A Second Chance – Love is in the Air

By Dawn Natelle

Sorry for the long delay. Blame Bailey. I reread the entire Jem saga over the past week instead of writing. I promise something by the end of the weekend: Dawn

SUNDAY, May 22, 2016

Rachael woke up early on Sunday feeling happy. She went into the washroom, and discovered that her period was still underway, but may even be easing. She had felt no pain or cramping so far, and other then the messiness, it hadn’t been bad at all. She wondered if this had been a boon from St. John and the ones above. She decided to thank them at church today anyway.

She was downstairs making the Sunday morning French toast that Bobby so loved when Maria came down.

“Make extra, we are having company this morning,” she said.

“Really? Who? Are you still coming to church with me?”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Maria said. “Geoff is coming with us.”

“Geoff? Go Mom,” Rachael cheered.

“Don’t get all excited,” Maria said. “He wants me to learn how to drive. Yesterday he decided to have me take the cash to the bank after work, and said I could use the van. I told him I couldn’t drive, and he offered to teach me. When I said we could go after church, he offered to come to church with us.”

“Great. Where are you going to go … to learn to drive, I mean?”

“He suggested the parking lot for the arena. There won’t be many cars there during off season, and I can’t drive on the road without a learner’s permit. I’ll get that on Monday.”

“Well, we should have him for lunch too. Bobby and I will head over to Mikki’s … unless he and his gang have plans.”

Just then that uncommon sound of tires could be heard in the driveway, and a few seconds later Maria was letting Geoff in. Rachael popped her head around the kitchen, spying and hoping to see some signs of affection between the two. There was nothing more than big smiles by each, as they admired their respective Sunday finery.

“Hi Geoff,” Rachael shouted from the kitchen. “Ready for breakfast?” He walked in, wearing a dress shirt and dress pants, and a tie. She had never really seen him outside of the jeans and t-shirt he wore while baking. “Hey, you clean up really nice,” she joked.

“Thanks. That smells wonderful. What are we having?”

“French Toast, made with the finest bread in Ontario,” she said.

“French Toast,” Bobby shouted came out in his pajamas, sliding to a halt when he saw a man in the house. He had a bit of fear on his face until he recognized who it was, and then there was a big smile. “It’s the bakery man,” he crowed.

“Hi Bobby,” Geoff said, tousling the boys unkempt hair. “Do you like French Toast too?”

“It is the best breakfast ever,” Bobby said. “I wish we could have it every day, but Rachael says we don’t have time on school days.”

“I hear you were at a farm yesterday. How did that go?” Geoff asked, and that set Bobby off on a long description of everything he had seen.”

Rachael finished cooking as Maria stared at her boss and her son interacting. She was jolted into action when Rachael asked if she would set the table.

The four sat down, with Bobby wearing a towel like a bib to keep most of the syrup off of his pajama tops. After a short prayer, where Rachael thanked the Lord for allowing them to have company for the day, they dug in.

“This is really good Rachael,” Geoff said. “You are quite the cook for someone so young.”

“Mamma is a good cook too,” Rachael said. “But she works so hard I feel I have to help out wherever I can. You can stay for lunch as well, I hope?”

“Yes,” Geoff said. “Your mom said it would only be sandwiches. We sold out of Love bread on Saturday pretty early. That name has really caught on. I should have you come up with names for some of the other things in the store too.”

“I’d like to try,” Rachael said. “I have a few ideas. I don’t have a computer though, so you will have to type them in for me.”

“I don’t really have all that much time,” Geoff said. “What do you say that we just make an account for you on the bakery computer, and you can use that anytime I’m not using it, or your Mom. Not just for us, but for school too.”

“That would be wonderful,” Rachael said gratefully. “I have to write all my essays out in a neat hand for my teachers, and that is slow. I think they will appreciate getting things off the computer.”

“Oh, I wanted to mention that you are going to be in the paper, or at least your little story about Love Bread is. A girl from the paper was in on Friday, and she convinced me to buy a little ad. It will be in the paper Wednesday.”

“Cool. I hope it works out well for you.”

