Wishing for Wonderful (Serendipity #3)(2)

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Eleanor fell in love with John Gray the year she turned seven. His family lived next door to hers, and from her bedroom window she could watch him playing in the backyard. Normally I’d chuckle at the thought of a seven-year-old being in love, but don’t forget I can see into the future so I knew this was meant to be. Anyway it was perfectly harmless, mostly games of tag, walking to and from school together, or John grabbing something of hers and holding it behind his back until she’d have to wrap her arms around him to catch hold of it.

Then the year they were in the sixth grade, the Gray family moved to a new house seven blocks over. That meant no more walking to school together or sitting on the steps of the front porch until bedtime. On summer evenings when Eleanor looked out the window and didn’t see John in the yard, a tear would come to her eye. It saddened her heart but didn’t put an end to their love.

In their sophomore year of high school Eleanor and John began dating for real. He’d borrow his daddy’s car and they’d go off to the movies or to a dance, but the most romantic evenings happened when John drove to Overlook Point and parked the car; then they’d kiss for hours on end. It was on those evenings when they both swore they’d be in love forever. Seeing them as they were was what caused me to let down my guard. I figured they were already on the road to happiness and didn’t need any help from me. I was wrong.

Although I’ve no proof of this, I believe Life Management was partly responsible for what happened. If Eleanor had gone to Penn State instead of Kentucky, she and John would have had four daughters and a lifetime of happiness. I had that match all set, but once she left the Northeast she was out of my region. Raymond, the fellow she married was from Seattle—Northwest region—and they met at the University of Kentucky—Central region. You probably know where this is going, right? She was out of my region, Raymond was out of his, and my counterpart in Kentucky was busy fending off the nineteen girls who thought they were in love with the same basketball player, so Eleanor and Raymond got married and became what we call an MM (Migratory Mistake.)

Despite the fact that I’d let her down, Eleanor made the best of it. If you were standing on the outside looking in, you’d actually think she was happy. Of course, I knew the truth because I go to the inside of a person’s heart. I have to; it’s my job. Eleanor was a good wife and a good mother. A bit overindulgent with Ray Junior maybe, but still a good mother.

Papa Raymond was another story. It was bad enough he had an eye for the ladies, but he also had a great fondness for beer. On top of that he had the business sense of a turnip. An insurance salesman who sold life insurance to everybody but himself…how crazy is that?

When Life Management stepped in and did their dirty work Raymond got an illness nobody wants, and it was two years before they finally gave the okay for him to die. Eleanor took care of him that whole time, and once he was gone she worked two jobs so Ray Junior could go on to college.

Eleanor’s a woman with a big heart, lots of grit and steadfast determination, which is fortunate because when it comes to dealing with Lindsay Gray, she’s gonna need all of it. If Eleanor’s got a flaw it’s that she’s blind to the faults of those she loves, which is why Ray Junior is such a problem.





John’s marriage to Bethany fared far better, but that’s because they were one of my matches. Bethany was a Jersey girl and in my jurisdiction. So after I’d allowed Eleanor to slip through my fingers as she did I felt I owed John, and I gave him a second perfect match. Bethany’s accident was certainly not of my doing. Again, Life Management.

If I’m focused on a person I can look ahead and see the Life Management events that are going to take place. I can see them but not change them. That’s all part of a Master Plan. Don’t think I’m without power, I can make certain adjustments here and there—plant an idea, change the tone of a conversation, adjust timing, arrange for a flat tire—but when it comes to the really big stuff, no can do.





You might think with Raymond and Bethany both out of the picture I’d make things right for Eleanor and John, but I know my business and the timing was all wrong. They both had baggage, and it was way too much to shove into the basement and forget. So I waited almost nine years. Then on a balmy afternoon in the spring of 2010, they passed one another on Main Street in Medford. John’s hair had turned partly silver and Eleanor was about ten pounds heavier than she’d once been, but love doesn’t see things like that, so they recognized each other instantly.

Eleanor glanced sideways just as he was passing by. “John? John Gray?”

Before he turned and saw her face, Eleanor’s voice touched his heart.

“Good grief,” he said with a gasp. “Eleanor Shipley!”

Without stopping for a second thought, he reached out and took hold of her hand. “It’s been ages, and you look gorgeous as ever.”

Eleanor blushed a bit. Not enough for John to notice, but me, well, I see everything.

“It’s not Shipley anymore,” she said, “it’s Barrow.”

“Barrow, huh? So who’s the lucky guy?”

“Raymond Barrow. From Seattle.”

“Oh.” John sighed, then tried to cover his disappointment by mentioning that he too had gotten married. “You might’ve known my wife. Bethany Drake. She graduated the same year we did.”