The Pastor's Wife

by Jennifer AlLee

  They walked around the corner, and Maura came to an abrupt halt, jerking Nick to a stop. “Whoa! I didn’t know anyone sprung for rides at this shindig.”

  Nick laughed. “Well, sure. The bank always sponsors a Ferris wheel. It's our only ride, but it's a classic.”

  Sure enough, there stood the enormous wheel in the parking lot of the Granger Savings and Loan. From the length of the line snaking away from the ticket taker up front, it appeared to be quite popular.

  “What do you say?” he asked. “You feeling brave?”

  Maura looked from Nick to the wheel towering above them. She’d never been crazy about heights.

  She looked back at Nick. “Is it safe?”

  “No, we just figure it's good for everyone's prayer life if we set up a death trap now and then.” Nick shook his head. “Of course, it's safe. Would I even ask you to ride if it wasn’t?”

  Maura put a hand on her hip. “Just for that, I should walk off and leave you here.”

  Nick immediately looked contrite. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He fell to one knee, held his hands up to her and wailed melodramatically, “Can you ever forgive me, sweet Maura?”

  “Stop that!” Maura smacked him in the shoulder with the head of her stuffed tiger. “Get up before somebody sees you and gets the wrong idea.” She’d already noticed a couple of the teens from the youth group elbowing each other and pointing.

  Nick rose to his feet, grinning widely. “Seriously, riding a Ferris wheel is practically a required activity for a courting couple. So, will you do me the honor?”

  Hearing him call them a courting couple made her heart melt like a chocolate kiss in the sun. He was making such an effort to woo her. At least she could conquer her fear of heights and go along with it.

  “Okay,” she gulped. “I’ll give it a whirl.”

  The line moved much faster than she’d hoped. Before she knew it, they were greeted by Herb Munson, the bank manager. “Good to see you, Pastor. And Maura, you look lovely as ever. Glad to see you two out and about.”

  Nick returned the greeting, handed him their tickets, and boarded the ride. Maura sat beside him and gasped as the seat swayed several inches.

  “Is it supposed to do that?” she asked Herb.

  “Of course,” he said as he locked the safety bar in place. “If the seat didn’t move, you’d be upside down by the time you got to the top.”

  “Upside down!”

  Nick put his hand on Maura's, which gripped the bar in front of her so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. “Relax,” he told her. “This is supposed to be fun.”

  “Uh huh,” she squeaked out.

  Nick shook his head. “You grew up at the beach. Haven’t you ever been on a boardwalk Ferris wheel before?”

  “No, Da didn’t take us to any of the beachside amusement areas. Said he didn’t like the element. We went to Disneyland a few times, but they didn’t have a Ferris wheel back then.”

  “Do they have one now?”

  Maura nodded, but that small movement made the seat move again, so she froze and stared straight ahead. “Uh huh. At California Adventure. It's huge. Never been on it, either.”

  The wheel lurched forward. With a yelp, Maura fell back in the seat. She released the bar, and grabbed the first object she could find, which happened to be Nick's arm. The wheel moved up a few feet before it stopped again.

  “Did the ride break?” Maura asked as their seat swayed.

  “No. We’ll stop like this until the ride's full. Then we’ll go around a few times. While the ride empties out, we’ll go back to the stop and start thing. Are you going to be okay?” He leaned over the edge of the seat and studied the ground with no fear at all. “We’re not too far up yet. We could probably still jump out and not break anything.”

  She was pretty sure he was kidding, but didn’t want to chance it. “No, I’ll stay put. Thanks.”

  By the fourth time the wheel stopped to let on new passengers, Maura felt more comfortable with the ride. When it continued around in one smooth, slow arc, she even enjoyed it.

  Somewhere along the way, Nick had put his arm around her shoulders She leaned into him, enjoying how solid and secure he felt. He smelled like Irish Spring soap, just like she remembered. Funny how a little detail like a scent could take you right back.

