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ON A SUNNY FALL AFTERNOON ten days later, inside the dressing room at the church the Tollivers attended, Jet stared at her single sister for the last time. While the stylist put her finishing touches on Diane’s hair, Jet watched from a corner chair. Images of them playing as little girls flashed before her eyes, causing her to blink. “Love you. I always will,” she mumbled to herself, but, loud enough that Diane heard her.
“Love you back,” Diane whispered. The excitement on her face overshadowed any fear of becoming a wife.
“Don’t get pregnant on the honeymoon. I need time to get married and have children, so they can grow up together like we did,” Jet half-joked, then stood and walked over to Diane and kissed her cheek.
Diane laughed. “I know we planned to have a double wedding and be mommies together. You can always pray for your husband.”
Jet scrunched her nose. Praying for a man was too much like having Rossi for a husband. She wanted a chance meeting like Diane and Levi’s fairytale story. “I promise I’ll start reading my Bible again. That’s it.”
“I’ll take it!” She giggled. “What about creating a profile on one of those online dating sites, so we can be pregnant at the same time?”
“How romantic? I’d rather have artificial insemination.” Jet stuck out her tongue and hurried from bridal room to line up in the procession.
Four Tolliver men were standing next to Levi as his groomsmen. She smiled at her future brother-in-law and nodded at Rossi, who had the nerve to wink. That caused her heart to flutter.
Minutes later, Diane made her grand entrance. As the bride and groom exchanged vows, Jet’s mind wandered more than once when she glanced at Rossi. The tux outlined his broad chest perfectly. What if they had met first, would they have fallen in love, or if she were attending his church, would he be attracted to her? She couldn’t live her life on “what-ifs.”
Thirty minutes later, with the proclamation of “Mr. and Mrs. Levi Tolliver,” Jet’s heart ached at losing her best friend. She should re-consider surfing the internet for dates.
***
JET GAVE THE HONEYMOONERS and the Tollivers space by staying busy with cooking classes and a ski trip to Denver, but it wasn’t the same without Diane.
It took a while to convince herself, but she did try online dating. Jet was surprised a few guys seemed promising. She and Michael Miller progressed from exchanging emails to talking. He was ready to meet, and so was she. Yet, Jet was nervous. She called Diane.
“I think your first date should be a double date.” Her sister seemed more excited than Jet. “Do you know where he’s taking you?”
“Nowhere, not on a first date. I’m driving myself.” The more Jet thought about it, maybe meeting him wasn’t a good idea.
“Don’t back out, sis. Pick a place—a nice one. Hubby and I will meet you there.”
“Whew, sounds like a plan.” They chatted a few more minutes until she heard Levi in the background, and she said her goodbyes. Next, she called Michael, and he didn’t seem bothered by a double date and suggested places.
Jet chose Bristol Seafood Grill in West St. Louis County. She was a nervous wreck as she counted down the days until Friday at seven. On the big day, Jet experienced butterflies. Would Michael’s eyes sparkle? Would they have a love connection? Would Diane and Levi like him?
Instead of her natural do, she left work early for the salon where she had her hair styled into what seemed like hundreds of spiral curls. Since it was December, she purchased a deep teal sweater dress that came with a matching waist-length cape. She capped off her ensemble with designer boots. Diane would love the stitchery on them too.
Before leaving home, Jet said a quick prayer: “God, I want someone to love me like Levi loves Diane. Please let me know if Michael is the one.” She ended with a thank you.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Jet had two surprises. Rossi was joining them, and he had a date. Why was he there? Didn’t a double date mean two couples, not three? And he’d brought a stranger who would witness whether she had a winner or loser for a date.
“Before you ask, I’m here because I want to make sure you get the man who God has for you.” He smiled, but the dimples had no effect on her.
She wasn’t going to let his presence make her more nervous than she already was.
The hostess approached, and Rossi advised her they were waiting for Jet’s date. Why did that irk her? The door opened and Michael stepped in, looking like the pictures she had seen, and when his eyes landed on her, they twinkled.
Good sign. She relaxed as she reached for his hand, and he took it. They were shown to their table. All ordered not long after they were seated.
The conversation was lively. When Michael excused himself to the men’s room, Diane was the first to speak.
“He seems nice.” She shrugged. “But keep looking.”
Rossi wasn’t short on his opinions either. “I don’t know what you’re looking for in a mate, but that Michael dude isn’t the one.”
She hoped her surprise registered on her face. Jet wanted to ask how he knew but decided against it. He was one to talk about compatibility. His date, Farrah, was very pretty, petite, and seemingly nice. All evening she gave Rossi hero-worship smiles and glances. He was cordial in turn, but Jet didn’t see any sparks between them either. She and Rossi were even.
When Michael came back to the table, Rossi’s comment wouldn’t go away and continued to nag her until Jet returned home. She was annoyed she agreed with Rossi that Michael wasn’t the one.
After witnessing Levi’s love for Diane, Jet knew she would never settle for a man who couldn’t make her smile and blush, and who respected her. The man for her was out there somewhere. Was he looking for her? Jet’s heart wished that were true. She decided to do as her baby sister suggested and say a prayer they would find each other—and hopefully, before her thirtieth birthday. But after a series of other lackluster dates, she took a hiatus.
After Diane and Levi were married for two years, they announced they were having a baby.
The news was bittersweet as she mustered a smile for Diane when she visited. “That’s it. I’m getting artificial insemination, so we can be pregnant together.”
