CONGRATLATONS heavenly1998! Yep!
NOTE: Totally creating Howie's backstory. Seems to fit, don't you think?
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"Good morning Hudsons! Are you excited for your tour?" Howie exclaimed the next morning. He was leaning against his limo, waiting for them at the front entrance of the hotel, exactly where he left them 14 hours earlier.
"Yes!" Mellody happily exclaimed, jumping as she came toward the man.
"But remember, church first, please." Sue reminded their friend.
"Yes, yes, of course." He muttered, getting into the limo. Everyone followed behind.
"You know, I used to go to church. Haven't in a long time." He said after he instructed Hector to drive on.
"Oh?" She asked.
He nodded. "My parents died when I was young, so I lived with my Aunt. She was very religious, going to church every single day. She dragged me along on Sundays. When I moved out when I was 18, I guess I never kept up the tradition."
"Why not?" Mellody asked.
Howie smiled at the girl. "I don't really know. I just wasn't into it. I didn't really understand how there could be a loving God if He took away my parents when I needed them the most."
"Sue says God wanted our Momma with him for a reason. We don't know why, but He has a reason. We can't be mad cause we don't know the reason." Chris replied.
"Profound young boy you have there!" He replied, surprised at what he said.
Sue nodded. "He's right, though. God has a reason for everything."
"So He has a reason why I'm stuck dragging you to church?" He asked, chuckling. She nodded seriously. "OK, then." He replied, not believing her as he looked out the window. "We're here." He announced, seeing the church through the window. Hector dropped them off at the front and they all got out and walked in. "I made sure there was a sign language interpreter for you." He said, looking around the room.
"Thank you, Howie!" Sue happily exclaimed.
"There she is!" He exclaimed, quickly walking to a woman, then dragging her back to where the Hudsons were standing. "This is Alli, your interpreter.
"HELLO!" Sue signed.
"HELLO!" Alli signed back. "WE SET-UP NOW, OK?"
"PERFECT!" She replied, then Alli led them to the front corner of the church where they would sit.
As they were walking, Chris tugged on Jack's pant leg. "What are they saying?"
He smiled at him. "They're just saying hello, sharing their names and namesigns and such."
He nodded, then looked at the two women signing. "That's my namesign, right?"
He said, pointing to the women. Sue had just signed a C on the chest.
Jack nodded. "Yep, C for Christian, your whole name. Your namesign is the first part of when you sign 'Christ'." He explained, signing for emphasis as they settled down in their seats.
"And what is Mellody's?"
"An M side to side, just like the sign for music, like my name!" Mellody proudly answered, remembering when Sue gave them their signs a few days after they were approved to stay with them.
Chris nodded, then went back to watching the signing. After a few seconds, he shook his head. "Why can't I understand anything?"
Jack chuckled. "You will, in time."
"How long?"
"A little while."
"Tomorrow?"
He laughed. "Probably not."
"Wednesday?" He asked.
Jack shook his head. "Learnings not like that. You will gradually learn, then boom, you will realize you know more than you thought you did."
"But when will that happen?"
"Sooner than you think. Now, hush, church is about to start."
Sue enjoyed church, especially since Howie ensured an interpreter to be available for her. The pastor was talking about hurt, forgiveness and love, things she's really had to overcome the past few years. About ¾ of the way through, she noticed Howie quietly slipping out of the pew and out of the church. Worried, she followed him. Staying far enough behind to ensure she wasn't noticed, she followed him to the front doors. Staying behind the windowed door, she watched him take out his cell phone and scroll through it for a few seconds. He stopped and sighed, then put the phone up to his ear.
"Hey, Aunt Myrtle! Long time no talk! How you doing?" He excitedly said into the phone.
Sue smiled as she watched the one-sided conversation for a few seconds, then walked back to her seat, still smiling.
"EVERYTHING OK?" Jack quietly signed when she sat back down.
She nodded. "EVERYTHING PERFECT."
