Just a Click Away

Chapter 9

     The following day was Sunday, and it dawned clear and bright. Leslie ran around the apartment like a mad woman, trying to ready herself for Sunday school. She had already dressed in a grey, pencil skirt, white button-up blouse, and a shiny, red belt. Her hair was in a thick braid that reached the middle of her back. She decided to wear her glasses that day, which she wasn't thrilled about, but her allergies were making her eyes itch enough without the contact lenses causing more aggravation. Now she was frantically tapping her foot and eyeing the clock as she waited for the cinnamon rolls to finish baking. She usually brought breakfast for the girls. Most of them came on the bus, and their parents didn't take the time to fix them a proper breakfast. After what seemed like an eternity and a half, the timer beeped, and she was able to take the steaming pastries out of the oven.

Once she had set them on a rack to cool, she took Waldo outdoors for his final chance to use the facilities before she left for the morning. She couldn't help but notice Greg's pickup parked in front of the building directly to her right. Inwardly she wished he would come out, but she quickly replaced her wish with the assumption that he probably didn't go to church, and most likely was still asleep, plus he had a girlfriend, so that should be the end of it. "Ok Waldo, your time's up! Mommy's got to go to church!" Waldo came scampering to her side, and they returned to the apartment.

Leslie quickly frosted the cinnamon rolls, put Waldo in his kennel, and grabbed her purse and Bible. As she walked to her Civic, she noticed that Greg's pickup was no longer in the parking place where it had been a few moments ago. "I guess he deserves more credit than I gave him! He's an early riser."

Once she arrived at the Liberty Baptist Church, Leslie quickly made her way to her Sunday school classroom. She was right on time, but it bothered her that she wasn't early. She hated making the girls wait for her, since the bus usually arrived earlier than the official starting time for the class. When she entered the room she saw her usual ten girls waiting for her, and a new girl she hadn't met before. After setting the cinnamon rolls on the table, she walked to the visitor, and said, "I'm Miss Leslie! It is wonderful to have you here today! What is your name?"

The girl was clearly very shy, and kept her gaze fixed on the grey carpet as she said, "My name is Ashley Webber"

"Well, I'm thrilled to have you here today, Ashley! I don't know if you have had breakfast already, but you are welcome to a roll."

Ashley did not need to be offered twice, the scent of the hot cinnamon rolls was filling the room, and several of the other girls were already sampling them; giggling as the gooey filling dripped onto one girl's shirt.

Leslie heard someone enter the room, but her back was to the door, so she didn't see who had come in before hearing a voice say, "Is this Miss Martin's classroom? If so, I hear you have a new student who will be in the youth group during the main church service."

At this point, Leslie turned around to answer, and was pleasantly surprised to see Greg's muscular frame fill the doorway. As good as he looked in that sweater the other day, she had to admit that the sight of him in a suit and tie was not an assault to her eyesight at all. In fact, the charcoal grey suit, and navy tie suited him quite nicely.

"Greg? I had no idea that you came to church here!" Leslie did her best to keep her composure, but somehow he always threw her off balance.

"Leslie! It's great to see you! I just started coming with my friends, Will and Jenna Fielding. I joined last Sunday, and have started working in the youth department with them." Greg's mind went to the message he had sent her the night before. She must not have had time to answer it yet, because he had checked and not seen a response.