Lavished with Lavender - Valerie Comer Page 0,35

were these words escaping her mouth? This was none of her business, and not an improvement over talking about Maurice.

“Salvador? Never a mistake. He was a wonderful man. A man who walked with God and loved his wife and family fiercely. He was taken much too soon. How he would have loved to see his grandchildren grow up, to meet his great-grandchildren.”

“But... Kenji...”

Marietta shook her head, a soft smile gracing her lips. “Kenji and I were never meant to be. He was a fine boy, the love of a young girl. But when Salvador came into my life, he swept me off my feet, and there was no looking back.” Although the faraway look in her eyes belied the words.

“But now?” Kenna held her breath.

“There is nothing but fondness for an old friend. I am eighty years old, Makenna. Kenji is eighty-six.”

“That’s not too old.” Who was Kenna kidding? She lived like thirty-three was too old.

“My body is broken. My ways are set. My family is around me. No, there is nothing more for me. I am content.”

Kenna’s protest died on her lips. It certainly wasn’t her place to push her client toward a new relationship at her age.

“Kenji’s wife was a lovely Japanese woman. Fumiko was her name, and she was very suited to Kenji. Her family, like his, had been relocated to Spokane during the war. They shared many experiences and traditions.”

Kenna had heard of the internment camps, of course. How the American government had forced the Japanese away from coastal areas under the suspicion that their allegiance still lay with their homeland, currently at war with the USA. Homes and businesses had been confiscated, and the good names of American citizens clouded with racism and fear. The reminder shed a new light on the young love between a Japanese boy and an Italian girl. Although, hadn’t Italy also been seen as an enemy?

Too confusing. She studied the older woman through new eyes. Marietta had lived through events that had since become footnotes in dusty history books.

“Through all those circumstances,” Marietta mused, “God has been faithful to those who follow Him. It says in the book of Romans, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’”

“Called?” Kenna raised her eyebrows. If anyone was calling her, she sure hadn’t heard.

“In Second Peter 3:9, it says, ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’”

If the old lady thought she was clarifying things, she was dead wrong. But there were a few words there in the middle about not wanting anyone to perish. Was that the same as being called?

“Jesus died for you, Makenna Johnson Hamelin. He did it because He loves you and has called you to His purpose. He is patiently waiting for you to come to Him in repentance, because He doesn’t want you to perish.”

That brought the situation into clearer focus. Unsteadily, Kenna rose to her feet. “May I fix you a cup of coffee?” Because she needed this conversation to be over. Now.

Dixie dropped dramatically onto the bench surrounding the table at the back of the kitchen in Antonio’s. “Well, that was excitement I never need to see again.”

Tony glanced at the clock as he plated a vegetarian lasagna. Yep, time for her break. “What happened?”

“The guy at table twenty-two choked on a piece of sausage, and the guy from twenty-four gave him the Heimlich, and then there was a big argument about whether the Heimlich was even the right thing to do. Apparently, it’s outdated. Who knew?”

Tony set the plate on the shelf and pulled a heat lamp down before tapping the bell. “Twelve up!” Then he glanced at the next order before turning back to the scramble on his grill.

“Is the guy okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine.”

“I should get a first aid course for all employees.”

“Might not be a bad idea. I had no idea what to do. It all happened so fast, just like a few weeks ago when Henry choked on his sandwich. I just stared, frozen, while Dan grabbed him and gave him a few whacks on the back. The piece of bread flew out of his mouth, and he started to cry, and it was awful. But he’s okay, too.”

Definitely needed a first aid course around here. “I should go out and talk to