He missed the look of shock on his wife’s face at the compliment, as he asked. “Which way to the restroom?”
Anna pointed, “First room on the left. When you’re done, check out the next room and see what’s keeping Matt and Melody.”
Faye turned to Anna and said. “Well, that’s a first. Who knew I made the best apple pie ever?”
Anna chuckled. “I’m going to put salt under the crust of the piece I give him. Don’t want you to lose that title.”
Faye smiled her first genuine smile. Anna was surprised how that simple gesture transformed her face from plain into pretty.
A comfortable silence filled the room as Anna made the tea. Faye got up and slid onto a bar stool at the island.
“You really spent time baking our favorites? Who does that anymore?”
Anna nodded. “I love to bake and to run, both are therapy for me.”
Faye chuckled, “Well I like to eat and to eat, and that’s therapy for me.”
They shared a laugh.
Matt entered the kitchen with Melody in his arms and his dad in tow. “Is that laughter I hear? What did I miss?”
Anna grinned. “Girl talk, Matt, just girl talk.”
He looked from his mother to Anna and shook his head. “Okay, I’m not even going to ask, but Mom, come meet your granddaughter. Sorry it took so long to get her out here, but she made a big mess in her pants, and I had to give her a bath and change everything.”
Melody gurgled and smacked her hands playfully against Matt’s cheeks. He reached down and blew a big bubble on her tummy.
A tear slid down Faye’s cheek. She brushed it off quickly and flushed red. Anna pretended not to notice.
Matt placed Melody in his mother’s arms and stayed nearby. He had warned Anna that his mom would last but a second before the discomfort set in and she’d make some excuse to hand the baby back.
Melody cooed sweetly and gave Faye a winning smile.
“Oh, look, Darren, she has Matt’s dimple and on the same side too.” Darren closed the gap, and the two of them stared down in wonder at their granddaughter. They shared a smile before looking down again and began to engage in baby talk, each trying to make her smile.
Anna smiled at Matt with a knowing look as he mouthed the words. “I don’t believe it.”
All fell into place as planned. Matt took Melody over to Lorena’s house before the party. They’d keep her overnight. And his parents were dropped off at his house for a short rest before the party. Anna expected Matt any moment, but she was far from ready.
Frantically trying on one outfit after another, she ripped the latest one over her head and threw it on the floor. The static caused by all the changing turned her hair to frizz. She groaned looking into the mirror. Her hair stood on end like a dandelion gone to seed. Tears blurred her vision.
The afternoon had turned out well in spite of the rocky start. Baby Melody and Anna’s baking had saved the day. Somehow, that tiny act of kindness had calmed Matt’s mom and delighted his dad. For the rest of the visit, they’d been civil to each other and to her.
Anna kept reminding herself that God had helped her with Matt’s parents and would help her tonight, but still the party had her tied in knots. Uneasiness nibbled at the back of her mind like a mouse on a piece of cheese. A foreboding loomed large, and she couldn’t shake the gloom.
Come on, Anna, this party is important to Matt. You can do this.
Anna shook off the doldrums and held up the sleek, black dress she had purchased for the night. Its simple, elegant flow perfectly suited her personality, yet she’d thrown it aside in search of something more fun. She slipped it back on, and turned before the mirror. Thin spaghetti straps covered in shimmering sequins with a single band of sparkle around the neckline were the only bit of glitz. The dress fit like a glove and showed off her slim, model-like figure. The length stopped just about the knee revealing long shapely legs. Her high heels with a splash of glimmer completed the look, giving a touch of class … but oh, how uncomfortable.
What a chore it will be to keep them on all night. She kicked them off in frustration. The things women have to do to look attractive. They’ll be the last thing I put on.
She twisted the locks of unruly hair and pulled the sides into an elegant knot at the back of her crown. A glittering comb fit neatly into place. She smiled into the mirror and whispered a prayer of thanks. Miraculously she had tamed the mess and found a way to allow her long thick curls to flow free. Matt loved her hair down, and she wanted him to be proud of her tonight.
She heard the front door open and Matt call out as she finished her last touch of makeup.
“Are you ready, Anna dear?”
“No, I’ll never be ready,” she whispered into the mirror, “but here I go anyway.”
“Be right there, Matt.”
She slipped into her heels and headed down the hall.
With a confidence Anna didn’t feel, she turned in a pirouette. “Will I do, Doctor Carmichael?”
He moved close and pulled her into his arms. His eyes darkened from blue to black. They smoldered in the shadow of desire. “Oh, Anna, you look absolutely gorgeous, and if I don’t get you out of here, I won’t be responsible for the consequences.”
She smiled at the paradox, amazed at what a little bit of makeup and clothing could do to convey confidence when a frightened woman lived on the inside. She felt like a bird trapped in a thicket fluttering wildly to get free, but Matt didn’t have a clue.
His dancing dimple and snapping blue eyes twinkled above a ready smile. How could she say