They finished eating and cleared the table, and Geoff got major points from Rachael for immediately sticking his hands in the sink and starting to wash the dishes. Maria looked a little embarrassed, but Rachael just handed her a dishtowel and told her to get drying.

Rachael took Bobby upstairs to make sure his hands were syrup free before he put on his Sunday clothes on. When they came down, the pair in the kitchen were done, and the four walked to church.

As they went along Rachael noticed how they looked just like a real family, and she hoped that Geoff and her mom were getting the same vibes.

“Look at the church,” Maria said as they walked closer. “It looks … so much tidier.”

“That is due to your sweeper man,” Rachael said. “He got the job as caretaker. I think you might have to start sweeping again, Geoff.”

“Not a problem,” the baker said. “There are always a few minutes to do it while a dough is rising. But I will admit that Gary was much better at it than me. Is he still living rough?”

“No they have a bed for him in the church shed,” Rachael said. “There he is now.” Gary was helping an elderly woman up the steps. There was a ramp, but some older people prefer not to use it before they are forced to.”

“That’s Gary?” Maria asked. “He looks so … good without the beard and the long hair. Younger than I would have thought, too.”

Rachael had to agree. He even had better fitting clothes on. The shirt looked to be one of Steve’s, but the pants were new, or at least purchased for his build. He also had on a deep navy tie that really accented his navy pants and light blue shirt.

“Hi Gary,” Rachael said as they started up the steps. He was helping another woman up, and paused when he saw her.

“Keep going, Gary,” Rachael said when she saw him hesitate. “You are doing an important job here.”

“Thanks Angel,” Gary said. She was close enough to hear him tell the older lady that Rachael was his angel, and he owed so much to her.

“She is a nice girl,” the woman said. “She got into an argument last week with the pastor, who then had a heart attack. She gave him CPR until the ambulance came, and saved his life, apparently.”

She went inside and then Gary turned to Rachael. “I knew you were an angel. You don’t know how good it feels for people to show me respect, after so long. Before they just treated me like something dirty on the bottom of their shoe. Now they will chat with me. And it feels so good to have something to do. I love looking after the church.”

“Well it looks so good, Gary,” Maria said, introducing him to Geoff.

“Don’t you worry about your block,” Gary said. “I will go there every morning and sweep before I start work here. It will be clean when you get there.”

“You don’t need to do that, Gary,” Rachael said.

“But I do. It is important,” he insisted. “Looking after that block; keeping it clean and litter-free; that was what started me back. It gave me something to care for. Getting the fruit and the rolls was nice, but the important thing was that it was one little part of the world that I was making a better place. It gave me my pride back.”

“We should pay you something,” Geoff said.

“You do, you pay me respect. When the Angel-mother here gave me my rolls, and the fruit lady gave me an apple or a banana, it meant that I was important.”

“Well Maria won’t be there in the morning if you are sweeping at dawn,” Geoff said. “So if you come buy anything in the bakery you will get the employee discount, if you are sweeping for us.”

“Thank you sir. I will buy my food there, whenever I can. And the fruit place too.”

“Do you have food now?” Rachael asked.

“Yes, my angel,” The church gave me an advance pay, and the pretty young pastor drove me to a store called Goodwill. I was able to get these trousers and the tie for $10, and I bought some things at another store for making sandwiches. The bread from there isn’t as nice as yours, so when it is gone I will go to your shop. They are letting me use the one fridge that works in the kitchen.”

Gary then saw another senior approaching, and hurried down to introduce himself as the new caretaker, and assist her up the steps.

The others entered the church, and immediately noticed that the place was cleaner. There was a wooden railing down the middle of the entry hall, and in the past it had been sticky with grime. Now it was five shades lighter, with all the years of wax and dirt removed so it looked like new wood. The cleanliness continued into the church itself, and Rachael could see that every pew in the place had also been stripped and cleaned. There must be 40 hours of work, and Gary had only been in his position for 48 hours. She wondered if he had gotten any sleep.

