~*~
The next day Jennifer showed up for class as promised. Skye noticed that the pastor’s wife was friends with many of the women in the class. Jennifer was plump but vibrant with a ready smile.
The class went by fast with the women cheering Skye on and giggling when they couldn’t manage a new step. They cha cha’d and salsa’d their way to a sweat, and when it ended everyone was exhausted but happy.
Jennifer approached. “I like that you use clean, upbeat music in your class.”
“Well, it is the Young Man’s Christian Association, but the music choices are new for me. I figured that clean music would be more appreciated by this group than hip hop or party anthems I used to play.”
“I for one am grateful. Shall we go get a quick shower before we head for our coffee?”
“I might need to get a scone as well. You ladies worked me hard this morning.”
“We worked you?” Jennifer laughed. “I think it was definitely the other way around. You could dance circles around the best of those ladies.”
“Only because I’ve been doing it longer. Many of those could easily test to become instructors.”
“I can see why Dan enjoyed it when he attended.”
“Beyond watching my booty shake?”
“Yes, beyond that, although I’m sure it was a pleasant bonus.”
Skye smiled. She really did like Pastor Andrew’s wife. “Let’s get those showers.”
~*~
When they settled in at the coffee shop, Skye bit into her warmed scone and groaned with pleasure.
“Good?”
“Yes. It hits the spot.”
“Wonderful. I’m not going to dance around the bush. We did enough of that in class. I’ve been burdened to pray for you and Dan and thought maybe you needed a friend to talk to. I’d like to be your friend.”
“I’ve not had many friends since I moved away from the inner city of Milwaukee. I left everything behind, my past however didn’t stay.”
“Well, maybe we can change that, at least as far as friendships go. I noticed Dan avoiding you on Sunday and guessed it could be one of two reasons. One, he is avoiding you because you had a falling out or two, he doesn’t want people to realize yet how much he adores you.”
“Or maybe a bit of both?”
“How so?”
“He took me on a nice date and we kissed and he told me he wanted to marry me.”
“He proposed?”
“No. It was more complicated than that. I wanted to know why he would date me. What’s the point?”
“How do you feel about him wanting to court and possibly marry you?”
“Dan deserves better. I’m no pastor’s wife.”
“If Dan weren’t a pastor would you have an issue with marrying him?”
“Probably not. I mean if he were a high level corporate executive I might have an issue. I don’t belong in high society. But other than that, it would be fine.”
“He told you that the church hires the pastor, not the wife, right?”
“He told me it didn’t matter who I was, the church wasn’t marrying me.”
“He’s right. So what’s the problem?”
“Sharon.”
“Sharon? She’s been dead for,” her eyes looked to the ceiling as she counted, “fifteen months.”
“I’ve heard people talk about how perfect she was. The ideal pastor’s wife. That’s why Amy wanted to marry Dan. She figured she would be a suitable replacement and she would’ve been right.”
“But Dan wasn’t attracted to her. He’s attracted to you.”
“I’m a novelty.”
“I think you’re more than that, Skye. You are a brilliant jewel of a princess of the King of kings. Dan sees you like God does, perfect and flawless. Yes, I know, we are all flawed and prone to sin, but what Dan sees is someone who will fill an empty spot in his heart and his bed. It’s a role that only someone he adores is suited to fill if both of you are to enjoy your marriage.”
“Enjoy marriage? When the sex gets old then what else is there?”
“You’ve enjoyed time with Dan before he ever kissed you.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Coffee here, skiing, going to the movies with the kids, pancake breakfast, working out together.”
“See, there is more there. And he obviously adores your art and you’ve found a fabulous subject to paint, so that’s a win for both of you.”
Skye sighed. “I’m divorced.”
“And were you a Christian then?”
“No.”
“How did your husband treat you?”
“He was an addict. He was verbally abusive. He stole money from me, and once he even destroyed my work. He’s been a horrible father to the kids.”
“Could you see Dan doing any of those things?”
“Never.”
“I guess the real issue comes down to this—do you love him?”
Skye sighed and her shoulders relaxed. “Yes. I do.”
“Stop trying to be chivalrous and protecting Dan from your imagined fears. He’s a wise man in many ways. He would be a faithful husband and father. Ministry is hard. It’s good that you have your art. I think Dan learned some hard lessons after Sharon died too. I don’t think he needs a wife like her for this next season of his life. I think he needs a woman like you to be his partner.”
“Partner?”
“In many ways, yes. Marriage isn’t a dictatorship. Sure, my husband is the head of our home and I submit to his authority, but I know he loves me above all else and is seeking God first in his decisions. He listens and values my opinion. When someone loves you that well, and you know that they value the relationship more than being right, it is easy to let them take the lead. It’s how God designed them, and as women I think we long to be cherished, protected, provided for, and led.”
“I’ve never experienced that.”
“It can be a wonderful reality with the right man—one who seeks to honor God.”
Skye shook her head. “Dan has these ‘principles’ he has in place to protect him and me when we would meet.”
Jennifer nodded. “Andrew has those as well. Too many ministers have fallen into affairs or other troubles because they didn’t keep strong boundaries on relationships with the opposite sex.”
