“Just like with your friend who’s dating the other guy and not you?”
“What?”Fred asked.What did Esther have to do with any of this?
Sean shook his head as if trying to get the mental pieces to fall into place.“You said something about love being a choice when we talked about her last.And we were talking about God then, too.”He shrugged.“I’m still not sure that just letting her walk away is best, but…” He shook his head again.“If God wants me to know Him, why doesn’t He call me up and tell me?”
There were a few things there that Fred was going to have to think about later – and maybe even ask Henry about.Maybe he was taking the hands off, let them choose their own way, approach too far.Maybe it wasn’t leading Sean to God but only causing him to wander into more confusion.
He removed the old shock.What would Henry do?Henry excelled at introducing people to the Kingdom of God.He blew out a breath.He knew exactly what Henry would do.He wouldn’t let an opening slip away.So, he pulled out his phone and opened his contacts.Then, after selecting Sean’s name, he typed:God’s calling.Are you answering?Would you like to meet Him on Sunday at church with me?Or can we read the Bible together?
Having sent that, he tapped Esther’s name.Was he stepping back too far where she was concerned, too?He had wanted to send her a text yesterday before her concert and then, again today, he had wanted to ask her how it went.But… she was at worship team practice.And he wasn’t – because of her.He shook his head and stuffed his phone into his pocket.It was going to take a bit longer to figure out what to do where she was concerned.
Chapter 10
“Ihaven’tbeenherein a couple of years,” Esther said as Tiffany pulled her SUV into the parking lot at the Waterwheel.
The last time had been with her dad when he had wanted her to meet a lady he was dating.Nothing came of that relationship – just like nothing had ever come from any other relationship he had started.
He would date someone for a while, until the relationship seemed to be somewhat serious, and then, he’d introduce her to them.The next thing she knew, the relationship was over.
All of them had ended amicably – well, except for the one with her mother.That one… she sighed.That one had been bad.There had been many loud arguments before the morning her mom kissed her goodbye and told her to have a great day at school and had then walked out of her life before Esther had even noticed she had forgotten her lunch at home.Fred had made sure she had food that day.
She sighed again.Man, she missed him.
“That’s a lot of sighing,” Mandy said as she opened her door to get out.“I know we’re not as handsome as Steve, but we’re all you’ve got tonight.”
Esther shook her head.“I’m not sighing because I’m out with you instead of Steve.”
Truth be told, she was a bit relieved to not be out with Steve.Wednesday night at the diner after the concert had been intense – for her.Steve seemed to weather it in happy oblivion to any of the smoldering dramatics around him.
Ms.Michaels hadn’t been wrong about some parents not being ecstatic about her dating Steve.There had been at least one mom – Savannah’s mom – who had thrown a few dagger-filled looks Esther’s direction.She wasnotlooking forward to the next parent-teacher conference with that parent.In fact, she wasn’t sure she was looking forward to even having to see her in passing.Which she would, since Savannah was in her class.
“Then, what’s it about?”Rosalie draped an arm across Esther’s shoulders as they walked towards the door.Already, you could hear guitar chords filtering out from inside as patrons entered and exited.
“The last time I was here was with my dad – to meet a lady he was dating and who broke up with him about a month later.”She shrugged.“He’s not good at the relationship thing.”Perhaps that’s where she got it from.She had always thought it was from her mother, but maybe not.Her mom seemed to know what she wanted – and it wasn’t her daughter.
“Well, none of us are going to break up with you,” Rosalie assured her.“We’re going in as friends, and we’ll come out as friends.”
Esther laughed.“I know.”She wasn’t a child, and yet, it seemed that she often found herself being spoken to as if she was.Steve did it on occasion.Mandy was proficient at it.Rosalie occasionally resorted to it – like now.And her dad?Well, to him, she was still his baby girl.
What was it about her that broadcast to one and all that she was immature and in need of guidance?She wasn’t immature.She was very mature.Quite put together.A career woman.All that.
And yet – she nearly sighed, but caught it – she wasn’t as sure of herself as she wished she was.It came down to anxiety issues.She knew it did.Her propensity to be anxious made her flip-flop on things.Decisions were sometimes difficult to make – especially those that had to do with relationships.
They queued up behind a group of couples that were entering the pub and slowly made their way inside.Only to wait again at the podium for someone to seat them.
“Their guitarist is good,” Tiffany said.
That was the only instrument playing at present.A lone acoustic guitar strumming Christmas tunes.One song stopped and another began.This one was one of Esther’s favourite instrumental Christmas songs – “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”Fred played it every year for the Christmas Eve service.She imagined him sitting on the platform strumming as people took their places while wearing their festive outfits.It was one of the best parts of Christmas.Always had been.Ever since Fred had learned to play that song.
“Yeah, he’s really good,” she agreed.
“He’s new.”The hostess, who had just gathered menus, motioned for them to follow her.“The other guitarist for the group who plays on Fridays moved away, so they have a new guy sitting in.”She leaned towards them as they walked.“And I’m hoping he stays because he’s as beautiful as his music.”She led them past the take-out counter and into the main dining room.
Esther gasped.“Fred?”
Their server, Shannon if her name tag wasn’t lying, looked at her.“Yeah, that’s his name.Do you know him?”
“We do,” Mandy said.“We’ve been friends with him since high school.”
