And the Shofar Blew (39 page)

CHAPTER 17

P
AUL ENTERED the church office. “Hi, Reka. How are you? Good to see you.” He held out his hand and took the mail from her as he passed by her desk. “Clear my calendar this morning, would you?” He sorted his mail. “I have some work I need to do. And hold my calls.”

He closed the door of his private office and tossed half a dozen letters into the trash can. There was always someone on the mission field with a hand out. Since the board had agreed to cut the missions budget in half, he hadn’t even bothered to pass on the newsletters from Korea, South Africa, and Mexico. Valley New Life Center needed the money. They had their own mission field to harvest.

He pulled out a letter from Dennis Morgan. Thank God. The budget needed an injection right now, and Morgan always sent a sizable check. He slit the envelope open and looked at the check first. Two thousand dollars? Was that all? The note read, “Designated gift—scholarships to the Promise Keepers seminar. D. M.”

Annoyed, Paul crumpled the note and tossed it into the wastebasket. Now he had a contract plumber telling him what to do! Morgan didn’t have a clue where the money was most needed. The Board would decide what to do with the measly two thousand dollars.

His intercom buzzed. Irritated, he pushed the button. “Reka, I told you to hold my calls.”

“That’s what I was just telling Mrs. Atherton, Pastor, but she insists she has to talk with you.”

His pulse rocketed. “All right.” He hoped he sounded cooler than he felt.

“Mrs. Talbot called a few minutes ago. Her husband passed away last night.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll call her later.” He released the button, came around his desk, and opened the door. “Sheila.” He was satisfied with the cool sound of his voice. “How can I help you?” She was wearing the pretty yellow summer dress he liked.

“I’m sorry to be such a bother, Pastor Paul.” Ignoring Reka, Sheila walked into his office. “I know you’re busy, but I had to talk with you about something important.”

Paul made eye contact with his secretary. “Is the church newsletter done yet, Reka?”

“I have it right here, all ready.”

“Why don’t you take your lunch break now and drop it off at the printer?”

“I usually drop it off on my way home.”

“And it was late last time. I want it in the printer’s hands by ten. That gives you half an hour to get it over there.”

She blushed. “Yes, sir.”

She had never called him sir before. He glanced back at her, but she’d bent over the bottom drawer of her desk, taking out her purse. “I didn’t mean to be abrupt, Reka. You’re doing your best. Just put the answering machine on when you leave. And take your time. I’m leaving shortly for an appointment and won’t be back until two this afternoon.” He closed the door.

Sheila smiled and ran her hand down his arm. “I know you don’t want me coming to your office anymore, Paul, but I had to see you. I couldn’t help myself. Do you really have an appointment?”

He caught her hand. “Reka’s still right outside the door.”

Sheila tossed her purse on the couch. “Reka was rude to me. She looks down on me.”

Did his secretary have suspicions about his relationship with Sheila? He hoped not.

“You should’ve seen her face when I walked in. She took one look at my dress and looked like she’d swallowed a mouthful of vinegar.”

“You weren’t dressing to please Reka.”

“No, I wasn’t.” Smiling, she moved closer. “You like it, don’t you?”

Too much. She’d worn it to a church picnic, and he’d had trouble keeping his eyes off her. He was having a hard time concentrating now. “Reka is just doing her job.” Sheila’s skin was golden brown. He wanted to run his hands over her bare shoulders. He wanted to do far more than that, but this wasn’t the place. She knew that as well as he did.

“You know, it’s not a secretary’s job to run her boss’s life.”

“Reka doesn’t run my life. She helps me keep to my schedule.”

“She’s overstepping herself, and you know it.” She toyed with a button on his shirt. “You should fire her—and hire me.”

“Then we’d really have a problem.”

“Meaning what?” She took her hands away. “I couldn’t do the job? It’s what I used to do for a living before I married Rob.”

