I could take a hint, so I turned and walked out of the room. “Goodnight,” I called over my shoulder.
“Good night,” he responded. “And would you shut my door?”
I gently pulled the door shut and then went to my own room. I climbed into the comfortable looking bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Chapter 5
I was awakened the next morning by a gentle rapping on the door. As I turned over and stretched, the door slowly opened and Adam peeked in at me. “It’s almost nine o’clock,” he said. “You didn’t say when to wake you, so I thought now might be good.”
“Yes, this is fine,” I answered groggily.
Adam was wearing a red polo shirt and a pair of khaki pants. He looked so good to me, and it made me ache inside. He was carrying my clothes and sneakers from the night before. The clothes were folded neatly, and when he handed them to me, I noticed that they had been freshly laundered. “You did my laundry?”
“Yeah. I also washed your dress. The paint came out, as far as I could tell. I dropped it off with Alicia.”
“Thanks. You didn’t have to.”
“No, I didn’t. But I did it anyway.”
Adam left the room and I hurriedly straightened the bed. I rushed to the bathroom so I could clean myself up. There was no time for a shower, so I bathed off with a wash cloth. I then applied some of the cream the doctor had prescribed before putting on my clean clothes. While I was brushing my teeth, I heard someone knocking on the door to Adam’s room. I imagined that it was either Rick or Alicia, but I continued my routine until I felt that I looked somewhat presentable.
When I finished, I came out and noticed that Adam was in the kitchenette. I didn’t see anyone else in the suite, but I smelled bacon. I realize that food should have been the farthest thing from my mind after my drinking binge, but I was starving.
“I ordered us some room service. I hope you are hungry.”
“Yes, I’m really hungry.”
Adam brought the plates and set them on the small coffee table in the sitting room. He sat down opposite of me. The food looked delicious: scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, and toast with orange juice for drinking. I grabbed my fork and prepared to dig in, but then Adam said, “Do you want to say grace or should I?
I was once again at a loss for words. I hadn’t realized before that Adam was religious. My family had never been religious. Oh Vince and Stacy believe in God, and they even talked about Jesus from time to time, but we had never gone to church and I only prayed when things got desperate. “Do you always pray before meals?” I asked.
“Not always. But today I feel especially thankful, and I feel the need to praise God.”
“Okay, then you go ahead,” I feebly mumbled.
Adam thanked God for our food and he thanked Him for my speedy recovery from the “accidental poisoning.” Adam seemed to be quite good at praying, but then again, I was no expert.
When he had said “Amen,” I waited for Adam to pick up his fork before I began chowing down. I was about to shovel a large forkful of eggs into my mouth when I realized that Adam was watching me eat. I dropped my fork and took a small sip of orange juice.
“Is something wrong with the food?” Adam asked.
“No. I’m just thirsty,” I lied.
“Brandy, I’m not going to judge you by the way you eat. You aren’t some teenager on a first date – eat your food!”
He was right, I was being silly. I looked into his icy blue eyes and we both began to laugh. After that, I ate every bite of my breakfast.
After we had finished eating and had cleared away the dishes, I said, “I really should get back to my room. I’ve got to get Alicia and our stuff so we can check out before eleven.” I did not want to pay for another night in this hotel.
Adam took hold of my arm and shook his head. He had a wretched expression on his face – as though he was about to tell me that my goldfish had died. “Alicia’s not in the room. She’s…Her friend…He took her out for breakfast. Before she left, I helped her take your stuff down to your car. You can just check out when you are ready to go.”
“Adam, you have got to tell me who Alicia is with. This has gone on long enough. I feel like you are trying to protect me from something, but I have to know sooner or later. Sooner, please.”
“It’s…it’s…,” he couldn’t bring himself to break my heart. It was sweet.
“It’s Rick, right? Alicia spent the night with Rick. Is that what you can’t tell me?”
It was Adam’s turn to be dumbstruck. After a long pause, he asked, “How did you know?”
