Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas (30 page)

“Y–yes!” Belinda drew in a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm down. Oh, how wrong she had been. How blissfully, gloriously wrong! At once her spirits lifted. She paced the room. “Oh, I feel so foolish. Crying over the wrong wedding.” She stopped to dry her eyes. “Are you telling me, then, that Cassie and Doc Klein have married? Really and truly?”

“Really and truly.” Greta giggled. “And I have it on good authority they plan to leave later this week for a honeymoon in Dallas.” She leaned in close and whispered, “They spent last night at Stanzas. Isn’t that romantic? And doesn’t it all just sound wonderful?”

“Yes. Oh, Greta!” Belinda flung her arms around her cousin’s neck. “This is the best news I’ve heard in my entire life.”

“It is?” Greta hugged her back. “Well, I’m glad you’re happy about it.” She released her hold on Belinda as she gave a little laugh. “To be perfectly honest, it’s the best news I’ve ever had in my life, too. Want to know why?”

“I think I can guess.” Belinda gazed at her cousin with joy. “But tell me anyway.”

“John has declared his intentions.” Greta’s eyes filled with tears as she whispered the words. “He has asked to court me, and I have agreed. Mama is all for it, so I am now officially being wooed by a man I care deeply about. Can you believe it?”

“Oh, I can! I can! And I’m delighted.” Belinda reached to embrace her. “When did this happen, Greta? Tell me everything!”

“At the camp meeting. He went to Mama personally.” Greta grinned. “I wish you could’ve seen the look on her face.”

“No doubt she liked the idea.”

“Very much. Turns out she’s known for some time that John was interested in me. Or hoped, anyway. So she was quite happy for the confirmation.”

“Oh, this is the happiest news in the world! I want to celebrate, to shout it from the rooftops!” Belinda let out a cry of sheer delight, which John must have taken as a cry of fear because he came running. She impulsively threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, you dear, dear man! I could just kiss you right here and now!”

He backed away immediately, his eyes wide.

“I think not.” Greta slipped her arm around John’s waist. “If there’s any kissing to be done, leave it to the two of us, all right?”

“Oh, of course! I didn’t mean...” Belinda began to giggle. “I’m sorry, John. But Greta just told me...well, you know.”

“Ah.” He drew Greta close and planted a kiss on her forehead then turned back to face Belinda. “I take it you’re fine with our news, then?”

“Oh, I’m more than fine with it. I’m ecstatic.” She turned to John with a smile. “Isn’t it funny, how God works? You came to me looking for a match, and your perfect match was right here all along.”

“Interesting how we sometimes miss the obvious,” he said, gazing into Greta’s tear-filled eyes. “But I’m so glad we figured it out. I wouldn’t want to waste another moment.”

Belinda dropped onto one of the barrels, overcome with relief. “I’m delighted for the two of you.” She paused a moment, deep in thought, and then looked up with a grin. “So, Cassie and Doc Klein are married.”

Greta nodded. “Indeed. And I daresay she will open that sewing shop in short order. What do you think of that?”

“I think it’s marvelous.” Belinda smiled. “I do hope she and Corabelle can work something out. Corabelle’s in the family way, you know.”

“Oh, yes! Everyone in town knows.” Greta laughed. “Your mother is beside herself.”

“Yes, she’s going to become a grandmother for the first time. It’s all she talks about now.”

John pulled his pocket watch out and held it up. “I found my watch, by the way, in case you were wondering.” He glanced at it then looked up. “Ladies, I must go. I have a busy day ahead of me at the butcher shop.” He pressed the watch into his pocket and took Greta’s hand in his and kissed the back of it, causing her cheeks to turn bright pink.

“Come to see me on your lunch break,” Greta whispered. “I’ve brought sandwiches from home.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

As John and Greta made their way to the front of the store, Belinda watched in dazed curiosity. So, those two were in love after all. Oh, what joy that brought to her heart! And how delightful!

Minutes later, the store filled with happy customers. At one point, Belinda gazed over at her desk, staring at the words Marriage B
ROKER
. Perhaps this would be a good time to close up shop, so to speak. To put an end to her matchmaking days. Sure, the mayor still wanted a wife—they’d talked about sending off a letter. A handful of other fellows wanted wives, too. But what did the Lord want? She pondered this as she waited on folks right and left.

Around ten in the morning, Prissy came into the shop, bubbling over with what appeared to be anticipation. She drew near to Greta and Belinda and whispered, “Have you heard the news?”

“About Cassie and Doc Klein?” Greta said. “Yes, isn’t it wonderful?”

“Indeed. But that’s not what I’m talking about.” She looked around to make sure no one was listening in. “I meant the news about Adeline Rose.”

Belinda’s heart flip-flopped. So, it had happened after all. Georg and Adeline had tied the knot. They had secretly married.

“Has she decided to leave?” Greta asked, her eyes wide.

“No, on the contrary,” Prissy said. “She is completely smitten. In love. Beside herself. I could hardly make sense of her words just now, but she is definitely planning to stay. Forever, I mean. And she’s particularly thrilled because her sister has started school. They will have a whole new life here.”

Belinda began to weep at once, and Prissy reached for her hankie. “Oh, I know! The news is all good today, isn’t it! Overwhelming, in fact. Well, you go ahead and cry those tears, Belinda. Tears of happiness are nothing to be ashamed of. I have it on good authority that Myles Lott shed a few tears himself.”

“Myles Lott?” Belinda looked up, stunned. “Myles...crying? W–why?” She shook her head, perplexed. “In what way does this affect him?”

