Sarah's Prayer: A Sunset Single (Sunset Series 1.1) (6 page)

"Oh, yes.
Much better. An answer to prayer, actually. At 'The Clown,' one little plastic animal on the edge of your soda cup means you're having a good day. Two means it's rough. Three means 'watch out, I'm in a bad mood.' It's a little tradition at hospice. It's Jen's way of saying this lunch is good news." Sarah responded to the text.

Happy 2. Lkg 4ward 2 it :)

"I guess there's a story attached?"

"Actually, it involves the guy you saw me with last Thursday." Sarah recounted the conversation she had with Jake a few tables away.

Michael sat in rapt attention as Sarah shared one of the most profound stories of heartbreak and personal victory he ever heard. He knew there was something about the softness and compassion of Sarah's soul that attracted him, but hearing the story of how she gave up the desire of her heart to send Jake back to Jen told him Sarah also possessed an inner strength beyond anything he had ever seen in a woman.

"... so, that brings me to now, when Jen invited me to lunch tomorrow. I'm not sure what happened, but she either wants to talk to me about how she and Jake reconciled, or it's an ambush and I might as well say goodbye now." Sarah gave him a sarcastic smile.

"I think it's more of an apology
myself."

"I hope you're right, Michael."

The two sat in silence for a moment.

Michael spoke up first. "I really don't want this to end, but I would like to get together with you again, if that's okay with you?"

Sarah forced herself to keep her head up and look at Michael. "I would really like that."
Oh, please let this happen again.

"Great.
Maybe for dinner one evening? I'm not much of a cook, but..."

The prospect of going to Michael's home for dinner was shockingly threatening to Sarah. She intervened. "I'm a decent cook. How about I take care of dinner one night? Is Friday good for you?
Oh. I can't believe I just asked him. He's supposed to ask me, isn't he?

"That would be nice. I'll look forward to it." They both got up from the table.

Sarah noticed that Michael limped a little on his first step.

"May I walk you to your car, Sarah?"

"Your gentlemanly streak continues." She smiled and moved toward the door.

"Why don't you email me with your address and the time for dinner Friday? I'm really looking forward to seeing you again."

As they arrived at Sarah's car she became nervous about how this encounter would end.

Michael put her at ease.
"This has been wonderful, Sarah. Before we go, may I give you a hug?"

"Uh, sure, Michael."
That pleased her beyond her expectations. A kiss would have been far too intrusive, even a violation of her trust. Handshake? It would show he really didn't care. This was perfect.

Michael reached around Sarah and gave her an appropriately chaste hug. She reciprocated. It struck her how gentle, but rock solid strong Michael felt.

Michael couldn't help but notice that Sarah held the hug longer than he did. That was a good sign. "Good evening, Sarah. See you soon."

"Later, Michael."
Sarah got in her car, but couldn't quite bring herself to drive away. She felt too good to mess this up by doing anything but just "being" for a few minutes.

Chapter 7

After the flurry of calls, texts and emails recapping the excitement of the "big date," Sarah fell into bed exhausted but content. Just before turning out the light, Sarah completed her day as she usually did.

Father, thank you for granting me another day on this earth to fulfill your will for my life.
I hope that what I have done today has been pleasing in your sight. Help me rest well to get ready for another day. Prepare the way for me to minister to those who need you and will see you through me. And, Father, thank you for a wonderful time with Michael. I will accept it as a gift from you and not put any expectation on it or him and wait to see what you have in store.

She slept soundly.

Sarah had a busy morning with appointments to set for the week and a meeting with a new patient and his family to do her social work assessment. Those meetings could be long and emotionally exhausting.

After a particularly gratifying encounter with the new patient Sarah headed back to the office to get ready for her lunch with Jen. Along the way, her phone chirped. She pulled into a parking lot to check the message. She needed to make a few calls anyway. The message was from Jen.

whatcha want for lunch? i'm buying?

Oh, this is good news?
She responded.

grilled
chicken on wheat. lettuce, tomato, no mayo. ice water. tx :)

She forgot one important item.

