Permanent Resident at the Purse Table (20 page)

“Oh, that's nice. Who else did you meet?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, who else was there? Anyone I need to know about?”

Toni's face puckered. “Anyone like who?” The rekindling of the fire between them had gone almost too perfect. But the intensity level of his questions led her to believe that the honeymoon stage was over. “What are you implying?”

Eric's face turned stern. “Did anybody try to holla at you?”

“What?” Yep, honeymoon over. And before they even got to discuss the plans for their real honeymoon.

“I'm serious. I've been to a party before and I know what the men do there.”

Was he really about to go down that road? “It was a party at the Christian Counseling Center. Not a club.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “So, men are men. Christian or not. I'm sure they found you attractive.”

“Eric, do you hear yourself right now?” How old was he again?

“Yes, and why can't you just answer the question?”

Annoyed, Toni scooted over in the booth. Here she was, couldn't wait to see him. Dang near flew from the CCC's celebration on the other side of town to the restaurant, and he wanted to pop the top on this can of jealousy. She hadn't stepped a toe on the white linen down the aisle yet. Was he trying to scare her into running out the back of the church? “I thought we were here to finalize our honeymoon spot, not argue over petty stuff.”

“Me too.” He lowered his brow, peering into her eyes. “I just want you to answer the question. You keep dancing around it. Answer the question and we can move on.”

“No, dang it! Nobody tried to holla at me.” Her neck lost control of itself. “Are you happy now?”

“Yes, I am. Thank you.” He paused in the awkward silence. “Well, were you attracted to anybody?”

“Okay, enough is enough.” Toni leapt out of the booth. Had her Eric transformed into Jekyll or Hyde? She needed to flee from his vicinity quickly before she said something she regretted. “Why don't you holla at me when you decide to grow up?”

She stormed out of the IHOP, whisking by spectators. Her cheeks burned. Wanting to go back in and share more of her thoughts on maturity, Toni jumped into her ride. Along with the maturity talk, a possible curse word or two might slip out and she didn't want to ruin her newfound attempts to cut bad language out of her vocabulary. No, best scenario for her would be to head home.

The solution her mind put together was to call Ava. She didn't necessarily want to bother her, especially with something so childish, but hearing from a sane person would help in her time of distress. And it would keep her from calling Eric and turning the car around. The phone rang and rang. No answer.

With the renewal ceremony only a month away, Toni drove down the road in disbelief, replaying the scene that just took place in the restaurant. Her feet suddenly felt a little cooler.

When the Sunday for Ava to get baptized rolled around, the service seemed more crowded than usual. Seeing the full house made Ava nervous. Her parents, best friends, and Kevin were all planning to attend.

She walked to the back of the children's church area where the baptismal pool was located. Checking in and dropping her stuff off, she ran into Pastor Monroe. Literally.

“Sorry, Pastor.”

“That's quite all right, Ava.” He smiled. “Are you ready for today?”

“I believe so.”

“This is an awesome step in your spiritual journey, and God couldn't be more proud of you.”

“I'm glad to get the opportunity to do this again. As a kid, I really didn't understand what I was doing. I got baptized in my grandmother's church at the age of six, maybe seven. All I remember was trying not to drown and stay away from the roach floating in the corner.” She shared a laugh with Pastor. “But the class on baptism I took helped a great deal and I am expecting to come up out of that water a different woman.”

“Amen!” Pastor Monroe placed his hand on her shoulder. “Well, everything else going all right with you?”

“For the most part.” She folded her arms. “Counseling has helped my depression tremendously. I am wondering when God is going to bring that certain somebody in my life though. I'm tired of being single.”

“Let me give you a bit of advice. Get busy doing the things that God is concerned about and He'll get busy doing the things you're concerned about.” He cleared his throat. “In 1 Corinthians 7:32, God's Word says for you to be without care. The unmarried cares for the things of the Lord. How he”—Pastor grinned—“or she, may please the Lord.”

“I get it.” Ava would remember the verse and promptly write it down when she got her hands on some paper.

“Good. Instead of looking for a man, look for ways you can serve the Lord. And let God worry about the whens, wheres, and whos.”

She side-hugged him. He definitely spoke a word in due season. “Thank you so much, Pastor. You are such a blessing to your flock.”

“You're welcome, Ava. I must hustle on to prepare for service, but I'll meet you back here a little later.”

Ava looked forward to rising out of the water. All of her issues and insecurities she planned to leave in the pool. God was perfect in His timing. He knew she needed to hear those words from Pastor Monroe. The Lord also knew she'd be feeling this way, ready to move to the next level spiritually, at this point in her life.

Trusting God for everything had been difficult in the past, but day by day, it became easier to give all of her problems and situations over to him. Her next move after getting baptized would be to explore areas in the church to serve. She loved talking to God and interceding in prayer for others. Being a prayer warrior would be a good fit for her. Ava would pray about being a prayer partner.

When she walked into the sanctuary, her self-assigned row was full. She didn't want to sit in the back anymore anyway. Ava strolled to the front of the church and noticed a row of open seats. There were enough spots for each person in her group.

“Good morning, Ava.” Rene stood behind her, grinning. “Well, today's the day.”

“Yep, today's the day. I'm excited.”

“Excited about what? All the weight you've lost?” Toni walked up and gave Ava a hug and they all sat down.

“Thank you. I'm trying.” Ava's outside was catching up with her inside. She had come a long way in a few short months mentally, physically, and spiritually. God got all the credit for who she was: a completely new woman.

Ava turned around to keep an eye out for her parents. Well, for Kevin. She kept her hopes in check, but seeing him would be a nice bonus. Through the multitude of folks, her parents appeared. She waved her hand and they came straight over.

