First Mates (11 page)

“So did you get somebody pregnant when you were that age?”

“No, but I came pretty close a few times. You know how hard it is to plan for those types of things….” His brown eyes widened as he gazed at her. “Or maybe you don't? I know this is none of my business, but have you ever had a pregnancy scare? I have and I was relieved when it turned out to be a false alarm.”

She walked to the sink and rinsed out her rag. The basement recreation room still smelled like spaghetti sauce and garlic bread. She returned to the table. “You're right, it is none of your business. You revoked the right to know about the intimate details of my personal life when you ended our romantic involvement.”

She threw the rag onto the table, but before she could stalk away, Winston grabbed her shoulder. “I didn't end our romantic involvement. I just said we should just be friends for now.”

She pushed his hand away. “Well, I don't want to talk about my personal life right now. As far as you and I are concerned, I just think we need to work on this financial planning seminar project because I honestly believe the Lord called us to serve the church this way. Our friendship, relationship or whatever you want to call it doesn't need discussion. It just needs a whole lot of prayer.”

He threw his hands into the air. “Don't get so hyped up.” Voices, lifted in spiritual song, streamed down the basement steps. “Is choir practice going on?”

She shook her head. “No. That's the singles' ministry. Rachel and Sarah should be up there. They always start the meeting with a song.”

He grinned as he walked to the foot of the steps. “I like Sarah and Rachel. I'm glad I've been able to meet them since I've been spending time at this church. I admire the bond the three of you share.”

“Yeah, we're pretty close. If I had biological sisters, I'd want them to be just like Sarah and Rachel. Did you
want to go to the singles' ministry meeting? It usually lasts a few hours.”

He nodded as he started walking up the steps. “Yeah, why not? We're done cleaning, and I'd like to meet some more members in your church.”

She gazed at the corded muscles peeking through his thin T-shirt as she followed him up the steps.

W
hen Rainy returned home after the singles' ministry meeting, she lay on the couch to take a short nap. The phone rang, shattering the silence. She groaned, wondering if she should let the answering machine take the call. She reluctantly abandoned the comfortable couch and answered the phone. “Hello,” she managed to say.

“Rainy, have you been working too hard again?” Her mother's strong voice carried over the wire, and Rainy felt like she was five years old again.

“Mom, hi.”

“We haven't spoken to you in over a week. I told your father you were probably busy at your job and at your church. That congregation keeps you busy, doesn't it?”

“Yeah, Mom. How's Dad doing?”

“Oh, he's fine. He's out in the barn with Mark. One of the cows is calving tonight.”

She recalled the late nights her father would sometimes spend in the barn, waiting for a new cow to be born. “How are Amber, Mark and Cindy?” Her brother Mark was married and they had a three-year-old daughter. She had a good relationship with the tyke, in spite of the distance in their living arrangements.

“Little Amber is fine.” Her mother brought her up-to-date on the family. However, she could hear an apprehensive tone in her voice. Her mother sighed, and she knew something was wrong.

“Mom, what is it? I sense that something is on your mind.”

“Well, I'm not really sure what the problem is, but I think Mark and Cindy are having trouble.”

“Trouble? You mean in their marriage?”

She paused. “Yes. I want to talk to them about it, but I don't want to interfere.”

“This is the second time this has happened in the past year. Have they talked to Pastor John? He used to help a lot of people in our congregation.” She recalled the kind words married couples used to say about the pastor's advice. He always said his advice came straight from the Good Book, but she sensed that he had a gift when it came to dealing with couples.

“I'm not sure.” Her mother paused again, seemingly wondering if she should say more. Rainy heard the door open and her father enter the house. Soon he had taken the phone from her mother.

“Hi, Miss Rainy!” her father boomed. After she had talked to him for a few minutes, she finally got off of
the phone. Before she went to bed that night, she said a quick prayer for her brother's marriage. Mark and Cindy seemed to be made for each other. Hopefully their problems would be fixed soon.

 

Rainy spent the next few weeks praying for her brother's marriage, hoping he could work things out with his wife. When she had weekly lunches with Sarah and Rachel, she brought them up-to-date on her prayer requests, and she also told them about how hard it was to work with Winston every Saturday, while still not knowing why he suddenly ended their courtship.

She looked forward to seeing him every Saturday morning as his deep voice outlined basic financial skills to the church youth. However, too soon, it was time for the seminars to come to a close.

