“I thought it was five fish and two loaves of bread.” Pete pondered aloud as he reached for a thick ham sandwich.
Deborah smacked his hand away. “I don’t think the numbers mattered nearly as much as the blessing that came before it was served,” she admonished him sharply.
“She’s got you there,” Steve laughed.
“What are you all talking about?” Chuck asked in bewilderment.
“Right now, the blessing before the meal,” Steve replied. “Uh, shall we bow our heads?” He cleared his throat, suddenly self conscious. He realized that he had never given the blessing before in public.
“Heavenly father, we thank you for the bounty of this meal, and for the friends who have gathered here to share it. May it strengthen our bodies so that we might better serve you in the world. I ask these things in your blessed name. Amen.”
“Amen,” came the reply all around, with Chuck, the only nonbeliever in the group, adding a slightly stilted and delayed, ‘amen’ of his own. Pete handed out the sandwiches, Beth passed the bags of chips, and Chuck opened and passed around the soda cans.
“What was all of that talk about fish and chips a minute ago? Chuck asked between huge bites of his cold cut sandwich. “I didn’t follow the joke.”
Deborah smiled sweetly at Chuck. “Fish and bread loaves,” she corrected him. “It’s from the Bible, Chuck. One day, Jesus was preaching far out of town. Many people had walked there to hear him. He kept on preaching, and the crowd kept on growing. It got late in the day, and the people were hungry, but no one wanted to leave and miss anything that Jesus was saying. There was one little boy who had thought to bring himself a lunch, though it was just some fish and a couple of loaves of bread. Jesus took the basket and blessed the food, then told his men to share it with the crowd. The Bible says the basket never ran out of food. Jesus fed 5,000 people that day.”
Chuck was silent for a moment. “So, you’re saying this was like a fast food restaurant?”
Laughter exploded throughout the group. Pete choked on his sandwich. Deborah shook her head affectionately at Chuck as she pounded on Pete’s back. “You never cease to amaze me, Chuck.” She said, still giggling.
Chuck smiled a little uncertainly. “Thanks,” he said, still looking as if he’d missed the whole joke.
As the meal wound down, Deborah studied Beth, who was watching a group of children working on a sand castle a few towels away.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” She asked Beth at last.
Beth glanced at Deborah, and shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she replied lightly. “I haven’t lived here that long. But, perhaps you saw me at church?”
“Perhaps,” Deborah agreed, although she looked doubtful.
“Beth is in the New Believers class with me,” Steve reminded Deborah, leaning forward to lay his leg out straighter in front of him. “She’s the one that taught me to dive.”
“That’s right,” Deborah replied. “Which diving outfit did you say you worked for?” Deborah asked politely.
Beth shook her head, still not meeting Deborah’s direct gaze. “I don’t. I’m a full time nurse. I just got my diving instructor’s license this year. Most of the time, I just ferry small charter groups out to the wrecks on my boat.”
“I see,” Deborah replied, although it was clear to Steve that she was still trying to figure out where their paths may have crossed.
“Beth is also active with Navy Relief and is helping with Vacation Bible School this year,” Steve continued, convinced that Deborah was simply looking for a reason to find something to dislike about Beth.
Deborah nodded distractedly, and Steve had a mental image of Deborah rummaging through multiple file cabinets in search of a lost file. Then suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Navy Relief!” She whispered, her eyes widening. She gave Beth a strange look out of the corner of her eye, but Beth, busy shoeing a horsefly off of her plate, did not see.
“I guess you must be a pretty busy lady,” Deborah said loud enough for Beth to hear.
Beth nodded. “Seldom bored. I hate sitting around.”
“So it would seem,” Deborah said with a strange look in her eyes. Abruptly, she turned to Steve. “So, how much longer until your doctor releases you to come back to work?” She demanded.
Steve shrugged noncommittally. “I go back for an assessment next week. Hopefully, he will have some answers for me then.” He ground his teeth for the first time in months. Until an hour ago, he had been confident of what the doctor would recommend, but now…?.
