Special Mission

by Debby Mayne

  As soon as Mercedes sat, the murmur of the group came to a grinding halt, and the silence grew very uncomfortable. Kim’s next reaction was to look at Brian, who hung his head.

  “Brian,” David said loud enough for everyone at both tables to hear. “This is Mercedes.” He turned to the woman. “Mercedes, this is the guy I told you about.”

  Kim was surprised that Mercedes’ already-wide smile got even bigger as she stood, leaned across the table, and extended her hand. Brian stood and shook hands then waited for Mercedes to sit back down.

  “Nice to meet you,” he muttered through an awkward smile.

  David leaned toward Kim and whispered, “I thought they might like each other. Looks like I was right.”

  Suddenly an odd sensation coursed through Kim. Although she knew David had invited a guest, she had no idea he wanted to fix Brian up. She wanted to shake David until his teeth fell out for making her look involved in his scheme. From the look on Brian’s face, she knew he wasn’t any happier about it than she was.

  “Let’s go, folks,” David said as he stood. “I’m feeling a few strikes coming on.”

  As they left the restaurant, Kim fell back from the group, and Brian made his way to Kim’s side. “Why didn’t you warn me?” he asked without looking her in the eye.

  “I had no idea. I’m really sorry, Brian.”

  “Yeah, I bet.” His tone left no doubt that he didn’t believe her. With all these people around, she couldn’t grovel and beg for his forgiveness.

  “Hey, hon!” David called out. “You coming?”

  Kim gave Brian an apologetic look then ran to catch up with David. “I don’t think this was such a good idea.”

  He gave her a what’s-your-problem look. “They’ll be fine after they get to know each other.”

  “Did you see his face?” Kim shook her head. “He’s mad.”

  “Better mad than sad. I don’t like my buddy being lonely. He needs a pretty girl to talk to.” David put his arm around Kim and gave her a squeeze. “I think he might even be jealous that I have you.”

  Kim’s breath caught in her chest. “I don’t think he’s jealous of you.”

  “Maybe not, but I still think it’ll do him some good to get out and date a little.”

  Kim glanced over her shoulder in time to see Mercedes and Brian talking as they walked toward the row of cars at the edge of the parking lot. Brian looked up at her, so she snapped her attention back to David.

  “See?” David said. “They’re hitting it off just fine. Now we won’t have to worry about him.”

  Kim thought for a moment. “I guess you’re probably right.” An overwhelming sadness filled her, but she tried not to let on. She knew Mercedes wasn’t Brian’s type, so she didn’t feel jealous. It just bugged her that he was angry, thinking she knew about David’s plan.

  All the way to the bowling alley, David talked about how Mercedes and Brian would be a great match because she was so pretty and fun to be around. Kim half listened as she thought about all the reasons Brian and Mercedes wouldn’t be a good match. Brian was an outdoorsy kind of guy, and she looked like a high-maintenance girl. Brian had moods, but all this girl did was smile. Brian liked—

  The sudden realization smacked Kim so hard, she nearly fell over. Kim now had no doubt that she couldn’t marry David. She couldn’t discuss it now, but she wouldn’t wait much longer.

  “What’s wrong, hon?” He gently jostled her.

  Kim had to come up with something quickly. “Do you know where she is spiritually?” she asked David. “Is she a Christian?”

  David shrugged. “I would assume so. Her uncle and parents go to church.”

  “That doesn’t make her a Christian.” She thought for a moment as she realized what he’d just said. “You know her parents?”

  He nodded. “Her dad retired shortly after I met her uncle. I went to his retirement party.”

  Kim sat back and pondered her next question before asking. “Does she like sports?”

  “Why are you asking me? We’ll be at the bowling alley soon, and you can talk to her. I think it would be nice for you to get to know each other—especially since she and Brian seem to be hitting it off.”

  Once they got inside the bowling alley and she took one good look at Brian’s face, she wanted to talk to Brian. He looked absolutely miserable, while Mercedes stood there jabbering away.

  David arranged for the four of them—Brian, Mercedes, Kim, and himself—to be on a lane together. He nudged Kim and whispered, “That way we can keep an eye on them and make sure everything goes well.”

  “We can’t force them,” Kim argued.

  “No, but we can toss out some conversation starters.”

  Throughout the first game, Kim watched David try his hardest to engage Brian, but all he got was a sulky demeanor and a few grunts every now and then.

  Most of the group agreed that they were having too much fun to stop after the first game, so they decided to bowl another one. Brian didn’t say anything, but he didn’t leave.

  “I need a little break,” David said as he motioned for Kim to follow him. “We’ll be right back, folks,” he told the others. “I need to talk with my fiancée for a minute.”

  “I don’t get it,” David said as soon as they were out of hearing distance. “He’s not even trying. That’s not like Brian.”

  It was very much like Brian. Over the years that Kim had known him, she’d learned to sense when to back off, and that time had come more than an hour ago.

  “Let’s just back off for now, okay?” she asked. “Don’t try so hard. Brian has a mind of his own.”

  David lifted his eyebrows and shook his head. “I give up. I can’t make Brian happy.”

