“Unfortunately, Sunday school is already out, but if you want, I can have someone show you the room.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure Jessie can do that.” I glanced back to see another family coming in behind us. “We’ll find our way. Thanks again.”
Since I usually went to the base chapel alone, it had been a long time since I’d done the walk of shame, squeezing through the already filled pews to the few spots that weren’t taken in the back. I had planned to be at the church by nine-thirty. Unfortunately, my family had been next to impossible to rouse from their beds. Now that we were insanely late, most of the rows were packed. Of course, there were the usual spots up front that were free. But I wasn’t about to take that risk of being easily seen and overheard with the current company involved. And it wasn’t my sister I was worried about.
We did find seats in a back pew on the left side, and I quickly opened Jade’s backpack and pulled out fish crackers and her magnetic doodling pad. She settled on the floor with her snacks and toy and looked quite content.
“I don’t see why you’re suddenly so worried about this,” my mother whispered. “You’ve been home over two months, and not once have you—”
“Mom,” I hissed. “Can we do this another time?” Preferably, when the pastor wasn’t praying.
My mother pursed her lips, but she did finally sit back and open her bulletin. I opened mine as well, but after perusing the order of worship, my gaze was was drawn up to the front to a familiar face.
Instead of her usual t-shirt and jeans, she was in a knee-length dress that was navy blue with little yellow dots all over it. Her hair, which she usually wore up in a ponytail, was down, and it curled up around her neck and face. She wore a no-nonsense expression as she turned a page on her music stand, but as soon as the music started up, her body visibly relaxed as she scanned the congregation. She made eye contact with several people, smiling a little extra for each one. Then, for just a moment, her eyes met mine.
And as she let the first note fly, I knew I could relax here, too.
* * *
When the service was over (during which I’d successfully kept myself from checking my phone more than twice), Jessie came bounding over to us and scooped Jade up like she hadn’t seen her in a month. Then she greeted my parents.
“Mr. and Mrs. Allen! It’s so good to see you here!”
“Nice to see you, too,” I said, bumping her shoulder. She laughed, and I couldn’t take my eyes from her face. Who was this happy, angelic creature with nothing but smiles and magic unicorns and butterflies for everyone she laid her eyes on? If I’d seen her here first, I would never have known she was as no-nonsense to the point of nearly being neurotic.
“Here,” she said, pulling Jade back up the aisle and gesturing for us to follow. “Come meet my parents.”
A woman who looked to be in her late forties with short, curly blond hair and a man just slightly older with a small paunch and thick graying hair came out of the second-to-front row to greet us.
“Mom,” Jessie said, coming to a stop. “Do you remember Jade’s mother?”
“I do.” The woman came forward to greet us with a smile. As she got closer, I realized she looked older than I’d first thought. Or maybe it wasn’t old. Maybe…frail was the right word. She said hi to Jade and shook my father’s hand as well. When her eyes reached me, they widened slightly, and her mouth quirked up at one corner. “And you must be the infamous Derrick.”
“Mom!” Jessie whispered, but I just grinned back.
“Guilty as charged.”
“So,” her father said. “What brings you to Grace Rock?”
“Well,” I put my hands on Jade’s shoulders. “I’ve been going to the base chapel since moving back, but Jessie told me about your church, and I thought it was time Jade got a chance to go to Sunday school like I did when I was little.”
“They don’t have Sunday school at the chapel?” my mother murmured.
“Actually,” Jessie came to my rescue. “I was telling Derrick yesterday that the teacher for Jade’s class is a special education teacher. I thought she might be a good match for Jade.”
“Oh.” My father scratched his head. “That was…thoughtful.”
“Jessie,” I said, hoping to stave off any more awkward conversation as begun by my parents. “Would you mind showing me Jade’s Sunday school room? We got here too late to see it.”
Jessie glanced back at my parents and seemed to be smothering a smile. “Sure.” She took Jade’s hand and led us to one of the corner lobby doors. Along the way, she greeted people and introduced me and Jade. Then she continued until she found someone new to say hello to. It took a while, but eventually, we made it out of the sanctuary, back through the lobby, under the covered walkway, and into the annex.
“I’m sorry we were so late,” I said as we went. “You’d have thought I was dragging everyone to their deaths.”
Jessie laughed. It was a sweet sound, clear and unhindered. “Don’t be sorry. You got everyone here, and that’s more than I can say for lots of people. Here we are.” She opened one of the doors that led to a long hallway. Inside, I found a little room with a miniature table, chairs that barely reached my knees, and lots of cubbies full of toys, as well as a sink and fittingly miniature bathroom.
“This is nice,” I said, taking a few steps inside. Something clattered behind me, and I turned to find that Jade had dumped a bag of wooden blocks on the blue speckled tile. “Jade, no, this isn’t our—”
“It’s fine.” Jessie waved me off. “Let her play for a minute.” Then she turned those green eyes on me and tilted her head. “I have to say, now that we’re away from the parents, why did you decide to bring her?”
