Love Inspired November 2013 #2 (31 page)

Laura liked the fact that both of them wanted to take care of her. “Thanks, but I will stop if I get tired.”

“And we'll make sure you keep that promise,” her father said.

Laura didn't argue. There had been a couple of afternoons that David practically had to force her to take a break. She'd wanted everything perfect for the sale today and hadn't wanted to waste any time. But they were right. She was at the point in the pregnancy where she had to be careful and not overexert. Early labor was always a possibility with twins.

“So, you ready?” her dad asked.

“I am.” She led him out of the bookstore and into the square. People filled the sidewalk, and signage advertising each merchant's Black Friday sales covered the storefronts. “What do you think?” she asked.

“I think your mother should've come,” he said. “She would've loved all of this. Marjorie has spent so many Black Fridays at Macy's that she doesn't even realize there are more activities going on, like this type of old-fashioned thing. Look at that fountain and the geese. And all of these detailed storefronts. The architecture is remarkable. It's like someone plucked the entire town out of the fifties.”

“I know. I love it here,” she admitted.

“I'm glad for that. I really am. I meant what I told David. It's wonderful to see you smile again.”

“I've been smiling a lot lately,” she said, saying hello to several shoppers that she recognized from the bookstore and church as they walked down the sidewalk. Everyone was so friendly, and she realized that she already felt at home in Claremont. “So for lunch, how about one of the best cheeseburgers you'll ever taste?” She pointed across the square. “You're going to love Nelson's.”

“Lead the way.” He walked beside her, and when they reached the variety store, Marvin Tolleson met them at the door.

“Miss Laura, great to see you!” he said. “I've had several customers come in with bags from the bookstore. Looks like y'all are having a good day.”

“We are.” She nodded toward the packed booths and soda fountain. “And it looks like you are, too.”

“God is blessing us,” he agreed, “but don't worry. We have an open booth in the back for you. And I don't believe we've met.” He smiled at Laura's father.

“Thomas Holland. I'm Laura's dad.”

“Well, then, I believe I met your wife here a few weeks back,” Marvin said, ushering them toward the only vacant booth. “Nice lady, but I'll admit, I thought she was Miss Laura's sister when she first came in.”

Her father grinned. “We get that a lot, but I take it as a compliment, as does she.”

“Well, here are your menus.” He handed them each a laminated sheet. “Do you know what you want to drink?”

“I'll have sweet tea,” her dad said.

“I'll have the large lemonade,” Laura said, “and we can go ahead and order, if that's okay.”

“The babies hungry?” her father asked.

Laura grinned. “Always.”

“Well, we can take care of that,” Marvin said. “What would you like?”

“Cheeseburger and sweet potato fries.” It'd become one of her favorite meals.

“I'll have the same,” her dad said as his phone started up with the “Rocky Top” ring tone. He withdrew it from his pocket and glanced at the display. Laura knew before he answered that it was her mom.

“Hey, how's work going?” He nodded a few times as she apparently told him about her morning, or night would be more accurate, since the sale started at midnight. “I'm sitting at a table with her right now for lunch. Yes, it is really nice here.”

He continued talking for a few minutes and then said, “You get yourself something to eat while you have a chance. I'm glad you're having a good sales day.” Another nod. “I'll tell her.” He smiled. “I love you, too. 'Bye.” He pocketed the phone. “She wanted me to tell you she loves you and misses you, and that she'll be back down here soon.”

“I'd like that,” Laura said as Marvin's wife, Mae, hurried toward the table with two plates of food.

“Marvin said your babies are hungry—” she placed a plate in front of each of them “—so we moved your order to the top.”

Laura laughed. “I could've waited.” She plucked a fry from the plate and started eating it.

“But we didn't want you to,” Mae said. “And Marvin told me you're Laura's dad. We're glad you're here.”

“Glad to be here,” he said.

They started eating, but Laura didn't have her food on her mind. True, she was hungry, and she'd eat, but she also wanted to talk about what had been bothering her ever since her mother's visit. “Dad, when Mom came down, she seemed to really enjoy herself and we had a great day,” she said.

“That's what she said. I wished she'd have told me she was coming down here, but I am glad you two enjoyed some time together.”

“Me, too, but—” she decided just to tell him what happened “—but before she left, she said some things that confused me.”

He was about to take another bite of cheeseburger, but he placed the sandwich back on his plate. “Something about why she keeps leaving? Because I asked her, again, and I got the same answer.”

“What answer?”

“That she had to get away.” He shrugged. “Same answer she's been giving me for nearly twenty-four years. Did she tell you something different?”

