Chapter Two
The park was only a couple of blocks away from the church. The two of them walked hand-in-hand in silence. Arthur had learned through the years that Marci would speak when she was ready. She was always one who wanted to get her thoughts straight before she started talking. He knew better than to interrupt her, also. She would give you that calm stare, then she would STATE matter-of-factly, "As I was saying," and start al-l-l-l over. When Arthur was with Marci, he knew when to be the man, and he knew when to be the mouse. Right now, he was the mouse.
When she was about ready, Marci started slowing down her pace. They were already holding hands, so she took her other hand and held on to his arm. Then she leaned her head on his shoulder and after a few more steps, she stopped and faced him. "Arthur," she said in a flat, no-nonsense tone, "you've got a problem."
Out of all the things that were running around in Arthur's head that she might have on her mind, that was not one of them. Oh, he had even taken the time it took them to walk to the park to prepare to answer some of the things that he thought might be bothering her. But, that statement wasn't even on his radar screen. After the initial shock, he stammered, "I....uh....Marci...."
She cut him off by putting her hand over his mouth and looking directly into his dark, black eyes. Something was going on with her best friend that he was not aware of. It dawned on her during prayer that it could very well wind up being dangerous to him for some reason. She had to face him with it, "Arthur, your face is an open book."
"Wh-a-a-a-t?" Arthur answered in disbelief and tried to chuckle but failed. "You wanted to talk to me about my.....I mean the way that......"
She crossed her arms and stared blankly at him, "What's up? Ever since you got that phone call from Uncle Pedro, your face has been telling me that you're scared of something. That call was more than JUST finalizing the airplane connections. Your mother noticed it at the same time that I did. We made an agreement to find out BEFORE you left for Manila to get the truth out of you, one way or another."
Arthur looked down at the ground. He had been betrayed by his own actions. He had learned to dance around his mother. But, he couldn't get around his prayer partner. Quickly he assessed how much he should tell her. Then, he decided that he had to tell her all. If his face was an open book, she would be able to tell, not only if he was truthful, but, also if he was holding anything back.
"OK, here goes," he started as he, too, looked into her eyes. He had to. She always made him do it. But, this time, there was a different kind of connection. Something happened within him as he held her gaze. Talk quick, Arthur and don't get side tracked.
He took a deep breath and said, "Uncle Pedro was telling me that there was a new terrorist group operating in the mountains around Manila."
"Terrorist group?" Marci raised her voice in disbelief. "You told me that it was a revival."
"That was just code talk for terrorist activity," Arthur began. He spoke his words very deliberately, "You have to swear that you won't tell anyone what I'm gonna tell you. And, should we ever talk on the phone, you should never, ever say anything about a revival or terrorist. Do you understand?"
Marci couldn't speak so she just shook her head and remained as calm as she could. Her heart began racing when Arthur asked the next question, "Using your peripheral vision and not turning your head, do you see any stranger? Especially, do you see one with a cell phone or other contraption up to his ear as if they were listening to it?"
Arthur waited as Marci's eyes darted left and right before she answered softly, "No."
Arthur continued, "Last year, Uncle Pedro told me that, for ten years, he had been involved in a secret organization that had been tracking terrorists that might be infiltrating the Philippines. He thinks that the terrorists MIGHT have infiltrated their organization so everyone has to be careful. He did tell me that they were very well organized and beginning to be expert in all means of communication. So, we have to be careful when we talk on the phone. He has asked me to take a trip up into the mountain village where my grandfather had been just to check up on them. You know, act like it was a mission’s trip. I've been up there a couple of years in a row so, possibly, no one would suspect anything. Actually, some of the people going with us will be carrying radio equipment to help scan for any terrorist communication. We'll have some weapons with us but they will be well hidden."
Marci turned away from Arthur, crossed her arms and looked at the ground for a moment. She was at a loss for words and struggled to maintain her composure. All she wanted was a simple answer. The only thing she could think of to say without falling to pieces was, "Does your mom know?"
"I can't bring myself to tell her," Arthur answered. "She would fall all to pieces and do her best to keep me from going. Uncle Pedro's group has ties to the State Department. Depending on how things go, and........if it is absolutely necessary, someone will come to see her and dad. But, that's not all."
Marci turned back to face him and saw that Arthur's countenance had changed. She had never seen this kind of look on his face. "When we make our journey, all of our identification will have to be locked up in a safe place until we return. If anything should happen to us, terrorists would have a field day. Everything from our finances to our families would be at risk. You would not believe what they have already done."
Marci put her face in her hands and managed to get out, "I don't want to know. Don't tell me anything else. I.......I already know more than I should."
