Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Betty Palmer had been married to Theodore Palmer for thirty-five years. Their work in the church and community made them a very popular couple in Cedar Park. There probably wasn’t anyone who didn’t know them by name. Pastor Palmer had been the minister in Cedar Park for almost twenty years. Looking in the mirror, Betty thought, Not bad for pushing sixty! The big six-0 was looming in the New Year. Yes, her family had had its ups and downs however calm and reverent the townspeople thought their lives were, especially six years ago, when the you-know-what had hit the fan.

It had come as a big shock to everyone when their daughter, Melissa, and Kevin Matthews had broken up six years earlier. It was also a huge embarrassment. Having their daughter run off with a musician!

Kevin was well liked, and there was no reason for anyone to believe that he and Melissa weren’t the perfect couple. At first, Betty was excited when Melissa took the job at the bank, but the so-called travel and her emotional distance began to worry Betty. Her little girl had become aloof.

She and Teddy had several nasty disagreements as to who was to blame for Melissa’s transgression. “We were too strict! We never let her find her own way!” Betty had thrown that in his face more than once.

“My dear woman. I am the pastor of the church. How would it look if I let my daughter traipse around with some of those girls?”

“Those girls came from fine families. Just because they experimented with a few tattoos and piercings didn’t make them the Devil’s children!”

Pastor Teddy just grunted. “Well, you saw what happened when Melissa started going to those clubs in Austin. She met up with some gee-tar player and almost ruined her life!”

“Stop exaggerating, Teddy. She was going through a stage—a stage we could have probably avoided if you had just given her a little room to grow.” Betty would insist Teddy had been overreacting, but Teddy had his reputation to maintain. “And what about Kevin? He got the worst of it. He didn’t hang around more than a couple of weeks before he left town.”

Betty was very disappointed about her daughter’s behavior and losing Kevin as a son-in-law, but Melissa was, after all, her daughter and she had to stand up for her. Thankfully, it had truly been a stage, and Melissa started dating someone from work a few months later. A clean-cut banking associate named Greg Sullivan. By that time, Kevin Matthews had enlisted in the Air Force and was thousands of miles away. That was enough distance to prevent any interference in Melissa’s life.

Almost a year later, Melissa and Greg were married, and the following year they had a child, Victoria. The marriage and the baby helped people to forget the earlier scandal, and the newly married couple fit right in with the community, which helped to quell Betty and Teddy’s embarrassment.

This year, with the holidays upon them, and Victoria turning five, it would be a pleasant and joyful season. Victoria would certainly be more engaged in the decorating and cookie baking. She was also more active in Sunday school, and she and the new girl, Emma, seemed to have taken a liking to each other. Most of the other children were a year or two older than Victoria, so having someone her own age was a blessing. Kids could be mean sometimes. What was that all about? Betty would wonder. Surely they would learn lessons about being kind. She shrugged and continued powdering her nose, then ran the pink lipstick over her lips. Pulling back her hair in a chignon, she took another look and agreed with herself. “Not too bad.”

Just as she was about to grab her coat, the home-office phone rang. “Good morning. This is Betty Palmer. How can I help you?”

“Hello, Mrs. Palmer. This is Kate Stafford. We met the other day when I brought Emma to Sunday school.”

“Well, hello, Kate. How can I help you?”

“First, I wanted to say thank you for your warm welcome. Everyone has been so kind in making us feel at home.”

“It’s always a pleasure to meet new folks. What can I do for you?” Betty urged. She was starting to run late to set up the tables for the bake sale.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but Emma mentioned how much she enjoyed meeting Victoria, and I was wondering if you had her mother’s phone number. I’d like to set up a playdate for them.”

“I most certainly do have her number. Victoria is my granddaughter!” Betty responded with delight.

Kate laughed slightly, realizing how small the town was. “If you think it would be all right for me to call, or if you wanted to call Victoria’s mom first, I would be most appreciative.”

“Don’t be silly. I am sure Melissa would be happy to have a new friend for Vic. The number is 512-555-1533. That’s 512-555-1533. I have to run, but please get in touch if you need anything else. I know the holidays can be very stressful, especially when you’re new in town! Hope to see you for the tree lighting. Bye-bye, now.” Betty rested the phone back in the cradle and dashed out the door.