GRACE MET BRIAN at the church on Saturday morning. Half a dozen other adults showed up to chaperone the teen outing at Zuma Beach. Charlie, one of the church deacons, drove the bus while Brian talked with the kids. He’d loaded his iPhone with Christian rock music. The teenage girls sitting behind Grace thought Samuel was adorable. Grace turned sideways on the bus seat so she could hold him while talking with them. One asked if she was the lady who went to Lawry’s with Pastor Brian. Grace admitted she was.
A pretty girl with a pierced eyebrow and a butterfly tattoo on her neck leaned forward. “He’s so cool. Anyone would want to be his girlfriend.”
She wanted to quell any gossip. “Pastor Brian is very nice, and we’re friends. That’s why I came along to help today.”
The two teenage girls shared a smiling look and changed the subject.
As soon as the bus driver turned in to the beach parking area, Brian assigned teens to help unload supplies and claim an area for the barbecue. “No shirkers! Help each other.” He worked harder than anyone. It was early, breezy and cold, but beach enthusiasts were already arriving. The chill would soon be gone, the sun out, and the beach packed. Girls complained of being cold. Brian drafted help to put up a volleyball net and got a game going. Within minutes, sweatshirts were tossed.
Several girls descended on Grace and asked if they could hold the baby. Seeing that Samuel was more than happy with them, Grace joined the game.
By noon, the sun was high and hot and everyone glistened with sunblock. Brian and the teens bodysurfed or took turns riding boogie boards. Most of the adults didn’t want to get their feet wet. Grace went in knee-deep, holding Samuel in front of her so he could feel the frothy salt water tickle his toes. Squealing in delight, he kicked his legs. Laughing, Grace felt lighthearted and happy for the first time in months.
Brian joined her. “He wants to swim already.”
A day in the sun made the teens mellow and ready to talk on the drive back. Grace admired the way Brian connected with his kids. He joked with them and easily turned light conversation into the more serious discussion of faith and what it meant to walk with God. When asked pointed questions, he shared some of his own struggles and mistakes. Surprised, Grace listened to him talk about sex and the challenge of staying chaste until marriage. Several teased him at first, but a few exchanged glances telling Grace they might have already gone too far.
“All our friends are having sex, Pastor.”
“It can seem that way.” Brian rested his arm on the back of the seat. “Everyone was saying it was okay in my day, too.” Several said sex was no big thing anymore. As long as the two parties consented, it was no one else’s business. “It’s God’s business,” Brian said firmly. “Don’t kid yourself. Sex has always been a big thing. Let me tell you what I’ve learned.” He had their complete attention. “Girls play at sex to get love, and guys play at love to get sex. Charlene and I wanted to do everything God’s way. That meant staying virgins until we got married.”
“How’d you manage that?” a boy asked from the back, and another gave a crude answer. A girl told him to shut up.
Brian held up his hand. “Brady asked a question. How did we manage to stay virgins? We pushed up the wedding date.” The kids all laughed at that. “We got married while we were still in college. We had six great years together before I lost her in a car accident.” Anyone looking at his face would know he still loved and missed her. “What I’m trying to tell you is sex is powerful. In the right context, it’s a beautiful gift from God. Used in the wrong way, it can wound and break hearts. It can ruin lives.”
Grace could attest to that.
The conversation moved to drugs and partying, music and parents. Brian walked forward and talked to the deacon driving the bus. Then he faced the group. “Who’s hungry?” Hands shot up. Brian grinned. “That’s good, because we’re stopping for pizza.” The kids whooped and cheered.
The bus pulled into a Round Table, and everyone piled out and headed inside. Grace sat with two girls while Brian went from booth to booth, talking with the kids. A boy who was not part of their group sat in a booth nearby. Brian paused to talk to him, too. After a couple of minutes, he slid into the seat facing him. Grace thought of Roman. He was a loner, too, though he wasn’t as unapproachable as he’d seemed at first.
The kids were quiet on the ride back to the church. Some slept. Others talked in low voices. Samuel slept on Grace’s lap, his head against her chest. Brian looked at him and smiled at her. “Nothing like the sleep of the innocent.” His mouth tipped. “We’d just gotten the word we were expecting when Charlene was in the accident. Our baby would have been almost four years old now.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Brian.” Grace didn’t know what else to say.
“You can’t take anything for granted in life.” His expression softened. “I’m glad you came along today. The kids took to you.”
“They took to Samuel.”
“He’s a charmer.” He got up and moved again, checking on people one by one.
As soon as the bus pulled into the church parking lot, the students gathered their beach towels and bags and met parents in the parking lot, or headed for their own cars. Brian was busy, talking to the adults, making sure everyone had a ride home. Grace secured Samuel in his car seat. When she straightened, Brian joined her. “I hope you had a good time.”
She smiled at him. “The best in quite a while.”
“Glad to hear it. We didn’t have as much time together as I hoped. Sorry about that.”
They hadn’t had more than five minutes at a time all day, but she’d spent most of the day observing Brian Henley, and learned a lot about how he viewed and treated people. Even strangers like the boy sitting alone in a booth at the pizza parlor. “You have great rapport with your group, Brian. They listen to you and respect you.” Clearly, he had earned both. “Samuel had fun, too.” She laughed. “All those pretty teenage girls gushing over him.”
“Every boy’s dream.”
“I had ten babysitters begging for work.”
“And all of them hoping to someday have a cute little baby just like him.”
“Hopefully not under the same circumstances.” She spoke without thinking and blushed. When Brian looked at her, she lifted her shoulders. “Not all of us were as wise as you and Charlene.”
“Is it something you want to talk about?”
Was he putting on his counselor’s hat? “Not today.” Maybe never. So much depended on how well she and Brian got along.
Brian didn’t press. “I’d like to see you again. Outside church activities.”
“I’d like that, too.” Grace opened the driver’s side door and slid into the seat. She put the key in the ignition and lowered the window. Hooking on her seat belt, she looked up at Brian. “Thank you for inviting me along today.”
Brian put his hands on the door and leaned down. “Glad you could make it. How about dinner Monday night? It’s my day off. I’ll pick you up at your place? All I need is the address.” Pleased, she gave him the information. She hadn’t expected him to ask her out so soon, if he did at all. Especially after her precipitous remark. He pushed himself back from her car. “Drive carefully. I’ll see you day after tomorrow.”