“Monday, I think.”
“OK—well if you two kids want to stop by, Stell said she’s making pierogis tomorrow after church.”
“Oh, I’m working, but you could text Josh…or call him. I’m sure he’d love to meet Stell.” Tess paused. “Hey, Brody?”
“Yeah?”
“Is Uncle Stu dating someone?”
Brody laughed. “What? Are you serious? He’d never…”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought. I’ll talk to you later.” Tess hung up the phone and flopped back into the bed, yanking the sheets over her head, certain she’d not be going to sleep again.
18
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Joshua 1:9
Josh sat down at the head of the table as Dave instructed him. The man was shorter than Josh expected, and thicker. He’d been the first to greet Josh that day and immediately the men hit it off. Where Josh was uncertain and nervous, Dave inspired ease and confidence.
Before Josh could even begin to wonder if the elders or staff would be disappointed to find he was not his father, Dave assured him that there were no doubts about his path and that the interview was largely a formality. Short of a red flag, the church board would likely offer Josh a position thanks to his stellar references and his own achievements and education.
Despite this reassurance, Josh’s confidence slipped as he glanced around the table. The church was big, but it was also growing, a testament to those gathered around the table and their hard work. The many pastors and key members of the support staff helped everything go smoothly with the large congregation. Finally, Josh rested his gaze on his predecessor: John Williamson.
All the confidence Josh built in himself over the first part of the day dissolved as he looked on this giant of the faith. He’d been a pillar of the Maple Ridge community for nearly forty years. He’d been the pastor when Josh and his family came to take over for a time when John was too ill with cancer to lead the church himself. They’d stayed on as Paul Thorne filled different gaps in the church for several years after from youth to adult ministry. That Josh now might be the one to replace Pastor Williamson was overwhelming.
Before Josh could allow himself to melt under the pressure, John winked at him and reassured him with a smile. “Welcome, Josh. We can’t begin to tell you what a pleasure it is that you’re with us.”
Josh smiled back and did his best to catch the eye of every person around the table. “It’s an honor to be here,” he said honestly. “I told Dave that I’ve always considered Maple Ridge the only home I’ve ever really had. It’s the only place I lived for an extended time. I’ve always wanted to get back here and put down roots.”
Dave shuffled some papers and began passing things around the table. “I already sent out attachments of these, but I like hard copies too, so I made some for everyone.” He shuffled more papers and passed them again. “These include Josh’s resume, references, and so on.”
As the papers were passed around the table, Dave turned to Josh and nodded. “While those are going around, why don’t you go ahead and give us a quick rundown of things—your education, why you chose to focus in church ministry, anything you think might be important to our conversation.”
Josh laughed. “Well, that’s a tall order but I’ll do my best. And if there are any questions for me…”
Dave nodded, and Josh drew a deep breath. “All right. Let’s get started.”
~*~
A short time later, Josh was certain he was exactly where he was supposed to be. The camaraderie among the pastors was evident and already Josh laughed so hard he was nearly in tears. He liked these people. The only matter that remained was his sermon on Sunday.
“Well, we’ve kept you trapped here long enough,” the adult ministry pastor, Mark Davidson, said as the meeting came to an end. “I’ll catch you later for dinner…” he stood and extended his hand and the men shook on it.
Josh smiled. “It was nice meeting you. I’m excited to have more time for fellowship later.”
More conversation was made briefly until all that remained in the room were John, Dave, and Josh.
“Well,” the elderly patriarch struggled to stand, leaning heavily on his cane as he did. “I’m starving. Let’s get to it.”
Josh smiled. The only reason John finally decided it was time to retire was that his wife recently passed, and he wanted to live closer to his children who moved to the southern states years ago. They’d convinced him that the climate would do him good—at nearly eighty years old, he’d finally agreed.
The men left the church together and Dave drove them to an Italian restaurant. They were seated quickly, and their orders were taken.
Josh sat back and was beginning to enjoy the warm atmosphere when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Because Dave and John were talking between themselves, Josh stole a glance down at his phone and noticed he’d gotten a text from Tess. It read: I’ve been praying. Hope all is going well. Josh smiled as he closed the text and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
The other men were smiling at him.
“Anything important?” Dave asked.
Josh fiddled with his napkin. “Oh, no, just a friend wishing me well today. She said she was praying for me.”
John smiled confidently. “My wife always was my best friend—from the time I met her,” he said.
Josh quickly shook his head. “Oh, no, she’s not my wife…I mean, I’m not yet married.”
“Well, there’s time,” John said.
Dave reached for his glass of water. “I understand you lived here for a few years, Josh. Any chance you get to catch up with any friends if you move back? I mean did you stay in touch with anyone from the area?”
Josh smiled. “Actually, I grew up next door to the Carson family and was very close with Brody. We lost touch when we went to different colleges, but recently I reconnected with his sister, Tess, when she came down with your church group to help our church rebuild our youth center.” Josh swore he caught the men exchanging a glance but the moment was gone before he could be sure.