The four took a pew near the front, and waited for the choir and pianist to start the service. Rachael noticed a wooden armchair near the communion table, just to the side of the pastor’s lectern.

Finally the choir started and the new pastor came out, assisting the old pastor, who looked quite feeble. Rachael immediately began to applaud, and soon the entire church was clapping, causing Pastor McNaughton to pause, and look out on his congregation as they greeted him. Pastor McFarland helped him into the chair and then stood at the dais as the applause ended. The crowd was at least twice the normal size, with many people coming because of the events of the prior week.

“Greetings one and all,” the new pastor said. Rachael detected a little nervousness in her voice, but it eased as she went on. “I am Pastor Helen McFarland, and I will be filling in for Pastor McNaughton until he is fully recovered. And judging how much he has recovered from a heart attack only a week ago, I may not have a long period here. I happen to know that his doctor expressly forbade him from coming here. I am told that his refusal to obey anyone but the Lord himself is well known amongst you all.”

The congregation chuckled, agreeing that Pastor McNaughton was not one to obey his doctor when the doctor’s orders disagreed with his own plans.

“I will be reading the sermon today, but I want you all to know that it had significant input from Pastor McNaughton, and that he approves of it, as he will of all the sermons that I give over the next little while. I feel blessed that I get to have the wise oversight of an experienced pastor in my early days. I will handle all the visitations for the next little while, but when Pastor McNaughton feels up to it, he will again resume visitations for those in the congregation who would feel more comfortable with an older and wiser pastor.”

She looked out over the congregation, noticing Steve Winslow, to the right of the church, near the front, staring intently at her, with a small smile on his face.

“Now, the Pastor has been told by his doctor not to address the congregation, so it is with great pleasure that I ask him to address the congregation.” With that she went and tenderly helped the frail man to his feet, leading him to the lectern, and placing his arms on it for support. She stepped back, but not far, and was ready to catch him should his legs fail him. As she did this, the congregation again began a steady applause.

“Stop it,” he shouted. His body might be frail, but his voice still had the same old power in it. “This is a house of God, not a hockey arena.” He paused and looked around as the applause quickly died away. “But I want you all to know that you have touched my heart. And in a good way, this time. I want to give special thanks to one young girl: Rachael Cartright. Rachael and I had an argument last week, and it turns out that she was right. I nearly died, but she saved me. And I visited the very gates of heaven before she pulled me back. I was told that it is not my time, and that I have been a sinner. What Rachael said last week was true: this is not my church, it is not your church, it is God’s church. I had no right to try to tell certain people that they should not be here. I will personally apologize to them in the coming week, and I hope that they will be here next week. I know that some of you will disagree with that, and perhaps be offended. You shouldn’t be. You should welcome them. They are God’s children, just as you and I are. They have every right to be here, and to pray to God in our church as you do. I will not accept anyone misusing or abusing them the way I did last week. I was, and am a sinner, and must now work to atone for the evil I have done. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I need to sit down for a few minutes and watch this pretty young pastor do the Lord’s work.”

With that, he seemed to falter, but Helen caught him and managed to move him back to his chair. She seemed to want to have him leave the church, but he insisted, and once he was sitting his breathing became more regular, and she soon felt more relieved that he was not having another attack.

During the rest of the service, which was on making the church inclusive to all, Ruth occasionally turned to check on him. At one point, where it was traditional for the congregation to rise up in prayer, she turned to him and said, loudly enough to be heard “You sit.” He had been struggling to get to his feet, but slumped back. Then she turned to the congregation and added. “Any more of you who feel stressed by standing can remain seated. You have stood tall for the rest of us for so many years: now it is our turn to stand for you.”

At the end of the service, Steve leapt up to the dais and helped Helen assist the old pastor. “You go to the front to greet the congregation,” he told her. “It is important. I will look after Pastor McNaughton.”

She did so, marching quickly to the entrance as the final hymn was sung. There seemed to be a slight argument with the officer and the pastor, and as the music was dying away, Steve started assisting him to the front. Gary was right behind, carrying the pastor’s chair, which he set up in the entry. Steve eased the pastor into it, and Pastor McNaughton held rule on the right side of the entry, accepting well-wishes from the elder members of the congregation, while Helen met with the others. Most stopped at both sides. Gary went to the door, and helped the elderly down the steps.

