Читать книгу Hearts in Harmony - Gail Sattler - Страница 11

Celeste shut down her computer. It had been a busy day at work and she would have liked nothing better than to go home and put her feet up, but the fridge and cupboards were bare. Knowing she wouldn’t have the energy to go out again after she’d settled down for the evening, she headed out to pick up her groceries on the way home.

List in hand, she trudged through the store. As soon as she had everything she needed in her grocery cart, she proceeded to the checkouts. One look at the long lines nearly made her groan out loud. At the same second she pushed her cart into what she hoped was the shortest line, a male voice sounded behind her.

“Hey, Celeste, fancy meeting you here.”

Her breath caught and her hand shot up to her throat as she spun around. She nearly sank to the floor with relief that it wasn’t anyone too familiar. “Adrian, you startled me. What are you doing here?”

He nodded at her shopping cart. “Same thing as you, apparently.”

His cart contained more than double the volume of her own.

She counted the people in the line ahead of her. “It looks like we’re going to be a while.”

“On your way home from work?”

“Yes. I guess you are, too,” she replied.

He nodded, but didn’t speak.

She tried to guess what he did for a living. His clothes didn’t give her an easy answer. Today, he wore tailored slacks that looked as though they belonged with a suit jacket, which he wasn’t wearing, a good-quality cotton dress shirt and a tie. She knew his job was in management, but she didn’t know what he managed. Obviously it wasn’t something that required manual labor or a uniform.

She turned her attention back up to his face. He was grinning. “I knew you were here. I saw your car.”

Her face flamed. She’d parked her mother’s car in the back corner of the lot, next to the garbage bin, far away from everyone else, in an effort to escape notice.

She didn’t want to hear that she could be so easily found. She tried to console herself by thinking no one she used to know would associate her with her mother’s car, even if they did see it. Her own car was by now halfway across the country with her mother in it.

“If you really must know, it’s my mother’s car, not mine. We traded so she could have something safe to drive on her vacation. She left last week.”

Adrian’s smile dropped. “It sounds like that old thing isn’t very dependable.”

“It’s not like it’s going to blow up or anything. The worst that will happen is it will stall.” She patted her purse. “If that happens, I got a cell phone on my lunch break today. All I have to do is call a tow truck.”

One eyebrow rose, but he said nothing.

The line moved them to the point where she had to begin unloading her groceries onto the conveyor belt. Having the length of the buggy between them made it impossible to talk softly, thus ending their conversation, which Celeste regretted. It had been so long since she’d had such a pleasant conversation about nothing in particular, she’d forgotten just how good it could be.

Adrian’s deep voice interrupted her mental meanderings. “That’s my favorite kind of ice cream. Do you share?”

She fumbled with the ice cream tub, then thunked it down before she dropped it. “I think it’s in the Ten Commandments somewhere that you’re not supposed to covet thy neighbor’s ice cream.”

He covered his stomach with his hands. “I haven’t had dinner yet. That ice cream is too tempting for me. What about you? Have you had dinner? We could go out somewhere.”

Celeste focused intently on unloading the remainder of her groceries onto the conveyor. “Sorry, not this time. There’s stuff I have to put in the freezer. Like this ice cream, for example.”

“I have an idea. I’ve got a frozen pizza. We can both go to your house, and you can put your groceries away. Then we can eat my pizza for supper, and your ice cream for dessert.”

“Frozen pizza?” Celeste hesitated, then placed the last of her groceries onto the conveyor belt. After praying about the situation with Adrian all week, she’d decided to trust that God really had sent her a potential friend. However, she wasn’t sure she was ready to open up the private sanctuary of her home.

But she had to eat.

When she was a teen and still living at home with her mother, Celeste had often had her girlfriends over for frozen pizza. The food had been horrible, but the evenings were fun.

Adrian wasn’t exactly one of her cheerleading buddies, but Celeste knew she needed a little fun.

She tried to smile, but thought it probably looked as fake as it felt. “I haven’t had a frozen pizza for years. Are they still just as bad?”

Adrian nodded very seriously. “Yes. I bought extra cheese.”

“In that case, I can’t refuse.”

They chatted very little as the clerk processed their orders, and soon they were at her car.

“You parked beside me.”

“Yeah. I did, didn’t I?”

Her heart pounded. Adrian wasn’t Zac. So far, at least, Adrian was harmless. He was on the worship team at his church, which went partway to proving that he was a dedicated Christian. Most of all, he’d gone out of his way to help her, more than once, demanding nothing in return.

She told herself she was being unreasonable. Adrian had no idea what was happening in her life, or what had happened, and he didn’t need ever to know. He was only acting in a way that was natural for him, and she couldn’t fault him for that.

