“Tyler, I don’t think I am the person you really want for this job.”
“Why not? I want someone who is passionate about kids, which you obviously are, otherwise you wouldn’t have dedicated so much of your life to at-risk kids. I want someone who believes and trusts in God, which you say you do. I want someone who is close enough to the kids’ ages to relate to them but old enough to earn their respect and trust, which you are. I fail to see the problem.”
I met his eyes more directly, searching. He met them back, full force. I thought I realized what he was doing.
“Are you really going to make me say it?” I doubt my voice carried to anyone else at the table, but he heard it.
“Say what?” His forced look of innocence wasn’t convincing.
I exhaled. He was cute, but I could live without whatever game he was trying to play. Better to just get it over with. “Pastor Bron, as I think you very well know, I am gay. Not only that; I have a husband. He will be joining me here shortly when his semester is over.”
“And see?” His face didn’t alter in the slightest. “Unabashedly honest to top it all off, and not afraid to be real.” He sat back and crossed his arms. “I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather have working with Donnie and the youth group.”
I cocked my head and narrowed my eyes. “Are you for real?”
“Of course I am. I was already sold on you just from hearing about you from Donnie. Mandy just confirmed what I had already been planning when she came home last night. Meeting you has done nothing but solidified it in my mind.”
“But what about Pastor Thomas? About what people will say? About—”
“Let me worry about that. You’ll have your hands full enough with the kids, I promise you.”
“But what if their parents—”
He interrupted again. “Is that a yes, Brooke?”
I was caught off guard. “What?”
“Well, I don’t hear you telling me how you don’t have time or hate kids or don’t want to be bothered. All I hear you doing is worrying about other people, which isn’tever a reason not to do something. Sounds like a yes to me.”
I glanced over to the others at the table for support. I should have known better. Donnie, Mandy, Della, Nolan, Maudra, and Sister Heinz were all beaming, some of them nodding their head emphatically. Only Chuck looked cautious, and Sue’s eyes spoke of fear. I looked back to Pastor Bron. “I don’t think you understand what can happen, what people will say, what they are capable of accusing me of.”
“You let me worry about that. For now, just relax and get everything in order.” I started to protest again. He grabbed my hand and gave a firm handshake. “We’ll talk about it more one on one later on.” He grinned kindly, returned his chair, and walked away.
Itwas late afternoon by the time I got back to my car and headed out to Rose’s. Maudra had packaged enough food from the potluck for my mom to last several days. It was now stacked securely on the floorboard of the passenger seat.
I was still reeling from the events of the morning. I could feel myself start to give in to the idea of working with the youth group. I was beginning to feel excited anticipation deep inside. I couldn’t believe I was even considering it. I wasn’t considering it, not really. My subconscious might be mulling it over, but my brain knew better. It would be nice if I could depend on Jed to tell me it was a bad idea, but I knew my husband too well for that. He would be as excited as Donnie and Mandy. He would say it would be good for me, and that I would be able to help the kids in a way I had never been able to at the treatment center. Since it was state funded, talking about Godhad been strictly taboo. Of course, I was certain I could depend on Sue—always the one to exercise caution—to take my side.
Maybe I was being overly careful. The situation in Denver surely wouldn’t repeat itself. So far, all my worries about moving back here had been unjustified, after all. With the exception of my mother being true to her ever unpleasant self, everyone else had been extremely welcoming. Even at church. I hadn’t expected them to burn me at the stake or anything, but I figured someone would make some sort of offhand comment or say they were praying for my salvation before I went to Hell. The worst that had happened was a few cold shoulders, ineptly concealed whispers, and some downcast eyes. There had been many to either wave or come over to welcome me home as we were packing up the food to leave. Maybe all my memories of this place had been tainted by my own stresses when I was growing up.
Even walking in to Rose scowling at me as I carried the platters of food to the kitchen didn’t quite dampen my hopeful feeling.
I was just sliding the last tray into the newly cleaned refrigerator when Rose’s gruff garbled voice broke through the silence. Between her slurring and the fact that most of my head was in the fridge, I couldn’t understand what she was trying to say.
I closed the refrigerator door and stepped out into the living room. “Talking to me today, huh? Wow, it really is quite the extraordinary day.” I reprimanded myself for my sarcastic tone. That wasn’t going to help anything get better. I adjusted my voice. “Sorry, Rose, I couldn’t understand what you were saying. I was making too much noise in the kitchen.”
She glared at me. “I was just saying how nice it is for my boy to remember me today. I wondered after being forgotten yesterday if you were hoping I was gonna starve.”
“Maudra said she brought food for you and left it on the porch.” My voice almost sounded convincingly concerned.
“That’s right, left it for me on the porch. What am I? Some kinda dog?”
“Oh, she said she knocked, but you didn’t answer. Maybe you were in the restroom and didn’t hear her.” Yeah, right.
“I heard her.” Her lips curled back, revealing her teeth. “I ain’t gonna have that bitch in my house. It’s bad enoughyoucome in here acting like you own the place.”
So much for the miracle of things changing for the better overnight. “I don’t know where you expected her to leave the food, then, if you refuse to answer the door.”
“Shouldn’t have to make such a decision at all. You’re the one who didn’t find it necessary to make sure your mamma got food.”