“He finally drove me in his car for our date. And entered my apartment without another adult present.”
“And…?”
“He refused to do more than give me a kiss. Practically ran out the door after that.”
“Good boy.”
Skye laughed. “He’s not a dog.”
“He’s trained himself well though and sometimes those things show character more than words.”
“You’ve given me much to think and pray about.”
“Think about this too, our Mother of Preschoolers group meets every other Friday morning. We’d love to have you join us. It would be a great way to connect with other women.”
“I will. It might mean moving my schedule around, but we’re close to a readjustment anyway. It would be nice to have more friends, but would that complicate my relationship with Dan?”
“No. Many are married, some divorced, some remarried, and a few never married, but none have set their sights on Dan as he doesn’t attend except on a rare occasion as a speaker. You are used to being private. You don’t need to share with them anything you don’t want to. If you ever need to talk though, I’m a safe person for that. I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thank you, for everything. My mom is around and she is supportive, but it’s nice to know someone else is there too.”
“And there is Dan.”
Skye smiled. “Yes, there is Dan, once I figure out what to do with him.”
Jennifer chuckled as they rose to head into the frigid March weather.
~*~
Dan shoveled the walkway and cleared off Skye’s car. Might be a futile endeavor if the snow kept coming down, but at leas
t he tried and she didn’t have to scrape. He headed to church, shoveled some more there before heading to his therapist’s office.
“Dan, what a pleasure. It’s been a while.”
“Good morning, Shirley. Getting back to work has been busy.”
“Why don’t you fill me in and tell me why you’re back in my office.”
Dan recounted the past month, especially his attraction to Skye. “Am I nuts to want to marry this girl? I’ve never experienced anything like this, not even with Sharon. I loved my wife, although I wasn’t as good a husband as I thought I was.”
“Dan, you of all people understand the brevity of life. The uncertainty of anything. Marriage, babies, how long you get to spend with someone you love. Accidents, cancer, sudden death…adultery, abuse, divorce. We live in a fallen and sinful world. I’ve been around more years than I would like to admit to and being a woman, maybe I’m a bit of a romantic at heart. But if you love this gal and she can bring you all you say she can in a partner who will challenge and love you, who will give you a family you’ve longed for, who loves fitness like you do, and has already helped you out of your more rigid comfort zone—then go for it. You’ve grieved Sharon long enough and you’ve made huge strides this year. You are a different man from the one who walked into my office three months ago.”
“Go for it? Really?”
“If she were to die tonight, how would you feel?”
“Cheated. Angry. Devastated.”
“Not ambivalent, sad, or temporarily concerned about her kids?”
“No, it would go much deeper than that. You’d find me back here to be sure. Someone would need to scrape me off the floor.”
“Pay attention to that, Dan. This isn’t a passing fancy. You were faithful to your wife throughout your marriage. You’ve not had any desire to stray outside your marriage or even during your grieving. Women threw themselves at you and you couldn’t see any of them. Then Skye came along and burst all your preconceived ideas of the kind of wife you wanted and showed herself to be what you needed.”
Dan nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t spend time second-guessing what I sense God is leading me to do.”
“Call and let me know how it turns out, and don’t forget to invite me to the wedding.”
“Thanks, Shirley.”
Dan headed to the jewelry store. He had some shopping to do.
TWENTY-THREE
A heart as soft, a heart as kind, a heart as sound and free,
As in the whole world thou canst find,
that heart I’ll give to thee.
Robert Herrick, To Anthea
Skye neglected to look through the peephole. She knew better, but lately the only people to knock on her door were her mother and Dan. Anyone else had to buzz to get in. She figured she was safe. The kids played happily in their room while she prepared some spaghetti for dinner. Sure, the sauce came in a can, but they loved her homemade meatballs simmering away in the oven. The scent even made her own mouth water.
She opened the door and immediately tried to shove it closed again. Riley! How did he get in? She hadn’t realized he was out of jail, and her restraining order should still be in effect. She reached for her phone and hit the panic button for 911. Riley pushed his way in and slammed the door shut, bringing the kids running. Quinn and Meghan stopped and waited to see what would happen next.
Riley bent down. “Hey kids, come and give your daddy a hug. I missed you.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Skye said to the kids. She moved into the living room and Riley stalked after her. He stopped to look at a drawing she had done of Dan, and while he was distracted she motioned for them to leave the apartment and go to Dan’s.
“So, pretty boy is still catching your fancy, huh?”
“He’s a friend.”
“You never drew pictures of me.”
“You weren’t a good model. Not an image anyone would want to pay money for. I have to support myself and the children since you won’t.” Her hands shook as she watched the vein in his forehead throb. He was high. His hands clenched and unclenched as he stalked her. “You know you aren’t supposed be here. I have a restraining order against you.”
“Who’s going to know? Hey,” he looked around frantically, “where are my kids?”
“Hopefully safe from you.”
His arm swung back. “Why you…”
~*~
Dan barely heard the knock at the door. When Quinn and Meghan spilled over the threshold, he almost suspected they were escaping punishment.
“Dad is beating up Mommy. She told us to come to you to hide.” Quinn’s voice shook.