She tried to keep her hand from shaking as she inserted the key into the lock, then wiggled it enough to get it to turn. She swung the back door open and was about to start loading her groceries, when Adrian’s hand rested on her arm, halting her on the spot. She bit her lip so she wouldn’t scream.

“That looks heavy. Can I help you with that?”

Without waiting for an answer, he stepped in front of her, reached into her cart, and began piling everything up on the back seat. “Most people put their groceries in the trunk,” he mumbled as he worked.

“The trunk smells like gasoline.”

His brows knotted as he frowned. “Maybe you should have that looked at.”

“No, the gas container just spilled. It’s nothing. I just have to remember to leave it open to air out next weekend. Actually, if I ever took this thing in to get fixed, they’d either bury it, or take all my money to fix it up. Besides, I only need to put up with it until my mother gets back. She keeps telling me she’s going to have it restored, but somehow that never happens. Instead, it just keeps getting worse.”

He nodded and continued to load all her groceries into the back seat without being asked.

Celeste stood back as her throat clogged. What he was doing obviously wasn’t a big deal to him, but it was a big deal to her. Again, he was helping her, without thinking, without being asked, and without expecting anything in return.

She didn’t know much about signs from God, yet she wondered if God was trying to tell her something.

He pushed the door closed, but the rusty hinge creaked and groaned, preventing the latch from catching properly. He re-opened it and slammed it shut, giving the handle a pensive wiggle.

“Are you sure this thing is safe to drive? I couldn’t help but hear the grinding it made on Sunday when you left the parking lot.”

“It’s okay for short distances, which is all I have to do. Really, once it starts, it’s fine after a couple of blocks.”

His mouth opened and he raised one finger in the air, readying Celeste for what she thought would be a challenge to her decision, but nothing came out. The finger dropped, he stiffened, and he cleared his throat.

“Never mind. As soon as I put my own groceries in my trunk, we can be on our way. Just remember I have to follow you. You know where I live, but I don’t know which house is yours.”

While Adrian tossed his groceries into the trunk of his car, Celeste slid behind the wheel and closed her eyes to think and pray.

She still wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing by encouraging Adrian in whatever it was he thought he was doing by being so friendly. However, she couldn’t live underground like a gopher, only going to work and back. All she could do was count on Jesus for wisdom, guidance, strength, and protection and pray that she was doing the right thing. With her Savior by her side, she prayed she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

The bang of Adrian’s trunk closing made her eyes open. As she headed for home with Adrian behind her, she told herself that it was unrealistic to think she could keep where she lived secret. As far as risks went, being with Adrian out in public seemed a minimal one. At home, since she lived in a duplex, if she screamed, her landlord Hank would hear, and, she hoped, call the police.

Like a gentleman, Adrian helped Celeste carry all her groceries into the house. He disappeared while she tucked most of it away, then returned with one more bag.

“Would you mind putting this in your freezer? Everything else will be okay in the trunk, but this stuff has to stay frozen. I didn’t think of it until now.”

When she took the bag from his hand, he laid a frozen pizza on the table, along with a package of shredded mozzarella cheese, as promised.

He looked apologetic. “I don’t usually eat like this, but I didn’t feel like cooking today.”

While Celeste made coffee, Adrian made a great show of ripping away the wrap from the pizza, and carefully sprinkling on the mozzarella cheese, making it look as though he was doing more work than it really required.

When the pizza was in the oven, Celeste walked into the living room to put some music on. She didn’t have much yet, but she had started a small collection of Christian music, which included the same CD Adrian had had in his car.

While she tried to think of which one to put on, Adrian wandered across her living room.

“Wow. You’ve got a great electric piano. It’s probably silly of me to ask if you play. Maybe we could do something together one day. I’d bring my guitar.”

She broke out into a cold sweat. Her hand shook too much to put on the CD. Her past was behind her. What Adrian was asking was entirely different.

She forced the words out. “I just play for my own enjoyment. I don’t think so.” Her words were truer than Adrian could ever guess. When she said ‘for her own enjoyment,’ she meant she played alone. She’d exchanged the joy of making music with others for something of much more value, even if at times it hurt.

He fumbled for the switch, turned it on, and plunked out a few notes. “Nice sound. I tried to learn to play piano when I was a kid. I wasn’t very good. I’m actually not very good on guitar, either, but I’m the best they’ve got.” He plunked out a few more notes, shook his head and stepped back. “Would you like to tickle the ivories for me?”

“Plastics,” she mumbled.

“Plastics?”

