THE TRUE LOVE SERIES BOX SET: A Christian Romance

by Duncan, Juliette

  “Thank you.” She let out a small laugh. Ben was always so polite, but her cooking still left a lot to be desired.

  Ben leaned back in the chair and folded his arms. “We haven’t decided what church we’re going to yet.”

  Tessa sighed. “Do we have to talk about that now?” They’d skirted the issue several times, and now with Jayden on her mind it was the last thing she wanted to think about. Besides, Ben had indicated he wasn’t keen on her church, and she wasn’t keen on his, so they were at a stalemate.

  “I think so. It’s time we decided.”

  “Okay then, what are you thinking?” She resigned herself to hearing what she didn’t want to hear.

  “We have three choices. My church, your church, or we start afresh at a new one. I’m thinking we should start a new one.”

  A new one? She straightened. That could be the best option, although she’d miss Gracepointe. A change might also be good for Jayden. He hadn’t been keen of late. And maybe it’d be fun starting a new church together.

  “I think you’re right. Do you have one in mind?”

  Ben leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, his eyes brightening. “I’ve done some checking—a guy from work used to go to the Fellowship Bible Church not far from here. He enjoyed it, and it’s close by, so I think it’s worth a try.”

  “Sounds good.” She smiled warmly at him and squeezed his arm. She prayed that this might be the start of something good for them all.

  Chapter 5

  “Hurry up and get dressed, Jayden.” Tessa carried the dirty Sunday morning breakfast dishes past him and headed into the kitchen. Jayden followed her sullenly. Ever since Ben had grounded him, he’d been even more moody and non-communicative towards them both.

  “I am dressed.”

  She glanced at his ripped jeans and t-shirt and her nose wrinkled. He’d just finished feeding Bindy and Sparky, and the mud he’d picked up from the walk they’d taken earlier with the dogs had dried into dirty stains. Not a good look for making a first impression at a new church. “Why don’t you put on something a little more presentable for church? The service starts at nine and we don’t want to be late.”

  “I don’t want to go to church.” His mouth set in a hard line.

  As she placed the dishes in the washer she counted to ten. Jayden was skilled at winding her up, but she was learning to think before she spoke, something that didn’t come naturally.

  At that moment, Ben walked down the stairs knotting his light blue tie. Had he heard what Jayden said? Would Jayden back down now his dad was here?

  Ben glanced from her to Jayden. Her heart pounded.

  “Have I missed something?” Ben slipped the knot in his tie up to his neck and adjusted his shirt collar. He looked so smart in his slim fitting dark trousers and tailored shirt. Tessa lifted her eyebrows and gave him an appreciative smile. In her simple summer shift and orange wedges, she felt a little under-dressed. But that wasn’t the issue at hand. Jayden’s church attendance was of far greater importance.

  Jayden didn’t answer. Should she ignore what he’d told her, or tell Ben? Was this another of Jayden’s tests? She’d certainly become warier ever since the Neil issue. She inhaled deeply and made her decision.

  “Jayden doesn’t want to come to church.” She held her breath before glancing at Jayden. The filthy look he gave her said it all.

  Ben turned sharply and faced him. “How many times have we gone through this? You’re not old enough to make your own decision yet. You’re coming, like it or not.” Ben’s voice was softer than in the past, but Jayden’s eyes held daggers as he picked up a dog’s lead and threw it on the floor. “Fine. But don’t expect me to listen to any of that God stuff.” He stormed off up the stairs.

  Ben started to follow but Tessa grabbed his arm. “Let me go. Okay?”

  He hesitated.

  “Please Ben. You’re too wound up.” She rubbed his arm gently and prayed he’d calm down.

  He released a slow breath and raked his hand through his hair. “You’re right. You go. I’m not in the right frame of mind.”

  She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I won’t be long.” Letting go of his hand, she walked slowly up the stairs, her heart heavy. She paused in front of Jayden’s door. Lord God, please give me wisdom to know what to say. Let Jayden see Your love in me, and soften his heart, I pray.

