Arizona Pastor (11 page)

“Yeah,” agreed Freddy. “Kinda set the mood to read it.”

Kristy lifted her eyebrows, and Wade offered a quick nod. “Thanks. Okay. Let's move on to the music.”

Eustace groaned. She leaned forward, cupped her cheeks with her hands and shook her head. “I tried to listen to the contemporary stuff. The words—when I could understand them—seemed good enough, but I just don't see how playing guitars and beating drums is worshipful.”

“Some of those old hymns are hardly worshipful.”
Becca sat up straighter in her chair. “Chad played several for me, and I was so bored I practically fell asleep.”

Greg looked at Becca. “I enjoy some of the hymns. We sang all of the old hymns in the church where I grew up.” He glanced at Wade. “I usually prefer contemporary, but I still get cold chills when someone sings ‘Amazing Grace' or ‘Because He Lives.'”

“Humph. Back in my day ‘Because He Lives'
was
a contemporary song,” said Freddy. He clasped his hands. “I have to admit there were a few contemporary songs I've started to enjoy.”

“Freddy,” accused Eustace. “You must be joking. What would Dortha say?”

“Well, there was this one song about the oceans and having faith to keep your eyes focused on Jesus and not the waves.” Freddy pursed his lips and glanced at Eustace. “The song spoke to Dortha, as well. She sang right along when she was dusting the living room.”

Eustace crossed her arms. Becca cocked her head. “You gotta be willing to give things a try, Eustace.”

“Now, that doesn't mean I don't like the hymns, Becca.” Freddy's already deep tone sounded more like a growl. “I wasn't overly fond of most of the fast-moving music.”

“Well, we could always go to two services,” said Becca. Eustace clicked her tongue. “I'd rather do that than have someone on stage, banging on drums.”

“There are several churches that have done the same thing,” Greg said. “One traditional and one contemporary service.”

Wade lifted his hands. “Wait a minute. I don't want to talk about splitting up the church.”

“Right,” Kristy said. “Our committee was formed for unity.” She motioned toward each of them. “That we could
find a middle ground, then encourage our friends to buy in to what we've decided.”

Wade's heart pounded in his chest, and he found himself caring more for her. No. His feelings were beyond caring. He was falling in love with her. She would be the perfect helpmate, a terrific encourager. Someone he could come home to and experience reason and refreshment with after a taxing, spiritually draining day.

He cleared his throat and forced his thoughts back to the meeting. “I want you all to hear something.” He opened his laptop and pulled up the song he'd downloaded earlier in the day. “This song blends a traditional hymn with some contemporary sound. Let's listen, then tell me what you think.”

While the song played, he studied his fellow committee members. Becca mouthed the words, and Greg silently tapped the beat with his pointer finger on the table. Freddy tilted his head. He didn't make any gestures, but his expression seemed open to the new music. Eustace, however, scowled. Wade offered a silent prayer that God would show them a common ground.

He looked at Kristy. Her chin was raised, and her eyes closed. Like Becca, she mouthed the words. Her entire person glowed with worship.

He sucked in air, trying to breathe in the devotion she seemed to feel. Many times he'd told God he'd forgiven himself, that he'd moved on after Zella's death. His heart was ready to love Kristy. His mind still battled, but he had to overcome it. He had to fight for the freedom God had given him. As soon as they closed this meeting in prayer, he was going to ask Kristy for coffee. This time not as a diversion from Mel's wedding plans, but because he wanted to spend time with her.

K
risty sat in a padded maroon chair and glanced around the obstetrician's office lobby. A thirtysomething woman dressed in running shorts and an oversize T-shirt perused a magazine while rocking a car seat with her foot. A couple was seated a few chairs away from her. The woman appeared to have a month or less before her baby's due date. Several more ladies and a few men waited around the room. Kristy glanced toward the front desk, and her stomach twisted at the sight of Mel and Joel signing in for her appointment.

If their calculations were correct, Mel was eleven weeks. She blinked and swallowed the knot in her throat. Her grandchild would most likely be born before Kristy would be able to fully believe her baby was having a baby.