“Why, in
every
way!” Prissy stared at her, clearly stunned. “He is in love with Adeline and will take on a fatherly role with Catherine. So he is in every way affected.”

“Wait.” Belinda put both hands up, completely confused. “Are you saying that Myles Lott and Adeline are...”

“Courting?” Prissy asked. “Well, yes. That’s what I’ve been saying all along. I’m sorry if I didn’t make it clear. I thought you would be thrilled with this news.”

In that moment, Belinda felt like her heart came dancing out of her chest just as Greta let out a whoop and hollered, “Praise the Lord!” Belinda wanted to sing. She wanted to shout. Adeline and Myles Lott...were a couple! That meant Georg was... The minute she thought about Georg, tears sprang to her eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Belinda.” Prissy clamped a hand over her mouth. “I see the dilemma now. You are concerned about how this will affect your business. Are you worried about what people will think?”

“No!” She spoke the word triumphantly. “Never again will I worry about what others think, trust me. From this moment on, I focus only on what the Lord thinks. He, alone, matters. The opinions of man—or woman—do not.”

“Well, I am convinced the Lord is behind these most recent unions,” Greta said with a nod. “It appears as if the pieces to the puzzle are coming together for our little town.”

“Much like the rhyme in a poem,” Prissy said. “Interesting, eh?”

“Indeed.” Belinda nodded.

“What did you call it again, Belinda?” Greta asked. “Poetic justice?”

“Yes. Poetic Justice.” She smiled. “Each gets what he deserves, right or wrong.” She paused, wondering just where that left her. Only time would tell. But one thing was sure and certain. She would see Georg this afternoon and tell him how she felt. She would cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.

“Everything all right today, Georg?” Charlie Grundy asked.

“Yes.” Georg continued to peer through the barbershop window.

“Looking for something. Or...someone?” Charlie asked.

“Not exactly.”

Charlie cleared his throat. “Listen, I heard about Adeline and Myles Lott. That’s rough news, my friend. I’m sorry for your broken heart.”

“My broken heart?” Georg turned to him with a broad smile. “Oh, no. My heart is not broken, I assure you. I am the happiest man in Poetry today.”

“I feel sure there are many other happy men here, as well,” Charlie countered. “But what has motivated such happiness on your end?”

“I am a man transformed!”

Charlie nodded, looking at his reflection in the mirror. “Now that I understand.” He turned and looked at Georg. “But you seem the same as always to me. Externally, anyway.”

“The work has taken place here.” Georg laid his hand over his heart. “And trust me, you might not see it on the outside, but the transformation is complete all the same. I am in love, Charlie Grundy. I am head-over-heels-could-write-a-poem-about-her-wish-I-could-sing-but-can’t-carry-a-tune-in-a-bucket in love!”

“Whew!” Charlie looked at him, stunned. “Well, that is something, though I might dispute the ‘can’t carry a tune in a bucket’ part. Do you mind if I ask who the lucky girl is?”

“The same one I’ve loved for years.” Georg nodded at Charlie and then went back to the window, staring out onto the street. In that moment, he noticed something rather odd. The Reverend and Marta Schuller stood in the center of the street, talking with Cassie. Ah, they must be discussing last night’s wedding ceremony.

Or something else entirely. Corabelle entered their circle and they all stood in the center of the street in a huddle, whispering together.

“What’s all that about?” Georg asked. Something was surely underfoot. He could sense something coming but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Charlie dropped a couple of coins into his palm. “Perfect day,” he said as he headed to the door. “Yep. It’s a pert near perfect day in Poetry.”

Georg pondered that last statement. To be sure, Charlie wasn’t exactly a poet. Still, his words had a certain rhythm to them. And the words were dead-on. This
was
the perfect day in Poetry...the perfect day to tell a certain woman just exactly how he felt.

Just before noon, Belinda found herself overwhelmed with customers at Poetic Notions. With so many women in town, the workload was higher than ever, for with women came the need for things like bolts of fabric, canned goods, cleaning supplies, and so forth. Not that Belinda minded. She would rather fill her days ordering these goods than pipe tobacco and shaving mugs.

With most of her orders made and the customers taken care of, she stepped out onto the front porch to shake out several of the rag rugs. As she snapped them, the dust pieces floated through the air, catching on the breeze. She glanced across the street at the barbershop, where Georg was wiping down his front window. At just the right moment, he turned to face her, as well, from his side of the street. Oh, how she wanted to cross the Jordan and run to meet him, especially with the news about Adeline and Myles Lott.

In that moment, Belinda’s heart quickened. Georg gave her a shy smile and she returned it, not moving an inch. Though they didn’t speak a word, her heart felt as if it might burst. She longed to run straight into the middle of the street, to cross the great divide, and run directly into his arms.

She giggled, thinking of how brazen that would be—to declare your love for someone in such a public way. And yet she couldn’t help but think that was exactly what it might take to get the deed done. Otherwise, the two might be destined to spend their days staring at each other from opposite sides of the street.

Just then a loud banging noise caught Belinda’s attention. It came from the south end of the street. She peered off in the distance, trying to figure out what the noise was, but could not decipher it. The banging grew nearer. And nearer. Before long, it was so loud that Greta came out of the shop to see about it. Aunt Hilde joined her. From across the street, Georg stopped his work, put down his rag, and stepped into the street, gazing in curiosity.

Minutes later, folks poured out of Stanzas, all with eyes wide to catch a glimpse of whatever might be happening. Corabelle came out of the hat shop, carrying something in her hand. Something white. Belinda couldn’t be quite sure what it was.