Searching for Anna by Jenifer Carll-Tong (best classic books of all time .txt) π
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"That's different. He's my father. You're β"
"What about Jack Simmons?"
Phoebe flinched as if she had been smacked. "What about Jack Simmons?"
"What if it had been a present from Jack and Mary? Or the Speers or Wiggins families? Would you be having this conversation with Emma Speer had you received the mirror from them?"
Will waited momentarily for an answer, but all he received was her eyelashes fluttering rapidly.
"We both know that you would not," he spat.
They stared at one another for several moments. Logically, Will's mind knew he was acting foolishly and that he should get a hold of his anger before he said anything more he would regret, but his heart was in control now, and it was too bruised to back down.
"I don't have to stand here and listen to your nonsense!" Phoebe finally spat back. "I didn't even come here to argue about the stupid mirror!"
"Then why are you here?" He had expected her to storm off, because that was what he was about to do.
She took a jagged breath and looked away from him. "I β I wanted to apologize."
In all the years he had known Phoebe, she had never once apologized to him. Will was stunned to silence.
Phoebe was silent as well, but Will noticed how her lips quivered slightly as they tried to form words.
"Does this mean that you have forgiven me?" His words came out so softly that he wasn't certain that they came from him. He wondered if she could hear his yearning, the aching to finally receive her forgiveness.
She lifted her eyes to his, and he saw something there he didn't quite recognize, a tenderness he'd never seen before. But almost as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
Phoebe cleared her throat nervously. "You need to understand that I do not, by any means, agree with what happened. I still feel betrayed. But I have decided to not be angry any longer. It is time to move on. So, yes. I forgive you, if you can forgive me for all of the awful things I said to you."
"You mean you don't want me to fall off the nearest cliff?"
She blushed. "No, I don't want you to fall off any cliffs, near or far." The corner of her lip twitched. "I wouldn't mind if you tripped and skinned your knee a little, but no cliffs."
Will laughed. This was the Phoebe he knew and loved. "Well, I suppose I can accept that."
"You certainly deserve that, if not more."
A surge of energy burst through him as they laughed together. This is why God had brought him to Iron Falls. This is why God had chosen him.
Will smiled. "I'm glad you're not angry with me anymore. I don't know how much longer I could have handled being shunned. It's not a particularly good feeling."
Her face grew solemn. "I'm so sorry, Will."
"Listen Phoebe, this whole thing started off so wrong. I want you to know that I only had your best interests at heart β and still do. I have no doubt that you can handle anything the Upper Peninsula throws at you, but I want you to know that if you need anything β anything at all β that you can come to me for help."
She once more drew in her bottom lip. "Well, there is one thingβ¦"
"Anything," Will insisted.
"I have this new mirror that I need help hanging," she said, smiling coyly.
Will grinned. "I'll stop by later today."
They stood looking at each other, neither saying anything. Then Will saw Phoebe's eyes glance over his shoulder and an attractive pink flushed her cheeks again. Amid the argument, he had forgotten all about the waiting men.
"I'm sorry to have interrupted your duties," she said.
"I'm sorry, Phoebe. I would offer to walk you home, but we were just about to head out for some training exercises."
"That's quite alright. I'm fine walking myself."
Will tipped his hat to her and promised to see her later that afternoon. He turned to walk away.
"Will?"
He turned back. "Yes, Pheebs?"
"I would have forgiven you, eventually, whether you bought me an expensive mirror or not."
Will smiled. "I would have bought you a mirror, whether or not you ever forgave me."
Just as Mary had predicted, attendance at Phoebe's second Sunday was half that of the first Sunday, and even less than that at her third, but she wasn't deterred. In fact, she was much more relaxed in front of the smaller crowd; unlike the first Sunday when most of the service had become a blur, she felt much more focused and at ease behind the pulpit.
It helped having Wendell in the middle of the sanctuary smiling at her throughout the sermon. And though she didn't like to admit it, Will's presence seemed to be a comfort to her as well.
Besides Wendell and Will, all of the women from the greeting committee and their families were there, including Mrs. Smith, who actually gave Phoebe a slight smile and wished her a 'good day' on the way out. No one tried to skip past her at the door. Mrs. Wiggins and her family were the last to leave the little church.
"I really enjoyed your sermon this morning," said the quiet woman. Mr. Wiggins stood next to her, saying nothing and looking straight ahead. Phoebe wondered if he disapproved of her, but she chose to ignore the stern man and instead to focus on his wife's kind words.
"Thank you, Mrs. Wiggins. I'm so glad to hear that."
They left with their three children following close behind. A few parishioners were milling around outside the church involved in various conversations, including Will and Jack Simmons. When Will saw that Phoebe was finished at the door, he excused himself from the conversation and approached her.
"I enjoyed today's service immensely. Your father would be proud. It was like listening to one of his sermons."
An unfamiliar sensation ran up her spine as he hopped up the steps, closing the distance between them. He smiled at her, his blue eyes sparkling against his neatly cropped dark hair that was brushed back from his face.
He added, "But served up in a much prettier package," and gave her a wink, causing another sensation, one she was accustomed to experiencing with Will Caffey.
"Why do you have to do that?" she asked.
"Do what? Compliment you?"
"Give me a compliment that I really appreciate then ruin it by tacking a flirtation on the end."
"You misread me," he said. "Flirtation is for schoolboys. When I compliment you, I mean what I say."
"Thank you for comparing me to my father," Phoebe answered, "but please refrain from addressing my looks when others might hear you. I want to be taken seriously as the pastor of this town."
"I will try my best," Will responded. "But if you look pretty, it will be difficult for me not to thinkβ¦or say it."
She was ready to argue more, but Will was already bounding down the stairs and untying his horse.
Phoebe was about to go back into the church when she noticed Wendell was now talking with Jack. When she saw that the conversation was at an end, she got his attention and motioned for him to see her.
"You need somethin', Pastor?" the boy asked.
"Yes Wendell, I could use your help inside the church."
He followed her inside.
"Oh, would you do me a favor?" she asked as she walked toward the pulpit. "There are two black books on the back row. Could you bring me the one that says Strong's Concordance, please?"
Phoebe stood at the front of the sanctuary waiting for Wendell to bring her the book. He stood there looking for some time. Finally, he picked one up and brought it to her.
"Here you go, ma'am."
Phoebe took it from him and read the cover. She held the book against her stomach and looked at him kindly. "You can't read, can you Wendell?"
The boy blushed and refused to look her in the eye.
"I can, I just forgot which book you said you wanted," he said, starting back down the aisle toward the back pew. He came back with the other book. "Here you go. Concordance."
She did not take the other book from him. "Don't lie to me."
The young man's face flushed bright red. When he said nothing and refused to look up, she put her hand on his shoulder.
"Wendell, I was just testing my theory. Neither of these books is a concordance."
Wendell shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry Pastor Albright. I'm sorry I lied to you."
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