Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 15 (8 page)

“
There are children in there,
”
she sobbed quietly.
“
How can they risk it
?
”

“
People work for peanuts giving those tours and cleaning the
glass;
do you think they
’
d do that if it wasn
’
t safe?
Is the little bit they are paid worth the money if it
’
s dangerous?
”

“
They
’
re stupid
.”
Chad’s chuckle sent her upright, glaring at him.
“
What is so funny?
”

“
You just make my heart happy.
Even when you terrify small children
.”

“
I
— I didn’t.
How?”

“
Well what did you think would happen screaming like that?
”

“
I screamed?
”
She remembered panic.
She
’
d frozen in place;
she was sure of it
,
but Willow had no memory of screaming.
“
I never scream
.”

“
Want to try again?
”

She shook her head.
“
I really just want to go.
Please
—”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“
I can
’
t get the image of that shark swimming right at me out of my head
.”

Once outside, Willow glanced around her smiling at the tall buildings.
“
I never thought I
’
d be so glad to see those huge things.
I love those buildings now
.”

“
Well, where to?
We
’
re in town
—”

A smile broke out over her face.
“
I want to go to the fabric store where I bought the fabric for the girls
’
dresses.
I want to give the man who helped me a tip.
He was so kind
.”

Chad shrugged and accepted the address she passed him.
“
Do you have a card?
”

“
For what?
”

“
Well,
”
Chad explained patiently,
“
most people get embarrassed if you just hand them cash
,
but if you put it in a card that says thank-you, it
’
s just different
.”

On the way to the fabric store, Chad pulled into the parking lot of Rite-Aid. “Let’s get a card here.”

“At a drugstore?”

She sh
ould not have been surprised to step into a store and find rows upon rows of cards for every occasion. New job, new baby, retirement, birthday, wedding, sympathy, graduation—they had it all.
A four-foot wide section intermingled thanks and sympathy together.

“Something small,” she murmured as her fingers skipped over the tops of the cards.

“Why small?”

“Because if it’s embarrassing to receive cash, it’ll be embarrassing
to receive a large envelope—it’ll be conspicuous.”

His smile was his only response.
She’d done something right.
That pleasure that his approval brought her—nothing felt better.

“Hey, this one is nice.
I think he’ll like it.
It has lilacs on it.”

“
Um, l
ass, flowers are usually better for girls.
Guys like boring or something more masculine.”

“But he loved the flower choice.
I think he’ll like it.
I’m ready.
Let’s go.”

Twice on the way to the fabric store, Chad commented on the card, but Willow ignored him.
Josh would love it.
As he drove, she struggled to write the card without destroying it.
Stoplights became her friend until she signed it—Willow Tesdall.

“That’s something I like seeing.”

“Me too.
I’ve never written it with Tesdall before.
I almost forgot.”

“Most people would have,” he agreed.
“You just don’t write so fast that your head can’t keep up with you.”

She hurried from the truck, practically dragging Chad into the store and up to the first empty register. “Is Josh working today?
I need to speak to him if I can.”

“
Well,
”
the cashier said lazily,
“
I think he just got off…
”

“
Can you page him just in case
he hasn’t left yet
?
”
Chad
’
s voice was firm but agreeable.

“
Well
—”

“
Thanks, we
’
d really appreciate it
.”

When Josh burst through the double doors, Chad
nudged her.
“
Is that
—”

“
Josh!
”
Willow rushed forward smiling.
“
Do you remember me?
”

“
Daisy yellow.
Your wedding was just a week or two ago wasn
’
t it?
”

Willow’s eyes grew wide.
“Wow!
You remembered!”

A passing employee laughed.
“We call him the elephant.”

Her eyebrows drew together as she tried to understand.
“Why?
He’s too scrawny to be an elephant!”

“People like to sa
y that elephants never forget, l
ass.
She’s saying he has a good memory,” Chad whispered.

“Oh!
Right.
I remember that.
Sorry.”
She started to hand him the envelope.
“
I brought you a card.
The dresses were just perfect and you were so helpful
.”

Josh looked around uncomfortably.
“
Want to get a coffee with me?
”

Willow smiled and pulled Chad forward.
“That’d be great.
You can meet my husband.” Her throat swelled—her
husband
!

“
It
’
s nice to meet you
,
”
Chad said.
“We’d love to get coffee with you.”

“
Oh!
”
The man
’
s gestures
were the same effeminate movements that had interested her the last time. Before she could introduce Chad, Josh added,
“
You
are a lucky man.
Come on, I can
’
t wait to hear everything
.”

Outside the store, Josh led them down the street, around the corner, and into an old café that had definitely seen better years.
“
The coffee isn
’
t gourmet here,
but it
’
s good and it
’
s hot
.”
He waved at the waitress at the counter.
“
When you have a minute
,
Wendy
.”

Chad pushed Willow
’
s card across the table.
“
Willow told me how helpful you were.
I really appreciate it.
I was afraid she
’
d be overwhelmed in a store like yours
.”

“
I could tell she
’
d never been in one
.”
He grinned at Willow.
“
You know, if you hadn
’
t said bridal, I would have asked you out right there.
You were the most interesting person I
’
ve met in a long time
.”

The look of shock on Chad
’
s face surprised Willow and amused Josh.
“
I thought
—”

“
I
’
m not surprised,
”
Josh agreed.
“
Before Barney over at the mission introduced me to Jesus…
”

Chad
grinned at Willow and said,
“
This is going to be beautiful.
I can tell
.”

“
I don
’
t understand
.”

Josh looked at Chad surprised.
“
She didn
’
t think
—”