Lined With Silver (15 page)

Then she thought of her sister. Because she
wasn’t sealed to anyone, the babies she bore for Nikki could be
sealed to her and Brad. This was the whole purpose for the event.
Provide a safe place for her sister’s babies to grow. She would
think about her own happiness after she took care of Nikki.

Zack’s conversation with Jade broke into her
thoughts.

“Sondra is everything I ever wanted in a
wife. It’s none of your business how, when, and where I married
her.” He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. “You worry about
Stan and your children. I might not be around to do your work for
you. In the meantime, don’t worry about Granny. I’ll take care of
her.” He took a calming breath and switched topics. “What are the
plans for Dad’s funeral?”

As the discussion turned to the funeral,
Sondra tuned it out while she thought about Nikki, Brad, and the
twins. She hadn’t ever worried about what it was like to carry a
baby. It would have been useless to think about something that
wasn’t a physical possibility.

The last time she’d thought about it was in a
college biology class, and she couldn’t remember the course
covering anything about pregnancy. They’d played a video of a live
birth and explained the creation process, but it hadn’t covered any
information on the months between.

She was pulled back into the conversation
when she heard Zack say, “I don’t think Sondra can offer the
benediction. She has a court case she has to attend in Salt Lake.”
He caught Sondra’s gaze and raised his brows in a silent query as
he made the announcement.

Sondra nodded her head in agreement. She felt
like enough of a fraud. She didn’t want to participate in the
funeral. No one in the family even knew her.

Jade’s voice rang out. “Court case? What, is
she some kind of criminal?”

Zack’s frustration could be heard in his
voice. Jade had hit a nerve. “Sondra is an attorney. She has lots
clients, and she’s very busy.”

“Oh.” After a brief pause, Jade continued,
“The funeral will be next Saturday. Are you telling me she has a
case on a weekend? It’s not like you can’t afford the plane fare.
She only has to fly out in the morning and she can be back the next
day. The funeral will be at 1:00 to give time for family to
arrive.”

Uncertain of Zack’s answer, Sondra chose to
answer herself. “I can attend the funeral, but I wouldn’t feel
comfortable offering the benediction. I think that should be
reserved for someone who’s known him longer than I have.”

Jade gasped. “We’re on speaker?” She was
silent a moment and then asked, “Did you even meet him?”

“Yes, I did. We met him after the wedding. He
seemed like a wonderful person.” Sondra’s soft comment seemed to
calm Jade.

Jade sounded close to tears. “He was a
wonderful father. I will miss him.” She was quiet another moment.
“Would you like to join me and my girls in singing ‘How Great Thou
Art?’” Before Sondra could protest, she continued, “We can practice
before the services.”

“I’m not really a singer, but I’d be happy to
join you.”

Jade’s voice was brisk again. “Good. That’s
settled then. Zack, I’ll call you later after the plans have been
firmed up. We’ve already talked to the Bishop in the area. We’re
planning on having the funeral at the local building. He’ll be laid
to rest next to Mom.”

“Why are you waiting until Saturday?” Zack
asked.

“With family spread out all over the country,
it’s going to take a few days to arrange flights. A week and a half
isn’t that long these days. Plus it gives everyone Christmas before
they have to travel.” Jade replied.

“Are you still planning on coming out for
Christmas?” Zack asked.

“With the funeral so close, I don’t want to
travel twice. We’ll stay here in Tucson. We’ll see you in
Maryland.” Jade responded.

“Will the body keep that long?” Sondra
blurted out. Images of a body melting away in the next few days
were flashing in her mind. All the zombie movies she’d watched in
her past were making a quick comeback.

Zack’s lips twitched at her question. Sondra
glared at him. She had no idea how long bodies could be kept.
Didn’t they have an expiration date? Every funeral she’d attended
had been within three days of the death.

“The funeral home assured me he would be
fine, and we won’t be having an open casket funeral, anyway.” Jade
answered.

“Why not?” Zack asked.

“I can’t stand looking at dead people.” With
that cryptic comment, Jade hung up the phone.

Zack and Sondra stared at each other a moment
and then laughed. Zack shook his head. “Welcome to my family.” He
paused and then asked, “Did you want to go say good-bye to
Dad?”

