On a day already full of surprises, Floyd was again surprised when Gil stood in the pulpit and began to preach. He couldn’t help but think first of several questions almost at once. Was that the little guy he knew? And where did all that volume come from?
He whispered to Sue Ann, “That little guy sure has a big voice.”
She smiled and put her finger to her lips to hush him.
As he began to listen to what Gil was saying he couldn’t help but say, “He makes a lot of sense too.”
This time Sue Ann giggled softly but kept her attention on Gil.
After church, Sue Ann invited Jo and Gil to join them at Thelma’s for dinner. They gladly accepted. Floyd was afraid that Jo was going to pump him on why he came and how he liked it. But then when he thought about it, he didn’t care. In fact, he would enjoy talking to her and Gil both about his first experience in church.
In the car on the way to Thelma’s Floyd just listened to everyone else talking all the way over there. Sue Ann and Wanda were discussing the sermon but Penny and Andy were talking about some kids who were in their Sunday School class. He just smiled as he thought about how lonely he had been just a week ago.
He smiled broadly when he had the stray thought that he wasn’t ever going to be lonely again. Nope! Not him.
* * *
Sue Ann was so excited she couldn’t sit still as she sat at the large table at Thelma’s. She was surrounded by the six people she loved most in the whole world.
Loved? Wait a minute. She’d only known Penny a few days but she did think she could learn to love her.
Gil? Sure, she’d misunderstood him when he first came to town but now she did love him especially for all he had done to make her best friend so happy.
Floyd? Was this the same guy who’d always picked on her and argued with her and fought with her? She almost giggled. No he wasn’t the same guy at all. The Floyd sitting next to her was not the same guy who had done all those other things. Yes, she thought, she could love him.
As soon as their orders were taken, Jo and Gil clasped hands and reached out for the person next to them. Soon they were all holding hands around the table as Gil asked the Lord’s blessing on their food.
When he finished, Sue Ann looked to each side. Floyd was on one side and her mother was on the other. Andy was sitting next to Penny who was next to Floyd not to mention that Jo and Gil were sitting across from her. Good grief. What a group.
Floyd leaned over and whispered in her ear. “I love it when you smile like that. I don’t think I’ve seen you smiling much probably since you came back to Crowleyville two years ago.”
She smiled up at him again and said, “I guess I just didn’t have any good reasons to smile.” She let her gaze go around the table and when it came back to him she said, “But I sure do now.”
Sue Ann noticed that Jo was trying to get her attention. When she looked at her best friend, she made a motion with her head that Sue Ann knew meant follow me.
Jo stood and headed for the ladies room with Sue Ann right behind her all the way.
Once they were inside, Jo turned on Sue Ann and said, “Okay, give. I want to know everything that’s happened to get my big bully of a cousin to come to a worship service for the first time in his life.”
Sue Ann giggled and said, “Well, I’m not exactly sure where to start. But I think most of the credit needs to go to Penny with a little help from Andy.”
While Jo was processing that, Sue Ann said, “When was the last time you sat down and had a talk with Floyd?”
Jo thought about that for a moment then said, “I guess it’s been at least a couple of weeks. Why?”
Sue Ann snickered. “Why? Well because that man is changing before our very eyes . . . and not just a little bit either.”
Jo had a puzzled look on her face for a moment then threw her hands up to her face and cried out, “Penny?” When Sue Ann nodded, Jo continued, “You mean that little girl that we all thought was going to be so much trouble has changed that big lug that much?”
Nodding her head furiously Sue Ann said, “You bet she has. It’s getting to where I hardly know the man anymore. He’s polite. He doesn’t yell or cut me down. He even opens doors and pulls out chairs for me.”
“Yeah, I saw him do that a little while ago but I thought it must have been an accident.”
“Nope! That was no accident.”
They were both giggling on their way back to the table to rejoin the rest.
As they approached the table, Sue Ann noticed that Andy and Penny seemed to be having a lively conversation. Then she looked at Floyd and saw that he was having a serious conversation with Gil.
She turned to Jo who had also noticed. “Do we dare break up those two conversations?”
Jo giggled and sat next to her husband thus cutting off his conversation with Floyd. Sue Ann’s sitting back down didn’t disturb the discussion the kids were having though.
Floyd turned to her and said, “I figured Gil’s mother and aunt would be here too.”
She shook her head and said, “Jo said that their Sunday School class was going somewhere else as a group. And Carla went with a group of her friends to the pizza parlor.”
A few minutes later, Andy turned to her and said, “Mom, can Penny come over to our house after this? I want to show her my butterfly collection.”
She smiled down at her son. “If it’s okay with her father, sure.”
She heard Penny talking to Floyd across the table and he looked at her first. When she nodded, he told Penny she could go.
When a lull in the conversation came, Jo called out to Sue Ann from across the table. “I don’t want this to end, but it looks like they could use our table.”
Sue Ann looked at the front and noticed that people were waiting to be seated.
Jo said, “Why don’t we all go over to our house. Florence and Eunice are coming over for the afternoon. You haven’t seen them for a while, have you Sue Ann?”
