Tempted by Robyn Carr

Author:Robyn Carr [Carr, Robyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liza Dawson Associates
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The most remarkable thing in the entire world must be bypass surgery. Charlie went home within ten days of his admittance, and in better shape than ever. The day after the surgery he was up and walking. Two weeks after the surgery he was home. He had a new diet, a few pills to take, an exercise routine to follow, and the doctor was going to let him go back to work part-time in six weeks. Even Delores, who loved to worry, settled down.

April came and the snow melted. So did Bev. A little. She could say “I love you” to Joe without looking devastated. She was saying it with a smile now and then. To the congregation at Joe's church she wouldn't confirm or deny any specific relationship. She admitted to liking Joe yet steadfastly promised never to marry him. She would not ever be a minister's wife. So she joined the Bible study and started helping Joe with the youth group. Beverly wasn't very convincing.

Beverly let April turn into a month of debates. She didn't always agree with Joe and was amazed that he didn't seem to expect her to. In fact, he seemed to encourage her own ideas. But she didn't buy it yet. She wouldn't pray with him.

In private she tried it out. You could get out of practice with that sort of thing. She only needed a sign.

A minor miracle would clinch it. She didn't consider the current happiness in her life to be any special favor. That was Joe. And Joe was mortal.

Beverly admitted to Joe that she didn't think they could make it together. They were too different. She liked a stiff drink and sex that wasn't sacred. She didn't ask him if that mattered, she just assumed it would. After all, he was a minister. Wow.

Joe checked with her from time to time to see if she was making any progress. He was only in a hurry, he explained, because being with her all the time and not being married to her was extremely hard on his nerves.

But Beverly didn't want to change her life. She lived a good life, did not commit any really serious sins; well, so what if she said damn a lot? Damn was a damn good word if you wanted the meaning of something to really stick, right? But she stopped putting God in front of it without really noticing. Joe told her to shut up and listen and maybe she would find out that He didn't even have any changes in mind. And she said she didn't want to be spiritual and pure and dull. And he laughed.

Beverly quit smoking. It didn't have anything to do with God or with Joe. She quit because she wanted to quit. You couldn't smoke at church and she was spending so damn much time there, she had just about lost the habit. There were some definite changes in Beverly and everyone could see it but her. John was glad.

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