Changing Her Heart

If there was anything she’d learned from all her hardships growing up, it was the pain of what it was like to do without. When she started going to church and the people there discovered the financial plight of her family, many stepped in to help. Their out-pouring of kindness, help and financial assistance was the first thing that opened her heart, as well as the hearts of her family, to God’s love. At times it was humiliating to take charity. But it was also a lesson in how to accept graciously, as well as how to give sacrificially.

That was why she wanted to give Randy a ride home every day. Simply because he needed it. There was no other reason. Really.

She jerked her hand away from the phone and continued with her task of checking inventory for the sidewalk sale, but she was soon interrupted by a customer.

The woman closed her eyes briefly and inhaled deeply as she slid a pair of earrings toward the cash register. “It’s really hot out there. It must be so nice to work in here, where it’s air-conditioned.”

Lacey sighed. “Maybe, but I’m missing out on one of the last really hot days of the summer. It’s different when you don’t have a choice.”

The woman shrugged her shoulders. “Suit yourself.”

After the woman left, the comment about the hot weather outside stuck on Lacey like a burr. When the rush died down, she retrieved her lunch from the fridge and called out to Kate, “I’m going to take my break outside. I’ll see you in half an hour.”

Lacey smiled at the blast of heat as she stepped outside and headed straight for the small park next door. A gazebo sheltered people from the hot sun, and beside the gazebo, a patch of trees provided shade, where a number of people were sitting or lying on blankets. Blankets weren’t her thing, but half an hour of sunshine sure was.

On the other side of the park a few benches lined the sidewalk, which was beside a small bed of flowers. Unlike the gazebo and the area under the trees, the benches were vacant because they were in the full sun.

Lacey headed for the benches.

Everything was fairly quiet, until the sound of a soft, clattery rumble began. She turned her head to see a lone man on inline skates approaching from the other side of the park.

She recognized the man, even from the distance.

Since he was coming quite fast, Lacey moved to the side of the path so he could pass without difficulty.

“Hi, Randy,” she said as he whizzed past.

The noise of the skates on the cement sidewalk stopped instantly. Lacy spun around, expecting to see Randy lying on the ground. Her heart pounded as she watched him, running on the grass, slowing his speed until he came to a stop. He turned around, stepped back onto the sidewalk and skated back to her.

“Lacey? What are you doing out here?” He switched the box he was carrying to his other hand and checked his watch.

She held up her lunch bag. “I’m taking a late break. What are you doing out here at this hour?”

He held out the box and grinned. “I missed my doughnuts last night, so I went to the doughnut shop on my coffee break.”

“You couldn’t get a doughnut in the mall?”

He shook his head. “These are special. You can’t get these in the mall.” He opened the box, displaying a half-dozen specialty Boston Cremes. “Want one? They’re my favorite.”

She reached forward, then froze before she actually touched one. “I shouldn’t. I haven’t had my lunch yet.”

“It’s okay. I promise not to tell your mother that you had your dessert before the main course.”

Lacey’s stomach churned. She still wasn’t sure that she wanted to introduce him to her mother, but by inviting him to Bryce’s party, she’d opened herself up to her mother’s justifiable curiosity.

Grinning, Randy held the box out, and winked. Lacey’s fingers trembled as she reached into the box. “Speaking of my mother and the party, I still haven’t figured out how to get you into the house early enough to set everything up before everyone else gets there.”

“I don’t know, either,” Randy mumbled as he bit into one of the doughnuts. “All I do know is that I won’t be available until after eleven-thirty, because that’s when my church’s service ends.”

“Really? My church ends the service at noon.” Lacey’s mind raced and she stiffened, steeling her courage in order to ask her question. “How about if I go to church with you? Then we could be back at Mom’s house half an hour earlier than everyone else. Would that be enough time to set up the computer for Bryce? That’s about the amount of time I’ll need to do the food.”

“Yeah. It would,” Randy said around the doughnut sticking out his mouth, keeping it clenched between his teeth as he closed the lid of the box and tried to press the tape back down. Unable to make the tape stick, he grasped the doughnut again and took it out of his mouth so he could speak. “I’ve been thinking. What is Bryce going to say when he sees me with you at his birthday party? Do you think he’ll be okay with that?”

Lacey nodded and hurried to swallow her bite of the pastry. “Of course he’ll be fine with it. In fact, I’m almost sure that the two of you will spend quite a bit of time together with the computer, after all the excitement dies down a bit.”

Randy’s eyes widened, and he continued to pick at the tape. “Oh,” he muttered.

Lacey waited for him to say more, but he remained silent.

“If you’re worried that you won’t know anyone there, it’s okay. Everyone is all friends and family. Besides, I’m sure once Bryce discovers what you do for a living, he’ll hog you to himself all day. Please don’t be shy.”

For an almost indiscernible second, Randy stiffened. Lacey almost wanted to smile, except she was still too nervous. Despite her words, even though she hadn’t known him that long, she suspected the last thing anyone could ever accuse Randy of was being shy.

“I guess,” he mumbled. “I really should go. It was faster going on the skates than walking, but I think I’ve used up my fifteen minutes, and I don’t want to be late getting back to work. I guess I’ll see you Sunday.”

“Sure. What time should I pick you up?”

Randy had begun to push off, but he stopped and spun around. “If you’re going to my church, then I think good manners dictate that I should pick you up. After all, you’re going to be my guest. It’s just that I have to be there an hour early in order to set up the sound system for the worship team.”

“That’s fine. I don’t mind. Would you like a ride home again tonight? You’re pretty good on those skates, but it is a long way uphill. I can give my address and directions after work. Maybe over dinner?”

“I…” Randy’s voice trailed off, and eventually, he nodded. “Sure. That would be great.”

“Good. I’ll see you at five o’clock.” Because he’d sounded hesitant, Lacey turned and started walking toward the bench, not waiting for his reply.

She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she wouldn’t have been able to bear it if he had said no.

Chapter Three

“What does this button do?”

“Uh…Lacey… Please don’t touch that.”

Lacey yanked her hand away.

“Thanks,” Randy muttered as he held one of the earpieces of the headphones up to his ear with one hand, and adjusted another setting with the other.

While Randy adjusted knobs and buttons, Lacey watched his friends on the worship team practice. They were easy to see from the height of the sound booth, which was in a raised room at back of the sanctuary, recessed into the back wall.

“Okay, I’ve got everything set.” Randy put the headphones down on the table beside the very complex-looking soundboard, and gave the worship team a thumbs-up signal. “Now we sit back and wait for the service to begin. I’ll have to make a few adjustments as the room fills up, but this is pretty much it.”

“I’ve never thought about what happens behind the scenes on Sunday mornings. This is actually quite interesting.”

“The same things happen at every church, every Sunday, including yours. Speaking of your church, you think anyone will miss you?”

Lacey shrugged her shoulders. “No, and Mom thinks it’s perfect. When Bryce and mom left this morning, the house would have looked normal. Since we’ll be able to get back so much earlier we can let everyone in to hide without anyone having to rush. When Mom and Bryce finally get back, Bryce will really be surprised.”

Randy stiffened and blinked. “Bryce lives with your mother?”