Mel and Joel sat down beside her. He took Mel's hand and held it in his. She leaned her head against his shoulder and then sat back up. “We should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat today.”

“Mom told me the slower the heartbeat, the better chance for a boy,” said Joel.

Mel nudged his arm with her shoulder. “Are you saying you want a boy?”

“Well, sure.” Joel scratched his head with his free hand. “I mean, a girl would be okay, I guess, but a boy would carry on the family name.”

Mel stuck her nose in the air. “A girl can keep her family name if she wants.”

Joel's expression dropped, like a puppy who'd just been scolded for making a mess. “Are you saying you wanna keep your last name when we get married?”

“Of course not.” Mel nudged him again. “I can't wait to become Mrs. Joel Conners.”

Kristy bit her bottom lip. Did that mean Mel had renewed her decision to marry Joel? Her daughter had been more open with her, but she hadn't shared any decisions she'd made after promising Carrie she'd think through her choices. The more time Kristy spent with God, studying His word and praying for Mel and Joel and the baby, the more unsure she felt about how to advise Mel about marrying her boyfriend.
Or fiancé, I should say.

They were young. Life would be hard. But they were both Christians. Naive. Immature. But they'd made a grown-up, outside-the-will-of-God decision to have relations before they married. They were in for a big shock when the end of January rolled around, but she had been shocked as well, when Mel had made her appearance into the world. She'd survived being a mom at eighteen. She was glad she and Tim had never married, but they'd had different life goals and had realized that early on. Contrasting ideas about God and family and what their future should look like. Joel and Mel, though young, were more in accord about what they wanted.

And yet the thought of the two of them getting married... standing before God and their families and friends and pledging to love one another until death do they part? The idea was absurd. Kristy hadn't planned on thinking about Mel's wedding for several years to come.

A red-haired woman wearing peach pants and an elephant-patterned shirt opened the door to the office. “Mel Adams.”

Mel hopped out of the chair. Joel stood and grabbed her hand again. Feeling like the third wheel, Kristy followed a few steps behind them.

“How are we doing today?” asked the nurse.

“Great,” Mel bubbled.

She pointed to a scale. “Go ahead and step on there.”

Mel passed Joel her purse while Kristy tried to make herself small by pressing as close to the wall as possible. The nurse checked Mel's temperature and blood pressure, then the three of them followed her to a room. Mel sat on the bed, and Joel squeezed between the bed and the wall. Kristy sat in a chair, again feeling very out of place.

“Are you having any symptoms you're concerned about?” The nurse flipped her hand. “Throwing up too much? Excessive cramping?”

Mel shook her head. “I feel pretty good. Just a little nausea.” She placed one hand on her stomach. “I go to the bathroom. Like, a lot.” Her face reddened, and she glanced at Joel, then turned away quickly.

“That's perfectly normal.” The nurse flipped a paper over. “Your chart says you should be about eleven weeks. We should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat today.”

“That's why we're all here,” Joel piped up. His face shone with pride as he pushed a strand of hair behind Mel's ear.

The gesture was so natural and sweet, Kristy felt as
though a fist clenched her heart. It was obvious Joel loved Mel. Would that love last forever? Was he mature enough to make a commitment to her and keep it? She thought of all the coworkers, even fellow church members, who'd got divorces. Some had married young, but some hadn't. What was the key to staying married?

She knew what her parents would say.
You stay together and work it out.
Just thinking about it, she could almost hear her mother's voice when Carrie and Michael had got engaged.
You won't like him every day of your marriage, but you stick it out with him until you do like him again. And don't worry, you will.
A grin split her lips at the memory.

The door opened, and the doctor walked in. He extended his hand. “How are we doing, Mel?”

“Anxious to hear the baby's heartbeat,” she responded.

He shook Joel's hand, then Kristy's. “I bet you are.”

Turning away from them, he washed his hands, then put on latex gloves. He picked up the Doppler machine and then instructed Mel to lie back on the table. After applying gel, he placed the Doppler monitor on her belly.

