* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Even though their time together was in some ways limited, Mary valued her friendship with Rachel. It was the first time Mary had had a really close female friend since the group she knew through basketball had been disbanded. After that she'd been so busy dating that she hadn't really had time to make friends.
It was with some concern that Mary started to notice a change in Rachel. She remembered when it had started. It was late in the evening and Charity was already dozing, but Mary had had trouble falling asleep and was sitting in the window looking out over the parking lot. This happened sometimes. She always made a point of getting back into bed once she saw Rachel was returning, but sometimes they'd be awake enough for a whispered conversation.
She didn't know how she knew that something was wrong. Something in the way she walked. Reluctantly? Or was it too hurriedly? Stumbling slightly. Looking down. As Rachel drew nearer, Mary realized she was crying. There'd been a problem during their confession session earlier in the evening. Rachel had been called to the floor for coming late. Perhaps she was still upset about that. Pastor Bob had probably said something about it when she was working with him in the church. She crept over to her bed and was lying still when Rachel came in sniffling. She thought of speaking to her, and afterwards wondered if she should have, but at the time it seemed better to give her some privacy. There was very little of that to be had.
Rachel had always seemed so self-assured, so certain. Mary had always had to stifle her doubts, but Rachel had always seemed to epitomize the focused child of the new promise that they all strove to be. Now it seemed it had just been a façade.
"Do you ever have doubts . "
"All the time, but usually not until too late!" Mary joked.
Rachel seemed to take that pronouncement too seriously, so Mary told her about the TPing incident.
Rachel stared at Mary in wonderment. Then burst out: "I can't believe you did that!" For a second Mary thought she'd told Rachel too much, but then Rachel started with a giggle and Mary joined her soon after. It really had been kind of funny. It was only later Mary wondered what Rachel had had doubts about.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Quite a number of people at the church had jobs at the airport. Mary grew to recognize many of them. Ann, whom she often worked with in the kitchen, was a stewardess too. Bitsy worked in one of the cafeterias. There was the fellow who gave her a friendly wave through security when she was running late. Charity had a job with the cleaning staff.
Mary'd always understood that the church valued the contributions they could make to the church through their jobs. Financially she felt a bit guilty that she couldn't give more, but most of her paycheque went to paying off her debt. Financial contributions weren't the only kind of benefit to be had from this sort of job, though. Just as Rachel had engaged in outreach in brining her into the church, so Mary too could bring in new members. At least in theory. Somehow in practice it never seemed to work out. She felt guilty about it. She was the only one in her group who hadn't brought someone else to New Promise. Pastor David's talks often centered on their relationship to nature or the need to work hard at making the church a successful community.
"After the flood, God commanded Noah and all his descendants to 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.' (Genesis 9:1, 7) Like Noah we have land that requires stewardship. We too should seek out new members so that we can fully develop the land over which we have stewardship."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Mary had occasion to be grateful for the help of other church members at the airport. The allowance she'd negotiated when she'd made the arrangements to pay off her debt through the church was quite small. After paying for her work expenses she had very little left over. If she missed a meal at the church or her flight was delayed, she'd occasionally take advantage of Bitsy's position to grab at least a roll or piece of fruit while she was waiting. Unfortunately Bitsy wasn't always working when Mary needed this sort of help.
It was on such an occasion that Mary saw Jane Anderson for the first time in months. She was well enough established in her job that she no longer felt the trepidation that she had when she first began working there. Jane saw her, paused in the middle of a stride, then greeted her surprisingly warmly.
"Mary, I haven't seen you in quite some time."
"I guess we're not usually assigned to the same flights."
"That's true. I've been doing the western routes most of the time. Are you busy now? We could catch a bite to eat together."
Mary felt her stomach rumble at the thought of food. "I can't. I didn't bring any money with me."
"Not a problem. I'll treat." Jane led her up to the counter and ordered two specials.
They sat down together at a table in the corner which had a view of the planes taking off.
"So how are you finding the work so far Mary?"
"Fine." She bit into one of her french fries. "It's good, actually."
"You're making some friends?" Jane squirted mustard on her hamburger then looked up.
"Sure. You know Rachel, who does the Puerto Rico flights with me?"
"Right. I think I heard that you'd moved into a . residence with her?"
"Yes. It's affiliated with a church. Children of the New Promise. It's a sort of co-op." One of the cleaning people was clearing up the next table and Mary found she had to raise her voice slightly to be heard over the clutter.
"And how are you finding that?" The question was innocuous, but Mary found the intensity with which it was asked somewhat disconcerting. She bit into her sandwich.
"It's fine."
Jane cleared her throat and took a sip of her coffee. "Quite a few people who live there seem to have gotten jobs at the airport."
"Yah, it makes it easier to get rides into work." She took another bite. "I think a few of them have helped others get their jobs." Another bite. She chewed. "And, of course, some of them found out about the church through their co-workers. The way I did through Rachel."
"Of course." Jane fiddled with her napkin. "Mary have you ever . ?" But the question was interrupted by an announcement over the speakers requesting that Mary Camden come to security.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When she arrived at security she asked what the announcement had been for. "I saw this purse left behind at the security desk and thought it might be yours, but" the security guard pointed to the purse slung over her shoulder, "I can see I was mistaken. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important?"
"No. Just saying 'hi' to a co-worker."
"Well." He smiled at her. "No harm done then."