  “No, you really can’t,” Kim agreed. She leaned over and nodded her head toward the lanes. “Let’s go back with the others.”

  After David quit trying so hard with Brian and Mercedes, Kim felt a sense of relief. Brian relaxed a little, too.

  Mercedes wasn’t as interested in bowling as she was in David’s stories about military life. “I’ve always enjoyed listening to my uncle and dad talk about the military.” She tilted her head and grinned at David. “Did you always know you wanted to be in the National Guard?”

  “No,” he replied. “When I was younger, I thought I’d go into the army, but when I met Colonel Anderson, my thinking went in a whole new direction.” He snickered. “Then there was my dad urging me to follow him into his law practice.”

  “Are you talking about Colonel Harley Anderson?”

  “That’s the man,” David said with a grin and a quick nod. “How did you know?”

  Her eyes lit up. “He and my dad used to play golf together.”

  “Oh yeah,” David said with a chuckle. “I heard about that. Your dad was a decent golfer back in his day—at least according to your uncle.”

  Mercedes tossed her blond hair over her shoulder and laughed. “Better not tell him that. He thinks he’s still all that on the golf course.”

  “Maybe I should challenge him to a game one of these days.”

  Kim sat back and watched as Mercedes continued giving all her attention to David. “That would be great. Ever since he retired, he’s been moping around and acting like there’s nothing left to live for—that is, except when he can find someone to play golf with.”

  “Everyone needs something to motivate them,” Kim said.

  David let his glance graze her before turning to face Mercedes again. “Kim’s right. If golf is what gets your dad out of the house, I need to give him a call before I leave.”

  Kim cast a glance toward Brian, who gave her an odd look. Kim felt uneasy as she watched the chemistry between David and Mercedes.

  Mercedes bounced around in her chair. “I can’t wait to tell Dad about you.”

  Kim felt as though she and Brian were invisible. This whole outing had turned into a David and Mercedes event.

  What made it so weird was that she really
didn’t even care about David turning his back on her to talk to Mercedes. What bothered her was how it made Brian feel. As the evening wore on, Brian got grouchier and more agitated.

  Finally, after he bowled his last frame, Brian stood and faced David. “It’s been fun, folks, but I need to run.” He lifted his eyebrows as he turned toward Mercedes. “I’ll take you back to your car now.”

  David snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot some of us carpooled over here. Too bad.”

  Brian stood nearby waiting. Kim felt an emotional tug, but she wasn’t sure what to do.

  “Would you like for us to take you to your car, Mercedes?” David asked.

  “Oh,” she said, “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

  “We don’t mind, do we, Kim?” David asked.

  Before Kim had a chance to say a word, Brian stepped up. “I want to take her. The two of you need more time together, since you’ll be going back to the Middle East soon.” Brian glared at David, almost in a dare.

  Kim held her breath as she realized that Brian was coming to her rescue. She felt pulled toward her childhood friend, but David reached for her hand and held it between his. “You’re right, Brian. Besides, I think it would be great for you and Mercedes to spend a little more time together.” He glanced at Kim and winked before looking back at Brian. “Get to know each other better.”

  Once they turned in their bowling shoes and everyone else was out of hearing distance, Kim touched David on the arm. “David, we need to talk. Now.”

  He stopped tying his shoes as he looked up at her. “Sure, hon. Wanna talk here or go somewhere quiet?”

  “Somewhere quiet would be nice.”

  “I know just the place.”

  There he goes again, she thought. “Why don’t we just go to my house?” she said.

  “I was thinking—”

  “We’ll go to my house.”

  He lifted an eyebrow as he regarded her with interest. “Well, okay then. Your house it is.”

  As soon as they got to her place, David closed the door and stood facing her. “I assume you want to set the date.”

  “David, I—uh. . .”

  “Hey, hon, I understand. I feel awful about keeping you on hold like I have. Would it help to get it all nailed down tonight?” He took a step toward her and started to put his arms around her.

  “No,” she said as she backed away. “That’s not what I want.”

  He put his hands in his pockets. “You don’t want me to hold you?”

  “I don’t want to set the date,” she replied. “And I don’t want to marry you.”

  Kim worked the ring off her finger and tried to hand it to David. He shook his head.

  “I don’t think you need to react so strongly,” he said. “She was flirting with me, not the other way around.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Mercedes.” He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “I had no idea you were jealous of Mercedes and me.”

  “I am not jealous of you and Mercedes!”

  “Then what’s your problem?” he asked, glancing down at the ring. “What’s this all about?”

  “I already told you. I don’t want to marry you.”

  “But why? I thought you loved me.”

  “I did,” she said then corrected herself. “At least I thought I did. But after you left, I had some time to myself to think about things—to think about us.”

  “Is there someone else in your life?”

  Kim didn’t want to let on how she felt about Brian. But she didn’t see any way around it, since he’d find out soon anyway. Lies were never good.

  “David, I feel really bad about this, but after you left, Brian did what you asked him to do, and he made sure I wasn’t lonely.”

  “Did he introduce you to someone else?” David said.

  “Why would he do that?”

