The Secret Life of St. Mom--Chapter 3

            

Chapter Three

            Though Meghan didn’t like arriving early, she forced herself to come a good ten minutes before the church service began. The parking lot looked desolate when she pulled up in her blue Jeep Cherokee, but by the time she sat in the back row, people filtered into the sanctuary.

Thoughts of Jack and his girls had interfered with her sleep. Once the Foresters were in good hands, maybe she could let it go. Meghan felt unequal to helping them solo, so her weary mind decided to act on the only plan that seemed rational. An uneasy conscience added to her concern. While wheeling the eight miles to church, she realized she’d forgotten to burn Jack’s box. At least that part of her plot would be simple.

            Usually Meghan sat by the swinging exit doors next to the foyer, but her new vantage point gave her the best view. As the largest church in town, Borderland Bible should’ve had on online directory or something for its two-hundred-plus attenders, but her phone came up empty. Not even Facebook helped her out. She switched off her phone, sighed and consulted the church directory in her hands. This was northern Minnesota, after all. She should be grateful for reception—even to heaven. Lord, I really need Your help. Please show me the best lady for Jack and his girls.

A stunning blonde swept into the room. An answer to prayer? Meghan recognized the newcomer as a fellow teacher. Notoriously cool to men and women alike, perhaps Diedre MacLean was only selective, focusing all her efforts on waiting for Mr. Right. Jack, maybe?

Meghan wrote Diedre’s name, then drew a line through it as an equally gorgeous man sat by the blonde. Next, Meghan put question marks by the names of some young women with bare ring fingers who sat way up front, by the handsome single youth pastor. She crossed off the names of a gaggle of women with rings, along with a sweet widow who wore her wedding band on her left ring finger—an unmistakable message Meghan regarded with respect. Jack wore no ring, but he might feel the same way. She wanted to be ready whenever he was, though.

With each mark, Meghan’s smile dimmed. The service was about to begin when she realized she didn’t have a church bulletin. Usually it made no difference, but now any information might help, so she hustled to the foyer where a young brunette handed out bulletins.

Often Meghan felt as invisible at church as everywhere else, but the lady smiled and said, “Good morning, Meghan!” No man stood by her side. No jewelry adorned her left hand, though she wore a brilliant solitaire set on her right ring finger.

            Lord? Meghan didn’t receive any confirmation, unless it was the quickening of her own heart. Out of all the women she’d studied, this would be the only one she might circle. Twice.

            “Hi—” Meghan recognized the dimpled woman from somewhere. How could she forget her name, of all people?

            “Sue,” the lady assisted. “I’m Sue Sealy.”

            “Sealy . . . as in Posturepedic?” Meghan was horrified to hear herself say. Sometimes her word association memory techniques backfired. More often than not, actually.

            Sue came to attention, standing straight and saluting. “That’s me!”

            Smart, funny and nice. Lord? Lord? “Sorry, I’m bad with names and faces,” Meghan apologized. The Lord’s silence and the truth of her words struck her. Who was she to play matchmaker? She might accidentally set up Jack with Ms. Wrong simply by mixing up the names. Along with melodrama, meddling might be a habit she’d have to watch out for.

She was about to ditch her plan and flee when Sue spoke again.

“You’re a teacher, aren’t you, Meghan?”

            “Yes.” Meghan did a double-take. “Are you a parent?”

            “Yes, but I’m also the new elementary physical education teacher. I saw you at school when I was interviewing and in the church nursery that Sunday. I had the three-year old, Nick.”

            Children usually captured Meghan’s attention more than adults. “Oh, Nick. What a sweetie!”

            “Yes, he is,” Nick’s proud mother agreed.

            “Is he in the nursery now?”

            “The pastor’s wife is taking care of him. When no one showed up to greet this morning, she thought the job would be a great chance for me to get to know everyone.”

            “It was good of you to agree.”

            “Sherry agreed. I volunteered.”

            Just then more women came through the doorway. Meghan waved. “See you later, Sue.”

            “Looking forward to it!”

            Meghan had just sat down and opened her directory when Sherry appeared with Nick. The boy resembled his mother, except with short red instead of long black hair. “Hi, Nick.  Remember me?”

            Sure enough, the dimples appeared, just like his mom’s.

            “It’s been quite a morning,” Sherry said. “First no greeters, next no nursery worker. . . .”

            Usually Meghan assumed that if someone was desperate enough for her help, they’d ask outright, but remembering Sue’s inspiring example, Meghan said, “I could do nursery today.”    “I was afraid to ask, with you just finishing school! Maybe you need a break from kids?”

            “Never.” Meghan extended her hand to Nick, slowly, so she wouldn’t threaten him. “Want to come to the nursery with me, Nick? We can say hi to your mom before we go.”

            Nick’s dimples deepened and his fat hand nestled into Meghan’s. Finally something was working out. Meghan decided she should probably just stick to children.

            Sherry followed as they went to see Sue then continued to the nursery. Even when the service began, Sherry stayed. Marie, late, dropped off Bethie, but no other children came.

            The presence of the pastor’s wife puzzled Meghan, so she defaulted to what she usually did when in doubt—focused on the nearest available child. First she read to Bethie, who jumped in her lap with a book and instantly became frustrated with trying to scoop out parts of pictures.

            “Me hoed ’em,” Bethie declared, even after Meghan and Sherry both tried explaining  that the objects Bethie wanted to hold were only drawings and not three-dimensional.

            While the middle-aged woman kept talking, Meghan set up a Fisher Price farm collection. Then she sat in a plush rocker, watching drowsily as Bethie lined up all the animals for inspection while Nick put the farmer to work doing noisy rounds on the tractor.