“That was a wonderful service,” Maria told the young pastor who beamed with pride, thanking her for the compliment.

“And I hope you noticed a certain young police officer being helpful,” Rachael added, looking over at Steve, who was now paying attention to Pastor McNaughton, although he did look over at Helen and smile frequently.

“Do you really think he likes me?” Helen said softly, so other members of the congregation would not hear.

“I know he does,” Rachael said. “If he asks to see you, be sure to accept. He is a good man.”

The family then went over to greet Pastor McNaughton, now that the crowd waiting to greet him had died down. “Rachael and mother, and the young boy,” the pastor said. “And now a fourth member of the family.”

“Oh, he’s not family,” Maria said quickly. “He is my boss.”

“Well, my dear, you four do look like a family,” he said. “Perhaps … But I must apologize to you. I was less than gracious in welcoming you to our church a few weeks back. I have since learned that single parents have every right to God’s word and blessings.”

“I don’t mind,” Maria said. “I know sometimes it is hard to adapt to the changing world.”

“Well, there is no doubt that you are a wonderful parent to these two,” he said. “To raise a child like young Rachael here shows me that you have God’s blessings in you.”

“I hope so,” she said.

“And you my dear,” he turned to Rachael. “Have you set anything up with those young men I need to apologize to?”

“I was thinking Saturday,” she said. “But I can postpone it if you aren’t ready. You looked a little shaky up there today.”

“I felt a lot shaky,” he said with a smile. “But I should be a lot stronger by next Saturday. I can get Helen here to drive us, can’t I dear?”

“Yes pastor,” Helen said, having sent the last of the congregants on their way. Steve and Gary were both standing behind the elder pastor.

“Could one of you fine gentlemen help me to my bed in the manse?” Pastor McNaughton said. Helen followed as Steve helped the pastor out. Gary took the chair and returned it to wherever it belonged.

The four walked home. “That was quite the service,” Geoff said.

“It was a tame one,” Maria said. “No calls to 9-1-1 or anything.

“I’d like to come again, if you three don’t mind ‘looking like a family’,” he said.

“I like looking like a family,” Rachael said. “In fact, I’d like to invite you to our family dinner tonight. We are having roast beef, and you will get a chance to meet grandpa.”

“The one you are moving in with?” Geoff said. Rachael nodded.

“Oh I don’t think Geoff wants to spend the entire day with us,” Maria said. “We were only going to do an hour or two at the arena. That will be about as much learning as this old brain can handle in one day.”

“You could take her for a drive after,” Rachael said. “She will learn by watching how you drive on the roads. And the river is so nice at this time of the year. Then if you are up to it, another couple hours at the arena, and by the time that is over you can come back for dinner. You are dressed for it.”

“And I certainly would enjoy a home-cooked meal. If your mother says it is okay.”

“Rachael is the cook, and she invited you,” Maria said. Then she smiled. “But I certainly wouldn’t object if you can put up with me for the entire day.”

They were soon home, and after a sandwich and some of Rachael’s chicken noodle soup, the older pair went driving in the van, while the younger pair headed off on foot to Mikki’s. Bobby said that the boys were going to come by later to get him, but he hoped to get an hour or two in with Danni and her Playstation.

At Mikki’s Bobby made a beeline to Danni’s room to play with her. Rachael had checked in with them in the past, and they really were in two separate worlds. Danni would be playing house: Bobby was the daddy, she was the mommy, and her dolls were the kids. Bobby, on the other hand, was just playing the male-orientated video games her dad had bought her when he was trying to boyify her. Danni would tell the dolls that ‘Daddy is home from work and just wants to play his games,’ while she and the dolls had tea parties and such. From time to time she would wait on Bobby: getting him a pop or a cookie, or such things. She was happy, he was happy, and all was well.

Rachael went down to the basement after greeting Mr. and Mrs. Stoner. Mikki was working on the computer, doing ‘post’ on the sleep-over pictures.

