by Annie Pelle
The next Sunday morning, Ethan noticed Rachel sitting on the back row next to her brother Jeremy. She was laughing at something he said and she glowed. Wherever she had been on her vacation, she must have spent lots of time in the sun. Ethan had a hard time turning away to focus on the other church members. His Monday schedule was just changed though, he had some questions for Miss Rachel Hale.
Ethan caught Robin’s eye as he faced her from the front pew. He turned and looked at her sister and then back at her. She had a hard time not laughing but gave him a slight nod. Ethan had to look down at his Bible before he started to laugh also. After a short prayer, he lifted his head again but didn’t look at either Robin or Rachel.
Monday morning, Robin helped Rachel get her clothes matched up as she usually did. Rachel could do it by herself but always wanted Robin’s confirmation that she looked okay. Today she knew Rachel was going to want to look her best. She didn’t feel it was necessary to warn her sister that Ethan would be stopping by. She just wanted her to look good in case he did. Robin didn’t know if Ethan’s schedule today would allow him to stop by but she anticipated him showing up.
Rachel was working at reading dozens of emails when the doorbell rang. She ignored it thinking that Robin would get it. After a minute, it rang again.
“Hello. Who’s there?”
“Ethan Hayes”
“Robin is back in her workshop. She won’t mind if you go back there.”
“Okay thanks.” He agreed. He needed to talk to Robin anyway. Ethan walked around and knocked on the door of the workshop. Robin was laughing as she opened the door. “Hi Ethan, amazing coincidence that you showed up today.”
“Stop laughing at me.” he grumbled and laughed at the same time. “She’s beginning to give me an inferiority complex. As soon as I announced my name, she told me you were back here. Not “Hi. How are you?” Just “go see Robin in her workshop”. So here I am. Do I go ask her now?”
“If you want answers, you are going to have to. I won’t do it for you.” Robin said. “I’ll announce that you are coming in, but that’s it. So, do you want me to call her?” she said walking to the intercom. Ethan nodded and Robin told him to head for the door and she’d announce him.
Ethan got to the top of the stairs for Rachel’s office and stopped. Help me be sensitive Lord. He walked cautiously down the stairs since it was dark down there. “Hi Rachel.”
“Hello” she said quietly “Did you need something?” she asked hoping he would be quick. She was so nervous in his company and she didn’t like that feeling.
“Do you have a light down here?” he asked. He wanted to see her as he asked his questions.
“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s at the top of the stairs though. We can go talk upstairs.”
Ethan walked cautiously back up the stairs and waited for her to join him. Rachel walked to the living room and sat down in the chair. She invited Ethan to have a seat. “Did you need something?”
“If I asked for a flower garden at the church, it is going to be waiting for me when I return?”
Rachel’s mouth dropped open in surprise then she caught herself and sat silently. She was really nervous now and didn’t realize she was fidgeting in her chair. She had been caught.
“Will you tell me why?” he asked gently as he knew he had been right
“You’ll have to ask a different question for me to answer why?” she said evading his question
Ethan burst out laughing. “I knew it. You are sneaky.”
“I am not.” She exclaimed “I don’t know exactly what you are talking about.”
“Okay, I’ll ask how then?”
“Again, how isn’t very informative.” She hedged again
“Let’s go for a walk.” He said gently chuckling at her
“A walk? Why?”
“Yes or No?” he asked gently
“I’m sure this is a bad idea but okay. You are acting very strange today.” She said rising to her feet. “We have to go by Robin’s shop to tell her.” She said turning towards the back of the house. Ethan followed her to the back door and down to Robin’s shop. She just opened the door and yelled in that they were going for a walk. “Okay” Robin called back. “Have fun.” She whispered to herself.
Rachel turned to where she thought Ethan was standing. “This is your idea, where are we going?”
“Do you want me to direct you or guide you?”
“If you want me to go with you, you’ll have to take my hand and guide me.”
Ethan reached for her hand and wrapped it around his arm so he could guide her. He instantly felt less nervous as she touched him. Rachel on the other hand was more nervous. She liked his gentle manner but she was not used to anyone guiding her but family members.
“So how was your vacation? Where did you go?” Ethan asked as they headed away from her house towards the park.
“We went to San Diego. We had a great time. I love the beach.”
“Me too. I used to live in Panama City, Florida. I loved going surfing in my spare time.”
“And you moved to New Mexico?”
“Sure, I like it here. The church members are wonderful. They seem to know when I need something and just show up to do it.” He had her now. She had to admit she was behind it.
“That’s nice. I have gone to that church all my life; I knew we had good people there that would help you out. I’m glad you are finding them helpful.”
She got around him again so he decided to be a little more direct. “But what I can’t figure out is how you knew to send them my way and the shelves in my office? No one knew that but me.”
Rachel was silent as they walked along. She knew he knew but she wasn’t going to admit it right away. “Rachel, thank you. But I’d still like to know how and why?”
“Why are you thanking me? You think I did something?”
“Rachel, please answer the question.”
