Butterfly Lane (34 page)

Chapter Sixty

J
ohn enlisted Owen’s help with his plan, which he explained on Sunday after dinner. “Can you help?”

They were in the barn, and Owen was eyeballing him, his arms crossed. “I can.”

“What?”

His father shook his head. “I’ve wondered about something for years, and I guess now I know the answer. I wish I didn’t. I’ll never look at the hayloft the same way again.”

John didn’t understand. “Then why didn’t you ask, if you wanted to know?”

“Because I didn’t
want
to know. Where the two of you did…you know. What resulted in Noah. It’s none of my business. But it sure explains why both of you run for this barn when you’re hurting.”

“Dad!” John knew his face had to be blood red, but he couldn’t help laughing. “We never…you know…here. We just flirted here. A lot. The hayloft is the first place I told Zanny I loved her. That’s all.”

Five minutes later, Owen was still shaking his head, and John laughed every time Owen looked at him. “One of these days, those boys of yours are going to get you back for this. You just wait. I only hope I’m around to see it.”

On the Fourth, the dawn was cloudy, but the weather forecast promised clear, sunny skies later in the day. John was as excited as a kid at Christmas as they drove to the farm at ten that morning.

“What are you so excited about?” Zanny asked.

“I have a surprise for you. That’s all.”

She traced his ear with a fingertip, causing him to squirm. “Borrowing a card from your brother?”

“Nope. This one is all me.”

The whole family, including Jack, Gilly, Michelle, and Rick, were going to be at the farm as well as John’s sisters’ assorted friends. Sarah had mentioned something about Jack bringing a friend from work who was new to the area, and some of the neighbors usually stopped by, if only briefly. Nearly twenty people would probably be there over the course of the day. Because of the farm’s wide-open spaces, most of the extended family’s outdoor activities were held there. Thanks to its vantage point on top of one of the highest mountains in Perry County, they would be able to see the fireworks displays of all the towns within a thirty mile radius if the valleys below stayed clear of fog.

Amelia came out on the porch when they pulled up, and Rachel was close behind her. John unloaded all the food they’d brought with them. He stopped Zanny when she started into the house.

“Nope. I have plans for you for a little bit. Pip, you have the boys?”

“Oh, yeah. Daddy said to let you know things are ready, by the way.”

From the grin his sisters exchanged, John figured Owen had told them what the surprise was. He tugged on their ponytails in thanks, then clasped Zanny’s hand.

“Come on.”

She looked over her shoulder at the girls, but didn’t protest. “Is this part of your surprise?”

“It is.”

“You didn’t get me a horse, did you?” she asked as they approached the barn. “Or a dog?”

“No. Though Noah is starting to make noises about one of Mrs. Hendricks’s neighbors. Apparently, they have a cat who had kittens a few weeks back, and he discovered them yesterday.”

“Did she say if she was coming to the picnic or not?”

“She wasn’t sure. But I stressed the invitation.” He ushered her in the barn and closed the door behind them, pausing to let their eyes adjust. “Remember the hayloft?”

Zanny leaned into him. “I do. John Campbell, you didn’t bring me out here to seduce me, did you?”

“Not exactly, but I’m easy, if you want to try,” he teased. “Let’s go up.”

The basket he’d asked Owen to pack was on a small table in the middle of the hayloft, along with a rolled-up sleeping bag. John coughed to cover his laugh when he saw it. A note was pinned to the top of it, and he snatched it up before Zanny could.

“I wanted you to have someplace to sit comfortably, but not too comfortably. Dad
.
”
“Too” was underlined three times, and John grinned. “I love my parents.”

“What in the world?” Zanny looked askance at the sleeping bag, bypassing it to look out the open window on the other side of the loft. She looked back at John. “What’s in the basket?”

“Come here, and I’ll show you.”

He lifted the lid, and drew out the small thermos and two glasses he’d expected to find as well as the bouquet of red roses he’d requested from his mother. He handed the roses to Zanny, watching as she inhaled their heady scent. The roses were from Sarah’s own garden, not a hothouse that left them with little discernible fragrance. He could smell them from a foot away.