  When she returned with a smile on her face several minutes later, Ben looked at her quizzically. “What did you say to him?”

  “Don’t be upset, but I told him if he goes to church every Sunday for a month, we’ll take him and Neil away camping for a weekend.” She put a hushing finger to Ben’s lips as he started to object. “He agreed, so just be happy, Mr. Straight and Narrow.” She flashed him a cheeky grin and stifled a laugh at the surprised look on his face. “Besides, a weekend away camping will be fun. How long has it been since you’ve been camping?”

  Ben drew in a deep breath and averted his gaze. “Never.”

  “Never? Really? Well, it’s about time you did.”

  He looked up. “I’m not sure I agree with bribing him to go to church.” He had that serious look in his eyes again.

  Her shoulders sagged. He really is Mr. Straight and Narrow sometimes. “I wouldn’t call it a bribe. More a reward. And Jayden’s coming to church happily. Isn’t that worth it?”

  Ben sighed heavily. “I’m not sure I like the way you went about it. It sounds like a bribe to me,” he said in a serious tone. “I want Jayden to go to church and come to know God just as much as you do. I’ve been praying about it for years, but I’m not comfortable with this. I want him to go because he wants to, not because he’s being bribed.”

  She took a step back. “So do I, but that’s not going to happen right now in his frame of mind. Isn’t it better that he comes willingly, for whatever reason? When I look at Jayden, I see a hurting kid, and I don’t think you’re doing much to change that by being so tough on him.”

  “Is that what you think, Tessa?”

  She opened her mouth but nothing came out. They were arguing again, and just before church. Tears pricked her eyes and she willed them not to come out as she glanced away.

  “We should have discussed this first before you offered him something we hadn’t agreed on.”

  She cringed at his words. Jayden came down the stairs before she could respond. She’d completely stuffed up again. When would she learn? But Ben would never have agreed if they’d discussed it first. Why couldn’t he see that what she’d done was okay?

  “I’m ready.” Jayden had changed into a pair of clean jeans and a plain button down shirt, but his cap was still firmly planted on his head. He looked at his dad and then at her.

  She was determined not to let him see there was any problem between the two her and his dad.

  “Hey Jayden, that’s better. Let’s go.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. Ben would just have to be happy Jayden was coming to church. They’d deal with their problem later.

  She tried making small talk on the short drive to church to cover the simmering tension between her and Ben. He was right—she should have discussed it with him first before suggesting something this important. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that Jayden was sitting in the back of the car in a better mood.

  Tessa reached out her hand and squeezed Ben’s leg. He didn’t respond. He just looked at the road ahead, his profile stiff and rigid. Her heart fell. Oh, God, I don’t want to go to church like this. Please help.

  Chapter 6

  As they arrived at the carpark of the Fellowship Bible Church, Tessa was tempted to ask Ben to turn around and drive home. How could they enter a house of God when all was not right between them? Why wasn’t he happy that Jayden had willingly come to church with them? Okay, she’d promised him a weekend away camping with Neil, but surely that was worth it. What was Ben’s problem?

  He climbed out, closed his door with more force than nec
essary, and strode around to open her door. Tessa inhaled deeply. She hated it when things weren’t right between them. Could she do this? Walk into a new church, amongst people she didn’t know, and pretend all was well? For Jayden’s sake, she had to. Tears stung her eyes. She’d never in her wildest dreams imagined she and Ben would be at loggerheads over Jayden coming to church. Maybe her mum had been right and being a wife and mother to a teenager was harder than she ever thought it would be. But she had to pull herself together. She wiped her eyes, took a deep, slow breath, then fixed a smile on her face before taking Ben’s hand and walking into the church that on the outside looked more like a warehouse than a place of worship.

