“Let’s see what we can do.” Ezekiel opened his car door. “I think we’ll get a good sponsorship from the lumber yard.” That was another thing, the community of Sunshine was small and homey. Everyone knew everything about each other, and when someone had a cause, most people were willing to step up and help.
Chapter 21 — Bekah
Bekah sat outside on the front porch, watching the traffic go by. She’d never thought she’d be sitting in a small town in Arizona, and actually enjoying it, but it was nice. She didn’t even miss the nightlife back in Long Beach as much as she thought she would. Singing in front of a crowd of drunk patrons in a dirty night club wasn’t how she’d ever seen her future, but it had paid the bills. No. Who was she kidding? It hadn’t paid the bills at all. That’s why she’d been living with Blade. Her life had been going nowhere.
Ezekiel pulled up into the driveway and waved at her. The smile on his face told her he’d been up to something. Bekah stood as he got out of the car and motioned for her to come over.
“What’s up?” Bekah stepped down from the porch and walked out to the trunk where he stood, waiting. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“I have something to show you.” Ezekiel watched her closely. “I hope you like it.”
“What is it?”
Ezekiel popped the lock on the trunk but didn’t open it. “Before I show you, I don’t want you to get mad. It didn’t cost much at all, but as soon as I saw it, I thought of you.”
“What? What is it?” Bekah put her hand on the trunk. “Show me already.”
Ezekiel seemed to search her face. “If you don’t like it, I’ll take it back.”
What could he have gotten her that she would be so upset about? “Is it for the play?”
“Kind of. Well, not really. I mean, it will be great to have in class, but I bought it for you.” Ezekiel lifted the trunk.
Bekah looked inside, and her mouth dropped open. “Is that what I think it is?” She stared at the large black container in the distinct shape of a guitar.
“Open it up. I hope you like it.”
Bekah stared at the case, unmoving. There was not one other thing in the world she’d missed more than her guitar. She leaned in and rubbed her hands along the curves. Tears rose to the surface as she thought about her own guitar back in Long Beach. Blade had probably already sold it to a pawn shop if he’d been released from jail.
“Open it.” Ezekiel touched her arm. “It’s not top of the line, but ―”
“How did you know?” Bekah clicked open the latches and opened the case. “Zeke, it’s beautiful.”
“You said you used to sing in clubs, so I just assumed you played too. I know you weren’t able to bring your stuff with you, so I just thought ―”
“I love you!” Bekah squealed, pulling Ezekiel into a hug and kissed his face all over excitedly. When her lips reached his, her heart raced.
Their eyes met. Her face burned with the thought of kissing him, actually feeling his lips on hers. She backed away, but before she could apologize Ezekiel pulled her closer.
His hand came up gently around her neck and he caressed her cheek with his thumb. His eyes were so intense that Bekah wanted to pull away and pretend she was not falling head over heels in love with him. But she was, and the feeling was too strong to deny.
He leaned closer and she closed her eyes anticipating what was to come, yet fearing what it would mean. The oxygen stopped flowing to her brain as he brought his lips to hers, drawing her in. His warmth covered her, and a thrill ran from her scalp to her toes. He kissed her deeply, lovingly. Her hand came up around his neck, pulling him closer, not wanting it to end.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes held hers captive.
He touched her face again as if trying to tell her what words could not relay. Her heart soared with emotion. Bekah finally gained the strength to pull away, and looked back into the trunk at the guitar allowing her heart to reach its normal pace.
Feeling vulnerable, she looked away. Her eyes went back to the guitar. “You ... I can’t believe ... wait.” She released him. “How much did this cost? Ezekiel, you shouldn’t have.”
“Did you just tell me you love me?” Ezekiel winked.
Bekah blushed. “You know what I meant.” She lifted the guitar from the case and strummed a few cords. “It’s beautiful.”
“Just like its new owner.”
