The Hand-Me-Down Family Read online

  Of course she hadn’t really expected them to. It was a proxy ceremony for a marriage to a man she’d never met. How could she blame her family for not bothering to celebrate her wedding day?

  “Why don’t you try it on?”

  Mrs. Collins’s question pulled Callie back to the present. She reached out a hand to touch the heirloom piece. “May I?”

  “Of course.” Mrs. Mayweather lifted it from the box. “I’m afraid the catch is broken. But don’t worry, it’s long enough to slide over your head, if you remove your bonnet.”

  Callie’s hand drew back as if scalded.

  Remove her bonnet? In front of all these strangers?

  Had Mrs. Mayweather forgotten why she wore the less-than-stylish piece in the first place?

  “Perhaps I should wait.”

  Mrs. Mayweather gave her a look that said she knew exactly what Callie was thinking. “I insist.” Her voice carried that combination of the compassion and firmness that was peculiar to schoolteachers. “I really do think you should try it on now so everyone can see how lovely it will look.”

  Callie searched her hostess’s face. She hadn’t considered the woman cruel. So why was she attempting to force Callie to unmask so publicly?

  But there was no getting around it. Explaining why she’d prefer not to would be almost as awkward as actually doing it. This was her worst nightmare. She thought about Jack, out in the backyard. What would he want her to do? He said her appearance didn’t matter, but would he feel the same once all his friends and neighbors knew?

  She took a deep breath and sent up a silent prayer for courage and decided to trust Mrs. Mayweather’s instincts. “Very well.”

  Quickly, before she could talk herself out of it, Callie reached for her bonnet strings. Her fingers were trembling. The look of approval Mrs. Mayweather sent her way, however, gave her a much needed boost of support.

  “I believe it only fair that I warn you all of something.” Callie was surprised at how calm her voice sounded. “I have a rather prominent birthmark on the left side of my face.”

  With that, she removed the bonnet.

  There were several muted “Oh, my”s and a sharp intake of breath or two, but Callie refrained from trying to identify the sources. Such initial reactions were normal, and she had learned long ago that it served no useful purpose to harbor resentment.

  Instead, she moved to a mirror hanging in the foyer and gently eased the strand over her head, trying to ignore the sounds of shifting and clearing throats and even one nervous titter that was quickly shushed. Fidgeting with the necklace long enough to give everyone time to compose themselves, she finally turned to Mrs. Mayweather and pasted on a bright smile that hopefully masked her embarrassment. “Thank you for the loan of such a treasure. I promise to take very special care of it.”

  “You’re welcome, my dear. And I think it looks absolutely lovely on you.”

  Callie removed the necklace and tucked it back in the box. Then she donned her bonnet once again and gazed around the room.

  Suddenly there was a rush of voices, nervously eager to fill the silence. No one, except for Ida Lee and Mrs. Mayweather, met her gaze.

  Perhaps Mrs. Mayweather had been right. Painful though it had been, maybe it was best that she got this revelation over with all at once. She just hoped she’d never have to go through such an ordeal again.

  The question was, now that everyone knew her secret, how big a difference would it make in their eagerness to welcome her into the community?

  And what difference would it make to Jack and the children, and how they felt about her?

  Callie’s second wedding day dawned clear and beautiful.

  She had lain awake long into the night, praying and searching for answers that wouldn’t come.

  And wondering about the repercussions of her unveiling at Mrs. Mayweather’s tea party.

  It felt strange, dreamlike. For so much of her life she’d accepted that she would never marry and have a family of her own.

  Now, in the space of a few short weeks, she was preparing to say her wedding vows for the second time. And again it was to a man who wanted a mother for his children, not a wife for himself.

  The morning dragged on interminably. Callie helped the children pack the few possessions they had with them. That, along with most of her own belongings, were loaded into Mrs. Mayweather’s buggy.

  Once the ceremony was over, the newly formed family of five would proceed directly to their new home together.

  Home.

  Callie let out a wistful sigh. Would that farmhouse ever truly feel like the home she’d dreamed of when she’d imagined her life with Leland?

  No matter. Just thinking of the alternative strengthened her determination. She didn’t want to go back to Ohio, and it made no sense for her to stay here and not do her part to help this family. And she so looked forward to the sense of freedom country life promised.

  Even if she did have strong reservations about her ability to manage the place on her own once Jack left. Just the thought of taking on such a task twisted her stomach in knots. Perhaps Jack would change his mind, decide to stay and work with her to make this a real family.

  Callie squelched that thought before it could take root. He’d been very clear on what he was and was not willing to give up when they’d struck this bargain. Expecting him to do a sudden turnaround now was unrealistic and unfair.

  No, better to draw comfort from the knowledge that the good Lord wouldn’t have set her feet on this path if He hadn’t had a purpose for her.

  The question was, did she really have the fortitude to see it through?

  Callie barely touched her lunch. Later she couldn’t recall what was served.

  And suddenly it was time to go to the church. Callie donned her best Sunday dress along with the pearls Mrs. Mayweather had loaned her, clutched the flower bouquet Emma and Annabeth had picked for her, and piled into the carriage with Mrs. Mayweather and the children. Simon proudly handled the reins.