She looked at Floyd who nodded then Andy let out a moan. “But Mom, me and Penny were going to hang out at our house.”
Just as Sue Ann was about to change her mind, her mom said, “That’s okay, Dear. I’m a little tired. Why don’t you drop the kids and me off on your way?”
Sue Ann keyed on one word. “Are you all right Mom?”
Wanda smiled at her daughter. “I’m fine, just a little tired. I’ve been fighting my allergies all week and I just want to rest this afternoon.”
Sue Ann turned back to Andy and said, “Okay, but you two be good for grandma, you hear?”
Both kids just grinned back at her.
On the way out the door, someone called out, “Hey Mr. Sheriff.”
Sue Ann looked over to see Daisy Thomas with all six of the residents of the home for challenged adults. Of course, it was Bert who had called out to Floyd.
Floyd surprised her. He went over to where they were standing as Daisy was paying the bill and shook hands with all of them saying a few words to each.
She was beaming all the way out to the car. She sure could get used to this new Floyd.
* * *
As Floyd drove away from Sue Ann’s house after dropping off Wanda and the kids, he had a feeling that he was in for an inquisition now that they were alone.
Sue Ann soon proved him right. She turned in her seat to face him as he drove.
“Floyd? I would really like to know what you thought of church today.” Before he could even think of how to answer, she said, “I don’t want you to worry about hurting my feelings either. So don’t gloss it over thinking it will please me. I think I know you well enough to know when you’re doing that.”
He felt like he was definitely between a rock and a hard place here. No matter what he said, she could take it wrong and get upset. He didn’t want to go back to where they’d always been. He liked things just fine the way they were going right now.
So he decided to just give it to her straight. If that wasn’t
what she wanted then she shouldn’t have put him on the spot by asking him the way she did.
He tried to smile but was sure it ended up being somewhat crooked. “Okay, Sue Ann. Here it comes.”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before proceeding. “I really don’t know what to say. To say that I was happy with the way I felt in there today would be a lie.”
He could see that even though she tried not to show it, her face fell. So he rushed on before she got the wrong idea.
“I’m not saying that’s bad . . . exactly. I’m just saying that I felt weird at first, then almost comfortable, then as uncomfortable as all get out.”
When she just stared at him with no facial expressions, almost like she was dazed, he said, “Does that make any sense at all?”
She shook her head and seemed to come out of her daze and said, “Yes, Floyd, I would say it makes perfect sense but I couldn’t actually say why or how and I for sure couldn’t explain it to you.”
She smiled at him now and his stomach came back up close to where it was supposed to be.
“How could it make sense to you when it doesn’t make a dang bit of sense to me?”
She giggled and said, “Floyd it makes sense because I think that’s just the way you were supposed to feel.”
That confused him even more. He started to ask her what that meant when she stopped him. “No, Floyd don’t ask me to explain it. I’d probably get it all mixed up. But you should sit down with Gil and ask him. He’ll know how to explain it better than anyone else.”
They were driving up the hill now to the parsonage behind the church so the discussion was over . . . for the time being. But he intended to pick it back up as soon as they were alone again.
When they entered the kitchen, Gil’s mother, Florence and her twin sister Eunice took turns hugging them both.
Once everyone was sitting with a cup of coffee in front of them, Florence looked at Floyd and said, “How did you like our little church today Floyd . . . and my little preacher boy?”
They all laughed at her calling Gill that, all but Gil that is. Floyd could tell that it irritated him so he thought he’d bail the poor guy out.
“It was just fine, Mrs. Tucker.”
She made a huffing sound, pulled herself up as far as her five-foot frame would allow, and glared at him. “Now you listen here Floyd McCracken if I’m not Florence to you by now, then it’s about time I was. Do you hear?”
He chuckled and said, “Yes ma’am . . . Florence.” Then he looked at Gil and said, Hey Gil how about you and me going into your study for a bit? I got some questions for you.”
Everyone froze, stopped what they were doing or saying, and just stared at Floyd. Everyone that is except Gil who smiled and immediately stood. Then he grabbed his coffee cup, and led the way to his study at the front of the house. Floyd had a feeling that Gil was just as happy to get out of that henhouse as he was. Two women together made him nervous but four? No way.
Once they were situated in facing armchairs in front of a large window, Gil smiled at Floyd. “Did you really have questions for me Floyd, or did you just want to get out of there with all those women?”
Floyd laughed and said, “I’m afraid at least Jo and Sue Ann saw through me. I did want to get out of there. It was beginning to feel like I was in a henhouse.”
Gil laughed at that but sobered quickly as he studied Floyd’s face. “There is something else though isn’t there Floyd?”
He snorted. “I’m afraid you’re getting to know me too well too . . . preacher boy.”
This time Gil laughed with Floyd but continued to stare at him as though waiting for him to talk.
Well, Floyd thought he might as well get it over with.
“On the way over here Sue Ann asked me a simple question but my answer wasn’t so simple and it threw both of us. All she would say though was that I should talk to you about it.”
Gil nodded and said, “Okay, Floyd, with an intro like that, I can hardly wait to hear both her question and your answer.”