Guilt pricked her heart. There were so many better ways to use the money. So much would have to go into the play, and Ezekiel didn’t have the money to burn. “I can’t accept this.” Bekah willed herself to place it back into the case, but her heart yearned to keep it. “You should take it back.”
A shadow deepened around his eyes. “Nope. It’s all yours. A gift for all the hard work you’ve been putting in.”
“But I ―”
“I wanted to buy it. Please say you’ll accept it.”
Bekah strummed a few more chords then looked up at Ezekiel and smiled. “Thank you. I love it.”
“Good.” Ezekiel leaned close, and his stare was so intense, she thought he might kiss her again. Bekah’s heart thumped hard in her chest, and she closed her eyes, wanting to feel his warm lips on hers once again.
“Dinner’s ready, you two!” Mrs. Gaines called from the front door.
Ezekiel took a step back. “Maybe you’ll play for us later?”
“Yeah. Of course.” Her heart still pounded in her chest at the thought of how intimate they’d been. She was growing so many feelings for the man that she could hardly contain herself.
“Be right there!” Ezekiel called and watched as his mother went back inside. Then touching her face, he leaned in and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “We better get inside.”
“Yeah.” Bekah put the guitar back into its case. Her hands shook as she lifted it out of the trunk. “Thank you.”
Ezekiel took the case from her and smiled. “I’ll bring it in for you.”
Without another word, Bekah followed Ezekiel inside the house. The aroma of food hit her as soon as he opened the door. It was a delicious smell, but nothing could taste as good as Ezekiel’s lips on hers. A chill of desire ran through her at the thought of kissing him again.
“Hurry up before the food gets cold,” Mrs. Gaines called, meeting them at the door. “Oh! What is this?”
“It’s a guitar.” Bekah glanced Ezekiel’s way. “For class.”
“Oh? Well, I can’t wait to hear you play and sing.” Mrs. Gaines smiled. “This house has gotten so lively since you’ve been here.”
Bekah smiled. “I’d be happy to play for you, Mrs. Gaines.” Her smile fell a little as she headed for the dining room. Bekah knew a lot of songs, but she wasn’t so sure that any of them would be appropriate to sing for this family.
Bekah sat down at the Gaines’s family table with piles of food in front of her. It was the same thing every night. The family got together at the table, prayed over the food, and then ate in conversation over the day. It was so different than what she was used to. She and her mother hardly said two words to each other, let alone made conversation.
Growing up, it was the same routine. She came home from school, flopped down on the couch, watched television with a cup of noodles or a bag of chips, and finally, if she were really ambitious, she would cook something quick. Then she'd do her homework if she felt like it. Sometimes she didn't, and there was no one there to check if she had. Her mother would come home late in the evening, so tired on her feet that they hardly spoke. She’d never realized how off that was until seeing this family and how they interacted together.
“So, how’d it go at the lumber yard?” Pastor Gaines asked as he scooped a helping of spaghetti onto his plate.
“Really good. Mr. Daniels said he’d be happy to sponsor us and provide whatever wood we needed. He led us to the back where they had piles of odd pieces and told us to take as much as we like.”
Bekah had thought that was amazing as well. Mr. Danie
ls had been delighted to be a part of helping out the play. “He even offered to supply nails and paint,” Bekah said.
“That’s great.” Pastor Gaines slid a slice of garlic bread from the plate and dipped it into his spaghetti sauce. “Looks like everything is coming along smoothly.”
“I stopped by Gina’s Fabrics today, too,” Doris said. “She’d be delighted to provide the fabric for the costumes, and several women from the Bible study volunteered to help us sew.”
“Have you thought more about teaching the sewing class?” Bekah didn’t want to press, but she was curious.
“What do you think, dear?” Doris looked at Pastor Gaines, who was sprinkling parmesan onto his spaghetti.
“That’s completely up to you.” He smiled. “I think it would do you good to get out of the house and Lord knows you could teach the class with your eyes closed.”
“Yeah, Mom. I think it would be great for you to teach the class.” Ezekiel pulled a slice of bread from the plate. “And that would give us one less teacher we’d have to find. I bet you could teach the cooking classes too.”