“I know you can’t wait to be pronounced fit for service again,” Beth piped up, recalling him to the moment, “but I’m going to hate losing you as a diving partner.”
Steve balanced another cold can of soda nonchalantly on his throbbing knee. “Me too,” he assured her. “I still love the mountains, but ever since you talked me into diving lessons, I’m actually going to hate leaving here for the first time in years.”
He turned to Chuck. “You’d love diving, Chuck. It’s like a different world, when you go over the side and swim down so deep you lose the sunlight! All you have is a diving lamp, and there are all kinds of fish and plants. Then suddenly, this ghost ship looms up before you…” Steve shook his head, at a loss as to how to adequately describe the feeling. “It’s just incredible,” he finished lamely.
Chuck shook his head firmly. “No diving for me,” he answered firmly. “Ghost ships would be fine, but I have no intentions of getting buddy-buddy with the local sharks.”
Steve grinned. “It’s not such a big deal,” he argued. “We don’t bother them, and they don’t bother us. There hasn’t been a shark attack out there on the wrecks for years!” He finished.
“You mean, not yet.” Chuck amended firmly.
“Really, Chuck,” Beth chimed in. “Steve is right!. The local shark population really aren't dangerous. They are so used to divers around the wrecks, that they barely acknowledge our presence. The big bad sharks don't really hang out around wrecks. Divers here seldom have problems.”
“Seldom is still not ‘never’” Chuck replied seriously.
“True, but – “
Chuck cut her off. “It’s no good!” He told her sharply, and his friends stared at him in surprise. They had never heard easy going Chuck get so agitated! “Sharks DO attack humans every year and I’ve no intention of being mistaken for a seal sandwich. I am quite content to work on my tan right here on the sand!”
Steve looked at his friend, thunderstruck. “Do you mean that you never even went in the ocean at all today?” He demanded.
“Nope. Not even a big toe,” Chuck confirmed.
“You do realize that hundreds more people die each year from skin cancer than from shark bites?” Beth pointed out with a touch of irony.
“I didn’t say it made sense!” He replied defensively. He took a deep breath. “When I was a kid I read those stories about World War II sailors being picked off by sharks while they were just floating out there helpless.” Chuck looked slightly nauseous as he seemed to recall some of the gory details, and then his voice and face hardened as he continued. “That made up my mind. If I can’t see what’s swimming under me, I’m not going in the water.” He took a bite of cheese cake and was quiet for a moment chewing more with determination than enjoyment.
“But Chuck…” Beth said one more time, trying to sound reasonable.
Chuck cut her off abruptly. “What can I say? Everyone drinks his own poison. Me, I’ll take my chances with the sun.”
Beth took in Chuck’s muscular build and perfectly browned physique, and she had to admit to herself that his particular brand of poison looked pretty darn good on him!
As if he was aware of her thoughts, Chuck yawned hugely and stretched, showing off his well defined biceps and a perfect six pack. Beth suddenly realized that she was staring, and worse, that he was watching her with an amused glint in his cobalt blue eyes.
Flustered and slightly embarrassed to be caught in th
e act of checking out one of Steve’s friends, Beth quickly looked down at her watch. “I need to be going soon,” she announced briskly. “I was able to pick up an afternoon charter, and we'll be leaving at three.”
Beth stood and brushed sand off of her dress, and deliberately stooped in front of Chuck to pick up her sandals. She smiled slightly as she saw Chuck’s eyes taking in her own handsome figure. Feeling somewhat mollified by his appreciation, she finally straightened up slowly. “Keep the leftovers,” she told them. “Steve can drop the basket off to me later. It was a pleasure meeting all of you!” With a small wave, Beth walked off toward the parking lot without a backward glance.
Steve watched her go with a mixture of confusion and disappointment. She had barely said good bye to him, and her interest in Chuck had been all too obvious. It was true they weren’t actually dating, but he had thought that she had at least been interested in something more than a casual friendship. Today had been an eye opener for him.
“So what did you think?” He asked into the silence that seemed to be lingering on unnaturally after Beth’s departure.
