Maggie’s hands were clammy as she dressed to meet Joshua for their trip to Kununurra. It was the first time she and her stepson would be alone together, and although it was a chance to get to know one another, which Maggie wanted, she was also a little anxious.
Following her divorce, she didn’t expect to remarry, let alone consider she’d ever become a stepmother, yet here she was, married to the most wonderful man and a stepmother to three. She quickly corrected herself. Stepmother to two, now that Julian was gone. Not that she could ever take Esther’s place. She didn’t want to. But being married to their father meant she was a part of the family.
While Olivia and Janella had welcomed her and made her feel she belonged, the boys had never really taken to her. In fact, she was sure that at times her presence was resented. She could still remember the look on Julian’s face when she tried to intercede in his argument with Joshua.
Joshua was a different matter altogether. Other than his spats with Julian, he rarely showed emotion, therefore, she had no idea what he was thinking. Despite what he’d said, she wasn’t sure that he truly wanted her to go with him that day and had agreed simply to please his father.
Lord, help me today. Bless this outing and help Joshua and me to find a middle ground, to accept one another in whatever capacity. He may not see me as a mother figure, but I pray he’ll allow me to be his friend. We all need each other following Julian’s death. As we try to move forward and rebuild, I pray that You’ll be with us and that You’ll give us peace amidst our sorrow. Help us to be there for each other. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
She tugged in her earrings to pull the hoops into their proper place before leaving the bedroom. Frank was already gone since he had an early morning call with Ravi Tamala. The negotiations were proceeding well and Maggie expected that very soon things would be settled and the station would be supplying the extra beef to Ravi’s enterprise. In the meantime, discussions were being held amongst the family to ensure everyone was comfortable with the arrangements, and when necessary, adjustments were made. However, the main issue was still figuring out how they could accommodate a larger herd without sacrificing quality. They could easily run more cattle, but Frank in particular was concerned they’d be compromising the quality if they did. They were all praying for a solution.
Maggie grabbed her keys and put them in her purse. Joshua was picking her up at ten and it was nearly that time. She walked into the living room and reached the front door just as she heard a knock. She peeked through the curtain before opening the door. She smiled. “Good morning, Joshua.”
“Good morning, Maggie. You look lovely today.”
“Thank you. And you look very handsome.” She took in the way his pale blue shirt hugged the muscles in his arms. The sleeves were buttoned at the wrist for a change, instead of rolled up to his elbows. That wasn’t the only difference. He was wearing tan trousers instead of his customary jeans, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she detected a hint of cologne. He was going all out to buy an engagement ring.
He looked over his attire. “You don’t think it’s too much? I wanted to make a good impression.”
Her head tilted. “On whom?” She had no idea who he’d need to impress other than Stella, who as far as Maggie knew, was still in Cootamundra. “Stella’s not back, is she?”
“No,” Joshua replied with a shake of his head. “I want the salespeople to see a man who is ready for marriage. Someone who should be in their store to buy an engagement ring.”
Maggie smiled. “I think you fit that bill no matter what you wear.”
“You’re too kind. I just felt that,” he shrugged, “I don’t know…that I need to present a good face,” he said with a chuckle. “I guess I’m being silly.”
“Not at all. This is a very important moment. You want everything to go perfectly.”
He nodded solemnly. “I want to be the man Stella deserves.”
Maggie placed a comforting hand on his arm. “You are. She wouldn’t be with you if you weren’t. Come on, let’s get to Kununurra. You have a ring to buy.”
The flight to town was uneventful, although Maggie never tired of seeing the countryside from the air. Awe filled her as she gazed across the vast savannah plains and the rivers that had burst their banks and spread so much they looked like inland lakes.
Situated amidst the picturesque hills and ranges of the north-east Kimberley region, Kununurra was a town formed to service the Ord River Irrigation Scheme and was the largest town in the region. Mostly made up of outlying farmland, it was hard to believe that the rugged ochre outcrops lay beyond the lush green fields of mangoes, melons, and sugar cane. It seemed like two vastly different places as they flew overhead and eventually landed at the helipad.
They picked up a taxi and travelled into the town centre where most shops and restaurants were located. They’d done their homework before travelling, picking a few stores to visit that were in close proximity to save time.
The first store they went to was promising. They had a variety of stones and cuts, all of which were stunning, but far too expensive for what they were offering. Maggie understood the concept of supply and demand, but they were a bit ridiculous with their pricing, and after only a few minutes of looking around, she urged Joshua to look elsewhere.
The second store, a swanky little place where they had to buzz you in to enter, was better in price but smaller on selection. The pieces were very nice, but both Maggie and Joshua felt that there was better elsewhere.
The third store was the winner. The sales representative was pleasant and immediately greeted them when they entered. She was a young woman, no more than thirty, and her eyes lit up the second she spotted Joshua. Whether he realised it or not, Joshua Goddard was a handsome man and reminded Maggie of Frank in appearance.
“How may I help you today?” the young woman asked. The tag on her blouse said her name was Amy.
