CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Didi worked late to meet a deadline and then headed to her mother’s place. A year ago, her mom had moved to Greenridge Hills Retirement Village, and she’d never regretted it. Her one-story triplex was the perfect place for a vibrant, over-sixty woman to live, and Didi was happy the gated community was safe and secure.

She parked in front of her mom’s snazzy condo. The leaves on the maple trees along the sidewalk revealed soft shades of spring green. Beautifully landscaped white and yellow jonquils raised their heads toward the sky, and forsythia bushes bloomed with reckless abandon. Although she loved the rich, saturated colors of an autumn in Maryland, Didi was more of a spring and summer kind of girl. Today the world was fresher, greener, cleaner, and brighter than it had been in ages.

Her mother met her at the door with a hug. “How’s everything? It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”

“I’m good, Mom.” Didi traipsed into the living room and tossed her sweater over the back of the couch. She turned her head and sniffed. “Something smells good. Meatloaf?”

“Yep. I have a special dessert already made for later.”

They walked into the kitchen, and Didi peeked in the oven. “Looks delicious.” She nabbed a diet soda from the fridge and popped the top. “What’s been happening in your world this week?”

“Mostly, I’ve been working my regular nine to one schedule, but the boss wanted me to work some extra hours. Sophie’s still on maternity leave.” Didi’s mother loved her part-time job at Floral Creations on the east side of town. With flexible hours, it was a good way for her to make some spending money. “I’m working on Saturday this week so Fern can take a couple of days of vacation.”

“I still think it’s funny the owner of a flower shop is named Fern.” Didi helped her mom put food on the table, and they sat down to dinner. The promised meatloaf included an imaginative twist. Ellen liked to experiment, and since she’d run out of ketchup, she’d used tangy barbeque sauce in the savory dish. The only bread she’d had on hand was a loaf of rye, and she’d dried some crumbs in the microwave and worked the bread into the meat. Except for the inconvenience of picking the occasional caraway seed out of her teeth, Didi thought it was one of her mother’s better efforts. Dinner with Mom was always an adventure.

Mom filled Didi in on her recent trip to the historic town of Williamsburg and her church activities. At Sunday school the previous week, the lesson she’d given her Prime Timers group, those over sixty-five, had centered on the beatitudes. Always a good subject. There was also an upcoming trip planned with her class to Gettysburg and a ladies’ night scheduled for the following Wednesday with the women in her neighborhood. Her mother’s schedule made her head whirl, but she was glad her mom was on the go and in demand.

After dinner, they landed in the living room on the sunny yellow sofa. The room faced a big backyard and overlooked soaring oaks, cedars, and maples. Mom had been fortunate to get a place that backed up to the woods, and her yard was secluded and private. Birdfeeders invited a myriad of wildlife, and Didi watched as two peaceful rabbits and a red-breasted robin feasted on the seed that had fallen to the ground.

“I’m so glad you chose to live here in Airy Ridge when you retired last year. It’s nice having you so close.” Didi propped her feet up on a hassock and got comfortable.

“You know, I’ve always been grateful your dad provided for us. I still miss him every single day, but at least with the life insurance, I don’t have the extra burden of worrying about money.”

“I miss him, too.” After ten years, Didi’s dad, Aidan Sean O’Brien, was still often thought of and very much loved. They sat together on the sofa, each with her own memories.

After a time, Didi dove in with her news. “Mom? I’m not engaged anymore.” Her mom was a bottom line kind of woman, so Didi got right to the point.

Mother’s face fell. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. What happened?”

“Before you left on your trip, Kevin took me out for dinner. I had scads of wedding plans to discuss with him, and all day long, I was excited. I was going to show him pictures of wedding dresses to see what style he liked the best.”

Mom crossed her ankles and tilted her head, all ears.

“We met at Chez Monte Carlo. When I saw his face, I knew something was up. It was strange. He wouldn’t look at me. We had a terrible dinner, and then he…and then he told me he’d been sleeping with another girl.” Didi bit her lip and paused to catch her breath. “How could he do that to me, Mom? How could he fling away all we had?”

Didi managed not to tear up, until she glanced at the coffee table. A copy of June Bride stared back at her. When she’d been here last, she and her mom had pored over magazines for wedding ideas. Without warning, it hit Didi afresh. She hadn’t just lost Kevin. Gone forever were hopes and dreams of a future with a man she’d thought she’d loved. She’d made such plans—wedding plans, honeymoon plans, plans deciding where they were going to live, and even plans on how she was going to decorate their new place.

Her little sister was slated to be her maid of honor and Suzy her matron of honor. The color scheme for the wedding—peaches and cream—was a done deal, and the dresses she’d chosen were tea-length. Her mom was going to arrange stunningly beautiful peach-colored flowers. She hadn’t mentioned it to Kevin, but she’d even been planning to find another cat to be a companion to Maisie.

Sitting there in her mother’s tranquil living room, Didi folded in on herself. Kevin had discarded her like an empty bag of M&Ms. He had thrown her away. His unrepentant voice saying that he’d made a “mistake” resounded in her ears. How would he have liked it if she’d been unfaithful? How would he have liked it if she’d cuddled up to someone who was taller, or more muscular, or richer than he was?

