Like Two Sparrows in a Hurricane (1)

[MAL]

12/4 (Sunday)
I arrived at Sunday school class with my Starbucks in hand as always. If I get up early enough for Sunday school, that is my treat. If my younger son is with me that weekend, he gets something too.

When I walked in I told RC I forgot that he likes Starbucks and said that if I am in a “good mood next week maybe I’ll bring you something. What do you like?” He told me and I made a mental note.

Class went on as usual and I sat beside him like I used to do. When class was over I asked him to take my stuff into the sanctuary and told him I was singing with the choir. He looked at me in shock. I said “I told you God apparently had some plans for me!” I could tell how happy he was. Then I said “Oh yeah, I’m singing a solo tonight for Hanging of the Greens too. Pray for me?” Bigger smile from RC after that and then he laughed. “Good Deal!”

When I walked up with the choir, the woman from our class (the one that I talked to at the Harvests Festival) leaned over and asked “Are you and RC back together?” I responded “We’re just talking.” She responded “I think the two of you will get back together. I think you two belong together.” What a nice thing to say and I hoped she was right. But I was trying not to get my hopes up.

I loved singing in the choir. When we finished I went down to where RC was sitting and there was all my stuff. I sat beside him like I usually would do. There was more distance than there used to be obviously. So I do get that we “are not together anymore.”

During church, he did his usual, put the coat behind my back thing. I had a big smile come across my face and I caught him out of the corner of my eye. He saw the big smile and he smiled. A few minutes later, I reached over to squeeze his hand and I whispered “Thank you.” I pulled my hand back too quickly apparently; because I missed his hand coming down to grab mine. I think he was just going to squeeze back, but all the same, I missed it. (Note to self – don’t be in such a hurry. I know you’re scared.)

We did the usual hang around and talk after church. But RC and I lingered in the church parking lot for at least an hour after. We talked and talked and talked. Neither of us was in a hurry to leave. While we were talking a young couple drove up. They said they were looking for a church to get married in. So RC and I took them into the church for a tour. Judy and her husband were still wrapping up some things and they have the couple some information and I gave them a business card with the church’s information on it.

How ironic that RC and I would give the tour. Funny.

RC and I finally stopped talking (can’t remember what time it was) but it was mid-afternoon by then.

I took my younger son to get our new cell phones (we had to get new phones by the end of the month anyway) and by the time we got home, I had to get ready for Hanging of the Greens.

I put on my prettiest Christmas sweater and made sure I sparkled and shined. My first solo and I had to make it special.

I got there early so I would be able to figure out the details. When my friend Kelly arrived, she walked up and hugged me and said “You look beautiful.” When RC arrived she had him take our pictures. She told me “If he doesn’t notice how great you look, the man is blind.” Big smile. We all sat together and the program was great.

I was shaking when I got up for my solo. I started with a story of one Christmas Eve many years ago, a night I had to stay home with my Grandma while my family went to church. Silent Night was the song I sang her that night and it made her cry. I won’t explain all of that now, maybe later. But I talked about what the song meant to me, I talked about forgiveness and salvation. Then I sang my song.

It went well. Not my best performance, but in a situation like that, you really can’t do anything wrong. It was from the heart and it was for my grandma. That is all that really mattered.

I went to hug the pianist after, because she had been so great working with me on the song. She had tears streaming down her face. Wow. That was a great moment.

I sat back down near RC and he leaned over and whispered “I was listening and thought to myself, Yep, her Grandma would have liked that. She would have been proud.” Big Smile.

After the service we all gathered in the fellowship hall for desserts. This time RC asked me where I was sitting and he sat beside me. We all had fun, talking as usual, with all our church friends there.

RC walked me to my car after and we stood there and talked for awhile. Minutes turned into 1.5 hours. We ended being the only ones left at the church. At one point he stopped me to point out something he could hear. It was the ocean several blocks away. He said “I think the wind shifted and you can hear it now.” There was silence for a few minutes as we listened to the ocean. When I finally looked at the time on my phone it was almost 11pm. We stood there THAT long talking. Interesting.


I think we could have easily stayed there much longer, and he would not have minded. But we both had work in the morning, and I had a 20 minute drive ahead of me to get home.

Under normal circumstances that could have been pretty romantic. But I was trying to keep things real and in check and not read too much into it.

I gave him the usual “one ring text” when I got home to let him know I was okay.