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“Yesterday?”
Oops. Someone might have been enjoying her vacation a little too much. “I can finish it today.”
“I’m sure he’d like that. I’m heading to the church shortly, so I’ll mention it when I see him at the office.”
“Um, can I come?” Doing something productive had to be better than feeling lonely here. “I can help if there are things needing doing.”
Ange’s eyes lit, but all she said was, “That would be fine. I’m sure John will find you something to do.”
An hour later they were in John’s office in the former minister’s house, which had been converted to ministry use when John had taken on the position five years ago after moving from the city. Former bedrooms were church offices, the living spaces used by various groups for meals or small functions. The décor was faded and somewhat mismatched, suggesting the priority was on people, not appearances.
John clicked through the slideshow Sarah had started weeks ago. “So, do you think you could give a presentation about this on Sunday?”
“You mean actually speak out the front?”
“It’s not like you haven’t done that kind of thing before.”
True.
“And it’s not like you need to focus on this.” He paused the slides on a picture of Stephen.
She stared at the image, the paler face amid a sea of brown-skinned children, all grinning at the camera. Stephen’s last missions trip. After which he’d proposed.
“We could be in ministry together, Sarah,” he’d said. “You with your teaching, me with my medical degree.”
It had been hard not to get swept up in his plans—he’d always been strong-minded—and it had only been when he’d started urging her to switch her focus from music to English teaching—“It’s much more practical”—that she’d realized just how much his personal goals had begun to swamp hers. Thus the source of their argument on that last, fateful drive.
Memories whirled, and she blinked, suddenly woozy.
“Sarah? You okay?”
She sucked in a breath and slowly exhaled. “Yes.”
“So you’ll do it?”
Do what? Oh, the talk. “Uh, sure. How long would you want me to speak for?”
“Five, ten minutes. Whatever you think best.”
Not at allwas her version of best. “Two minutes it is, then.”
“I’ll take what I can get. Oh, that reminds me, do you think you’d be interested in joining our music team here?”
“Let’s not get carried away now, John.”
His lips tweaked with good humor. “Think about it and let me know.”
“That, I can do. Now, what’s happening with the admin area? I noticed it’s a little messy out there.” She gestured to the adjoining room, where a desk sign proclaimedChurch Secretarybut with no secretary in sight.
“Ah. Trudy is on vacation in Alberta seeing her grandkids. I’m supposed to get a newsletter together, but it’s not really something either Ange or I enjoy.”
“Lucky for you, it’s something I enjoy.” The trifecta of purpose, ministry, and creativity. “May I?”
“Really?”
“I’ve done it for Dad lots of times. I know how challenging ministry life can be, and you and Ange have been so good to me, so it’s the least I can do.” She seated herself at the desk. “Now, show me how to turn on this dinosaur of a computer, and tell me what you want included.”
The next dayspassed in a welter of reading, church work, therapeutic stretching, and swims. The loneliness induced by Dan’s absence gradually lessened as she slowly got to know more of John and Ange’s congregation—people like Serena, who worked in the events department of Muskoka Shores, and Jenny, whom she’d met weeks ago at the Pilates class and who wanted to know when Sarah would return.