The eagerness in his tone hurt Laura. He so wanted to know what caused his wife to head out every now and then, and Laura wanted to know, too. Over the past few weeks, ever since she spent that day with her mom, she'd thought about the best words to convey everything her mother said, and she selected them carefully now. “She started off talking about you, the two of you, and how you were the love of her life, and that she thought she fell in love with you the first time she saw you.”

His mouth flattened, and he nodded. “She's told me that before, and I believe her. I felt the same way. There's something to be said for love at first sight.”

Laura imagined her parents young and so in love, and she liked the image. She almost didn't want to tell him the rest, but she knew how desperately he wanted to figure out what caused her mother to run. “But then she said something else through the day that I couldn't stop thinking about, something I didn't understand.”

“What'd she say?” He'd pushed his plate forward, having lost all interest in eating until he and Laura had this conversation.

“She said that she wanted me to find someone who chose
me
. A couple of times she mentioned how important it was to be with someone who chose you.” Laura shook her head, not understanding it any more now than she did that day. “Is there something that has happened in your marriage to make her think she wasn't your first choice? Or when you were dating?” Laura asked. “That's all I can think of.”

He sat there for a second then ran his hand down his face while Laura took in his instant reaction. Maybe he did know what was going on with her mom.

“Daddy?” she asked while he straightened in the booth then leaned his head back against the seat and whispered something to the ceiling.

Laura couldn't hear his words for all of the chatter in the five-and-dime, but she read his lips.

“Oh, Marjorie, what do I have to do to make you believe me?”

Laura leaned forward in her seat and lowered her voice, though that hardly mattered with the crowd and the noise today. Even so, she didn't want to draw undue attention to whatever her father was about to say. “Daddy, did you—was there someone else that you loved?”

He slid his hand across the table, took Laura's in his and squeezed. “Honey, there has never been anyone else. Like I said earlier, I think I fell in love with your mom the first time I saw her.”

“Then what is she talking about, wanting to be the one someone chooses? Why doesn't she feel like you chose her?” Laura was so thankful for Marvin's crowd now. Normally, it'd be impossible to have this conversation at the restaurant, but thanks to the Black Friday shoppers, that wasn't a problem. And Laura was glad; she didn't want to wait to hear his answer.

“She isn't talking about another woman,” he said. “She's talking about...you.”

Chapter Twelve

“M
e?” Laura didn't see that coming. Her mother had never seemed jealous of her relationship with her father; she was certain of it. They were all close in spite of her mother's quirks. But surely if her mom didn't like the fact that Laura and her dad were close, Laura would have been able to tell, right? “What do you mean...me?”

He took a deep breath, let it out. Then he glanced at the surrounding tables to apparently make sure no one was listening to their conversation.

No one was. Everyone was busily chatting and eating and absorbed in discussing the activities of the day.

“Daddy, tell me what you're talking about.”

He nodded. “Honey, you know that your mom was several months pregnant when we married.”

Laura, of course, knew. Her parents were married in August, and Laura was born in February. It hadn't been a secret. She nodded and waited for him to continue.

“Back then, when she told me, and I said we'd get married, she said she didn't want me to marry her just because she was pregnant.”

The pieces clicked into place, and Laura suddenly felt sorry for her mom. “She didn't think you would have married her if she hadn't been pregnant.” Laura knew times had changed over the years. Back then, when a girl was pregnant, the couple typically married. Nowadays, for example with Jared, marrying Laura hadn't even occurred to him; he'd merely wanted her to end the pregnancy.

“I told her then that I had already known I wanted to marry her. Sure, it was quicker than we planned. She was only seventeen, and I was eighteen. But we would have married anyway. I'm sure of it, and I told her so. I thought she believed me.” He shook his head. “All of these years,
that
was why she kept running away?”

Laura remembered more of what her mother said during her visit. “She said that everything had been harder this year, because of me and Jared. I didn't understand what she meant, but now I do. Me getting pregnant, and then Jared not even considering marriage to me—even marrying someone else—probably made her wonder if that's what you wanted back then.”

“But it isn't, Laura. I always wanted your mother. I've always loved her, and I always will.” He exhaled thickly. “I just don't know what I have to do to prove it to her.”

Laura had pushed her plate to the center of the table, but she pulled it back and picked up a fry. She felt better, somehow, at least knowing what was going on in her mother's mind. And she was determined to help her father show his wife that he'd always chosen
her
. Pointing the fry at her dad, she said, “Well, then, that's our goal today, to figure out how you can prove it.”

He'd looked miserable a moment ago, but his eyes lit up, and one corner of his mouth lifted as he also reached for his discarded plate. “You have any ideas?”

She ate another fry then picked up her burger. “Not yet, but I'm not letting you leave here today until we figure something out.”

