——————
AS IT TURNED OUT, IDA learned the receptionist would be living with her sister and the insurance agent was a man with a wife, three boys, and a golden retriever. A third week rolled by without any responses. Then one afternoon when Suzanna was outside planting some impatiens in the back yard, the call came.
The young man said he was Gregg Patterson and that he’d been referred by his sister-in-law who was a friend of Pastor Higgins’ wife.
“Christine Davis, the English teacher at Barston Junior High is going on maternity leave, and I’ll be filling in for her this semester.”
With the sound of disappointment threaded through her words, Ida replied, “The room is better suited for a woman.”
It was meant to be discouraging but not absolute. Although she’d not told Darla Jean, she too was getting a bit concerned and wanted to hear him out.
“I’m kind of desperate,” Gregg Patterson said. “I start work on Monday and still haven’t found a place to stay.”
“Isn’t there a hotel over there in Barston?”
“Closed for renovations, and the rooming house is full up.”
Still apprehensive about having a man in the house, Ida asked, “Did your sister-in-law tell you Cousins is a good twenty miles from Barston, and with rush-hour traffic…”
“Yes, she mentioned that, but as I said, I’m desperate.”
Ida then wanted to know exactly who his sister-in-law was, how long she’d known Pastor Higgins’ wife, if he had additional references, and whether or not he was a smoker. After he’d answered those questions, she bombarded him with a dozen more. Only after she was satisfied with his answers did she say that he could come and look at the room.
As she hung up the telephone, she wondered if she was making a mistake. The thought of having a strange man in the house with two women and a little girl was not only worrisome but downright exhausting.
Feeling the need to be her sharpest when she interviewed him, Ida decided to take a short nap before he arrived. She was sound asleep at 5:30.
——————
SUZANNA CAME IN FROM THE yard with clumps of dirt stuck to her knees and a flower petal caught in her hair. As she was removing her muddy sneakers and garden gloves, she heard the bell but figured Ida would answer. Minutes later a heavy knock sounded. She brushed a few leaves from the front of her tee shirt and hurried to the door, expecting it be a neighbor returning one of Ida’s casserole dishes or Lois coming over to play with Annie. Instead, it was a man dressed in a chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had a nice smile and wore glasses; a cluster of dark curls dropped down on his forehead.
“Hi, I’m Gregg Patterson,” he said and stuck out his hand.
She returned his handshake without any mention of her name, then stood looking at him inquisitively.
“We spoke earlier, about renting the room…”
“Oh, you must have spoken to Ida.” She caught the mistake and quickly corrected herself. “Grandma Ida, that is.” As she leaned in a bit closer, she could see his eyes were the same blue as his shirt. “I’m Darla Jean Parker, her granddaughter. Come on in. Grandma might be napping, but wait here and I’ll get her for you.”
“Please don’t, there’s no need to wake her. If you could just show me the room, I’ll write a check and leave it with you.”
Suzanna gave an apologetic half-smile. “I wouldn’t feel right doing that. Grandma was pretty insistent about only renting to a woman. I’m surprised she even said you could come to look at—”
“I know,” Gregg said. “She explained the situation and gave me a third degree that would make the FBI proud.”
When he grinned, his smile had a certain warmth to it. The kind of warmth that made her wish she was wearing some makeup and wasn’t quite so scruffy-looking.
“Please excuse my appearance,” she said and returned his smile. “I was planting flowers out back. There’s a lovely garden and both rooms overlook it…” As she spoke she reached back, pulled the rubber band off of her ponytail, and shook her hair loose. “A good-size closet and driveway parking if you need it.”
“I can park on the street if need be. During the week, I’ll be using the car every day to drive back and forth to Barston.” He went on to explain that he’d be working at the junior high school as a substitute for the English teacher who was taking a maternity leave.
“Oh, so you’ll only be staying for a few months?”
“No, a full year. Mrs. Davis is taking an extended leave. And,” he added hesitantly, “I’m kind of hoping something permanent opens up in the meantime. My brother, Philipp, and his wife live in Barston, and since that’s all that’s left of our family I’d like to settle down somewhere nearby. Phil offered to let me stay with them, but I don’t want to intrude on their privacy.”
They chatted for a few minutes more. Then Suzanna asked if he’d like to join her in a cup of coffee and wait for Grandma Ida. “I’m sure she’ll be down in a few—”
“I’d love to,” he cut in and smiled again.
——————
IDA OPENED ONE EYE AND peered at the clock.
“Good grief! It’s after six!”
Hurriedly climbing out of the bed, she slipped her shoes on, smoothed her hair, and started downstairs. Halfway down she heard the sound of a man’s voice, followed by a peal of laughter coming from the kitchen. When she rounded the dining room and stepped into the kitchen, Annie jumped out of her chair and ran over.
“Grandma! Guess what?” Without allowing Ida time to answer, she spat it out. “Mister Patterson is gonna live with us, and he knows how