Sondra hesitated. “I don’t think that’s my
call. What do you want to do?”

“I said good-bye when I introduced you to
him. I guess I’m with my sister. I don’t like looking at dead
people, either. I like to think of him as being alive—and happy to
be with Mom again. They really love each other, you know. And Jade
was right. I’ll get their work done next year.”

“This….marriage….was a real sacrifice for
you, wasn’t it?”

“Judging from my sister’s call, I’d say it
was one I needed to make. Granny will be fine now. My sister can’t
do anything about it.”

Sondra stared at him. “Maybe you better look
at the will and fix it so that’s true.”

“What do you mean?”

“You might not outlive your sister or your
grandma. I know the person who can make sure your grandma is taken
care of.”

This time, it was Zack who reached out to
her. “Thanks. Angels that surround us aren’t always invisible. And
I don’t believe in coincidences, either. Remind me again why you
took that flight to DC?”

* * *

Thursday was a blur. There were several
clients who needed last-minute assistance before the holidays.
Sondra took Friday off to prepare for Christmas. She ordered a
dinner from a local restaurant with enough extras for leftovers.
She didn’t want to cook on either day. They stayed up late and
watched Christmas classics. They both slept in the next day.

When Sondra let Dewk in, he tore around the
living room in crazy circles. “He usually comes in earlier.” Sondra
apologized.

Zack laughed and handed him a huge bone. “I
thought he’d enjoy this.” Dewk stopped and made a beeline for his
rug.

“That one is going to take some work.”

“I thought it would keep him busy.” Zack
chuckled at Dewk’s enthusiasm while he handed Sondra a narrow box.
“I got you a little something.”

The lid had a well-known name embossed in
silver ink. She looked up at Zack and then back at the box. “You
shouldn’t have.”

“But I did. ‘For what doth it profit a man if
a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold,
he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices
in him who is the giver of the gift.’
”

Sondra interrupted. “D&C 88:33. I was a
missionary, too, remember? Quoting scriptures to guilt me into
accepting this? That’s low.” She lifted up the lid and saw the
sparkling tennis bracelet. “Ohhhhhh. I don’t think you need to
guilt me. This is beautiful.”

“May I?”

Sondra nodded, and Zack attached the bracelet
to her wrist. She twisted her arm and admired the sparkles that
closely matched the ones on her ring. “I love it.” Her expression
fell. “But I’d be terrified to wear it. What if I lose it?”

“The clasp has special features to keep it
from coming undone. See?” He twisted the bracelet around so she
could see the workings of the clasp. “I don’t think you need to
worry. You wear your rings. Why wouldn’t you wear your
bracelet?”

“Rings don’t have a tendency to fall
off.”

Zack moved the bracelet again. His touch sent
prickles up Sondra’s arm. “This one fits just right. It’s not going
anywhere.”

Sondra admired the brilliant facets again and
then offered Zack the package she’d carefully wrapped earlier in
the week. The festive wrapping looked drab in comparison to her
flashing jewelry.

Zack ripped through the packaging and pulled
out an envelope. He quirked his brows in a question and then opened
the card. “Airfare for two to Philadelphia?”

“I thought that’s where you said your
grandmother lives.”

“She does.” He nodded, his brown eyes
unreadable.

“I wanted to meet her, if that’s okay?”

“I would love to have you two meet, but this
is a surprise.” He glanced at the tickets.

“Anyone who can inspire enough love to have
her grandson marrying to protect her must be a wonderful person. I
hope you don’t mind?” Sondra asked.

“Of course not.” He squinted at the small
print. “Are the tickets refundable?”

“Yes. Fully. Why?”

“If you can get a few days off after the
funeral, I thought we could drive from Maryland and then return
from Philadelphia.”

“I can probably take the week off after the
funeral. We aren’t particularly busy right after Christmas.”

Zack ran his hand down Sondra’s arm and
paused to encircle her jeweled wrist with his long fingers. “Thanks
for your sacrifice. My heart is at peace.” He pulled up her fingers
and gently nibbled at her fingertips, watching her astonished
expression. Not seeing a response he expected, he turned on his
heel and shut his door behind him.

