***
Service wasn’t nearly as bad as Jessi remembered it. She didn’t notice a single person staring and whispering about her, although she was certain a few did comment to one another when she wasn’t looking. Pastor Pruitt spoke to his congregation in soft tones; he didn’t yell at them like her memories of childhood. And he spoke about love and forgiveness like it was something he really believed in. She wasn’t sure, but it almost seemed as though he also loved the people who were seated before him. He wasn’t like anyone she’d ever met. After service she stood in line and shook his hand, like everyone else. When he reached for her hand, he held it in one and covered the top with the other and smiled warmly at her, like he knew her. “I’m so glad you could be with us today. I hope you enjoyed the service.”
“I did, thank you.” Jessi didn’t know what else to say, so she continued to move forward. At the car there were hugs all around and promises of the upcoming visit. Jessi and Olivia drove off in their fully loaded car to go home. It would be a long drive with too much time to think. Maybe leaving for home right after service wasn’t such a bright idea. She had no illusions of what she would be thinking about, a soft-spoken man with gentle words of a loving God.
Chapter 24
Mark carried the last box to the U-Haul. “Well, this is it.” He sure was glad his sister sold half her stuff to the couple who bought the house, or else they would never have fit it all in the truck. “You are such a pack rat.”
Julia looked at the loaded truck and couldn’t believe the amount of stuff she’d collected over the years. Yes, Mark was right. She had become a pack rat, but the contents of these boxes held more than stuff; they held memories. She had donated a considerable amount to the church for their annual rummage sale. They would have plenty of knickknacks and kitchen items for their sale this year, that was for sure. She would never forget the look on the youth’s face when he came to pick up her stuff in his truck. He’d had to make three trips to the church in order to get it all. Her guess was he would think twice before volunteering his time and his truck again. She knew it was a lot when the pastor called and thanked her for making this year’s rummage sale a successful one. They both had had a good laugh. Now, by the sight of things, maybe she should have given a little more. Even with selling half the furniture to the new owners and with what she gave to the church, she still filled a U-Haul.
Mark left his sister alone with her memories for a moment before interrupting her. It was already the end of August, and they were leaving for Wisconsin. “Hey, sis, you ready to go?”
She looked at him as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Together they stood looking at the house. She had too many memories, both good and bad, to walk away quickly without much thought. “Yeah, I’m ready. I mostly said all my good-byes; I just wanted one more look. I’m gonna miss it, you know?” She turned and linked her arm with her brother’s. “This is for the good. I know that, Mark. I’ve had time to adjust and get used to the idea of creating new memories. I know we wouldn’t be moving if it weren’t for Jessi and Olivia being there, but I can’t help but feel God has a plan for me there too. I am actually excited to see what he has in store for me. I feel peace about making this move. This will be good for both of us, you will see.”
Julia got in behind the wheel of the U-Haul and started the truck. She had decided to sell her junker and buy a new car once she got to Wisconsin. It made more sense in the long run to not pull a new car behind the truck, especially seeing she would be doing all the driving, as Mark didn’t have his driver’s license yet. They would be making the trip in two days to give her plenty of time to relax and stretch out her legs. Mark would ride shotgun and control the map. Both were excited and a bit nervous to be venturing past their comfort zones, although neither regretted their decision to make the move.
Mark watched his sister get comfortable behind the wheel. “I can’t believe it’s finally happening. We’re doing it, sis. We’ll be in Wisconsin tomorrow night. I feel like we’re scoping out the promised land, only we are going to conquer the giants and live in the land. I wonder if this kind is the kind of excitement that Caleb and Joshua had when scouting Canaan. A kind of excitement mixed with nervousness, yet you know it’s a good thing and can’t wait to get started. You know what I mean?”
Julia pulled out of the driveway. “I hear you. I’m a ball of nervous energy and feel like I could drive straight through to Wisconsin. Don’t hold me to that when I’m ready to stop after eight hours of driving.”