“Can’t you just accept it happened and move on?”
Ethan helped her sit down at a picnic table in the park. He moved around to the other side and sat down facing her. He sat silently thinking about her question. She had mostly admitted he was right but not how. “I suppose I could but I get to make two conditions.”
“Maybe. What is the first one?”
He laughed “Someday, I get to know why. Even if it is the last day I am the pastor at this church.”
“Planning to leave already? That may be a record for shortest time at one church.”
“Stop trying to sidetrack me.” He laughed “do you agree?”
“No. What’s your second condition?”
“You go out to dinner with me.” he said
“No! No No. No to that condition definitely. No to the first condition and no as to how and why. I’ll walk myself home. Goodbye Pastor Hayes.”
“Rachel, wait. I’ll walk you home.” He said taking her hand. Rachel didn’t have much choice but to go with him. She couldn’t walk home by herself; she wasn’t exactly sure where she was.
Ethan didn’t really know what to say as they walked along. She had made her feelings pretty clear about him. He knew he wouldn’t find out any answers to his questions today. Robin was coming out of her shop as they walked up the drive way. He was shaking his head as he approached her. She looked at the stiff posture of her sister and knew something had gone wrong.
“I know you’re there. Stop the silent messages.”
“He deserves to know Rachel. I do too since I was part of it.”
“It just was.” She admitted “That is all I’m telling either of you.”
“And if we don’t like that answer?” Robin argued
“It’s okay Robin. I’ve upset Rachel enough today. Goodbye.” He said handing Rachel off to Robin.
“Wait, Ethan.” Robin stated “Stop being so stubborn and tell him.”
“Just point me towards the hou
se.”
“Just walk straight and you will find the back door.”
“Thank you.” Rachel said leaving them alone. Fortunately she found the door without much fumbling around. She wasn’t sure if Ethan was still there or if he had left, Robin was talking at the same time she tried to listen for his footsteps to be receding. Rachel went into the house and moved to sit down at the kitchen table. She was sorry she had overreacted to Ethan’s invitation to dinner but it would be better if she didn’t go with him.
Out on the driveway, Robin waited until the door shut behind Rachel before turning to Ethan. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t really matter. She was behind it. I’ll just wonder why.”
“Something else happened? She is upset about more than that.”
“She asked me if I could just let the subject go and I said I would on two conditions. One, that someday she would tell me why and two if she would go out to dinner with me. That one bothered her more than the first one.”
Robin pointed to the street where his car was parked and started walking that way. She wanted to tell him something and didn’t want Rachel to hear it. As they reached his car, she turned to him “I’m officially interfering now. She is uncomfortable around people when she eats. She thinks she is going to make a big mess. Dinner would be extremely nerve wracking for her. If you still want to ask her out, try coffee or a concert or another walk. Patience is your best bet.”
“She won’t talk to me again Robin; let alone go on a date.”
“I think you are wrong. How patient are you?” she asked walking away
Not that patient but maybe I’ll learn he thought to himself. He had some praying to do. Ethan arrived back at the church office and wrote Rachel a quick email.
“I’m sorry to have upset you.
Ethan”
Robin walked in and found Rachel sitting dejectedly at the kitchen table. Rachel had tears running down her face. “Rachel, what’s wrong?”
“How did something good go so wrong?” she asked quietly
“It didn’t. They were really nice things to do. He isn’t mad at you.”
“He is now.”
“No, sister, he isn’t. He said he asked you out on a date. Are you going to go?”
“I might have if he hadn’t said dinner.”
“Then you should have made a different suggestion. Coffee or a concert or a walk.”
“If I had been thinking clearly I might have, now he won’t ask again.”
“Then you ask him and explain about why you won’t have dinner with him and in time explain about the things you did for him.”
“How did he find out I did those things?”
“He came looking for you while you were gone, then Jeremy and I went to see him about the shelves and he had suspicions that it was you. Then I confirmed that it was possible, but you confirmed it by your actions today.”
“If I call him at the church and he can meet with me, will you drive me down there?”
“Absolutely.” Robin stated happily. “I’ll even hand you the phone and leave you alone.”
“Thank you.”
“Calvary Christian Church. This is Amanda, how may I help you?”
“Hi Amanda, this is Rachel Hale. Is Pastor Hayes available to speak to me?”
“I believe so, I’ll transfer you to him.”
“Ethan Hayes” he said answering the phone
“It’s Rachel.”
“Hi” he said amazed to be hearing from her
“Are you available to meet with me? I’ll have Robin drive me down there.” Ethan stared at the phone in amazement.
“How about I drive over there and pick you up and take you for coffee?”
“That will be fine. Anytime you are available.”
“Give me an hour.”
“Okay. Bye”
Ethan was dumbfounded as he hung up the phone. She actually called me. She is amazing. Lord, please help me to do this the right way. Friendship or something more, we need you to lead us. Amen.