  Once they arrived, Mrs. Mayweather escorted the children inside while Ida Lee stood with Callie at the back of the church.

  A few moments later the piano signaled it was time, Ida Lee gave her hand a squeeze, and Callie stepped from the foyer into the small auditorium.

  For a split second she froze, unable to either move forward or retreat, uncertain which she wanted to do more. Every pew was packed. It looked as if all of Sweetgum wanted to see the town’s Prodigal Son and the blotchy-faced widow get hitched.

  Callie took a deep breath and tugged her bonnet forward. By now everyone would know about her birthmark, but at least she didn’t have to bare it to them.

  With a quick prayer, she looked straight ahead and began placing one foot in front of the other. She told herself it was perfectly natural for the bride to be the center of attention on her wedding day. But this felt like something very different.

  Her hand itched to reach up and tug her bonnet forward again, but she resisted, hoping to portray a serenity she didn’t feel.

  When her gaze latched on to Jack, her world shifted once again. He looked so different in that Sunday-go-to-meeting suit, so dashing and distinguished. It hit her again that this was not the kind of man who was used to settling for anything, much less a wife.

  Her steps faltered. What had they been thinking? Jack didn’t really want this. She should—

  He met her gaze and a crooked smile curved his lips.

  Then, without quite knowing how, Callie was at his side and they were turning to face Reverend Hollingsford.

  As the reverend began the service, Callie couldn’t help but compare this wedding with her first.

  This time it was a solemn church ceremony instead of a rushed civil one.

  This time there was a community of neighbors and friends to witness her big day rather than just a few family members.

  And this time, instead of some disinterested stand-in, the actual groom stood beside her, gazing intently into her
eyes, vowing to honor, cherish and provide for her, as long as they both should live.

  And to her surprise, he had a simple but beautiful gold band to slip on her finger as he said those vows. That gesture alone added a special touch to the ceremony.

  It might all be for the sake of the children, with no real affection between the two adults, but for the space of time it took to repeat their vows, Callie felt a shiver of emotion.

  What would it be like to have someone truly love and cherish her, not as a matter of convenience, but as a matter of the heart? She yearned for that experience with every fiber of her being.

  As they turned back to face Reverend Hollingsford, regret sliced through her as she realized that that one brief, mirage-like moment would likely be her only taste.

  Chapter Fourteen

  They didn’t leave for the farm immediately as Callie had expected. When she and Jack stepped outside, they found several tables set up on the church grounds, most of them laden with food. Ida Lee approached them, her generous smile broadcasting that she was pleased with the surprise she’d had a hand in.

  “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler, seeing as how you’ve had to plan this wedding all quick-like without much time for celebrating, the members of the Sweetgum Ladies’ Auxiliary decided to throw you this little shindig. Just our way of letting you know we’re tickled pink to have you as part of the fold, so to speak.”

  At the sound of “Mr. and Mrs. Tyler,” Callie felt that shiver. Even after her proxy marriage to Leland, most everyone had continued to address her by her first name rather than as a married woman.

  It took her a moment to realize Jack was leaving it up to her to respond. “I—I’m certain Jack shares my appreciation for all of this.” She stumbled over the first few words, then saw all the friendly, smiling faces beaming at the two of them. That made it easier to speak from the heart. “You’ve made our special day so much brighter with your outpouring of support and kindness. I know now why Julia always wrote of Sweetgum and its people with such affection.”

  “Well done.” Jack spoke so low she was certain no one else heard him. But the compliment added an extra bounce to her step as they descended the church stairs.

  They stopped at the bottom and stood there while a parade of townsfolk came by to offer well-wishes. The faces and comments swirled about her like schools of fish.

  “Wouldn’t be right for the new bride to have to cook her own supper on her wedding day.”

  “We want to make sure you feel welcome here.”

  “Just wait until you taste Helen Beaman’s peach cobbler.”

  “It’s what Lanny and Nell would have wanted for you.”

  It was all so overwhelming. First the gathering at Mrs. Mayweather’s yesterday, then the wedding itself, and now this. Who would have thought she’d feel more hemmed in and crowded in a small town than she’d ever felt in her big city home?

  Callie resisted the urge to fidget, or worse yet to bolt and run. Being on display this way was excruciating, but she didn’t want to appear ungrateful when these folks had worked so hard to make her feel welcome.

  Finally, the last of the wedding guests shook their hands and she and Jack were free to lose themselves in the crowd. They became separated almost at once, drawn into different groups as they began to mingle.

  Callie felt some of her tension ease. Better to be part of a milling crowd than to be the center of attention. But after five minutes, she found an opportunity to slip into the church unobserved. Sitting in one of the pews, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

  Thank You, Father, for setting me among such neighborly people. Help me remember that it truly is a blessing. And give me the strength and fortitude to accept with good grace their outpourings of friendship, even when it isn’t comfortable to do so.

  She sat there for a few more minutes with her eyes closed and her head resting against the back of her pew. Muted sounds of conversation drifted in from an open window, punctuated now and then by the drone of insects. She really should return to the reception before her absence was noted. But it was so nice sitting here unobserved, drinking in the peace.