  “This is nice,” she said softly. “I’m glad you talked me into it.”

  Nick's arm squeezed her tightly. “Me too.”

  They were at the top of the wheel when it came to a stop once more. “I guess the ride's almost over,” Maura said.

  “Yep. Better take one last chance to admire the view.”

  The setting sun cast the sky in hues of pink, purple, and orange. Below them, the town of Granger had never looked prettier, or more like home.

  The thought struck Maura in the pit of her stomach. When she’d returned to Granger, her one purpose had been to retrieve whatever Miss Hattie left her and beat it out of town. Once she’d discovered the stipulations of the will, she’d planned to carry them out so in six months’ time she could sell the theatre, take the money, and leave. But gradually, her plans had changed. She’d come to like the idea of running the theatre, turning it into something that would not only bring her an income, but also benefit the community. And somewhere along the line, this small town had become her home.

  No matter what happened between her and Nick, Granger would continue to be home. And that made everything look different.

  “We’re not moving.”

  “What?” Nick's statement pulled her back to the moment.

  He frowned. “We should have moved by now.”

  They looked at each other, then looked down at the crowd standing by the ride operator. Maura recognized most of the people below them, including several members of the youth group.

  “What's wrong?” Nick called.

  Herb Munson cupped his hands around his mouth and called back. “You’ve got to kiss her!”

  Nick did a double take. “What?”

  “It's tradition,” the bank manager boomed. “When you get to the top of the wheel, you’ve got to kiss your lady.”

  The growing crowd below them cheered and clapped. And to Maura's chagrin, they chanted, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

  Her cheeks burned as she turned to Nick. “Did you put them up to this?”

  “Trust me. I’m as surprised as you are.”

  From the car behind them came another voice. “Come on, Preacher, give her a smooch so we can all get down. I want to buy some cotton candy before they close up.”

  Nick laughed. “Well, how can we argue with that?” He looked down again before turning back to Maura. “I think we’re outnumbered.”

  She nodded.

  Nick pulled her closer. And there, in front of most of the town of Granger, with the sun setting behind them, Maura received her first kiss atop a Ferris wheel.

  15

  The weather could be a problem.

  Maura and Rachel built up the grand reopening of the Music Box Theatre as a major event in the town of Granger. They sent out invitations and placed ads in the local paper. Everything was ready, from the big black letters spelling out GRAND OPENING on the marquee, to the bunting-draped podium that would stand outside the front doors, and the long tables full of hors d’oeuvres, coffee, and spiced cider ready to set up in the lobby. No detail had been overlooked

  None except the possibility of a fast-moving winter storm.

  Maura jumped out of bed and ran to the window, praying the snow that had fallen steadily for the last two days had stopped. No such luck. Not only did it continue to fall, but from the way the wind blew, it appeared to be coming in sideways.

  She pursed her lips and glared out the window, as if the sheer force of her will could make the snow stop. She rolled her eyes upward and watched the fat flakes fall out of a leaden sky.

  “God, I know I haven’t talked to you much in the last few years. And now that I’ve started back
up, I’m asking for a lot of favors. But I could sure use a break in the weather today. Around five o’clock, if that works for you.”

  As if an immediate answer to her prayer, the wind died down for a moment, but just as quickly another gust whipped the flakes into the frenzy of a cyclone.

  Maura smiled as she walked away from the window. If only it were that easy.

  She pulled open her dresser drawer and chose a black turtleneck. Despite the weather, a wonderful feeling of peace and satisfaction wrapped itself around her. She’d worked hard for this day, and she intended to enjoy it—even if she had to stand in a snowdrift to greet the four or five people who braved the elements to attend the opening.

  When she finally stood in front of the theatre, warmth enveloped Maura despite the frigid wind biting her cheeks and nose. She never should have worried. The citizens of Granger were as predictable as the post office—neither sleet nor snow would keep them from attending a civic function, especially when it involved free food.

