The day seemed the same as all the other days before today. I, Stephanie Plum, have disappointed my mother yet again. Did you ask why? Give me some time to tell you my story. It started around six years ago.
I first saw him inside Saint Christopher's Catholic Church in Newark. It was the weekend before Christmas during my second year at Douglass College. He was kneeling in the centre pew on the left-hand side of the church. I felt a tingle through my neck as I walked up the aisle to sit in the centre pew opposite the man. His dark blond hair got cut to the scalp. I had only seen men in the military or balding men with such short hair. I assumed he was in the military since he didn't have noticeable bald spots. It took me a few minutes to realize the man's clothes were military fatigues.
Taking a long look at his uniform, he appeared to be in the Army. He wore similar clothes belonging to my dad that I had found inside the basement closet. The man rested his head on his folded hands on the back of the pew in front of him. I could see he was attractive. His shoulders were broad, and his hips were narrow though he wasn't overly muscular. He was lean. I was confident he was a hit with the ladies. My skin overheated when a smile passed over his face. What was amusing you? Did he feel me watching him? Or checking him out?
He was the type of man that attracted me like a moth to a flame. The man oozed sex appeal. I could see his muscular arms through his uniform. His thighs appeared to be toned but not much thicker than mine. I saw his lips twitch before I turned to the front of the church and lowered the kneeler. Mimicking his position, I said a prayer for the safe return of the soldier praying inside the church before I prayed for God to save my soul.
"Please, God. Forgive me for lying to my mother. She wants me to come home for Christmas, but I know she's trying to set me up with Carl Costanza. Mom doesn't know we briefly dated last year. He is too handsy for comfort, and he flirts with other women. I know he wouldn't act on the flirtation, but I don't want to date someone who would potentially cheat on me. Carl cheated on his last girlfriend. Having Morelli write that poem in the men's washrooms around town made all the perverts ask me on a date, hoping I would put out on the first night." I shook my head and sighed.
"I claimed my Economics professor gave me a group assignment to submit at 9 am on the first day after winter break. It's not a total lie. I have the economics assignment to complete, but it's not as a group and is due after the first week. The truth is, I have to work. Mom cut my college funding. I had already paid tuition and residence fees for the year, but I'll have to figure out next year," I paused to wipe a tear off my face.
"Valerie got engaged. Mom needs the money to pay for her wedding to Steve Sutton. I know I shouldn't resent Valerie, but it was not my fault she got pregnant, and Mom has to get them married before Valerie starts showing. What will she say when Valerie gives birth in seven months? How will Mom explain that to the neighbours?" I sighed before adding, "I guess it wouldn't matter because they'll live in LA. Nobody will remember her wedding date. She can always lie and say the child was premature if they do. Knowing Mom, that's precisely what she'd say."
I could feel the man checking me out. It was palpable, like a gentle caress. He quietly approached and sat beside me. His hand rubbed down my back, offering me silent support. I felt the electric pulse move through his palm and into the skin on my back. Silently, I prayed, "Protect this soldier and his team as they serve our country, amen."
"Hi," the man said as I rose from the kneeler and sat on the bench's front edge. I wiped a tear from my eye before pushing back onto the seat.
"Hey," I replied. Father John was at the front of the church, arranging the candles and flowers left by the parishioners. He smiled before disappearing into the vestibule, likely ensuring the garments for the altar servers were clean.
"Is everything okay, ma'am?" the soldier asked. He gently wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. I looked into his green eyes. His face still held remnants of his youth. He appeared to be around my age.
"Yup. What about you?" I wondered.
"I'm shipping out in the morning on my first tour. It's my first nine-month mission," he replied.
"Ah. I remember when Daddy left for his tour. Are you worried? Is that why you're here praying?" I asked. The man reminded me of Daddy. He was handsome and kind. I instantly knew I could trust him.
I saw Father John moving along the side of the church. He extinguished and replaced the candles parishioners lit to pray for their family members. Saint Christopher's wasn't my family's parish, but it was the only one where I felt at home. Father John wasn't stodgy like the priest at Our Lady of the Angels Parish. He was younger and more forward-thinking. The Burg could use their own Father John.
"You're very observant. We're going overseas and taking over the camp for another battalion, who should be home for Christmas. It's my first Christmas away from my family," he explained. I touched his hand. He spread his fingers for me to entwine mine with his. My face heated, and I knew my cheeks were pink.
"Being away from family is a challenge, for sure. I'm not going to be home for Christmas, either. My school funding got cut, so I had to find a job. I'm supposed to work over the holidays."
"That's tough. Can't your family help?" He was a funny man. His thumb brushed against the length of mine, sending electricity up my arm.
I laughed before replying, "My family was my funding. I must work every shift possible to make enough for the next two years."
"I'm sorry about your family cutting their support. Have you applied for scholarships? The schools offer them, but not all get accepted, or the student doesn't meet the criteria once they write their final exams," he suggested. "Scholarship recipients have to maintain an eighty average."
