Ruth Scofield - In God's Own Time

All the way home she’d had Kelsey on her mind, but there seemed no way around what Linda had implied; Linda wanted everyone to think she and Kelsey were a set. And in spite of what the girls had said or wanted to believe, Meg thought things might be rather serious between Kelsey and Linda.

Well, why not? Why wouldn’t Kelsey have moved on to a new love after Dee Dee died? Meg’d been gone from her hometown for a long time Long enough not to know exactly whom Kelsey might be interested in anymore But her heart sank with the thought of it being supercilious Linda Burroughs.

Oh, my! That was small-minded of her. She sounded as bad as Lissa and Aimee. And to even fret over it meant she’d allowed too much hope from the girls’ proposal into her thinking.

Meg let the screen door slap shut behind her as she entered the kitchen with her arms full of groceries and her thoughts swirling. How could she have let herself in for this kind of hurt all over again? Her heart shrank a little more with each passing moment, until she thought it no bigger than a lemon.

“Meg, is that you?” Audrey called, out of the murmuring voices from the living room, as Meg stepped through the back door. “What kept you? I thought you’d be back long before now.”

“Yes, Mom, it’s me.” Meg set her bag of groceries down on the kitchen counter. Spotting several of her mother’s best iced tea goblets beside the fridge, she wondered about how much bother Audrey had gone to in entertaining the bridge set. Probably, though, Sandy Yoder had taken care of serving the tea and cookies. “We needed a few things from the grocery store, and I picked up the cleaning.”

“Well, come along in, dear. I’d like you to meet someone.”

“Be right there, Mom.” The phone rang. Automatically Meg lifted the kitchen extension. “Hello.”

“Meg?”

Her heart lurched into her ribs as she recognized the low voice. Maybe it hadn’t shrunk so much after all.

“Hi, Kelsey.” She made a huge effort at keeping her tone casual.

“Hi.” Hesitation followed.

“Everything all right with the kids?”

“Yeah. They’re fine. In fact, I wanted to thank you again for all the clothes and stuff you bought ‘em. The girls have preened over them every day since you took them shopping.”

“You don’t object to the makeup for Lissa, do you?”

“Uh, well, yes and no.” Humor laced his voice. “I guess I’m a typical daddy. If you’d asked me beforehand, I would’ve said she’s way too young yet. But then, since I know you wouldn’t have bought it if that were true, I guess I have to face the fact that she’s no longer Heather’s age.”

“Well, get your boots out, Kels. Lissa will be knee-deep in boys before another year passes.”

“That’s what scares the daylights out of me.” He paused, and Meg could hear him breathe for a moment She wasn’t used to an uncertain Kelsey, and her senses sharpened. What was it? “Meg, I’m in town and I thought maybe—”

“Who is it, Meg?” Audrey called. “Can’t you hurry it along?”

He was in town before meeting Linda, Meg assumed. Linda had said—strongly implied, anyway—they had a date tonight. Yet he’d called her. Something was on his mind. She put her hand over the receiver and called, “I’ll be there in a sec, Mom.”

A sudden girlish giggle trilled out from the living room, followed by a masculine chuckle. She turned toward the sound, wondering who was there besides the usual card-playing crowd.

“I’m sorry,” Kelsey murmured. “Have I called at a bad time again?”

“Not for me, Kelsey.” Never “But Mom’s bridge group is here, so I suspect she needs me to fetch something for her. I just came in five minutes ago from errands and things.”

“Oh.” He honestly sounded disappointed. “Ah, that’s good, then. I mean that she’s up to that much excitement. Audrey must be feeling more herself.”

“Yes, she is.” What had he been about to say? “She’s even considering taking up walking for exercise.”

“I hear walking is great. And she won’t need you around much longer.” A sudden lighthearted note entered his voice. Now why would he be especially happy about that?

“No, I suppose not.” But while the thought seemed to brighten his outlook, it suddenly depressed her more than she would have imagined. If her mother no longer needed her, there went her excuse to delay her return to England. And until that moment she hadn’t realized she’d wanted one.

“Meg—” Her mother stood in the kitchen door frame.

“Be right there, Mom. Sorry, Kels, but—”

“It’s all right, Meg, I heard. You need to go. Just tell me something.”

“Uh-huh?”

“Can you meet me for coffee at Betty Jean’s Café before church in the morning? I can drop off the kids early for Sunday school and there’s something…um, ah, a matter I’d really like to discuss with you.”

“Sure, Kelsey. What—oh, never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She hung up the phone and headed toward the living room, ready with a smile for her mother’s friends. To her surprise, Sandy Yoder, Ginny Hames and Babs Dunning acknowledged her presence with all the eagerness one might a piece of used furniture. Instead, their attention focused on the tall slender man who rose with old-fashioned politeness, pushing his glasses onto the top of his thick gray hair.

“Meg,” her mother spoke with a gentle warmth in her voice, “I’d like you to meet Paul Lumbar.”

So this was the new man in town who was currently turning all the over-fifty feminine heads. “Hello.” She offered her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice meeting you at last, Meg. Your mother speaks of you so often.” He proved to be as charming as rumor had claimed, Meg thought thirty minutes later as she saw the collected company out. And he’d invited them to dinner after church the next day. Her mother had accepted for both of them before Meg could make an excuse.

“Mom, are you sure you’re up to a long day tomorrow?” Meg asked as she carried the remains of the snack tray back to the kitchen. “Church and dinner out?”

“Oh, I think I’ll be all right. Especially if I have an early night tonight.”

“Okay, just checking. But don’t plan on doing anything else afterward but coming right back home.”

“All right, dear. Just as you say. Now I think I’ll rest a bit before supper if you don’t mind.”

Meg turned to stare after her mother. What was in that charm potion Paul dished out, anyway? Audrey had been all sweetness and light the whole afternoon.

At ten minutes to ten, Clive called, catching Meg just after she’d finished her shower. Her mother had dutifully gone to bed at around nine.

“Clive, what are you doing calling on a Saturday night?” she said as she pushed her wet hair from her face. “It must be—” she glanced at the clock on her bedside table “—nearly five in the morning there. Sunday. Is there an emergency?”

“It’s lovely to hear your voice, too, Meg, luv.” Clive’s teasing chuckle rippled over the line “No, it’s not an emergency. Why can’t I call you on a Saturday night? You weren’t planning to be out, were you?”

“No, but you usually are. I’m surprised you’re still awake, but I am glad to hear from you. I don’t suppose you went into the office today—er, yesterday—did you? I faxed you with some thoughts on the Half Moon connection.”

“Well, as it happens, I’m not up before dawn. I’m not even in London. I’m still in the Virgin Islands.”

“You are?” She sat on the bed and reached for her comb. “I thought you planned to fly home yesterday.”

“I did, but I changed my mind. Thought I might fly to New York to have a meeting with Lansing and Jonas.” He mentioned another of their clients. “Just wanted to touch base with you before morning.”