“Such perfect timing.” My mother jumped in. “He called right after Nancy informed me about tonight’s party, and you know me, I got the great idea of him coming tonight as your guest.” Mom continued.
“Hmm, so basically, you all knew about this and just left me in the dark.” I said to them. I found myself feeling a mixture of hurt that they would keep this from me, but also a bit of happiness that they would actually do this for me as well.
At that moment when everyone was silent, trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation they placed themselves in, Tracey walks up.
“You made it.” Tracey loudly exclaimed while she threw her arms around Rich and gave him a hug.
This captured the attention of all the others in the room that hadn’t previously noticed us, and I could hear things begin to quiet down as we were being observed.
Richard placed his hands on Tracey’s shoulders and stood back from her.
“Look at you.” he said. “Mother of three, a pastor’s wife, and you’re as lovely as ever.” Rich complimented her while Pastor Mike, her husband, walked over.
“Hey man. Long time no see” Greeted Mike warmly. Richard and Mike had become friends while we were all together in school.
I was starting to feel a bit awkward just standing there while being ignored by one set of friends and being watched by those still seated at their tables around the room.
“Ahem” I called out. “I do believe that this is my mystery date,” I pouted.
“Would you be greatly offended if I whisked you away tonight Wynne?”
“Well, I really should stick around to help clean up” I said hesitantly.
“Nonsense.” my mother spoke up, just as I was hoping she would. “You kids go on, just leave the clean up to me.” She pushed me towards Richard.
Just as Rich reached out to grasp my hand, Mike spoke up.
“We’ll leave the door unlocked for you Rich.”
I looked up at Rich with a question in my eyes.
“Didn’t you read my email?” he asked me. “Some friends invited me to spend the weekend with them,” he explained with a grin.
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. Tracey. She hugged and whispered in my ear.
“Make your dreams become reality.”
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and began to walk with Richard towards the door. When I had enough nerve, I glanced up at him, only to find him smiling down at me.
“I am so glad that you are really here.” I said to him.
“I’ve waited a long time to hear you say that.” His eyes sparkled.
We had just finished walking through the doorway and were about to begin to walk up the stairs when we heard someone come walking quickly behind us.
It was Jude. He had a different sort of look in his eyes. Almost as if he knew immediately that this was the man who claimed my heart so long ago.
Richard kept his gaze on Jude as he walked towards us. I could feel a slight tightening of his hand as he held mine.
Jude on the other hand seemed to have his shoulders stooped as he stood there. The tension between the two men was quickly mounting.
“Jude, I’d like you to meet Richard. Richard, this is Jude. Tonight’s party is to celebrate his new engagement with the beautiful lady standing right behind him.” I said nervously as I introduced the two and saw Stacey standing in the background watching the exchange.
Both of the men nodded their heads at each other while they shook hands.
Stacey walked up to Jude and placed her arm around his waist.
Richard then placed his arm around my shoulders.
“Well” I said trying to break the tension. “I hope you don’t mind that I am leaving early.” I said to Stacey.
“Not at all.” she replied with a sweet smile. “Thank you so much for everything.”
I glanced over at Jude and gave him a smile. I watched him as his gaze went from me to Richard and then back at me again.
“Nice meeting you Jude.” Richard said. “Congratulations and I pray that you find happiness together.”
“Goodnight” I called out as Rich and I began to walk up the stairs.
“So that was the man I thought had taken you away from me.” Richard said quietly as we walked up.
“That was the man who refused to become second best,” I said to him as I squeezed his hand.
“Hmmm” was all he said as he helped me into my jacket.
Richard walked me down the walkway. When we were half way down he stopped and lifted his head to the sky.
“It’s such a beautiful night, a night of new beginnings.” I said to him.
The tenderness in his eyes stole my breath.
“What are you thinking?” I asked him.
He stood there silently for a moment as we stared into each others eyes.
“I was just thanking God that He is the God of second chances.”
There was nothing that I could say to that. It was the perfect description of what was beginning to happen between us.
I turned to face him. I couldn’t help but show my emotions to him. I could feel tears begin to well up. He gently brought me to him in a gentle hug. It felt so good to be held in his arms. I took a deep sigh, breathing in the very essence of him. He placed his cheek against the top of my head.
“Do you feel it?” He whispered to me as I stood there in his arms.
“The peace?” I asked him.
“Knowing that this is the place where you belong, in my arms.” He responded.
I shivered. Thinking I was cold, Rich gently withdrew from the hug and began to lead me toward his vehicle.
After climbing into his black Ford Escape, Richard quickly put the heat on and we sat there waiting for the vehicle to warm up.
“I wasn’t cold you know.” I said to him.
“No?”
I blushed and glanced out the window, trying to gather my thoughts.
“So, since this is officially classified as a date … do you have any ideas of what we should do tonight?” I asked him.
“Hmm, I have some thoughts” he responded with the exact same look in his eyes that I knew I had in mine.
“Can I ask what they are?” I ventured.
He just gave a chuckle.
“I had originally thought of taking you to the park where we used to skip rocks, but since it’s the middle of winter, that won’t do. Then I thought of going to a coffee shop where we could sit and chat, but then I realized that if I was to be honest, I just want to spend some time with you alone, not surrounded by other people.” He said to me.
“Would you consider two kittens an invasion of privacy?” I asked him forming a plan in my head.
“Would these kittens insist on sharing some of the pasta and dessert I picked up from Mama Rose?” he asked me with a smile.
