introduced me to her husband, Shane. Shane proceeded
to engage Easton in conversation. I was glad—it took the pressure off me. I was
also introduced to the Whitney family. I had talked to Douglas Whitney on the
phone since he was my new insurance guy. Easton had recommended the Whitney
Agency over the Riley Agency, where we used to have our insurance. I didn’t ask
why he switched. Douglas had his wife, Claire, with him and his daughter,
Rachel, and her seven-year-old son, Drew, who was as handsome as he could be.
The Pastor also decided he should meet me as well. He was pretty new to this
congregation, for which I was thankful. The fewer people that knew me
previously, the better.
But the good Pastor Bates
knew my father and brought him up. “Please let us know if there is any way we
can help your family through this difficult time,” he said.
I looked over at Easton
when the Pastor mentioned my father. I’m not sure why, but I did. He looked back
at me with concern in his brown eyes. Maybe I looked at him because he knew
that I had no relationship with my father. He knew, at least partially, how
difficult it was going to be for me to even see the man.
I answered him the only
way I could. “Thank you.” I sat down in haste and tried to keep my emotions
under control. The girls arrived back and Ashley had a gleam in her eye. I
could tell she was bursting to tell me something.
She pulled me close to
her. “I met some cute guys in the hall that are seniors this year,” she
whispered in my year.
I smiled at her. “Is that
so?”
“Yes,” she said. “Don’t
look now, but one of them, Raphe, sat in the pew across from us.”
“Maybe I should go
introduce myself,” I teased.
“Momma, don’t you dare.”
I laughed softly. “Calm
down, love.” With extreme caution I covertly snuck a peek at the boy that had
my girl all in a tizzy. I had to admit she had good taste. He was clean-cut and
cute for a teenage boy. I also noticed he had good taste as he stared at my
daughter. I had been waiting for this to happen—she was beautiful and new in
town. I had a feeling I would soon be seeing even less of her. I was happy for
her. I wanted her to make friends before school started in the fall. This was a
huge sacrifice for her to move here in her junior year.
The sermon was nice.
Pastor Bates talked about serving our fellow man. That was always a timely
message. I was sorry to hear it end, because it meant Sunday school was next. I
wasn’t sure how I was going to manage not going with or sitting by Easton in
class since the girls had their own classes to attend. Ashley was whisked away
by her new friends and I noticed her dad took interest in that.
He looked at me with a raised
eyebrow and joined me at the end of the pew. “Do we allow her to date?”
“Only since she’s turned
sixteen.”
He watched her walk away.
“Do you think we could make that thirty?”
“I wish.”
He laughed briefly “So,
shall we go to Sunday school?”
I stiffened at the
thought, but figured he would follow me one way or the other. “I guess.”
“Come on, Taylor, I’m not
all that bad. Besides, the women’s group will need something to talk about when
they meet on Wednesday.”
“Fine, lead the way.” Who
was I to deprive the women’s group of juicy gossip?
“Have you been to see
Frank yet?” he asked hesitantly on our walk to the other side of the church.
“No,” I answered without
apology or regret.
“I’ll go with you,” he
offered once again.
I shook my head no. I
wasn’t sure when I could bring myself to go over there. And I wasn’t really
sure where “there” was anymore. Last I heard, he had lost the house. That was
fine with me. I had no desire to ever see that place on the outskirts of town again.
Easton reiterated his
prognosis of my father’s health.
“I know,” I said. “This
is just …. Anyway, I know.”
He touched my arm. “I’m
here for you if you need it”
I wanted to roll
to engage Easton in conversation. I was glad—it took the pressure off me. I was
also introduced to the Whitney family. I had talked to Douglas Whitney on the
phone since he was my new insurance guy. Easton had recommended the Whitney
Agency over the Riley Agency, where we used to have our insurance. I didn’t ask
why he switched. Douglas had his wife, Claire, with him and his daughter,
Rachel, and her seven-year-old son, Drew, who was as handsome as he could be.
The Pastor also decided he should meet me as well. He was pretty new to this
congregation, for which I was thankful. The fewer people that knew me
previously, the better.
But the good Pastor Bates
knew my father and brought him up. “Please let us know if there is any way we
can help your family through this difficult time,” he said.
I looked over at Easton
when the Pastor mentioned my father. I’m not sure why, but I did. He looked back
at me with concern in his brown eyes. Maybe I looked at him because he knew
that I had no relationship with my father. He knew, at least partially, how
difficult it was going to be for me to even see the man.
I answered him the only
way I could. “Thank you.” I sat down in haste and tried to keep my emotions
under control. The girls arrived back and Ashley had a gleam in her eye. I
could tell she was bursting to tell me something.
She pulled me close to
her. “I met some cute guys in the hall that are seniors this year,” she
whispered in my year.
I smiled at her. “Is that
so?”
“Yes,” she said. “Don’t
look now, but one of them, Raphe, sat in the pew across from us.”
“Maybe I should go
introduce myself,” I teased.
“Momma, don’t you dare.”
I laughed softly. “Calm
down, love.” With extreme caution I covertly snuck a peek at the boy that had
my girl all in a tizzy. I had to admit she had good taste. He was clean-cut and
cute for a teenage boy. I also noticed he had good taste as he stared at my
daughter. I had been waiting for this to happen—she was beautiful and new in
town. I had a feeling I would soon be seeing even less of her. I was happy for
her. I wanted her to make friends before school started in the fall. This was a
huge sacrifice for her to move here in her junior year.
The sermon was nice.
Pastor Bates talked about serving our fellow man. That was always a timely
message. I was sorry to hear it end, because it meant Sunday school was next. I
wasn’t sure how I was going to manage not going with or sitting by Easton in
class since the girls had their own classes to attend. Ashley was whisked away
by her new friends and I noticed her dad took interest in that.
He looked at me with a raised
eyebrow and joined me at the end of the pew. “Do we allow her to date?”
“Only since she’s turned
sixteen.”
He watched her walk away.
“Do you think we could make that thirty?”
“I wish.”
He laughed briefly “So,
shall we go to Sunday school?”
I stiffened at the
thought, but figured he would follow me one way or the other. “I guess.”
“Come on, Taylor, I’m not
all that bad. Besides, the women’s group will need something to talk about when
they meet on Wednesday.”
“Fine, lead the way.” Who
was I to deprive the women’s group of juicy gossip?
“Have you been to see
Frank yet?” he asked hesitantly on our walk to the other side of the church.
“No,” I answered without
apology or regret.
“I’ll go with you,” he
offered once again.
I shook my head no. I
wasn’t sure when I could bring myself to go over there. And I wasn’t really
sure where “there” was anymore. Last I heard, he had lost the house. That was
fine with me. I had no desire to ever see that place on the outskirts of town again.
Easton reiterated his
prognosis of my father’s health.
“I know,” I said. “This
is just …. Anyway, I know.”
He touched my arm. “I’m
here for you if you need it”
I wanted to roll
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