Season of Blessing (18 page)
Sylvia stood
in front of the mirror Sunday morning a week and a half after her second treatment, trying to adjust the prosthesis so that she wouldn't look lopsided or call attention to what wasn't there. Her incision was still a little sore, but it was worth the discomfort to look normal.
When she was satisfied that it looked fine, she adjusted her wig. She had ventured out a few times since she'd started wearing it, and the few people who had seen her commented on her new haircut and how good it looked. She wasn't sure if they were being kind, or if they really meant it. She'd rather they didn't mention it at all.
“You sure you want to go to church?” Harry asked.
“I'm sure,” she said. “I need to worship. I can't hide forever.”
He came up behind her and slid his arms around her. “You've never needed to hide. You're still the best-looking dame in the joint.”
Sylvia found herself sitting in the service next to a pleasant young man in his early twenties. He looked like a soap opera star, with dark hair and brown eyes behind a pair of intelligent wire-framed glasses. Just the kind of young man Annie would like. He greeted her politely during the greeting time, and she made note of his name, Josh Haverty, and learned that he was a medical student. With delight, she realized he was the son of a couple she'd known for years.
From time to time throughout the sermon, she glanced to her side. Josh kept his Bible open and took copious notes.
As they started out of the sanctuary, Sylvia nudged Harry. “That young man is perfect for Annie. He's George and Sally Haverty's son. I've got to come up with a scheme to get them together.”
“Sylvia, no matchmaking,” he said. “Come on. You've got better things to do. Besides, Annie probably already knows him from youth group.”
“I doubt it. He told me he'd been away at Vanderbilt for the last four years. But he's going to medical school here. I love Annie, and I want to make sure she marries well. Introducing them is the least I can do for her.”
“Let Cathy worry about marrying Annie off.”
“Well, I'll sure let her in on it. But can't you just see the two of them together? I was thinking we could have a get-together, invite both of them, and see what happens.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Sylvia, you're not up for a get-together.”
“Yes, I am,” she said. “You just watch.”
The weekend before her third chemo treatment Sylvia had a dinner party. She invited Annie, Cathy and Steve, Tory and Barry, Brenda and David, and Josh and his parents. The young man came into the house completely oblivious to the fact that the whole thing had been arranged for this meeting between him and Annie, but she noticed the amused, accusing look in Annie's eyes as the fact dawned on her.
“Miss Sylvia, tell me you didn't,” she whispered in the kitchen.
“Didn't what? Honey, would you grab that tray of hors d'oeuvres?”
Annie grabbed the tray. “You had this party to set me up with that guy!”
“Who?” Sylvia asked. “Oh, Josh? He
is
close to your age, isn't he?”
Annie popped one of the hors d'oeuvres into her mouth. “You are incorrigible.”
“But isn't he cute? He's a med student. And he's very polite, and he took notes like a madman during church last week.”
Annie's mouth fell open. “That's why you picked him for me? Because he took notes in church?”
“No, because he seems like a godly young man. The kind you deserve. Just give him a chance, Annie.”
Annie groaned, but Sylvia knew she wasn't mad. “What if
he
doesn't like
me
?”
Sylvia put on a shocked face. “Well, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Why on earth wouldn't he like you?”
Annie grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her mouth. “You're good for a person's ego, you know that? Do I still have lipstick on?”
“Yes, you look lovely. Now get out there and talk to him.”
Sylvia watched Annie walk around with the tray, offering hors d'oeuvres to everyone in attendance. She saved the young man for last, then stood talking to him in the corner as the conversation went on around her.
Sylvia brought the tangy citrus drinks out and passed them around, and tried to listen in to Cathy's conversation.
“So we figure the first step is helping Mark learn to drive, so he can get his license,” Cathy was saying. “But I have to tell you that I dread it with all my heart. Remember what happened when Brenda was teaching Daniel to drive?”
“Oh, yeah,” David said. “He wrecked our van and my parked truck the first time he pulled into the driveway.”
Brenda started to laugh. “Not one of our better moments. Cathy, you could hire one of those private teachers to come and teach him.”
“We thought of that,” Steve said, “but Mark balked. Said he didn't want to sit in the car with some stranger yelling at him.”
“I'd rather be beaten than teach my strongest-willed child how to drive,” Cathy said.
“Well, let me teach him,” Harry said.
Everyone looked at Harry.
“Well, don't look so shocked,” he said. “I taught Rick how to drive, didn't I?”
