Kathryn Alexander - A Wedding In The Family

“Micah! I haven’t talked to you for days! How are you?”

“Tired. And fat. You can’t believe the weight I’ve gained,” Micah answered. “I had never thought of myself as vain but now, all of a sudden, I can’t stand to walk past a mirror.”

“You’re having twins. You can’t expect to weigh your usual amount—which is…what? About 100 pounds at most?”

“No, more like 120, but I can’t believe the numbers on the scales—numbers Rob has to read to me because I can’t see past my belly,” Micah complained with a sigh.

“Micah—”

“I know, I know. This is a lesson in self-pity. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m in the everything-makes-me-want-to-cry stage.”

“I’ve been there. Three times, remember?” Angela said gently. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. At least you’ve got a good reason for your clothes to feel snug. I’m sitting here, trying to figure out how to drop five pounds by Saturday so I can find something in my closet to wear for a date.”

“A date? That’s fantastic,” Micah replied. “With who?”

“Just some man I met. I’m sorry now I ever agreed to it.” Angela lamented. “How could I be so foolish? I have kids, a new job to learn, rent to pay—”

“What’s his name?” Micah cut short Angela’s list of responsibilities. “Where did you meet him?”

“It’s kind of a long story, but his name is Adam Dalton. He’s the director at the recreation center where Heather takes swimming lessons.” Angela sighed, almost relieved to actually be saying aloud the thoughts that had been running through her mind. “He’s…different. Kind, funny, good-looking, interesting…and, apparently, interested.”

“Hmm, all of those qualities rolled up into one package? I thought I’d grabbed the only one of those on the market.”

“No, there’s at least one more, and he’s just what I don’t need.”

Micah laughed. “Don’t be so pessimistic. This could be the guy for you. Hold on a second.”

Angela listened to Micah talking to her husband and to what she could hear of Rob’s voice in the background. She knew he’d have something to say on the subject—once he knew the subject existed.

“Angela’s met somebody…of course, I mean a man…yes, I’ll ask her.” Micah directed her voice into the phone again. “Angela, Rob wants to know—”

“Tell my brother that Adam is a Christian, has been for seven years and attends First Church where you used to go.”

Micah relayed the message to Rob before apologizing to Angela. “He’s just concerned about you, you know that.”

“Well, I’m concerned about me, too. And I’m not a naive college student about to make another blunder with my-life, if that’s what he thinks,” Angela said.

“Listen, Rob loves you and you love him. And I’m not foolish enough to get caught in the middle of a sibling quarrel. You can talk to him about this later. Right now, I want you to forget you’re my sister-in-law. Just be my friend and tell me about this great guy.”

“I don’t know, Micah. He makes me wish I were younger…prettier—”

“So this could be serious then,” Micah commented. “Have you gone out with him yet? I mean, been alone with him?”

“Yes. No. We went out one evening for ice cream. Heather was with us,” Angela explained.

“You are going out with him again, aren’t you? I mean, Rob and I could watch the kids—” Micah stopped. “Hold on, Angela…Rob, you’ll have to tell her that yourself. You can talk to her as soon as I’m finished. Sorry, Angela. Anyway, as I was saying, we’ll watch the kids for you.”

“He’s going to a church cookout with us on Saturday. I don’t need a sitter for that. And tell Rob that the kids, Mom and Dad, and about 200 other church members will be there to chaperone.”

“Not exactly a romantic setting,” Micah replied. “But it might be a good way to get to know him better. When I first met Rob…well, I remember wanting to kiss him long before we actually did. And once that happened, then I knew.”

Angela waited. “You knew…what?”

“That I would want to be with him forever,” Micah said with a sigh and then a gentle laugh. “Angela, I think I’m supposed to hang up now. My husband is…making funny faces…” Micah laughed. “Rob, stop it—”

“All right, you two. Call me tomorrow. ‘Bye.” Angela hung up the receiver and walked into the darkened living room. She sank wearily onto the sofa. The kids were asleep. The house was quiet And she’d never been in love the way Rob and Micah were. Or Eric and Hope. Or even her own mother and father. She was genuinely glad for the happy marriages in the Granston family, and, at the same time, so jealous that she could almost have cried.

Three o’clock loomed near that Saturday afternoon, and Angela looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of her bathroom door. Her jeans were rather old and faded—just the way she liked them. And her white shirt and colorful vest looked acceptable, she thought as she viewed the patchwork of rich browns, rusts and tans. She pulled on her saddle-colored boots and frowned. Acceptable, yes; attractive, not particularly. But her dark hair looked good with its new layered cut, and her bangs weren’t too long or too short for a change, so that pleased her. What difference did it really make anyway? It was just a church outing—and probably the only date she’d ever have with Adam Dalton.

“Mom, I’ve put the cooler and the basket in the back of the van. Are you almost ready?” Nathan called to her from the living room. “David and Heather are goofing around out back. Should I tell them it’s time to go?”

“No, wait until Adam gets here.”

“Maybe he won’t show,” Nathan offered with a hopeful smile when he appeared in the bathroom doorway.

Angela shot a look of obvious irritation in the direction of her son before walking past him to find the sweater she wanted to take along. “Maybe he won’t,” she agreed, “but maybe he will. Either way, you’re still going to this cookout. Tell your brother and sister to get their jackets. You’ll all need them before this is over.”

Nathan was not enthusiastic over this new development in her life—in all their lives, Angela reminded herself. Everything she did affected the kids one way or another, and her involvement with Adam was no different. That’s why this relationship would probably go no further than sharing a hamburger with him today in the presence of her children, her parents and dozens of other people. People, people everywhere. Why had she invited him to this gathering, anyway? What was she thinking? They’d spend hours together in a crowd when all she really wanted was five minutes alone with him.

Unable to locate her sweater, she pulled a corduroy jacket from where she’d left it on the corner of her dresser and paused to look one last time into a small mirror that hung on her bedroom wall. Five minutes alone with him? Where had that thought come from? she wondered suddenly. Then she remembered Micah’s comment about wanting to kiss Rob. But it had been years since Angela had felt that way—so many, in fact that she couldn’t clearly remember ever having had that feeling. And now, to feel this way about a man she hadn’t heard from in a week and a half, a man who might not even remember he made this date with her, a man who might not be any more reliable than her husband had been…

Then the doorbell rang. Angela breathed a sigh of relief; Nathan groaned quietly, then went to answer the door. Maybe Adam was different, she thought. The possibility existed, didn’t it? Otherwise, what was the point in trying?