Even though their time together was in some ways limited, Mary valued her friendship with Rachel. It was the first time Mary had had a really close female friend since the group she knew through basketball had been disbanded. After that she'd been so busy dating that she hadn't really had time to make friends.
It was with some concern that Mary started to notice a change in Rachel. She remembered when it had started. It was late in the evening and Charity was already dozing, but Mary had had trouble falling asleep and was sitting in the window looking out over the parking lot. This happened sometimes. She always made a point of getting back into bed once she saw Rachel was returning, but sometimes they'd be awake enough for a whispered conversation.
She didn't know how she knew that something was wrong. Something in the way she walked. Reluctantly? Or was it too hurriedly? Stumbling slightly. Looking down. As Rachel drew nearer, Mary realized she was crying. There'd been a problem during their confession session earlier in the evening. Rachel had been called to the floor for coming late. Perhaps she was still upset about that. Pastor Bob had probably said something about it when she was working with him in the church. She crept over to her bed and was lying still when Rachel came in sniffling. She thought of speaking to her, and afterwards wondered if she should have, but at the time it seemed better to give her some privacy. There was very little of that to be had.
Rachel had always seemed so self-assured, so certain. Mary had always had to stifle her doubts, but Rachel had always seemed to epitomize the focused child of the new promise that they all strove to be. Now it seemed it had just been a façade.
"Do you ever have doubts . "
"All the time, but usually not until too late!" Mary joked.
Rachel seemed to take that pronouncement too seriously, so Mary told her about the TPing incident.
Rachel stared at Mary in wonderment. Then burst out: "I can't believe you did that!" For a second Mary thought she'd told Rachel too much, but then Rachel started with a giggle and Mary joined her soon after. It really had been kind of funny. It was only later Mary wondered what Rachel had had doubts about.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Quite a number of people at the church had jobs at the airport. Mary grew to recognize many of them. Ann, whom she often worked with in the kitchen, was a stewardess too. Bitsy worked in one of the cafeterias. There was the fellow who gave her a friendly wave through security when she was running late. Charity had a job with the cleaning staff.
Mary'd always understood that the church valued the contributions they could make to the church through their jobs. Financially she felt a bit guilty that she couldn't give more, but most of her paycheque went to paying off her debt. Financial contributions weren't the only kind of benefit to be had from this sort of job, though. Just as Rachel had engaged in outreach in brining her into the church, so Mary too could bring in new members. At least in theory. Somehow in practice it never seemed to work out. She felt guilty about it. She was the only one in her group who hadn't brought someone else to New Promise. Pastor David's talks often centered on their relationship to nature or the need to work hard at making the church a successful community.
"After the flood, God commanded Noah and all his descendants to 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.' (Genesis 9:1, 7) Like Noah we have land that requires stewardship. We too should seek out new members so that we can fully develop the land over which we have stewardship."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Mary had occasion to be grateful for the help of other church members at the airport. The allowance she'd negotiated when she'd made the arrangements to pay off her debt through the church was quite small. After paying for her work expenses she had very little left over. If she missed a meal at the church or her flight was delayed, she'd occasionally take advantage of Bitsy's position to grab at least a roll or piece of fruit while she was waiting. Unfortunately Bitsy wasn't always working when Mary needed this sort of help.
It was on such an occasion that Mary saw Jane Anderson for the first time in months. She was well enough established in her job that she no longer felt the trepidation that she had when she first began working there. Jane saw her, paused in the middle of a stride, then greeted her surprisingly warmly.
"Mary, I haven't seen you in quite some time."
"I guess we're not usually assigned to the same flights."
"That's true. I've been doing the western routes most of the time. Are you busy now? We could catch a bite to eat together."
Mary felt her stomach rumble at the thought of food. "I can't. I didn't bring any money with me."
"Not a problem. I'll treat." Jane led her up to the counter and ordered two specials.
They sat down together at a table in the corner which had a view of the planes taking off.
"So how are you finding the work so far Mary?"
"Fine." She bit into one of her french fries. "It's good, actually."
"You're making some friends?" Jane squirted mustard on her hamburger then looked up.
"Sure. You know Rachel, who does the Puerto Rico flights with me?"
"Right. I think I heard that you'd moved into a . residence with her?"
"Yes. It's affiliated with a church. Children of the New Promise. It's a sort of co-op." One of the cleaning people was clearing up the next table and Mary found she had to raise her voice slightly to be heard over the clutter.
"And how are you finding that?" The question was innocuous, but Mary found the intensity with which it was asked somewhat disconcerting. She bit into her sandwich.
"It's fine."
Jane cleared her throat and took a sip of her coffee. "Quite a few people who live there seem to have gotten jobs at the airport."
"Yah, it makes it easier to get rides into work." She took another bite. "I think a few of them have helped others get their jobs." Another bite. She chewed. "And, of course, some of them found out about the church through their co-workers. The way I did through Rachel."
"Of course." Jane fiddled with her napkin. "Mary have you ever . ?" But the question was interrupted by an announcement over the speakers requesting that Mary Camden come to security.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When she arrived at security she asked what the announcement had been for. "I saw this purse left behind at the security desk and thought it might be yours, but" the security guard pointed to the purse slung over her shoulder, "I can see I was mistaken. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important?"
"No. Just saying 'hi' to a co-worker."
"Well." He smiled at her. "No harm done then."