going back. Ever.”
Helen understood. She hadn’t been to church in nearly a year and didn’t miss it in the least. She hadn’t thought about God at all since then, and she was quite certain that He hadn’t given her a second thought, either.
“Your in-laws go to that little white church over on Front Street, don’t they?” Jean asked. “I thought I saw you there last week.”
“Yeah. You go to that church, too?” Rosa unwrapped an enormous piece of apple pie that made Helen’s mouth water.
“I just started attending,” Jean replied. “I only moved to town a few months ago.”
“And you actually like that place?” Rosa asked.
“I do. The people seem very friendly—and the minister is a good preacher. I’ve got five brothers in the service who I need to pray for.”
A lot of good prayer will do, Helen thought.
“I don’t fit in too good in that church,” Rosa said with her mouth full of pie. “Everybody is so stiff and straight-laced—especially my in-laws. Dirk’s father shoots daggers at me with his eyes every time I move or make a peep. His mother thought my dress was too short to wear to church, and she kept motioning for me to pull it down every time I crossed my legs. She even made me wear one of her hats to church. Me—in a hat! Hah! It had flowers on it and one of those fishnet things. I’m telling you, it was torture.”
Helen couldn’t imagine Rosa sitting primly in church. Nor would a hat help her look any less seductive—even with flowers and a veil. She would attract male attention in a gunnysack.
“Listen, why don’t you sit with my sister Patty and me next week?” Jean asked. “I’ll introduce you to some people our age.”
“Gee, I don’t know. Religious people are always condemning girls like me, telling us we’re going to hell and stuff like that. I only went because my in-laws practically forced me to, but I don’t really belong there. I see the church ladies smiling and hugging and being holy, and I know I’ll never fit in. I’m nothing like them. Those people started learning to be good from the day they signed up for Sunday school, and they have parents and grandparents who went to church for ages and ages, too. I never met my father, much less my grandparents, but I’m pretty sure they never set foot in no church. Dirk knows the truth about me, but his parents sure don’t.”
“But it sounds like going to church is important to your husband’s family,” Ginny said. “Why not give it another chance, Rosa? Sit with Jean next time. It’ll help keep peace in your household if you do go.”
“And it’s only for an hour,” Jean added. “There’s nothing worse than living in a home that’s a war zone.”
“Yes, there is,” Helen said softly. She didn’t think anyone would hear her, but they all turned to stare at her.
“What could possibly be worse?” Ginny asked.
The question embarrassed Helen, but she had to answer. It would be rude not to. “Going home to an empty house,” she said quietly.
“Oh, Helen,” Ginny said, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. The motherly gesture came so natural to Ginny, but it startled Helen. Her family had always avoided such open displays of affection, and so had she. She couldn’t recall the last time someone had embraced her. Had it been Albert, all those years ago? She lifted her chin to keep away the tears.
“Don’t mind me. I shouldn’t have spoken.”
“Of course you should have!” Ginny insisted, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “You don’t need to be afraid to tell us how you feel. That’s what friends are for.”
“Why didn’t you get married if you don’t like being all alone?” Rosa asked.
Helen ignored her. Didn’t anyone ever teach that girl to think before she spoke? No wonder her home was a war zone.
“It’s not polite to ask such personal questions, Rosa,” Ginny said as the silence lengthened.
“I really admire you, Helen, for having a career all those
Helen understood. She hadn’t been to church in nearly a year and didn’t miss it in the least. She hadn’t thought about God at all since then, and she was quite certain that He hadn’t given her a second thought, either.
“Your in-laws go to that little white church over on Front Street, don’t they?” Jean asked. “I thought I saw you there last week.”
“Yeah. You go to that church, too?” Rosa unwrapped an enormous piece of apple pie that made Helen’s mouth water.
“I just started attending,” Jean replied. “I only moved to town a few months ago.”
“And you actually like that place?” Rosa asked.
“I do. The people seem very friendly—and the minister is a good preacher. I’ve got five brothers in the service who I need to pray for.”
A lot of good prayer will do, Helen thought.
“I don’t fit in too good in that church,” Rosa said with her mouth full of pie. “Everybody is so stiff and straight-laced—especially my in-laws. Dirk’s father shoots daggers at me with his eyes every time I move or make a peep. His mother thought my dress was too short to wear to church, and she kept motioning for me to pull it down every time I crossed my legs. She even made me wear one of her hats to church. Me—in a hat! Hah! It had flowers on it and one of those fishnet things. I’m telling you, it was torture.”
Helen couldn’t imagine Rosa sitting primly in church. Nor would a hat help her look any less seductive—even with flowers and a veil. She would attract male attention in a gunnysack.
“Listen, why don’t you sit with my sister Patty and me next week?” Jean asked. “I’ll introduce you to some people our age.”
“Gee, I don’t know. Religious people are always condemning girls like me, telling us we’re going to hell and stuff like that. I only went because my in-laws practically forced me to, but I don’t really belong there. I see the church ladies smiling and hugging and being holy, and I know I’ll never fit in. I’m nothing like them. Those people started learning to be good from the day they signed up for Sunday school, and they have parents and grandparents who went to church for ages and ages, too. I never met my father, much less my grandparents, but I’m pretty sure they never set foot in no church. Dirk knows the truth about me, but his parents sure don’t.”
“But it sounds like going to church is important to your husband’s family,” Ginny said. “Why not give it another chance, Rosa? Sit with Jean next time. It’ll help keep peace in your household if you do go.”
“And it’s only for an hour,” Jean added. “There’s nothing worse than living in a home that’s a war zone.”
“Yes, there is,” Helen said softly. She didn’t think anyone would hear her, but they all turned to stare at her.
“What could possibly be worse?” Ginny asked.
The question embarrassed Helen, but she had to answer. It would be rude not to. “Going home to an empty house,” she said quietly.
“Oh, Helen,” Ginny said, wrapping her arm around her shoulder. The motherly gesture came so natural to Ginny, but it startled Helen. Her family had always avoided such open displays of affection, and so had she. She couldn’t recall the last time someone had embraced her. Had it been Albert, all those years ago? She lifted her chin to keep away the tears.
“Don’t mind me. I shouldn’t have spoken.”
“Of course you should have!” Ginny insisted, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “You don’t need to be afraid to tell us how you feel. That’s what friends are for.”
“Why didn’t you get married if you don’t like being all alone?” Rosa asked.
Helen ignored her. Didn’t anyone ever teach that girl to think before she spoke? No wonder her home was a war zone.
“It’s not polite to ask such personal questions, Rosa,” Ginny said as the silence lengthened.
“I really admire you, Helen, for having a career all those
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