Mel released a slight gasp, and Kristy placed her hand over her mouth. She felt as though she were in someone else's body.
Her
daughter wasn't lying on a table with a monitor on her abdomen.
Her
daughter was going to college.
Her
daughter was going to make perfect grades. Become an amazing lawyer.

Then a rhythmic beat filled the room.

“Found it,” said the doctor.

Tears streamed down Mel's temples, and using tender motions, Joel brushed them away. Kristy felt her own heart beat faster as the doctor turned up the monitor and the sound grew stronger. That was her grandbaby.

* * *

Wade motioned for Mel and Joel to have a seat on the couch in his living room. “Thanks for being willing to switch locations. The church's air-conditioning should be fixed tomorrow.”

“Mom said the committee meeting was postponed for tonight.” Mel sat down and crossed one leg over the other. She seemed more at peace than the previous time he'd seen her, which had been when she and Carrie had battled about Mel's choices for the future. Joel sat beside her and took her hand in his. Every time Wade saw the two of them, Joel was reaching for her hand.

Bo scratched at the back door, then whined a wounded plea. The overgrown pup knew Wade had guests, and he'd probably cause a ruckus the entire counseling session.

“I forgot you had a dog,” Joel said.

“He's such a cutie. Let him in, Pastor Wade.” Mel jutted her thumb toward Joel, then herself. “We don't care if he jumps on us.”

“I don't want him to be a distraction.”

“Don't worry,” said Mel. “We'll focus.”

“Yeah. I'll just pet him and listen at the same time,” added Joel.

The two sounded like young teens begging their dad to let them see the new puppy in the house, and yet in a month's time, they'd be newly married. They'd be parents in January. They'd grow up with their son or daughter, but they could still be good parents if they kept their focus on God's will for their and the baby's lives.

Wade let Bo in the back door. The dalmatian's tail wagged as he dashed into the living room to sniff out the guests. “Sit, Bo,” Wade instructed.

The canine plopped down beside Joel. “What a great dog!” Joel petted his head, and Bo offered his paw. After shaking, Joel laughed. “He's smart, too.”

Wade clapped his hands as he took the chair across from the couple. “How have you been the past couple weeks?”

“Great,” said Joel.

Mel added, “We finished the reading and questions you gave us, based on 1 Corinthians 13.”

“What did you think?”

Mel's eyes twinkled with delight. “It was really cool to read the Bible and pray together. We've never done that before.”

“I liked the part where we talked about keeping no records of wrongs.” Joel elbowed Mel. “She's not supposed to badger me about my mistakes.”

“And he'll have to be patient when I
accidentally
spend too much at the mall.”

Wade furrowed his brows. “Let's not focus on what you shouldn't do but rather on what love means. You're human. You won't be perfect, but you can strive to love and think of the other first.”

“We're just teasing, Pastor Wade. Actually, this weekend I had the opportunity to show love through patience,” said Mel.

“She did.” Joel nodded. “We'd planned a date last Friday. She'd got all fixed up, but one of our customers had a plumbing emergency. None of the other guys were able to take the job on short notice.”

“So he went, and I stayed home with a movie rental and a bag of microwave popcorn.”

“And she wasn't mad,” said Joel.

Mel shook her head. “I really wasn't. I knew it wasn't his fault.”

Wade smiled and nodded his head. “That's a great
example. There will be many times in your marriage when plans will go wrong or one of you will let the other one down. You have to stay committed despite the challenges.”

He picked up the folder off the coffee table and pulled out the two questionnaires they'd filled out two weeks ago. “Have you discussed your answers?”

Joel shook his head. “We waited. Just like you suggested.”

“I tried to get him to talk.” Mel twisted her mouth and rolled her eyes. “But the guy was like a steel trap.”

Wade chuckled. “Okay. You both answered some basic questions about your preconceived ideas about your roles after marriage. Who does the laundry, the cooking, pays the bills and whatnot.” He handed the papers back to them. “Read over your fiancé's responses. Do you have like-minded expectations?”