Mrs. Gaines turned to Bekah, her eyebrows raised. “Bekah and I were talking about that, weren’t we, dear?”
Bekah’s face flushed. She’d agreed to take lessons from Mrs. Gaines and possibly teach the class herself, but now that the pressure was on her with everyone looking at her, she wasn’t so sure. “Uh, well ...”
“You going to teach the class?” Pastor Gaines gave Bekah a sideways look.
Ezekiel started into a coughing fit before the words got out of his father’s mouth.
“You don’t think I can cook?” Bekah gave Ezekiel a raised eyebrow.
“Can you?”
“Oh, stop it,” Doris chided. “Anyone can cook if they can read a recipe. Besides, Bekah is a creative spirit. She can learn anything she sets her mind to.”
Ezekiel turned back to his food, grinning.
“You think it’s funny, do you?” Bekah teased. “When do we start, Mrs. Gaines?”
“Thata girl!” Pastor Gaines called. “Don’t you let that boy goad you. You can do anything you set your mind to.”
Ezekiel hadn’t said it, but she knew what he was thinking. Bekah had no inkling of her way around a kitchen. But something about his reaction set her mind determined to learn. How hard could it be? As Mrs. Gaines had said, all she had to know was how to read a recipe, and with a few pointers from her, Bekah would catch on quickly. Besides, learning how to cook would be beneficial to her in more than just teaching a class.
The thought of someday cooking dinner for Ezekiel excited her. What man wanted a woman who couldn’t cook? And after the moment they'd shared, Bekah couldn't deny the feelings that had planted themselves in her heart.
“Hey, Dad.” Ezekiel interrupted her thoughts. “Bekah and I are going to take that trip out to speak with Mr. Wilford after dinner and check up on the kids.”
“Has Jack been acting up again?” Pastor Gaines wiped the spaghetti sauce from his chin.
“No. He’s actually been a model student the past week, but there’s something Bekah brought to my attention, and I think you’re right about me taking a trip out to do a quick check-up on the family.”
“Oh, what was that, dear?” Mrs. Gaines looked up from her plate.
“It was Ruby,” Bekah answered. “When I checked the permission slips, her father’s signature looked an awful lot like an eleven-year-olds.”
“Oh?” Pastor Gaines set down his fork and raised his eyebrows. “You think Jack forged his father’s signature? Why would he do that?”
“Not quite sure.” Ezekiel set down his fork as well. “And Bekah said Ruby told her that Jack wasn’t allowing her to try out for the play.”
“Since when does an eleven-year-old call the shots?” Mrs. Gaines asked. “Did she ask her father?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.” Ezekiel took a drink of his tea. “And Jack doesn’t want to try out for the play either. He doesn’t even want to take drama class. He’s about the only kid in the entire school that shows no interest in it whatsoever.”
“Well, he certainly doesn’t have to take the class if he doesn't want to. Maybe he’d be more intrigued by the behind the scenes aspect. Lighting or staging.”
“He’s not interested at all. In fact, he seems to have gotten the idea that drama is for girls.”
“He’s entitled to his opinion.” Pastor Gaines dug back into his food. “But I think it’s a good idea for you to do a quick check-in on the family.”
“What about the forgery?” Bekah glanced at Ezekiel, rubbing her arms. She didn’t want to get Jack into trouble with his father.
“That will certainly need to be addressed. We can’t have Jack going around signing official paperwork.”
Ezekiel gave a quick shake of his head. She assumed he didn’t want to get Jack in trouble either, but there wasn’t much they could do. “We’ll get to the bottom of it. I’m sure it’s all just a misunderstanding.” He looked away from her and continued to eat.