On the last day of the seminar, she struggled to open her eyes. When she finally managed to awaken, she witnessed the bright fingers of sunlight spilling into her bedroom, illuminating the floral design on her favorite blue comforter. She blinked, still trying to clear her groggy mind. She snuggled beneath her blanket as she listened to the birds welcome in the new day. She was due at the church soon.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, relishing the warmth of her cocoon of blankets. She finally pulled herself out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. As the coffee brewed, she wondered how she would survive another Saturday morning in Winston's company.

Since it was the final session of the Youth Financial
Program at Friendship Church, she felt torn. She was glad that she could end this weekly torture of seeing Winston without fulfilling their relationship—she also felt sad to see the program end. The thought of never seeing him again made her heart pound with trepidation. She took a deep breath as she said a silent prayer, asking the Lord for strength.

A few hours later she wandered the grounds of Friendship Community Church. Children ran around long picnic tables, shrieking with laughter.

She grinned at Sister Mary as she served another burger to a hungry child.
Sister Mary can master anything to do with cooking.
She gazed at the crowd of excited kids, teenagers and parents, seeking one person. She watched Michael as he stood away from the crowd with Terry. She wished there was something she could do to help the young couple. Winston's apprehensions had proven to be merited. Terry was now pregnant with her first child.

She walked around the picnic area, still seeking her financial advisory partner. She spotted Sarah and Rachel as they helped some of the older kids to organize a Biblical trivia game. She waved at her best friends, pleased they agreed to help with the Youth Financial Advisory Picnic.

When she still couldn't find Winston, she finally entered the sanctuary of the church. High-pitched screams filtered through the stained-glass windows. The tension eased from her body when she spotted Winston in the foyer, speaking to one of the parents. She walked into
the sanctuary, deciding to approach him later. She sat on the cushioned seat and closed her eyes, relishing the cool temperature.

“Rainy, what's wrong?” Winston sat beside her in the empty pew.

His blue jeans hugged his firm thighs and his cologne smelled tangy and enticing. Her heart pounded and her palms became moist. Would being this close to Winston always have this effect on her? She wondered if they would ever recapture the closeness they had shared on the cruise.

“Oh, nothing…everything.” Her voice shook as she leaned back into the pew.

“Well, tell me about it,” he urged as he caressed her shoulder. Her skin sizzled from his touch and she moved away. Since when had Winston become her confidant? He'd been so standoffish since they began working together that she wondered if she'd imagined the fun they'd shared on the cruise.

“Look.” He touched her arm again. “You know we're friends, right?”

Friends? At this point, she hated using that word when it came to Winston. She wanted to be more than just a friend.

“If you want to call it that,” she said sarcastically.

“Rainy…” He sounded so tired, and she didn't feel like arguing. She had too much on her mind.

“I'm going home in a few weeks.”

“Really? I'm assuming this isn't an ordinary visit?”

“No, it isn't.” When he protectively placed his arm
around her, her apprehensions disappeared. She settled into his comforting embrace as she told of the conversations she'd had with her mother over the past week.

“So, your brother's wife had an affair, and now she's left him? That's rough.” He toyed with her fingers.

She nodded. “I knew they'd been having problems, but I thought they'd work them out. I never suspected Cindy would have an affair.” It was a shocking thought, and she still found it all so hard to believe. She still felt like she was in the middle of a bad dream, and all she wanted to do was awaken.

“They have a daughter, right?”

She nodded, pleased that he remembered so much about her family. “I feel bad for Amber. She's so little. That's one reason why I think I should go home for a few days. My father is beside himself, running that dairy farm. Mark is so depressed that he's not much help.”

“Your family is important to you, aren't they?”

Nodding, she settled into the crook of his arm and closed her eyes.

 

Winston fingered Rainy's long dark hair, wondering if she would be offended if he placed his lips against her temple. Thoughts of kissing her cluttered his mind until her sweet voice silenced his reverie.

She opened her large dark eyes and looked at him. “Did you talk to Michael and Terry?”

He nodded. “Yes, I did as a matter of fact. Michael told me everything.”

She sighed, pulling herself from his embrace. “Terry talked to me. I guess you were right to be concerned about them.”

“Yeah, I recall your telling me that your preacher says that abstinence is the key to avoiding unplanned pregnancies. I wish Michael and Terry could have followed his advice.” He was silent for a few minutes. “You know, this is a terrible way for them to start the new school year.”

“I agree with you. All we can do is keep them in our prayers.” Heavy footsteps pounded on the cranberry-colored carpet.

He noticed the pastor approaching. He loomed over them, carrying a manila folder. “Hi, Reverend Marshall,” Winston greeted.