Mother slung a comforting arm around her daughter. “Everything’s all right, honey. It’ll be okay.” She kneaded Didi’s back and smoothed her hair.

Didi was doing it again. Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks and landed, splat, on her blouse. “I’m not sad anymore, Mom. Really. But I am so mad at him I could hurl a rock at his slinky vehicle.”

In this safe place with a mom who loved her dearly, Didi fumed and grieved for her lost dreams. And she took her time doing it. There was no hurry, and Maisie would forgive her if she arrived home late. When she was more at peace, Didi leaned back on the couch and wiped her traitorous eyes.

Her mother blew out a breath and narrowed her eyes. “Didi? Have I ever told you about Vernon?”

“He was a boyfriend before you met Dad, right?”

“Yes, but I don’t think I ever told you I came close to marrying him.”

“Well, no. You skipped that important tidbit of information. When was all this?” Didi swept her legs up under her and propped her elbows on her knees.

Her mom gazed into the distance. “I was twenty-nine, still single, and closing in fast on thirty. I can’t tell you how many times well-meaning friends set me up with ‘the most wonderful guy’ or a man with a ‘sparkling personality,’ but I found Vernon all on my own. He was a car salesman at Key Chevrolet and Cadillac, and he sold me my first new car—a Chevy Malibu. He seemed so friendly and charismatic, and he was quite a handsome man.”

“More handsome than Dad?”

“Well, honestly, yes. Vernon was movie star handsome.” Her mom chuckled and bopped Didi on the shoulder. “Your dad had a more rugged appeal, and of course, he was by far the better man. Anyway, Vernon asked me out, and we dated for several months. He was the top salesman at the dealership, and he drove an expensive Cadillac Coupe de Ville. He took me to some nice places, and it was fun for a while.”

“Were you in love with him?” Didi asked, fascinated.

“I thought I was at the time, but I was never quite sure how much he really loved me. We’d be out somewhere, and when he thought I wasn’t looking, his eyes wandered to every pretty girl in the room. And I don’t mean he’d glance at a woman and appreciate God’s handiwork. I mean he’d stare. When I told him it made me feel disrespected, he laughed and told me all men gawk. He said it didn’t mean anything. But it mattered to me. He made me feel unloved and unattractive. He made me feel small.”

Didi crossed her arms and snorted. “He doesn’t sound like much of a catch to me.”

“My best friend at the time told me he was. She said I was naïve and inexperienced, and all men were that way. It was the best a woman could expect. But, Didi, I wanted more than that. I wanted someone who would love me with his whole heart. When Vernon asked me to marry him, I told him I had to think it over.”

“Vernon sounds a lot like Kevin.”

Ellen smiled ruefully. “I think, in many ways, he was. I knew Vernon might be my last chance at matrimony, but I still couldn’t say yes. I simply never completely trusted him. When he proposed for the third time, he told me it was the last time he was going to ask, and I had to decide.”

Didi sat spellbound. Her mother had a real life before Dad. “What did you do?”

“I went over to talk to my mom. Your grandmother was a very sensible, no-nonsense woman, and she always gave good advice. Do you know what she said? She told me I didn’t have to marry that man and I was happier before I met him. She was right. I broke up with Vernon the next day, and that’s why you don’t have red hair.”

“Huh?”

“Vernon had the most gorgeous red hair you’ve ever seen.”

They laughed companionably.

“What drew you to Dad?”

Ellen’s eyes twinkled, and she folded her hands. “Well, I met your dad a month after Vernon and I split. He had his faults too, of course—nobody’s perfect—but he only had eyes for me. I always knew he loved me with everything he had. I trusted him completely. He made me feel special. That was the kind of man I wanted to marry. So I did.”

“That’s what I want too, Mom. Someone who only has eyes for me.” Didi drew her knees up and thought for a minute. “How could I have been so wrong? I hate Kevin for doing this to me. I hate him. I’m trying so hard to be kind and patient and loving, but I’ve never felt so angry in my life. I don’t like being angry.”

“It’s all right to be angry with him for how he’s treated you. Even Jesus became angry when he saw injustice. We should feel angry when we’ve been grievously wronged, and what Kevin did was altogether wrong.”

A righteous anger coursed through her, and Didi’s battered spirit returned. Pat had hinted that she should be furious about Kevin’s duplicity. How dare he do this to her? How dare he cheat on her? A man who would betray her didn’t deserve the love she had to give. Freedom flowed from the realization.

Mom continued. “I don’t understand how Kevin could have done such a thing, but what he did was clearly unacceptable. I’m sure you told him that.”

Didi sighed. “Yes, I told him, but he didn’t take it very well.” There was no way she was going to reveal Kevin’s nasty visit to her apartment. What was the point in worrying her?

“Well, honey, at least he knows it’s over. It would be different if you two were married. Then I’d say you should try to work it out. But you’re not married yet, and no one should treat my baby like that.”

“I suppose I should be grateful I discovered the real Kevin before the wedding.”

“I should say so. It’s a blessing you found out his true nature now rather than later.”

