The Color of Hope (23 page)

“The point is the same,” Janelle said, “and I’m sticking to it. Nobody’s road is trouble-free when it comes to relationships. Look at mine and David’s. Look at Kory’s.” She gestured toward Marcus and Charley. “But if you’ve got two people who love Jesus and put Him first—I don’t care if one is striped and the other polka dot—there’s no better foundation.”

It got quiet, and Charley wondered what everyone was thinking.

“I’ve got one request,” Aunt Gladys said. “I want you two to make this same announcement over at the Willoughby house, with Skip Willoughby present.”

Charley looked at Marcus. “I don’t mind if we go there next.”

Gladys pushed back in the recliner and put her feet up. “Then I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Charley and Marcus stepped into the foyer of her home. She had called ahead, telling her mom she wanted to talk to her about something and asking if she’d make sure Grandpa Skip was there too. Of course her mother wanted to know then and there what was wrong. Charley assured her that actually, for the first time in a long time, something was very right.

“Mom,” Charley called.

“We’re in here,” her mom said.

Charley led Marcus into her family room. Her mom and Grandpa Skip rose from their seats, eyes on Marcus.

“Mom, Grandpa, I’d like to introduce you to Marcus Maxwell.” She turned. “Marcus, my mom, Dottie Willoughby, and my grandpa, Skip Willoughby.”

Marcus shook her mom’s hand first. “Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Willoughby.”

Charley’s grandfather eyed him, then shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you, sir,” Marcus said.

Skip looked at his granddaughter. “What’s this about, Charley?”

Charley smiled. “Marcus and I are friends. I wanted to introduce you because . . . well, we’re dating.”

“You’re dating?” her mom said. “But . . . we’ve never even met him.”

“That’s why I wanted to introduce you.”

Skip returned to his armchair. “Tell us about yourself, Mr. Maxwell.”

Her mother sat again as well, and Charley directed Marcus to the vacant love seat.

Marcus sat. “Well, I’m the assistant principal at Hope Springs High—”

“Ah, now it makes sense,” Dottie said.

“—and a member of New Jerusalem Church—”

“That makes sense now too,” Skip said.

“I grew up in Raleigh, but my family goes back a couple generations in Hope Springs.”

“Who’s your family?” Skip asked.

“My dad is Warren Maxwell—and my mom, Gladys, is a Sanders.”

“I remember your family,” Dottie said. “Your mom was a few years ahead of me in school.”

An awkward silence descended. Charley was finding this a little harder than she thought.

“Marcus, I want to give you some Willoughby family history,” Skip said. “We value family very highly. My wife and I raised Charley’s dad in such a way that he respected our opinion, sought our counsel, and even sought our input on whom he should date.” Skip gestured toward Charley’s mom. “Dottie was a natural choice because we knew her parents. They were good friends, rest their souls.”

Her mom nodded reverently.

“Charley was raised that same way,” Skip continued. “We were longtime friends with the parents of the young man she was engaged to. And although that didn’t work out—scoundrel that he turned out to be—we still intend to play a part in helping Charley choose whom she will bring into this family, which of necessity starts with whom she will date.”

Skip paused, but it was clear he wasn’t done.

“I respect that you seem to be a hardworking, churchgoing young man,” Skip said, “but the fact is, we don’t know you or your family.”

“What?” Charley was incredulous. “Mom just said she knows his mother and the rest of his family.”

“Charley, that was eons ago,” Dottie said. “I haven’t seen them in years.”

“Well, I can’t give my blessing to this,” Skip said. “Frankly, you scared me when you first walked in. I thought you were about to announce an engagement.”

Charley felt an incredible letdown. “What about you, Mom?” She looked at her. “Are you supportive?”

“Did you two talk to Marcus’s parents?” Dottie asked. “I’m curious as to what they said, Marcus.”

Marcus glanced at Charley. “My dad wasn’t there, but we talked to my mom. She had her reservations.”

“See, that’s interesting,” Dottie said. “I admit I have my reservations as well. Maybe it’s our generation. Maybe we’re a little wiser from all we’ve seen in this town.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, but it’s hard to be supportive of this. I have to agree with your grandfather.”

Charley stood, reaching for Marcus’s hand. He stood with her.

“It makes me sad that I don’t have your support,” she said. “I don’t know if Marcus and I will last a week, a month, or a lifetime. I just know we’ve decided God’s opinion matters most. And we can’t think of anything He doesn’t approve about our relationship.”

They walked out of the room, her family following.

Charley turned. “I’m glad we talked to our families at this early stage, so we’d know where we stand. I just ask that you’d be willing to pray about this and see if your heart is God’s heart.”

Skip folded his arms. “Charley, as the head of this family, I have to tell you that this isn’t over. I have to look out for your best interests.”

Charley and Marcus walked out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Tuesday, August 17

S
tephanie and Sam entered the side door, shopping bags in hand. They lugged them into the kitchen, but no one was there.

“Hey, Janelle, where are you?” Stephanie called.

“You’re back?” Janelle said. “I’m in the bedroom. Come in here.”

Sam was excited. “Wait till she sees,” she said.

They passed Daniel and Tiffany’s room, where Daniel was at a desk doing homework.

Stephanie looked over her shoulder at Sam. “That’s probably what you needed to be doing tonight instead of shopping. I should’ve asked you.”

“No worries,” Sam said. “I didn’t have a lot of homework today. Plus, I get a lot done in study hall.”

