Wildflowers Read online

  Wildflowers

  by Melanie Wilber

  Wildflowers

  © 2002 by Melanie L. Wilber

  Revised and updated, 2012

  All Rights Reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination. Except for well-known historical and contemporary figures, any resemblance to actual events or persons is entirely coincidental.

  Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

  Also:

  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

  DEDICATION

  For my sisters ~ Pam, Cindy, and Lorraine.

  I have laughed with you, learned from you,

  and been loved by you. Thanks for being the

  best sisters anyone could ask for.

  And,

  For my only brother, Michael.

  I appreciate your generous and giving spirit.

  From the ten-speed bicycle you bought me

  for Christmas when I was ten,

  to helping Kevin and I buy our first house,

  and everything in between.

  Thank you, and God bless you.

  I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD.

  They will be my people, and I will be their God,

  for they will return to me with all their heart.

  Jeremiah 24:7

  CHAPTER ONE

  With her sapphire-blue eyes staring back at her, Natalie Matthews gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she muttered, securing the veil’s headpiece to her wavy blonde hair. Taking in the full view of herself dressed in the elegant white gown, a smile formed on her pale lips.

  “I don’t know why I talk myself into doing these impulsive things,” she said to the otherwise unoccupied room. “But I’m not sorry.”

  Natalie turned to one side and then the other. Her facial expression changed from happy, to melancholy, to serious. Laughing at herself, she ran her hands down the lacy bodice and onto the full satin skirt. She twirled around, stepping on the long train as it wrapped around her legs. Coming full circle, she looked at her reflection once again and didn’t think she had ever seen a more beautiful wedding dress.

  The ringing phone startled her, breaking the fairy-tale spell. She heaved the heavy satin fabric behind her and hoisted the dress above her ankles to avoid stepping on the hemline. She didn’t have the time nor the ability to fix it before the wedding tomorrow.

  “Hello?” she said, moving the beads hanging from the veil away from her ear.

  “Natalie?”

  “Speaking.”

  “Hi. This is Laurie.”

  Natalie had been waiting for her call. She was planning to move in with Laurie next week. They had some final details to take care of.

  “Hey, Laurie. What’s up?”

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news. I hate to tell you this, but Jen, my roommate, has decided not to move out after all. I’m very sorry. I had no idea she would change her mind at the last minute like this.”

  “Oh, okay,” Natalie said, trying not to let her disappointment show. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure something else will turn up.”

  “I hope so,” Laurie replied, sounding apologetic. “I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I hear of anyone looking for a roommate.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I suppose I’ll see you at the wedding tomorrow,” Laurie said, her mood lightening in an instant.

  “I’ll be the one standing next to the bride.” Natalie forced a laugh.

  “Okay, see you then.”

  Laurie said good-bye. Natalie hung up and sighed. “Strike three,” she said without emotion.

  Now what am I going to do? I have to move out of the apartment when Josie and Brandon move into their new house in two weeks, and I have no place to go. I suppose it’s time to start looking for a full-time job now that Josie doesn’t need me to look after Tommy anymore.

  For the last five months, since returning from a failed attempt to travel around Europe for a year as a freelance photographer, Natalie had been living with her sister in exchange for watching her nephew while her sister worked nightshift as a nurse, and she had never been happier. Laurie’s call was a harsh reminder that would be ending tomorrow.

  She couldn’t be happier for her sister, but the changes in her own life as a result were not as thrilling. Her limited income from local photography assignments wouldn’t be steady nor adequate to carry the rent on an apartment, plus food, gas, and her car payment. She hadn’t been certain she would be able to pay half the rent if she lived with Laurie. The sizable savings account she had been using as a safety net for the last five months had slowly dwindled away.

  She had her teaching job waiting for her in northern California, but September was still six months away, and she had been hoping to remain close to her sister and other family members here in Portland for a few more months. But perhaps she was trying to hold on to something that wasn’t meant to be. Living away from them had been a choice she’d made a long time ago, and thus far it had served her well. Remaining here much longer would only make leaving more difficult later.

  Maybe I should move back to Tahoe now instead of waiting until school starts in the fall. I’m probably not going to be seeing Josie much once she’s married anyway.

  Natalie removed the headpiece from her hair and hung the delicate chiffon veil on a hook inside the closet. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, she snapped her head toward the open bedroom door. Her dark-haired sister stood there, wide-eyed and gaping.

  “Josie!” she gasped. “I thought you were going straight to the church for rehearsal.”

  “I thought so too,” she said, stepping into the room and smiling. “Should I call Brandon and tell him there’s been a change in whom he’ll be marrying tomorrow?”

  “Are you mad?” she asked, beginning to undo the buttons on the lacy long sleeves. “Please don’t be mad.”

  Josie laughed, setting several shopping bags on the bed. “No, Nat. I’m not mad. Amused to find my little sister playing dress-up at twenty-six. But not mad.”