“The keys are plastic. Even if it was a real piano, I don’t think they use ivory anymore.”

He stared at her for a few seconds. “Then would you like to tickle the plastics?” Adrian paused as he shook his head. “I think it loses something when you say it that way.”

Thankfully, she heard the oven timer go off. Before he could ask again, Celeste hustled into the kitchen, removed the pizza from the oven, cut it into slices, and set it on the table.

They bowed their heads while Adrian prayed. “Dear Lord, thank You for this food, and for the rich blessings You’ve bestowed upon us. Thank You also for friends, both old and new, and the opportunity to share with them. Amen.”

She hadn’t taken her first bite when Adrian started with the phrase she had been hoping wouldn’t come out.

“So. Tell me a little about yourself.”

Celeste studied her plate as she spoke. “There isn’t much to tell. I work in the credit department of a small company. I haven’t been there very long. Soon I’m going to take an accounting course. I’ve started looking into what’s available at night school, so I can still work.”

The touch of his hand on hers startled her. “See what we have in common already? I’m an accountant. Also, we like the same ice cream.”

What he was trying to do was more than obvious. While she did like him, she was far from ready to enter the relationship he alluded to.

He grinned. “You’re looking at me funny.”

“Sorry. You don’t look like an accountant.”

One eyebrow quirked. “And what should an accountant look like?”

Celeste chewed on her lower lip before answering. “Accountants are short and bald, wear suits all the time, and have suspenders to keep their pants up. They also have those little half-sized reading glasses perched on the ends of their noses all the time.”

Adrian cleared his throat, straightened his stylish glasses, then ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll never be bald.” He patted the knot of his tie. “Have I just been insulted?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry. That came out wrong.” Although her supervisor did look exactly as she’d described.

He let her steer the conversation away from personal questions and back to neutral topics. Before long she found herself enjoying his company and laughing at his lame jokes. When he checked his watch and stood to leave, her disappointment surprised her.

“I can’t believe what time it is. The guys are coming over to practice tonight, and I have to get my groceries put away before they get there.”

She escorted him to the door.

“Goodnight, Celeste. Will I see you again on Sunday? I’d like to pick you up, but I have to go early to set up.”

Her answer came without thought. “Yes, I’ll be there.”

“I’ll be looking forward to Sunday more than ever, then.”

Adrian smiled and left.

After his car had rounded the corner, Celeste returned to the kitchen to clean up. However, when she entered the kitchen and looked at the fridge, she skidded to a halt.

Adrian had forgotten his bag of groceries in her freezer.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the bag, and ran out to coax her mother’s car to start.

Three cars were parked in Adrian’s driveway. Adrian’s car was on the street, telling her that his friends had arrived before him.

Bag in hand, Celeste headed up the sidewalk.

Paul Calloway leaned against the corner of Adrian’s table. He crossed his arms and watched his friend shoving his groceries into the cupboards with no concern for organization.

“I can’t believe you forgot we moved up the practice time. In fact, it was your idea.”

“I was busy with something else,” Adrian mumbled, but didn’t elaborate.

Adrian measured some coffee beans into the grinder, then filled the coffee machine with water. “You know, I’m positive I’m missing something. I’m sure I bought more than this.”

The doorbell rang. Paul looked back over his shoulder. “You expecting someone?”

Adrian checked his watch, and shook his head. “No, I’m not. I’m kind of busy. Can you get that?”

Paul left Adrian in the kitchen and answered the door.

“Celeste? It’s good to see you again. What are you doing here?”

“This is Adrian’s. He forgot it. It’s got to go in the freezer.”

Paul couldn’t hide his grin. He didn’t know what was going on or why Celeste had Adrian’s groceries, but he intended to find out.

“He’s in the kitchen. Come on in.”

Paul wished he had a camera to catch the expression on Adrian’s face the moment Adrian saw Celeste in his kitchen. More than ever, it made Paul wonder what was going on. He’d never met Celeste before Sunday, nor had Adrian ever mentioned her, which made him even more curious.

Adrian recovered quickly. He mumbled a quick thank you as he accepted the bag from Celeste, and shoved it into the freezer.

Paul crossed his arms and turned to Celeste. “How did you like the services on Sunday? It was nice to see you there.”

“I really like Faith Community Fellowship. I’m looking for a new church home, but I guess Adrian already told you that.”

“Actually, no. He didn’t.”

Her cheeks flushed, which Paul thought quite endearing.

“As you can see, we’re about to start practicing for next Sunday. Would you like to stay and listen?” He smiled, and didn’t voice his next question. Or hang around to watch Adrian?

“No, I think I’d better go.”

