Jessica climbed back into Gini’s lap. They hugged each other tight. Robert didn’t know for sure who was consoling whom. Gini had her arm around Jessica, and Jessica was lightly rubbing on the side of her mother’s neck.
“Good morning,” an older woman said. “And who is this precious little girl?”
Jessica looked for a moment, then buried her face again.
“That’s Jessica, and I’m Robert.” He put his hand on Gini. “And this is my wife, Gini.”
“Welcome to our church. Have you been here before?”
“No, ma’am,” Robert answered.
“Let me show you the seating area for wheelchairs.”
People were starting to filter into the sanctuary. Robert followed the lady to the row four from the back. Gini got out of the chair and sat in the pew, and when Alyssa found them, she sat next to Jessica, who was next to Robert.
He leaned over to Gini. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“Be… uff, goo.” She gave a half smile. He took her hand. She’d stopped shaking.
There was a small group in front singing with a guitarist and piano accompanying them. It helped Gini take her focus off the many people walking, which confused her. The music was relaxing, and she once again felt the excitement of being in church.
The muffled sounds in the room stopped with the music.
“Let us stand and lift our voices to the heavens,” Reverend Gilbert said.
Everyone stood and sang.
“Be seated.” He made a motion. “And let us pray.”
Each person sat, except Gini, who remained standing. The reverend started the prayer.
“Sweetheart,” Robert whispered, standing back up next to her. “You need to sit.”
She turned and looked at him for a few seconds and then sat down.
Robert put the white Bible in Gini’s lap before carrying Jessica up front when the call for children went out. Alyssa scooted over next to Gini.
Jessica clung tight to her dad the whole time and buried her face. He stood to the side with the other parents who were holding their children. At the end of the sermon, the children sang “Jesus Loves Me.”
Pastor Daniel walked to Jessica as they were singing and took her hand. She briefly looked at him and then hid her face again. She wanted nothing to do with going to Sunday school. She sat on Robert’s lap or Gini’s.
Many people greeted them after the service, and Reverend Gilbert made it a point to talk to Gini. She signed a few words, but all the chatter made her lose concentration.
Every week the four went to the late service, and every week Jessica was very shy. Robert found the scriptures in Gini’s Bible so she could follow along.
The fifth week was the charm. Gini insisted she walk, no longer wanting the wheelchair, and Jessica sat on the floor for the sermon and willingly went to Sunday school with Alyssa holding her hand.
Gini stood during the whole first prayer—each time, Robert whispered she needed to sit, and he stood with her until she sat down.
When they walked to greet Reverend Gilbert, he asked why she was standing.
“Need, God, know, we, be, ser… is, so, early… uff, morn.”
From that day forward, the reverend asked the congregation to continue to stand until the end of the opening prayer.
With the family becoming involved with more activities, Debbie found she had a lot of time on her hands. She and Micky met up some, but it seemed getting together was getting more difficult rather than easier, and each time the date was either postponed by Micky for some reason or other, or she would just show up with no advance warning, and then want to spend the night. Although it interrupted the normal pattern in Debbie and Gini’s schedule, Gini didn’t seem to mind, and Robert always insisted Debbie go be with Micky if he was home when she came. Although Micky’s unpredictability upset Debbie more and more, once they were together, she had a good time and wanted the love and affection Micky easily gave. After their encounter Debbie always felt relaxed and uplifted. And Micky promised each time she’d be better at keeping the original plans.
One afternoon in late August a couple of summers later, Debbie took a casserole out of the oven and set it on the kitchen island. She went through the baking dish drawer and found the lid.
Jessica came in full of energy, running around and round, dragging her hand across Debbie’s legs as she passed.
“Yum. Looks good, Deb,” Alyssa said, taking Jessica’s hand to stop her perpetual motion.
Robert came in from the great room. “Man, does that smell good. Debbie, come with us.”
She gave him a look. “Robert, I’m fine here.”
“Deb, it’s just a potluck. Good times, with good people.”
Gini let go of Robert’s hand and hugged her. “Dee… bee, love.” She put her chin on Debbie’s chest and smiled. Debbie hugged her close and let out a breath, closing her eyes. After a moment, she said, “Okay, give me a few minutes to freshen up.”
The whole family piled into the big SUV, and they headed to the church’s “end of summer” dinner.
Robert parked the car, and everyone piled out. Jessica called out to her friend, “Philip” and started to run to him. Alyssa grabbed her hand to stop her. “You have to watch for cars, remember?”
Debbie took the casserole, and Robert walked with Gini. Other people were