  With a shrug, David replied, “He’s been your best friend for a long time, and he doesn’t want you to be lonely. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way he glares at me.”

  “No,” Kim said slowly. “He didn’t introduce me to someone else.” She closed her eyes for a few seconds then looked directly at David. “This is hard for me to tell you, but I think it’s only fair to be the one to say it. I’m in love with Brian.”

  David’s eyes popped wide open in complete shock. “You’re what?”

  “I know. Brian and I have been such good friends for so long, it almost seemed wrong.”

  “So my best buddy has been making the moves on my girl when I turn my back. I never saw this one coming.”

  “No. That’s not true. He never made any moves on me.”

  David’s handsome face suddenly turned to a scowl. “You do realize that he’s on the rebound after what Leila did. I can’t believe you haven’t figured that out.”

  She didn’t feel like arguing about Brian’s feelings or defending herself or Brian. Instead, she went on the offense. “It doesn’t matter. Even if Brian doesn’t feel like I feel, I can’t marry you.”

  “This is a huge mistake, Kimberly. You and I are great together.”

  “I don’t think so. I would have become frustrated, and you would have eventually gotten bored with me.”

  “That never would have happened.” He actually smiled for a split second. “I’m a good provider, and you’re a sweet Christian woman who would make a wonderful wife.”

  “How do you know that’s what I want?”

  “I thought you did.”

  “I want more, David. I want to know that the man I’m married to considers me an equal partner in big decisions. I want to be consulted before my husband decides to volunteer for dangerous military assignments.”

  “You should have told me this before I left. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I never had the opportunity.”

  David stared down at the floor as they grew silent. When he looked back into her eyes, she saw that he’d resigned himself to accepting her decision without further argument.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I just have a little self-examination to do.”

  “David, I think you’re a great guy. I have no doubt you’ll make some woman a wonderful husband. But not me.”

  “Okay. I guess I need to leave now.”

  She stood at the door and waited until he got in his car and drove away. Then she closed the door and leaned against it with her eyes closed.

  Lord, I pray that Your will be done in David’s and my lives.

  ❧

  “She what?” When Brian saw David’s number on his caller ID the next day, he assumed it was to find out how things went with Mercedes, not this.

  “You heard me, buddy,” David said. “I just got the kiss-off because she’s in love with you.”

  Sixteen

  Brian was so astounded he didn’t know what to say. All he managed was a grunt.

  “So what did you do when I was away, man? I asked you to watch after her, not betray me.”

  Suddenly fury rose inside Brian. “Trust me, David, I didn’t betray you.”

  “Then what did you say to make her break off our engagement?”

  “We don’t need to discuss this over the phone. If you want to talk about it, let’s do it face-to-face.”

  “Fine,” David snapped. “Name the place and time, and I’ll be there.”

  This suddenly felt like a duel. “How about the church after I get off work?”

  David snickered. “So now you wanna hide behind your piety?”

  Brian tamped back the anger that felt as though it might blow through the top of his head. “No, I just want to make sure we don’t forget our faith.” And it didn’t hurt that the pastor would be nearby if they needed him.

  “That’s okay with me. It doesn’t matter where we meet, because I know I’ve been faithful to the woman I love, even though my best buddy was working his way into her heart.”

  “We’ll
discuss that this afternoon,” Brian said in the calmest voice he could manage.

  After he hung up, Brian bowed his head and prayed for mercy for his anger, such terrible thoughts about David, and guidance in how to talk to him. This was by far one of the most difficult things he’d ever had to do.

  Jack waved as he passed Brian’s open door. He’d barely gotten a couple of steps away before he backed up.

  “Whoa, why the wild look?”

  Brian relaxed his face and rubbed his neck. “It’s complicated.”

  “Wanna talk about it?”

  Brian thought about it then shook his head. “I don’t think so. I need to finish balancing this. . .” He held up a stack of pages. “And it looks like it might take me the rest of the day. I can’t stay late tonight.”

  “Got a date?” Jack asked.

  “Not exactly. We can talk some other time, okay?”

  Jack held up both hands. “Fine, I can tell when I’m being dismissed. Just don’t let whatever it is get to you so bad. They’re not worth it.”

  “Who’s not worth it?”

  Jack smirked and shook his head. “C’mon, Brian. You know what I’m sayin’.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” Brian said with a forced smile. “Would you mind closing the door on your way out?”

  After he was alone, Brian called the pastor and asked if he could stick around a few minutes late. Then he managed to shut everything out while he finished his work. Kim called, but Brian told her he was too busy to talk.

  She sounded hurt, but this was one day he couldn’t stay even five minutes late, and he didn’t need to talk to Kim just yet. Since David was the first to tell him about the breakup, he thought it would be best to hear his side first. Kim would understand later.

  At five thirty, Brian took off toward the parking lot, practically running so no one would stop him. He was relieved when he got to his car without so much as a good-bye from anyone.

  All the way to the church, Brian prayed to keep his mind focused on the mission of working through things and clarifying his intentions. He didn’t need to express everything he thought with David. Pastor Jeremy Rawlings motioned him into his office as he walked through the side door.