by Emma Easter
Looking at herself in the full-length mirror, she adjusted the dress. Unlike her other dresses, which were loose and almost to her ankles, this dress was calf-length and slightly more fitted. The sleeves were shorter, just above her elbows, and the neckline wasn’t as high as the others.
She gazed at her face. For the first time in her twenty-five years, she wished she could wear some makeup like other women.
She smoothed down her hair and decided to put it up in a bun. Soon, she put it down again and braided it. She looked at herself in the mirror and undid the braid. And then she grunted. What are you doing, Rachel?
She smiled in self-mockery as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She knew exactly why she was being finicky about her appearance today when she normally didn’t care. It was because she was going to see the handsome pastor with the kind eyes. At least, she hoped she would see him. She didn’t even know where he lived or if he would be home.
She forced herself away from the mirror, slipped on a pair of low-heeled sandals, and left the bedroom again. She stopped in front of the nursery and looked in on Emily before continuing on. Downstairs, she picked up the keys to Mike’s Range Rover and hurriedly left the house. She hadn’t told him she was going out, which would have been an infraction in Fallow Creek. She opened the small fence and got into the car.
As she drove away from the house, she kept looking out the window for someone she could ask for directions to the pastor’s house. Destiny was a tiny town and the pastor seemed to be well known. Surely, the first person she asked could easily point her in the right direction. Even if he wasn’t at his house, many people here would know where she could find him.
She drove through town, gazing this way and that, appalled. There were destroyed houses, felled trees, and crushed cars everywhere. Having gone out only twice since they’d arrived here, the extent of the damage still shocked her.
Her heart went out to the people in the town, especially those who had lost their homes. This was really bad. She had to find a way to help out instead of secluding herself in her luxurious home, pretending that nothing like this had happened. Yes, she was worried about her reputation, but that didn’t mean she could use that as an excuse not to do right.
After gaping at the town for a long time, she finally remembered she wanted to ask someone for directions to the pastor’s house. She had just been driving aimlessly through town. A young woman with a blonde bob was walking down the sidewalk, probably heading to the all-purpose store a few feet away. Rachel stopped the car and waved to get her attention.
The young woman turned and smiled. She walked to Rachel’s car with her smile intact and a curious look in eyes.
Rachel said to her, “Hi. I just moved here some days ago and I’m looking for Pastor… Keith. I think that’s his name. Do you know where he lives?”
The young woman’s smile grew wider. “I knew you were a stranger because I’ve never seen you before. Welcome to Destiny. It’s such a shame you moved here just after the awful hurricane, when the whole town is in disarray.”
Rachel nodded. “I keep being amazed at how bad everything is.”
The young woman said, “Yes, it’s really bad. Anyway, my name is Jenny, and Pastor Keith lives on the next street. However, he’s not at his house right now.”
Rachel felt slightly disappointed until Jenny added, “He’s in his store just over there.” Jenny pointed at a small building, the all-purpose store that Rachel had been in before. She was surprised to hear it was his. She had not seen him on the day she’d gone there and he hadn’t mention it belonged to him when he’d visited the house.
“It’s one of the few places that wasn’t touched at all by the hurricane,” Jenny said.
“Thank you so much, Jenny.”
“No problem,” Jenny told her. “I was just heading there to see Pastor Keith myself.”
Rachel drove the short distance to the small store and limbed out of the car. She was about to enter the building when Jenny reached her. She smiled, opened the door, and walked in with Jenny behind her. Rachel looked around the store. It was almost empty now. If nothing was being sold here, then why was it still open?
Jenny said to her, “Pastor Keith must be at the back. Let me go get him.” She left quickly and Rachel’s heart pounded.
Calm down, she scolded herself. Remember why you are here. She took a deep breath, forced herself to stay calm, and began to walk around the store, looking at the few remaining things on the shelves.
Chapter 10
The shelves in the pastor’s store contained a few knick-knacks, some cookies and candies, a couple of old books, pens, and notebooks. She noticed a pile of hand towels on the bottom shelf.
She smiled at the variety of things sold in the store. It reminded her of the store her mother had owned in Glendale before they’d moved to Fallow Creek. She still remembered those days with nostalgia. She and her brother had been as free as birds and their mom had seemed much happier. She was now dead, having passed away some years ago of a brain tumor and a broken heart. Rachel had blamed her stepfather, Chris, for her death, even though she said nothing to him. Mom had loved him, but he had married two other wives after her and consequently stopped paying any attention to her. Rachel had cut him off completely after her mother died.
She turned around when she heard footsteps approaching. Her heart skipped a beat when the pastor appeared. He looked even more handsome than when he’d visited the other day. Her hands grew slightly damp and her pulse began to race as he smiled at her, and she told herself to calm down. Remember why you are here, Rachel. She was here to find out if the good pastor could help her get babysitting jobs so she could finally move away from Mike. Then she could make a decent, guilt-free life for herself and her daughter.