Dan shut the door and knelt down to their level. “Tell me what happened.”
“We were playing,” Meghan stammered through her tears. Dan drew her into his arms.
“Daddy showed up and wanted to hug us. Mommy told us we didn’t have to and tricked him into the living room so we could escape,” Quinn explained.
“Where do you want to hide?”
“Can we hide in your bed?” Meghan asked.
“Sure.” He followed the kids down the hall as he called 911 to report the incident to the police. He pulled the phone away from his mouth to address the kids. “Snuggle in. I’ll close the door. OK?”
They nodded as they scrambled into the bed. He closed the bedroom door and headed down the hall.
“I need to go over there and help her,” he said to the dispatcher.
“Wait until the police arrive. Domestic violence is dangerous. Do you know if he’s armed?”
“I’ve no clue. The kids didn’t mention any weapons.”
“Please wait for the police.”
“I can’t do that. I’m in the apartment across the hall. Her kids are hiding in my bed.” He hung up and headed out the door. Taking a deep breath, he headed across the hall and listened at Skye’s door. He heard a smack and Skye’s exclamation of pain and furniture being toppled. He burst in through the door and quickly saw Riley towering over Skye. Dan took a few steps, grabbed the smaller man by his collar, and pulled him back.
“A man never hits a woman!” Dan bellowed.
Riley shook himself free and turned on Dan. Adrenaline pumping, Dan longed to punch the smirk off the other man’s mug.
“She’s my wife. I can do what I want with ’er”
“She was your wife. She isn’t now. You’ve no right to come near her.” His words came through gritted teeth as he fought to restrain his rage.
“I can do what I want. She can’t keep my kids from me.”
“You abused them. They deserve better.”
Riley whipped out a knife and lunged at Dan, who managed to grab his hand and flip him over, pinning him to the floor and holding him there with his knee and the weight of his body. Riley reached up to lock his jaws onto Dan’s arm, refusing to let go. Dan held firm in spite of the pain. The door flung open. Police entered with guns drawn, quickly restrained Riley, and dragged him out to the squad car. An officer stayed to take their statements.
“Dan?”
“Bruce, hey, thanks for getting here so quickly.”
“Need that bite attended to?”
“I can probably handle it.”
Skye stepped forward and forced him to sit at the table. “No. I’ll take care of it.” She left the room and got a first aid kit. When she returned, she motioned to a chair. “Have a seat, Officer.”
“Officer Bruce Ziegler, this is Skye O’Connell. This is her apartment and Riley O’Connell was the man your partner hauled out of here.”
“So why are you here, Pastor Dan? And who taught you how to take down a man with a knife?”
“You did.”
“Oh, yeah, right. Up to date on your tetanus?”
“Yes, Doctor Bruce.” Dan chuckled as he rolled his eyes.
“Ms. O’Connell, do you need someone to take a look at that bruise? Where’d he hit you? In the eye or nose?”
“Two punches. One of eac
h.” Skye groused as she cleaned Dan’s arm, sterilizing the wound and wiping away the blood before applying an antibiotic cream and gauze bandage. “There, that should hold you.”
“Thanks.” He rose, went to the freezer, and pulled out a frozen bag of mixed veggies. “Here, put that on the bruise.”
She took the bag and gently brought it to her face, flinching as it touched her tender skin.
“He might have broken your nose. Might be good to have that checked out,” Bruce suggested.
“Perfect noses are overrated,” she quipped.
“Let’s get down to business.” Bruce began to get a statement from Skye and then Dan. A timer went off for the food as Officer Ziegler was readying to leave.
“Thanks for your help, Bruce.” Dan gave the officer a pat on the shoulder.
“Yeah, next time, be more careful, Dan. You’re not a super hero.”
Dan nodded as the man left. He turned to Skye who was pulling out food from the oven. “Shall I go get the kids?”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“Anytime. What are neighbors for?” He slipped out the door and entered his apartment. He called for the kids. “Quinn? Meghan? It’s me, Dan.” There was no answer, so he strode down the hallway to his room and slowly opened the door. The kids were buried under the covers and he could barely see their faces as they clung to each other. He sat on the bed and gently touched the lump where they hid. “Hey, kiddos. It’s over. Your dad is gone.”
Little heads peeked out, and he gave them a grin.
“Your mom’s got dinner ready. Hungry?”
The kids flung themselves into his arms and he struggled to stand under the weight of both of them. He staggered to the door as they giggled. Soon he was at Skye’s door and he tapped it gently with his shoe. She opened the door slowly until she saw who it was. Dan lowered the kids to the floor and they rushed into her arms.
Skye held them close as he watched. He slowly backed out of the apartment, closing the door softly. He went back to his own, locked the door behind him, and collapsed into his favorite chair. Leaning his head back he finally gave his heart permission to slow to a normal pace. She was safe now. That was all that mattered, right?
A rat-a-tat-tat came from the door. He dragged himself to his feet. Any energy he had earlier was now gone as exhaustion set in. He peeked through the hole to find Skye there. He unlocked and opened the door.
Bratwurst and Bridges Page 23
