CHAPTER TWO
Amy hadn’t heard much about what had happened during that time. She hadn’t asked, and Cami hadn’t volunteered any information. The less she’d heard about Will back then, the better.
“I would happily have taken Isabella home, but in the end, Will said she was his responsibility. He was the one who had wanted to have a baby. Delia hadn’t.”
“Really? Why was that?” Amy felt a bit like she was opening a can of worms. What she had assumed was grief on Will’s part seemed a whole lot more complex now.
“She was adopted,” Jessa said. She took a bite of her sandwich before continuing. “Apparently her biological mother died giving birth to her. The couple who adopted her were missionaries in the Philippines and found her in an orphanage over there.”
Amy had just assumed that Delia had been someone Will had met on one of his mission trips. Which was what had happened, she just hadn’t realized that Delia had been part of an American family. “So she was scared she’d die in childbirth, too?”
Jessa nodded. “Will tried to reassure her that it was different here than it had been in the Philippines with her mom. More medical advancements and such, but right from the start Delia struggled with the pregnancy. She was sick almost from day one, and it never stopped. By the time she was seven months she had a hard time moving around because she was so tiny, and her belly was so big. She was miserable. The day Will called to tell us that Delia...” She took a deep breath and blew it out.
“She’d called to tell him that she was feeling really bad and was more sick than usual.
He left work to go to her, but by the time he got to their apartment, she was unconscious.
She never regained consciousness after that.
They kept her on life support for a couple of weeks, but then had to deliver Isabella because Delia wasn’t doing well. ”
“I’m sorry your family had to go through that,” Amy said, her appetite long gone. “I didn’t know the details of what happened. Isabella seems like a remarkably well-rounded girl, everything considered.”
“We try our best to shower her with the love that Will can’t seem to.
Sometimes I want to just slap him in order to wake him up to what he’s missing.
But as Isabella’s gotten older and turned into the spitting image of her mother, I wonder how he can get through each day. Delia’s death changed him so much.”
Amy nodded. “I could tell that right away. I’d only seen him a few times, but as soon as he walked in today I saw the changes in him.”
“We keep hoping that maybe some woman will come along, and he’ll find love again. For Isabella’s sake, as well as his own.”
Amy felt a twinge of something in her heart.
“It would take a special kind of woman to be able to step into his life.” And she knew that woman wasn’t her.
She didn’t know what Delia had been like personality-wise, but in appearance they couldn’t have been more different.
If Delia was Will’s type, Amy wouldn’t be in the running, even if she wanted to be.
Which she didn’t.
Jessa nodded. “It seems all of us Collingsworths are destined to go into relationships with baggage. We were so happy for Will when he married Delia. Out of all of us he seemed to have had the most normal upbringing and then such a sweet relationship with Delia. Well, until she got pregnant. Then it wasn’t so sweet anymore.
” She plucked at the fabric of the bedspread.
“I have to admit, I really don’t understand God’s thinking with regards to Delia.
Her parents lost their only daughter. Will lost his wife.
Isabella lost her mother. I just don’t understand. ”
Amy had to admit she would have struggled to understand that as well. She glanced at Jessa and saw her face looking drawn. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Jessa assured her. She laid a hand on her stomach. “Baby is doing great today. Lots of movement, but no contractions.”
“That’s good,” Amy said, hoping to steer her thoughts from the sadness of Will’s life. “Do you know if you’re having a boy or girl?”
“I’ve had so many scans it would have been difficult to not find out,” Jessa said with a grin. “We’ve been told several times that we’ve got a little guy on the way.”
“Really? That’s terrific!” Amy set the plate with her half-eaten sandwich on the night stand. She settled back in her chair. “Maybe Cami should try one more time. She might get her boy.”
Jessa nodded. “I was shocked when they said it was a boy. Lance was thrilled. He loves Jules, but I knew he wanted a son. Now if we can just get this little one to term or at least close to it.”
“Well, that’s what I’m here for, so be prepared for a lecture if I think you’re doing too much.”
“No worries there. I’m not going to do anything I don’t absolutely have to. Part of me feels this is my last chance. I’m almost forty, so I’m not getting any younger. Already they labelled me as advanced maternal age.” Jessa tilted her head. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
Though the change of subject took her off-guard, Amy said, “Nope. I’ve dated a few, but I’m looking for something like Cami and Josh have.