  “It is a beautiful dress,” she said, taking one last look at herself before pulling out of the sleeves, being careful not to snag the lace on her wristwatch.

  “I offered to let you try it on the other day but got the ‘I’m never getting married’ speech. Change of heart perhaps, little sis?”

  “Oh, hush. I wanted to see if it looked as good on me as it does on you.”

  “If that’s an attempt to get me to keep this between us, fat chance.”

  “Josie! Don’t you dare!”

  Josie laughed and disappeared into the bathroom.

  Natalie wiggled out of the heavy fabric and stepped over the poofy skirt. Hanging it up in the large cleared space in the closet, she smoothed out the shimmery fabric and pulled on her jeans and v-neck cotton shirt. I can’t believe I got caught. Man, I’m never going to hear the end of this one, especially if Josie blabs.

  The excitement she had witnessed during the last two months with Josie planning to marry her prince charming had made Natalie wonder if someone as wonderful as Brandon might be in her own future and driven her to put on the dress, just to see what it would feel like to be a bride--even for a moment.

  She had stopped believing in marriage when her own parents had divorced fifteen years ago. True love with one special person m
ay have been found by some in Jane Austen’s day, and she indulged the Emma or Fanny inside herself by reading about such romantic notions, but the rational side wanted to keep those fairy tales on the shelf, not attempt to bring them into real life.

  She had no desire to commit to one person for the rest of her life--or so she told everyone. More truthfully she didn’t think she had met anyone she wanted to marry and doubted she ever would. She enjoyed her freedom and independence too much.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, peeking into sacks when her sister returned from the bathroom.

  “Brandon had something he needed to do, and I have some things in the truck that I wanted to bring here now rather than who-knows-when tonight.”

  Josie pulled some lotion and body splash from a small bag and took Natalie’s wrist, spraying some of the scented mist onto her skin. Natalie took a whiff.

  “Mmmm. I like that,” she said. “What’s it called?”

  “Sweet pea,” she said. “I have another trip to make. You want to help?”

  “Sure, let me get my shoes on.”

  Natalie decided not to mention Laurie’s call. She didn’t want to dwell on her own problems now, and Josie did not need to hear about them either. Josie needed her to stay focused and help ensure everything went without a hitch tonight at the rehearsal and tomorrow at the wedding. Her sister had been there for her when her world had fallen apart, and now she had the chance to give something back. Once tomorrow ended she would have all the time in the world to think about her troubles and make her own plans. She didn’t think Josie wanted to hear she might be going back to California so soon.

  Sliding her feet into her canvas slip-on sneakers by the door, she grabbed her jacket and denim baseball cap and headed into the hallway on her sister’s heels. Stepping from the apartment building a few minutes later, Natalie heard jazz music coming from the waterfront and smelled an assortment of food aromas, making her stomach growl. She checked her coat pocket for loose change and found a five-dollar bill she had forgotten she’d put in there a few days ago when she had taken her nephew out to McDonald’s.

  “Do you mind if I go grab a slice of pizza?” she asked her sister. “I haven’t had anything since noon.”

  “No. We have time,” Josie replied. “I’ll wait here.”

  “Do you want something?”

  “No. I’m too nervous to eat. I’ll wait until we get to the restaurant after rehearsal.”

  Natalie hurried to the waterfront booths and quickly found a place that served pizza-by-the-slice. She bought a large wedge of pepperoni and olive along with something to drink. Glancing around the beautiful park spanning the Portland Waterfront, Natalie felt like the sometimes peaceful, sometimes bustling neighborhood had become her home. She had enjoyed times here with her sister, Tommy, and by herself, strolling the paths and looking out over the water.

  Everything about Portland appealed to her. Not too big or crowded; close to the mountains, the forest, and the beach; and with the exception of her mom, this is where her family lived. Although she had lived away for many years, she considered Oregon to be her true home.

  But as much as she knew she would miss the area and her sister, she needed to be practical. Josie was getting married tomorrow. Her sister didn’t need her anymore. The main reason she had decided to stay in Portland in the first place no longer existed. Nothing else was keeping her here. Nothing but sentiment.

  Lake Tahoe certainly had its own appeal. She considered herself fortunate to have a teaching job in such a beautiful setting. Returning a few months earlier than she had planned may give her a chance to enjoy the ski season more than she had in the past. The thought of the clean mountain air and the beautiful lake that she loved to stroll alongside made her feel anxious to get back to her real life. The last nine months had been a nice dream. But all good dreams came to an end.

  Returning to where Josie had parked Brandon’s truck along the street, she saw her sister leaning against the back, staring off into space. Were those tears on her cheeks?

  Oh, God. Please don’t let anything spoil her happiness.

  Her sister didn’t blink upon her arrival. “Josie? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Josie replied, turning to face her and giving her a brief smile. “I’m thinking about how great God is and thanking Him for everything He’s doing in my life.”