... and 1 animal ;)

She soon received a text back from Jen.

lol got it

Sarah sat in her car contemplating what it would be like to be alone with Jennifer Lawson. She dreaded that for so long. Now, she strangely looked forward to the opportunity.

Sarah made her calls from the parking lot. It was against company policy to drive and talk on the phone at the same time. She drove back into Sunset and to the office to get ready for the big lunch.

At a few minutes before noon, Sarah put away her paperwork, walked out of the office and across the street to "The Clown" hamburger stand. This establishment sort of grew organically from a trailer to a complex with picnic tables and even a small stage for evening concerts. It was a favorite for the hospice team due to its convenient location and its great food.

Sarah immediately spotted Jen waving her to a table in a far corner.
Who couldn't spot Jen? She's so beautiful.
As Sarah overheard Concho describe her, "Jen's a drop-dead model-gorgeous redhead blue-eyed bundle of energy."
Yep, all the things I'm not. No wonder Jake wanted her instead of me.
Sarah found herself getting depressed as she walked across the street and closer to Jennifer Lawson, the "competition." Sarah reminded herself that Jen was actually the "former competition." She released Jake from her life.

As Sarah approached the table she saw a hint of hesitation in Jen. It was quite unlike anything she had seen in her before. "Hi, Jen..."

What happened next occurred so quickly that Sarah didn't have the chance to react with shock or fear or surprise. It just happened. One second she stood close to a seated Jennifer Lawson. The next second she had Jennifer Lawson wrapped around her, crying.

"Sarah, thank you so much for what you've done for me and Jake. I am so sorry for the way I've treated you. I hope you will be able to forgive me and we can be friends... maybe even like sisters. I've never had a sister. That would be so, so great..." Jennifer was chattering nervously at this point.

Sarah tried to overcome her disconnected feelings at least long enough to rescue Jen from her verbal feedback loop. She put her arms around Jen and patted her on the back. "Jen... Jen... It's okay. Of course I forgive you. I'm happy for you and Jake." She felt like she was comforting a crying child.

"Oh, Sarah.
Thank you. That's why I wanted you to meet me for lunch. I want to talk to you about what happened and thank you for what you did. I had no idea what you said to Jake last Thursday. And, to be honest, I'm embarrassed about the way I acted..." Jen finally released her grip on Sarah. "Oh, please sit down and eat before it gets cold."

The two women sat down to enjoy their new found kinship and food. Sarah noted that Jen ordered the same sandwich instead of her usual disgustingly greasy green
chile cheeseburger.

"I'll have to be honest, Sarah. When I saw you talking to Jake after the meeting last Thursday I really thought you were making a move on him. I vowed right then and there that if you went for him it would be your last fun fling on this earth." Fortunately for Sarah, Jen's smile told her she was kidding, sort of. The smile faded quickly. "He told me what you did when you met with him at Joe's that afternoon. I want you to know, Sarah, that was the most wonderful and courageous thing I think I've ever heard of one woman doing for another. I don't know how to repay you for what you did for me... and for Jake."

Sarah watched intently as Jen talked. She couldn't believe this was happening but felt an intense joy about it none the less. "Jen, you're welcome. You don't have to 'repay me' for this. I've prayed for years for God to send the right man into my life. I thought for a time that Jake might be the one, but that was my plan, not God's. I have to wait for God to move. I can't make that happen. Setting things right between you and Jake is something I had to do. We all would be miserable if I did anything less."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just feel that I need to make up to you for how I treated you. That was inexcusable. You'd deserved it if you were really making a play for Jake, of course, but under the circumstances I was way out of line." That was the classic Jen humor again. "You helped me out. I need to do something for you. You know how guys have a 'wingman' when they're trying to pick up chicks? You were my wingman with Jake. Maybe I can be your wingman someday." Jen caught herself. "Oh, I don't mean to meddle in your personal life, Sarah."

Sarah looked at Jen thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, Jen. As a matter of fact..."

Jen interjected, "Ah, don't tell me. You've already met a guy."