Adrian stepped forward to stand beside Celeste. “That’s too bad. You’d probably be able to give us some constructive criticism.” Adrian turned to Paul. “She wouldn’t play anything for me, but you should see her electric grand.”

Paul tried not to flinch when Randy’s voice piped up behind him. He hadn’t heard Randy coming, but now that Randy had discovered the action, anything could happen.

“Electric grand?” Randy asked. “You play? Are you any good?”

Celeste’s face suddenly paled, which Paul thought odd.

“I’m okay,” she muttered. “I really think I should go.”

Randy blocked her path. “Wanna see my new electric piano? It’s probably not as nice as yours, but it’s got some really neat features.”

Paul tried to bite back his grin. He never tired of watching Randy in action, especially around women.

Celeste looked doubtful. “But you’re supposed to be practicing. I’m interrupting.”

“You’re not interrupting. We haven’t started yet.” Randy jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “It’s in the other room.”

Adrian cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Randy, didn’t you hear the lady? She doesn’t want to stay.”

Randy covered his heart with his palms and turned, making direct eye contact with Celeste and Celeste only. “But I’m not very good. If you could give me some tips, I’d be forever in your debt.”

Celeste’s face flamed. Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

Paul tried not to laugh. He was having more fun now than he would have if they had been practicing.

“Okay. I suppose I can at least look at it,” Celeste mumbled. “Is it the same one you had at the church?”

Quietly, she followed Randy into Adrian’s den, where everything was set up, ready to begin their practice. Randy’s new electric piano and Bob’s drums sat in the back corner. The guitar amps were pushed against the wall. Paul’s bass guitar lay in its case on the floor, as did Adrian’s guitar.

Celeste played a few notes with one finger, reset a number of the effects buttons, and played a few chords.

“Yes, this is very nice. Now I think I’d better be going.”

Randy shook his head so fast his hair flopped onto his forehead. “No. Wait.” He fumbled with a handful of music and pulled out a song the group had been struggling with. “Can you play this for me? I’m not quite getting it. I’m not really good at this. I’d rather be working the sound system, but Paul said we needed someone on the keyboard.”

Adrian cleared his throat. “Randy, will you move and let the woman go home?”

Randy batted his eyelashes at Celeste again. “Puh-lee-eeeeze?”

“Uh… It’s okay, Adrian. I guess…”

Randy turned to everyone else. “Can you guys play this one once, and I’ll peek over Celeste’s shoulder?”

Paul nodded. It was true that Randy wasn’t very good on the keyboard, but he was all they had. Up until recently, they’d only used the guitars. When they’d added Randy on the keyboard, as poorly as Randy played, he’d filled a hole in the music they hadn’t previously realized was there—when he wasn’t fooling around and making mistakes.

Paul cleared his throat. “As long as she doesn’t mind, and she’s volunteering, I’m not going to refuse. Let’s get started.”

Bob parked himself behind the drums, and Paul and Adrian plugged in their guitars.

“Three, four!”

And they began to play.

They sounded better than they’d ever sounded in the entire time they’d played together.

After the last chord ended, silence permeated the room.

“I’ll never play like that,” Randy mumbled. “I quit.”

Paul blinked a few times. “Did you say you were looking for a new church home? Were you on the worship team at your old church?”

Her face paled again. “No.”

He waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. He noticed Adrian didn’t say anything, either.

Paul blinked again. “I can’t believe this. You, Celeste, are the answer to our prayers.”

Celeste remained silent.

Paul lowered his bass guitar into the stand. “If you can’t tell, we really need you. The church needs you.”

“But…”

Paul raised his palms to silence her protests. “I don’t want to pressure you, but—”

“Oh, come on!” Adrian burst out. He stood between Paul and Celeste, his arms crossed over his chest. “You guys haven’t left her alone from the moment she walked in the door! Talk about pressure. She’s only just met you guys. And Randy, playing all your cute little tricks to get her sympathy. You all should be ashamed of yourselves.”

“But…but…” Randy stammered, then turned to Celeste. “I think you can see the difference you made. You heard us on Sunday.”

Paul watched the color drain from Celeste’s cheeks as she and Randy faced off. “But what about you?” she asked. “You’re the one playing the keyboard. You’re doing okay. Really. You are.”

Randy cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair, an indication that for once, Randy was being serious. “Don’t try to be nice. I listened to the tapes, so I know what I sound like. That’s why I just quit, remember? My job is the sound system. That’s what I like to do best. We need you on the piano.”

Celeste stood staring at Randy with her mouth hanging open.

