Church
Eric heard a distant rumble of thunder as he stepped into the pulpit. It was spring, and little storms would pop up now and then. He'd always liked them.
He began the service with announcements about meetings scheduled for the week, and a blood drive at the church next Saturday. As he looked up from his notes he saw her slip in through the back door. For a second his breath left him. She had the same tousled look as she'd had when he met her. He wondered if she had come to church with the top down. Another roll of thunder brought him back. He picked right up where he'd left off but he wondered if anyone had noticed the change. His heart beat rapidly as he read the rest of the announcements. That puzzled him. Leading worship was so routine by now that he never felt nervous. He tried not to look toward that last pew.
Eric made it through the sermon. It wasn't one of his best, he knew, but it certainly wasn't his worst either. There were two areas now where he tried not to look while he spoke. The other was the first pew where his family always sat.
During the final hymn Eric allowed himself to relax a little more. The sermon was over. Hard part done. Most people were looking at their hymnals now and he could afford to look around a bit. The church was crowded today. He had to search a little to find her. He was startled to find her looking right at him as he found her. He hadn't meant for her to even see. She was smiling confidently. She gave him a friendly wink. Eric smiled weakly in response and returned quickly to his hymnal. He felt another set of eyes look right through him. He didn't dare look up, but he knew that Annie had seen something in his face.
Jaye was one of the first people out the door. Eric managed to be cool and appropriate as he shook her hand, "Thanks for worshipping here today, Jaye. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll come back again." This time he noticed that she wore no wedding ring and she had come alone.
"Thank you, Eric, for a refreshing service. It's been a long time since I've been in church, and until today I hadn't realized I'd been missing anything." When Jaye laughed her whole face lit up with joy. Eric found himself transfixed again.
Jaye squeezed his arm. "I'd love to grab a cup of coffee with you tomorrow if you're free."
"Yes. That would be great." Eric tried to sound as casual as Jaye did. He doubted his success.
"I'll come by Glenoak Village in the morning," he said.
"I'll look forward to it," Jaye smiled. Then she was gone.
Eric heard a distant rumble of thunder as he stepped into the pulpit. It was spring, and little storms would pop up now and then. He'd always liked them.
He began the service with announcements about meetings scheduled for the week, and a blood drive at the church next Saturday. As he looked up from his notes he saw her slip in through the back door. For a second his breath left him. She had the same tousled look as she'd had when he met her. He wondered if she had come to church with the top down. Another roll of thunder brought him back. He picked right up where he'd left off but he wondered if anyone had noticed the change. His heart beat rapidly as he read the rest of the announcements. That puzzled him. Leading worship was so routine by now that he never felt nervous. He tried not to look toward that last pew.
Eric made it through the sermon. It wasn't one of his best, he knew, but it certainly wasn't his worst either. There were two areas now where he tried not to look while he spoke. The other was the first pew where his family always sat.
During the final hymn Eric allowed himself to relax a little more. The sermon was over. Hard part done. Most people were looking at their hymnals now and he could afford to look around a bit. The church was crowded today. He had to search a little to find her. He was startled to find her looking right at him as he found her. He hadn't meant for her to even see. She was smiling confidently. She gave him a friendly wink. Eric smiled weakly in response and returned quickly to his hymnal. He felt another set of eyes look right through him. He didn't dare look up, but he knew that Annie had seen something in his face.
Jaye was one of the first people out the door. Eric managed to be cool and appropriate as he shook her hand, "Thanks for worshipping here today, Jaye. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll come back again." This time he noticed that she wore no wedding ring and she had come alone.
"Thank you, Eric, for a refreshing service. It's been a long time since I've been in church, and until today I hadn't realized I'd been missing anything." When Jaye laughed her whole face lit up with joy. Eric found himself transfixed again.
Jaye squeezed his arm. "I'd love to grab a cup of coffee with you tomorrow if you're free."
"Yes. That would be great." Eric tried to sound as casual as Jaye did. He doubted his success.
"I'll come by Glenoak Village in the morning," he said.
"I'll look forward to it," Jaye smiled. Then she was gone.