***
Olivia sat outside on the front step for the better part of the day. She watched and waited for her father to pull up in a big truck. Today was the day he was supposed to come, and she couldn’t wait to see him. She had waited so long to have a daddy, and then once she had found him she had to go home and leave him back in Oklahoma. Now he was coming here to live by her. She couldn’t wait to show him her school and the farm and the horses.
Jessi popped her head out the door. “Olivia, it’s time for supper. You need to come inside now.”
Olivia scowled. “I want to wait here for Daddy. Why isn’t he here yet?”
Jessi gave her the “do what I said” look. “He’ll be here soon enough. For now, I want your hands washed and you sitting at the table ready for supper, understand?”
“Yes, Mom.” Olivia followed her mother into the house. She guessed she was hungry, and something sure did smell good. Might as well eat while she was waiting.
Julia exited the highway at the Highway Twenty-six exit in Janesville, Wisconsin. Their first stop was to see Olivia. Then they would check into the hotel for the night. Tomorrow would be soon enough to unpack the truck. It would just be her and Mark doing the unloading, so a good night’s sleep and a cup of strong coffee would be just what they needed.
Julia turned onto a country dirt driveway. “I think this is the place.”
She smiled at Mark and motioned to the front porch, which was now empty, as Olivia was running full speed toward the truck. “Daddy. You made it. I was waiting for you.” She ran straight into his arms, and he swung her around while hugging her close to him. She pulled her face back from him. “What took you so long? I was waiting all day long.”
“Well, it takes a long time to drive from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. You know that. It takes even longer in a big truck like that one. But I’m here now, right?”
“Right.”
Mark put her on the ground and walked toward the front door where Jessi stood watching. Julia was still stretching her sore leg muscles but soon caught up. It felt good to be out of that truck. “How about a hug for your aunt?” She bent down on one knee, waiting for Olivia to give her a hug.
Mark continued to the porch. Jessi greeted him somewhat cautiously, although she’d had time to get used to the idea of him coming and living near her and Olivia. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. He definitely was good for the girl, and as long as he kept his word and stayed away from the bottle, she would let him maintain his relationship with Olivia. “Hi, Mark. How was your trip?”
“Long. I didn’t realize just how long eight hundred miles could be, especially in a U-Haul, where you can’t stretch out your legs. We stopped where you told us to, in Rolla, Missouri. We were ready for a break.”
“Yeah, stopping helps break the trip up. Besides, if you traveled at night you would miss the great scenery. There is too much pretty countryside for that.”
“I would have to agree with you. The foothills in Missouri were breathtaking. We left early enough that we watched the sunrise over the hills. Illinois was a bit boring, but that changed as soon as we hit Wisconsin. You couldn’t have picked a prettier place to live.”
Jessi nodded in agreement. She looked at Julia giving Olivia a hug. Julia coming with him certainly didn’t hurt matters any. It might be nice to have a friend around. Even through the trial and divorce, Julia had proved she was a friend, never judging Jessi for what she was doing. Jessi had decided to make changes
in her life, and that was one of the areas she’d decided to change. She needed friends. She needed someone she could call or go out to lunch with. It would be nice to have Julia around, even though Mark was part of the package. Somewhere she was finding some forgiveness in her heart for him. She didn’t know when it took place, but she found she was less critical of him each time she saw him. Maybe it was the way he interacted with Olivia, treating her the way she’d always hoped he would treat Ethan. He’d never taken a true interest in his son’s activities or cared about his son’s feelings. Things were different now with Olivia. Everything Mark did showed that his concern for Olivia was first in his life, even above his own needs and wants. Jessi didn’t quite know what to make of this Mark. It was hard to believe this was the same person she was married to so many years ago.
Gathering that his conversation with Jessi was over, Mark walked down from the porch and joined his sister, who was sitting in the grass with Olivia. “Hey, what are you two talking about, huh?”
They both started giggling and looked at each other. Julia spoke first. “Should we tell him?”