He laughed. “Your determination. You get that from her, you know.”

Laura smiled. “I know.”

“And your good looks from me,” he said with a wink, which caused both of them to laugh. Laura was the spitting image of her mother, and her father would be the first one to say so.

“I love you, Daddy,” she said, then continued working on her cheeseburger.

“Love you right back,” he said, then did the same.

They talked about things that might let Marjorie see how much he cared.

“How about a nice vacation, something like a second honeymoon?” Laura asked.

“That's what the cruise was supposed to be, and obviously that didn't do the trick.”

“Jewelry?”

“I gave her a new necklace for her birthday, and she liked it, but no, I don't think that's the answer. She usually buys jewelry to match the clothes she gets at the store, so that isn't typically something she wants.”

“Flowers,” Laura said. She couldn't ever remember her father sending her mother flowers.

He shook his head. “Your mother never has liked flowers. She said they just die and remind her of funerals.”

Laura squished her nose at that. “Gee, thanks for ruining the way I think of them, Mom.”

He grinned at that. “There's got to be something I can do.”

Laura pondered it while she ate but wasn't coming up with anything. She was still thinking about it when a cute Asian girl bounced up to the booth. Laura had noticed her moving around the restaurant from table to table, but she'd been too absorbed in her thoughts about her mother to pay much attention. The girl was a teen, sixteen or seventeen, Laura would guess.

“Hi,” she said, “do you have any Secret Santa stories you'd like to share for the
Claremont News
?” Then she looked up from her small notepad and said, “Oh, hey, you're not from Claremont, are you?”

“I'm not,” Laura's father said, “but my daughter moved here a few weeks ago.” He pointed to Laura.

“Oh, yeah, I met you Wednesday night at church,” she said. “I'm Nadia Berry. Brother Henry is my grandfather.”

Laura nodded, the memory clicking into place. “I remember now.” Then she asked, “You said something about a Secret Santa?”

“Oh, yes,” Nadia said. “See, I'm hoping to get a degree in journalism after high school. I'm a senior now. And the newspaper is letting me intern there. They're letting me do a seasonal story on Claremont's Secret Santa. Have you not heard about our Secret Santa yet?”

Laura shook her head.

“Oh, well, it's pretty awesome,” Nadia said. “See, several years ago—we can't figure out exactly when it started, which is something I'm trying to determine for my article—a Secret Santa started helping folks out in Claremont at Christmastime. Usually, the things start happening the day after Thanksgiving, which is today, and that's why I wanted to write a story about it.”

“What kind of things?” Laura's father asked.

“Clothes for kids that need them, groceries and things like that. But also bigger things,” she said, glancing at her notepad. “One man said that he couldn't make his mortgage one Christmas and didn't know how his kids were even going to have a Christmas, and Secret Santa paid his note and delivered toys for the kids. Another lady said she had hospital bills that she couldn't pay, and when she called in December to get the balance, she learned it'd been paid by Secret Santa. He's known to do big things like that, but also little things, like leaving candy canes for people to find and so they'll see where he's been. But I'm pretty sure lots of folks put the candy canes out now, just because it's fun and to throw people off his trail.” Nadia grinned. “See, we really don't want to know who it is. We just like talking about it. It's fun for it to be a mystery, don't you think?”

“Yes, I do,” Laura said, amazed at all of the uniqueness of this small Alabama town. A Secret Santa.

“Everyone loves surprises,” Nadia continued, “especially when it means something special or helps you out in a big way.” She looked at her notes. “It's like Mandy Brantley said earlier, ‘It doesn't have to be anything huge, just something to let a person know someone cares and understands how they feel.'” Nadia looked up from the pad. “Mandy said Secret Santa sent her a card the first Christmas after she lost Mia and also sent a Bible storybook for Kaden that became his favorite. It was the story of Moses,” Nadia said. “I'm definitely going to include that in my article.”

“Well, I don't have a Secret Santa story to share since I just moved here,” Laura said, “but I look forward to your article. It sounds like you're going to do a great job.”

“Thanks!” Nadia exclaimed, and then said to Laura's father, “Nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” he said, finishing off his fries and smiling.

“What is it?” Laura asked.

“I think I have an idea for what I should do for your mom.”

Ten minutes later they were back on the square. “What's your idea?” she asked.

“I thought I spotted...” He scanned the storefronts. “Yep, there it is. I knew I saw one. Come on.” He walked purposefully, but Laura had no clue where they were headed.

“Where are we going?”

“You'll see.”

She spotted the Tiny Tots Treasure Box toy store, Gina Brown's Art Gallery, The Grind coffee shop and The Sweet Stop candy shop in their path. But she didn't think any of those would have something that he'd want to buy her mother.

