Loving Promises by Gail Gaymer Martin

Author:Gail Gaymer Martin [Martin, Gail Gaymer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2005-10-19T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Bev pulled into the parking lot of Loving Treasures boutique. Dale had planned an outing to the Star-Spangled Butterfly Festival for Dotty’s birthday, and if she was going, she wanted to take along a gift. But what? She had a difficult time thinking of something appropriate for a woman who was so ill.

Her gaze drifted to the lake and the flurry of tourists who filled the streets. Yesterday had been the Fourth of July. She’d spent a quiet holiday—a disappointingly quiet day.

She’d assumed Dale’s family would plan a picnic or attend the Grand Haven fireworks, but Dotty hadn’t been up to it, so Bev had had nothing to do. Even Dale had stayed in Grand Rapids to catch up on work. While her mother spent the day with Dotty and Al, Bev had stayed home with the children. She took them to the fireworks by herself.

Bev disliked the empty feeling she had when Dale wasn’t around. She’d warned herself not to open herself to a man, but she hadn’t listened.

Nothing made sense anymore, and Bev knew she depended on the Levins too much. But what could she do now? The feeling of family and their friendship had turned her and the children’s life into something warm and comforting.

Looking into the front window of Loving Treasures, Bev perused the display. Handbags made no sense for Dotty. Evening shawls, flowery umbrellas, costume jewelry—she let the items filter through her mind. She figured Claire would have some ideas and pushed open the door.

A bell tinkled above the door, and as she stepped inside, Claire came sweeping from the back room. Though the woman toned down her garb at church, today she appeared to have stepped out of a Hawaiian movie. Wrapped in a tropical-print muumuu, she had a hibiscus pinned in her long, flowing red hair.

“How nice to see you,” Claire said, gliding silently across the floor.

Bev sent her a smile, wondering if Claire was barefoot to capture the mood of her wardrobe. Peeking down to the floor, she glimpsed at ballet slippers. “I need a birthday gift for Mrs. Levin,” Bev said.

“Hmm?” Claire pinched her bright-orange lips and raised her gaze toward the ceiling. “She doesn’t get out much, I know.”

“Rarely. Sometimes into the backyard and this week Dale’s taking her to the butterfly festival at Hoffmaster Park.”

“Butterflies.” Claire’s voice lifted with the word. She spun around and sailed toward a display counter. She fluttered through a stack of colorful scarves until she found what she had in mind. Like a magician, she tugged the silk cloth from the pile in a dramatic sweep and waved it in the air. As it settled on the counter, Bev could see the butterfly design in brilliant shades of blue, orange, sienna and red.

“Perfect,” Claire said. “A lovely scarf to wear encapsulating the memory of the special day.”

Bev studied the bright fabric and agreed it was both practical and frivolous. “I like it, and I think Dotty will, too.”

Claire’s face glowed as she carried the scarf to the register, wrapped it in tissue and slid it into a bag.

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