The Glory of Green (21 page)

Bud and Anna Grace arrived early and were lining the gift trees up. A row of small clay pots decorated a table over to the side, a smaller tag tied around them with ribbon.

"What are these?" I asked, picking up one to inspect.

"Acorns, waiting to become mighty oaks," Bud said.

"They're from the most beautiful trees around town." Anna Grace patted Bud on the back. "Bud planted them, and I did the tags."

I looked closer and saw that the pots were grouped according to where the acorns came from—library, Methodist church, Green High courtyard. "May your love always grow," Anna Grace had written in her spidery old script. "In honor of Lois & Chris."

"When your children have children, these will be beautiful oaks, rooted in Green," she said.

I heard Marti sniff behind me, and she handed me a tissue."Just in case."

Hand in hand we strolled under the tent, my excitement growing by the moment. Tammy snapped setup pictures, although I didn't see Walt.

"He's probably coming later," Iris Jo said when I asked her about it.

Stan was helping set up for the music to be played by Pastor Jean's husband, Don, and Jolene, the niece of a church member. Someone was obviously going to play drums, too, although I had no idea who.

When the Mayor and Dub pulled in, Sugar Marie sailed out of the car and over to me, sniffing and then running back to Eva.

"I forgot Holly Beth," I said. "You were right, Marti. Good thing I brought my car."

"No," Marti yelled, so abruptly that I stepped back.

"Are you sure you're OK?"

"Let me get her for you. Your guests are arriving."

"She doesn't know you that well. It won't take five minutes."

I thought I saw Iris, Marti, and Pastor Jean exchange a look, but I headed for the house.

When I pulled up, I nearly screamed. Chris, Walt, and Gary were in the yard, driving wooden stakes and sticking small orange flags into the ground.

When they saw me, they jumped back, "guilty as sin," Tammy's favorite expression.

"You know it's time for the party, and you're not even dressed yet. Can't you do that when we get back from Montana?"

"Walt talked to his architect friend, and she had good ideas about where we might build the house," my sweaty husband said. "We're getting an idea of how it might look."

"Now?" I shrieked. "Now? Has anyone ever killed her husband before the honeymoon?"

"My bad," Chris said. "Why are you here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be meeting and greeting?"

"I forgot Holly. I promised Eva I'd bring her."

"I'll be right behind you," Chris said. "I'm headed to the shower right now."

He gave Walt and Gary a stricken look.

"Me, too," Tammy's husband said. "I've got my party clothes inside. Be right there."

"And me," Gary said. "Don't tell Marti, OK?"

"Remember your tie," I said with a disgusted sigh.

"Got it," Chris said, remarkably cheerful about the hated article of clothing.

I stalked back to the car with Holly Beth and drove off.When I looked in the rearview mirror, they were back to hammering the stakes.

I spotted my family immediately as I pulled back into the lot, my brothers shaking hands with the Craig men, and my sisters-in-law chatting with Jean and Iris as though they were the oldest of friends.

Tears gushed out of my eyes. No wonder Marti thought I'd need a tissue.

Our group hug lasted for minutes, and many of those around us clapped.

"Me, too, me, too," a high female squeal said, and Katy wrapped her arms around me. Although it had only been two months since I had seen her, she looked so . . . grown up.

As the hug broke up, Walt and Chris appeared, Chris wearing the new rust-colored striped tie and sticking closer to me than he had done at our wedding.

We wandered throughout the area, watching people load their plates with homemade food, ranging from Maria's chicken enchiladas to Stan's brisket to Tammy's creamed corn to Estelle's peanut-butter fudge and Mayor Eva's lemon squares, ordered from the country club.

The band played while the crowd visited and ate, a breeze wafting through the tent. Stan was the unknown drummer, and joined the trio to play amazingly good versions of "Mustang Sally" and "Blueberry Hill."

Jean walked to the stage, did a twirl with Don, and took the microphone.