Bekah finished her food in silence. Her thoughts roved to Jack and Ruby and what their father would say when he found out his son had been signing documents in his name. Kids didn’t seem to be as smart as they were when she was in school. Her mother was absent so much that Bekah had learned to sign her name at only a little older than Jack was. She was about twelve or thirteen when she’d first forged her mother’s signature. She’d wanted to go on the upcoming field trip and had forgotten to get her mother to sign. Later, she’d replicated it again when she’d gotten detention slips that needed to be returned. Once she’d even gotten a suspension for fighting and would have gotten away with signing for her mother if they hadn’t wanted to meet with her.
“You ready?” Ezekiel stood from the table. “No time like the present.”
“I’m ready.”
“You two hurry back.” Mrs. Gaines said with a gleam in her eyes. “I want to start your lessons tonight. I'd like to teach you some basic recipes.”
“That’ll be great.” Bekah looked to Ezekiel who actually had the audacity to burst into a barking laugh. “You stop that Ezekiel Gaines!” She grinned. “Or I’ll make you taste test everything I make.”
Mrs. Gaines laughed. “You better behave yourself, bub.”
Bekah followed Ezekiel out to the car. “You really think I’d make a horrible cook?”
“I just never figured you for the cooking type,” he answered.
“And what type is that, Mr. Gaines?”
Ezekiel took a giant step back. “Excuse me as I remove my foot from my mouth.”
“Yes, please do.” Bekah flopped into the passenger seat. “I’ll have you know. I’ve cooked a thing or two in my day.”
“Yeah?” He gave her a once over, a mischievous twinkle appearing in his eyes. “Like what?”
“Just start the car!” She elbowed him hard, making him grunt.
Chapter 22 — Ezekiel
Before Ezekiel could make it out of the driveway, his mother came running out of the house with an aluminum container wrapped in foil.
Shaking his head, he placed the car in park and stepped out of the vehicle.
“Bring this to them, please. I’m sure their father’s not cooking a whole lot of homemade meals.” His mother handed him the container of leftovers. “And I know your father said to mention about Jack ... well, maybe you could just ask Mr. Wilford to sign a new form?”
Taking the food, Ezekiel kissed his mother on the cheek. “We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure Mr. Wilford will be happy to accept your offering.”
Ezekiel didn’t want to snitch on Jack any more than anyone else did, but he couldn’t allow the boy to get away with something like that. He’d been easy on Jack more times than not, and not holding him to consequences for his actions was no better than condoning them.
“Hurry back! I want to get in a quick cooking lesson, and I'm hoping to hear Bekah play before bed.”
&
nbsp; Ezekiel placed the food in the back seat, and slipped back inside. “Looks like you have a fan already.”
Bekah turned to him nervously. “I’m afraid I don’t know any hymns. I’m not sure what to play.”
“Know any show tunes?” He pulled out of the driveway.
Bekah laughed. “Not hardly!”
“Elvis Presley?”
“Uh, not well enough to play.”
“The Platters?”
“Ugh!” Bekah laughed. “How about Frankie Valli? I know only one song, though.”
“Oh, I bet I know which one.” Ezekiel knew the one she was thinking of. He was sure of it.
“Which one?”
Ezekiel burst out singing, “My eyes adored you ...”
Bekah bent over laughing. “How did you know!” She snorted. “But seriously, don’t do that again!”
Ezekiel’s face heated as he laughed with her. “What! You don’t think I can sing?”
Bekah placed her hand on top of his, her eyes gleamed with so much laughter Ezekiel could hardly contain himself. She patted his hand. “Don’t quit your day job.”
Ezekiel caught her hand before she could move it and held it in his. The warmth of it sent volleys of desire flowing through him. She’d only been there a short while, but he was so comfortable with her. After their kiss, he'd thought about apologizing to her for being so forward, but it had felt so right, and he wasn't one bit sorry. Since that moment he'd thought of nothing else but kissing her again.
Several minutes later, Ezekiel pulled up at the Wilford residence. Darkness had completely set in, and there was no light on in the house. The rest of the homes in the community were lit with porch lights, making the Wilford’s place look eerily vacant.
The Act of Falling Page 10