“Okay. She asked me what I thought of my first Sunday in church.” He snorted again. “Sounds harmless enough wouldn’t you think?”
When Gil only nodded, Floyd continued. “Well, she said she wanted me be to be honest no matter if I thought it might hurt her feelings or not so I had to really think about my answer. That’s when it hit me. I told her that at first I felt weird, then almost comfortable, then before I left, I was as uncomfortable as all get out.”
There he’d said it. Now he waited for Gil to comment on it. He wasn’t sure what he expected but it wasn’t the big grin on the little guy’s face.
Floyd’s face turned red. “Now don’t you go making fun of me Gil. I can still tear you apart with my bare hands.”
Gil held out both hands and said, “No Floyd. I’m not making fun of you. It’s just that you put it into words far better than anyone I’ve ever heard. That’s exactly what it feels like when God starts working on someone.”
“What! What do you mean working on me?”
Gil took a sip of his coffee before answering. “Floyd, how much do you know about God?”
Floyd thought about that for a long moment before answering. “Even though my Mom wanted to go to church and take us kids, my Dad wouldn’t let her.”
He paused again then pointed to a Bible sitting on Gil’s desk. “But he would let her read to us from that in the evenings.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms across his chest, and said, “I guess I’ve forgotten most of what she read to us, but I do remember what she read about Jesus and how he wants all of us to come to him like you said today.”
Gil was grinning again and Floyd still wasn’t sure if he liked that or not. “Are you laughing at me this time Gil?”
“No Floyd, I’m just happy that you remember enough to understand what I’m about to say.”
When Floyd continued staring at him without speaking, Gil said, “Well, Floyd, Jesus said that we can come to Him and He will give us life with Him throughout all of eternity.”
He took another drink of his coffee. “That doesn’t mean that He will make everything in this life perfect though. But it does mean that once we come to Him, He will help us to make it through whatever comes our way.”
When Gil finished, they both sat there staring at each other for a long minute before Floyd turned his gaze out the window. It was snowing. Great! That usually meant several car accidents. Hopefully none would be serious.
When he looked back, Gil smiled and said, “That’s okay Floyd. I won’t say anymore today and I won’t expect you to say anything else either. All I ask is that you think about everything that we’ve talked about and those feelings you described so well. Okay?”
When Floyd nodded in agreement, they stood to rejoin the women in the kitchen.
Chapter Seven
Monday morning, Floyd was trying to settle into his new routine of getting to the office at eight instead of seven the way he always had when he worked days. The change was because he was now dropping Penny off at school at a quarter ‘til eight.
One drawback to this new time was that he didn’t get to interact with any of his deputies who worked the graveyard shift since they went home at seven. But he figured that he’d still see them when he needed to.
If nothing else, he and Penny could get ready a little early and swing by the office before he dropped her off at school. She’d like that. He was surprised at how much Penny seemed to enjoy anything to do with his job. It sure hadn’t looked that way at first especially with her having lived all her life in the inner city of Kansas City the way she had.
Then he marveled at the fact that Penny had been with him less than a week and he was already getting so used to her that he thought he was beginning to feel like a real father.
Crystal, his secretary, popped in through his open door, thus interrupting those happy thoughts. That was another thing he was getting used to. Always befo
re he’d kept his private office door shut. He had thought it allowed him to concentrate better. While that may have been true to a certain extent, leaving it open allowed him to see more of what was going on around the office. And he liked that. There seemed to be an added benefit as well. The whole department seemed to have lightened up a little once he started keeping it open.
He smiled at Crystal and said, “I saw Bert at Thelma’s yesterday.”
Crystal smiled. “Yeah, he told me. He always tells me about it any time he sees you. You’re his hero.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe that he helped you catch that hit-and-run driver the other day. I’m just so proud of him. He’s come so far since we were kids. The doctors always told Mom and Dad that he’d never be able to do much of anything for himself.”
Floyd nodded. “Yeah, he wrote that license number in the dirt with the toe of his shoe. I didn’t think he could read and write.”
She grinned at that and sisterly pride showed on her face. “He can’t. But he can draw things he sees. He’s actually a fairly good artist with a pencil or even with charcoal. He just can’t use any kind of paint. What he did the other day was simply draw the numbers and letters as he saw them.”
“Well I’m sure glad he did. We didn’t have anything on that guy and being as he was from out of town, we wouldn’t have been able to get him when he went to fix his car either.”
That was when he noticed that Crystal held a sheet of paper at her side. He leaned to look around her at it and she blushed.
“Oh, Floyd, I’m so sorry. I got so carried away talking about Bert that I forgot what I came in here for.”
“That’s okay, Crystal, you can be proud of your little brother.”
“Thanks.” She held out the paper. “Anyway, this fax just came in from the Highway Patrol.”
She handed it to him and stood there while he read it. When he did, he looked up at her and said, “Could you ask Hal to come in here right away, please?”
She left and Hal stepped in immediately and took a seat.
Floyd looked up from the fax. “Did you see this?”
A Better Solution (Crowley County Series Book 2) Page 9