“You’ve got your work cut out for you, amigo,” Chuck said, still watching her progress back to the parking lot. “She’s hot, though, and she definitely can pack a picnic basket,” he added, stuffing a last bite of creamy cold cheesecake in his mouth.
“Busy girl. Glad she’s found time to attend church,” Pete said, his gaze wandering back to Deborah.
“Is that all you can say?” Steve asked in irritation. He winced as he tried to bend his knee. The day at the beach was not ending very well.
Pete looked startled. “Well, Chuck is right of course – she is…cute,” he added glancing sideways at Deborah. Then he shrugged. “I don’t know. Could be you just caught me on a bad day,” he said, with a bemused smile. He took Deborah's hand in his as if to illustrate his point. “My mind’s been distracted.”
Steve looked from Pete to Chuck, shaking his head. “You think she’s trouble, and you’re glad that she’s in church,” he growled peevishly. “It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.”
Pete cleared his throat and glanced around uncomfortably. “I don’t know, Steve. We just met her, after all.”
Steve was surprised. This was not the response he’d been expecting when he had asked Beth to join them today. He turned to Deborah, who had not spoken since Beth had left.
“So what did you decide was wrong with her?” He asked.
Deborah didn’t answer at once. “I’d rather not say,” she said at last. “It might be nothing.”
Steve looked at her shrewdly. “You’ve remembered where you met her before, haven’t you?”
“Maybe,” she admitted slowly.
Her evasiveness only irritated him more. “What do you remember?” He challenged her. “What could be so bad that you won’t tell me?”
Deborah remained tightlipped. “I can’t be sure it was her. I’d rather not say anything.”
Steve couldn’t let it go. “Are you sure you remembered something? He asked nastily. “Or are you just jealous that I met someone else, so you won’t say anything good about her, regardless? What’s the matter? You can move on, but I can’t?”
Deborah looked as if she had been slapped.
“That’s enough!” Pete cut in, his voice tight. He glared at Steve.
“Yeah, man,” Chuck agreed heatedly. “That was way out of line.”
It had been out of line, Steve realized. He had seldom seen Pete so angry and even Chuck, usually mellow and easy going, looked at him in disgust. With an effort, Steve regained his temper.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized, although he knew he didn’t look terribly repentant. He flexed his leg in discomfort, and felt confused and depressed.
Deborah did not respond to his apology, but knelt and began gathering the leftovers into the nearly empty basket. Pete looked at his watch, but found that the salt water had gotten into the mechanism, and the LCD screen blinked meaninglessly.
“It’s getting late,” he grumbled, deciding that the time didn’t really matter. “We need to be getting back soon.” He stood and scooped up some towels and lotion.
Gritting his teeth, Steve prepared to try and stand up, but found a hand extended to him. He looked up. “Take it,” Chuck advised. “No need to do any more damage today.” He allowed Chuck to help pull him to his feet. “Thanks,” he mumbled. Now the throbbing in his knee seemed to have spread to his head. How had he let such a beautiful morning disintegrate into this uncomfortable and unhappy afternoon?
They drove home in near silence. “You’ll all want to shower before you head back,” Steve advised them. “Five hours of driving with salt water on your skin and sand in your bathing suit can get itchy.”
From the stony silence that followed, he was rather glad that he was driving the car. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they had simply pushed him from the vehicle in front of the house, and sped away! Well, it wouldn’t be the first time his careless behavior would have destroyed a friendship, he thought darkly. He supposed it was too late now to ask for forgiveness; and worse, he wasn’t sure if he was capable of groveling. He had groveled before David, begging him to forgive him, and it had gotten him nowhere. He couldn’t do that again…
Woodenly, he handed out towels and directed Chuck and Pete to his bedroom to shower and change. He took Deborah to his mother’s room. The silence as they walked down the hall was unnerving. Never, no matter how ill tempered he’d been in the past, had Deborah simply ignored him.
He opened the door, and she walked past him without even looking at him. Steve’s gut twisted inside of him. “I am sorry!” He rasped in a strangled voice. “I had no right…”
“None,” she agreed flatly.