  Callie let the serenity of the small country church refresh her spirit a minute longer, then she straightened. The murmur of conversation was drawing closer. It was time she rejoined the others before she was discovered hiding in here like a coward.

  Then one of the conversations sharpened, as if the speaker stood right under the window.

  “…sakes. Did you see her face yesterday?”

  “That poor thing. I suppose it’s understandable why she’d rather hide behind those frumpy bonnets.”

  Callie froze.

  “Bless her heart,” the voice continued. “No wonder she came all this way to marry a man she’d never met. I wonder if Lanny even knew about that birthmark when he proposed.”

  “Well, Jack’s the one I feel sorry for. I mean, at least Lanny had his time with Julia. But Jack, well, all I can say is, it’s very noble of him to go through with this, for the sake of the kids and all.”

  Callie’s face burned with mortification. This was the sort of thing her family had always warned her about, had tried to shield her from.

  And she recognized the voices. How could she face these women now that she knew how they viewed her?

  Heavenly Father, I know I should turn the other cheek, but sometimes it’s so difficult.

  “You know Jack. He might not have been as gentlemanly as Lanny, but—”

  “Ladies.”

  Callie stiffened. That was Jack’s voice. And she’d thought this couldn’t possibly get any worse.

  “Uh, hello, Jack.”

  Callie heard the caught-in-the-act tone in the woman’s voice.

  “Have either of you seen my bride in the last few minutes?”

  “Why, no.”

  “I’m quite a lucky man to have found such a fine woman to marry, don’t you agree?”

  “Yes, of course.” There was the sound of a throat clearing. “Why I was just saying what a wonderful thing the two of you are doing for those children.”

  “I’ll tell you ladies a secret. Callie took a bit of convincing. Why, I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much arm-twisting it took to convince her to have me.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yep. But it was worth it. In fact, I’d be mighty put out if I learned someone said something to make her sorry she decided to stay in Sweetgum.”

  “I’m sure you have nothing to worry about on that score.” The rustling of skirts filled the short pause. “Well, if we see her, we’ll let her know you’re looking for her.”

  “Thank you kindly, ladies.”

  Callie’s heart warmed at Jack’s defense of her. Whatever else he might be, Jack Tyler was an honorable man with a good heart.

  Jack watched Alma Collins and Jane Peavey hurry away. It had been all he could do to keep his tone pleasant while he dealt with them. If they’d been men…

  That pair didn’t seem to have changed much from the adolescent babblers he remembered. They thrived on gossip and were always on the lookout for ways to stir things up. Hopefully he’d managed to nip in the bud any further attempts to target Callie.

  Thank goodness Callie wasn’t that sort of woman. She might have some less than docile qualities that got under his skin, but at least she was forthright and fair-minded.

  Just where was she anyway? He glanced around, his gaze honing in on Ben Cooper heading for one of the food tables. Time for a quick detour.

  “Hey,” he said as he clapped Ben on the shoulder, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Virgil had informed him it was Ben, the town’s young undertaker, who’d seen that everything was done all right and proper for the funerals after the fire.

  “Well, hi there, Jack. Is there something I can do for you?”

  Jack shook his head. “You’ve already done more than expected. I wanted you to know I appreciate your taking care of the three burials for me. And that I
intend to pay you back for every bit of your time and expense. Just let me know how much.”

  Ben shook his head. “I just did what needed doing. And your wedding day is not the time to be talking business. You can stop by my place one day next week.” Ben glanced up past Jack’s shoulder. “Right now you have a bride you should be tending to.”

  Jack followed the direction of Ben’s gaze just in time to see Callie step out of the church. So that’s where she’d disappeared to. Truth to tell, he didn’t much blame her. He could do with a bit of peace and quiet right now himself.

  Then he frowned. Something wasn’t right, though he couldn’t explain how he knew. She wore a serene smile and her stride was unfaltering.

  And then it hit him. If Callie had been in the church, she may have heard the conversation between Alma and Jane. And if she had, she’d no doubt be feeling pretty low right now.

  “Excuse me, Ben, I do need to speak to Callie for a minute.”

  Ben gave him a knowing smile. “You go right ahead.”

  Jack rolled his eyes at the implication. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  Could it?

  He caught up to Callie before she’d reached the thick of the crowd and took her arm. “Are you okay?”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “Of course.” She glanced back at the church. “Sorry for slipping off like that. I hope no one noticed. It’s just that I’m not used to crowds and so much attention.”

  “No need to apologize. I’m pretty sure no one else noticed.” He studied her face, or at least the part of it he could see. Had he read her wrong? “Are you sure you’re okay? We can leave now if you like.”

  “I’m fine, really.”

  That little tug she gave her bonnet said otherwise.

  She laid a hand on his arm. “Please don’t break this up on my account. Everyone has been so neighborly and they worked hard to put this together.” She made a shooing motion. “Now go on back to our guests and I’ll do the same.”

  Jack watched her walk away, more certain than ever that she’d caught at least part of the conversation.