Paul turned his head to Bob, who had said nothing the entire time. One corner of Bob’s mouth turned up, he glanced at Randy, and shrugged. “I think she sounded great, too.” Bob turned to Celeste. “It’s up to you, though.”

Paul shook his head. “I know this is rather sudden for you. Tell you what. If you decide to take up residence with our little church, think about joining our worship team.”

“But I’ve never been on a worship team before. I don’t even know most of the songs.”

“You did fine on the last one with no practice. I have a feeling you could be teaching us, even on the ones you supposedly don’t know. Did your old church not do contemporary songs?”

“Actually, I haven’t been going to church very long. That’s why I don’t know very many.”

Paul knitted his brows as he tried to think. He’d been asking God for a long time to do something with their worship team. They weren’t very good, but they were the best the church had.

He turned to study Celeste. On the previous Sunday he’d been surprised when Adrian hadn’t sat with them during the morning service. Now he knew why. Because Paul wanted to see this person who had pulled his friend away, he was more than happy when they had all sat together for the evening service.

He shouldn’t have, but he’d paid more attention to Celeste than he had to the pastor. She was obviously unfamiliar with the flow of the service, yet she showed a lot of enthusiasm over things Paul had long considered routine. She’d even taken notes when Pastor Ron was speaking, something Paul hadn’t done for a long time. Watching her had been a sad reminder of how easily complacency crept in.

He told himself that was about to change.

“I know you’re not sure, but I think it could work. We need you, and I think this is a good place for you to fit in, even though you’re new. I’d really like it if we could all pray about it. Together. Right now.”

She glanced back and forth between all the guys. “Well… I guess so.”

Celeste followed the men into the living room, unable to believe what was happening. She did want to join their worship team. The strength of that realization took her breath away. Because she’d been working on becoming a professional musician, all God’s music touched her.

But she hadn’t been a Christian long enough to know about things like this. Not only was she a newcomer to this church, she was a newcomer to God’s family. In addition to her new faith, everything in her life was in a state of flux. Because she tried to keep to herself, she wasn’t even sure she was worshipping God properly. She had no one to ask if she was doing it right.

She doubted she was ready for the responsibility of being part of a team whose purpose was to lead others to praise and to worship God. Paul appeared to be a strong leader, so she would be under his tutelage, but she didn’t know if that was enough.

Adrian and his friends sat on the couch and loveseat, leaving the easy chair for her.

Prior to praying with Adrian before they ate, and besides church, the only other time she’d prayed with someone else had been with her mother’s neighbor, the woman who’d told her all about God. She’d never prayed in a small group.

All the men folded their hands in their laps.

“Let’s pray,” Paul said, and everyone bowed their heads.

The room fell silent. Celeste covered her face with her hands and bared her soul to God. She told Him how much being a part of their team would fill her empty heart, more than replacing what she had given up. She praised Him for the new friendships she could see, beginning with Adrian and his friends. She had liked them all immediately. And strangely enough, she trusted them as a group. Singly, that might be different, but when they were all together, she’d never felt more safe.

From her first step into Faith Community Fellowship, she’d experienced an instant peace. She knew she’d gone to the right place.

Adrian’s voice broke the silence. “Dear Heavenly Father. I pray for your guidance for Celeste as she makes her decision. I pray for your kindness and mercy upon her in this, and every area of her life. Thank you for your blessings and continued love, today, and forever.”

“Amen,” Paul said softly.

Celeste sat straight, trying to maintain her composure. “Yes,” she said, failing in her attempt to keep a tremor out of her voice. “I do want to be a part of this team. As long as it doesn’t matter that I haven’t been a Christian very long.”

Paul smiled at her, his brown eyes sparkling with warmth. Just as with Adrian, she felt comfortable with him.

“That’s great,” Paul said. “The only thing we have to do is talk to Pastor Ron. And then he’ll probably want to talk to you, too.”

Celeste’s heart went cold. “The pastor is going to want to talk to me?”

Paul nodded. “It will be just so he can get to know you a little, and, if I can be blunt, to know your heart is in the right place. It won’t matter that you haven’t been a Christian long. God doesn’t have a trial waiting period. He takes you just as you are, just so long as your heart and soul are open to Him. And so will Pastor Ron.”

Celeste forced herself to smile. She wasn’t foolish enough to think just anyone who said they were a Christian and a good musician would be able to go up to the front and lead the congregation in worship. Pastor Ron would want to do more than just say hello. He would want to know about her, know something about her life before she walked in the door of his church.

She had fooled herself in thinking that if she didn’t talk about it, it would go away. Now she would have to tell him everything, even though it was the last conversation she ever wanted to have.