She wasn’t herself today. “I’m sure you have the skills, Sheila, but I’d have a hard time keeping my mind on my work.”

Her demeanor changed. “You might enjoy coming to the office a lot more.”

“I was going to call you, Sheila.”

“Were you?”

She was so close he could smell her perfume. Something exotic that went to his head. Nervous, perspiring, he stepped past her. “Reka should’ve left by now.” He looked through the sheer drapes to the parking lot below. She was just going out to her car. She had her cell phone to her ear. She stood beside her Toyota as she talked.

“Is Reka gone yet?”

“She’s getting into her car.”

“So we’re alone now. You can relax.” Sheila sat and crossed her elegant legs.

His heart hammered. “We need to talk first.”

Her expression became guarded. “About what?”

“You have to stop calling the house, for one thing.”

“I never leave a message.”

“And you kissed me on the way out of church again. You have to stop that.”

“Why?” She smiled. “It was only a little kiss between friends.” She swung one sandaled foot back and forth. “No one thought anything about it, Paul.” She lifted her brow. “Eunice didn’t even notice.”

“Eunice isn’t the one who starts gossip.” Sometimes he wondered why he was taking such chances. Was he in love with Sheila? She made him feel more of a man than Eunice did.

“What’s really bothering you, Paul?”

Things were getting out of control. “I think we’re getting in over our heads, Sheila.” He never should have allowed things to go this far. He couldn’t even think straight where she was concerned. He’d catch himself daydreaming about her while he was sitting across the dinner table from Eunice.

She started to cry. “I thought you cared about me.”

“I do care.” He sat beside her.

“I’m sorry I was careless on Sunday, but it’d been four days since we’d talked. I couldn’t wait any longer. You’ve been my savior, Paul. You’re the kindest, most thoughtful man I’ve ever known. I’d dry up and die inside without you.”

He felt himself weakening. She needed him. He couldn’t turn his back on her. “You have to promise not to come to my office, except for your appointments. We have to be careful.” He took her hand and kissed it. “Gossip could destroy both of us.”

“Rob doesn’t care what I do. And Eunice doesn’t make you happy, not the way I do.”

His stomach tightened. “The church cares what I do. We don’t want to hurt anyone, do we?”

“No, of course not.” She drew back reluctantly. “It’s just so hard to stay away from you. Nobody has ever made me feel the way you do. You only have to look at me and I melt inside. I wish you cared about me the way I care about you.”

He gave her a soft kiss on the mouth. “Does that tell you?”

She leaned toward him, lips parted. “Oh, Paul.”

The door was closed. Reka was gone. Why was he so worried? He kissed her again. When he raised his head, her eyes were like dark water. “Is that better?”

“Much.” She toyed with his collar. “Rob left this morning. I looked at his airline tickets last night while he was in the shower. He won’t be back until Wednesday next week. You could come over to my house when the board meeting is over tonight. It’d be so wonderful, Paul. Just the two of us. No phones ringing. No secretaries camped outside the door. You could park in the garage. Nobody would see your car. Nobody would know. Nobody would get hurt.”

“And what do I tell Eunice?”

“Tell her there’s a crisis and you’re needed. You called her the last time, and she didn’t question you when you got home after two in the morning.”

Eunice believed everything he told her. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Eunice won’t even miss you. You said all she ever does is read her Bible.”

He couldn’t think straight when she touched him.

“We can do anything we want, Paul. No one will know. Besides, Eunice doesn’t love you the way I do. And it’s not fair the way Rob leaves me alone all the time. Eunice is always busy helping other people, and all Rob ever thinks about is money. You could come up and go into the spa with me.”

Eunice no longer fulfilled him. She hadn’t in a long time. She was too innocent to understand a man like him. Sheila did. It would be good to relax and be himself.

“We’ll be careful, Paul, so careful not even a little birdie will peep about us.” She drew his head down. “Nobody’s going to find out.”

And Paul was too pressed by his desire to consider that someone already knew.