He came to stand in front of her and Jenny stood next to him. For some reason, Jenny had lost her bright smile and was scowling at her and Pastor Keith. For a brief moment, Rachel felt puzzled by that, and then she brushed it off. She concentrated on the handsome pastor and smiled back at him. “Hi! I hope you are not too busy now. I came to talk to you about something really important.”
Pastor Keith said, “That’s okay. I can talk now.” He turned to Jenny and said, “I’ll see you later, Jen.”
For reasons Rachel didn’t even want to acknowledge right now, a thread of jealousy ran through her at the wide smile he gave to Jenny and the way he had called her ‘Jen’. Maybe they were an item.
If they were, why would she care about that? He was apparently a single, handsome young man, and Jenny was a pretty, young woman. They looked good together. She should be happy for them; at least happy that there were people like this couple who belonged only to each other, and women like Jenny who did not have to share their men like Rachel did.
Jenny left without saying goodbye to her, and Rachel focused completely on the strapping man before her. She studied his face, his eyes, and then she blinked. Stop your juvenile crush, Rachel!
Pastor Keith said, “Let’s go into my office and talk.” He led the way to a small office at the back of the store. There were study books and two big Bibles scattered on the table. He looked embarrassed as he sat at his desk and started to clear the table. She sat across from him and he said, “Please forgive the mess.”
She smiled. “That’s okay.”
Pastor Keith finally focused on her and said, “What do you want to talk to me about?” Before she could answer, he added, “I have to say, the money you and your husband generously donated is truly making a difference. I re-hired the builders who were working on the new church before the hurricane swept it away. They have started to rebuild it again. Also, we’ve been able to get more food trucks and basic necessities for people who need it. I cannot say how grateful I am for the money you and your husband gave.”
Rachel cringed every time he said, “you and your husband.” Guilt had gripped her as he spoke. She wanted to tell him that the donation was not from ‘her and Mike’ and that
Mike wasn’t her husband. But she could not bring herself to tell him. What would he think of her if he knew that she had been living with a married man and his wife for years? She was pretty sure he would be shocked and maybe he would want nothing to do with her, which she would deserve.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, leaning forward and staring at her with a concerned look.
Rachel forced herself to smile. “Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking about something I have to take care of as soon as possible.”
Pastor Keith smiled. “I am glad. I thought it was something I said.”
“No.” She smiled genuinely this time. “You said nothing wrong.”
His eyes caressed her face for a long moment, and then, seeming to catch himself, he blinked and leaned back on his seat. He looked embarrassed again, and to remove the awkwardness of the moment, she quickly said, “You must really love this town. Did you grow up here?”
She groaned inwardly after asking the question. She had asked yet another personal question, just as she’d done when he’d visited the house. Why couldn’t she stop herself from asking such personal questions and just focus on asking for a job? She still remembered with embarrassment going over to him and putting her arm around him in the house. She had not thought about what she was doing because he had looked so sad and she’d wanted to comfort him. Later, though, she had chided herself for doing that.
He smiled and a wistful look appeared on his face. “Yes, I grew up in Destiny, and I love this town. I love being the pastor of the only church in town.” He looked intently at her and asked, “Where are you from?”
Her heart began to beat rapidly and she quickly said, “I actually came to ask you about a job.”
He looked both curious and interested. “I remember you told me you wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Unfortunately, as I told you, we don’t have the elementary school anymore. But it is one of the things we plan to focus on soon. We hope we can rebuild the school before summer vacation is over.” He looked like he wanted to say something else but wasn’t sure he should.
“I remember you telling me about the elementary school,” she said. “Actually, I didn’t come to ask for a job as a teacher. I came to ask if you could introduce me to some people who might need a babysitter. The parents could even leave the kids at my home while they go about their business and then get them when they are ready.”
Pastor Keith looked up thoughtfully. He faced her again and smiled broadly. “I think that might be a good idea. Unfortunately, many businesses here had to close up and many people don’t have that much money. I know there will definitely be people who want a babysitter, but I have to tell you… though I know you don’t need the money as much as something to do, the pay will be very small.”
If only he knew how much she needed the money. She shrugged. “That’s okay. Like you said, I really just need something to keep me busy.” She wanted to tell him the truth, that she did need the money, but she couldn’t. They lived in a big house and Mike had just donated thousands of dollars. Pastor Keith would either think she was lying or suspect that something was wrong with her living situation. She wasn’t ready for him to find out the truth about her.
He stood up and said, “Okay, then. Let’s go.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked him where they were going.
He chuckled. “You asked me to find parents who need a babysitter for their kids, didn’t you? We are going to find them.”
“Right now?” she asked him.
“Yes, now.”
“Okay…” she said slowly and stood up.
She followed him out of the office and out of the store. They headed in different directions and then turned around again and faced each other. They both started laughing awkwardly.
He said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Of course you brought your car. I was just heading toward mine.”
“I guess we can take your car, Pastor Keith,” she said.
He nodded and said, “Please call me Keith.”