“How could I not know? Who else could she be with that would torture you so much? Thanks for looking out for me, but I’m not bothered by this at all. Well, I might be miffed at Alicia just a little bit. But I’m certain she took a bullet for me – trying to show me what a jerk Rick really is. Of course she’s going to be the one who’s miffed when she finds out I already knew Rick was a jerk. If not before, certainly after he wanted you to leave me on the beach alone.”
Adam wasn’t buying my story. “Brandy, you don’t have to be brave about this. I know how you felt about Rick, and to find out he bedded your best friend. That has to be a tremendous shock. You need to show your true feelings and work through this. I’m here for you.”
If I had taken Adam’s advice, I would have been ripping his clothes off right about then. Those were the only feelings I had to work through. Instead, I assured him that I was completely over Rick, “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m not upset about Rick and Alicia. Even if it turns out that they are really in love, it doesn’t matter. Of course I will feel sorry for Alicia for getting hung up on such a jerk, but other than that, I don’t feel a thing.”
Adam was starting to believe me. My confidence was returning. I braced myself for Adam’s exuberant embrace that would probably knock me to the floor.
No embrace. Adam was talking again. “So you truly don’t care? I can’t believe it; I’m in shock. I thought you were really hooked on Rick and that this was going to devastate you.” He paused for a moment to wrap his head around this, and then he said, “Now that you know, what do you plan to do? I guess you’ll want to head back home as soon as possible.”
“No. I’m still going to the concert. Rick is still my favorite entertainer, even if he does behave like an alley cat. And since he might be retiring, it could be my last chance to see him in concert.” And, the longer I stayed with Adam, the better my chances of winning him over.
“Wow,” he said. He sat down on the sofa beside me. “I guess I don’t have to console you, then.”
“You can if you like. I would really like for you too. I can fake it if that will help.”
He smiled. “Boy, am I ever glad that’s over. I’ve been worried about it all night.”
“So when is Alicia due back? I guess I can wait for her in the lobby. I’m sure you have things to do.”
“I have no idea when they are coming back. I don’t even know where they went or what they are driving. Rick’s been using my car, but I have the keys. Anyway, I’m planning on going to church this morning. Do you want to come with me?”
He was asking me to go to church? I’d probably only been inside a church three or four times in my entire life. “How did you find a church? You aren’t from Biloxi.”
“While your clothes were drying, I chatted up the desk clerk. Turns out she’s a believer, and she told me about several good churches that are close to the hotel. I chose a nondenominational one that’s just a few streets away. So, do you want to go or would you rather sit in the lobby and wait who knows how long for Rick and Alicia?”
“I’m really not dressed for church. None of the clothes I have are appropriate.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can wear jeans to church. You aren’t going to church to impress the congregation. You’re going to praise Jesus. He doesn’t care what you wear.”
I was still apprehensive
and mostly about church in general – not about my clothes. But it was a chance to be near Adam, so I said, “Yes, I’ll go.”
It was only ten o’clock, and church didn’t start until eleven. Adam and I spent the next half hour talking. I asked him if he went to church every Sunday.
“Whenever I can. Sometimes I have to be on the road.”
“Why?” I asked. This was something that was totally alien to me. My parents had always told me that going to church wasn’t important. Stacy had told me horror stories about the church she attended as a young girl. According to her, the congregation was full of hypocrites that only came to church to mock everyone else. I couldn’t imagine why Adam wanted to be in church every week.
“I love going,” he replied. “Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t always felt this way. A few years back, I wouldn’t have been caught dead in church. My family had always forced me to go to church when I was younger, and I really resented it. I told anyone who’d listen that the Bible was just a book written by a man who wanted to use it as a political tool. I believed a whole lot of other crap too.”
“What changed?”
“My baby sister Siobhan died.”
“I remember – about 2 years ago.”
