Cindy almost expected a bolt of lightning to materialize, despite the clear skies. She looked at Monty as he smiled at her like a hopeful puppy dog.
If she was starting to like him too much, it was only because of that, and soon, when he realized what was happening, he would be gone and never be back.
For today, she didnt have any choice but to take him to church and be gracious about it. She opened the closet door to grab the shoes that matched her skirt, then stopped with her hand in midair. Instead, she chose her flat-soled leather sandals. Lets go, she mumbled.
Eight.
The words to the sermon went in one ear and out the other. If not for the notes on the back of the bulletin, Cindy would never have known the topic. She was too aware of Monty beside her to concentrate.
He sang beautifully, his baritone voice resonating in perfect pitch with every song except for one that he didnt know, and even then, he caught on quickly. Completely oblivious to the fact that no one else around them raised their hands, he closed his eyes and worshipped G.o.d freely in his own way.
When they sat for the first Scripture reading, he dutifully donned his gla.s.ses, flipped quickly to the correct chapter and verse in his beautiful leather-bound gold-embossed Bible, which was well marked with neat multicolor-coded highlighting and beautifully printed notes in the margins. Cindy opened her tattered pressed cardboard variety, complete with crumpled pages, unicolored highlighting and scribbles wherever she found room to write, and tried her best to follow along. For the length of the sermon, Monty removed his gla.s.ses, tucked his Bible under his chair, and listened with rapt attention, nodding slightly when the pastor made a good point.
He sang in harmony for the closing hymn, which Cindy knew well enough to follow the alto line. When it was finished, she noted tears in the eyes of old Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson beside them.
As the small congregation shuffled from the sanctuary to the lobby, she tried to ignore the curious glances. She knew everyone present and dreaded the questions she would have to face next week when Monty wasnt with her.
Your pastor is quite a dynamic speaker.
She turned her head to comment, but the exact second she opened her mouth, the object of his observation joined them.
Good morning, Cindy. Always a pleasure to see you. I see you brought a friend.
Cindy smiled politely. Pastor Colin, this is. . . She fumbled for the right words. My friend didnt really define what was happening between them. This is Montgomery Smythe.
Monty smiled graciously and returned the pastors handshake. Please, call me Monty.
Pastor Colin nodded as they exchanged the usual pleasantries. Cindy gritted her teeth at Pastor Colins invitation to come again, and she cringed at Montys acceptance.
Pastor Colins wife joined them. Were having some people over to our home for lunch. Would you two like to come?
They spoke at the same time.
I dont think" Cindy blurted out.
Monty smiled and turned to her. Im free for the day. What do you think, Cindy?
Feeling like a shrew, Cindy tried to stop the rush of heat to her face. She pasted on a smile. Wed be delighted, thank you.
The pastor and his wife left to chat with a few other people. Not wanting to arrive at their house before their hosts, Cindy had no alternative but to hang around and make small talk in the lobby. Every time someone she knew looked at her, they gave her a knowing smile. Cindy forced herself to smile back.
When only a few families remained, she led Monty outside to wait in the parking lot until Pastor Colin and his wife were ready to leave. He leaned casually against the trunk of his car, half sitting on the back b.u.mper, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.
At the same time that a breeze sent a ripple through his black hair, he closed his eyes, and with the smallest of smiles, he inhaled deeply. He was more handsome than any man had a right to be. She didnt know how she could ever have thought of him as a puppy dog.
He opened his eyes and smiled. I like your church. Its homey.
Ive been coming here all my life.
You must know everyone here quite well. Its obvious theyre very fond of you.
As much as she was grateful for everyones help and support when her grandmother died, some of the people here were too fond of her. At any given time, any number of them knew of several young men they wanted her to meet. Now that they had all seen her with Monty, if Monty really did come again, she would have to tell them something, or they would all a.s.sume the wrong thing and shed never hear the end of the matter. She didnt need another complication. Yes, theyre all wonderful people, a little nosy, maybe, but wonderful. Oh, look, theres Pastor Colin. We can go now.
