揂nother reason not to get married if you live in a small town,?she whispered as she turned to the page where her bookmark had been placed. She read through five pages and then laid the book aside when she realized she was looking at the words but not remembering a single detail.
The leftover lemon pound cake in the kitchen seemed to be calling her name, so she slung her legs over the side of the bed, stood up, and headed down the dark hallway to the sanctuary/bar. Someday the doorway would be closed, and one made from right outside her bedroom into the kitchen. That would be a lot handier for Risa since they had decided to use one of the Sunday school rooms for a pantry. She抎 already asked Wade and Oscar to build lots of shelves in the room to hold big quantities of staple food.
揌ey,?Wade said from the pulpit, where he was sitting in the dark.
Jessica flipped on the lights and sat down beside him. 揧ou having trouble sleeping, too??
揧ep,?he answered. 揑 sure am.?
揥hat抯 on your mind??Jessica thought he was trying to figure out something about the placement of the bar.
揑抳e got this favor to ask, and it抯 so personal that I don抰 know how to begin,?he said.
揓ust spit it out,?she said.
揝parky had lived in the back of his store at one time, but when I rented the building from him, the room was filled with old tires and batteries. It did have a tiny bathroom with a shower.?Wade stared off into space as he talked.
揧ou are welcome to use my shower anytime you want,?Jessica said. 揑s that what you抮e trying to ask me??
揧ep,?Wade said with a nod. 揑抳e been washing up in the men抯 bathroom off the foyer, but after two days of sweating, I would love a shower.?
揟hen go on back there and take one. There should be plenty of hot water left even though I stood under the water for an extra ten minutes,?Jessica told him. 揟owels are on the ladder-back chair beside the shower.?
揟hank you, but I can go get my own towel,?he said as he stood up.
揟hat抯 not necessary,?Jessica said. 揥e抳e got the washer and dryer in the kitchen, so just toss the towels in the basket out there. We抣l be doing laundry nearly every day, so it抯 no problem. Feel free to do your washing here at the bar rather than going into town.?
揟hanks,?Wade said with another nod. 揑 hated to ask, but . . .?
揌ey,?Jessica butted in, 搘e抮e partners in this business and friends, I hope, so don抰 ever feel like that.?She couldn抰 control her thoughts, though, and they went to the fact that Wade would be using her shower and brushing his teeth at her vanity. But what was even more disturbing was the visual she got of the two of them sharing that shower.
揟hanks for that, too,?he said. 揑抣l go out to the trailer and get clean clothes and my shaving kit.?
揑抣l be in the kitchen when you get done,?she told him. 揟hat leftover lemon cake is what brought me out of the bedroom. I抣l save you a slice.?
揑 would love one, and maybe a cup of coffee to go with it.?He waved over his shoulder as he left the bar.
Jessica closed her eyes and pictured the bedroom. The bed was rumpled because she抎 been stretched out trying to read. Her towels were hung over the shower rod and there was underwear in the clothes basket. She hurried back to the hallway, slung the towels into her basket and carried it to the kitchen, put a week抯 white clothing into the washer, and started it. She and Wade were partners and friends, but from now on she would keep her dirty-clothes basket in the closet. There was something way too personal about him seeing her underpants梕ven in a plastic basket.
The coffeepot was still half-full from what had been made at supper, so she figured they could heat up a mugful each in the microwave. She took the pound cake from the refrigerator and sliced off four pieces; put them on a couple of plates, which she set on the table; and then sat down to wait.
The picture of him in the shower popped into her head again, but she blinked it away and replaced it with that huge baptismal in the sanctuary. She wandered out there to stare at it for a few minutes. Then she opened the side door leading up the stairs to the edge of the thing and would have stepped down into it if it hadn抰 been coated with dust and spiderwebs. She remembered when she was baptized back when she was thirteen years old. The preacher had said something about leaving her old self behind when she went under the water and being a new soul when she came up out of it.
揑s that what I抦 doing these days? I抦 leaving my old life behind and beginning a new one with this bar and my friends??she wondered out loud.
Yes, you are, Elijah whispered so softly that she expected to see him in the baptismal. You抳e got my blessing, so to hell with Stella and everyone that stands with her.