“Hi, Rainy, hi, Winston.” He lowered his bulky frame into the pew and embraced Rainy before shaking Winston's hand. Stroking his salt-and-pepper beard, Reverend Marshall's eyes glowed with warmth and mischief as he gazed at them. “I just want you two to know that the whole congregation has been buzzing about the success of the Youth Financial Program. This is the first time this church has sponsored such an event for our youth, and it's turned out quite nicely.” Staring at the empty pulpit, he continued his speech. “You know, you two work so well together that I want you to think about something for me, possibly pray about it.”

Rainy touched his arm. “What is it you want us to pray about, Reverend?”

“Well, number one, a lot of the youth look up to you, Winston. I wanted to know if you'd consider being a member of this church. I do realize you have your own church home, but you could become an associate member and then pray about becoming a full member.”

“Reverend,” Winston began.

“Just think about it, Winston. You don't have to give me your answer now.”

He nodded. “Okay, I'll think about it.”

Reverend Marshall looked at Rainy. “What's the matter, Rainy? You don't like my idea?”

“I'm not sure if it's a good idea, Reverend.”

“Well, you two work so well together, and I just assumed you'd want to continue serving the church in this manner.”

Winston frowned. “Uh, did I miss something? Continue serving the church in this manner?”

Reverend Marshall nodded. “Of course. Rainy, I'm sure you recall that Deacon Thomas, who used to head the children's ministry, has moved away. Well, I figured you and Winston would be perfect candidates to replace him. You've done so well with the Youth Financial Seminar, and I'm sure you'll do well with the children's ministry. The next big event they've got scheduled is the Christmas Pageant. I know it's only the beginning of September, but this is the largest children's event in the church, and it takes lots of planning and preparation. Hopefully the two of you will see it in your hearts to take this on.”

The Reverend stood and squeezed Winston's shoul
der. “I hope you'll let me know as soon as possible. If the two of you aren't interested, then we'll have to ask somebody else in the congregation to take on this project.” His large feet plodded down the aisle before he stopped and turned toward them. “Oh, let me know within a couple of weeks. That'll give you some time to think about it and pray about it. I feel in my heart that the Lord has called both of you to work with the children in this church.”

Winston whistled softly. “Mercy, I never would have expected this to happen today. I thought our involvement in the Youth Financial Seminar was the end of our calling, but looks like I was wrong.”

Rainy gasped, shoving his shoulder. “You've got to be kidding. Do you honestly think it would be a good idea for you to join this church, and for us to work together in the children's ministry?”

Winston remained silent as he stared at the large cross in the pulpit.
Lord, what have You called me to do?

 

Winston spent the rest of the picnic in a daze, wondering how he should plan his church activities in the future. He watched Rainy as she helped Sister Mary serve the hungry children. He admired her easy camaraderie with her friends, Sarah and Rachel. At one point, the three girlfriends sat under a large oak tree, laughing wildly. Rainy looked up and caught him staring, so he quickly looked away.

He watched Rainy from afar for the rest of the day.
He wanted to take her away from this crowd and spend some time alone with her, on a real date. His heart skipped a beat when she finally left the picnic, without even looking his way or saying goodbye. The church grounds were growing empty, and the cleanup crew was removing the debris left behind.

He trudged to his car, wondering how he would spend his Saturday night. He suddenly felt lonely, and he knew he would miss the joy and camaraderie he'd found in Rainy's church—but most of all, he knew he would miss Rainy.

As he drove, he barely paid attention to the passing traffic and the beautiful palm trees dotting the side of the road. Waves of loneliness continued to engulf him, and he suddenly didn't want to go home and be by himself. He made a U-turn and drove toward his aunt Gladys's house. He pulled into the driveway as gospel music drifted through her open windows. He knocked, and his aunt yelled for him to come inside.

She sat in a rocking chair, knitting. A spool of crimson yarn was strewn around her lap and a pair of reading glasses perched on her nose. “Winston, what in the world are you doing here?” She placed her knitting aside as he kissed her cheek. Since the music continued to blare from the stereo, he turned it down.

He shrugged as he sat on the tattered floral-patterned couch. “What's wrong with a visit to my favorite aunt?”

“Humph. This ain't no friendly visit.”

He playfully placed his hands over his chest. “Aunt Gladys, I'm hurt. Why wouldn't this be a friendly visit?”

“Boy, I've known you since the day you were born. I can tell by that sad look on your face that you've got something on your mind and you just needed to talk to somebody about it. What are you so upset about anyway? Does it have anything to do with that girl you told me about? The one you met on the cruise ship?”