“Good day, Amy. We’re looking for an engagement ring.”
The young woman looked at them curiously. “An engagement ring?”
It was then Maggie realised the young woman’s confusion. Chuckling, she answered, “It isn’t for me if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I didn’t think anything,” Amy replied.
“No, the ring isn’t for Maggie. She’s my stepmother,” Joshua stated. It was the first time Maggie had heard him say the word aloud and it made her smile.
“Very well. Do you have any idea what kind of ring you’re looking for?” Amy asked.
Joshua shook his head. “Show me what you have and I’ll figure it out.”
Amy led them to a showcase filled with rings. They were gold, platinum, and rose in colour, with gems that sparkled under the strategically placed lighting. The rings were stunning and were more affordable than what they’d seen earlier.
Joshua hovered over the case as Maggie stood beside him observing. There were so many to choose from that she imagined it was difficult to pick one, but Joshua had such focus that it made her heart light. He was very serious about Stella. It showed in the way he wanted to ensure she had the right ring.
“That one.”
Amy pulled a large princess cut diamond ring from the display and held it out to him. Maggie had never seen such a large stone, and her eyes widened when she saw the price tag. “That one, Joshua? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Don’t you like it?” He turned to her and placed the ring in her hand for her to look at.
“It’s stunning,” Maggie replied, her mouth twisting slightly as she considered it.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He looked at her keenly. “Please, Maggie. What is it? I know you’re thinking something. Why don’t you just say it?”
She lifted her gaze from the ring and placed it back in his hand. “It just doesn’t seem to be Stella.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“It doesn’t seem like something she would wear,” Maggie explained.
His forehead creased and his shoulders drooped. “What’s wrong with it? Isn’t it big enough?”
“It’s more than big enough. It’s just not what I picture Stella wearing.”
“I thought women always wanted a big stone.”
Maggie smiled at her stepson’s naivety. “No, Joshua. That isn’t all a woman wants. In fact, a woman doesn’t want a big stone just for the sake of having it. She wants something that proves you know who she truly is. She wants something that reflects her and shows that you put thought into what she likes. That you know her tastes.” She shifted closer and looked at the ring in his hand. “When you look at that, does it say, ‘Stella’ to you?”
He studied the piece for no more than a second before replying, “No. It doesn’t.”
“Then it isn’t for her.”
He handed the ring back to Amy and started looking again. This time he took longer, carefully perusing each line of rings. He asked for several before he finally settled on one. This one was simpler, more classic in appearance, with a solitaire diamond and twisted rope band in white gold. He held it up to the light. “This is the one.”
Maggie smiled. “Are you sure?”
“Definitely. This is Stella. It’s simple, uncomplicated, but wraps you up completely, just the way she did to me,” Joshua said, grinning. “I think she’ll really like this one. What do you think, Maggie?”
“I think it’s perfect.”
His grin broadened as he gave the ring back to Amy and asked her to wrap it. He turned back to Maggie. “That took less time than I expected.”
“It did. I was sure we’d be here for a couple of hours at least,” she replied. “What do you want to do now? Head back to the helipad?”
“No. I think we should celebrate finding a ring so quickly. What do you say to lunch on me?” The cheer in his voice echoed the joy in his heart. In the two years she’d been part of the family, she’d never seen him so happy.
“I think lunch sounds wonderful.”
“Great. Let me pay for the ring and I’ll take you to this nice little place Stella introduced me to. It has some of the best juices around, and the chef uses only farm to table produce, nothing frozen or preserved. It makes the food that much better.”
Maggie chuckled. “I had no idea things like that interested you.”
“They do. I care about what I put in my body, though you might not think so. I know this is the only one I have and I need to take care of it. Besides, I can’t afford to get sick with all the work we have to do. But to be honest, I mostly like it because of Stella. Everything she does is carefully thought out.” He grinned. “Everything except dating me.”
“I’d say that was a good choice.” Maggie gave him a wink.
Amy returned with the ring in a bag and placed the sales invoice in front of Joshua. He pulled out his card for her to swipe. Once the ring was paid for, he and Maggie left the store and strolled towards the restaurant he had mentioned.
“Thank you for saying that,” he stated as they crossed the street.
“Saying what?”
“For saying that Stella dating me is a good choice. It means a lot.”
“I think very highly of you, Joshua. I’m very glad for you and Stella. I wish you the very best.”
“Thank you.” He stopped walking and looked at her intently. “Thanks for coming with me today. I know we haven’t always gotten along. We’ve hardly spoken since you married Dad, and I’m sorry about that. I guess I was a little upset about it at first.”
Maggie nodded. “I suspected as much.”
“I’m sorry. I should have given you a chance before now.” He paused and held her gaze. “How about we start over?”
“I’d like that,” Maggie answered, blinking back tears. “How about we start with a hug?”
He smiled and stepped towards her. “Thanks for being part of the family, Maggie. I’m glad Dad married you.”
Warmth filled her as Joshua wrapped his arms around her. It felt wonderful, as though they were truly starting afresh. God had certainly answered her prayers this time.