Arthur grabbed her hands and held them to his. With his index finger he raised her head until her eyes met his. He went on, "Marci, you know me better than anyone else. I don't have a prayer partner that knows how to pray for me like you do. Here's the tricky part that I NEED to tell you, but only share it with my mother and father if you HAVE to."
He took a deep breath before he began. "Pedro is not quite sure if they are monitoring our cell phone and computer activity just like we do theirs. So, my cell phone will be turned off and left at Pedro's house in case they can track it. Someone will be sending e-mails to everyone to throw the terrorists off in case they ARE monitoring us. So, even though I am in the jungle, you and Mom will be getting e-mails from me but it won't be from me. I will probably take a lot of pictures and some videos in advance so that it will look like I am still in Manila. When I leave to go up to the village, I will send you a picture of me posing with my fists clenched. You know, one of those manly poses that are supposed to show off my muscles."
He tried to chuckle but Marci wasn't in the mood. So, he continued, "When I get back safely, the first e-mail that I send you will be of a picture of me holding up the two fingers of my right hand and giving the 'V' sign for victory. Does that make......any sense?"
She winced and cocked her head to the side, "When you get back safely?" She pulled her hands from his, folded her arms and walked over to the closest tree and leaned up against it. She heard Arthur walk up behind her. Fighting back tears and the fear that tried to envelop her she asked, "You mean if you get back safely at all?"
"Marci," Arthur started with an assurance in his voice that she had never heard before, "up at the altar, the compelling compassion of Jesus Christ was so prevalent, that I look forward to going. I know that there is God-thing for me to do. Fear no longer grips my soul. God is God enough to handle anything He leads us into. That's what Grandpa always taught, wasn't it?"
When she looked up at him, her face turned from fear to consternation as she said, "Well, Arthur Hollis, my urgent request to you is to take that 'book' off of your face." Then she softened her tone and continued, "If your mom and I can spot it, someone who is trained in the art of reading faces will surely be able to read your 'book,' and........"
He smiled as he asked, "And what?"
"And you come back home in ONE piece, you big dope," she demanded with a smile.
For the past few weeks, Arthur had been waiting for just the right time to open his heart to Marci. When she looked at him
and smiled, that strange tingly feeling went off inside of him and he knew that the time had to be now. He slipped his hands to her waist and pulled her to him. The expression on her face told him that his face indeed was an open book, at least to her.
She resisted only slightly but relented and slipped her arms around his torso. She avoided a kiss by putting her cheek next his. Yes, she avoided his kiss but she made sure that her lips brushed the side of his neck as she said in broken tones, "Maybe I can read you like a book.......but...... Oh, Arthur.... I just....didn't.....want.....to read that chapter.”
She pulled back from him to look him in the eyes. Two tears raced each other down her cheeks as she continued, "At least................not yet. And, Arthur, I don't know if I'll ever be ready to be someone's wife. I made the decision this morning to go back to college in time to take the summer classes that they offer. The...uh....what did you call it, compelling compassion of Jesus Christ hit me, too. It's like He said to get on with the work. Like the desire that must be in you, He planted a stronger desire get this medical career up and going. What was line in the song, 'There is still more work to be done,'? It's ringing stronger and stronger now."
"I see," he answered as he let her go. Instead of kissing her like he had wanted to, he took her hand and they walked slowly toward the Emporium. It was a tense few moments before Arthur spoke again. This time, his voice had softened, "So, God's call on your life is for a nursing career."
She slipped her arm under his and around his waist and of course, his went around her shoulders. She affirmed, "Now more than ever, God has me focused on it, just like you must be called to the Philippines. And, I don't know if I'm to stop at just being a nurse or go on to discover new medicines......I just don't know."
"I understand," Arthur said. "You know, I had almost had the thought that maybe......," he started but didn't finish.
"We would be mates," Marci finished him. Then she looked up and smiled at him. "Your book is still open."
"Marci," Arthur said as he shook his head and grinned, "you are not fair. You are just not fair."
As she reached for the door handle to the Emporium, she looked back and grinned at him as she said, "I know it."
Arthur put his hand on the door to keep her from opening it and said, "If God has somebody for me that is better than you, she must be one fantastic mate."
Marci turned and looked into the eyes of the little kid that had kept her from slipping into the abyss of despair after her granny had died and said with a smile, "If I'm not. Then God has one that will be everything you deserve, my brother."
Arthur opened the door for Marci and stepped to the side to let her through. From behind him came a familiar voice, "Hey! Hold that door open, Fella.” They both looked around and saw Olivia, Arthur's mom, coming toward them. Of course, Olivia was not alone. Olivia was HARDLY EVER alone. Her red-haired, seven-year-old shadow was right beside her.....as always.