Chapter 4
Rachel was in the living room praying when she heard a car door close. Please help me Lord to say the right things and to apologize. Where it goes from there, I’ll trust in your leading. In Jesus Name, Amen.
The front doorbell rang a few seconds later. Rachel walked to the intercom and asked who it was. “Ethan Hayes” the voice answered. Rachel opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. “Hi”
“Hello Rachel. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” She answered shyly as she held out her hand. Ethan took her hand and escorted her down the stairs. “Bye Robin”
“Bye Rach, Bye Ethan” Robin laughed from the side of the house
“How did you know she was there?” he asked incredulously
“She would have heard you through the intercom. I knew she would come to investigate.”
Ethan laughed and helped her to settle in the car. He drove them to a local coffee shop then led her to the counter to order. She handed the clerk the money before Ethan could after placing her order.
“My apology, my treat.” She said as they sat down after their coffees were prepared
“Are you a mind reader too? That’s how you knew I wanted more shelves in my office.” He joked
“Should I apologize first or explain first?”
“I’m not sure you owe me an apology so explain first. The painting at my house?”
“I overheard you tell someone as you walked past me.”
“My car?”
“You were on my mind that morning so I prayed for guidance. Then I called Mason’s wife. It seemed a relief after making that call. If you didn’t need him, then no harm sending him to your house.”
“The cleaning at the church?”
“Sam’s wife mentioned it to me. She knew I had organized a cleaning day previously.”
“The shelves at my house? I can figure that one out, I told your father.”
“Yes.”
“But you shouldn’t have paid for them.”
“I didn’t.”
“Who did?”
“My secret for all time.”
“Fair enough”
“The shelves in my office at church?”
“Mostly a lucky guess. Jeremy and Robin mentioned you had tons of books at your house. So I assumed you would at church too. Or over time you would accumulate them. My father told me once that there weren’t many shelves in there.”
“Now, will you tell me why?”
“Ministry to the Shepherds. My calling. Whatever, whenever, however.”
“How did no one know it was you? Each time I asked where the phone call came from or the email and I got dozens of different answers.”
“Ministry to the Shepherds has dozens of different email addresses so I can remain anonymous. Most of the people at church know about the ministry, not that I am behind it. And I would like to keep it that way. The only reason you know is because you happened to call it, then move here. I wouldn’t lie to you about who I was. The phone calls are the same way. I ask my volunteers to call. Mostly they leave messages on behalf of the ministry and people respond.”
“Mason said his wife called him.”
“Mason is a great mechanic and a fabulous friend, but when his wife tells him to help out, he doesn’t ask questions, he goes. Can I ask you a question now?”
“How did I figure it out?” he guessed and Rachel nodded. “On the day of the cleaning, I prayed that if I was supposed to figure it out that the Lord would guide me. Then you sent me an email asking a question and I remembered the prayer group on my behalf and became suspicious that it was you. Then Jeremy and Robin came to see me and she confirmed it was possible but she wouldn’t say anymore than that. If I wanted to know, I had to ask. So that brings me to today. When I asked about the flower garden, your jaw dropped and you started fidgeting in your chair. So,
dear Rachel, you gave yourself away.”
“I figured I had, but if I kept distracting you then you would drop the subject.”
“Did that work?” he laughed
“No!” she growled
“So which one of us is more hard headed?”
Rachel blushed and skipped answering him “Now to apologize. I’m sorry about how I reacted to your dinner invitation. Maybe something else besides dinner and I would have said yes. I prefer to not eat in front of strangers or in public. I really am sorry about earlier today.”
“And I’m sorry I upset you.”
“I know. I got your email, it wasn’t your fault.”
“Anyway, I didn’t even think about you being nervous about eating in public. I guess that was insensitive of me. I apologize.”
“You didn’t notice I escaped the dinner table as fast as possible that night at my parents?”
“Yes, now that you mention it. Robin kept a close watch over you too, what was your signal that you had spilled?”
“You’re good. She was to kick me under the table. It is our standard signal if I do something embarrassing.”
Ethan laughed at her description “As for me being a stranger, I’d like to get past that too if you are willing and the Lord leads us in that direction. What is your opinion on that?”
“I prayed about that too as I heard you drive up. I’ll follow as He leads is the best I can give you right now.”
“Do you mind if we start now?” he asked. Rachel didn’t say anything but held out her hand and Ethan grasped it and started to pray. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for Rachel and her gifts to minister to me and to others. We ask that you guide us now in where you want us to go to be in your will. Friendship or something more, we will follow your leading. Help us to know clearly what you want from us and to put you first in any relationship we have. In Jesus Name, Amen.
“Thank you for being willing to listen to me.” Rachel said as he ended his prayer “You had every right to tell me to not bother you again.”
“I would never do that but you did catch me off guard. I was going to approach you again in a couple of days but you beat me to it.”
“I was accepting responsibility for my actions and I needed to ask for your forgiveness. I knew I behaved like an idiot today, it wasn’t something that made me proud. Robin told you about me not wanting to go to dinner and why didn’t she? And she told you to suggest something else?”