Eunice heard the telephone ringing as she was heading for the back door. Groaning, she glanced at her watch. She’d been looking forward to her date with Samuel for a cup of tea at Vine Hill. She still had time. “Hudson residence. Eunice speaking.”

“Eunice, it’s Reka. You need to come down to the church office right away.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Everything. I won’t be in the office when you get here. I’m going to the printer, and then I’m going home. And I’m not coming back, Eunice. I’m sorry. I can’t work for him anymore. I just can’t. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to do this to you.” She hung up, crying.

Oh, Lord, what’s happened?
Eunice hung up the telephone and went out the back door. Sliding into the front seat of her car, she took her cell phone out of her purse, and plugged it in. Slipping on her headset, she punched in Samuel’s number and started the car. “Samuel! It’s Euny. I’m not going to be able to make it today.” She backed out of the garage and pressed the remote to close the door.

“You sound upset.”

She changed gears and headed down the street. “Reka just called. I think she just quit. She said Paul needs me at the church right away. I don’t know what’s happened, but I have to find out.”

“How can I help?”

“Just pray, Samuel. Pray real hard.”

“Been doing that for years.”

“I know. Thanks.” She didn’t want to sound any alarms. “I’m sure everything will be all right. I’ll call you later. Say hello to Bessie for me, would you? Tell her I’ll come over to see her soon.”

“Will do. Drive safe.”

She punched the Off button, tossed her headset onto the passenger seat, and turned onto the main road. When she turned into the church parking lot, she saw a dozen cars scattered in what shade was available. She remembered there was a wedding rehearsal at eleven. One of the associates was performing the ceremony. She parked her old Buick next to Paul’s new Mercedes. Grabbing her purse, she headed for the main entrance of Valley New Life Center.

The telephone was ringing on Reka’s desk, but before Eunice could pick up, the answering machine clicked on, identified the church, and went through the schedule of services, finally asking the caller to leave a message and promising that someone would get back to them as soon as possible. “God bless you!”

As the message ended, Eunice heard other sounds. Her heart stopped. “Paul?” When she pushed the door open, she caught her breath and stared, too hurt and horrified to speak.

“Eunice!”

She thought her heart would burst and she would die right there in the open doorway. “Oh, God, oh, God . . . ”

“Eunice.” It seemed the only word Paul could say as he tried to straighten his clothes. There was no doubt what they had been doing.

“Eunice.”

She’d never seen such a look on her husband’s face before. Horror. Shame. Fear. Anger.

Eunice stepped back out the door and closed it. Gasping for breath, she let go of the knob as though it had burned her hand. Then she turned and fled.

“Eunice, wait!” Paul was cold with shock.

Sheila scrambled up. “What was she doing here?”

In the heat of the moment he’d forgotten to lock the door. Regret gripped him. “Eunice, honey, wait!” He went after her, but by the time he reached the exit, she was backing out of her parking space, her tires squealing. Sick with fear, he watched her head for the street. Luckily, no one was in the parking lot. He strode back to the office, his heart bouncing around in his chest like a frightened rabbit.

Sheila was white-faced and pacing. “What am I going to do? Why didn’t you lock the door?”

“You distracted me.”

“I distracted you? You couldn’t wait to have me! Don’t blame me for this mess, Paul!”

He should’ve locked the door, but it was too late now to think about that. At least Reka hadn’t been in the office. At least he’d had the fore-thought to send his secretary away before anything got started. He wiped the sweat from the back of his neck. He could reason with Eunice. She’d never say anything to hurt the church.

Sheila’s eyes were wild. Paul had never heard her utter a swearword, let alone the string of them that came out of her mouth now. “What am I going to do?”

