When Tomorrow Comes by Janette Oke

gave Christine another grin, and left.
    After he had gone, she stood pondering the exchange. Just what had he meant? Was he flirting with her? Could he possibly think it had been her idea that he come for lunch? She was going to have a serious talk with her brother.

CHAPTER
S even
    Christine was surprised at how busy the next week was. Besides trying to cook and do a bit of light housework for Henry, she spent many hours looking after Danny while Amber arranged last-minute details, and further hours ticking off assignments from her own to-do list. Christmas Eve, the date of the wedding, would fall on a Friday night. On Thursday Elizabeth and Wynn arrived, along with Jonathan and Mary. This meant additional people for meals and visits, even though arrangements had been made for the two couples to stay with Amber’s folks.
    Though Henry appeared to stay remarkably calm, Amber was beginning to get the jitters. Danny was doing jigs across the kitchen floor where others were making preparations for the reception.
    “Danny, you must get out from underfoot,” scolded Amber. “I’m afraid someone will run into you with something hot.”
    “I’m gonna get a dad—pretty quick,” he sang out, moving to a corner but not leaving the kitchen.
    The weather had cooperated better than any of them had dared to hope. Though the winter temperatures meant one did not stay outside for more than a few minutes at a time, no more heavy storms with blowing snow had swept again across the open prairie. Thank you, Lord, Christine whispered as she went about her work.
    She’d had her little talk with Henry and made herself quite clear. She did not wish to be thrust into repeated contact with Laray. True, he seemed like a fine young man, but she was far from ready for any kind of new relationship. Later she wondered if Henry had spoken with Laray. The young Mountie was conspicuously absent from then on. Christine almost regretted her hasty decision. She did hope she’d done nothing to hurt him. What if he thought her hesitancy was related to the injury of his arm? He gave little hints that he was conscious of the fact he no longer was the man he had been.
    But Christine had little time to worry about it. Every waking moment was given to getting ready for the wedding. She’d had no idea that weddings, even rather simple ones, took so much time and preparation.
    Once Elizabeth was on the scene, she, with Mary in tow, hurried about doing this and getting involved in that. Christine realized her mother was truly trying to help and to feel a part of it all, but in reality it made things more difficult. The carefully prepared lists of duties were continually being disrupted and changed. No one had the courage or insensitivity to ask the two enthusiastic women to please refrain from being so helpful.
    Friday morning dawned bright and cold. So cold that Christine had to shelter her face as she quickly walked the short distance to Amber’s house. She didn’t remember even the North being so frigid. But then, she had been more prepared for the cold in the North. Fur-trimmed parkas were quite different from filmy squares of thin cotton over one’s head.
    Somehow they made it through the day with most things falling into place quite nicely. Henry, who was to pick up the flowers from Lethbridge, did wonder if they would freeze before he got them home. Laray, who had accompanied him, ended up cradling Amber’s bouquet in his arms all the way back. The car heater was barely able to keep the interior of the motor vehicle above freezing.
    The wedding was set for five o’clock—the earliest hour that light from the candles would be effective. The wedding guests would be ushered to the church hall immediately after for the reception that was to follow. While they were being settled, photographs would be taken of the bridal party before the altar. Then, all going well, the wedding supper would proceed.
    It would undoubtedly be late when they finished the