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“I’m hoping that their parents will be there, which might help to keep them from misbehaving.”
“That will hopefully work for them. As I recall, it wasn’t much of a deterrent for Reese.”
That made Janessa laugh. “Yep. Same for Wilder.”
“Where is he these days?”
For the next little while, they chatted about their siblings’ lives. It was an easy subject, and Will hoped that Janessa could see how good things could be for them. Though their personalities might be quite different, he believed that they were complementary, and they had other things in common, too.
They didn’t linger long after they’d finished with their food. Since they were on a schedule, they didn’t have much choice. But maybe that was for the best.
“I plan to be at the church a little before five since Evelyn wanted the teens there at five,” Janessa said as they walked to their cars.
“Yep. I’ll be there around the same time, if not earlier, as I don’t want any unsupervised teens hanging around the church.”
After saying goodbye, Will headed for his apartment. He took a quick shower to get rid of any sweat he might have worked up while moving around the tables and chairs. After making sure his beard was neatly trimmed, he dressed in a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt. It was the uniform for the night for the servers, so he wanted to look the part.
He left his apartment around four-thirty, and when he got to the church, there were already more cars in the parking lot than there had been when they’d left earlier. Janessa’s car wasn’t there yet, however.
The delicious aroma of food greeted him as he stepped into the foyer. He may have eaten not that long ago, but it smelled so good that he’d happily eat again.
As he jogged down the stairs, he heard the low murmur of conversation. As soon as he walked into the large room, he could see that someone had been hard at work. The tables were now all set, including the fall themed centerpieces.
There was a small podium placed just inside the door, which was where someone would stand to check tickets. Given there were a limited number of seats available, no one would be allowed in without a ticket, which had been available for the past several weeks. He wasn’t sure who was going to be manning the podium, but he was sure that it would be someone who could firmly enforce the rule while not offending anyone.
“Hello, Will,” Evelyn said as he approached her. “You look very nice.”
“Thanks.” He smoothed his hand down the front of his shirt. “I want to make sure I fit in with the teens who are serving in case I have to jump in to help at some point.”
“I’m grateful that you and Janessa are willing to do that.”
“Will there be food available for the servers?” Will asked.
She nodded. “Once all the tables have been served, half the servers can eat while the others continue to make sure the guests have what they need. Then once the first group of servers are done eating, they can swap. There’s a table set up in the corner for them.”
Will looked in the direction she pointed, then said, “Thanks. It would be torture to smell that wonderful food and then not get a chance to eat some of it.”
Evelyn smiled. “We appreciate all of the people who have volunteered, so we’d like them to also enjoy the evening.”
Will was glad that Evelyn acknowledged the people helping out. Though people should be willing to help without reward, Will knew from his time as a teen in the church that it always felt great when someone voiced their appreciation of his efforts. He wanted the teens helping that night to also feel appreciated. It would make them more likely to volunteer again.
Janessa arrived a few minutes later. She was dressed similarly to him in black pleated slacks and a loose white blouse. Her hair was pulled back smoothly, with her shiny and well-defined curls gathered on the back of her head. Silver hoops and a simple chair adorned her ears and her neck. She wore more makeup than she usually did, highlighting her already beautiful features.
Will had never really thought much about Janessa’s appearance, but that was true for how he viewed most people. His parents had taught them to look for beauty in a person’s words and actions, not in how they looked.
When he’d first started dating Daphne, he’d thought she was lovely inside and out. She hadn’t been Casey-level beautiful, but she’d been friendly and bubbly, which had been part of what had drawn him to her. Of course, he hadn’t really known her very well before they’d started dating.
Janessa, on the other hand, he knew very well. She might have prickly moments, but she also willingly helped those who were in need, and he’d heard from plenty of people that they enjoyed interacting with her when they had to go to the clinic. So even though she was a beautiful woman, he knew her beauty wasn’t only skin-deep.
When the first of the teens arrived, Will was glad to see that they had followed the requested dress code. A couple of them wore white long-sleeved T-shirts, but they were clean and pressed, so he wasn’t going to complain. He knew that not every teen would own a more formal shirt.
Evelyn came to talk to him and Janessa, reiterating the serving instructions. Will could see the tension in the older woman’s expression, but she remained calm despite that.
Once the majority of the servers had arrived, they gathered them off to the side to go over everything one last time.
“What if we spill something?” one of the guys asked.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Janessa assured him. “If it happens, apologize, and then come get me or Will. If you try not to rush, you should be okay. Basically, just pay attention and don’t goof off.”
