A Younger Man (Mount Faith Series: Book 7) (18 page)

He felt really out of sorts. He was twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six and he had just gotten a broken heart.

He was tempted to go see Taj again, this time about his broken heart, but he knew that Jesus was a thousand times more adept at healing a broken heart, especially one in his condition and situation. As a result, he had been praying, but the instant relief he had been expecting was nowhere to be found.

He got up from the floor and actually entertained the thought about running up to the school again and playing squash, but he didn't have the energy for squash, and he remembered how sore he was from the last session with his uncle.

He put on his track bottom instead and decided to pick up Davia for work. He had been avoiding her calls for the past couple of days. He needed to apologize to her and make a real effort to see her. He already liked her. Maybe he could love her?

He didn't know. He had two more weeks of his uncle's ridiculous dating ultimatum. He was even thinking that he didn't even want to hear Anita's secret anymore, he knew enough. He would see Davia under his own steam.

He pocketed his car keys and walked to the driveway. The first time he had been assigned the four-bedroom house, he yearned to have a family to fill it. At the time, he had had Anita on his mind. Now when he looked back at the house, he felt nothing.

He drove to Davia's and arrived at the right time. She was just stepping out of her house. She was dressed in a stylish gray suit and carried a matching bag. She looked polished and sophisticated. He realized that she had been gradually transforming herself in the past weeks and he hadn't really noticed, as he should have. He was taking notice now.

She looked up when he blew the car horn, and waved, a smile lighting up her face.

"Vanley," she approached the car. "How are you?"

"Not bad," Vanley said coming out and opening the passenger door for her. She got in. She smelled good, like French vanilla.

"How are you?" he asked when he got back in the car. "I have been silent for the past week, but I have been thinking about you."

"I figured you had a lot to deal with," Davia shrugged, "but you are here now. I guess you heard that I was fired."

"No," Vanley shook his head. "When? Why?"

"When? The very day after we got back from Kingston. Why? Because I snooped in Anita's files. She knows I was the one who gave you information about her son."

Vanley cleared his throat. "She said Anton was not her son."

"Then she's lying," Davia said passionately. "That boy looked just like her. He could be her twin."

Vanley shrugged. "I am tired of it, all of it: hidden secrets, and trying to decipher what they mean…just tired. I'm ready to simplify my life."

"Really?" Davia asked.

"Really," Vanley said. "I am moving on with my life. I'm assuming that you still work at Mount Faith."

"Yes," Davia said happily, "I am in the Performing Arts Department. It is fun."

Vanley nodded. "How so?"

"I work for several lecturers instead of just Anita," Davia said. "Are you still... um... in love with her?"

"I didn't tell you that I was," Vanley said. "Did I?"

"You didn't have to," Davia said. "I think it was pretty obvious, the way you said her name, the way you looked after visiting her."

Vanley shrugged. "I think I'll always love Anita. I just don't think she's the one for me though. I prayed about us. My answers are always a resounding no. I have held out all this time, waiting for God to change his mind, but he hasn't. The answer is still no."

Davia nodded solemnly and then twisted in her seat and looked at him. "My birthday is tomorrow. I will be twenty-two."

Vanley looked at her. "Seriously? You are a March girl? My birthday is at the end of March."

"Want us to have a double celebration?" Davia asked.

Vanley turned into the Mount Faith campus, "I don't really celebrate birthdays. It was never an emphasis in my house while I was growing up but," he smiled at Davia, "I can make an exception for you. For your birthday present I vow to take you to a new place in Jamaica every free Sunday that I have."

"Yipee," Davia said excitedly. "That will be fun."

Vanley stopped the car in front of the building and she reached over and kissed him on the cheek, just narrowly missing his lips. "See you later?"

"Sure," Vanley said, watching as she walked toward the building. He touched the spot where she had kissed him. It wasn't unpleasant, quite the opposite in fact. The dark foreboding cloud burst, and a ray of sunshine named Davia peeped in.

*****

Vanley woke up on his birthday with a feeling of anticipation gripping him. It had taken him three weeks to make progress in trying to wipe Anita out of his mind and his heart, but today when he woke up, one thought was churning in his mind. Today was the day that he could find out what the secret was from his uncle. He had earned the right to hear it, fair and square.

He had dated Davia for three months. In the last three weeks, he had even gotten to like her more than he thought he would have. Apparently, his emotions were not in a deep freeze preserved for Anita as he thought that they had been.

He headed to the church office. He had a semi-packed day and then he was going to visit his uncle. He was curious to know what he had given up on Anita for. He let himself into the office with his laptop in hand. The office was basic and contained the bare essentials: a desk, a chair behind the desk, and two chairs before the desk, which needed to be rewrapped.

That was the least of his church's worries now though. They had so many other needs. He had to determine, with the church treasurer and a few other board members how they would be feeding the shut-ins. His church was an aging church, and they had several persons out sick and bed ridden.

He was psyched up to tackle this newest challenge. That was why he joined the ministry. He was just belatedly getting excited again about his calling. His immersion in Anita and her secrets had robbed him of that. It was good to be back.

He was smiling when he went into the office. He had just powered up his computer when his phone rang. When he answered, he heard a familiar voice.

"Vanley how are you?"

"Hello, Pastor Glenville. How are you?"

"I am good." Pastor Glenville cleared his throat. "Can I see you? I am in your district at the moment, pretty close to your location."

"Sure," Vanley said, feeling a bit apprehensive. "I'm in my vestry at church. Just knock on the door when you get here."