Olivia tilted her head. “Hmm…I don’t know. What do you think?”
“Well, maybe we should tell him. We are going to need his help, and if he’s going to help us, then he needs to know.”
“I guess you’re right. Aunt Julia told me that next week is Mom’s birthday, and I think we should have a party for her. Just the three of us. Do you think you could come over and we could have real family birthday party for my mom?” Olivia looked at her father with a hopeful expression. It wouldn’t do for her to know that with one look, any resolve her father might have had would melt away.
There was nothing more he would like to do than help with Jessi’s birthday party. It would give him the opportunity to do something nice for her. Without expectation of something in return, she might be more willing to accept his kindness. “Yes, I will help you plan a wonderful birthday party for your mom. We’ll have to talk about everything when she isn’t around, though, ’cause she’ll know we’re up to something if we try to whisper around her.”
Olivia was so excited she couldn’t sit still. She remembered all the things she wanted to show her dad. “Come on, Dad; I want to show you the horses.” She pulled him along as she ran to the barn. She yelled over her shoulder toward the house as she went, “Mom, I’m gonna show Dad the horses.” With that, they both headed to the barn.
Julia, obviously tired, walked up to the house where Jessi was standing. “And you make this trip every year, huh?”
Jessi laughed. “Yeah, come on in. They could be a while. Do you want some iced tea? I have a fresh batch made.”
“Sounds heavenly. Thanks.” Julia looked around the open parts of the house. She noted all the artsy touches here and there that were so typical of Jessi—the painted kitchen walls with stenciling, border wallpaper with picket fences and bird houses. The art breathed life into each room, letting a person glimpse a part of Jessi that she usually hid behind her veneer. Moments like these were rare. Julia had learned to identify them by always looking for the good in each person she met. Even the hardest of shells could be penetrated with a glimpse if you looked hard enough. Jessi’s came through expressing herself through her surroundings. A gentleness and an appreciation for life were evident in her décor. Julia took a long drink of tea. “Mmm, this is good. I haven’t found one place that can make a good iced tea since I hit the Illinois border.”
Jessi agreed with her. “You won’t find one around here, either. It seems that the northerners don’t appreciate their tea sweetened like southerners do. Good thing we know how to make it at home. It’s a favorite around here, especially during the summer months.”
Julia wiped the perspiration from her brow. “Speaking of summer, I thought it was supposed to be cooler here. It’s not only hot, but it’s humid too. What’s with that?”
Jessi drank from her own glass. “I tried to tell you. You just assumed since Wisconsin was so far north that it would be cooler all the time. Not so, as you’ll soon see. It can reach the low one hundreds here during the summer. It doesn’t happen that often, but it does happen. As far as the winters go, you will see temperatures drop to below zero, with the wind chill reaching to the negative double digits.” Jessi watched Julia’s face for her reaction, which registered complete disgust.
“Okay, I’ll quit complaining about the summer heat. Just thinking about this winter is already making me cold. I’m going to need a new coat, that’s for sure. Any suggestions?”
“I didn’t mean to make it sound all that bad. It’s really not you, know. The changing of seasons here is refreshing, and it’s always different. After the cold winter, you’ll see all the spring flowers coming up. It’s positively wonderful. I think the main differences are the length of the seasons. In Oklahoma we would start to see warmer weather sometimes as early as February. I remember golfing once when I was on Christmas break; it was in the seventies. Here, you generally won’t see the seventies until early June. One of the first differences you will see is when the weather changes from winter to spring, people will be wearing short-sleeve shirts when it is fifty degrees out. You won’t believe it. At first, I thought they were crazy. Now I can appreciate the warmth after a cold winter, and I join right in with them.”
“At home I would have the heat on, a fire lit, and a warm afghan over my legs at fifty degrees. I can’t imagine running around like a lunatic in a short sleeve shirt, not even indoors, let alone outdoors.”
“You wait, two to three years from now you’ll be joining the rest of us crazies.”