            Sherry crept to Meghan’s side. “Nick lost his dad before he was born,” she whispered.

            Meghan nodded, then sat up. Sue was a widow? “How long ago did this happen?”

            “About four years now. I was thinking maybe Sue and Jack Forester might . . . share support, both having been there. It’s too early for anything else,” Sherry finished delicately.

            “Of course,” Meghan agreed but couldn’t help wondering. Lord?

            “With Sue such a successful survivor, Jack might learn some coping skills, or find encouragement and fellowship at the very least,” Sherry continued. “Sue’s a real saint. I’ve known her and her mother for years. I was so sad when Sue lost her husband, a soldier who died in the line of duty. They had a wonderful marriage, made such a wonderful family.”

            Wonderful family man meets wonderful family woman. Sounded like a happy ending. Meghan couldn’t help sighing, though she knew getting married wasn’t for her. She had no fantasies about that, despite all the drama she indulged in—now off limits, she reminded herself. At least she hadn’t banned mocha cappuccino, the best part of her favorite downtime treat.

             Meghan watched the youngsters play. She’d learned from her Bible that single people served God single-mindedly, while married people had their spouses to think of. The only biblical reason for marriage seemed to be burning with passion, and despite the flame Meghan felt kindled by Jack’s buff body too close to hers, the attraction was hardly that. Besides, he and his girls deserved someone without Meghan’s scars and flaws. Someone like Sue. Right, Lord?

            Lost in silent, lopsided conversation, Meghan didn’t notice when Sherry left. Pastor Darin droned in the ceiling speakers, but it was hard to listen and take care of kids under normal circumstances. Impossible when you were trying to talk to the Lord and He wasn’t answering.

            “Read Bye-boh,” Bethie demanded, climbing into Meghan’s lap with another book.

            Hoping Beth wouldn’t try to tear anything out again, Meghan complied. She’d have loved stories read to her when she was little and always felt privileged to perform the service.

            After the fourth read, she felt Nick tug her sleeve. “Do you want a different story, Nick?”

            The redhead looked at her, then knocked down the animals Bethie had carefully arranged.

            Meghan expected the girl to retaliate, but Bethie smiled. “Fa down. Die.”

            “Die,” Nick agreed.
            Beth hopped off Meghan’s lap and proceeded to help Nick kill the animals. Though a trifle troubling, the toddlers did seem to have a lot in common. Maybe their parents would, too. Meghan kept watching them and preparing herself for the inevitable—when Jack met Sue.

            The attractive widow arrived first. Meghan tried seeing her as Jack might—a petite athlete with the typical traits of a professional physical educator. Sue poured energy into every move, complementing it with a smile matched only by the radiance of her eyes, a unique shade Meghan recalled seeing somewhere before. Sue seemed like a sparkling newlywed, not a widow. 

            “Thanks so much for taking care of Nick, Meghan.”

            “Just doing my job.”

            “Or someone else’s.” Sue’s practiced eye assessed her. “You’re a runner. Marathons?”

            “Mini-triathlons.”

            “Sprints?” Sue raised a brow. “I’m in training myself. What are your top times?”

            “Around an hour and fifteen. I’ve never learned to pace well.”

            “Not bad, especially for pacing trouble. I could teach you. I heard there’s a charity olympic in August. It’s kind of a jump from a sprint, but would you like to train for it together?”

At that instant the nursery door opened. Sue turned to meet the new arrival. Meghan stared at the children, reluctant to watch another romance unfold—this one before her very eyes.

            “Hi, I’m Sue Sealy. This must be your daughter. She and my son have really hit it off.”

            That was an understatement. Jack might have to pry Beth away from Nick. The two laughed their heads off in a game of follow the leader. Every time Nick stopped, Bethie bumped into him and they’d both end up in a rolling heap of giggles.

            Meghan didn’t feel like laughing, but she raised her eyes in time to see Taylor’s shy smile. “Good to meet you, Ms. Sealy. Come on, Bethie, Daddy’s waiting.” In her hurry, the teen didn’t correct Sue but just thanked Meghan and left. Beth’s wails lingered behind her.

            “Beautiful family.” Sue scooped up her son, who also cried for his playmate.

            “They are beautiful,” Meghan began as an intro for Jack, but Sue kept talking.

“Sometimes it’s hard not to be jealous. Nick’s dad, my husband, died in Afghanistan before he even got to see his son.” Sue kissed the curls on Nick’s forehead. “I’m so thankful the Lord gave me this little trooper. He’s just like his father. Same red hair, same brown eyes, same freckles—almost in the same pattern.” She touched the tip of her son’s upturned nose and he stopped crying. “We sure do miss Daddy, but God’s been so good to us, hasn’t he, tiger?”

            The little boy slipped out of his mother’s arms to play with the tractor. “Well, I’m glad Nick made a friend.” Sue glanced at Meghan, and miraculously, Meghan understood the hint. Sue was trying to make a friend, too.

            Sue looked at her expectantly and Meghan knew the time had come to choose. She could stay a spectator as usual, or she could risk the pain of relationship. Lord?

            The friendship might be difficult, especially if Sue became involved with Jack. Lord?!

            Meghan felt a strong confirmation in her spirit, as she had only once or twice in her life.

            “When is this olympic?” she asked, sounding shaky even to her ears but forging ahead anyway. “I know a nice coffee shop. Maybe we can talk about training over—”

            “Mocha cappuccino?” Sue said at the same time. “I’d love to.”