Chapter 16 #3
I just smiled at her, unsure of the appropriate response.
This was definitely worse than some of the conversations I could be having.
Although I already looked forward to telling Donnie about it.
The thought of old Sister Heinz involved in some torrid love affair could keep us speculating and laughing for hours.
“Look at me, keeping you from getting some lunch and seeing everyone else you haven’t seen in all these years.”
“It’s okay, Sister Heinz. I’m not sure how many people here will be that anxious to talk to me after all these years.”
Her eyes twinkled in a fashion Maudra would have been proud of. “Oh, my dear, I’m quite sure there will be many that want to talk to ya. And a right more than that who are already talking about you.” She chuckled softly.
Again I was at a loss for words. Living in a city had allowed me to forget what it was like to have an entire town talk about you. Until the end, at any rate.
“Well, you best get going. Don’t want to be the cause of you missin’ all the food. Let me just get my purse, and I’ll meet you there shortly.”
“I’ll walk with you, Sister Heinz.” I went back to her pew and retrieved her purse.
“You always were a sweet boy.”
With that, old Sister Heinz and I made our way down the new hallway, into the old section of the church and the mauve-colored reception area. I’m sure it was just my paranoia, but every eye turned to us as we walked through the doors and made our way to the food line.
Maudra and the Durkes had saved me a seat at their table and made room for Sister Heinz as well.
Zephyra hadn’t come back from college, so she was missing, but the rest were there.
Della and Nolan’s three girls had already left the table.
They’d left little Duncan in a dog carrier in the car during the service, but the girls had rushed through their dinner and were now outside with several of the other children playing with the puppy.
It reminded me how much I’d loved the frequent potlucks the church had when I was a child.
Donnie, Della, and I would play outside with our friends for hours, spying on the adults and playing endless games of tag and hide and seek.
The food brought back a fount of memories as well.
Table upon table was heaped with Southern food and desserts.
I was nearly done eating. I had filled two plates at once, and I wanted to go back for seconds, but I was too nervous to walk through again with the entire room watching.
A few times during the meal, random people would come up and say their “hello,” “good to see you,” and “been a long time, hasn’t it?
” Overall, though, I hadn’t been the center of much attention, which was a relief.
I wasn’t na?ve enough to think the lack of direct attention meant people weren’t intrigued or opinionated about my presence, but I was grateful they were only whispering among themselves.
So far, it had been all older women who had come over to say hello and speak about my grandparents; a few had managed to drag their husbands along.
After Hazel and Clemet Moore had walked far enough away, Sue leaned over to Chuck. “I am surprised Clemet was willing to come by. Hazel told me last week that his arthritis was really acting up again. He must be doing better.” Chuck nodded absentmindedly with his mouth full.
“Oh, that ain’t why.” Maudra’s voice was a little too loud, and she lowered it after a look from Sue. “He wanted to get a good look at Brooke.”
Sue’s voice had a reproachful tone. “Now, Maudra, I don’t think that’s fair. I seriously doubt he was willing to walk over here when he’s hurting so bad, just to get some gossip.”
“Who said anythin’ ’bout gossip?” Maudra waggled her eyebrows at Sister Heinz. “Brooke’s a good-lookin’ boy. From Ray’s speculations, I’m sure Mr. Moore was jist wantin’ a better view!” The two old women giggled together.
“Mr. Moore?” Della’s mouth dropped. “Really?”
Sue cleared her throat. “Now, none of that, any of you. There’s enough gossip in this building without us adding to it. Maudra, really!”
“Oh pish, Sue! If they kin talk ’bout us, we kin talk ’bout them!”
Sue knew better than to continue arguing with Maudra, so she tried a different approach. She turned to me. “So, I was thinking. Not right away or anything, I know you still need some more time to get acclimated, but I am wanting to have you over for dinner with a couple people.”
More people?
Sue rushed forward, seeing something on my face. “Not too many now. Just you and us, and Maudra, of course. Mandy and her dad. The Thomases.” She took a sip of water, and her voice got quieter. “And your mom.” Chuck looked up from his food, his attention caught.
Donnie’s voice joined mine in unison. “What?” We looked at each other.
“Mom, are you crazy? Are you trying to make sure Brooke moves back to Colorado?”
Sue looked at him innocently. “What? It’s nice to get everyone together.”
Maudra let out a laugh that sounded more like a vaguely disguised curse word, which earned her a glare from Sue.