The other couple invited for lunch turned out to be the elderly couple who had been beside him during the service. Pastor Colin gave thanks for their meal, and Mrs. Wilkinson immediately turned to Monty.
You sing beautifully, Monty. I hope you are using that talent to sing for the Lord in your own churchs choir.
He smiled politely. Actually, no, Im not in the choir. Unfortunately I have to plan my time carefully, so instead I take the youth group once every other month.
The elderly lady nodded. It must bring back fond memories from when you were that age. She smiled, awaiting his reply.
That time in his life held few fond memories. The activities he partic.i.p.ated in had nothing to do with church and more to do with illegal drugs. Hed been dragged to church on many Sundays, but hed never been asked to attend a youth function. It certainly would have saved himself and a number of foster families a great deal of trial and heartache if hed partic.i.p.ated there, instead of getting involved in the other things hed done.
He honestly had fun when he volunteered his time with the teens. But fun wasnt his primary reason for involving himself with the youth group. If he could spare even one teen from going through what he did as a teenager, then every minute would be well spent.
He smiled at Mrs. Wilkinson. I never attended youth group as a teen. He slowly sipped his coffee. Even though he was new at it, he always encouraged the teens to bring a friend, especially those from a nonchurch family.
Your church didnt have a youth group? What a shame.
Monty shook his head. She had no idea. I became a Christian as an adult, praise the Lord.
Really? You sang that old hymn like youd sung it all your life.
Ive always had an apt.i.tude for reading music, even though I dont play an instrument. Its really very mathematical.
The Wilkinsons looked at him blankly for a brief second, then turned to smile at each other. The conversation thankfully drifted on to more general topics, and with the change, he noticed Cindy beginning to relax. After Mrs. Wilkinson finished her tea, following an acceptable length of time after lunch and Mr. Wilkinsons repeated attempts to stifle a yawn, they excused themselves. Monty overheard Mrs. Wilkinson whisper to Pastor Colin that her dear husband needed his nap.
Monty wished that someday he could also experience that same mutual love and devotion. As the Wilkinsons stepped through the doorway, they exchanged hugs with Cindy. The sudden stab of loneliness surprised him.
All his life hed managed to avoid any emotional attachment and the pain of another rejection, a lesson he taught himself after being shifted from one temporary foster home to another.
His breath caught at Cindys smile as she waved good-bye to the Wilkinsons. He wanted to leave as well so that he could spend some time alone with Cindy, but he feared she would suggest they go their separate ways when they arrived at her home. So, when Pastor Colin offered to refill his cup, despite the fact that hed had quite enough coffee, he accepted. They moved from the dining room to the more casual setting of the living room.
So, Monty, I keep thinking of what you said earlier, that you became a Christian as an adult. Im always interested in hearing such testimonies. Pastor Colin leaned back into the couch, his cup cradled in his hand, waiting.
Monty smiled his typical professional smile, but inside, his stomach tied in knots. To gloss over the story of his miserable life in the informal atmosphere of Cindys kitchen was far different than being asked for a testimony by Cindys pastor"in her presence. Cindy had been raised in a Christian home, while his lifestyle had been far from Christian until recently. Plain and simple, hed been saved by grace.
As a young child, I was shuffled through a number of foster homes in the child-welfare services system. I must admit that I wasnt an easy child to care for. A few of the families were Christians, but I rejected all they told me. In retrospect, only the grace of G.o.d got me through those years. I fell in with the wrong crowd at school and started to get into trouble, but found out quite by accident that if I spent a certain amount of time in the computer lab, I could fool everyone into believing I was there more often than I really was.
