What Did Riggins Do?
Note: takes place between FNL seasons 2 & 3. These characters are not mine.
It was the crucifix and the paintings. Everywhere Lyla looked at church, she saw him. His long brown hair, his expression that spoke of silent suffering, his graceful solitude, his capacity to endure. She saw Jesus, but she also saw Tim.
Then her hormones kicked in. The feeling of being with him, his complex eyes searing into her, his strong arms drawing her in, his lips meshing with hers.
It was often listening to the sermon, even when Chris was preaching, that her eyes would wander up and up and see him beckoning to her from the cross. That rendition in particular resembled Tim, chin dropped like he did.
Then she'd feel her cheeks flush and the hotness would race down her torso like a lit fuse.
After her mind settled back on the words being intoned, after the service ended in a spiritual, after Chris held her hand and kissed her goodbye on the cheek, she'd cruise past his house, the one with the #33 sign out front, hoping to catch a glimpse of him washing his truck, putting out the trash, anything.
Then she'd drive to the lakeside and cry.
/-/-/-
Things with Chris were good enough. He fed her spirit and made her feel virtuous, even when she wanted to get down and dirty. He always took the high road.
And then Tim began coming to church. At first she was annoyed. He was clearly only there to see her and make Chris jealous. Then she felt flattered. And she loved looking at him.
She'd decline Tim's offer to sit together, instead taking Chris' hand and sitting a few rows up. Chris would smile that tight, nervous smile at Tim. Lyla would gaze back at Tim with a twinkle in her eye before dialing her smile to sweet for Chris.
Then one day leaving church, she and Tim wound up parked near one another.
"Brunch, Garrity? Waffles," Tim said, knowing they were her favorite.
She hesitated, fearful of the pull he still had on her. But she missed him in every way.
"Only if you let me drive." She had a new demo pickup from her dad's dealership. "'Fair enough," Tim replied, grinning.
But like usual, she drove to the lake, skipping his house. "Where we going? IHOP's the other way," Tim said. He was hungry.
She didn't reply, and in a minute they reached the lake. They sat in silence until Tim's stomach growled and they both laughed. Then tears formed in Lyla's eyes, as usual.
"You okay, Garrity?" Tim said worriedly. He cradled her face and wiped away a tear.
She looked him, eyes wide. "This is going to sound insane, but when I see images of Jesus, I think of you. And it makes me miss you."
Tim stared at her for a minute, then a giggle rose through him and grew into a laugh.
"What, Tim! God, I shouldn't have told you. You must think I'm an idiot, like one of those callers to your radio show."
He looked away, and then back at her, his hazel eyes smoldering.
"What if I told you that I'm here on earth to save you?" he said in his lowest voice. She couldn't tell if he was serious or joking, but he had a calm, comforting expression on his face.
They looked at each other intently, and he clasped her head with both hands and kissed her strong and full on the mouth.
From then on, Lyla knew there was some truth to that. She never felt more like herself than when she was with Tim, for better or worse.
She cocked her head and swiftly climbed between the front seats into the back. "Extended cab," she winked, taking his hand and pulling him with her. "We have some praying to catch up on."
"Now about those waffles… I'm starved." he said, sighing contentedly after they made mad love, kissing her softly once more.
They were together much of the rest of summer. Lyla went back to church a couple times, and never looked at Jesus the same way again.