Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma (38 page)

Calista did not look convinced. Still, she stood with an interersted look on her face. Rumor had it her mama and papa were far too busy with Mayor Albright’s reelection campaign to pay her much mind these days. Maybe the children would fill in the gap and give the youngster the attention she craved.

Seconds later, a flurry of activity on the front porch caught everyone’s attention. Gene looked up just in time to see all the ladies—well, all but Rena—step outside onto the porch. His heart quickened as he realized the moment had come at last. He clapped his hands and hollered, “Game over, everyone. Time to get down to business.”

The children fell in line, and Molly tended to their appearance. She fussed over Henry’s hair, brushed some dirt off Wesley’s knees, straightened Timmy’s collar, and retied Lilly’s shoes. Then, convinced they were ready, she turned to Gene and smiled.

“Well? What are we waiting for? Let’s get this thing started.”

Rena stood inside the parlor with Sadie at her side. She waited for her cue to walk out onto the front porch, where the wedding would take place. For whatever reason, her thoughts traveled to her notebook and she smiled, remembering last night’s entry. Rosalinda and Gerald would live happily ever after, no doubt about it. But they would no longer need her help. No, she’d tucked that notebook away in a place where it could rest. Right now she had more important stories to write…real ones.

Her brother approached, dressed in his ministerial attire. She’d almost forgotten how formal he looked in the robe and collar. Perfect for a wedding.

“You look beautiful, Rena,” he said as he slipped an arm over her shoulders.

“A blushing bride,” Virginia added, stepping into place alongside him. “When Gene sees you, his eyes are going to pop.”

“Do you think?” Rena had never thought of herself as beautiful—not by a stretch—but today she almost felt so.

“Absolutely.” Sadie giggled.

“Oh, honey…” Virginia’s eyes filled with tears. “You have no idea just how lovely you are, do you?”

Before Rena could respond, Janelle appeared with a bouquet of daisies in her hands. “They’ve been in the icebox, just as you suggested. They’ve held up well.”

“They’re perfect.” Rena held them close and sighed. She smiled at Janelle. “I’m so grateful to you. You do know that, don’t you?”

“You’ve only told me a hundred times!” Janelle laughed. “But please don’t start up again. Today is about you and Gene, not about the children or any of our plans for the future. God has all those things in the palm of His hand.”

“He does.” Rena smiled. “Oh, but I’m so excited for you. For all of us, really. You know I’ll be here several days a week, but if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Janelle gave Rena a hug. “I know this sounds strange—we’ve only known each other two months—but I already feel like we’re family.”

“Honey, you’re in Daisy,” Rena said and then laughed. “Here, everyone is family.”

“Yes.” Janelle’s gaze shifted. “And you will never know how much I’ve needed that.” She paused. “Ever since my husband passed away, I’ve been bound up with grief. I’ve never seen my tomorrows as having any promise.”

Rena took hold of her hand. “That last sentence sounds exactly like something I said to my brother less than a year ago, back in Gulfport. Isn’t that right, Reuben?”

He nodded and smiled. “Yes. I remember it well. Things have changed a lot since then, to be sure.”

Rena returned her attention to Janelle. “I couldn’t imagine that my tomorrows would be any different from my yesterdays.” She gestured to the front door, where she could now hear the children laughing and talking outside. Hopefully they were gathering on the steps as she’d instructed them. “But you know what? My tomorrows
are
brighter in every conceivable way. I feel like coming to Daisy has caused me to…” She smiled as the right word came to mind. “Bloom. I’ve come to bloom. To blossom, if you will. When I got here, I was like a little seed—in cold, hard ground, at that. But the Lord took that seed and grew it into something rather spectacular.”

Janelle’s eyes misted over. “Thank you for sharing that. I pray the same thing for myself every night when I rest my head on the pillow. Being here is like a new beginning for me.”

The front door cracked open and Charlie peeked inside. “The natives are getting restless out here,” she said. “You almost ready?”

“I’m ready.”