“The right man will come. I’ve been praying for you, and God will see to it.” Diane rubbed her flat stomach.
The gesture made Jet focus on the present, the happy news, and the realization she would be an aunt. She pushed all thoughts of her singlehood aside. “Well, if you’re hungry, I’ll treat.” She grabbed and jingled her keys.
“I am not one to pass up a meal. I’m eating for two, you know.”
It wasn’t long until Jet picked up weight with Diane because they ate out more often, with and without Levi. Sometimes, Rossi tagged along, and instead of annoying her, he found things to compliment her about—whether it was her clothes, perfume, or a recent car wash. With him around, Jet began to feel at peace with her life.
When the doctor verified Diane was having a girl, Jet cried. “Now you know we must teach her to be a diva from an early age.”
Diane laughed. “While I work on trying to be a good mommy to little Dori before others come—” the name the parents had chosen “—I’ll let her auntie school her on the ways of diva hood.” They exchanged high fives.
“Girlfriend will be set for life. You do the mommy thing and I’ll do the rest.” Jet couldn’t wait to shop for little girls’ things.
“Although I wish Mom and Dad were here to see their first grandchild, I’m so glad my big sister and the Tollivers are. I’m happy.”
“Me too. I don’t know what’s going to happen down the road for me, husband wise, but I plan to be close to my niece no matter what.”
“I’m holding you to it.”
As Diane’s pregnancy progressed, Levi and Rossi’s business flourished, and the couple moved into a neighborhood undergoing a much-needed facelift. Her sister didn’t complain about all the renovations not being completed when they moved in. She was too happy.
“This is my husband’s passion.” Diane smiled.
Months later, the Tollivers turned the baby shower into a big celebration. There was plenty of food, gifts, and people.
When it came time to eat, Rossi gave the prayer of blessing and safe delivery for mom and baby.
“Amen.” Jet mingled her utterance with the others and sniffed back tears. Rossi’s prayers touched her. They were spoken with authority in a soft voice instead of grandeur. She respected him for not showboating.
Diane’s water broke three weeks early. Jet was more anxious than her sister who remained calm while she was being monitored in the birthing room. When Levi left them for a cup of coffee, a contraction hit, and Jet coached Diane through a breathing technique. Once it passed, she gripped Jet’s hand.
“If anything happens to me, I want you to help Levi raise Dori to be a loving young lady.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you, girl. Stop freaking me out.” Jet shuddered. “You had a healthy pregnancy. I’ll be there for you and my niece. You two are all I have.”
Diane shook her head. “You have the Tollivers now too.”
“How can I forget?” She teasingly rolled her eyes and changed the subject to more pleasant things until Levi returned, then she took her cue to join the others in the waiting room.
Looking up from his iPad, Rossi patted the seat next to him. “How is she?”
“Fearless.” Jet thought about the conversation Levi had walked into. “Diane even mentioned having more children, and she hasn’t survived one yet.”
“Spoken like a true Tolliver.” He chuckled, resting his arm around her shoulder, then squeezed. “They love having babies to add to the ancestral tree.”
She tried not to react. Was it affection, or an endearment as unofficial in-laws? Years ago, she would have protested Rossi’s touch. Now, she wanted to purr and rest her head against his chest.
If he were ever attracted to her, Jet would never know. They seemed to settle in as family. She pulled her mind in from wandering. “So how many do you want?”
Rubbing his chin, Rossi gave it some thought. “Since my wife will be bearing the babies, I’ll let her decide, but I hope to get a boy and girl out of the deal.”
“How gracious of you.” She tilted her head in a mock bow. Diane had told her Rossi stopped seeing the Farrah woman a few dates after the triple-date dinner. Whoever he was dating now evidently hadn’t made it to his wife-to-be list.
Playfully nudging her, Rossi smirked then gave her a serious expression. “What about you?”
She shrugged. “I need prospects.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this...” He paused when she groaned.
“Probably don’t but go ahead.” She rested her head back against the wall, closed her eyes and folded her arms.
“God has a man out there somewhere for you. Your name is inscribed in his heart.”
“A prophecy?” She opened her eyes and lifted a brow.
“May—”
“She’s here! She’s here!” Levi rushed in the room, rambling and startling everyone. “She’s beautiful. I’ve never seen so much jet-black hair.”
Rossi grunted. “I have.”
When Jet glanced over her shoulder, he was admiring her hair. “It’s a Hutchens trait.”
Family members jumped, cheering. So did Jet and Rossi. The men huddled around Levi and patted his back, congratulating him with, “Good job, man,” while her sister was exhausted.
“With three boys, I won’t volunteer for hair duty.” Mrs. Tolliver shook her head, smiling.
Their hair was the first thing to catch a man’s eye. Diane had recently cut hers into a stylish cut during her pregnancy while Jet opted to keep her length. After wearing it natural all summer, she returned to getting it straightened. “Can I see her?”
Levi nodded. He never refused Jet’s requests to spend time with her sister. She washed her hands and donned a protective gown over her clothes, then opened the door. The image would always be seared into her memory. The glow on Diane’s smiling face was blinding as she cuddled a bundle. Walking closer, Jet reached for the newborn who looked like a baby doll.
“She’s beautiful,” Jet choked out. Carefully taking her niece in her arms, she rocked her.
“So did I do the Hutchens name good?” Diane pushed up in the bed.
“Perfect.”