Dejectedly, he slowly closed the door, but at the last moment she called him back.
“Steve.”
He opened the door and looked at her warily. He would deserve any tirade she chose to launch at him, and he prepared himself to accept the worst without complaint.
She stared at him a moment, and Steve thought he saw tears glistening in her eyes. “I want you to know that I have forgiven you, I am just not sure how long it will be before I can act like it.”
Steve nodded. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “And I want you to know that you and Pete,” he hesitated a second searching for the words. “Well, he’s the better choice,” Steve finished. “I am glad for the both of you.” He closed the door, feeling overwhelmingly relieved. This, he knew was mercy. It was more than he deserved. Deborah was so far beyond him. Pete was going to be greatly blessed by this woman.
Steve returned to the kitchen and gingerly propped his leg on a chair, an ice pack draped over his knee. What a relief to finally get it propped up and layer on the ice! A few minutes later, Chuck wandered into the kitchen, his curly hair was plastered smoothly against his scalp.
Steve smiled tentatively. “You could almost pass for a marine with your hair combed back like that,” he observed.
Chuck shook his head, spraying Steve with water droplets. “Illusion shattered,” he grunted absently, opening the refrigerator and snagging a chicken leg from last night’s dinner. “I bet,” he mused between bites, “I’m the sort of guy that gives drill sergeants nightmares.” He pulled out a pitcher of tea and selected a glass from the drain rack. “Want any?” He asked Steve holding up the cup.
Steve nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”
A few minutes later Pete wandered into the kitchen, his towel draped over his shoulders. Chuck got up and poured him a glass of tea. As they all sat at the table, Steve studied Pete’s expression. “Are you still mad?” He asked at last.
Pete shook his head. “It was a stupid thing to say.”
“It was stupid,” Steve agreed.
“Just don’t do it again,” Pete warned him seriously.
Steve raised his right hand. “Promise.”
Pete grinned at him and Steve grinned back, feeling
as if his world had just regained balance. When Deborah came downstairs at last, still toweling her shoulder length hair, the three men were busy talking about the last Nascar race.
She eyed them as if they had been caught playing hooky from school. “Don’t tell me you two are ready to go?”
“Just waiting on you,” Chuck said.
“Chuck, you get first shift.” Pete informed him.
“No surprise there,” Chuck grumbled. He rolled his eyes at Steve. “I get to chauffer the ‘Love Bug’.” He gave Deborah and Pete a long suffering sigh. “Promise me you won’t be making disgusting kissy noises in the back seat?” He begged, looking from Deborah to Pete.
Pete reached out and took Deborah’s hand. She leaned against his chair, resting her hand on his shoulder. “You’re driving first, Chuck, because you slept all the way here, remember?” Pete reminded him calmly. “Not just so Deb and I can make out in the back seat.”
“No, but what a lucky coincidence, huh?” Chuck muttered to Steve.
Pete smiled serenely, kissing Deborah’s hand. “You know you’re just jealous,” he told Chuck.
Chuck looked at Steve again. “How do you like that?” He said in mock disgust. “Using my own lines against me!”
“Bummer,” Steve agreed with a straight face.
Deborah collected the wet towels kissing the top of Pete’s dark head as she slipped his off his shoulders. “I’m throwing these in the washer,” she told Steve, heading for the little utility room off of the kitchen. Pete watched her walk away as if he still could not believe his good fortune.
Chuck glanced down and studied the ice pack on Steve’s knee, noting the cane leaning against the chair. “How bad?” He asked quietly.
“Not too bad,” Steve lied, praying he was wrong.
Chuck pushed back his chair and called out loudly. “All right, class. The bus is pulling out in five minutes. Last call for potty break, ‘cause I’m not stopping.”
Leaning heavily on his cane for support, Steve limped to the door to say goodbye. Deborah lingered behind the others, worry lines creasing her smooth freckled forehead.
“You won’t like hearing this,” she told him abruptly. “But it’s such a strange coincidence, I’m afraid there’s more to it. You should be careful.”
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