Janelle scooted out the door and Rena slipped her arm through her brother’s.

“Walk me to the altar?”

“The front porch, you mean?” he grinned.

“Yes.” She grinned. “Trust me, it’s an altar. I’ve made my peace with God at that altar many a time. You’ll never know how many times I stood there praying.”

“Oh?” He looked her way, his brow wrinkling.

“Yep.” She giggled. “Praying for the courage to come back inside this house and live another day with seventeen children. But God met me at the altar and has answered all of my prayers.”

“He has, indeed.” Reuben gave her a little kiss on the cheek then opened the door and led the way out onto the porch.

Off in the distance all her friends and family members had gathered, including those three precious sisters from Tulsa. Rena’s heart sang with joy as she took in the children, dressed in their Sunday best. She focused for a moment on the boys, honing in on Tree. She couldn’t help but smile.
May your roots run deep, precious boy!
Gazing at the others, she grinned. She prayed that
all
their roots would run deep…and that the Lord would keep them all safely planted right here, in Daisy, for years to come.

Her thoughts reeled back to that day in Gulfport when she’d spied a vase full of daisies on the buffet table. Now, as her gaze traveled from one child to the next, she realized the truth of it: God had given her the perfect bouquet. Each of these children was a delicate flower. Together, they made up an exquisite arrangement. Not the kind she could put in a vase, but the kind to keep her on her toes.

Reuben placed her hand in Gene’s. He wrapped his arms around Rena and whispered, “You’re the prettiest flower in Daisy.”

Rena grinned, planted a little kiss on his cheek, then turned her attention back to her brother, whose rich voice rang out: “We are gathered here today…”

Impassioned words followed. She’d heard them many times before—for so many other brides—but today they were spoken just for her. Oh, how they filled her heart with joyous song!

“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do!”
She resisted the urge to hum the familiar little ditty but found her toes tapping as her brother continued his speech.
“I’m half crazy all for the love of you.”

Nearby, the bicycle built for two leaned against the house. If Gene had his way, the two of them would ride away on it. How she would manage such a thing in this beautiful dress, she had no idea. Rena giggled, trying to imagine the write-up in the paper. No doubt they would be the talk of the town.

Then again, hadn’t she been the talk of the town all along? Let people think they were crazy. Who cared, as long as she lived this crazy life surrounded by the people she loved.

To her right, a flurry of activity caught her attention. The dog was digging a hole in the flower garden, his paws flinging dirt every which way. Molly sprinted down the stairs and chased after him, both of them disappearing around the edge of the house. In front of her, several of the children squirmed and Oliver quietly mimicked Reuben’s words. She gave him a look, and the youngster’s lips clamped shut. William and Jacob stood beside their father, punching each other in the arms. Not far away, Josephine caught her eye and gave her a smile so sweet that Rena wanted to sweep the youngster into her arms. Standing directly in front of her, the man she loved spoke vows so deep, her heart nearly burst with joy.

Yes, all in all, it was a near-perfect day in Daisy.

by Harry Dacre, 1892

Award-winning author Janice Hanna, who also writes under the name Janice Thompson, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books, and more. Her passion? Romantic comedies! She has authored three previous L
OVE
F
INDS
Y
OU
™ books, including
Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas; Love Finds You in Camelot, Tennessee
; and
Love Finds You in Groom, Texas.

Janice formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network (
christianauthorsnetwork.com
) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers organization. She is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing.

Janice lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.

WWW.JANICEHANNATHOMPSON.COM

WWW.FREELANCEWRITINGCOURSES.COM

Want a peek into local American life—past and present? The
Love Finds You
™
series published by Summerside Press features real towns and combines travel, romance, and faith in one irresistible package!

The novels in the series—uniquely titled after American towns with romantic or intriguing names—inspire romance and fun. Each fictional story draws on the compelling history or the unique character of a real place. Stories center on romances kindled in small towns, old loves lost and found again on the high plains, and new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways. Summerside Press plans to publish at least one novel set in each of the fifty states. Be sure to catch them all!