CH 23 -#amazinggrace
Riley
Song: “Amazing Grace” by Carrie Underwood
AFTER RHYS KISSED me goodnight on my momma and daddy’s front porch and left, I joined my parents in the living room and told them about my plan to go to church. They both smiled.
“I’m guessing Rhys is taking you,” my daddy said.
“He is.
“Good.”
“After church, you two should eat lunch with us and your grandpa.”
“I talked to Rhys about that because I knew y’all would be going somewhere and would probably ask us to come along, but I need to get back to Fort Worth after church. I need time to settle into being there again, sans Chad.”
My momma nodded. “We understand, honey. Are you nervous about going back?”
“A little. At some point, I will have to meet with Chad and return my engagement ring.”
“You could mail it to him, insured. That way, you wouldn’t have to see him.”
“But I want to because I want to talk to him. I want to tell him exactly how his treatment of me has impacted me as a woman. I’m also going to thank him.”
My momma frowned. “What on earth for?”
“Opening the door for Rhys and me to get back together.”
Upstairs in my bed, I set my cellphone alarm for 8:30 a.m. and went to sleep. I didn’t stay that way, though. I woke up in the middle of the night after dreaming about an onyx and a sapphire sitting on the palms of my hands. It was precisely as Ms. Lenora had described her vision of me, and so was my wrapping my fingers around the sapphire.
It all made sense to me now. The onyx symbolized Chad’s dark brown eyes and the darkness inside him. The sapphire symbolized Rhys’s beautiful blue eyes and all the beauty inside his heart and soul. He was who Ms. Lenora saw me choose. She was spot-on about it, although neither of us knew it at the time.
Rhys arrived at my momma and daddy’s house at 10:30 a.m. to pick me up for church. When I opened the door, he was smiling from cheek to cheek and wearing his Sunday best: a collared, short-sleeve white button-up shirt, starched black denim jeans, a black belt, and his dressy black cowboy boots.
“You look like my boy again,” I said, returning his smile. “You’re so handsome.”
“You look like my girl again, Riley. You’re gorgeous from head to toe.”
“Thank you. I obviously didn’t know I’d be going to church when I packed for this trip, so this maxi dress and my blingy flip-flops will have to do.”
“They’re perfect. I like those monarch butterflies on your dress.”
“My spirit animal is a butterfly, so…”
“They’ve always been drawn to you like I am.” Rhys glanced behind me. “Are your parents already gone?”
“Yes, they went to Sunday school.”
When I revealed that fact, Rhys cupped my face in his hands. “I really want to smear your lipstick, but I’ll hold back,” he said, looking down at my mouth.
“Smear it later.”
“You can count it.”
Walking toward the entrance of Cypress Hills First Methodist Church and holding hands with Rhys, we spotted my grandpa standing at the foot of the steps, greeting his parishioners. When he saw us, he raised his arms excitedly.
“What a blessing to have my eldest granddaughter and you, fine young man, here today!” he said when Rhys and I reached him. Then he hugged us.
“It’s good to see you, sir,” Rhys told him.
“I’ve missed seeing you. This one, too.” My grandpa winked at me. “Y’all go on inside and sit down. Get comfortable.”
When Rhys and I entered the sanctuary, we received several double takes from folks, followed by their smiles and waves. If they hadn’t heard about us getting back together, they knew we were now.
As we walked toward the pew where our families were, his parents, my parents, Rachel, and Jackson looked over their shoulders at us. The happiness showing on their faces filled my heart.
My daddy and momma got up and stepped aside so Rhys and I could sit where we always used to: beside them, with my sister and Jackson on the other side of us and Janice and Rob on the other side of them.
Once seated, Rhys and I looked at each other. He gave me a reassuring nod, squeezed my hand, and then I focused ahead of us on Mrs. Palmer, the church’s pianist. I giggled to myself as I watched and listened to her, but not because of her playing. She was wonderful and always had been.
My mind had just traveled back in time to when Rhys and I snuck into the church one night, and he went down on me while I sat bare-assed and spread-legged on the keys of Mrs. Palmer’s old Steinway. I couldn’t keep still, but especially when I came. One could say that Rhys and I made our own kind of music on that risky occasion.
I cut my eyes up at him and nudged his knee with mine. When he looked at me, I tipped my head toward Mrs. Palmer. Rhys closed his eyes, and his dimples deepened as he grinned. He knew what I was thinking about and would do with him again in a heartbeat.
After my grandpa took his place at the pulpit, he welcomed everybody and began delivering his sermon. Out of all the books in the bible to preach from today, he’d chosen The Song of Solomon—the lovers’ story.
As he talked about the sacredness of love and passion between two people, Rhys let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. Then he kissed me on the temple as I melted into him.
Toward the end of the service, everyone stood and sang “Amazing Grace.” Hearing the harmony of Rhys’s voice and mine reminded me of when we were in the youth choir. The director, Mrs. Talton, always had us sing a duet at seasonal programs, which our parents especially loved.
After the first occasion, Miss Polly—the church’s sweet secretary—approached Rhys and me. She told us that we reminded her of Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton when they sang “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” together on a music awards show not long after they first met. I hadn’t seen that particular performance, so I asked Miss Polly what she meant by her statement.
She said, “You two kids sing together just as wonderfully, and you look at each other just as magically. It’s easy to see how in love you are.”
When church ended, Rhys and I headed to the foyer with his family and mine. I let them know that I’d be back in town in a couple of weeks. After hugging everyone and telling them goodbye, Rhys took me back to my momma and daddy’s so I could pack my things. On the way there, I checked on Macie.
Me:How are you feeling?
Macie:Like shit. Summer colds are the worst.
Me:Do you need me to bring you anything?
Macie:I’ve got all I need here, but thanks. How was church?
Me:It was great. I missed seeing you.
Macie:I missed seeing you too.
Me:We’ll make it up the next time I come home.
Macie:We sure will. You and Rhys have fun next weekend.
Me:We’re planning on it.
Macie:Let me know how it goes.
Me:I will. I’ll talk to you before then.
Macie:Love you, BFF.
Me:Love you too. Feel better. heart emoji