Julia just shook her head.
Mark and Olivia returned from visiting the barn and horses. “Hey, sis, we better get going so we can check into the hotel. I bet you’re pretty tired. I know I am.”
Julia sighed. “Yeah, I am pretty tired. It’s been a long two days.”
They all headed outside toward the truck. Mark explained their plans. “We are going to head into Janesville for the night, and then we’ll be moving into the house tomorrow. Neither one of us has the energy to unload the truck tonight. I’ll give you a call once we get everything done, okay?” He bent down to give Olivia a kiss and hug.
Olivia didn’t want to let go of his neck. “You’ll call me tomorrow, right, Daddy?”
“Yes, I’ll call you tomorrow. I promise.” Mark pried her arms off his neck by tickling her onto the ground. “I’ll talk with you tomorrow.” Mark nodded to Jessi before joining Julia in the truck.
They had a lot to do tomorrow before they could return the truck. Julia needed to find a car so they would have some sort of transportation. The utilities should be turned on in the house they had rented, but there would be groceries to get and the house to clean before anything could be put away.
Julia glanced at her brother while she was driving. “I’m very proud of you, Mark. I think that this is the single most unselfish thing you have ever done in your entire life. You must love that little girl a whole lot.”
Mark continued looking straight ahead. “Not just her, sis; I still love my wife too.” Mark looked to his sister to gauge her reaction. She remained expressionless.
“I figured that much. She’s a good woman, Mark, but she’s been hurt a lot. You’ll have to give her plenty of time to warm up to you if you are to have a ghost of a chance at winning her back. I’m not sure I approve, only because I’m not sure that she will ever be able to completely forgive you for your part in Ethan’s death, and I don’t want that to be an issue hanging over your head for the rest of your life. It would be hard for any marriage to survive such a devastating trauma, let alone one with your set of circumstances.” Julia realized she’d been talking too much; running off at the mouth without thinking or praying was sometimes a major failing in her life. “I’m sorry, Mark. I didn’t mean to sound so negative. I just don’t want to see you hurt anymore. You’re my brother, and I love you. I care about what happens to you. I will pra
y about the situation, okay. God is in control. Always has been and always will be. Someday I’ll remember that.” Julia offered her brother an apologetic smile before turning back to the road.
Chapter 25
Julia looked at her snoring brother. They had decided to share a room during the trip to save on money. It worked out pretty well. It was still early, but if they were going to get everything done that they needed to, they’d have to get an early start.
“Mark, time to get up. We have to get going.”
Mark opened one eye and scrunched his face. “What time is it?”
“It’s six thirty. You’ve been sleeping for a full eight hours. Besides, we have a lot to do today. Come on; you can sleep in tomorrow.”
“Do I have to?”
Julia raised her eyebrows and didn’t say a word.
“Okay, I’m getting up. You don’t have to go all big sister on me here.”
He rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He would have to take another shower to wake up, albeit a quick one. He muttered, “Be right back,” before the bathroom door shut behind him.
Julia took the time to finish getting herself ready for the day. Today was the first day in the past few that she actually felt human. She had gotten a good night’s rest and was looking forward to seeing the house they would be living in until she found a house to buy; not only that, but she had to car shop today. The truck should be returned today if possible, and that would mean finding and purchasing a vehicle today—a big job, to be sure. It was another ten minutes before Mark came out of the bathroom. “I thought you might have fallen in.”
“Funny, sis. At least I’m alive now. So, what’s the plan? I hope we get to start with breakfast and coffee.”
Yes, breakfast will do us good. We’ve got a lot to do today. First, let’s go check out the house. I’ve only looked at the pictures the rental agency sent me. He did mention the fact that it was for rent with option to buy. Who knows, maybe I’ll love it and want to buy it. We can unload the U-Haul and then come back into town for lunch and to visit the dealerships. We’ll return the truck then pick up the new car. If it all works out, we should be set.”