“Yes. She was killed in a violent car crash. I was devastated. And I was angry with God. I mean, how could He let the most perfect thing in my life die in such a horrible way? She was so mangled in the wreck, we couldn’t even open her casket for the funeral. I started drinking heavily, and my life was spiraling out of control. I didn’t even want to write songs anymore. A friend of Siobhan’s came to visit me and started telling me all these stories about her that I had never heard before. He told me that Siobhan had been going to church and that she was in the choir. I was amazed, but I didn’t want to hear this. It was just further proof that God had turned His back on her – and on me. Her friend urged me to go to her church with him that Sunday. The church had planned to have a celebration recognizing Siobhan, and he thought I should be there.
“I decided I would go just to see what they had done for Siobhan. I half expected that I would cause a scene and scream to one and all that God didn’t care about anyone. When I arrived at the church, I was totally astounded by what happened. Everyone came to me and told me what a wonderful person Siobhan had been and how much they all loved her – and how much they loved me. They sang her favorite hymns that day, and the pastor preached on Siobhan’s favorite passage in the Bible, Luke 15:11-32. This is the parable of Jesus that some refer to as the Prodigal Son or the Lost Son. I recognized myself in that story. I was the lost son, and my heart began aching to come home to my Father. I began to understand exactly what Jesus had done for us. I was saved that day, and I’ve never felt lost or hopeless again. I try to live my life to please God – not because I have to, but because I want to. I don’t always succeed, but every new day brings me another opportunity. And thanks to Jesus, my mistakes are no longer counted against me.”
I didn’t understand much of what Adam was saying. I had heard the story of Jesus and how he was crucified, but I wasn’t sure what that had to do with me or with our present day world. But I was happy that Adam had been able to find something that gave him hope.
At around ten-thirty, Adam and I went to check out of our suites, and Adam asked the clerk about leaving my car in the parking lot for the day. She said it would be okay, so we left Sam behind and took Adam’s rental.
The church wasn’t far, and we were soon pulling into their parking lot. It wasn’t at all what I had expected. It wasn’t a cute little white building with a steeple and a cross on top. There were no fancy signs with clever sayings. This church was actually in a strip mall, and it was sitting right next to a Dollar General. There was a small sign over the door that said, “Grace Life Center” which Adam had told me was the name of the church.
A number of people were heading inside, and I noticed that many of them were wearing jeans. In fact, I appeared to be more dressed up than most of the folks going into Grace Life Center. I was surprised; I’d always heard that it was just respectful to dress up for church. I knew women who wouldn’t be caught in church wearing pants. So far, I hadn’t seen a single person wearing a dress. I remembered what Adam had said earlier – about how it didn’t matter what you wore – and I guessed that the people in this church truly embraced that idea. I decided to embrace it too.
Inside, Grace Life Center was one big room with rows and rows of connected burgundy colored seats. The seats all had book racks underneath, and on each rack was a Bible. The floor was covered with carpet that was almost the same burgundy color as the seats. The front of the church had a low stage that was accessible by two stairs on either side. The stage held a podium and, behind it, another burgundy chair and a large wooden crucifix. There were doors leading off the stage in both directions, and I noticed a hallway on the left side of the stage. Along the back wall were several folding tables that held pamphlets and other reading material, signup sheets for future activities, and a stack of this week’s church bulletin. Beyond this, the room was rather plain.
Adam got each of us a bulletin and then we took a seat near the middle of the room. I looked over the bulletin, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it. The front page showed a simple sketch of Jesus surrounded by a group of children and a verse from the Bible. I read the verse over several times: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. – Luke 18:17.” I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I liked it. Adam appeared to be praying, so I continued to look at the bulletin. Inside the front cover at the very top was the church’s name. Under that it said, “Welcome to God’s House”. I continued reading the list of things on the first page. “Call to Worship” didn’t offer any explanation. I assumed someone would stand up and tell us it was time to worship so we should be quiet. “Greetings and Announcements” included the following sentiment: “We would like to welcome our returning members and all guests. We are glad you’re here!” Under “Scripture Reading – Margaret Nixon”, the passage Luke 18 was listed. Next came “Please Stand and Join Us as We Praise Jesus with Music and Song”, a small note under this explained that the words to each song would be on the monitors at the front of the room. I hadn’t noticed these before, but I looked up and saw that there was one on each side of the stage. I continued looking over the bulletin, but I was beginning to get bored. I noticed that Adam was looking around now, so I asked him when they were going to start.
