Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sunday mornings had a rhythm Essie loved.
She and Frank left the house a little early, the air warm but not unbearably so, the roads typically quiet in that Sunday morning way.
Frank drove, one hand on the wheel, the other resting loosely on the console between them.
Essie watched the familiar neighborhoods pass by and felt herself anticipating church.
The parking lot was filling fast when they arrived. Frank found a spot under one of the sprawling live oaks that edged the lot, Spanish moss trailing from its branches like lace. As soon as they stepped out of the car, Essie could hear the sound of the organ being played drifting toward them.
“Morning!” someone called.
“Good to see you, Essie.”
“Frank! How’s the golf game?”
She and Frank moved slowly, exchanging greetings and handshakes, Essie stopping more often than Frank to ask after someone’s husband, or someone’s sister, or about someone’s knee that was still giving them trouble. This was what she loved. The sense of family and community. The closeness.
Inside, the sanctuary was cool and softly lit, sunlight filtering through the stained glass at the front. The familiar scent of polished wood and old hymnals wrapped around her the moment they stepped in.
Pastor John Timmons stood near the last pew, greeting people as they passed. When he spotted them, his face brightened.
“Essie, Frank,” he said warmly. “It’s good to see you this morning.”
“It’s good to be here,” Essie replied, meaning it.
They greeted a few more people before taking their usual seats. Soon, the service got underway. Pastor Timmons made a few announcements, then turned things over to the worship leader. Frank reached for a hymnal, paging to the first selection, and held it for them to share.
The first notes swelled through the sanctuary. The congregation lifted their voices together with the choir, strong and imperfect but earnest.
Essie sang, her voice melding with the others, the words familiar enough to feel like muscle memory. Frank sang, too, not loudly, but steady, his deeper tone just enough that she could hear him beside her.
After the hymns and offering, they sat, the quiet settling again as Pastor Timmons stepped up to the pulpit.
Frank’s hand found hers without looking. He threaded his fingers through hers and gave a small squeeze. Essie rested her palm against his, happy to be connected to him. Very aware that tomorrow he was off to Italy.
As much as she tried to concentrate on the sermon, she couldn’t help thinking about Monday morning. Frank and Chad on a plane. Gone for two weeks. Maybe more. The business needed personal tending, it had to be done. She didn’t love it, even though she understood it was necessary.
Frank’s gaze stayed on the pastor, but the embrace of his hand lingered.
After opening with prayer, Pastor Timmons began to speak about trust. About what it meant to place their worries into hands larger than their own. He talked about protection, about how God watched over His children not by preventing hardship, but by walking beside them as they went through it.
Essie felt the words deeply. She nodded as she thought of Sophie, hurt and angry and still grieving her mother. Then about Chad, trying to do his best for his own small family and his sister. And finally, about Frank leaving for Italy with a thousand responsibilities pressing in on him.
“God protects His children,” Pastor Timmons said.
It wasn’t a promise that life would be burden-free. It wasn’t a guarantee that everything would turn out the way she wanted. But it was enough to restore her faith. Enough to remind her that there was a greater power at work in their lives.
She closed her eyes briefly, still holding Frank’s hand, and let the comfort wash over her.
Whatever was coming, she wasn’t facing it alone.
The service ended the way it always did, with Pastor Timmons at the door, shaking hands and talking to people as they left. Other people lingered in the aisles to talk just long enough to clog the exit.
Frank was one of those. She waited while he finished a conversation about golf handicaps she had no interest in, then slipped her arm through his as they headed outside.
The heat hit immediately. The parking lot shimmered, and Essie reached for her sunglasses from her purse while Frank unlocked the car.
“Where do you want to go for lunch?” he asked as she settled in.
She reached over and cranked up the air-conditioning. “Somewhere easy.”
They chose a small place not far from the church, one of those restaurants that did a steady Sunday crowd because the food was good but nothing fancy.
It was a cute little place with ceiling fans that ran constantly and the best biscuits in town.
The smell of homestyle cooking and coffee hung in the air.
They slid into a booth and ordered without much discussion. Frank knew what he wanted right way—eggs and pancakes—and Essie appreciated that he didn’t make her wait to eat. She settled on the breakfast special of two eggs, two sausage links, home fries, and a biscuit.
It wasn’t until their iced teas arrived that Essie spoke again.
“Blaise texted this morning with an update,” she said. “Remember I told you Brick’s son was in a car accident?”
Frank’s brows pulled together. “That’s the young man who didn’t want her around, right?”
“Yes,” Essie said. “Holland. He was in surgery overnight, but the doctors are optimistic now. Blaise stayed at the hospital with Brick. Cece took care of Blaise’s dog.” Essie had prayed for Holland and Brick this morning.
Frank nodded slowly. “Your friends are good people. That’s frightening for Brick, though. No matter how old they are, when it’s your kid…”
“I know,” Essie said. “I can imagine.”
Their food came, the conversation moving along easily as they ate.
Frank asked if Blaise needed anything. Essie said she didn’t think so, not yet.
They talked a little about Italy—what Frank needed to take care of before Monday, what had to be done once he and Chad landed.
He tried to make it sound routine, maybe as a way of comforting her.
She didn’t mind. She’d made her peace with it.
After lunch, they drove home in companionable silence, radio on. The sun was higher now, beating down on the pavement. It would be a good day for the pool, but she had to get Frank packed. And she wasn’t doing anything without him today.
There would be plenty of time for the pool tomorrow.
As soon as they were inside, they changed out of their church clothes. Then Frank pulled out his suitcase. Essie got to work, too. While he laid the case open on the bed, she began matching suits, shirts, and ties with practiced efficiency.
“Been a while since I’ve done this,” she said. He hadn’t traveled for work as much the last few months.
He smiled faintly. “Hopefully, it won’t happen again for a while.”
She folded things and handed them over for him to put in the suitcase. Enough for a week. After that, he could send things out to be laundered and cleaned. He was a good traveler, having done plenty of it.
“It’ll only be a couple of weeks,” he said. “Maybe three.”
“Whatever it takes,” Essie replied. “I’ll handle things here. Not that there’s much to do.”
He glanced at her then, his expression softening. “If you need anything, you know I’m just a phone call away.”
“I know.” Essie nodded. “You think you’ll have any time to enjoy yourselves?”
“I’m not sure. Depends on how quickly we can resolve things. At least I know the food will be good.”
She laughed. “Okay, now you’re making me a little jealous.”
He grinned and patted his stomach. “I’ll have an extra dessert, just for you.”
She rolled her eyes. “For me, huh? That’s quite the sacrifice.”
He laughed and pulled her into a hug, holding her close. “I’m going to miss you.”
She leaned her head against his chest. “I’m going to miss you, too.”
“I’m glad you have all these new friends.” He kissed the side of her head. “And I hope Liliana and Mat can bring the kids up.”
She nodded. “Same here. I’ll call her tomorrow.”
He pulled back. “Call her this afternoon. The sooner they can plan, the sooner they can come.”
She smiled. She loved that he didn’t want her to be alone. He knew her well enough to know she liked company. “Okay, I will.”