“It’s a checkup to make sure Jade’s heart is working properly.” I had to work hard to make my voice sound civil. “She had a heart murmur that they picked up when she was younger, and her doctor wants her checked every now and then. I don’t think it’s really unreasonable for me to want to be there for it.”
“Okay, I get that. But it’s not like that’s the only thing. Every time I want to do something, we have to check with Jade’s schedule first. And that’s not normal.”
“Oh, you want to talk about normal?” I stood and went outside so my family couldn’t hear. Sitting on the stairs in the middle of the house wasn’t exactly the best place to have an argument with one’s fiancée. “What about every time I’ve tried to ask you about dates for my stuff? I’ve been asking you about wedding dates for months. But every time I start talking about us getting hitched and you moving down here, you’re suddenly booked up at your work until Christmas. I don’t know why you’re upset about my trip with Jade in October if you’re still planning on working there in December.”
“Derrick, that’s not fair, and you know it.”
“Is it? Because last I checked, most couples live in the same state. Or they at least have some sort of plan to do so eventually. But at this point, I don’t know if it would even make a difference when we got married. Because you wouldn’t be here until next year at the very earliest.”
“I have worked very hard to get this job!” I heard a car door slam in the background. “And I think I deserve to benefit at least a little from my efforts before quitting to follow you around and then waiting to get a decent stable job who knows when.”
“Amy, you knew I had at least three more years in my contract when you agreed to this. I’m not sure why it’s a surprise now.”
She scoffed. “Like it matters. You probably wouldn’t even notice if I was there or not as long as you were near your sister.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
There was a pause. Finally, she spoke again. “You know what? I’m driving, and it’s raining. We’ll just pick a date later.” The line clicked off.
* * *
An hour and a half later, we pulled into a back spot in the church’s crowded parking lot.
“If you’re so determined to drag us all with you, couldn’t you have found a service that was a little later?” My mom got out of the car as though she were seventy instead of forty-nine.
“Once again, nine-thirty is not that early, Mom.” I adjusted my tie in the rearview mirror before grabbing my Bible and getting out of the truck. “And it’s five after eleven now.”
“Your father and I work every day of the week but Sundays.” She unlatched Jade from her car seat. “Is it really asking that much to sleep in at least one day?”
“No one makes you work on Saturdays, Mom. Or any day. That’s your choice.”
“Do they have coffee?” my dad asked as he helped Jade down. “I’ll be fine as long as they have coffee.”
I took a deep breath and mentally counted to five. “I don’t know, Dad. Probably. When I was asking Jessie about her church, a coffee bar wasn’t high on my list of priorities.”
Once the family was successfully out of the truck and walking toward the building, I had a bit more time to study it. It was a pretty church with red brick walls, topped by a white steeple with a cross and high floor-to-ceiling windows. An awning connected it to an annex that was built similarly, though that one looked a little less churchish, and there was a playground out back.
I usually enjoyed trying new churches whenever I traveled, but I especially needed the distraction today after my conversation with Amy. She had yet to answer any of the five texts I’d sent her. And I would go nuts if I couldn’t find something else to think about soon.
“Nickleby here?” Jade asked, tugging on my hand.
“She should be, Geode. She said she had to come early for music practice.”
A lady with silver curls greeted us at the door, along with her husband, who was tall and thin with glasses.
“Welcome to Grace Rock Presbyterian Church,” the woman said in a thick Louisiana drawl as she shook my hand. “I’m Helen, and this is my husband, Joe.” Joe grinned at us and handed us each a bulletin.
“What brings you here today? New in town?” He was looking at my dad, but a glance at my father told me he was too concerned with the thought of coffee to listen.
“Nah,” I said, shaking his hand back. “I’m stationed at home for once, and these are my parents and little sister.” I paused, sneaking a peek through open doors. “We’re actually friends of Jessie Nickleby?”
“Okay,” Helen said, nodding at two wooden doors across the lobby. “Well, you just missed her. She’s in the sanctuary singing with the worship team. But she’ll be out when the service gets over. Her family usually sits up front and on the left.”
Of course. “I know we’re a bit late.” A bit. I had to work not to visibly cringe at the gross understatement. “But is there a Sunday school class for my sister?”
“Well, hi there, sugar.” Helen leaned down to Jade’s level. “What’s your name?”
“Jade.” The word was spoken so quietly it was nearly inaudible, and it came with an impressive get-back glare. But Helen didn’t seem fazed.