  Maura jumped as Rachel dug an elbow into her ribs. “See, I told you people would show up. Curiosity trumps comfort every time.”

  Maura leaned closer to her friend, answering out of the corner of her mouth. “Still, we’d better move this along before we all freeze solid out here.”

  Saying another silent prayer of thanks that the former heavy snowfall had turned into barely there flurries, she pulled her coat closer around her and stepped up to the podium. “If I can have your attention!”

  She waited as the people standing in front quieted down. One by one, they turned and shushed the people behind them. When she was confident everyone could hear, she continued.

  “I’d like to thank you all for coming. This is truly a great day for me. For all of us. Before we cut the ribbon, I’d like to dedicate this theatre to the memory of Miss Hattie Granger.” Applause rippled through the crowd. “She was quite a lady, and I can’t thank her enough for believing in me and giving me the chance to restore this wonderful old building.”

  Maura looked out at the people gathered in front of the theatre, and something stirred in her chest, like the rapid flutter of hummingbird wings. She had spent so many years with her heart hardened toward this town and everybody in it. She’d seen them as adversaries, people who expected her to live up to a standard she couldn’t achieve. But now, she saw them differently. Yes, they’d made assumptions about the kind of wife Maura should be, but she’d never stood up for herself. She’d made assumptions too, thinking they wouldn’t accept the real her. Rather than talking to people and sharing her own goals and passions, she’d stuffed her feelings and tried to make everybody happy. In the end, she only made herself and everyone around her miserable.

  A rumbling whisper moved through the crowd. They were impatient, hugging themselves tightly and stamping their feet to ward off the cold. She couldn’t make them wait any longer. But she didn’t know how to put into words all that she was feeling.

  “I’d like to thank all the citizens of Granger,” she blurted out. “For welcoming me back and giving me another chance to be a part of this community.”

  All noise and movement in the crowd stopped. Panic seized Maura. Had she misspoken? Maybe they weren’t glad to have her back after all. Maybe they’d just been putting up with her in order to get their theatre back, and after the six months were over, they’d run her out of town.

  But then a few people started clapping. Someone in the back whistled. Finally the rest of the crowd joined in, clapping and cheering.

  Maura smiled as she batted snowflakes from her face. The skies had opened up again. As much as she’d like to stand there basking in the moment, she had to move the crowd inside soon. There was just one more thing to do before the ribbon cutting.

  Where was Nick?

  Maura scanned the crowd. She turned to Rachel, put her hands together as if in prayer and mouthed “Nick?” Rachel responded with a shrug of her shoulders. Turning back to the crowd, Maura searched each face, wondering if she was missing him beneath a hood or a scarf. He had to be there. He’d been so pleased last night when she asked him to say a blessing at the grand opening. He wouldn’t stand her up today. Would he?

  A different kind of movement stirred in the crowd. It began at the back, people sidestepping to clear a path and moving back into place. Maura slowly exhaled as Nick stepped up to the podium.

  He stood beside her, pulling her into a quick, one-armed hug. “I think I speak for everyone here when I say it's good to have you back.” Confirming his statement, the crowd erupted into a fresh round of applause. He leaned in closer and whispered, “Sorry I’m late. I had a heck of a time finding a parking place.”

  His breath warmed her cheek. Maura grinned up at him and squeezed his waist. Late she could handle. He made it, and that's what mattered. “Would you mind praying now, before we turn into popsicles?”

  She felt the rumble of Nick's laugh, despite the many layers of winter-wear between them. He turned his attention to the crowd, holding up his hands.

  “Okay, folks, it's cold out here, and I know we’d all like to get inside and check out the place. But we’ve got one more bit of business to attend to. Please join me in thanking the One who makes everything possible.”

  Maura bowed her head along with everyone else. As Nick thanked God for the blessings He’d given them, her heart joined in. Thank you, Lord, for bringing me home, and bringing me back to You.

  “Amen,” Nick said with gusto. He turned to Maura and winked. “You’ve got it from here.”