Paul was asking himself the same question. Why had Eunice picked today to visit him at his office? She’d never interfered before. “We’ll work it out.” How was he going to work it out? Why had Eunice come walking in on him without waiting until he gave her permission to enter? At least he and Sheila could’ve straightened themselves up enough to make it look like an emotional counseling session had been going on and nothing more. She could have at least warned them before barging in. “Calm down, Sheila. It’ll be all right. I’ll talk to her.”

“Are you kidding? You don’t get it, do you? Rob would love to divorce me. If he finds out about this, he’ll file for divorce.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“No, it’s
not
what I want.”

She was so adamant, he was hurt. “I’ll talk to him then.” He hoped Rob didn’t have a gun.

“Oh, great. Just great. And say what? You couldn’t help yourself? He’ll know what’s been going on. He’ll
know.”

What had been going on? He’d never seen Sheila like this before. “I’ll figure out something, Sheila. I’ll—”

“Shut up, would you? Just let me think! All you can do is make things worse.” The face Paul had thought so beautiful was now twisted and ugly. She glared at him. “What are you staring at?”

“You. I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Like what?”

Raging, foul-mouthed, black-eyed with malice. Contemptuous.
He had the feeling he was seeing the real Sheila for the first time. “It’s all been a game to you, hasn’t it?”

Her eyes flickered. “No. Of course not.”

Anger came up from a deep well inside him. “You’re lying.”

“I’ve never lied to you about anything!”

He saw the bigger truth she tried to hide.

“All right, but all I ever wanted was to have a little fun. Rob is so boring.” She gathered her things. “Don’t look at me like that. You were willing to play along. Don’t pretend otherwise. You’ve been having a good time.”

“You harlot!” He was so mad he could have used his fists on her. “A pastor, was that it? I was a challenge to you. That’s all.”

Her eyes flashed. “A challenge? Don’t flatter yourself.” She snatched her purse from the floor. “Your guilty conscience was beginning to bore me anyway.”

“Get out of here.” Whatever he had felt for her was gone, burned away with the firestorm of discovery. “If you say anything about this to anyone, I’ll tell them my part of the story.”

She turned on him, the innocent, wounded facade she’d worn for months gone. “Oh, you mean the part where you seduced me?” Her sarcasm ripped into his confidence.

“I did not!”

“I came to you for
help,
Pastor Paul. Remember? And you
used
me.”

“That’s a lie!”

“So what?” She laughed at him. “Do you think people won’t believe me? People always want to believe the worst. Don’t you know anything?”

“They know me.”

“Not as well as I do, and I’d only have to convince a few.”

How could he ever have thought he loved this woman? What had he ever seen in her? She was conniving, vicious. He felt compassion for Rob Atherton for the first time since he’d begun counseling Sheila. “Do you think you could convince your husband?”

She paled, her eyes darting. “I don’t want a divorce any more than you do.” She looked toward the door, then at him. “Look, I’m sorry, Paul. I never meant to hurt you.” Her eyes narrowed. “All you have to do is convince little Goody Two-shoes you’ve repented, and swear you’ll never look at another woman again. She’ll forgive you. Women like her always do.” She hurried out.

Paul felt his life crumbling. He couldn’t go tearing out of here after his wife without having people talk. What was he going to do? He needed to give Sheila time to drive away before he could leave. He had to make everything look normal before he went down the corridor and out the door. If anyone saw him, they’d know something was wrong.

He could feel the sweat beading. He yanked the curtains open. What an idiot he’d been! What a stupid, gullible fool! He took his wallet, car keys, and cell phone from the top desk drawer. He’d talk to Eunice. He’d make her understand it was all a mistake. He’d lost his head. He’d say he was sorry. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt his ministry. Anything she did to hurt him would hurt her, too. She was his wife, after all. People might want to know why he’d had to turn to another woman for love.

Thank God, Reka had been on her way to the printer’s when Eunice walked in.

He’d make it up to Eunice. He’d tell her he loved her. He’d tell her it had all been a mistake, that it would never happen again. He’d always been able to make her listen. And with so much at stake, she surely would listen this time as well.