The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray

to have to worry anymore about finding the perfect man.
    Looking at her intently, Maddie nodded. “And?”
    Leona took a deep breath. “Anyway, we were stopped at an intersection, waiting for the traffic to clear so we could cross . . . when all of a sudden a stray dog trotted down the sidewalk and looked about to dart out onto the street. It was a little thing. Anyone could tell it was a young dog, not a little puppy, but nowhere near full grown.”
    Remembering her panic, she inhaled. “Without thinking much about it, I ran over and tried to hold on to it so it wouldn’t get hurt.”
    Sara leaned forward. “What did you do then?”
    â€œEdmund stopped me before I got ahold of it and told me to leave it alone. That it was a dirty, stray dog. That it wasn’t my problem.”
    As Sara’s eyes got wide, Mattie tilted her head to one side. “So all this is about my bruder not wanting you to grab a stray dog that could have had some disease or bitten you?”
    â€œ Nee .” Leona grabbed hold of the edge of the bench and prayed for God to give her better words. After a pause, she said, “It was the start of me realizing that he and I are different. Really different. Edmund and I ended up arguing on that street corner. I wanted to save the dog, and he didn’t want to deal with it. Then I said something about how I hoped one of our dogs never got loose . . . and that’s when he told me he didn’t ever want to have a dog.”
    Mattie shrugged. “Edmund doesn’t really like dogs. He never has.”
    â€œI know that. But, see, I do. I like dogs. I like them a lot. I like cats, too. I’ve always had pets. I had imagined that we’d get a little poodle or cocker spaniel or something after we got married. Something to keep me company when he was working such long hours. But he told me it wasn’t up for discussion.”
    â€œSo this is about him not wanting you to have a pet?” Mattie looked just as impatient as ever.
    â€œNo, this is about me realizing that while I thought I loved him, I wasn’t looking forward to doing what he wanted all the time.”
    Sara tossed her head a bit. “Marriage is full of compromises, Leona. Our mothers have said this time and again.”
    â€œI realize that. And I even understand that I’ll need to letmy husband be in charge of our household. But after our little argument on the corner, I started listening to Edmund a whole lot more closely. Not just the sweet things I wanted to hear, but also the things I used to kind of ignore.”
    Leona steeled herself, then said, “When I did that, I discovered that a lot of the things he never wanted to have or do were things that I had always wanted and planned on doing.”
    â€œLike what?” Sara asked.
    â€œLike having a pet. Like keeping my job for a little while. Like seeing my family as often as possible. Like planning trips to Indiana or out west or even trips here to Pinecraft. Edmund didn’t want to do any of that. And as the days have crept closer to our wedding, he’s become a little bit more adamant about how he expects his wishes to be obeyed.”
    Sara’s eyes widened. “Oh, Leona.”
    Grateful that Sara, at least, was starting to realize how she’d been feeling, Leona nodded. “I’ve been pretty worried. I don’t want to be ordered about for the rest of my life.”
    â€œDid you talk to him about this?” Sara asked.
    â€œSome.” She winced, thinking about how awkward those conversations had been.
    â€œBut he didn’t want to hear it, did he?” Mattie asked quietly.
    Leona shook her head. “I’m not saying Edmund isna right. I’m not saying he’s not entitled to have the kind of marriage he wants. I’m not saying I want to break things off,” she said in a rush, “but I have started wondering if he and I are really meant for each