“Well, yes, but that was a while ago. Mark's got a little more edge.”
“I can handle Mark,” Harry said. “Can't I, Sylvia?”
Sylvia chuckled. “You'd better let him do it. He needs a project.”
“Guaranteed, I'll even teach him to parallel park, and that's no picnic.”
“They don't require that on the driver's exam anymore,” Cathy said. “But I require it. I told him no license until he has enough skill to do that.”
“Good call.” Harry was getting excited. “Come on, let me do it. I would consider it an honor.”
“Well, all right.” Cathy looked at Steve. “You didn't have your heart set on it, did you?”
Steve laughed. “No, I didn't. Harry, you're a lifesaver.”
Harry chuckled. “I've been called that before.”
“Yeah, but in your medical hat. We're talking real life-saving here.”
As the dinner party went on, Sylvia watched the two kids out of the corner of her eye. They seemed to be getting along well. Everyone there was having a good time. She only hoped that her efforts were not in vain.
A week after
Sylvia's third chemo treatment, when she felt human again and was able to ride in a car without getting sick, Harry decided to take her along on a driving lesson with Mark. He'd already taken Mark out numerous times, starting with country driving, then moving into city driving and even highway driving. Today was the day he'd teach Mark parallel parking. For fun, Daniel, Brenda's son, rode along next to Sylvia in the backseat.
Harry instructed Mark as he drove the streets of Breezewood, then braved the interstate. When he was satisfied that Mark knew what he was doing, it was time to teach him the art of parallel parking, to satisfy Cathy.
“All right,” Harry said in a calm voice as Mark drove gently along the street heading to the coliseum's parking lot. “That's not bad. Now I want you to make a right turn up here. Put your blinker on. Easy. Easy. Slow down. All right, now turn. That's great, Mark. You're a natural.”
Mark grinned and drove like he was the king of the road. They got to the parking lot of the coliseum, and Harry got out and set up an obstacle course of two-liter pop bottles he'd filled with sand. Mark wove through them as adeptly as if he'd been driving in the Daytona 500.
When he'd woven through them several times, Harry was satisfied. “I think you're doing fine, Mark. You'll get your license in no time. Now all we have to do is learn to parallel park.”
He got out and set up another obstacle course with bottles a car's width apart, then he got back in. “Now, Mark, I want you to pull up to half a car's length in front of the spot you're trying to get. Half a car's length now. There you go.”
“I can do this,” Mark said. “Piece of cake.”
“Now start backing up slowly. Now cut your wheel hard to the right. There you go. Now let your rear end go all the way in, then cut hard back to the left and straighten it out.”
They heard a pop, and Mark slammed on his brakes. “What was that?”
Harry got out and looked. “You hit three of the bottles, Mark. If that had been a car⦔
“I can do it,” Mark said. “Let me try again.”
He pulled out, straightened the car, and began backing up again.
“Cut hard now,” Harry said. “Pull in⦔
Another two pops, and Mark stopped again. “Man, those bottles are too close.”
Sylvia started to laugh, and Daniel did, too.
Mark grinned. “Don't make me turn this car around.”
Sylvia fell against Brenda's boy, raucous laughter coming from both of them.
“Hey, I can do better.” Mark pulled the car back out and started over again. This time he didn't turn quite so sharply. He pulled into the parking space, then tried to slam on the brakes. His foot accidentally hit the accelerator and he mowed down the cones. Sylvia yelled.
“Hey,” Mark said, “that was an accident, okay? I realize that if that had been a real car I would have totaled it. But it wasn't a real car, and now I'm sure of the difference between the accelerator and the brake. Man!”
Harry shot Sylvia an admonishing look. “If you can't stop laughing, we'll have to put you out of this car.”
Sylvia dabbed at the tears in her eyes. “I'll be good. I won't laugh.” She looked at Daniel, her lips closed tight. They both spat out their laughter.
By now, Mark was laughing too. “Is this hopeless?”
“No, it's not hopeless,” Harry said. “It just takes practice. Nobody can do it on the first try.” He got out of the car and righted the mangled plastic bottles. He got back and put his seat belt on. Bracing himself, he said, “Okay, Mark, try it again.”
Slowly, Mark made it, this time slipping into the parking space without killing any hypothetical others.
“Now let's try it about twenty more times,” Harry said, “and then maybe you can convince your mom to let you get your license.”