“I can let you work,” Rachael said. “I don’t want to interrupt you.”

“No, I need a break anyway,” Mikki said. “I’ve been on this since Friday night. Five hours then, and about 10 yesterday, and five so far today. Another five after you leave should finish it up. Let me show you some of what I’ve done.”

“Twenty-five hours?” Rachael gasped. “Are you crazy?”

“Maybe,” Mikki said with a smile. “I really like doing this kind of stuff. Sometimes it gets boring, like a wedding of someone I don’t know, but these are pictures of my friends, so it is special. Look, here is the composite.”

She handed Rachael a large sheet of photo material. On it Rachael was amazed to see all the girls from the sleepover, standing together in their Jessica Rabbit costume. The same Jessica Rabbit costume and the same red wig. There were tall thin Jessicas, short chubby Jessicas, and medium Jessicas, all smiling and all looking like they had been photographed in one shot. You couldn’t see where any of the cutting and pasting had been done.

“This is the best of all,” Mikki said, handing her another photo. “It was Larissa, the tall Jessica. But it was a solo shot, with her puffing away on her cigarette. It was incredible, with the massive breasts showing tons of cleavage, and Larissa posing like the pro she was. She had the hip pads in, and the corset on, and she really looked like the cartoon brought to life.

“Keep this away from the boys,” Rachael said. “Otherwise it will go up on the web and will go viral in, oh, twelve seconds.”

“Here’s you,” Mikki handed her a copy of herself in the Jessica outfit. It would have impressed her more if she hadn’t seen Larissa first. She was shorter, and chubbier, but not, somehow. “Why do I look skinnier?” she asked.

“Photoshop magic,” Mikki said. “I took a bit off. I didn’t want to go nuts. You take too much off and it looks fake. But that will give you something to shoot for on your diet. I wanted to put mine up on the fridge, but Dad said it was too explicit. Kyle’s eyes sure ogled when he saw it.”

Rachael remembered wearing the costume, and the heavy breast forms that were needed to fill out the bra. “No, that isn’t the goal I’m aiming for. Those boobs were way too big. Always getting in the way. Not for me. If I get as big as Mom I’ll be happy, or anything less.”

Look at this one then: she handed Rachael another picture, and it was her in the old fashioned dress with the corset. “This I really like. There is only the one set of boobs, and the corset kinda pushed the fat out of the way. Or did you do that in Photoshop too?”

“Lil bit” Mikki admitted. The girls spent a couple hours looking at the pictures of the other girls too, and Mikki showed Rachael how she did it. The original photos showed lines where the fake boobs met the flesh of the girl, and looked totally fake. It was Mikki’s skill with the computer that smoothed the lines out and added more cleavage when it was needed. She showed how she could play with the photos, and had the Jessica Rabbit of herself extended so it looked as tall and sexy as Larissa’s. But she was right, it was too much, and look faked. Her good photo showed her about 20 pounds lighter though, really impressive when you compared the finished picture to the original.

Soon it was time to go, and Mikki gave her an envelope with all her pictures. The rest of the girls would get theirs in school at lunch on Tuesday. Rachael gathered up Bobby, waiting for him to get through a level, and then they walked over to Marc’s.

Jerry was not around today, so Marc was alone taking shots at a hockey net in the back of the three-car garage.

“Can I stay and play, Rachael?” Bobby asked with puppy dog eyes.

“Will you boys stay here?” she asked Marc, who nodded. “Go ask your Mom if it is all right.” Maria had said the three boys could roam around together, on the grounds that if one got hurt, one could run for help while the third stayed with the injured one. This meant that with only two, they had to stay at the house.

Mme. Hafleur came to the door, and Rachael met her for the first time. She spoke very broken English, and got a wide grin when Rachael changed over to French to speak with her. She explained that Marc was getting excited about hockey camp, which was starting in six weeks, just after school ended. There was a power skating camp the following two weeks. He was signed up for both. Rachael learned that each camp cost $1000, so it was out of Bobby’s price range. Then Mme. Hafleur mentioned that Marc’s skates, sticks, and equipment would cost another $1000. That quelled any hope that Rachael had of getting Bobby into the camp. She even wondered if she should let him play the game in the garage.