  She had been going to church with Josie and Brandon during the last few months--a new thing for her. She had made several acquaintances there, and a few she had begun to consider her friends, but she didn’t know if she could ever believe in God the way they all did. They always talked about God as if He were right there with them and claimed to be able to talk with Him through personal prayer--anytime, anywhere. To her it seemed strange and like wishful thinking. How can they put such faith in someone they have no proof exists?

  Despite her doubts, she hadn’t been able to break her deal with God. She had told Him she would go to church if He helped her get a photography assignment one desperate evening last December. She didn’t know if the job she had landed with an advertising agency a few days later had been a coincidence or a result of her desperate plea, but that small assignment had led to another and then another, and she didn’t want to do anything that might jinx her increasing success.

  She supposed it didn’t matter now. Her short-lived dream-job was coming to an abrupt end. Unless she got a major assignment soon, her bank account would only support her for another month or two. Photography was her passion, but not as lucrative as a full-time job.

  She supposed finding work someplace in the local area wouldn’t be too tough if she decided to stay. She’d been a waitress in college, enjoyed the work, and made decent money. Being fluent in French and German would give her an edge in upscale restaurants in this city with many international visitors. Her language skills could provide her with other employment opportunities as well, but going back to California seemed simpler--and safer. Leaving those she loved would be easier on her emotions than being ignored by them.

  She didn’t know if she could handle being this close to her sister but only seeing her occasionally on the weekends, as it had been with her brother, Patrick, since her return. And then there was Daddy. She had hoped to see him often since returning to Portland, but his traveling kept him too busy. No, it would be better to get back to her independent life, keeping in touch through phone calls. They were all adults now. She didn’t need to cling to her family. She had overcome her need to be babied.

  “Do you think God could beam this stuff up for us?” she said, poking her head inside the covered bed. “I think it’s going to take us more than one trip.”

  “Some things God wants us to do for ourselves,” Josie said, sounding philosophical. “And some things God wants us to sit back and let Him take care of.”

  Natalie felt annoyed. “Which one is this?”

  “This one, my dear sister, is one He wants us to use our able bodies for, I’m afraid.”

  “And let me guess,” Natalie added. “I should look at this as a sister-helping-sister bonding moment?”

  “What’s that God?” Josie said, putting her hand up to her ear. “Oh, yes. I agree.” Josie smiled and relayed God’s message to her. “God says that the younger sister should do it all.”

  “Ha, ha,” Natalie replied, reaching for several bags at once while balancing her pizza plate and soda in one hand. “Maybe I should start listening in on your conversations. I think you’re missing something in the translation.”

  Josie gave her a wry smile. “Maybe you should.”

  Natalie pretended to ignore her comment and turned toward the apartment building. I’m going to church. What more do you want from me? One more reason to get back to MY life.

  “What is all this?” Natalie asked over her shoulder. “Couldn’t you have waited until you moved into your new house and then bought all this stuff? You will have to move it again in two weeks.”

  “Most
of it is either for tomorrow, the honeymoon, or our trip to California with Tommy. Although this box,” she said, pointing to a large flat one leaning on its side, “has a Thomas Kinkade lighthouse painting in it,” Josie said, her eyes sparkling. “It’s Brandon’s wedding gift to me.”

  She hoped Josie would open it and show her when they got upstairs. Her sister loved lighthouses, and Thomas Kinkade’s paintings were nice. She liked art in general and enjoyed going to all types of galleries. Her big dream was to have her own someday featuring her photography of the great outdoors.

  They managed to get everything in two trips, and Natalie helped Josie sort through her purchases and put everything where it needed to go, mostly into suitcases. Josie and Brandon were going to Hawaii for a week for their honeymoon and then taking Tommy with them to southern California the following week for Spring Break. They were planning to go to Disneyland, Sea World, and other places Tommy was very excited about.

  After all the tags had been removed from clothing and put into the appropriate suitcases along with the toiletries, new beach towels, books, and magazines, Josie pulled out one last item from a pale pink sack. Her cheeks flushed, holding it up for Natalie to see.

  “Oh, Josie! It’s beautiful! Where did you find it?”

  “At Pioneer Place. The lingerie store just got them in. Isn’t it perfect?”

  Natalie reached out and fingered the shimmery white fabric of the long nightgown. It felt soft and feminine. “I don’t know why you bothered buying all these other new clothes to take with you. Brandon is going to take one look at you in this and never want to leave the room.”

  Josie rolled her eyes. “Well I don’t know about that, but it is what I’ve been looking for. I thought I would have to settle for that shorter lacy one for our first night together.”

  Natalie thought it seemed old-fashioned for Josie and Brandon to wait for their wedding night to have sex, but she didn’t say anything. She knew it had something to do with Josie getting pregnant during her senior year of college and her boyfriend leaving soon after. Brandon would never do anything like that though, Natalie felt certain, and she didn’t know of any other reason they would wait.