And you and Lance. When I see you guys together, I realize how important it is not to just settle.
And my mom is always telling me it’s better to be single than in a bad relationship. ”
“This is true,” Jessa agreed. “You’ve still got lots of time. I was thirty when Lance and I finally found each other again. It is worth waiting for that person God has for you.”
Amy winced inwardly at Jessa’s words. She wasn’t so sure she trusted herself to judge who God wanted her to be with. She’d been way off base the last time she’d tried to do that. “Hope God hits me over the head with a hammer to get my attention when the right guy is in the vicinity.”
Jessa chuckled. “Some of us need that, no doubt. I certainly didn’t think Lance was the one for me when I saw him again after all those years. Just keep an open mind...and heart. Love may surprise you.”
They talked a little longer about the manor and the guests who would be arriving in the next few days.
Then Jessa asked her to wait while she went to the bathroom.
Amy knew that Lance hadn’t wanted her to be alone when getting in and out of the bed and walking around, so she had no problem waiting until Jessa was settled back into the bed again.
“I think I’m going to try to sleep for a little bit. I haven’t slept too well since the doctor put me on bed- rest. But now that you’re here, I’m feeling much more at ease.”
“I’m glad,” Amy said as she gathered up their dishes. “Buzz me if you need anything.”
Downstairs Amy spent more time reviewing what she needed to keep track of over the next few days.
New guests would be arriving that afternoon for the weekend.
Jessa had said two girls from town would be out around one o’clock to prep the two rooms that had been vacated shortly after breakfast. Once the young women showed up, Amy helped them with the rooms and by the time the first of the new guests arrived around three, everything was ready.
Laurel showed up with her family, Julia and Isabella just before five. Violet and Dean weren’t far behind. And all came bearing food. Lance walked in the door as they were setting up the meal. After the sisters had made sure their kids and husbands had food, they disappeared upstairs to see Jessa.
Will walked in after everyone had started to eat. Amy noticed that Isabella didn’t run to greet him as Julia had done when Lance had arrived. It also hadn’t escaped her attention that Lance had gone to his niece and given her a hug and asked her how she was doing.
“How was Isabella?” Will asked Rose as he picked up a plate and began to dish up his dinner.
“She was fine, Uncle Will. She’s always fine.” Rose glanced over to where Isabella sat. “We had fun, didn’t we?”
Isabella nodded. “Rose helped us make some cupcakes and let us put frosting and sprinkles on them. We brought them for dessert.”
Will nodded, but no smile curved the corners of his mouth. “Sounds good. I’m glad you had fun.”
Amy understood then why Jessa sometimes wanted to smack Will. Would he realize what he was missing out on before it was too late? As she watched each of the fathers there with their kids, she wondered how he could not see how different he was with Isabella.
At Amy’s urging, once the meal was done, the dads took the kids outside to the play structure in the backyard.
“I’ll help you clean up,” Rose said as she stood and began to stack the plates.
“You go ahead and go with them, Rose,” Will said. “I need to talk to Amy for a minute.”
Rose looked from Will to Amy and then nodded. “If you’re sending me off though, you have to help with the dishes.”
For the first time, Amy saw the hint of a smile on Will’s face. “I think I can handle that.”
Amy scraped plates into the garbage, figuring she wasn’t going to make small talk with the guy. It was beyond her what he could possibly want.
He took the stack of scraped plates on the counter and began to load the large dishwasher. “Isabella tells me you’re a teacher.”
“Yes. I teach grade one at a Christian school in Dallas.” Did he want her to tutor Isabella in something?
“I was wondering—since you have experience with kids Isabella’s age—if you’d be willing to plan her birthday party.”
Amy turned to stare at him. “Her birthday party?”
He nodded. “Usually we do a small family party, but this past year when she went to school, she learned all about friend parties and is insisting on one for her birthday.”
“And you give her everything she wants,” Amy said.
Will’s brows drew together briefly. “I try to. I just don’t know anything about planning that type of party. Laurel and Violet are busy with their own kids and Jessa... Well, I don’t want to impose on her for obvious reasons.”