Then he stopped in front of the Claremont Jewelry Store and gazed at a collection of rings in the window.

“I thought you said she didn't like jewelry,” Laura said as he moved toward the door and walked in.

“She doesn't like any ol' jewelry,” he said. “But everyone likes surprises, especially when they mean something special,” he added, quoting Nadia.

Laura wasn't sure what he had in mind, but she followed him over to the ring cases. There was only one gentleman working at the store. Laura remembered meeting him at church Wednesday night and again yesterday at the Thanksgiving dinner but couldn't recall his name. He finished up with another customer, then moved to the opposite side of the jewelry case from Laura and her dad.

“Well, hello. It's Laura, isn't it?” he said. His voice was so kind and friendly, and again Laura struggled to remember the name.

“I'm so sorry,” she said. “I met so many people at church....”

“No problem,” he said with a smile, “there are a lot of people to meet in Claremont. A lot of folks have told me about what a good job you're doing at the bookstore. My grandson comes to the book club with you on Mondays, and he's loving it.” Then he shook his head and added, “I'm Marvin, by the way. Marvin Grier. And I own the jewelry store here. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Wedding rings,” her father said.

“Okay. Are we looking for an anniversary type band or a traditional set?”

“Traditional set.”

Laura watched in amazement as Mr. Grier withdrew two satin-lined trays of stunning wedding rings. The bell on the door sounded as another customer came in behind them, and Mr. Grier said, “I'm going to help him and give you a little privacy while you make your decision. Just let me know if you have any questions.”

“We will,” Thomas said. He waited for Mr. Grier to move farther away and then explained, “When we first got married, I didn't have any money to pay for a nice ring. I asked her on our ten-year and then our twenty-year anniversary if she wanted a nicer one, but she said she didn't, that she loved the one I gave her in the beginning.”

“I'm sure she does,” Laura said.

“But our wedding was so quiet and low-key, and so was our engagement. We just wanted to get everything done quickly and be married. It didn't really give her the chance to enjoy the moment, you know.” He frowned. “I asked her to marry me, but there was no surprise to it. She went with me to pick out the ring, and then we put it on her hand right there in the store. And then we went to the courthouse and got married.”

Laura had never really thought about the details of her parents' wedding before, and now it seemed like it wasn't all that special.

“I want to give her a ring that tells her if I had a chance to do it all again, I'd choose her, and I'd give her a ring like this.” He picked up a huge marquise solitaire. “She always liked this cut.” He handed it to Laura. “Try it on for me, will you? Y'all wear the same size ring, don't you?”

“Yes,” Laura said, and before she could stop him, he slid the ring on her finger. She stared at the sparkling huge stone. “Wow, Daddy. That's really something.”

“You think she'll like it?”

“It looks like Mom,” Laura admitted, taking another glance and then sliding the ring from her finger.

“I think so, too.” He held it up to the light and admired the way it shone. Then he checked the price tag and winced.

“You don't have to get something so big,” Laura said, knowing he didn't make a lot of money and probably didn't have that kind of cash lying around to purchase an extravagant ring.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, “and I've been tucking away money into savings over the years. I can't think of any better reason to spend some of it.” He grinned. “I'm going to do it right this time, down on one knee, the whole nine yards. And I'm going to make sure Marjorie knows that I chose her then, and I'd choose her all over again. Thinking I'll give it to her on Christmas, so keep it a secret, okay?”

“Okay.” Laura nodded. “That's a wonderful idea, Daddy.”

Thomas kept looking at the ring he'd selected, while Laura's attention focused on another set. The ring had two small stones on either side of one a little larger, nowhere near as big as the one her father had selected, but in Laura's opinion, quite elegant. Beautiful.

“You want to try that one on?” Mr. Grier asked, and Laura realized that she'd been so enthralled with the pretty ring that she hadn't heard him return.

“Oh, no, I don't have any reason to,” she said, but her father and Mr. Grier urged her.

“Try it on,” her dad said, and Mr. Grier lifted the ring and slid it on her finger.

“A perfect fit, don't you think?” he said as the bell on the door sounded and another customer must have entered. Laura didn't turn to verify the fact, her attention unable to veer from the sight of that ring. She'd never had a wedding ring on her finger before, but she couldn't deny it looked good there. Felt good there, too.

“That's right pretty on you, Miss Laura.”

She turned to see Zeb Shackleford standing behind her and peering at the ring.

“Oh, I was just, I don't know, trying one on since my dad is looking at one for my mom,” she stammered. “Mr. Zeb, this is my dad, Thomas Shackelford.” She shook her head. “Thomas Holland, I mean. Sorry.”