“Oh, John.”

“You like those?”

“Mmm-hmmm. There’s nothing like a rose, except maybe a peony. But it’s a close, close race.”

He smiled and poured two glasses of iced tea. “I hoped you’d like them. Here.”

When she took the glass, he clinked his against it and saluted her. “To us.”

“To us.” She took a cautious sip, sputtering out a laugh as she realized what it was. “Tea?”

“It’s symbolic. I thought you remembered that day?”

“I do. And I hope the symbolism doesn’t extend to us dousing ourselves in it,” she teased, taking another sip.

“It does not.” Feeling suddenly nervous, he set his glass next to the basket. “I know the past few months haven’t been all tea and roses. And I’m sorry for that.”

She put her glass down beside his, then laid the roses on top of the basket with care. “That hasn’t been your fault alone, you know. And I’m sorry, too.” She stepped closer, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you.”

John smoothed his hands over her hair, dislodging the scarf she’d tied her curls back with. “I love you. So much, Zanny, it scares me.” He dipped his head and kissed her softly, deeply, putting more emotion than heat into the kiss.

After a couple of minutes, he pulled back and cleared his throat. “All those years ago, when I came home from school, there was a part of me that was disappointed that we didn’t get to do things the right way.” He’d kept her hands in his, and he felt her jerk. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to marry you. Never think that. But damn it, I wanted to do the romantic proposal. I wanted to watch you coming down the aisle to me in the dress. I wanted to stand in front of God and everyone we know and shout from the rooftops that you were mine and that I loved you. And I know you wanted it, too. Don’t say you didn’t,” he chastised her when she started to protest.

She freed one of her hands and traced his mouth. “The end result was the same. How we got there wasn’t as important, when everything was said and done.”

“No, it wasn’t. But here’s the thing. We’ve been through hell and back this year, Zan. And I think we’re back together, but I want to make it official. Since we have this opportunity, I’m going to take it.” He fumbled in the pocket of his cargo shorts, pulling out the velvet box he’d stashed there before they left the house. Dropping to one knee, he flipped open the top and looked up at Zanny.

“I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me, Suzanna D’lores? Again?”

Her hands were at her mouth, trembling, and tears were sliding down her cheeks. “John, oh. Oh, you didn’t have to do this.” She slowly reached for the box, as though she were afraid it would disappear if she moved too quickly. “I don’t even want to know how much this cost.”

“It’s an investment. Do you like it?”

Nodding, she lifted the engagement ring from the cushion with care. “It’s beautiful. It’s exactly what I would have—Emma. That little sneak. She was in on this. This is the same ring I was ogling last month at the jeweler, when she went to get her watch repaired.”

John grinned. “Of course she’s in on this. The whole family is.” He grew serious. “What I’m saying, when I ask you to marry me again? I really mean will you marry me, again? And let’s do it up this time. Church, flowers, dress, the whole shebang.”

Zanny slipped the ring on her finger, and to John’s relief, it was a perfect fit. “You don’t have to do this. I don’t need another wedding. I quite liked the one we had.”

Despite her words, he noticed that she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off the ring.

“I need another wedding. I need to stand in front of everyone and reaffirm my vows.”

“If I say yes, does this mean I get my ring back?”

He hedged. “I was thinking I’d hold onto it until the wedding.”

She shook her head slowly as she knelt in front of him. “No. If you want me to say yes, you’ll be giving my ring back to me today.”

John brought his knee down and sat back on his haunches, pulling her into his lap. “If I give it back, will you say yes?”

“I will.” She toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck. “If you’re serious.”

He slid his hand into her hair and rested his face against hers. “I’ve never been more serious in my life. Marry me.”

“Okay.”

And just like that, pieces of the world that had been splintered since she’d thrown him out fell back into place.

“Thank you.” John didn’t try to hide the wetness in his eyes as he removed the chain with her ring on it. He handed it to her and wiped his eyes, unashamed. “You’ll have to undo the clasp. My hands are shaking too much.”

