“Are you meeting Seth there?”
The woman was a mind-reader. “Yes, and—”
“I think it’s a wonderful thing you’re doing, taking over the Christmas program at the last minute like this. You always were good with children. You don’t know how I’ve prayed that you’d get involved in the church again. I couldn’t be more pleased.”
“Did I mention that I was on my way to church?” she asked pointedly, not that it would do much good. Reba knew her mother all too well. She was on a fact-finding mission and wouldn’t let up until she’d ferreted out the information she sought.
“Tell me about Seth. Where’d you meet him? How long have you been dating?” All this came in one giant breath. “Betty claimed the two of you only had eyes for each other. She seemed to think the fire alarm could have gone off and neither of you would have noticed.”
“Mother—”
“Betty claims it’s clear that the two of you are serious. I do wish you’d said something to us before, sweetheart. It’s a bit disconcerting, not to say embarrassing, to have a family friend know more about what’s going on in my own daughter’s life than her own mother.”
“Mom. Church.”
“I know, I know, but the worship leaders generally start the service a few minutes past eleven. It won’t hurt to be a couple of minutes late. We’ve barely had a chance to talk. You so rarely phone me.” Her voice contained just the right amount of injury for Reba to experience a twinge of guilt. She did avoid calling her mother and for this very reason.
“Why don’t we meet for lunch one day next week?” Reba suggested. She was as susceptible to guilt as the next person, and her mother knew all the right buttons to punch.
“Tomorrow,” Joan Maxwell suggested. “I can’t wait to hear all about Seth. I’ll meet you at the agency at eleven-thirty. Don’t plan to be back in the office for an hour, either, okay?” Having said that, she hung up.
Reba held the phone away from her ear and looked at it. No one on earth could drive her crazier faster than her own mother. Joan sounded like a little girl, all excited, eager to hear the details of Reba’s romance.
She exhaled slowly. It was too soon to be telling her mother anything about her and Seth. They’d only gone on one official date, and her mother made it sound as though they should meet as soon as possible to discuss the details of her upcoming wedding.
A wedding.
Four years earlier Reba had worked with her mother to plan a large, formal wedding ceremony. She’d taken time and effort with every detail, choosing the invitations and bridesmaid dresses and everything else that went with the special occasion. The thought of going through all that needless hassle again left a sour taste in her mouth.
It had been humiliating to call her family and friends and announce that she wouldn’t be marrying John after all. She’d escaped shortly afterward, putting herself up at the beach alone for several days, thinking matters through.
Returning the gifts had taken weeks. Although she’d sent out notices that the wedding had been canceled, gifts staggered in for thirty days or longer, and she had to deal with their timely return. Reba wanted no part of a large, conventional affair.
If she ever married, it would be a small, casual gathering. As she had with so much else in life, Vicki had robbed her of the beautiful wedding she’d always dreamed of.
Not wanting thoughts of her sister to ruin her day, Reba hurried out the door for church. She smiled as she thought ahead to spending the afternoon with Seth and his family. An image of Judd in the Christmas pageant came to mind, and she chuckled. He might have resigned himself to playing the role of an angel, but he wanted to make sure everyone knew he was a man angel and not some blue-eyed blond sissy. Seth’s children were so easy to love.
What her mother had said about her being good with children was true. After the broken engagement, she’d shoved the thought of being a mother to the back of her mind. It hurt too much to dwell on all the might-have-beens.
Vicki had a child, Reba mused, and at the thought a strong stab of resentment shot through her. Again she mentally released her anger. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help thinking how unfair it was that Vicki could have a home with a husband and a child when she had neither. The sister who’d betrayed her, the sister who’d stolen away everything Reba treasured, was happy while she, Reba, wallowed in the injustice of it all.
The church parking lot was almost full. Reba hurried into the sanctuary just as the congregation stood to sing the opening song, “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.” Organ music swelled and filled the room. She found a seat and set her purse on the pew and reached for the hymnal.