“I’m sure it will be soon. Be patient.”
I looked around the room and noticed that most of the seats were filled. A petite old lady with short gray hair was heading towards me with something in her hand. She was dressed in a faded blue dress that was cinched at the waist, and her stockings were sagging. She had a smile that would put Jimmy Carter to shame and deep-set dimples on each cheek. Her blue eyes were twinkling and I was beginning to think that she might be my fairy godmother come to grant my wish. “Hello, Dear,” she said in her best grandmotherly voice.
“Hi,” I replied. I really didn’t want to talk to her.
“Are you and your husband visiting today?”
Adam quickly turned around when he heard her ask that particular question. “Hello,” he said. He reached his hand out and the old lady took it. “I’m Adam, and this is Brandy.”
“Well, I’m Betty. I’m so happy you decided to come visit with us today.” She handed the item in her hand to Adam. It looked like some kind of questionnaire. She also gave him a pencil. “Please fill out our visitor’s slip and place it in the collection dish when it comes around. We want to know all about you!” She was so sweet, I was certain honey was going to flow from her mouth at any moment.
Adam assured her that we would do as she asked. Before she could say anymore, someone began playing the piano, so Betty turned and walked back down the aisle.
“What now?” I asked Adam.
“You act like you’ve never been to church
before,” he said. “This is the Call to Worship.”
“Oh. Okay. Adam, you know, I haven’t really been to church before…Just once for a wedding and a few times for funerals.”
Adam stared at me in disbelief. “Are you kidding?’
“I wouldn’t kid about a thing like that.”
He wanted to ask me more, but the music was ending and a tall lean man with thinning gray hair was approaching the podium. Wearing a tan suit, a white shirt, and a pale blue tie, he was perhaps the best dressed person in the place, and I guessed that he must be the pastor. He yelled out, “Good morning!” and the congregation replied back cheerfully. He welcomed one and all to Grace Life Center, especially all of the visitors, and then he proceeded to rattle off a list of things that I assumed were the announcements.
When the man was done with his announcements, he stepped off the stage. I then noticed that there was a young man seated behind the podium. He had curly brown hair that was a little messy, and a thin mustache. He was wearing a plaid shirt and a pair of faded jeans. He remained seated as a middle-aged woman walked around behind the podium. The woman was wearing a worn gray sweater over a stained T-shirt and worn-out jeans. She was carrying a Bible which she spread open on the podium.
“Please turn in your Bibles to Luke, chapter 18,” she said.
After a brief pause, she began reading from the Bible. I still hadn’t found Luke, much less chapter 18. I was flipping all through the Bible from under my seat, but I just couldn’t locate it. Adam reached over and gently took the book from me. In a few short seconds, he had found Luke and the correct chapter. He even pointed to the verse she was reading. I was impressed.
When the woman finished, several people in the congregation began applauding. As she walked off the stage, some grabbed her hand to shake it and others hugged her. I wondered at this. One thing I thought I knew about church was that no one received praise except Jesus. I couldn’t figure out what was going on.
Apparently the young man seated on the stage could detect my confusion even at a distance because he stood up and began to explain. “I’m sure Margaret won’t mind if I let everyone in on her story of praise. When she first came to Grace Life, Margaret was unable to read. She had a learning disability, and when she was in school, no one was willing to help her. She had trouble finding and keeping jobs, and she didn’t have a home to go to at night. But Jesus led Margaret to our door. We welcomed her with open arms, and, in time, we convinced Margaret to let us help her. First of all, we found Margaret a place to stay, and then Joe Bates, one of our elders and a high school English teacher, took Margaret under his wing. He’s worked with her on her reading two and three nights a week, sometimes more. After two years, Margaret is now able to read at the level of a tenth grader – and she’s not stopping until she can read as well or better than a high school graduate. Today was Margaret’s first public reading, and I think she did wonderfully.”
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