"Surely we could not gather on this spot on this beautiful fall day without recalling words from the book of Ecclesiastes," Jean said. "There is, indeed, a time for everything. A time to plant these new trees to replace those that were uprooted. A time to weep, which we've done plenty of, and, today, a time to laugh."

A chorus of "amens" came forth.

Mr. Marcus eased his way to the front of the crowd, little Asa clinging to his hand. I glanced over to see Kevin standing by her mother . . . and Terrence. I briefly shot her a "what's up with that?" look, and she smiled and shrugged.

"Oh, Lord, our God," Marcus prayed, "we celebrate today the marriage of this man and woman who have shown their faith, their hope, and their love during these early months of their union. We ask for an outpouring of blessings upon them, and we thank you for the lives they've touched. Amen."

He handed the microphone to Mr. Sepulvado. "
Ellos me rescató,"
he said. "They rescued me. They are special."

"Lois introduced me to my husband," Tammy yelled, putting fingers in her mouth to let out one of her whistles.

"And she introduced me to my wife," Walt said, planting a big kiss on Tammy.

The crowd yelled.

"Coach brought food to our house many times," Anthony said, clearing his throat as he spoke.

"He fixed my fence," one of the elderly women from the congregation said.

"Lois encouraged me when I decided to stay in Green for college," Molly said.

"And she didn't beat me up when I chose broadcast journalism," Katy shouted.

Our guests cheered more.

"They've made Route Two the kind of place anyone would want to call home," Iris Jo said, "and we're proud to call them neighbors."

At that moment the band struck up a modified version of "Sweet Home, Alabama," inserting the word Louisiana. Don directed the crowd to sing along, and the words "Sweet Home, Louisiana" rang through the air, time and again.

I scanned the crowd, some dancing, some singing, most talking; the Mayor and Dub, Kevin and Asa and Terrence, Pearl and Marcus, Iris Jo and Stan, Tammy and Walt, Katy and Molly, Linda and Rose, Marti and Gary, my brothers, and my new family, the Craigs. Holly Beth wiggled out of Eva's arms and ran to me.

My heart pounded, and I looked at the clear blue sky, the bluest I'd ever seen.

Chris squeezed my hand and looked over his shoulder again, and I noticed Hank and Doug standing near the corner, wearing fluorescent vests and holding walkie talkies.

Doug nodded directly at Chris, and slowly the crowd started moving toward Route Two, holding hands, chattering, the band playing "Sweet Home, Louisiana" again and again.The excitement was almost palpable.

"What's going on?" I asked Chris.

Suddenly from the paved two-lane road, a huge truck came into view, creeping along, followed by another one that looked almost identical.

"Somebody's moving a house during our party?" I asked.

I looked again. It was the old Craig house, cut down the middle.

"I hope you're up for a remodeling project, Lois Barker Craig." Chris grabbed my hand and led me onto the gravel road.

The trucks painstakingly made the wide turn, the crowd lining both sides of the road, clapping, Wayne and Bud and men from the church making sure no one got in the way.

"Let's guide her on home," my husband said. We walked in front of the house, which would be pieced back together, better than ever.

Right as we got to our lot, Mannix climbed over the fence, a move I'd not seen him make since he had lost his leg in the tornado. He ran out to us and barked, a sound not heard in months. Holly leapt out of my arms and flung herself at him, and they rolled around gleefully.

I was so thrilled that I felt like joining them.

Chris and I stepped into the yard, staked off where the big old house would sit.

I looked back at my cheering friends and family.

What had Mayor Eva called it that day back in the spring?

The glory of Green.

1. During her years in Green, Lois has begun to put down roots. What has helped her be able to do this? What has held her back? Have you ever felt a yearning to put roots in one place, or have you enjoyed moving around? In what ways was your experience similar to Lois's? How was it different?

