the matter was, he probably could glean some life lessons from the service if he would only sit quietly.
But today, Sierra was acting up, too. She had been sitting quietly during church for years, but today for some reason, she wanted to wiggle like a toddler. She was up in her seat, down on the floor, up on the seat, back down on the floor. She was being quiet enough, but Alyssa knew if she let her do that, then Cayden would be wiggling too, and the next thing she knew, they would be wrestling and squealing in the middle of the service.
Alyssa spent most of the service with her kids in a death grip, one on each side of her. She had her arms around their necks in what she hoped appeared to be an extended hug. She was holding tight enough they couldn’t move.
Occasionally, she would experience a weird tingly sensation, as if someone was watching her, but she decided she probably was being watched. A single woman with two small kids in church tended to garner a lot of attention. That was part of the reason she didn’t come to church as often as she used to. After the divorce, she couldn’t handle the pitying glances, the well-meant words, or the blatant snubs. When her Sunday School class put her name on church-wide prayer list, she quit going to church regularly. Alyssa knew they meant well, but she couldn’t handle it.
The preacher’s sermon on the virtuous woman made her regret coming to church today anyway. All the talk about a virtuous woman and her husband made her feel queasy. How virtuous could a divorcee be? As soon as the service was over, she ducked her head and left out of the side door.
Chapter 10
Alyssa was frustrated. Steven hadn’t told her until Sunday afternoon he couldn’t keep the kids this week. He said it was a last minute business trip, but Alyssa had her doubts. She knew his boss, and he was a super-organized control freak. He would have had any business trips scheduled months in advance.
Not that she cared, she jumped at the chance to look after the kids longer. If Steven couldn’t keep them, and Alyssa wouldn’t keep them, then they would have to stay with Steven’s mother, and Alyssa would eat chalk before she would let that happen.
An electrician had come out to replace the ceiling fan in the kids’ room, to the tune of almost $500. Alyssa was pretty sure the town’s repairmen were out to get her. It was because she was a woman, Alyssa was sure. First of all, a man would never have called somebody to come out and fix that stuff, they would have done it themselves. If they hadn’t done it themselves, they would have at least known what the doo-hicky the plumber had replaced was, or at least how much they cost. And she had seen Steven replace a ceiling fan, and he made it look easy, not that he would do her any favors. Alyssa was convinced these people had a list of prices for men and a list of prices for women.
At least it was the weekend again, and they would be at the Hot Pepper Festival. That was good wholesome fun for the kids, and she’d been planning to take them anyway. Steven had another engagement this weekend. She thought he might have a girlfriend he wasn’t telling anybody about. Probably Stephanie. Not that she cared.
Alyssa watched the parade on Saturday, Cayden on her shoulders, while Sierra ran to grab all the candy she could for her brother and herself. They all enjoyed waving to the parade entrants, dancing to the band’s rendition of "Funky Town," and visiting with the people in the street around them. After the parade, they made their way to the booth for Jackie’s Crisis Center donations.
Jackie, Jennifer, and a girl Alyssa didn’t know were already at the booth when they got there. To the children’s utter delight, Alyssa gave Jennifer some money to feed and entertain Cayden and Sierra and sent them on their way.
The morning went by quickly, with all three of them
But today, Sierra was acting up, too. She had been sitting quietly during church for years, but today for some reason, she wanted to wiggle like a toddler. She was up in her seat, down on the floor, up on the seat, back down on the floor. She was being quiet enough, but Alyssa knew if she let her do that, then Cayden would be wiggling too, and the next thing she knew, they would be wrestling and squealing in the middle of the service.
Alyssa spent most of the service with her kids in a death grip, one on each side of her. She had her arms around their necks in what she hoped appeared to be an extended hug. She was holding tight enough they couldn’t move.
Occasionally, she would experience a weird tingly sensation, as if someone was watching her, but she decided she probably was being watched. A single woman with two small kids in church tended to garner a lot of attention. That was part of the reason she didn’t come to church as often as she used to. After the divorce, she couldn’t handle the pitying glances, the well-meant words, or the blatant snubs. When her Sunday School class put her name on church-wide prayer list, she quit going to church regularly. Alyssa knew they meant well, but she couldn’t handle it.
The preacher’s sermon on the virtuous woman made her regret coming to church today anyway. All the talk about a virtuous woman and her husband made her feel queasy. How virtuous could a divorcee be? As soon as the service was over, she ducked her head and left out of the side door.
Chapter 10
Alyssa was frustrated. Steven hadn’t told her until Sunday afternoon he couldn’t keep the kids this week. He said it was a last minute business trip, but Alyssa had her doubts. She knew his boss, and he was a super-organized control freak. He would have had any business trips scheduled months in advance.
Not that she cared, she jumped at the chance to look after the kids longer. If Steven couldn’t keep them, and Alyssa wouldn’t keep them, then they would have to stay with Steven’s mother, and Alyssa would eat chalk before she would let that happen.
An electrician had come out to replace the ceiling fan in the kids’ room, to the tune of almost $500. Alyssa was pretty sure the town’s repairmen were out to get her. It was because she was a woman, Alyssa was sure. First of all, a man would never have called somebody to come out and fix that stuff, they would have done it themselves. If they hadn’t done it themselves, they would have at least known what the doo-hicky the plumber had replaced was, or at least how much they cost. And she had seen Steven replace a ceiling fan, and he made it look easy, not that he would do her any favors. Alyssa was convinced these people had a list of prices for men and a list of prices for women.
At least it was the weekend again, and they would be at the Hot Pepper Festival. That was good wholesome fun for the kids, and she’d been planning to take them anyway. Steven had another engagement this weekend. She thought he might have a girlfriend he wasn’t telling anybody about. Probably Stephanie. Not that she cared.
Alyssa watched the parade on Saturday, Cayden on her shoulders, while Sierra ran to grab all the candy she could for her brother and herself. They all enjoyed waving to the parade entrants, dancing to the band’s rendition of "Funky Town," and visiting with the people in the street around them. After the parade, they made their way to the booth for Jackie’s Crisis Center donations.
Jackie, Jennifer, and a girl Alyssa didn’t know were already at the booth when they got there. To the children’s utter delight, Alyssa gave Jennifer some money to feed and entertain Cayden and Sierra and sent them on their way.
The morning went by quickly, with all three of them
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