Sondra stared at the door. What was she
supposed to do with him? Maybe their trip to Philly would help iron
out some wrinkles. She could hope.

That evening, Zack emerged from his space to
help with a simple supper. They were working quietly at clearing
dinner when a brisk knock summoned them to the door.

“You must be Brad.” Zack reached out to shake
the extended hand of a tall blond man. Even though he was only a
couple of inches shorter than Zack, his sunken cheeks and sickly
pallor made him seem much smaller. His clothes hung on a skeleton
frame. Despite his weak appearance, his eyes still shone with
lively interest. He nodded, then Zack turned to Nikki. “I remember
you from Trek.” He reached out to shake her hand as well.

Nikki snuck a look at Sondra, who was turning
pink as they spoke. She met Zack’s eyes. “I remember you, too. You
took really good care of Sondra then. Looks like you’re taking
really good care of her now. We appreciate your sacrifice.”

Zack nonchalantly put his arm around Sondra
and moved her back to the couch. She was grateful for his guiding
arm because her legs felt like mush. Having her family meet her
faux husband shouldn’t be so unnerving.

Nikki deposited a plate of cookies on
Sondra’s table as they headed to the loveseat. The scent of vanilla
and cinnamon wafted off the plate.

Sondra inhaled with a smile.
“Snickerdoodles?”

Nikki nodded. “I know they’re your
favorite.”

“You know me too well.” Sondra passed the
plate around to share while Brad handed Zack a gift card.

“We didn’t know where you prefer to eat, so
there are four choices on the card.” Brad said.

“Thanks. This will come in handy. Sondra and
I have been doing a lot of eating out lately.”

Nikki turned and furrowed her brow at Sondra,
who confessed, “The odor of cooking foods hasn’t been appetizing.
It’s easier to eat where I don’t have to smell it cooking.”

Nikki laughed. “It’s a good thing you’re
living on a lawyer’s salary.”

Sondra shot a look at Zack. “He won’t let me
pay.”

“She’s my wife.” The sound of his voice
didn’t leave room for argument.

Brad and Nikki exchanged a meaningful
glance.

Sondra switched subjects. “You’re looking
good, Brad.”

“I’ve put on ten pounds since they started
the new process.” Even his voice sounded healthier, fuller.

“That’s encouraging.” Sondra smiled.

“Yes, it is. I didn’t ever think I’d be able
to say this, but remission is looking like a real possibility.”

Sondra squealed in delight. “I’m thrilled.”
She turned to Nikki. “Have you let Mom and Dad know?”

“We went on skype this morning. They’re as
happy as we are.”

They spent a few minutes discussing politics.
After they’d run through the current state of world affairs, Nikki
caught Sondra’s gaze. “How are you feeling—other than
nauseated?”

Sondra patted her non-existent stomach.
“We’re doing fine so far.”

Brad dropped his gaze a moment, staring at
the floor. Then he looked to meet Sondra’s eyes as he reached for
Nikki’s hand. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me—to us.
Thanks.”

“Just concentrate on getting well.” Sondra
moved to Brad and hugged him.

“I am.” He smiled, stood up and reached out
to help Nikki, still chivalrous despite his weakened state. The
cancer had ravaged his body but not his soul.

After they left, Zack said, “I really like
your family. Mine could never talk about current events like
that.”

“Mom and Dad felt like it was important to
keep us aware. It would seem odd not to.” She stared at the glowing
gas flames. “I just pray that Brad will get better.” She looked up
at Zack and touched her tummy. “This sacrifice will mean a lot more
if he can stay and be the father I know he wants to be.”

Zack pulled Sondra to her feet. “You are an
amazing person.”

“What do you mean?”

“There aren’t too many people I know who
would sacrifice so much for their sister.”

Sondra reached up and touched Zack’s cheek.
“I’m not the only one sacrificing here.”

“My sacrifice is small.”

Sondra wanted to argue. She needed to argue,
but Zack’s mouth on hers stopped any thoughts. They stopped the
muscles in her legs. If Zack hadn’t reached out to hold her up, she
would have melted right into the floor. Her arms somehow found
themselves wound around his neck, and one of her hands was working
its way through his hair when Zack came up for air.