2. Lois receives a surprise suggestion from Chris Craig during chapter 1 of
The Glory of Green.
Why does his idea catch her off guard? How does the idea symbolize changes in their relationship? How does she handle the suggestion? Have you ever had a time when you had to talk about an issue with friends to find the solution? Were they helpful?

3.
The Glory of Green
includes many joys and losses for Lois and other characters. What are some of the happiest moments? What are the saddest? Was there a scene that particularly touched you? What words would you use to describe this novel?

4. In this third book in the Green series, characters react in different ways to difficult situations. How do they deal with problems? What works best? Where do their biggest challenges occur? Do you think the people of Green rose to the occasion or ran from it? In what ways did they help one another?

5. Lois enjoys making plans for how things should unfold, but life in Green never goes quite as she plans. In what ways are her plans shaken? Have you had experiences when things did not work out as you planned? How did you handle those situations? In addition to Lois, others in Green are making plans. Are the plans of others affected by Lois? If so, how? Do you think people should try to plan more or see what unfolds as they go along? What advice would you give Lois and friends about planning?

6. The town of Green, Louisiana, is a key part of
The Glory of Green.
What are Lois's feelings about Green now that she is in her third year there? What do you like about Green? What are your concerns about Green? What part does the new highway play in the story? Would you like to visit Green? If so, who would you chat with first? How do the community correspondents for
The Green News-Item
affect your perception of Green?

7. What are some of the ways Pastor Jean and Lois interact? How does their relationship change during the book? How does Lois help Jean, and how does Jean help Lois? How might you describe Lois's spiritual life? Is her faith strong or weak? Is there someone in your life whom you lean upon for help with problems? Have you ever been asked to reciprocate with advice of your own?

8. Dub McCuller and Mayor Eva Hillburn seem to have a complex relationship in
The Glory of Green.
Why does their friendship matter to Lois? How does she handle it? Do you think she should have responded differently? Major Wilson, a person Lois does not respect, contacts her with a surprise offer. Why do you think he called her? What do you think of her conversation with him? What do you think the future holds for Major Wilson?

9. Lois and Chris continue to be troubled by poverty in the rural areas around Green. What do they do about it? Are their efforts helpful? One family, including a football player for the Green High Rabbits, lives with a variety of troubles. What are some of those? What might be done for those children? Do you encounter people in need in your daily life? How do you respond when confronted with poverty?

10. Citizens of Green have a variety of opinions on how things should be done. What are some of their differences of opinions? What do they agree on? Do disagreements hold Green back or help it move forward? If you had been in the town meeting, what topic would you have wanted to address? What part does the staff of
The Green News-Item
play in discussions about the future? In what ways, if any, do they shine, and in what ways, if any, do they flounder? What part do members of the media play in Green's situation?

11. What is Chris Craig's role in
The Glory of Green?
In what ways is he a catalyst in Lois's life? Does she change him? How does life surprise Chris and Lois? How does this affect their relationship?

12. Many women touch Lois's life. What does she learn from them? Who has the biggest impact on her? Do you think Lois frustrates her women friends? How does Iris Jo handle her illness? In what ways does Dr.Kevin contribute to the town? What are Eva's strengths as mayor? What words would you use to describe Tammy? What do you think Linda, learning to be a reporter after years as a secretary, wants in life?

13. Students Molly and Katy are woven throughout the book. How do they grow? What draws them together as best friends? What do they get from their relationship with Lois? What does she get from them? What do you think will happen as they mature?

14. Lois is adapting to her puppy, Holly Beth, a gift from Mayor Eva. Do you think her relationship with the dog changes her? Chris's dog, Mannix, also has a role in this story. How does Mannix affect Lois throughout the book? Have you ever had a pet that made a difference in your life? If so, how?

15. Home is very important to Lois, and she has settled happily into the old cottage Aunt Helen gave her. What disrupts her notions of home? How does she deal with the changes? What characteristics do you think she wants in a home? What does Chris want? What matters most to you about home? What makes a house or apartment the place you want to come home to?