“I’m serious. I think it would be a good thing. I think it would be what God would want us to do.”
Donnie could see his mom was sincere and her feelings were beginning to get hurt. He softened his voice. “Mom. Even if such a thing were a good idea, how in the world could we get Rose there? I don’t remember the last time she left that house besides to go to the hospital.”
Sue spoke immediately. “I’ve already considered that. If she refuses, we bring the meal to her. Eat it at her place. It would be good for her.”
I finally found my voice again. “Trust me, Sue, you don’t want to eat in that house. Even after I finally get it all cleaned out, it is still not going to be attractive. Plus there’s not that much room there for all those people.”
“Well, I think it is a good idea. And we’ll figure something out.” She looked over at Mandy. “Mandy agrees with me. We’ve been praying about it.”
Donnie looked over at Mandy. “You’re in on this?”
She nodded.
He looked back at me. “We’re sunk, cuz.”
Mandy might be able to pray me into church, but I knew there was no way she was able to pray my mother out of her house, let alone pray her into a meal with two preachers and her gay son.
Nolan caught my eye and smiled at me encouragingly. “You know these Durke women. Ain’t nothing you can do about them!”
Della kissed his cheek. “Got that right, sweetheart.” She turned back to talk to Sue, who was looking thoroughly offended at the reception of her idea.
Just in case I wasn’t already overwhelmed with unappealing prospects, Pastor Bron walked up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder, shocking me as his finger accidentally touched my ear. I jumped.
“Oh, sorry, son.” Pastor Bron shook his hand loosely, as if to shake off the electricity. “Not sure where that came from.”
I turned to meet his eyes. “Oh, that’s okay. It didn’t hurt.” I started to say something else but was silenced as I looked at him. He had been handsome from far away. Up close, he was superb. He looked like Harrison Ford or Paul Newman in their prime. My mouth went slack.
Donnie cleared his throat. Startled, I looked over at him. He bugged his eyes as if to say, “Quit picturing my girlfriend’s preacher-father naked.”
I turned my blushing face back to Pastor Bron. He smiled again, either unaware of what was behind my gaze or choosing to be flattered rather than reproachful. “Mind if I pull up a chair?”
I managed to find my voice. To my surprise, it wasn’t husky. “No, of course not, Pastor Bron.”
“Tyler, please. I’ve never been overly formal.” He flashed another smile as he pulled a chair over to our table. Luckily, his smile brought to mind Mandy’s face, and I was able to keep my mind focused.
“Mandy raved about you last night after she came home from dinner.” He glanced over at Mandy lovingly. “Couldn’t say enough of how wonderful you are. And, of course, Donnie has always spoken of you fondly.”
“Uh, thank you.” So eloquent. I wondered if everyone in the reception room could hear my lustful thoughts about their preacher.
“Were you able to get any of the poppy seed cake? It’s Mandy’s specialty. I can’t cook at all, never could. She gets that from her mother.” I thought I caught a glimpse of pain flash across his eyes as he said this, but it was gone before I could be sure.
“I did, actually. It was wonderful.” I looked over at Mandy as I said this, ashamed I’d neglected to tell her while I was eating it. She gave me one of her father’s smiles.
“I’m sure it is strange to be back here after all this time. Maudra tells me you hadn’t seen the church since the renovation.”
I nodded.
“What do you think of it?”
I paused a little too long. “It’s big.”
Pastor Bron laughed good-naturedly. “I wasn’t here when they remodeled, obviously, but I have had several of the older parishioners ask me if we could return it to how it used to be when I step in after Brother Thomas retires.
I doubt that would be cost effective, unfortunately, even though I am sure the old sanctuary held many wonderful memories.
I hope to help build more wonderful and new ones with the sanctuary we have now. ”
I seemed to be at a loss about what to say quite a bit since reentering the church.
Maudra, thankfully, never had that problem.
She placed her hand over mine as she replied to him.
“We old souls have a difficult time with change and letting go of the past. Never was one to stand in the way of progress, though.” The irony of the picture she made dressed in her Victorian garb as she uttered this statement was lost on her.
However, I noticed Nolan grin at Della over a mouthful of dessert.
“I would love to meet with you at some time in the near future to discuss the future of our youth group.”
I focused back on Pastor Bron. “I’m sorry?”
He looked between Donnie and Mandy quizzically.