Page 122 of Left Behind

The elegance of the place kept Ava subdued. Even her normal chatter had gone back to a whisper. She was awed by her surroundings and the notion of being a princess. But when food arrived at the table, she plowed through it like a starving pup, giving Wiley pause to caution her twice.

“Slow down a little, Ava. Chew before you swallow. You’re gonna choke yourself,” Wiley said.

“I’m a-hurryin’ to get to the surprise!” she said.

Linette eyed Wiley and grinned. “Never tell a woman there’s a surprise waiting, and then make her wait to get it.”

He sighed. “Right. I know that now.”

Then finally the moment arrived. A waiter emerged, pushing a cart with a small, but elegant two-tiered cake covered in an elaborate Swiss meringue, with tiny blue sugar flowers and a single little sparkler sticking up from the top tier. B.J. was walking behind him.

As soon as the cake was placed on the table, B.J. lit the sparkler. People at nearby tables began to applaud the cake and the display, but B.J.’s focus was all on his family, and Ava was beaming with delight.

Wiley looked up. “This is perfect, Brother. Thank you.”

“Completely my pleasure,” B.J. said, and personally served cake to each of them. “The waiter will box up what’s left for you to take home. Love you guys.” And then he was gone.

“My cake is good,” Ava said. “It tastes like Miss Mattie’s lemon drops.”

“Thank God, for Miss Mattie,” Wiley said, and took a bite.

Linette sighed. “It’s delicious! I love anything citrus!”

“My Sunshine State girl! I thought you might,” Wiley said.

They went home with their cake in a box and a night full of memories.

Linette sent her parents a picture of her, Wiley, and Ava taken at the fountain, then helped get Ava into bed. Once she was asleep, Wiley and Linette shut their door on the world and had a celebration of their own.

***

Angela Elgin was curled up on the sofa watching a movie. Her husband, Chuck, was snoring loudly in his recliner, with the remote held loosely in his hand, when her cell phone dinged a text.

She glanced down, saw it was from Linette, and quickly opened it, then gasped when she saw the photo.

“Oh my God!”

Chuck roused. “What’s wrong?”

“Linnie just sent us a picture of her new family to be. They are officially engaged, but would you look at the size of that diamond in her ring?”

Chuck got out of the recliner and moved to the sofa beside her. “Show me,” he said, and then peered closer as Angela enlarged the area on Linette’s hand. “That guy is really tall. Do you reckon that gem is real?” Chuck asked.

“I’d say yes, and he’s seriously good-looking,” Angela added.

“Is that the little sister?” Chuck asked.

“Yes, and isn’t she just the cutest thing? Linnie looks so happy,” she added. “I can’t wait to meet them.”

Chuck sighed. “Well, she’s obviously not coming back to Florida. I wonder where she’d be now if we hadn’t taken her to Jubilee for her birthday.”

Angela frowned. “Oh, for pity’s sake, Chuck. Some things are just meant to be. I’m happy for her. Now get over yourself and go make reservations at one of the hotels. We need to go meet our future son-in-law.”

***

Corina’s job on the cruise ship was presenting problems she hadn’t planned for. She was to board the cruise ship in New Orleans, which was a nearly eight-hour drive from Conway, Arkansas. But if she drove herself there, then she had no place to park her car for the six-month contract she’d signed. So, she either sold her car and then came back to no apartment and no means of transportation, or she stored it and paid a six-month storage bill in advance.

In a knee-jerk decision, she decided to sell the car after she got there and bank the money. So, she arrived a day early, spent half a day selling her car, then went to the hotel and waited for tomorrow to happen.

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