  At Gracepointe, old familiar hymns played on an organ welcomed everyone to worship. Here, a band belted out modern worship songs. What would Ben think? Being the ultra-conservative accountant that he was, surely he’d prefer the older, more conservative type of service they were both used to. Jayden, on the other hand, was more likely to feel comfortable with this type of music.

  Although they were a little early, the main auditorium was almost full. People sang and clapped, and a warm sense of God’s spirit filled the place. An older couple welcomed them at the door and directed them to some seats towards the back. Tessa glanced at Ben and squeezed his hand. Surely he’d let their disagreement go now they were in church. Her heart warmed when he returned her squeeze and placed his arm around her shoulder. She snuggled in close and thanked God for intervening, and prayed they would be able to resolve their differences. The lyrics to the song were on the screen, and as she sang, a spirit of renewal washed over her.

  ‘Give me grace to see beyond this moment here

  To believe that there is nothing left to fear

  And that You alone are high above it all

  You my God are greater still’

  It was so good to be back in church. Although Fellowship Bible Church was larger than Gracepointe and definitely more contemporary, maybe, just maybe, they could make this place their spiritual home. Amid the excitement of her engagement to Ben, the romantic wedding and their subsequent honeymoon, she hadn’t been to church for several weeks, and with everything that had happened already, it was good to be reminded of God’s constant grace. Above all the problems at home and at the clinic, God was greater still.

  Long after the time of corporate prayer was finished, she sat with bowed head. Her spirit had been moved by the worship and the prayer time, but she needed God to touch her deeper still, and so she poured her heart out to God. Thank You for being here with me right now. I’m sorry for being so distant of late, and for trying to do things in my own strength. I knew being married wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but I didn’t think it would be this complicated. We’ve had one argument too many, and all over Jayden. Maybe Mum was right and I’m not ready to raise a teenager. Doing so... or trying to do so... is causing so many problems between Ben and me, and that’s the last thing I want right now. Tessa’s heart was heavy, and she was so lost in prayer and busy sorting out her thoughts with God that she barely heard any of the sermon. Whatever the pastor said, however, must have touched Ben for he squeezed her hand several times. Looking up, she forced herself to focus on the last part of the sermon.

  The pastor, a blond-haired, youthful-looking man in his early forties, was preaching on “Love in spite of...” He read from 1 Peter 4:8. Tessa knew the verse well. She said it quietly to herself, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

  “To love God and to love one another are the greatest commandments given to us by God. If we believe that God is perfect and good and holy, which He is, then it’s easy to love Him. But to love imperfect human beings with all their sins and foibles can be tough. It’s natural to judge people for their weaknesses and faults, but if we follow the example of Christ, we’ll find it easier to love others the way He loves us.

  “How does Christ love us? He loves us in spite of ourselves. He loves us in spite of our sins, faults, failures, and stuff ups. He loves us unconditionally. This deep love gave Him the strength to die on the cross so that our multitude of sins could be covered, and that deep love still abides today. When we don’t act the way God wants us to act, does He turn his back on us? No. When we say careless words, does He stop his ears to our prayers? I don’t think so. He just goes right on loving us in spite of all that, and we must do the same to the people who are in our lives. We must love our bosses, employees or co-workers in spite of the fact they may be difficult to get along with. We must love our spouses in spite of the fact that they aren’t perfect. We must love our children in spite of their occasional disobedience. God wants us to love one another deeply, in spite of...”

  Tessa couldn’t think of a timelier message. As they stood for the closing song, she prayed that God would help her love Ben and Jayden the way He loved her. With Ben’s arm around her shoulder, peace settled in her heart, along with hope that all would be well with the three of them.

  The pastor hurried to the back of the sanctuary when the service ended. He shook hands with each member of the congregation as they began to file out. He greeted Ben and Tessa with a broad smile. “I’m guessing you’re new?”

  Ben returned the pastor’s smile and shook his hand. “Yes, we just moved to the area and this is our first time.”

  “Welcome, glad you decided to worship with us this morning. I’m Fraser Stanthorpe, by the way.”