As Mom rose go to the kitchen for iced tea, Didi struggled with whether to bring up Jake. Perhaps it was too soon to mention him. After all, they’d only been out a few times.

When her mother returned with two tall glasses, Didi made up her mind to tell her everything. Half her heart might be grieving over her broken plans, but the other half was fluttering with anticipation. It was a peculiar sensation.

When Mom had taken a seat, Didi jumped right in. “Mom? That’s not all. I’ve got more news.”

“Oh, dear. What else?” She pressed her hand to her chest and furrowed her brow.

“I’ve had a couple of dates with another guy.”

“You’re dating? So soon?” Her mother sat back and sipped her tea. “Do you think that’s wise?”

“Maybe not.” Didi picked up her glass and swirled the ice cubes around in the cold drink. “I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, and I might be an absolute idiot, but the timing is so perfect I have an inkling God must be in it.”

“Perhaps you’re right. Is he a nice young man?” Mom chuckled. “Sorry. Now, there’s a stupid question. Of course he’s a nice man, or you wouldn’t be going out with him.”

“I’d like to think so, but I really missed the mark on Kevin, huh? I’m afraid my judgment is now suspect.” Didi gulped her tea and shrugged. “But anyway, I met him at the vet’s office and then the church youth rally a week and a half ago. You remember I told you I was going to help Kelly with the teenagers at her church?”

“That’s right. You remarked that you were surprised you had such a fine time, and you planned to do it again in the fall.”

“Uh-huh. Well, he was there, and we met briefly, and we’ve been out for dinner and to a concert at his school. He’s a history teacher, tall with light brown hair and blue eyes, and he impresses me as a genuinely good guy.”

Ellen slanted her head, the soft skin around her eyes crinkling.

“I wasn’t trolling for a date, Mom. He was a friendly guy who brought me a hot drink, and we got to talking.” Didi rolled her eyes playfully. “I’m not the one who cheats.”

“Of course not, dear. I was just wondering how long you’ve known him. What’s his name?”

“Jake Montgomery. He took me to Ramino’s.”

Mother’s face brightened. “I went there a few weeks ago with Jeanne down the street. Delicious Italian food, and we had the nicest waiter. I’m glad to hear Jake took you out for a real dinner. None of this ‘let’s go out for coffee’ I hear Fern’s daughter got on a recent first date. That’s a cop-out, if you ask me. The least a man can do is buy a woman a real meal.”

“I agree with you, Mom.” Didi glanced out the window. Two squirrels played chase in the yard. “I hope you took note I met him in a church. How bad can he be?”

“I thought you met him at the vet?”

She was going to have to figure out how to tell this story so it made more sense. “Never mind. Oh, and you will be very happy to know he brought me flowers.”

“He did? A man after my own heart. What kind?”

“The flowers are super fresh with pink and white spray roses, lavender asters, limonium, pink button chrysanthemums…”

“And tiny daisies tied with fuchsia satin ribbons? We call that the ‘Pretty Please’ bouquet, and it’s very popular.” Mom chuckled. “Is Jake around six feet tall with wavy brown hair and a ready smile?”

“Mom, you can’t mean it. He bought the flowers at Floral Creations?”

“Sure did. Your new beau ordered them two days early. Fern arranged the bouquet, and I waited on him. He seemed like such a sweet young man, and he was certainly looking forward to his upcoming date. Do you want to know how much the flowers cost? They weren’t cheap.”

Didi shook her head in amazement. “No, Mom. That’s okay. He was nice. Very nice. I hope he wants to continue dating.”

“He’d be a fool not to, dear.”

Unbidden, the image of his honey-brown hair and steady blue eyes sprang to mind. He was totally different from Kevin. Only one more day until Friday.

As they chilled and chatted, her mom recounted yet again the story of her first date with Didi’s father. They’d gone to The Lotus Blossom, a Chinese restaurant in D.C., and Ellen had tried out chopsticks for the first time. During the dinner, she’d miscalculated and flung a large chunk of sweet and sour pork. Skittering across the tablecloth, the saucy morsel of meat had landed, plop, in her father’s lap. Instead of being angry about his stained pair of khakis, Mom’s future husband had burst into laughter. “And that’s when I fell in love with your dad,” she finished.

The particulars had been recounted dozens of times, but the story always stirred up warm fuzzies inside.

They’d had a good talk, but it was getting late, and Didi asked to pass on dessert. At the door, Ellen gave her a quick hug and handed her a small to-go container, brimming with homemade rice pudding. Didi sneaked a peek inside the package. The pudding didn’t seem too unusual, except it was a pale rose color. She sniffed it. “Strawberry?”

“Good nose.” Ellen nodded proudly. “I added some strawberry gelatin to give it that extra zing.”

Strawberry Jell-O rice pudding. Judging from the plump black dots, the pudding also contained raisins. Didi didn’t care for raisins, and it was her sister Bridget who loved anything strawberry, but Didi didn’t want to spoil her mother’s gift of love. “Thanks, Mom.” She pasted on a grin, planning to pitch it when she got home.

Rain poured down hard, and Didi ran for the car. Best not to take Deer Hollow Road. She’d take the safe way home instead.