Hugging her mother and father, they exchanged pleasantries. Ava's arms tensed up in her mother's embrace and relaxed in her father's. Why did she let her mother get to her? She was in the right place to give that over to God. Silently praying for her mother and their relationship, she touched her mother's hand and smiled when she was finished.

The only one missing from her invited guests was Kevin. Over their Thursday night coffee, Ava mentioned something to him in general about their church and her getting baptized for the second time. He threw in the fact that he'd like to come visit sometime and this Sunday seemed like a perfect time. So where was he?

As service started, Ava reached into her purse, which she now enjoyed carrying, to take out a spiral tablet and pen for notes. She decided to start carrying a handbag when she increased her makeup quantities. The newly purchased Guess bag also worked well to hold her wallet, shades, and car keys. Who would've thought? She still had to get used to holding the purse over her shoulder, but it was a welcome change. Ava felt more like a lady. Next on her agenda were high heels. Well, maybe quarter heels. Baby steps.

Pastor Monroe preached a fiery sermon that spoke directly to Ava's soul. The message, “Matters of the Heart,” tugged at her inner woman and opened her eyes. Whatever she believed in her heart was what would come to pass in her life.

“In Proverbs 4:23 the Word says, ‘Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.'” He sipped from his water cup next to the podium. “Protect your heart, church. Be diligent, watching over what you allow to come in your heart. Word in, Word out. Can I have an amen?”

The sanctuary shouted back in unison. “Amen!”

Someone in the back added a “Preach, Pastor!”

He wiped his brow. “Let me leave you with one more scripture. Turn to Psalm 37:4. When you have it say hallelujah!”

Hallelujahs popped up all over the room like kids in a bounce house. Ava used her cell phone to locate the scripture in her YouVersion eBible, proud she could easily find Psalms. There was a time Ava didn't know what book was in what section of the Bible, and why some words were in red in some Bibles and not in others. Diving into God's Word had been the best product to come out of her tragic events over the past year. All things really did work together for the good for those who loved the Lord.

“I like how the Amplified Bible puts it. The scripture reads, ‘Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.'”

God was speaking through a bullhorn. Ava couldn't write fast enough. Toni, who was also taking notes, reacted to every other word in the message. Rene, less demonstrative, looked on with an intent expression.
Lord, how you've turned us around. Thank you.

“Church, today I want you to delight yourself in Him and His ways. Be honest with God. He knows how you feel anyway. He will give you the desires of your heart. In His will and in His timing. Be encouraged. Believe. And never lose faith. He cares about what you care about. Talk to Him, and live and act accordingly.”

Ava was ready to go jump into the baptismal pool herself. She put the questions about Kevin to the side and focused on her spiritual well-being. How could she not? The message she heard that day, she suspected, would resonate with her for the rest of her life.

The associate pastor performed the altar call. Numerous people went up to the front for prayer or to ask Jesus into their heart. The scene was a beautiful thing. Tears filled Ava's eyes. Recalling the day she got saved took her back to her longest relationship. There were trust issues, money woes, infidelity, and physical abuse. The Lord met her right in her circumstances. And although she strayed, He'd never left her to fend for herself. She was grateful and ready to publicly show the world by getting baptized.

Everyone gathered in the children's church area to cheer on their family members and friends. As Ava changed her attire for her spiritual dip in the water, thinking about Kevin snuck back into her mind. Not wanting to focus on anything but God, she caught herself and said a brief prayer.

She filed into the baptism line, smiling at the encouraging words and cheers shouted toward the pool as each person rose out of the water. Anticipating a decent amount of noise coming from her family and friends added to her excitement level. Her brother and his wife walked in just as Ava entered the water. He would make sure Ava was embarrassed at the volume of his yells and whistles.

The water, warm and clear, waved with every move of her body. Her outfit, she was sure, made her look like a synchronized swimmer, tight head-fitting swim cap and nose plugs included.

Pastor Monroe took Ava's hand and led her to the center of the pool. “Church, welcome Ava Alexander.”

Clapping and cheering filled the room. Ava's brother yelled, “Go, Ava! Go, Ava!”

Pastor went on. “Tell the church what getting baptized means to you.”

“To me, it means I am turning my back on the world and am wholeheartedly living for God. I will be a new woman headed toward the Lord.”

“Amen!” He placed one hand on her back and the other he raised to the sky. “By the confessions of your sin, I baptize you in the name of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost.” Pastor Monroe dipped Ava back into the water.

When she ascended out of the water, she had to have weighed a hundred pounds less. Every problem she'd had prior to the baptism now seemed smaller. God was all around her and peace rested inside of her.

As her applause died down and the next candidate entered the water, Ava waded over to the side and stepped out of the pool. She returned to the kids' restroom to change into dry clothes. As she turned her cell phone off silent, it beeped the text message tone.

Kevin's message read: Sorry I missed ur special day. My sponsee needed my help. I know God shined His light on u. Call u later. Take Care Kevin

It figured. An important time in her life could never be done perfectly. He probably just didn't want to see her.
Wait a minute. Are you really going to give this spiritual step forward a negative slant?
The Holy Spirit went to work on Ava's thoughts.

All of her family and best friends were at church together, getting a timely word from the pastor. She took a huge stride forward in God's plan for her life. And now her family and friends were treating her to dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant. Ishmael was in prison where he belonged. She and Rene were close again, and Toni and Eric bypassed the divorce and were headed down the aisle with an even stronger bond this time around.

An absent Kevin wasn't going to put a damper on all of the positive things going on in her life. And at least he sent a message letting her know his circumstances. That was more than any of her glorious exes had ever done. Nope, she was going to continue walking in the affirmations of the moment. Nothing could make her put a negative spin on her flawless day.

“Ava!” Her mother hustled to catch up with her in the parking lot. “I told your father I'd ride to the restaurant with you so we can talk.”