"Huh. I never considered that option. Thanks…," I said, waiting for the man to provide a name.
"Lester," he replied. I noticed the name on his fatigue shirt. "SANTOS" was across the right side, and "US ARMY" was on the left side.
"Stephanie," I said, tucking my leg under while sitting sideways on the bench. Lester lifted the kneeler with his foot, placing it back into position. I checked my watch for the time. My stomach grumbled, a reminder I had forgotten to eat lunch today. It was close to dinner time.
"Would you care to join me for dinner?" Lester asked, reluctantly releasing my hand.
"I would love to," I replied. Lester slid out of the pew and waited for me to follow. He placed his hand on my lower back as we walked toward the exit. Father John smiled as we passed him.
"Good night, Stephanie, Lieutenant Santos," Father John said.
We replied, "Good night, Father."
It was unusually warm that day. I wanted to take advantage of the mild weather. Lester and I walked to the closest fast-food restaurant, Taco Bell, but neither of us minded. Their food was cheap, and you could get a lot with your money. Since I missed lunch, I ordered four soft tacos, two chilli beef burritos, a large order of fries and a cola. Lester ordered the same as me. When I grabbed my wallet to pay for my food, Lester brushed my hand away and handed the cashier the cash.
"I never let women pay for a date," he said. My inner rhino reared its head, prepared to attack. Despite his invitation, I preferred to pay my own way, and we weren't on a date.
"Is that what you think this is?" I asked. "I just broke up with my boyfriend. I'm not ready to date."
Lester shrugged and admitted it wasn't a date, but he had hoped it could be. My inner rhino was relaxed. "What did your boyfriend do?" Lester wondered.
"He wanted more than I was willing to offer. We only had one date," I replied. "He thought we should have sex after our first kiss. His privates became quite intimate with my knee when he tried to push the issue." Dario never saw it coming. I learned a few weeks later that he served in the Navy with Joe Morelli.
Lester spewed cola from his nose. He used the napkins to wipe off his handsome face and the table. "Remind me not to mess with you," Lester said. His green eyes sparkled in humour. We finished eating as we got to know each other a bit better. Mainly exchanging personal details such as favourite colour - his was blue and favourite pastime - we both loved spending time at the beach. I enjoyed talking to Lester. He was handsome and funny. I hoped to spend more time with him between tours.
After we tossed the trash, Lester walked me back to the church to get my car. I watched him as he walked to the corner and removed a cell phone from his pocket. He forgot to give me his contact information. Then a plan formed in my mind. There was no time to waste. I drove up to him and parked at the curb. "Do you need a ride, soldier?" I asked cheekily.
Lester grinned. He slung his duffel over his shoulder after putting his phone into his duffel. "Yes. Thanks, Stephanie," he replied. "I have to catch a flight."
I drove Lester to Newark Airport to catch the flight to Georgia. He said I could send mail to the base if I wanted or email him. We exchanged numbers to contact each other. Lester reminded me he would be gone for nine months, but I could call his number and leave a message. I said sending emails would probably be a better option, so I didn't fill his voicemail.
"See you," Lester said as he exited the car. Drool dripped from my chin as I watched his sexy ass enter the terminal. Once the doors closed, blocking him from view, I waved and drove away.
Mom had left a message a few nights ago. She demanded that I come home for Christmas. She said I needed to get fitted for my bridesmaid dress. I called Valerie to tell her I was unavailable at that moment and promised to attend a fitting at the closest bridal shop. Valerie said it was fine and she would let me know what colour and style they selected. She sent me a picture of the hideous dress our mom chose for us to wear. It was an awful bile green, which would look horrible with my skin tone. And getting a tan wouldn't make the colour look better on me, despite Mom saying it would.
I knew better because the colour was the same as the shirt I wore to summer camp after grade four. Even with a tan, the colour was hideous on me. Mom seemed to have forgotten.
"If I get married, I'm eloping," I mumbled as I looked at a larger picture of the dress. Using my phone, I used the browser to research the closest stores. It was Friday night, and the Newark Mall had a Sophie's Bridal Shoppe. I drove to the mall and parked my car in the back of the lot when I couldn't find a close spot. Nobody had worse parking karma than me.
My car door stuck when I tried to open it. I shifted to the centre of the bench seat and kicked the door with my feet while pulling the latch. It opened, barely missing the car I had parked beside. I double-checked when I climbed out of the vehicle to ensure I didn't ding the door.
The car used to belong to Grandma Plum. They had moved to Florida and couldn't take the second vehicle. Grandpa gifted it to me as my high school graduation gift. Valerie got Mom's old car when our dad bought a new one. She always got the best of everything. I got the cast-offs, the items Valerie didn't want. It used to bother me, but I learned not to expect better.
I found the bridal shop to try on the dress. The sales clerk found one in my size. We had to shorten the sleeves by an inch and hem the skirt. Even she agreed it was not a flattering colour for my skin tone.