Monty paused, thinking of how he had at first only used the computer lab as an alibi. As time progressed, his interest changed from skipping school and causing trouble, to skipping cla.s.ses and staying inside the school to hack away at the computer. When the teachers found out where he was and what he was doing, because he was no longer causing trouble and was actually inside the school building, they excused him more than they should have. Their leniency only encouraged him to continue skipping cla.s.ses, and he tried everyones patience by systematically calculating exactly how far he could push each individual teacher. In the end, he had been fortunate the computer had fascinated him to such a degree. Hed been one of the few in his crowd to actually graduate.
After I graduated, I floundered for a couple of years, but when the police came around looking for a friend of mine who had some pretty heavy charges pending, I made up my mind to do something positive with myself. I eventually started my business, and although Ive had my struggles, things moved along nicely until I was in an automobile accident. Once again, G.o.d sent me the message that He loved me, but this time I paid attention. My time in the hospital gave me a lot of time to think and to see how G.o.d had been with me, despite my constant rejection of Him. I made my decision to follow Jesus shortly after that. He purposely left out the fact that it had only been six months ago.
He turned toward Cindy to see her wide eyes. Many times when they were together he had wanted to tell her about her part in his decision, but every time the subject came up, she had strangely skirted the topic. This wasnt how he wanted her to find out, although he didnt understand the depth of her reaction, which didnt seem very positive.
Thats an amazing testimony. Have you shared it with your church?
Monty politely smiled back. He would be baptized in a month, which meant sharing his testimony with the congregation then. Now that Cindy had become a part of his life, he especially wanted her to be there for him on his special day. No, so far only with my home group, and the youth group, and of course my pastor, who was the one on duty making rounds at the hospital. I dont think the poor man had any idea that one person could ask so many questions.
Pastor Colin smiled into s.p.a.ce, then turned back to Monty. Youd be surprised at the questions that people ask, once they get started. Its a joy for any pastor to respond.
Monty laughed. Hed wondered if Pastor Harry had ever been tempted to sneak past his room at the hospital. Yet, he faithfully came every day, although his later visits were admittedly shorter once Monty got his new reading gla.s.ses.
I was going to ask if youd share your testimony, but since you havent done so at your own church yet, Ill wait my turn.
Id be happy to when the time comes. Im sure Cindy has your phone number, and youll be seeing me again the odd Sunday.
The pastor turned to Cindy, but spoke to Monty. You wouldnt be taking my Cindy away from our little fellowship, would you?
From the expression on Cindys face, he could see they were moving too fast and her pastor had gone one step too far. He couldnt help but recall almost word for word her statement that she didnt want a romantic relationship with him. The words still hurt, but at the time they hadnt known each other long enough to make that kind of decision.
As far as he was concerned, he was finished courting her from a distance. He in no way believed in love at first sight, but he had no doubt that what he felt about Cindy was real.
Oh, no, Cindy and I are just friends. Holding the coffee cup in one hand, he brushed the fingers of his free hand along the back of her hand and lowered his voice so only she could hear. So far, anyway.
Cindy stood. I really think its time we left. Thank you so much for your hospitality, and Ill see you again next Sunday.
Monty stood as well. He could take a hint.
He shook the pastors hand as they left. Thank you for your hospitality. Ill see you again, soon.
Cindy stared out the car window the whole way home. Shed had no idea until today that Monty only became a Christian after his accident. While she knew it was fairly common for people to come to a sudden belief in G.o.d at such a moment, the thought terrified her. Being at the point of death would change anyone. Shed also peeked at his Bible. The short time frame since hed been a Christian explained its pristine condition. Judging from his highlighting and carefully placed notes, he had done a lot of reading in that short time. Hed also been approved by at least the pastor to take on some responsibility for the youth group.
Cindy continued to stare out the window. Could she trust this was a firm commitment and not based on a single experience? Why did she care? As soon as they arrived back at her house, she would tell him that she couldnt see him again, including the hike, which was a bad idea anyway because she could tell that his leg still hurt.
Cindy? Would you like to go out for dinner?
She turned to face him, and as he smiled, Cindys foolish heart fluttered. She did care. Against her better judgment, she actually liked the man. I think Id rather go home, if you dont mind.