  Maura joined Rachel in front of a wide, red ribbon stretched across the front doors. With a grin splitting her face, Rachel handed her a huge pair of scissors.

  “You’ve worked hard for this, girl,” Rachel said. “Do the honors.”

  Maura embraced her friend and business partner, holding the scissors aside so as not to impale either of them. “We’ve worked hard. And this,” she said, hoisting the scissors, “is big enough for both of us to grab a piece. Come on, let's do the honors together.”

  The two women cut the ribbon. The ends fluttered down and away, a startling contrast to the snow-covered ground where they landed. Maura and Rachel pulled the doors open and ushered their first visitors into the newly remodeled Music Box Theatre.

  People rushed in, stomping their snowy boots on the doormats. Some headed straight for the food tables set up in the lobby. Others looked around, eyes wide. Maura caught bits and pieces of conversation as people swirled past her.

  “Can you believe this?”

  “Look, they’ve got Jujubes in the candy counter!”

  “It's even nicer than I remember it!”

  Maura stripped off her coat, her mind spinning.

  I love being part of a community.

  I am so blessed.

  I’ll need to clean the carpet again.

  After the successful grand opening of the refurbished theatre, Maura became busier than ever. Movie revival nights were well attended, and more than one group contacted her about renting out the facility. But the biggest and most unexpected hit was the acting classes.

  Intrigued by the offer of a free first class, quite a few people signed up to try them out. So many, in fact, she had to split the group into two separate classes. It came as quite a surprise to see Oren Thacker's name on the list. She still didn’t know him well, but she remembered his displeasure at the council meeting when she’d talked about the Christmas Gala. He probably wanted to check up on her and assess Granger's newest business. She certainly didn’t expect him to have much aptitude for acting.

  She was wrong.

  At the first class, she went over some acting basics. and gave each student a short monologue. With a perverse sense of satisfaction she handed Oren the soliloquy from Hamlet. It wasn’t really fair to assign Shakespeare on the first day, but Oren had been pretty hard on her the first time she’d been on his turf. Now she’d see if he could take as good as he gave.

  Oren wasn’t fazed when he
took the scene. Minutes later, she knew why. His voice, which she’d never paid much attention to before, was rich and warm. As he read, he became the tortured prince of Denmark. His deep baritone found the subtle nuances in Shakespeare's English and took the class to a place far from their little town in Ohio. No one in the room made a sound as he spoke, and when he finished, they burst into applause. Oren shook his head, as if returning to the theatre from some other realm. A gentle, almost shy smile drew up the corners of his mouth, and his eyes sparkled with the joy that had so obviously been missing when they sat in the church meeting room.

  Conviction poked Maura's heart. She’d never seen Oren express any emotion other than annoyance, so she’d assumed him incapable of feeling anything else. Obviously, her assessment was way off the mark. And if she’d been wrong about that, what else had she been wrong about? She’d let her hurt over the past color her perception of the present, keeping her from seeing the real Oren. How many other people had she treated the same way? It was an unpleasant realization.

  After the class, she approached him privately. “Oren, you’re amazing. Where did you learn to act?”

  For the first time, Oren smiled directly at her. “I studied drama in college, but I had to give it up when my father fell ill. I came back to Granger and took over the hardware store. You could say I traded Shakespeare for sheetrock.” He tried to joke it off, but regret tinged his words.

  “Thacker and Sons Hardware is a long way from Broadway.”

  He nodded solemnly. “True, but it's been a good living. Allowed me to provide for my family. And look what God's done now. I never expected you to hold acting classes here. It takes me back to when I was a young man full of dreams.”

  Amazing! Maura's simple classes had resurrected Oren's dreams on the Music Box stage. “I hope you decide to stay in the class. Or maybe you should help me teach. You’re certainly good enough.”

  Oren shook his head. “Oh, no, I want to be part of the class, at least for now. It's one way I can support the theatre and show you my appreciation.”