Oh, well, the shadow broke away and ran toward them yelling, "Marci, Marci! We saw you and Arthur in the park hugging.” Let's see if we can make a connection here. Arthur is the eighteen-year-old child of the married couple, Olivia and Ryan Hollis. AND, Wendy is the nine-year-old sister who is the center of attention of said marriage. Just in case you're not paying a whole lot of attention, that means that Wendy is Arthur's baby sister, and only girl in the family. For those of you older brothers who have younger sisters, you know exactly what I'm saying without putting it in print.
Marci stooped down intending on scooping the little munchkin up in her arms. However, Wendy stopped just in front of her. She popped her hands on her hips, tilted her head to one side and asked in a suspicious tone, "And, just what were you and my brother talking so-o-o-o-o seriously about over there in the park?"
Marci stood back up, glanced at Arthur and they both looked at Olivia as she finally caught up with her daughter. Hey! Have you ever heard of the phrase "The Cat that Ate the Canary?” If not, then Google it and you'll find a perfect picture of Arthur's mom.
Olivia managed a very weak, "Hi, guys.” But, for those of you who can read faces, like Marci read Arthur's, Olivia's face said, "I have no idea what made her say that. I could have sworn I only made only 8 or 10 comments about it."
Have you ever heard of an awkward silence situation? Well, this was one of them. Arthur, evermore the southern gentleman that he was, ended the uneasy silence by slipping his left arm over Marci's shoulder and said (believe it or not) with a straight face, "Mom,.......Wendy......Marci and I were........ discussing," he looked at Marci as he finished, "our future.” After which, he gave Marci a visible squeeze.
Olivia put her hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened as she let out a surprised gasp. Little Wendy glanced up at her mother and began to jump up and down.
Ve-e-r-r-y deliberately, Marci slipped her right arm around Arthur's waist and looked wistfully into his eyes. Then, in a true Scarlet O'Hara fashion, she breathed, "He's.......going to be a missionary to the Philippines and........I shall be a doctor striving to discover cures for all of mankind's ills.” Then she looked back at Olivia with big puppy dog eyes, batted her eyelids and finished by saying, ".....Aunt Liv."
If Olivia had had a set of false teeth, they would have fallen out right then. "But......Aunt Liv? Not.....but you didn't say Mom. You did say Aunt Liv, right?" she stumbled through. OMG. She so-o-o-o-o much wanted to hear Marci call her ‘Mom.’ For the past three years, she had been praying, hinting, arranging and setting things up in hopes that...........but, no. It's still Aunt Liv.
Marci's fake southern belle look turned to a look of loving apology as she answered, "No, ma'am. It's still, Aunt Liv.” Marci and Arthur could not help but chuckle at each other for their little impromptu gag.
Olivia gave each of them a "you-two-are-hopeless" glance and declared, "If Tom Dandridge and Maybelle Hensley are looking down from Heaven right now, and I bet they're giving each other high fives. Now, be the gentleman and open the door for your.....aging mother with no hope of grandchildren in sight."
Arthur obliged and his exasperated mother started through the door while attempting to glare at them in mock disappointment. She stopped in front of Marci and shook her finger in her face and said with a smile, "But, you are STILL my pick, young lady."
Marci bent over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she pulled away and replied with a smile, "I know it, Aunt Liv." Then she gestured toward the crowd inside and continued, "And, so do they."
Everyone in town had figured those two would get married someday. They figured Ramon and Taylor would, too. That is, if Taylor ever resigned from the Elmhurst Men-hater's Club. So, when people saw Marci and Arthur walking alone in the park, AND THEN saw them stop at the door, AND THEN saw Olivia come up, AND THEN saw her put her hand over her mouth, AND THEN saw her hug Marci BEFORE coming inside, they automatically thought...... which, by the way, was ALL they were doing at the time.
The place was crowded. With that many people, you would have expected a high volume of noise, and laughter, and dishes clanking. You should have heard hustling and bustling. But.....you didn't. Every eye was focused on the door. The bus boys were still. Customers in the back of the room were standing to get a good look and maybe a hint of some news. Did I tell you that Elmhurst was a small town? Yeah, it is.
Olivia realized that every eye in the place was trained on her. She could tell that every ear was anxious to gobble up the expected announcement. The showman that was handed down to her from her grandfather, Tom, began to rise to the top. She hooked her thumbs into her jeans and did a John Wayne saunter up to the bread counter. She stopped, faced the crowd, crossed her arms and made the announcement, "Folks.....I'm still......," with a glassy-eyed stare toward Marci and Arthur, "Aunt Liv."
As Marci and Arthur sheepishly shrugged their shoulders and glanced at the customers, a collective, "A-w-w-w-w-w," of apparent sympathy for Olivia was heard. There was a small applause. But, as it died down, a voice from the back call
ed out, "Keep a-runnin', Arthur. It looked like she had done caught you for a minute."
