Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(60)

While there wasn’t a missed call or voice mail from Rooster, Lauren saw another text from Katie:

Dietrich and I have made our decision. I doubt it’s one my mother will approve of, but this is my life.

Lauren could only speculate what that might mean. She liked Katie a great deal, but Elisa was one of her best friends. Fortunately, Katie’s relationship with her father remained strong, and the pregnant teenager had kept the lines of communication open with her family.

“You’re frowning,” Elisa said, studying her.

Lauren continued to study her phone, speculating about what Katie’s message meant. At the same time, she wondered if it would be a good idea to mention Katie’s message to Elisa or not. Thankfully, the decision was taken away from her when Elisa’s cell rang.

Grabbing it out of her purse, Elisa glanced at the readout. “It’s Garry.” She took the call and said, “Hi, sweetheart. You wouldn’t believe the day Lauren and I have had. I swear we’ve walked ten miles, but it’s been worth it. We found the most incredible …” She paused. “What?” she demanded. “This is a joke, right?”

Lauren watched as her friend sank onto the edge of the bed as though her legs had gone too weak to hold her upright. All color seemed to drain from her face.

“Did you talk to Dietrich’s parents?” Elisa’s eyes went to Lauren, and she gestured helplessly. “Certainly they objected. Earlier in the week, they seemed to agree with us.”

Lauren knew that Elisa and Garry had been able to connect with Dietrich’s parents, who shared their concern over their son and Katie’s situation. They, too, felt that Katie should return to her family and deliver the baby, and if Dietrich and Katie continued to feel strongly about each other, they could marry at some future date. It seemed a sensible plan all around. Unfortunately, neither set of parents had taken into account Dietrich and Katie’s wishes.

“No, no, no,” Elisa cried as she covered her eyes with her hand. It looked as if she were about to break into sobs.

Lauren sat on the ottoman across from her friend, wanting to be supportive and helpful.

“Garry,” Elisa said emphatically, “what are we going to do?” A short silence ensued. “I don’t know … it couldn’t possibly be legal, could it? Yes, yes, I know she’s of age, but …” The rest of what she intended to say faded into thin air.

Lauren released a soft sigh. If she were a betting woman, she’d wager that Dietrich and Katie had taken matters into their own hands and eloped.

“Naturally, Katie would do this when she knew I’d be away,” Elisa said, and then sobbed once. “Yes, yes, I agree, we don’t want to lose our daughter. I’ll book the next flight back to Seattle.” Her voice caught as she spoke, and her hand trembled as she ended the call and returned her cell to her purse.

Lauren scooted the ottoman closer to the bed. “What’s happened?” she gently asked her friend.

Elisa covered her face with both hands and took a long moment to compose herself. “It’s just as I feared. Katie and Dietrich went to Idaho and got married. It’s a disaster, I tell you, an unmitigated disaster. They claim they know what they want, and that’s being together for the rest of their lives. Despite everything we said and his own parents’ advice, they defied us all and took matters into their own hands.”

Lauren gently squeezed Elisa’s hand. “You’re flying back to Seattle?”

“Yes, as soon as I can book a flight. Garry feels we need to go as a family to Pullman and assure Katie of our love and support.”

While Lauren didn’t approve of what Katie and her young man had done, she agreed with Garry. Now that the deed was done, they needed to work together and not allow this decision to rip apart their family. “Katie seemed to know what she wants.”

“The crazy part is,” Elisa said as she wiped the moisture from her cheeks, “I did the same thing. Garry and I were so young, and my parents were ready to string him up, and I defied them and married him despite what they wanted.”

Lauren wasn’t aware of that, but she knew the young couple had lived with Elisa’s parents until Katie had been born. Elisa’s parents seemed to have had a change of heart; perhaps Elisa would now, too. This certainly was history repeating itself.

“You and Garry made it work,” Lauren reminded her.

“We did, and later my father told me he couldn’t have chosen a better husband for me even if he’d had the opportunity. He came to love and appreciate Garry. After a few years, when it became clear my brother had no interest in the business, my father willingly brought Garry into the store. It was Garry my father took under his wing.”

“Is he as upset about this as you are?” Lauren asked.

Elisa reached for a tissue and dabbed it beneath her nose. “He might be, but for my sake he won’t let it show. Katie has always been a strong-willed child. I should have guessed she’d do something like this.”

Lauren hid a smile, knowing that the teenager and her mother shared more than one character trait. She agreed that the two college students were young, but she also felt that with strong family support they would do their best to make their marriage work.

“Dietrich’s family sounds like they’re well-grounded people,” Lauren said, hoping that would encourage Elisa.