“Oh, Zephyra,” Chuck reprimanded. “Don’t be so shallow. You say he’s a sweet boy. That’s enough. You just need to get him down here so your mom and I can approve as well.” He swiveled in his chair to better see me. “Brooke, I’m sorry, I hadn’t even thought. This is your big week. Donnie’s making the announcement Wednesday night at the youth group service that you’re gonna be helping out, isn’t he?”
How had he not thought? I loved Chuck to death, but his frequent obliviousness was irritating. Why had he thought we’d been trying to convince Sue not to have this dinner?
Donnie, seeing it as his opportunity to show his support of my involvement, spoke up. “The kids are going to love him. Especially when I tell them he used to work at a jail for kids.”
I managed to find my voice. Better to address it and move on quickly than try to hide from it and draw it out. “It wasn’t a jail.”
“Close enough.” Donnie grinned. “They’ll think you’re the toughest, coolest youth pastor ever!”
“I doubt that most of the stories I have from that place would be appropriate to tell in a youth group setting.”
“As if that would be the inappropriate part ofyoubeing in a youth group setting.” Twyla had said it under her breath. She took another bite of her food before looking up. From the startled look that crossed Twyla’s face when she saw everyone’s eyes on her, I truly don’t think she meant anyone to hear.
Everyone froze, some with forks half raised to their mouths. I saw Mandy raise her graceful fingers to her lips. I felt Maudra’s hand tighten on my thigh under the table as if to relay some of her strength to me.
My mind raced as I tried to think of something to say that would switch to a different topic, tell some story that would make everyone laugh. Anything. All I could think of was throwing myself from the table and running as fast as possible. I turned slightly to implore Jed with my eyes. He always knew how to defuse a hostile situation.
He opened his mouth and started to say something, but Donnie spoke over him. “Twyla, I think it might be a good idea for you to spend some time with Brooke. Really get to know him.”
Twyla met my eyes over the table, and we both turned to Donnie to look at him as if he had just suggested mass suicide.
He shrugged. “I’m serious. I know there will be many people with concerns. I will suggest that every one of those people get to know Brooke before they condemn his involvement in the youth group. Get to know him, ask him questions, see his sincerity, his genuineness, his love for God.”
If I had to spend time with every person who had concerns so they would get to know me to the point they were comfortable, I wouldn’t have time to do anything else until the kids in the youth group were close to retirement.
Again Twyla’s face twisted slightly as she primly shook her head. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
To his credit, Pastor Thomas attempted to switch subjects. More likely to avoid an embarrassing scene with his wife than to rescue me from humiliation. “Sue, I am about to explode. I’ve already had to unbutton my pants. I hate to think what else I will have to alter to be able to eat your dessert. I’m quite excited about it.” He gave a small laugh that fell flat.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Pastor Bron sit straighter, and I knew any chance of a pleasant evening, if there had ever been one, was over.
“Twyla, I really don’t think that is a very appropriate, Christian attitude. We are to get to know people, love people, not judge them from what we think we know.”
Twyla rose up to match Tyler’s stance. “It is also not a very Christian attitude to walk into someone’s church when they have spent a lifetime shaping it and forming it to be Christlike, and turn it into a house of sin overnight.”
Maudra broke in, “Twyla, get ahold a yerself, woman. Pastor Bron was brought in by yer husband and voted in by the church board. He ain’t the devil a tryin’ to steal yer soul.”
Twyla’s eyes blazed at her. “No one asked your opinion, Maudra Phelpman. If you’d have done what you needed to and forced your brother to repent of his ways, maybe his soul could have been saved instead of allowing his sin to pass on to further generations.”
Maudra’s face turned scarlet. She glared at Twyla and opened her mouth, then closed it again and glanced at Della. “I suggest you git yer girls outta here. This ain’t a conversation that needs ta be heard by their tender ears.”
Nolan’s voice was calm and deep. “Now, why don’t we all just take a break for a moment and regain our tempers and discuss this at another time.”
Maudra’s eyes bored into Della.
Della looked at me, and I nodded. This was inevitable. Might as well get it over with.
She took Savannah in her arms and looked at Blaire. “Get Duncan.” She gave a meaningful look at Nolan as sheturned and walked toward the door. He turned and swept up Willow.
“Daddy, I don’t want to go!” Tears began to well up in her eyes. “I wanna stay with Auntie Zephyra!”
Zephyra spoke up. “I’ll come to see you before you go to bed tonight, sweetheart, okay?”
Nolan nodded at her and then glanced with apologetic eyes at me. I tried to smile at him, but it didn’t come out quite right.
As the door closed with a click, Sue stood before anyone could say anything. “Let’s not do this. I’m sorry; I should have known this was a bad idea. I should have listened.” She looked near tears.
Maudra looked over at her. “Sue, this is yer house, and if you tell everybody ta leave, they will. But this has been comin’, and it ain’t jist goin’ away. So, it’s either here right now, or somewhere else later.”