“You went to Mama Roses’ already?” I asked him squinting my eyes.
“Why do you think it took me so long to get here tonight?” he answered. “She recognized me the moment I walked in and held me hostage for over an hour before allowing me to leave with enough food to feed an army.” he held his hands up in mock surrender.
Knowing Mama Rose, I can picture this clearly in my mind. That is exactly what she would do, not caring that she was holding him up or that I would be impatiently waiting for him at the church tonight. Of course, I had no idea he was my mystery date, but still.
I giggled.
“So what did she make you leave with? Please tell me there is a piece of cheesecake in there.” I begged him.
“A piece? Oh come on Wynne. There’s a whole cake just for us. Including some delicious pasta, garlic bread and salad. She even placed an extra surprise in the bag, one she knew you would like.” He told me with a hint of suspense in his voice.
“Oh, let me guess. Knowing Mama Rose, she probably placed some candles in the bag to add to the romance.” I suggested to him.
Rich just winked at me as he drove out of the church parking lot.
I gave him directions to my house. I was feeling a bit nervous with him coming in. I knew that I didn’t have time to clean up my house yet, and the mess in the kitchen from this morning when the ladies brought breakfast over to the house was still there.
When we pulled up in front of my home, there were little jars filled with candles lining the sidewalk up to my door. Richard smiled and shrugged his shoulder as he stepped out of his door to walk around the vehicle to open my door.
“Don’t ask” he said, “Just enjoy.”
I was rapidly trying to think of who would have come over to do this when Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. When he inserted that key into the door to unlock it, I was about to ask him where he got the key when he placed his finger on my lips and said, “shush.”
The moment I walked into my front hallway I saw that someone had already thought ahead and prepared my home for our romantic date. My house was not only spotless, but there was a soft glow coming from the living room, dining room, and I could even see the soft flickering of candle light coming from the kitchen. I could hear the kittens quietly meowing and assumed that whoever had come over tonight also placed the kittens in my bedroom.
Taking off our coats and shoes, Richard took my hand and led me through my living room and into the dining room. The table had already been set with my grandmother’s china, candles lit and even more flowers filled the room than the bouquet that I held in my hands.
“This is beautiful.” I said to him as I took in all the candles and flowers.
“Why don’t you place those flowers in a vase? The dinner has been placed in the oven on low to keep it warm.” He informed me.
I smiled at him and felt so contented.
“How did you do all this?” I asked him as I walked over and gave him a hug.
“Actually Tracey and Mike were the ones to do this. They came over here and met me as I brought the food. Tracey placed our meal in the oven to keep warm, set the table and even placed all the candles on your walkway before we left. Mike helped me to light all the candles, and then just before we left Tracey locked your kittens in your room. I hope you don’t mind?” he asked me somewhat hesitantly.
"Not at all" I responded to him feeling somewhat surprised. How like Tracey to do this. I'll have to make sure I thank her properly later.
We spent the majority of our time at the table trying to catch up on little things. I think we both decided to just go with the moment, to just enjoy what is going on for right now.
After enjoying a delicious meal, being surrounded by candlelight and feeling like I'm living in a dream, I offer to make some coffee and invite Richard to sit in the living room. It has been such a long time, and while it would be so easy to allow the romance of the evening to sweep us away, it was time to touch the ground, even for a moment, and talk about what is happening.
I brought out cups of hazelnut flavored coffee and found Rich to be sitting on the couch. He patted the cushion beside him, and after placing the cups of coffee down on the table in front of the couch I joined him.
There was a little bit of an awkward moment that developed. Rich decided to be the first to breach the moment.
"So that was Jude,” he said. A mute point since I had introduced him earlier this evening, but it was the only way to bring up the subject neither one of us really wanted to discuss. At least I know I definitely didn't want to discuss it. I'd much rather sink into his arms and tell him about the dreams I have been having the past year or so.
"That was Jude." I responded.
"For three years I thought you were off limits, a married woman. Do you know that I came to see you the day you got married, or at least the day I thought you were to be married?" he asked me.
I sat up straight.
"I had no idea Rich. Where were you? What happened?" I asked him. A part of my heart sank.
"From the day you walked away from me Wynne, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I prayed for you continually. I really believed that you were the woman that God created to make me complete. I knew you needed some time, so I gave you time. After two years I couldn't take it anymore. I felt an urgency to come and see you. I had it all planned. I would buy you roses; declare my undying love to you and we would live happily ever after. I felt so good about it. I arrived into town and stopped at the florist to buy you roses. When I walked into the store you should have seen the bouquets being arranged. The lady was on the phone so I found a bouquet that I liked and walked up to the counter. I could hear the woman talking about a wedding that was to start in an hour. I thought I heard your name, but I wasn't sure. Then I looked down, and there on the counter was your wedding invitation. I thought for sure I read it wrong, so I grabbed the paper and was reading it. The woman got off the phone and asked if she could help me. When I asked her about what I held in my hand, she seemed so happy for you. I was in shock Wynne. I couldn't believe it." Richard explained to me. He reached out and grabbed his coffee. I stayed silent, knowing that he needed to finish.
"I rushed over to the church and I saw the parking lot full of vehicles and people walking around all dressed up. I walked into the church and saw your guest book. With your name and his name. My heart broke into little pieces. I think that was the lowest point of my life. Up till then I had always felt so sure that you were the perfect woman for me, and that God would eventually bring us together. On that day all my dreams were destroyed." Rich whispered.