“And please call me Rachel,” she said.
“Okay, Rachel,” he pointed at an old blue car a few feet away. “There is my car.”
They walked to his car and got in. She sat beside him while he started the engine and pulled into the road. As they drove through town, he intermittently waved to people who heartily greeted him. She surreptitiously studied him. He looked about ten years younger than Mike, which meant he was probably about two or three years older than she was. And he was definitely more handsome. His wavy hair fell down his forehead as the wind tossed it this way and that, causing her heart to flutter. Unlike Mike, who had a heavy beard, Keith was clean-shaven.
Her eyes moved down to his arms holding the steering wheel. He was wearing a grey, short-sleeved T-shirt that showed his strong arms and broad shoulders. Her eyes moved back to his face while her pulse quickened. She couldn’t look away. She took in his sparkling green eyes as he smiled and waved to yet another person on the street. She looked at his messy hair again, and then her eyes settled on his full lips.
An image popped into her mind; both of them wrapped up in each other’s arms, kissing passionately. Her heart began to pound until it felt like it would burst out of her chest. She knew immediately that she had to look away. But she couldn’t.
He turned to her with a huge smile and then raised his brows, looking at her quizzically.
She quickly looked away, embarrassed. Had he noticed her studying him intently?
“Rachel? I asked if you would mind watching older kids as well?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind.” Her embarrassment grew as she turned away again. Pull yourself together, Rachel! What was wrong with her? He had asked her a question and she hadn’t even heard because she was so busy gawking at him. She needed to put a stop to her infatuation. She could not afford to be distracted from her goal. The only thing she cared about right now — should care about — was getting a job, saving up money for an apartment, and then leaving Mike. She had to focus all her efforts on her plans for independence so she could make a life for herself and Emily; a life she would not be ashamed of as her daughter grew up.
Keith finally stopped in front of a small house that mirrored some of the houses she had seen as they drove here. She got out of the car when he did and they walked to the front of the house together. Keith knocked on the door, and a short time later, a man, taller than any she had ever seen, opened it and peered at them. A huge smile broke out on his face as he looked at Keith. “Welcome, Pastor,” the man said. “Please come in.” He turned to gaze curiously at her.
Rachel entered the house and Keith stepped in behind her. He sat down on the couch and she sat next to him. Without thinking, she shifted close so that their knees and arms were touching. She thought about moving away but knew it would look weird. If Keith noticed how close they were sitting, he said and did nothing about it.
She could feel the warmth of his body as he turned to the man who was sitting on the sofa next to theirs. “So, Gary, this is Rachel. She, her husband, and their three children are the family who moved into the big house on the edge of town.”
Gary’s smile broadened and he nodded. “The house looks amazing,” he said, looking at her. “You and your husband did a great job with it.”
Once again, as was usually the case when someone referred to Mike as her husband, guilt smothered her. What would happen when all these people in town found out she was a polygamist? Because in spite of how she hated the lifestyle, as long as she still lived with Mike as his “wife” that was what she was — a polygamist. The earlier she could leave Mike, the better for her. She only wished she could leave him immediately. But because of Emily, that would not be possible. She had no means to take care of her daughter apart from Mike.
“I’m sorry,” Gary said. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Rachel quickly answered. “You didn’t.” She felt Keith’s eyes on her but did not turn to look at him. He was p
robably thinking she was strange now. This was not the first time she had zoned out since they’d met today.
Keith said, “Okay, Gary. I brought Rachel here because she needs a job. Just something to keep her busy. She loves kids and she asked me to find out if there were people in this town who needed babysitters. I told her I knew some people. That’s why we are here. Are you and Claire interested? She can watch your kids whenever you’re busy or just need a break.” Keith grinned. “Talking about Claire and your kids, where are they now?”
“They went to visit Claire’s mother. They should be back this evening.” Gary looked at Rachel and then at Keith. “I will have to talk to Claire first, but we could use a babysitter at this time. I’m busy, as you know, with the hardware store, and Claire seems a little overwhelmed with all the house chores and watching the kids these days. Since they are out of school right now, it’s really difficult trying to juggle work and take care of them at the same time.” Gary looked at Rachel again. “If Pastor Keith trusts you to take care of our kids, then I trust you too.”
Rachel could not help but grin. “Thank you so much.”
They left five minutes later, after Gary promised to call Keith once he had spoken with his wife about their request. Outside the house, Keith said to Rachel, “One down, about a dozen more to go.”
“Thank you,” she said to him. She felt touched by his kindness. She was little more than a stranger to him, yet here he was taking her round town in order to help her get a job. She pursed her lips as guilt once again snatched her joy. When Keith found out about her... She gasped as Keith placed his hand on her arm.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded. Now he would definitely think she was certifiable.
They got into his car again and Keith began to drive. They drove for a short time and stopped in front of another house. This time, the couple and their kids were at home. As before, Keith introduced Rachel and told the couple that she needed a babysitting job, just something to keep her busy.