Angels of Humility: A Novel by Jackie Macgirvin Page B

tall as the hood.
    “Just pull ahead slowly Sarah,” said Malta, motioning toward the hood. “Keep going and in just 10 feet it levels off and you can get back on the road.”
    Sarah put the car in drive and inched forward. She never looked out the left window to see where the ground dropped off sharply to the creek below. She was too busy obsessing about how she’d been abandoned by God. She didn’t realize that if Malta hadn’t stopped her car it would have rolled over several times, ended up in the creek bottom, and been obscured from view.

     
    Kathy had stayed home with Jordan from tonight’s meeting. Paul was pacing back and forth between the bookshelf and the tan corduroy recliner where Kathy was knitting. Saldu and Valoe were positioned by the front door, radiating their unseen heavenly glory into the room.
    “And then she said that she didn’t
know
if she’d sell the land to them or not. There was dead silence; no one said anything, and then the place came unglued, absolutely unglued. Sarah fled the building at that point, but it took five minutes for Clarence to wrestle the meeting back to order. People were livid,” he said, raising his voice and gesturing with his arm.“They wanted to know what they could do to keep Sarah from selling the land. Everyone felt betrayed, like one of their own was going to do them in, and of course she’s one of
my
church members, so it makes me look bad, too!”
    Kathy inhaled in preparation to speak, but Paul was too fast for her.
    “I couldn’t believe it when I found out that Sarah owns the land that I want for my new church. You can imagine how confused I felt, but then I thought this might all be from the Lord.”
    “How’s that?” asked Kathy, tugging the yarn to undo a knot.
    “Well, I want the land for the church, Sarah’s church. BCCF wants the land for a jail. The Lord has provided a way of deliverance for Sarah that will bless the church, too. If she sells the land to the jail, everyone will hate her. If instead she sells the land to the church, she would be viewed as a saint—the town’s rescuer. I can see a plaque in the foyer of the new church,” said Paul pointing to the entryway of the house for effect, “a permanent tribute to Sarah. Why would she want to be the goat, when she could so easily be the hero?”
    “OK, Paul,” said Kathy, under Valoe’s influence. “Really listen to this. It’s time for a reality check. Number one, have you prayed about this plan? Are you sure you’ve heard from the Lord? Number two, the church isn’t in any position financially to buy the land. Number three, you’re still the interim, and number four, this is your grand and glorious five-year plan. The church doesn’t even know about it.”
    “That’s part of the beauty,” he said with a smile as he leaned over her chair and took the knitting from her. “This jail could force the church to speed up the plan. I could meet with Sarah and ask her about the land and then, if she’s willing, I’ll propose it to the church to see if they are interested, which of course they will be. It’s a win/win situation. The church will eventually get a new building and avoid a jail at the same time.”
    “But Paul, you don’t even know—”
    “Then we propose a monthly payment to Sarah for the land. Or maybe she would just donate it to
her
church. And, I might mention that the church members
and
the town’s people would love me forever for solvingthis predicament.” Kathy grabbed her knitting back and glared at him.
What’s the use of even trying to express my opinion? He doesn’t want to hear it, he just cuts me off
.
    “I’m going to pray about this,” he said over his shoulder as he walked toward his office accompanied by Pride and Self-Promotion. “I’d appreciate it if you’d pray too. Then I might go talk to Sarah in a few days.” Saldu let out a sigh and followed Paul down the hall. “Keep her away from Paul with those needles,” he said,