Janelle was ironing the kids’ clothes, with Tiffany spread across the bed doing a worksheet.

Sam dropped her bags on the floor, looking at Tiffany. “You’ve got homework in kindergarten?”

Tiffany sighed, head propped on her elbow. “I finished that as soon as I got home. This is
Mommy’s
work.”

Janelle chimed in, “The class is learning the alphabet, but Tiff was already working on reading and writing, so I make sure she keeps moving from where she was.”

Sam took a closer look. “Nice penmanship,” she said. “And I like the way you drew that cat next to the word.”

Tiffany beamed. “Thanks.” She looked at her mother. “Mommy, can I take a break and play with Sam?”

“Y’all love playing with Sam,” Stephanie said. “What’s up with that?”

Sam had come over on Saturday and stayed much longer than she’d planned because Tiffany, Claire, and Dee were having such a good time with her.

Janelle laid aside a shirt she’d ironed and picked up another from a pile. “You’re almost done, and anyway, Sam’s about to show me what she got. You can play with her in a minute . . . if she’s upfor it.”

“If
I’m
up for it?” Sam said. “Question is whether Tiffany’s up for it. I think the piggyback rides were too much for her last time.”

“No, they weren’t.” Tiffany sat up, shaking her head. “It was fun! Can we do it again? We can go get Claire too.”

Sam had a tentative look. “Well, only if you think you can take it. I’m going super fast this time.”

Tiffany’s eyes got wide. “This is gonna be so wild.” She hunkered back down. “Okay, let me hurry up and finish.”

“Do it neatly, Tiff.”

She didn’t look up. “Yes, Mommy.”

Janelle set the iron down and smiled at Sam. “So show me the goods. Looks like the outing was fruitful.”

“Miss Stephanie went kind of crazy,” Sam said.

“Did not.” Stephanie pushed her two shopping bags behind her legs. “There was just a super abundance of cute things—plus a super
sale
—so it only made sense to take advantage of it.”

Sam nodded with excitement. “Yeah. Turns out they reduce the prices even more
after
the back-to-school sales. I told Miss Stephanie she was like an angel. Felt like a thousand Christmases wrapped up in one.”

Sam had come over for dinner, and Stephanie gently asked if she’d had a chance to do any school shopping. Sam said no, that her clothes had gotten too small, but her mom couldn’t afford to buy anything new. So Stephanie had pulled Lindell aside and asked if she could take her shopping for maybe two pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts. She may have gone a tad beyond that.

Sam was digging in one of the shopping bags. “Check this out, Miss Janelle.” She held them up. “I’ve never had capris before, and I got
three
pair. Aren’t these olive green ones pretty?”

“I love that color,” Janelle said. “Try ‘em on so I can see.”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah, and put on one of your new shirts with it.”

“Ooh, that’s the other thing,” Sam said. “They had graphic tees on sale—”

“Girl,
five dollars
each,” Stephanie told Janelle. “Crazy.”

Sam was laughing. “And Miss Stephanie was grabbing tees she liked, and then she stopped and said, ‘Oh. I guess I should ask if
you
like this.’” She extended her arms like it was a no-brainer. “I was like, are you kidding?” She rummaged around in the bag. “There’s a really cute one that says
Peace
, one that has
Hope
, and another one that has
Love
.” She rummaged around in the bag. “I’ll try the
Love
one on with the capris.”

She started changing, and Stephanie and Janelle exchanged glances. They’d already marveled about it on Saturday, how Sam was coming out of her shell around them, talking more, laughing. It warmed Stephanie’s heart. She’d never had a relationship like this, where she was pouring into someone else—where she
wanted
to.

“Ta-da!”

Janelle turned. “Sam, you look so cute! Those colors really look good on you.”

Tiffany jumped off the bed to take a good look. “Kinda matches your eyes. They’re so pretty.”

“Really?” Sam said. “Thanks, Tiff.” She went and dug in the bag, holding up another shirt. “This red one is my favorite.”

“Yeah, learned something new about Miss Sam,” Stephanie said. “Girl loves red.”

“I’m not surprised,” Janelle said. “It’s bright and pretty, just like Sam.”

“Can we go get Claire to play piggyback now?” Tiffany said.

“Sam’s still showing us her clothes,” Janelle said.

“I can finish that when we’re done playing, if that’s okay,” Sam said.

Janelle smiled. “Of course. I appreciate your willingness to play with the girls.”

Sam shrugged. “I love it. They take you as you are.” She looked at Tiffany. “Let me change out of these clothes, and I’ll be ready.”

The doorbell rang then, and Stephanie and Janelle glanced at each other.

“Wonder who that is,” Stephanie said. Almost everyone simply walked into the Sanders house.

They both went to see, leaving Tiffany and Sam.

Janelle opened the door. “It’s Trina. Hey, girl, come on in.”

Trina walked in. “Hey, glad I caught you both home.”

Stephanie hugged her. “Come on in. Can I get you something to drink?” She eyed her. “See, I’m still practicing my hospitality.”

Trina laughed. “I don’t need anything, but I’m proud of you. I’m not doing too good with patience this week.”

“We won’t even go there,” Stephanie said.

Janelle ushered her into the family room.

“Okay, what am I forgetting?” Stephanie sat on the sofa.
“Wednesday night is Bible study, Thursday is Soul Sisters. What brings you to Hope Springs on a Tuesday?”

Trina’s smile was bright. “I was helping Travis and Marcus clean up over there.”