  “I’m Ben and this is my wife, Tessa.” Ben turned to her and placed his hand behind her back. “Our son, Jayden—” Ben looked to his other side, but Jayden wasn’t there.

  Tessa spotted him standing with a group of boys his age. “There he is. Looks like he’s made some friends.” She caught his eye and smiled, but he lowered his cap and turned away. What had she done wrong this time? She sighed and turned her attention back to Ben and Fraser. She had no idea how his mind worked.

  “I thoroughly enjoyed your sermon,” Ben was saying. “It was just what I needed to hear.”

  Fraser smiled. “I always pray God will use my feeble preaching skills to touch lives in some way, so I’m glad you appreciated it. Why don’t you stay for a coffee and meet some of the members? My wife is around somewhere, probably fussing over the babies in the nursery.” He laughed. “I’ll try to find her and introduce you.”

  In the meantime, Ben and Tessa introduced themselves to some of the church members as they enjoyed the coffee and cakes on offer. Tessa was delighted to find that Sandy was a member there and they greeted each other—not as manager and clinic receptionist—but as sisters in Christ. As Tessa enjoyed the Christian fellowship of Sandy and the other women, she had a nagging feeling she was being watched. She turned around and scanned the crowd of laughing, chatting members.

  She almost spilled her cup of coffee as she locked eyes with a familiar pair of steel-grey eyes. The sun-tanned face with unmistakable high cheekbones to which they belonged confirmed her suspicions. Michael’s sister, Sabrina.

  Chapter 7

  Tessa excused herself from the group of women she stood with and started toward Sabrina Urbane, but was stopped by Ben. “Jayden’s already in the car. Are you ready to leave? The second service is about to start, so we should be going.”

  “Just a second.” She shot a glance over his shoulder to where Sabrina had been standing a moment before, but she was gone.

  Ben raised his eyebrows. “Looking for someone?”

  “I thought I saw someone familiar, but never mind. Let’s go.” She bid goodbye to Sandy and the others before they left.

  Ben took her hand as they walked through the church parking lot to their car. “I’m sorry for the way I reacted this morning and ignoring you on the ride over here. I didn’t think before I spoke, but I know you love Jayden and want the best for him, and however you persuaded him to come, I’m glad he came with us today.”

  Was she hearing right? Ben was apologising? As much as she deplored crying at the drop of a hat, she
couldn’t help the glad tears that welled in the corners of her eyes. Her father had once told her that saying ‘I’m sorry’ is a sign of strength. She smiled gratefully at Ben now.

  “I should have checked with you first before making any promises to Jayden, so I’m the one who should be the sorriest.” She wiped her eyes with a tissue she already had in her hand. “But sometimes I do think you’re too hard on him.” She held her breath. Had she said too much again?

  Ben stopped a few feet from the car and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. “You might be right. I don’t know.” He rubbed her arms. “But never be afraid to be honest with me. Even if we don’t see eye to eye on the best way to raise Jayden or other matters, let’s try to agree to disagree. I can’t stand the silent treatment any more than you can. And I’m sorry for letting my anger get the better of me. We’ll get better together, I promise.” He lifted her chin with his finger and kissed her lips. “And I guess I’ll be happy to go camping.”

  The twinkle in his eye made her laugh.

  They decided to have lunch at Southbank, and caught the CityCat along the river from New Farm. Southbank buzzed with locals and visitors out enjoying the sultry summer’s afternoon. Ben held her hand as they strolled along the promenade inspecting the various menus on display from the array of restaurants vying for their patronage. Tessa encouraged Jayden to walk beside them, but he hung back, much to her frustration. They chose an Italian restaurant and sat at a table under the shade of some large leafy trees. The breeze from the river occasionally reached them, as did the air conditioning from inside whenever a waiter came in or out. Tessa was glad she and Ben were back on speaking terms, and they enjoyed each other’s company as they discussed the church service and made plans for the week ahead.