Instead of saying good-bye from the car, he not only escorted her to the door, but before she had a chance to open her mouth, he was inside and making himself at home on her couch.
Since he was there, she made the best of it. At first they discussed the pastors sermon, which was a good thing, since she hadnt paid enough attention. In doing so, she discovered how deeply he considered the teaching and then its practical application, and they simply just kept talking.
Before they knew it, suppertime had come and gone, so they ordered a pizza and talked some more. The depth of his research and reading was astounding, and Cindy was able to share some of the spiritual truths shed learned over the years.
Despite the late hour, Cindy felt almost sorry when he left, which was thankfully before Troy brought Erin home.
As his car disappeared around the corner, she realized that she hadnt told him she had reconsidered the hike. More importantly, she hadnt mentioned that she thought it unwise for her to continue seeing him.
A million thoughts zinged through her head while Cindy changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth. She tried very hard to figure out what had happened between the beginning of the day, when she dreaded Montys arrival, and his late departure, when she was sorry to see him go.
She no longer questioned the depth of Montys commitment. He focused single-mindedly and pursued with diligence everything he did"his faith included. Theyd shared ideas and opinions, agreed on some, and disagreed on others. Best of all, he had never doted on her, nor had he indicated any other signs of hero-worship as listed in her first aid book. Everything he said and did indicated merely the beginning of a very companionable friendship, but now she wasnt as sure that she wanted only friendship.
Lying in the silent, dark bedroom, Cindy stared at the ceiling, then closed her eyes to pray for guidance. Although no answers came, she tried to be content in the knowledge that G.o.d was watching, and He was in charge.
Monty picked up the phone, stared at it, then hung up again without dialing. Agnes rapped on his office door, dropped a letter needing his signature onto the corner of his desk, and shuffled out without a word.
He rested his elbows on the desk and buried his face in his hands. Never before had he been unable to concentrate on his work. Never. Not even when he had three projects to complete on the same day that Agnes had accidentally booked an important meeting. Now, he couldnt formulate a coherent thought.
Hed seen her just yesterday. He checked his watch. Less than twelve hours ago, in fact. Even though theyd talked for hours, theyd left so much unsaid.
Monty picked up the phone and dialed her number. Antic.i.p.ating the soothing sound of her soft melodic voice, he enjoyed her calm business greeting when she answered with her official salutation as Roberts secretary.
Hi, Cindy. Its Monty. Free for lunch?
She hesitated a second before she spoke. I thought you were going to stop sending me flowers.
Well, it sure is a pleasure to hear your voice, too.
She grumbled something he couldnt quite make out and perhaps was glad he couldnt. Then she cleared her throat. h.e.l.lo, Monty, its nice to hear from you. She paused to let out a short sigh. The flowers?
I dont remember promising. You could refresh my memory at lunch.
I. . .
Monty smiled as her voice trailed off.
Cindy cleared her throat. Are you sure you dont have a meeting or appointment or something?
Yup.
Just a minute. Ill make sure Robert doesnt need me.
He waited patiently, tapping his fingers on the bottom of his keyboard in time with the hold music.
Yes, Im free for lunch.
Great, Ill pick you up at noon. See you then.
Monty quickly postponed his lunchtime appointment, then finished his current programming project. Unfortunately, a phone call delayed his departure, making him unsure if he would be able to arrive at Cindys office for noon. As he dashed out the door, he called to Agnes when he would be back, not giving her a chance to ask any questions. Like most days, he would stay late to catch up on the work that was starting to get a bit behind, then hed go see Cindy again in the evening. Today was going to be a great day.
Monty smiled as he hung up the phone. He knew he was pushing his luck, but after three lunch dates with Cindy this week, he noticed a change in her. Up until today, every time hed invited her to lunch shed been hesitant, but today, she sounded like she actually antic.i.p.ated his arrival. Shed even accused him of collaborating with Robert to allow her longer lunch breaks, but he knew she was only teasing. He was making progress.