The waitress arrived to take their order, ending any chance for Josh to ask about what he feared he’d seen.
Dave cleared his throat. “Well, we hope you’ll invite your friends to Sunday’s service,” Dave said. “Always good for more of the community to be involved in our worship of the Lord.”
Josh nodded. “I hope they can make it.” He smiled. “Shall I say the blessing?”
~*~
A short time later the men were back to the church for more meetings and further conversation.
John kept Josh company as he waited for the elders’ board to convene. As they sat alone in the church’s conference room, John glanced at Josh before speaking. “I’m sure you noticed that there’s a problem surrounding your friend,” he said.
Josh swallowed hard. “My friend?”
“Theresa Carson earned a reputation around here not long ago…and she’s got an enemy on our own church board. Now, I wouldn’t condemn anyone…”
The sweat began to bead on Josh’s forehead. He fought the urge to take a swipe at it, opting instead to fuss with the cuff link on his right sleeve.
“…but Harrison Flynn has a strong dislike for that young lady—with some justification, of course. She did deface his building multiple times with various profanities.”
Josh swallowed again. So here was the problem Tess feared. He said a quick prayer before answering, asking God to speak through him.
“Yes…well, Tess has been making many efforts to clean up her act,” he said. “I wouldn’t defend her actions, of course, but,” he paused, hoping he didn’t sound desperate. “I’ve known Tess since she was a little girl and she’s always been…” he paused. “What I mean is, she’s working hard to turn things around. I have faith in her.”
John smiled and nodded. “Of course.” He patted Josh’s hand. “I would simply encourage you to be careful with whom you choose to associate yourself. If I’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s that the people of the community expect to trust their pastor for guidance and strength. You need to take that responsibility seriously.”
Josh forced a smile, not sure what he was agreeing to with this discussion, yet he nodded anyway. “Indeed, sir. Indeed.”
John struggled to stand and hobble toward the door. “Until tomorrow, son.” The man left.
Josh wondered if perhaps Tess wouldn’t be able to say ‘I told you so’ soon.
~*~
By the end of the long day Josh was exhausted and confused. He’d loved everything about the church and the pastors. He’d even met a few of the families and was completely at peace with his increasing desire to take the position should it be offered to him. It was only when Tess came into the conversation that things got messy. And it only got worse when the elders questioned him at length as to why he wasn’t yet married.
One board member tried encouraging him, saying, “Time to get your priorities in order,” while another was more direct, “You’re thirty-one? Whoa. I had two kids and another on the way already at your age.”
Josh tried not to be annoyed or dejected, but it was clear there was much room for growth in the adult and singles ministries. He wondered if the rest of the singles in the church were at all frustrated by the pressure and scriptural misunderstanding among the elders.
Josh trudged out of the restaurant where he’d just finished eating dinner with some families from the church. He’d texted Tess a few times but she was busy and couldn’t respond to him. He truly needed to talk to her. Josh got into his rental car. The dash clock read eight-fifteen. Tess wouldn’t be off work for hours. He yanked at his tie before sending her a text.
I’m done. When can I see you?
He started the car and backed out.
The phone chimed.
I’ll be home in about an hour. Meet me there?
Josh sent back a happy face. He dropped his phone and headed for the hotel to get a quick shower and change clothes.
~*~
“You invited him to your apartment?” Morgan’s face was incredulous. She handed Tess a vacuum. “Now, don’t you look at me like that! You aren’t doing anything wrong but there are other people who don’t trust that yet.”
Tess sighed heavily. “What else can I do? I don’t want him to go out with me in public either.” She pushed the vacuum toward the movie room. The group had watched a classic film and there was popcorn all over the floor. Since the movie was her idea, she was required to clean it up.
“It’s a sticky situation,” Morgan agreed. “But if you want him to move here…he has to get the job first, right?”
“That’s just it. Do I want him to move here?” Tess stopped in the doorway. “You still aren’t telling me what to do.”
Morgan laughed and shook her head. “Well how should I know what to do?!”
Tess unwound the vacuum cord and plugged it into the wall. “Helpful. Really…” she muttered.
“Sorry.” Morgan shrugged. “I gotta go get the laundry from Esther Jenkins’ room before Ashley-Marie reminds me again. Let me know what happens.”
Tess waved her off and positioned the vacuum to start cleaning.
A man walked toward the room.
Praying it wasn’t Josh, she leaned out the door. “Uncle Stu,” she called.
Most of the residents went back to their rooms for the night, so the lobby and main floor were nearly vacant. While Stu sometimes dropped by, it was unusual for him to come in so late.
He walked toward her, one hand stuffed into his jeans pockets. “What are you doing, Mouthy?”
“Same old, same old,” Tess muttered. “You?”
Stu shrugged. “I was on my way home and…”
Tess suddenly remembered Morgan’s question about Stu dating and she gave her uncle a quick once over, intent on finding anything about him that was different. He was dressed normally but he smelled like cologne instead of grease, his hair was clean, and he’d shaved. He rarely shaved.
