"Take Me Out..Period"

Chapter 7

The darkness of the sanctuary seemed to impart tranquility to Bethanie's heart. Sighing, she knelt at the altar laying her forehead against her clasped hands. "Why?" she questioned pointedly not looking toward the ceiling. Her heart was in no place to be thanking God, yet she felt quite stupid for bringing something like a crush before Him. "I know You are God, and that You know best in my life..but right now this isn't making much sense. He's adorable, a good guy, a great father, but he doesn't believe so obviously it's automatically a no." Groaning, she crossed sat on the floor before the altar, and unfolded her hands not feeling quite so holy at this moment. "I thought this was actually going to lead to something, sure enough it wasn't like we were dating, but still. I thought You gave us the desires of our hearts!"

"Bethie?" the voice was one she'd heard many times but she'd just as soon ignore Jazzi right now. She'd been meddling far too much in her life right now.

"Please go away, Jazzi. I need to be alone right now. I don't know what to do." She fixed her eyes on the ceiling hoping that her long time friend would listen to her request.

"You're questioning, right?" Jazzi took a seat next to her, completely ignoring her.

"Yes, but Jazzi, I thought this was it. I thought God's grand plan was to use you to introduce me to someone as great as T.C. To end up with him..and now? He's not even saved, Jazzi. He doesn't even remotely believe in God.."her voice wore thin as she expressed her worst fears and worries all at once.

"The question is do you believe, Bethanie?" her friend's hazel eyes pierced her's and seemed to burn with passion.

"Of course I do, you know that!" she couldn't even believe Jazzi would dare ask something.

"Then why do you put it past His reach, Bethie, this problem isn't bigger than God. It's something He can handle. Do you believe?"

All of the weeks of prayer, worry, and doubt collapsed in one heavy burden on her heart. Tears began to pour down her face and she laid her head on the altar.

Jazzi rubbed her back gently, "It'll be okay."

--

T.C. walked up and down the driveway in front of Jazzelle's apartment. Where could she be? He checked his watch again, it'd been an hour now and still no sign of her. Groaning, he rubbed his forehead, maybe he should just leave. Taking a seat on the stairs leading to her porch, T.C. felt alone for the first time in a month. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a car came up the driveway. No, it wasn't Jazzi's car. Who was it?

Straining to see, he watched as the car parked in the driveway and a woman climbed out.

"Just who are you?" she questioned as she slammed the door of her car.

"T.C. James, ma'am. Who are you?"

"Lidia. Jazzelle's friend...what're you doing here?" she moved toward him a few inches but halted awaiting his answer.

"Waiting for Jazzelle. I'm having a rough time with Bethanie, that lil' lady has me twisted up, she sure does. I can't see straight anymore. That's just what's happened this week!" he stopped suddenly as he realized he was giving Lidia more information than she probably wanted.

"Okay, for starters, the name is Lidia, not lil' lady. Secondly, I'm not Oprah. Jazzelle might listen to your problems and give you advice, but that isn't my department. I'm primarily on the imagination committee around here.

He sat staring at her, she was something that was for sure. "Oh..perhaps you could 'imagine' up what time Jazzi would be home?"

A smile stretched her lips, "Sure I can, she said she'd be home around three. She was at the church with Bethanie."

"Oh." he looked down at his hands, why had he asked? Church. Another thing he didn't do.

"Something wrong?" seemingly Miss. Non-Oprah had some advice coming, and if it was a first and last time he didn't want to miss it.

"Yes, she wants me to believe in God. Do you know how hard that is, Lidia? I can't have a relationship with Bethanie because I don't believe in God." he buried his face in his hands and awaited her advice.

"Why don't you believe in God?" she asked, her eyes locked on his.

"So much has gone wrong in my life, Lidia. My wife died, my girls are without a mother, my mother who's helped me raise those babies had a stroke last year. Why? If there is a God, He sure doesn't care about me!" he felt the anger at God boiling up inside of him.

"So whenever things don't go your way you pull away, is that it? How about with your horses, if they don't win a race do you get rid of them?"

He frowned, "I don't race my horses."

"Stick with the imaginary scenario!"

"Okay, okay, no I wouldn't get rid of them. I love them." His frown deepend as he said the words and heard them with his own ears.

"Then maybe you need to reconsider what you feel for God, T.C." she smiled and patted his shoulder, "Get over yourself, talk to God, and then to Bethanie. Things will work out right, I know that." With that she walked past him up into the house and left him to think.

Sighing, he looked up toward the sky, "I'm going to give this another try. I want to have you in my life, God. I know that I've been selfish, made mistakes, but I want another chance. I know you give many chances, my mom has told me that too many times to count. I'm going to need a little help with this and with Bethanie. Please show me the way."

--

Lidia smiled as she looked out the window and saw T.C. get up and climb into his truck. Finally the big cowboy would leave, find Bethanie, and talk. Hopefully. The back door to Jazzi's apartment creaked open. "Hello?" she called, turning the corner.

Jazzi stood in the doorway with a smug smile on her face, "Nice lecture, Oprah."

"Shut up!"

"Make me!" Jazzi stuck her tongue out at her.

"So, what do you think about T.C. and Bethanie, will they get back together?" she asked her friend as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

Jazzelle nodded, "They've made progress. Really, they have. I know it doesn't look like it quite yet, but it will. And when it does, it's time to move onto Andre."

"Right, Andre, but what about you?" Lidia smiled at her friend knowing Jazzi would once again turn down any rights to matchmaking.

"Don't worry about me, Lid, I'll be fine. Just fine."

"Exactly, but will you be happy?" leaving her friend with those words, she stood and walked to the refridgerator pulling out a bottled water.

"One session of advice and she's turned into Dr. Phil. Geez." Jazzi shook her head.

"You aren't much better my friend, you aren't much better." Lidia smiled handing Jazzi a bottle of water as well.

"Oh well, are you ready to get started on that book we talked about?" her friend stood and started walking toward her office.

"Um-hum...and nice change of subject by the way."

"I thought so!"