Why would the head pastor of his conference come to see him personally? Usually when this happens to a young pastor he was in trouble. He remembered that the last pastor that this happened to was having an affair with one of his parishioners. That had warranted a visit from several conference officials and a discrete transfer to a church school to serve as a teacher.

He was not in an affair or scandal. If anything, he was the opposite. He had women problems all right: he was soundly rejected by one who had a secret. He fretted until Pastor Glenville showed up. He was even considering pointing out to Pastor Glenville that today was his birthday so he should deal with him kindly. He was that desperate.

When Pastor Glenville knocked on his office door, he jumped guiltily. He opened the door, smiling as if he were relaxed, when deep down he felt only apprehension.

"How are you son?" Pastor Glenville asked warmly.

Vanley's smile relaxed into a genuine one. Surely, he wasn't in trouble if Pastor Glenville called him son. The old pastor was now completely gray, he observed, and his tall posture now had a slight slouch. He vaguely remembered hearing that Pastor Glenville had been ill for some time.

"I am well Pastor, just adapting to running my own church. It's been four months now, still getting into the groove of things. Have a seat." He indicated to his chair in front of the desk and Pastor Glenville sat down.

"Well, well," Pastor Glenville looked around, "I have not been to Bramble in years. It was my first church too, you know, as a young pastor. I spearheaded the building of the church."

Vanley nodded politely.

Glenville whistled, his eyes settling on Vanley. "You are looking well, Vanley. I must say you look more mature somehow."

Maybe Anita's rejection had aged him,
Vanley thought fatalistically.

"Well, today I am one year older." Vanley replied.

"Ah." Glenville nodded his gray head jerkily. "God's blessings, my boy, and I hope you live to see many more birthdays and grow in the ministry."

"Thank you, sir." Vanley clasped his hands.
So what brings you here?
was on the tip of his tongue but he wouldn't dare ask that. He respectfully waited and watched as Pastor Glenville leaned back in his chair.

"How is the church membership going?"

Vanley gave him a report. It took him twenty minutes, and he could swear that in his recital, he heard Pastor Glenville snoring, but when he checked, his eyes were wide opened.

"And what about a prospective wife?" Pastor Glenville asked. "I have been concerned about my pastors and their relationships of late."

"You don't have to be concerned about me," Vanley said brightly. "I am single."

"That too is worrying," Pastor Glenville said, "Surely, it's not good for a man to be alone. A man has needs, and I cannot countenance any scandals from you, Pastor Bancroft. Is there anybody you have in mind for a partner?"

Vanley frowned. Did all new pastors get this kind of grilling from the president of the conference or was this particular line of questioning reserved for only him?

He thought of Davia. He was seeing her, albeit in a casual way. He had carried her sightseeing for the past couple of weeks. He loved her light uncomplicated company, and then there was Anita.

"Well, I was thinking of someone," he said slowly.

Pastor Glenville's eyes lit up. "Vanley, I am happy for you. I know that they have run this over with you at the seminary, regarding the suitability of prospective partners, but let me reiterate a thing or two for you."

Why him?
Vanley thought.
What did the elderly pastor know?

"A pastor's wife has to complement his ministry. She is as much an integral part of this calling to ministry as you are." Glenville cleared his throat. "I have seen so many times that a pastor's weak link is his family."

He looked at Vanley sternly. "That is why you cannot choose a wife based on just love or fleeting feelings. She has to be an example as much as you are."

Vanley nodded dutifully.

"Choose someone humble, someone who loves God, and someone who you can grow with."

Glenville was warming up. "She cannot be married before or have had children before. You know that, right?"

Vanley swallowed. "I didn't know that that was written in stone."

"It is," Glenville said. "It would be the same for you. You couldn't be a pastor in our conference if you were previously married or had a child. We go from 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6." Glenville looked at him, concerned. "You must have missed that particular class in the seminary, Vanley."

No, he hadn't. He just did not want to hear them dictate to him who he could or could not love. No wonder Anita kept harping on about him giving up his ministry. She probably knew all the rules better than he did.

Pastor Glenville clasped his hands and settled back in his chair. "If she does not meet these requirements, you can't serve in this church, Vanley."

Vanley nodded slowly. "I hear you loud and clear."

Pastor Glenville smiled. "I need to stop by and see another young pastor before I leave this district. I must say, it was nice seeing you again, Vanley."

Vanley stood up. "Yes, sir, it was nice seeing you too."

When Pastor Glenville left, he locked the outer door and put his feet on the desk: contemplating his current position. To have Anita's unsuitability for being his wife laid out like that was unexpected, and a little too convenient. He suspected his uncle's hand in this visit. He picked up the phone to call him. Today was the day of the secret and he wanted to hear what it was.

When Vanley called his uncle on his cell phone and didn't get him, he tried the office. The secretary answered the phone.

"Oh, Pastor Bancroft. President Bancroft is off the island for two weeks."

Vanley laughed, his uncle was something else. "When did he leave? Where is he gone?" Vanley asked.

"He left yesterday evening for an annual conference," the secretary said politely.

When Vanley hung up the phone he contemplated calling him and bearing the international charges, just to hear Anita's secret, but he thought better of it. His foxy uncle had known that he was going on a conference for two weeks. He deliberately didn't tell him. He just left him hanging, probably reasoning that it would give him more time with Davia.

He picked up the phone and called Davia.

She was in a cheerful mood. He invited her to his house for supper. He was baking bread; finally, he had someone to share that particular hobby with. It was well and truly time for him to let go of Anita Parkinson.