She did, and once the ring was free, she handed it to him. She slipped off the engagement ring and held out her hand. “You put it back where it goes.”

“With pleasure.”

Once it was back on her finger, she closed her hand around the ring and whispered, “Thank God.”

That was when John realized how much its loss had bothered her. She breathed a sigh of relief, she opened her eyes and slid the engagement ring on in front of her wedding band.

“They complement each other nicely. Don’t you think?”

“I do.”

They spent a little more time in the barn, holding each other and basking in the wonder of having found their way back to one another.

“You’re my miracle, Zanny. Do you know that?”

“And you’re mine.”

Finally, knowing they couldn’t stay up there forever, John stood and packed up the basket. “Let’s go tell the folks.”

They were halfway to the house when a strange car pulled into the driveway.

“Who’s that?” Zanny asked.

“It’s probably—no. It can’t be.” John knew his mouth was hanging open, but he couldn’t help it.

“Who?”

“It’s Ben. And Nonny!”

“What? Are you sure?”

They broke into a jog. Sure enough, Ben got out from behind the wheel, his grin a mile wide. “Hey, kids. Look who I found.” He beat John to the passenger side and opened the door, revealing a trim, grey-haired woman who bore a remarkable resemblance to Sarah.

“Nonny, are you really here?” John opened his arms wide and carefully embraced his grandmother. For over twenty years, Eliza Browning had been away from Eastern Kentucky because the memories of her life with Sarah’s father were too painful for her. But there she was.

“John David, you look so much like your father. And, Zanny, you’re just as pretty as ever.” Eliza held out an arm and pulled her close. “How are the two of you?”

“We’re good, Nonny. Very, very good.” John looked up as the rest of the family started filing out of the house, all wearing looks of pure astonishment. Sarah was in the lead, and John and Zanny stepped back as she headed straight for her mother.

“Mama?”

With a wide, teary smile, Eliza opened her arms and enveloped her daughter. “I’m home, baby. I’m home.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

Eliza pulled back and brushed Sarah’s tears with her thumbs. “Benjamin wanted to surprise everyone. And I do like a good surprise, myself.” Her gaze went to Emma, who was sobbing quietly into Owen’s shoulder. “Oh, Lord, Emma Jean. Look at you. My little girl. Come here.”

She held Emma in her arms, and John heard her whisper to his sister, “I’m here now, and everything will be all right.”

When Emma cried harder, he had to look away.

It took a while for everyone to calm down and for the hugs to be passed around, but once they were, Sarah looped her arm around her mother’s waist, and they started to the house.

“How long can you stay?”

“Well, that depends on how long you want me. I heard that someone might need a hand with raising a little one, and I decided to drive up, see if I could help out. Ben flew down and came back with me. Kathy’s on a new medication that has her feeling better than she has in a long time, and she doesn’t much need me anymore.”

Sarah stopped dead. “You mean you’re home to stay?”

“If you all want me.”

“Oh, Mama.” It was Sarah’s turn to sob, and Eliza patted her until she calmed down.

“I take it that’s a yes?”

Everyone gave a resounding yes, and John even heard a few “amens” in the crowd.

He, Zanny, and Ben brought up the back, and he snagged his brother’s shirt. “How’d you get her to come home?” he asked quietly as the rest of the family went inside.

Ben shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “I just asked. I think she was ready. And I maybe told her how much Emma needed someone. They’ve always been close.”

John gave him a one-armed hug. “Well, however you managed it, you did good. You did really good.”

“Thanks.” Ben’s gaze caught on Zanny’s hand when she raised it to wipe away a stray tear, and he smiled. “Is that what I think it is?”

She held out her hand so he could see, and he whistled. “This mean you’re officially back together?”

“It does. John just asked, and I accepted his proposal. We’re getting remarried,” Zanny admitted with a becoming blush.

“Thank God. I’m happy for you both. I hope you know that. And I’m not the only one who did good today. Congratulations.”