Chapter 35
By the time Beth carried the last mug of coffee into her office at the arts center, Laurel had covered half the table with sheets of paper.
Beth stopped in the doorway. “I thought we were putting the finishing touches on the program.”
“We are.” Laurel looked up. “These are the finishing touches.”
Rachel laughed from the other side of the table. “She brought two versions of the schedule.”
“Three,” Laurel corrected.
Julie reached for her coffee. “Of course she did.”
Susan pulled out the chair beside her. “Sit down, Beth. You look worried.”
“I am worried.” Beth placed the mug in front of Laurel before taking the empty chair. “There are only two weeks until the center opens. I promised Natalie I’d give her the final program this week, but each time I think we’re finished, someone comes up with another idea.”
“That’s because we’re brilliant,” Rachel said.
Julie shook her head. “That’s not the word I would have chosen.”
Beth laughed and opened her notebook. It was good having everyone together. They’d spent so many months talking about the arts center that sometimes it was hard to believe the opening was almost here.
Maria had planned to join them, but someone had called in sick at work and she needed to work extra hours. She’d sent Beth a message apologizing and promising to help with whatever they decided.
Beth looked around the table. “Okay. We need to get this done. No more new ideas.”
Laurel raised her hand.
“No,” Beth said firmly.
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“You have the face you make when you’re about to complicate my life.”
Susan smiled. “She does have that face.”
Laurel dropped her hand. “Fine. But if anyone wants to hear my idea later, I’m available.”
Beth picked up her pen. “On the day of the arts center’s grand opening, the doors open at ten.”
Rachel nodded. “And the official welcome?”
“Ten-thirty. That gives people time to come inside and look around before the speeches.”
Julie tapped the schedule in front of her. “Is anyone from the council speaking?”
“I don’t know yet,” Beth replied. “I thought I’d leave ten minutes for the welcome. That time can be divided between whoever speaks.”
“Good.” Susan leaned forward. “That’ll keep the speeches short. People will want to explore the building.”
“What about the music?” Julie asked.
“A local musician is playing his acoustic guitar in the main events room from ten until two,” Laurel said. “That way, it doesn’t matter if it’s too cold outside or rains.”
Beth checked each schedule to make sure they said the same thing.
“And the gallery wall will be ready?” Julie asked.
Beth looked toward the far side of the building.
The gallery wall had become one of her favorite parts of the center. Months ago, it had been little more than an idea. Now she could picture it filled with paintings, photographs, and drawings.
“It’ll be ready.” Beth turned back to the table.
“Owen’s loaning us some of his display cases so we can exhibit his handblown glass bowls in the middle of the room.
I didn’t put them against the gallery wall because I don’t want people thinking it’s only for professional artists. The center is for everyone.”
“That should go in the welcome speech,” Julie said quietly.
Beth glanced at her.
Julie smiled. “I’m serious. That’s what the center is really about.”
For a moment, Beth forgot about the schedule, the decorations, and the decisions that needed to be made. She looked around the room, then at her friends. “This is for everyone,” she repeated.
Rachel nodded. “Exactly.”
Beth wrote the words in her notebook so she’d remember to tell Natalie.
Susan turned one of Laurel’s schedules around. “Now, the children’s activities.”
Beth looked at her notes. “We have painting, clay modeling, and the craft tables.”
“And sidewalk chalk if it’s dry,” Laurel said.
Rachel lifted her eyebrows. “Sidewalk chalk?”
Laurel pointed toward the entrance. “We could give the kids a section of pavement and let them decorate it.”
Beth hesitated.
Laurel grinned. “That’s the idea I wasn’t allowed to mention.”
“You mentioned it anyway,” Beth reminded her.
“I waited almost twenty minutes.”
Susan laughed. “I think it would be lovely.”
Beth pictured children covering the pavement with flowers, animals, names, and brightly colored pictures. “All right,” she conceded. “Add sidewalk chalk if the weather’s okay.”
Laurel looked triumphant.
“But that’s the last new idea,” Beth warned her. “And you’re in charge of making sure everyone has chalk. And please call Pastor John. He has some fencing he’s used for church activities. It will stop any children from going on the road.”
Laurel nodded. “Good idea, and I’d be happy to organize it.”
After they’d talked about balloons and refreshments, Julie looked at each of her friends. “What about a cake?”
Beth frowned. “A cake?”
“A big one. With the arts center name on it.”
Laurel smiled at Julie. “That’s an excellent idea.”
Beth groaned. “We said no more ideas. Won’t cutting a red ribbon be enough?”
Susan pointed to the schedule in front of Beth. “Put the cake on the list. I’ll bake one and decorate it the day before the opening. You could cut it with Natalie. Dave might like to cut the cake, too. And remember to include him in the photos.”
Beth knew that Dave liked keeping a low profile, but she was determined to ask him. While Susan and Laurel discussed whether the cake should be vanilla or chocolate, Beth updated the program.
By the time they’d finished their meeting, more than an hour had passed.
Beth looked at the pages in front of her. After all the nights when she’d wondered whether they’d taken on more than they could handle, they were almost there.
Her throat tightened.
Rachel noticed. “Are you okay?”
Beth nodded and blinked quickly. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about the first time we stood in this building.”
Julie looked around. “It was awful.”
“It wasn’t awful,” Beth protested.
“It was pretty bad,” Susan said gently.
Laurel laughed. “Beth was the only one of us who could look at the building and see what it could become.”
Beth swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Lots of people saw it, especially Natalie.” She gathered Laurel’s schedules together, placing the one she’d used as a master list on the top. “I’ll type everything up tonight and give Natalie the program tomorrow.”
Laurel stood and carried the empty mugs toward the small kitchen. “And if they want changes?”
“Then we make changes.”
Rachel slipped on her coat. “And if they don’t?”
Beth smiled. “Then,” she said, “we get ready to open the doors.”