aside before she made a mess.

“That Matthew would be tight-lipped about something shouldn't surprise either of us,” Amy continued. “Stacey had been gone three weeks before I found out about it, and we lived across town.”

“But Haley's been silent, too.” Trina shook her head. “She hasn't kept a secret from me in her whole life. I even patted her on the shoulder a few times the other night, and I got nowhere.”

“Boy, you
were
trying.” A knowing smile played on Amy's lips.

Trina smiled back. Of course, her best friend knew how hard it was for her to be the soft, comforting mother. It just wasn't in her nature. How blessed she'd been to have a friend who knew her failings and loved her anyway.

“Elizabeth sure made her presence known at The Pie the other night.” Amy grinned as she settled back in her chair. “The way Matthew looked at Haley, I thought he was going to fire her on the spot.”

“Well, at least they worked it out. Haley needs something she can count on right now, and Matthew can stop worrying about child care long enough to look at his other personal options.”

“Like your Caroline?”

“I like the way you think, sister.”

Still, Amy took on a pensive look then. “Have you ever considered that they might not be right for each other?”

“Are you kidding? Have you ever
met
our two oldest children?” She tilted her head to the side, giving Amy her best look of incredulity. “God couldn't have made a pair with more in common than those two.”

“You're right. But neither of them seemed that enthused with our hints.”

“When have our children ever accepted our advice? At least the first time we gave it.”

“Never.”

“That's right,” Trina said with a firm nod. “And I don't know about Matthew, but Caroline is stubborn enough to frustrate anyone. She's always had to do everything
her
way. I told her she would have made a lovely teacher or nurse, but, no. She just kept going on about her business plans and breaking glass ceilings.”

“Jenna told me Caroline's on this kick about never marrying.”

Trina rolled her eyes. “She thinks that's what she wants, but she'll change her mind when she finds the right man. And we both believe Matthew is the right man for her, don't we?”

“Of course we do. It's just that—I don't know. It seems like we might be pushing too hard.”

“Or not hard enough. In biblical days, we would have made the deal before either of them was weaned.”

“And I would own your cow now.”

Trina shrugged. “You're right. Families with daughters didn't exactly make out during those times.”

“Times have changed, too. Arranged marriages aren't in vogue anymore.”

“Well, they should be,” Trina said with a firm nod. “The divorce rate sure would be lower.”

Leaning her elbow on the arm of the chair, Amy stared off into space before turning back to her friend. “When do you think
the plan
went from being just a joke to something we might be tempted to call serious?”

“When Matthew did such a poor job of choosing for himself and ended up miserable.” Trina didn't even have to mention the fiasco of a marriage and divorce that poor Amy had suffered through, as well. Neither of them would ever wish that kind of pain on any of their children, and Amy's son had already experienced it.

“And
the plan
changed when Caroline refused to choose at all.” Trina crossed her arms, settling back into the chair. “I don't even know what to say about the others. Just look at the king-size mistake Haley almost made, and the others don't seem any closer to making good decisions, either.”

“We have to do something.”

Amy hadn't been on board with their discussion, so Trina was pleased by her friend's change of heart. Infused with new energy, Amy scooted to the edge of her chair.

“Our kids need our help, but what we've tried so far hasn't worked,” Amy said.

“Okay, so what will?”

“Up until now, most of our plans have been more like subterfuge.”

“We have been pretty sly, haven't we?”

Amy nodded, on a roll now. “We need to step up our game. I'm going to tell Matthew he needs to ask Caroline on a date, and I'm going to tell him why.”

Now it was Trina's turn for misgivings. “Are you sure that won't just put him off?”

“I've been honest and up front with him about everything else, haven't I?”

“Except in giving him child-rearing advice.”

“Okay, except that. And he appreciates my restraint on that.” Amy paused as if reclaiming her momentum. “Anyway, I'm going to suggest that he ask Caroline to dinner the next time she visits Markston.”

“Have I mentioned how hard it is to get my firstborn to take any time off from work?”

“Well, you'll just have to insist that she visit her dear widowed mother more often. Tell her that she has a jilted younger sister who needs her company, too. That should soften her up some.”

“Remind me never to get on your bad side, dear pal. You're good at getting your own way.”

“God does give us special gifts, doesn't He?” Amy grinned.

“So what do we do if Matthew is too shy or…er…reluctant to ask Caroline out himself?”

“Oh, I wouldn't worry about that.”

“Why is that? Not twenty minutes ago you weren't even certain we were doing the right thing or that things between those two would ever work out.” Trina planted hands on the sides of her skirt and tilted her head.

“Well, twenty minutes ago I didn't have a plan.” She held her hands wide. “Now I do.”

From the sparkle in Amy's eyes, Trina could only guess that her friend had other ideas brewing, as well. This new
enthusiasm was contagious, and anticipation ran through her veins. She was certain they'd be having a family wedding to celebrate before they knew it.

 

A squeal of glee caught Haley's attention as she rinsed the last of the lunch dishes, so she shut off the water. She and Elizabeth had some creating to do. The dishes could wait.

She approached the table where Elizabeth was building a fluffy white creation with a huge pile of shaving cream. Each day since her sisters had left, Haley had been coming up with creative activities to do with Elizabeth. She was especially proud of her plan this time as she'd packed a roll of wax paper and the can of shaving cream in the satchel of surprises she brought each morning.

Not only would shaving cream creations be fun, but, because she and Elizabeth had taped the wax paper to the table, the cleanup would be easy. The lime scent of the shaving cream would probably be harder to get rid of, but she'd cross that bridge when she reached it.

Elizabeth squealed again, and Haley smiled.

“What's that all about?” She glanced across the table where the child had squished the mound of creamy white into big globs and smeared imaginary roads all over the table.

“Look, Miss Haley. It's an igloo.”

She bent so that her head was about level with the tabletop. Sure enough, there was a rounded mound of shaving cream with some sort of dent in the side. A door maybe?

“You're right. It's a wonderful igloo. Your fingers are probably freezing just building it.”

“Ooh, it's cold.” Elizabeth shivered and then giggled. She was wearing a sweater because her father liked to keep the heat low in the house, but she was unlikely to need a parka anytime soon.

“Can you see the Eskimos?” Elizabeth asked her.

Haley studied the creation for a few seconds longer. Unless those smaller lumps around the bigger lump were the dwelling's inhabitants, she didn't see them.

“I know
you
do,” she said finally and was pleased to find that her young charge accepted that answer.

“You can't see all of the Eskimos,” Elizabeth said importantly, “because they're inside having tea.”

“With crumpets, I hope.”

The child nodded. Her smile made all the effort to create little projects like this one worthwhile. Haley loved that Elizabeth still had a child's imagination, where clouds could be mountain ranges and where a tent made of old quilts could be a spaceship to Mars. She had many years ahead to learn life's realities, so Haley wanted to encourage her to enjoy the innocent optimism of childhood for as long as she could.

“What else do you think I can make? What about the
Adominable
Snowman?”

Haley laughed. “Do you mean the
Abominable
Snowman?”

Elizabeth cocked her hip and planted a sticky hand on side of her jeans. “You know, the one with Rudolph?”

She glanced at the clock that had not been her friend lately. “You might have to wait until next time because you have to cleanup now for your rest time.”

“Oh, can't we play a little longer?”

“Sorry. It's important that you get a little rest, so you'll be all ready to have fun when your daddy gets home.”

“But I'm not tired.”

“Well, that's wonderful because you'll have more time to read books in your bed.” Already, Haley had learned that the more positive a spin she put on the afternoon schedule, the easier it was to accomplish.