Brides And Blessings

“It’s not the first time. How’s—” Suzann coughed again “—how’s California?”

“Super, but you don’t sound so good. Are you all right?”

“Just a slight cold. So, how do you like my humble abode?”

“Your house is fabulous. But if you hadn’t drawn me that map, I would never have found your bedroom.”

Suzann smiled. “Who’s your guest? Mike?”

Holly grew silent. “No, his brother.”

“The pediatrician?”

“Yeah.”

“Mike said his brother had moved to Burbank. So what’s Shawn doing there? And where’s Mike?”

“It’s a little hard to explain right now. And Shawn—I mean, Dr. McDowell—is waiting. Could I call you back tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

Suzann held the receiver away from her ear for a moment before hanging up. Something strange was going on in California. She intended to find out what it was.

Suzann slept late the next morning. She might have slept longer, but a coughing episode woke her. When she recovered, she got out of bed and fixed herself a cup of coffee.

The church members she’d met would be in Sunday School and then church. So would Josh. She was free to study Holly’s family photo album and the pictorial Church Directory.

At a little before twelve, she fell asleep again. She didn’t open her eyes until she heard another knock.

Suzann combed her fingers through her hair and made her way to the door, pulling her white, terry-cloth robe closed in front as she went. The small window above the door revealed a young woman about Suzann’s age. She’d noticed her picture in the Church Directory. Still in her groggy state, she couldn’t remember her name.

Suzann opened the door. “Excuse my appearance—and for looking so vacant. But I’ve been sleeping a lot with this cold of mine.” She slanted her head to one side. “Please, come in.”

The young woman frowned briefly as if she might be confused. She was short and petite. Her hair was darker than Suzann’s. Some might call it black. Her eyes were a warm gray and circled by a thick layer of black lashes.

“We missed you at church this morning.”

“I missed being there.”

Suzann motioned toward the couch, taking the chair to the right of the couch for a better view of her guest. Could this be her neighbor? Suzann had caught a glimpse of a neighbor when Josh drove her home, but that woman had looked slightly older. So who?

In hopes of appearing relaxed and casual, Suzann pulled up her legs, covered them with her white robe, and hugged her knees.

“What’s been going on in Oak Valley since I’ve been gone?” Suzann asked.

The young woman sent her another puzzled expression, as if she’d expected Suzann to say something entirely different.

“Are you sure you’re all right, Holly?” the young woman asked. “You seem a little—” she shook her head “—I don’t know…different.”

Suzann stretched out her legs and sat up. Her body language earlier wasn’t doing the job. It was time for Plan B. Too bad she hadn’t come up with one yet.

“Maybe you should see a doctor or something,” the woman said. “About that cold, I mean.”

“That’s what half the church members who came by here yesterday said.”

“I would have come by yesterday too but—I just got back late last night.”

“How was your trip?”

“Trip?”

Suzann tensed. Trip was obviously not the word she should have used with this particular person. Wake up, Suzann, she thought. She could always blame her present addled state on her fever.

“That wasn’t a very good choice of words, was it?” Suzann said. “Sorry. How did it go?”

“At first Mother was devastated, of course. But she’s better, now that we think Dad’s going to be all right.”

“We can thank God for that.” Suzann suddenly realized to whom she was speaking, and her heart went out to Kate Devlon.

“I’m sorry about your dad,” Suzann said softly. “Wish I could have been there for you.”

“There was no reason for you to disrupt your vacation, and there was nothing you could do. Besides, you phoned, didn’t you?”

Suzann nodded. She should have guessed that the stranger was Holly’s best friend the minute Kate walked in.

Holly had described Kate as warm and fun-loving. Had Suzann known to whom she was speaking, common sense would have told her that Kate wasn’t likely to be upbeat when her father had just suffered a heart attack.

“You probably need to get back in bed.” Kate stood. “I better leave.”

Suzann wanted her to stay. However, it might be best to wait until she felt a little better and could keep up her Holly act before they had a prolonged visit.

Suzann got up then. “I’m really glad you stopped by.”

“Me too.” Kate grinned before starting for the door. “I would have brought you a covered dish, but—” she laughed and turned back to Suzann “—Brother Josh said that maybe you would like a visit only.”

Suzann followed Kate to the door. “He’s very perceptive.”

“Isn’t he, though?” Kate winked. “Do I smell romance in the air?”

“Romance?” Suzann was caught off guard by Kate’s remark. “No.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “We just happen to work at the same church, that’s all.”

“Are you sure that’s all it is?”

Suzann opened her mouth to answer. Then closed it. It would be too easy to say the wrong thing.

When Kate had gone, Suzann went back to the couch and reached for the Church Directory. She hoped to recall everything Holly said about Kate Devlon. She remembered that Kate was a rancher’s daughter, turned secretary to a local lawyer, and that she moved to Oak Valley about the same time Josh did. If Suzann hoped to be a convincing Holly Harmon, she would need to stay as close to Kate as possible.

By nightfall Suzann was beginning to question whether or not Holly intended to return her call. Josh hadn’t phoned either, but she wasn’t surprised after what she’d said to him.