right. Morning sickness.”
Teri glared at him. What a cruel joke. How could this guy say something so heartless, especially if he knew what Dan and Anita had gone through trying to have a baby.
“No,” Dan said quickly, “we’re not pregnant.”
“Are you sure?” Gordon had an elf-like quality about his expression. “I’ve been asking Jesus to touch her womb for quite some time. Wouldn’t surprise me if it pleased him to do it now, while her sister’s here.” His look focused in on Teri. Sincere blue eyes met hers, and he lingered in his gaze.
Teri looked away, and as she did, she noticed Mark coming in the back door. She waved eagerly, motioning for him to join them, which he did. Introductions were made, and Dan suggested they find a place to sit since the pews were filling up. Teri followed her brother-in-law down two rows, and then the four men and Teri all filed in and sat on the hard wooden bench. She wasn’t sure how it happened, but she ended up sitting sandwiched between Mark and Gordon. Mark made her feel safe, even in the midst of their unresolved relationship. But sitting next to Gordon, she felt squirmy, as if he had somehow invaded her space.
The children toward the front finished their music practice and scattered to find seats with their parents. Within a few minutes, the narrow church building was packed. Two more people slid into their pew, which meant Gordon scooted even closer to her. She tried to slide closer to Mark without pushing herself against him.
At this moment, Teri hated her thighs. They were largecompared to the rest of her body. And sitting down made them spread out, making the seating arrangement even tighter. She glanced down self-consciously and noticed that her thighs were definitely broader than Mark’s. Could she ever trust a man who had skinnier thighs than hers? She hadn’t felt that way with Scott. Scott was a large man, which made her feel he was just the right size for her. She wished he were sitting next to her this morning instead of Gordon or even Mark.
What was going to become of her relationship with Mark? Teri hoped he would whisk her away after church so they could have a long talk, just the two of them.
A large Hawaiian man in a flowered print shirt strode down the center aisle of the church just then, greeting people as he came. “This is the day the Lord has made,” he said in a rich, round voice. “Let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
As soon as he reached the front of the church, the congregation rose to its feet and someone began to play a lively chorus on the piano. Drums and an electric guitar joined in.
Teri hadn’t noticed all the instruments before, tucked around on the left side of the church. The sound was invigorating, not too loud, not too jazzy. She liked it.
Then the man at the front started to sing, and the congregation joined in. No words were on an overhead to follow or in songbooks to look at. The singing seemed spontaneous and loud.
It reminded Teri of a little church she had helped to build in a Mexicalli village called Nueva. There the people sang with the same fervor, the same love for God. Putting aside all encumbering thoughts of Mark, Gordon, and Scott and even the size of her legs, Teri closed her eyes and sang out.
After the service they all stood on the lawn, visiting in the cool shade. The fragrance from the creamy plumerias around Teri’s neck filled her nostrils and made her smile. She hadalready told Dan and the others how much she loved their church. Kai was reserved in his comments, saying that church was a new experience for him, but he wanted to come back next week and bring his girlfriend.
Now Teri waited for Mark to say something. All he had to ask was “Teri, do you want to go to lunch?” or “Teri could I talk to you alone for a minute?” Anything to initiate a conversation. But he mentioned nothing. He didn’t even look as if he wanted to say anything. Teri couldn’t understand how anyone could
Teri glared at him. What a cruel joke. How could this guy say something so heartless, especially if he knew what Dan and Anita had gone through trying to have a baby.
“No,” Dan said quickly, “we’re not pregnant.”
“Are you sure?” Gordon had an elf-like quality about his expression. “I’ve been asking Jesus to touch her womb for quite some time. Wouldn’t surprise me if it pleased him to do it now, while her sister’s here.” His look focused in on Teri. Sincere blue eyes met hers, and he lingered in his gaze.
Teri looked away, and as she did, she noticed Mark coming in the back door. She waved eagerly, motioning for him to join them, which he did. Introductions were made, and Dan suggested they find a place to sit since the pews were filling up. Teri followed her brother-in-law down two rows, and then the four men and Teri all filed in and sat on the hard wooden bench. She wasn’t sure how it happened, but she ended up sitting sandwiched between Mark and Gordon. Mark made her feel safe, even in the midst of their unresolved relationship. But sitting next to Gordon, she felt squirmy, as if he had somehow invaded her space.
The children toward the front finished their music practice and scattered to find seats with their parents. Within a few minutes, the narrow church building was packed. Two more people slid into their pew, which meant Gordon scooted even closer to her. She tried to slide closer to Mark without pushing herself against him.
At this moment, Teri hated her thighs. They were largecompared to the rest of her body. And sitting down made them spread out, making the seating arrangement even tighter. She glanced down self-consciously and noticed that her thighs were definitely broader than Mark’s. Could she ever trust a man who had skinnier thighs than hers? She hadn’t felt that way with Scott. Scott was a large man, which made her feel he was just the right size for her. She wished he were sitting next to her this morning instead of Gordon or even Mark.
What was going to become of her relationship with Mark? Teri hoped he would whisk her away after church so they could have a long talk, just the two of them.
A large Hawaiian man in a flowered print shirt strode down the center aisle of the church just then, greeting people as he came. “This is the day the Lord has made,” he said in a rich, round voice. “Let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
As soon as he reached the front of the church, the congregation rose to its feet and someone began to play a lively chorus on the piano. Drums and an electric guitar joined in.
Teri hadn’t noticed all the instruments before, tucked around on the left side of the church. The sound was invigorating, not too loud, not too jazzy. She liked it.
Then the man at the front started to sing, and the congregation joined in. No words were on an overhead to follow or in songbooks to look at. The singing seemed spontaneous and loud.
It reminded Teri of a little church she had helped to build in a Mexicalli village called Nueva. There the people sang with the same fervor, the same love for God. Putting aside all encumbering thoughts of Mark, Gordon, and Scott and even the size of her legs, Teri closed her eyes and sang out.
After the service they all stood on the lawn, visiting in the cool shade. The fragrance from the creamy plumerias around Teri’s neck filled her nostrils and made her smile. She hadalready told Dan and the others how much she loved their church. Kai was reserved in his comments, saying that church was a new experience for him, but he wanted to come back next week and bring his girlfriend.
Now Teri waited for Mark to say something. All he had to ask was “Teri, do you want to go to lunch?” or “Teri could I talk to you alone for a minute?” Anything to initiate a conversation. But he mentioned nothing. He didn’t even look as if he wanted to say anything. Teri couldn’t understand how anyone could
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