Sunday, September 14th. It started out like any other Sunday. I woke up at eight o’clock, got ready for church, and left at eight-thirty .I got to church at eight-forty-five, and helped Kim set up the chairs for the service. Bo and the band were practicing for the worship service, and David Scott was in the youth room setting up for a game he was playing with the middle schoolers.
“Hey Beth,” he said when I walked in, “What’s cookin’?”
“Do you need any extra help tonight?” I asked, “Do you want me to come early for worship team?”
David shook his head, “Nope,” he said, “But I will need you to drive some kids when we go to the Corn Maze next week.”
“Alright,” I said, “Text me with more details if you need to.”
He nodded and left to go greet people at the door. I made myself comfortable with a cup of green tea and a cookie while I sat down in the welcome center to wait for Victoria and Ron. The side door opened, and an Emmy, a youth kid, walked in, followed by a tall man with messy hair and glasses. He looked very familiar.
“Hey Beth!” Emmy said, walking over to me.
“Who’s this?” I asked,
“Ben Anderson,” Emmy said, “He moved in down the street from me.”
I looked up at the man. Of course it was Ben; I would recognize that messy hair and those piercing blue eyes anywhere. I stood up to shake his hand, and then saw that he was holding on to something, or someone.
He held the hand of a small blonde girl with green eyes. She was absolutely adorable, but of course I knew who she was, and when she said next confirmed my suspicions.
“Daddy?” she looked up at Ben, “Where are the other kids?”
Ben looked over at Emily
“Report,” he said, “Is there a children’s church?”
Emmy nodded, “Right this way sir,” she said, “See you later Beth!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fj7iEMJIM
I waved slightly, and Ben looked back at me with a confused expression. Right as he reached the door, his eyes widened and he turned around. His expression told me that he had recognized me.
Vic and Ron walked into the welcome area to find me sitting on a stool with a blank expression on my face.
“What happened?” Ron asked, sitting down next to me, “Why are you all…blanky?”
“Ben’s here.” I said, “He just walked out.”
Victoria rolled her eyes, “Of course he’s here, this is his home church”
I shook my head
“Why did he leave?” Ron asked
“He went up to the Pathfinders building,” I said, “He had to drop off his daughter.”
Silence from my friends.
“Ohhh.” Vic said, “That makes sense.”
“How does that make sense?” I said quietly, “What are you trying to say here?”
“What does she look like?” Ron popped in, “Does she look like him at all?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp08D9HzRoP
I thought about it for a moment,
“She’s blonde with blue eyes,” I said, “He’s a dark haired with grey eyes.”
“Did you see a wife?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGu1zdMdW4d
I shook my head, “Apparently he lives down the street from Emmy.”
Vic muttered a few obscenities underneath her breath. Ron started to say something but apparently thought better of it. I silently congratulated him.
“Well Ben can…” Vic started to say something but was cut off by the opening song playing from the sanctuary.
“C’mon,” I said, glad of the distraction, “Let’s go.”
---*line break*---
After the service, Ron, Vic, and I were standing in the 164 building, waiting for Ben to come pick his daughter up. It was very loud in the echoing building, all of the kids were talking and playing. The door pushed open and a gust of early autumn wind blew into the space, and Ben Anderson walked through, adjusting his glasses and looking around adamantly. Emmy walked upstairs to grab the little girl and Ben stood awkwardly in the space.
“Ben!” Ron yelled from across the room, “Ben!”
Victoria shushed him furiously but Ben had already looked our way. His face flushed as he walked over to us.
“Hey…” he said, “Glad to see you guys again.”
Awkward silence. If looks could kill, Vic would have burned Ben on the spot.
“So,” I said, “What are you doing all the way up in 164?”
Ben blushed again, “I’m picking up…”
“Daddy!”
We were interrupted by the little girl from before running across room and latching herself to Ben’s leg.
“Hey Mera,” he said, “Were you good?”
The little girl, Mera, nodded.
“Well that’s good,” Ben said, turning back towards us, “I came up here to pick up Meredith.”
Vic’s eyes were wide, and I grabbed her hand, pulling her back slightly.
“How old is she?” Ron asked nonchalantly.
“Three,” Ben said, “I found her soon after I moved to California.”
“Found her?” Ron inquired,
“She just showed up on my porch one evening,” Ben said, “I don’t know why, but I took her to the courthouse and I’m her legal guardian now.”
He looked over at the little girl with such adoration in his stormy eyes, I felt all of my anger and irritations melt.
“Well,” he said, “I’ve got to go now. It was a pleasure seeing you all again, we will simply have to get together some time.”
He swung Mera up on his hip, and left without another word.
“So…” Ron said, “He didn’t cheat on you.”
Vic and I both turned to glare at Ron. He backed away and put his hands up in surrender.
“I was just making a point,” he said, “I’ll be going now.”
He practically ran out of the space.
“He does realize you’ve got the keys right?” I asked Vic,
“Probably not,” she said, “Why am I marrying him?”
I laughed and followed her out of 164.
----------------------------------------------------
When I got home, I logged on to see if there were any messaged from CD. There were.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBytMva83fV
CaptainDad07: Today I met, (re-met), an ex-girlfriend for the first time in years.
ArmyDaughter01: Me too.
AD: *ex-boyfriend, not girlfriend: P
CD: Ha-Ha, I was confused for a sec.
AD: It’s awkward isn’t it?
CD: Yeah, especially since I have a daughter, and even though my daughter isn’t directly related to me, I think I gave her the wrong idea when she met me. She thought I cheated on her.
AD: Oh jeez, did you explain?413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjnaiEZC9m
CD: A bit.
AD: Explanations are always what a girl wants.
CD: Ha-Ha, you would know.
AD: Of course, fluffs hair, I’m a girl.
413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzTG39B2cU
We chatted for a little while longer, and then he signed off. I sat back in my chair and thought about everything that had happened.
I wasn’t mad at Ben, not anymore. But he sure had some explaining to do.
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