As the women were talking, Marc had bundled Bobby up in a goalie mask, pads, and with a big goalie stick, and was starting to take shots. Looking at her brother, Rachael remembered his fear of the baseball, and decided to let him face Marc’s slap shots. That should cure him of any love of hockey.

She walked off home alone, after telling Mme. Hafleur to send Bobby home at five, or sooner if she got tired of him.

Rachael then started working on her meal. The roast was already to go into the oven, having been marinating overnight. She started to work on the vegetables, with carrots, potatoes, and turnips. She made a few extra to compensate for having an extra plate on the table tonight. She was so pleased that Geoff was joining them. He and her mom were perfect for each other. Anyone could see that. Except them. Hopefully driving lessons, and a romantic drive down to the river would get them smartened up.

Geoff, Maria and Bobby all arrived home together. Maria had seen her son shuffling home from Marc’s and they had picked him up. It was still an hour before Grandpa would arrive, and Rachael banned all noses from the kitchen, no matter how tempting the smell was. She was making a cake, Angel Food, and wanted to concentrate on the task.

The other three were chatting in the living room, with Bobby excitedly telling them about playing ball hockey with Marc. He apparently didn’t mind getting pummeled by a puck hit by his much bigger friend.

Soon they heard the Legion man, helping Grandpa in. Rachael gave the man several biscuits and noted that this would be the last day they would need rides. He seemed disappointed. There were six more volunteers on the list to drive, and most of the prior drivers were willing to do it again for a chance to spend time with a bona fide Victoria Cross recipient.

Grandpa was ushered into his chair, which Geoff gladly gave up. The two men chatted while Maria came into the kitchen to help set the table. Soon there was the meal, and after a prayer, Rachael turned it over to Grandpa.

“Tonight I want to remember Willy Constance,” he started. “Willy was one of the ones who came home. At least most of him did. He left a leg behind. A land mine got him, and it was only the quick work of our medic that kept him alive until they got him to an aid station. His war was over a year early, and when he got home, the girl that was waiting for him dumped him. Luckily there were a lot of other single girls at the time, and one, a nurse, fell for Willy. Willy married her, and they had five fine kids. He ran the poolroom downtown for years and years, and finally passed on about 20 years ago. You wouldn’t think it, but it was one of the biggest funerals in town. The man had always been fair, and always treated people right. I am so proud that I knew him, and fought with him. God Bless Willy.”

Bobby was especially quiet after this prayer, and Rachael realized that he was seeing for the first time that it was not all glamor and glory in a war. Soon the somber mood lifted and a fine family dinner was served.

Maria and Rachael cleared the table while the men chatted, and Bobby did his reading, impressing both Geoff and Grandpa. Soon the other Legion man arrived, and he took Grandpa and Rachael to his house, then brought Rachael back after she had helped the old man to bed.

Geoff left soon after, and there was no kiss at the door, as Rachael had hoped. In fact when her mother came back, she was chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Apparently your Grandpa gave Geoff permission to marry me,” she said. “It happened when they were chatting after dinner. He said Geoff was a fine man, and that he thought the bakery would just grow over time, and he was pleased that Geoff was interested in me. But of course he’s not. He’s just my boss.”

“Momma, how can you not see it? Of course he is interested in you. He wouldn’t have told you Grandpa approved. He really likes you. There was no reason for him to come to church with us, except because he likes you. He smiled whenever anyone said we looked like a family. I think he wants us to be a family,” she said.

The discussion ended when Bobby finished his bath, and stood at the top of the stairs holding his Harry Potter book. Rachael and Maria both went up to read to him, and when he finally fell asleep, they too went to bed after a busy day.

Dear Lord

It seems that spring means love is in the air. I hope you agree with me that Helen and Steve, and Mom and Geoff would make wonderful couples. If you do, and you can do anything to push them along I think it will be good. Please look after everyone.

Amen