Tess squinted and leaned close, inhaling again to be sure. “Why do you smell good?” she asked warily.
Stu took a step back and shrugged. “Finish what you’re doing.”
“Oh, no…” Tess said as she plugged in the vacuum. “Morgan said she saw you at Flynn’s the other day holding some woman’s hand. Are you dating someone?”
He gave nothing away. “Are you?” he asked. “Your boyfriend stopped by yesterday. Did he find you?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
Her uncle held up his hands and sighed. “OK. You got me. I am dating someone.”
“Humph.” Tess tried to mask the sting of his admission by starting the vacuum and taking her time with the entire room in an effort to clear her mind.
Stu sat off to one side while she finished her work.
“Why are you still here? Traitor.” Tess unplugged the vacuum and began winding the cord back into place.
Stu’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why am I a traitor?”
“You didn’t tell me.” Tess couldn’t mask the hurt in her voice. “Everything’s changing, except the things that I really need to change. But you can’t leave me like Brody did,” she said weakly. “Not when I still need you. I don’t have anyone else left.” Tess was shocked at the tears that burned her eyes.
Stu stood and wrapped her in his arms. “Hey. Do you think there’ll ever be a time when you don’t need me for something?” he asked. “No matter what happens for either of us, I’ll be here.”
Something in his voice made Tess look him in the eye. He smiled, and she couldn’t help but do the same. “Who is she?” she asked with a sniff.
Stu’s eyes lit up. “She’s a secretary for one of the landscaping companies I work with. We get along and she doesn’t mind me being me.”
Tess grabbed the vacuum.
“Actually, that’s why I stopped by,” Stu continued. “I mean, besides to harass you about Josh.”
Tess glanced up at him.
“I want you to meet Marlene. Maybe I could take my girls to church or dinner or something.”
Tess still didn’t like it but she needed to give the poor woman a chance. If Stu liked Marlene, she was special. Tess forced a smile. “OK. Just say when.”
19
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God
so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
Josh parked his car outside Tess’s door and drew a deep breath. Her truck was nearby and her apartment lights were on. He stifled a yawn and got out, anxious to tell her about his day.
He walked toward her apartment.
Tess came outside and ushered him backward. “We can’t stay here,” she said anxiously. “People find out you came into my apartment and spent anything over ten minutes and it will be all over town I’m having your baby.”
Head spinning, Josh tried to smile. He glanced around. “No one’s here, Tornado.”
Tess groaned as she shoved him at his car. “Don’t be stupid. They’re everywhere.”
Josh allowed her to jostle him toward the car until he put his hands up in defense. He opened the door and she got in. “I’m not sure my hotel room is a good choice either, considering.”
Tess laughed despite the intensity on her face. “No.” She buckled her seat belt. “I got the perfect place. I hope you brought a jacket. It might get chilly.”
Confused, Josh started the car.
~*~
Ten minutes later, Josh was navigating terrain that barely registered as a path.
Tess’s demeanor softened the farther they got from the town’s lights. She kept her gaze trained on a distant spot in front of them. “You better kill the lights an
d park back here,” she said.
“How are we supposed to see anything?” he asked.
She yanked a flashlight from her purse. “Call me prepared,” she said.
Curious, Josh turned off the car. “All right, Tornado. What are you up to?”
“You’ll see.”
Josh took Tess’s hand as they walked along a narrow path that was riddled with branches, leaves, and debris of all sort. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“You mean you don’t remember?” she asked, offended. “Geez, we used to spend a lot of time here.”
In the dark it was nearly impossible to tell, so Josh took her at her word. But when he looked ahead to a small clearing he caught sight of a tree that was as familiar to him as his own childhood home once was. With a smile he dropped Tess’s hand and hurried forward, his eyes up above them. “It’s still here?” he exclaimed, glancing back at her. The tree house was a staple of his childhood fun with the Carson kids. Josh couldn’t believe he’d forgotten about it until that moment.
Tess laughed, nodding. “Wanna go up?”
“Think it can hold?”
She pretended to check him over carefully, even going around him once, squinting. “I’m not sure. You’ve put on some weight and…”
“Stop!” Josh laughed as his gaze travelled up the old tree house. He, Brody, Tess, and of course, Stan and Stu, spent a great deal of time crafting the structure, and in the years that followed they’d maintained it, and played there nearly every day.
“Go on. It’s been a long time for you,” she said. She held the flashlight out to him.
Josh took it and lifted his big frame up the tiny pegs that led inside.
Once his eyes adjusted he was able to take in the posters, toys, and other odds and ends that were still mostly intact—even the small makeshift seats were there. This was the reason he wanted a place to call home. The value of a tree house was too high to name. The bonds of his first friendships, the roots of what he considered his first home were established in this place, the tree made by God, the makeshift shelter made by the hands of his friends and himself.
Forgiving Tess Page 16