Sarah just smiled.

Jen bounced up and down on the picnic bench with glee. "You did. You met a guy. Dish it sister."

Sarah had to stifle a laugh. It amazed her how the two of them could go from "enemies" to "sisters" in such a short time. It actually felt good. Jennifer Lawson intimidated her so much that she felt resentment, even anger at times. Sarah even felt envious of Jen's beauty and personality. All of those negative feelings seemed to melt away as the two "sisters" reconciled at the lunch table.

"Well, it's an amazing coincidence really. As soon as Jake left Joe's I looked up and saw this guy looking at me. He said, 'Hi' and I thought it was cute how he blushed. I said, 'Hello' and left the shop..."

"Let me get this straight. You guys connected, said 'hey' to each other... and you left? You left him sitting there."

"Well, yeah, but you have to consider what I just went through. I just sent the man of my dreams back into your arms, Jen. It was
kinda traumatic." Sarah looked down.

"I'm not criticizing, Sarah. Looking at it from your viewpoint, I understand. Go on."

"Well, he happened to visit my church on Sunday morning. We met at the fellowship after worship. He went to lunch with the singles group and asked me to coffee at Joe's. We got together yesterday. I got your text when we were finishing our date."

"How did it go? Is he going to ask you out again?" Jen was genuinely excited.

"It was... wonderful. We had a good time together and learned a lot about each other. His name is Michael. He's a self-employed computer consultant that just moved to Sunset. He makes good money. Divorced about two years. Seems like a great guy. He wants to have dinner this Friday."

Jen clapped and bounced again. "Oh, this is so good. I'm happy for you, Sarah." She stopped and stared at Sarah. "Wait. You said 'coincidence' and 'happened to'
yada, yada. Do you really think it's just a coincidence that you first saw Michael the minute you finished your conversation with Jake and met him again a few days later in church? Sarah, he's either stalking you or God's trying to tell you something."

Sarah looked at Jen solemnly. That was something she considered, but didn't want to hope for. "Well, you might be right, Jen. I..."

"Right, nothin' honey. When lightning strikes twice in the same place like that you know God's doing it. God put Michael in your path and you weren't ready for him, so He throws Michael at you again a few days later at church. On top of that, you guys are on a date two days later. That's a three-fer. A holy number. I'm betting on God for this one, sweetie."

Sarah just smiled.
That's what I like about Jen, she's so sure of herself.
"I guess you're right, Jen. I just don't want to get my hopes up."

"Up about what? Going out on a date with Michael doesn't mean you have to marry him. It just means you're on a date to have an enjoyable time together. If both of you feel that it's a good thing to get together again, great, do it.
Just slow down. Take it one step at a time. Don't try to build Rome in a day. You'll wear yourself out and scare all the guys away doing it."

"Are you saying I'm trying too hard?"
Maybe having Jen as my 'wingman' isn't so bad after all.

"You may well be, Sarah. What I suggest is go with your assets. Every woman who's trying to catch a man needs to go with her assets."

"Well, I understand that, but I don't know that I have the 'assets' you're talking about." Sarah hesitated. "Not like you, Jen. You're so beautiful and self-assured. No wonder Jake liked you so much." Sarah dropped her head in an all too familiar posture.

Jen wrapped up what was left of her chicken sandwich, walked around the picnic table and straddled the bench next to Sarah. She reached up and turned Sarah's head to look her in the eyes.
"Sarah, sweetie. You are a beautiful woman. You're calm demeanor, empathy and ability to love and care for people you've just met make you the perfect woman for a man who's looking for that combination." Jen leaned back and took a deep breath. "To be honest, Sharon had a talk with me about almost scaring Jake away with my steamroller personality. I had to tone it down a bit, at least until I had him cornered." Jen grinned with her classic sparkle. "You need to give yourself more credit. God gave you some amazing womanly talents, and maybe those talents will help you snare this Michael guy."

"Maybe you're right, Jen."

"I know I’m right, Sarah. Just relax a bit. Be confident in the woman God made you to be and enjoy the time you have with Michael."