"Oh, you shush, Jeb Beauregard," Olivia shot back. That brought a round of laughter from the diners and set them back into their own conversations.
A youthful figure with shoulder-length and wavy, auburn hair appeared beside Marci. As he noisily cleared his throat to announce his presence, Marci jumped and chuckled, "Oh, jeesh, Jake. You scared the puddin' out of me."
"Great music today, Jakester," Olivia said. Then with an all-knowing look on her face, Olivia continued, "Of course, ev-er-y one knows that it was your magnificent artistry on the bass guitar that set the tone for the group's success."
He brought the palms of his hands together and held them to his chest, bowed his head in gracious thanks and said, "Mrs. Hollis, I have always admired your impeccable taste in music."
With head bowed, he opened his eyes menacingly in Wendy's direction as he shaped his hands like claws. Then, in his best Bela Lugosi imitation he threatened, "I have orders from my master to whisk away any and all red-headed nine-year-old girls and take them to her secret lair."
Arthur cocked his head to one side and asked, "Jake, do you do everything Taylor tells you?” The clan giggled and watched Jake for his answer.
At first, Jake frowned and pointed his right index finger towards Arthur as if he was going to tell him off. However, the clan began to smile as the Jakester slowly pulled his finger toward his chin and, at the same time, slowly turn his head toward the ceiling as if looking at the closest lighting fixture. His finger wrapped around his chin and his eyes began to get bigger and bigger. The whole thing took about 15 seconds. It was enough time for everyone to start snickering. He held the pose for five seconds and then snapped out of it and said with a smile, "Pretty much. Tsho-o-ot!! I'd probably marry her if she told me to."
As everyone standing in earshot either chuckled or laughed, Olivia caught the truth in Jake's eyes. As Jake laughed and looked from on to another, his eyes met hers and he suddenly realized that his secret of four years had escaped. Olivia wrinkled her nose and shook her head "no" ever so slightly and looked away. Jake knew that his secret was safe.
Jake assumed the Bela Lugosi pose and spoke in character, "And, now I must obey my master.” He slowly bent down with his arms extended and continued, "My-y-y-y-y-y ma-a-a-s-s-ster wants to seepa you blo-o-o-d."
Wendy started shaking her head and backing up as she said, "Oh, yeah? Well, you gotta catch me first."
As she was speaking, the sound of chairs scooting on the floor could be heard. She looked up and several fingers pointed in the direction of the room Eddy had reserved for them. One kind gentleman even opened the folding curtain wide enough for Taylor and Ramon to be seen.
"Munchkin," yelled Ramon.
"Save me, save me," screamed Wendy as she ran toward the back room and jumped into Ramon’s waiting arms.
The crowd burst into applause as Jake bowed most graciously several times. "Thank you, thank you. Your applause is wonderful and I deserve every bit of it as usual. And, don't forget Act II which will begin......just as soon as I make it up.” Then Jake turned to Arthur and Marci and said, "Hey, you almost weds, skedaddle to the room. Aaron's waiting for you."
There was more applause as Marci and Arthur headed toward the room to join Ramon and Taylor. "Are you coming, Mom?" Arthur asked.
Olivia scrunched her face and said, "Of course not. You guys need your time together before you split up. Send Wendy out in five minutes or so.” She looked at Marci with 'that question' look on her face.
Marci nodded and answered, "Yes, ma'am. It's OK. I'll call you later."
Olivia smiled her reply as she thought to herself, 'Merciful goodness. She would have made a great daughter-in-law. Well, maybe that's why God doesn't want....Aw, who knows? Yes, He does and He'll tell us when He's good and ready. But....there's not another one like my Marci.’ She let out a deep sigh and then seated herself at the counter.
Big Ed, Eddie's father and previous owner came over and leaned against the other side of the counter from her. "Hey," he said to her as he touched her arm, "that look on somebody's face when I was tending bar meant they were an easy sale for a double, huh?"
"Then make me a double, Big Ed," Olivia said as she slowly shook her head. "Two milk shakes with two squirts of Dr. Pepper in them, please."
"E-w-w-w-w, Liv. Are you sure? That much sugar will put you way up or way down one," he warned.
She smiled as she countered, "Naw. Only one's for me. The other one is for Wendy. It's the only way to bribe her away from that gang that dotes on her like they do."
"You got a good point there."
"You know Arthur and Marci are both leaving this weekend. That will leave Taylor and Ramon to keep her entertained," Olivia pointed out.
Big Ed nodded in agreement, "Yep, and if they left, that little red head would be the little lost puppy of Elmhurst."
"Probably," Olivia stated.