The Calling (21 page)

“Yeah,” Cate remembered the previous evening, “I noticed there was something wrong when she and David came back from their walk. I wonder what happened.”

“I’m sure Kim will tell us if she wants us to know,” Miss Janet went to her room to get ready for school.

When Cate entered the kitchen, she said ‘good morning’, and Kim grunted good morning in return. Cate ate breakfast and left Kim picking at her breakfast while staring into her plate.

Miss Janet returned and reminded them it was almost time to leave for school. Realizing how down she was, Miss Janet decided to try and help. “I know something’s wrong. Is there anything that I can do?”

“I’d rather not talk about it,” Kim stared morosely at her uneaten breakfast.

“Okay, but if you need a listening ear, I’m available.”

“Thanks,” Kim rose from the table and left.

Cate watched the scene unfold, “Kim is going to school today…. right?”

“Yes, she is,” Miss Janet said, “She should be ready in a few minutes.”

“Good.”

“She’s really preoccupied with something.”

“I know.”
I wonder if it involves David?
“I’m worried about her.”

“Me too. When she came in for breakfast, her tone was so angry I decided to leave it alone. When I spoke to her a minute ago, her anger had turned to hurt and sadness. I asked what was wrong,” Miss Janet’s voice held its own sadness, “but she said that she didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, I guess, all we can do is be supportive and ready to listen if she wants to talk.”

“That’s right,” Miss Janet agreed, as Kim walked out dressed and ready to leave for school.

Except for an occasional comment by Miss Janet or Cate, the walk to school was silent. Kim was obviously preoccupied and oblivious to everything.

By the end of the day, and throughout the week, nothing changed. Kim moped around, refusing to let either Cate or Miss Janet know what was wrong. They continued to respect her privacy, but decided that a change of scenery might do her good, and took her into Otavalo to the market.

Cate borrowed Matthew’s car so they could get an early start. They wanted to arrive before the market became too crowded. They planned to window shop, enjoy the food, and take in the performances of the local musicians and dancers.

Everything was going according to schedule and Kim seemed to be enjoying herself, when they heard a voice call from the crowd,

“Cate…Cate…”

They turned to see a young man hurrying toward them.

“It
is
you!” he exclaimed, as he approached Cate and looked at her squarely.

“Tommy!” Cate yelled.
Tommy! Justin’s younger brother-here-in Ecuador. Oh no!

“Fancy meeting you here,” Tommy grabbed Cate’s shoulders.

“I could say the same thing,” Cate said, as Miss Janet and Kim stood by watching.

Cate’s pulse beat rapidly as she searched for what to say.
Is it time for me to reveal more of my past than Miss Janet or Kim know?
Tommy decided for her as he introduced himself, “Hello, I’m Thomas Timmons.”

Cate realized she had not introduced her companions, “I’m sorry. Tommy Timmons may I introduce two of my colleagues, Kim Davis and Janet Cook.”

“Nice to meet you ladies,” he turned to three young men who had been following behind him. “Fellas, may I introduce you to Cate Timmons, Kim Davis, and Janet Cook, and ladies, may I introduce you to James Lovett, Austin Black and John Minery.”

“Cate? Cate Timmons?” Austin Black repeated, as he made Cate’s acquaintance.

“It’s Cate
Jones
,” Cate corrected, as she and the others exchanged hellos. Through a quick side-glance, she saw the puzzled look on Miss Janet’s face.

“Hey Tommy,” James asked, “how do
you
know such a beautiful lady,” he nodded at Cate, “and why did you call her Timmons?”

Tommy shrugged, “She used to be my sister-in-law.” Cate took another quick side-glance toward Miss Janet, who now had a look of total shock on her face.

“Used to be your sister-in-law?” John Minery echoed.

Tommy hugged Cate, “Yeah, my brain-dead brother left her for another woman. By the way, Cate, I really mean that. I think Justin was crazy to let you get away.”

“Thank you—Tommy,” Cate caught a glimpse of Miss Janet, who was taking it all in.

“You’re welcome. So what, you’re down here on vacation or something?”

“I’m actually teaching at a mission school nearby.”

“Good for you. I always knew you were that kind of person.”

“What are
you
doing here?” Cate asked.

“We took some time off from school. We thought we’d take advantage of the wonderful weather down here and do a little bicycling and backpacking.”

“It
is
a beautiful country,” Cate said.

“It sure is.”

“When did you get down?” Kim asked.

Cate was thankful she joined the conversation. Both she and Miss Janet had been noticeably silent ever since Tommy had made his announcement that Cate was his former sister-in-law.

“We’ve been here a couple of days. We flew from New Orleans to Quito and are going to bike down the American Way to Cuenca, spend a few days sightseeing and catch a flight back home on March ninth,” Tommy answered.

“You’ll enjoy the scenery very much. Be sure and visit one of the historical haciendas before you leave,” Miss Janet said, breaking her silence.

“Thanks for the suggestion. That’s a great idea,” Austin replied.

“Well, I guess we’d better let you ladies get back to your shopping,” Tommy said.

“It’s been great to see you Tommy. I wish you all the best,” Cate hugged him bye.

“Yeah, you too,” Tommy hugged her back.

“Fellas, it was nice to meet each of you. Take care of this boy, won’t you?” Cate added.

“We always do anything a beautiful lady asks,” John Minery joked.

Miss Janet and Kim joined in the goodbyes as each group went their separate way. Cate was anxious to know what Miss Janet was going to say. She didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Miss Janet snapped her purse shut, “Let’s call it a day.”

“But, it’s only early afternoon,” Cate waved at the vendors.

“Why don’t we have lunch-and a nice talk?” Kim suggested.

“I’d like to go home now,” Miss Janet demanded, rather adamantly.

“Come on, Miss Janet, please. Let’s have a late lunch at this open air café,” Kim insisted, as she sat down at a table.

Reluctantly, Miss Janet sat down, and seeing that Miss Janet was quite agitated, Cate nervously sat down. The server came and took their orders. Though Miss Janet’s body language was shouting, several moments passed without anyone saying anything. Finally, she broached the subject, repressed anger in her voice.

“So, Cate, why have you never told us that you were—divorced?”

Cate took a deep breath,
This had to happen sometime.
“It’s not something that I’m proud of.”

“I would certainly hope not,” Miss Janet responded.

“I’m sorry that you’re upset,” Cate struggled to remain calm, “but that part of my past is something that’s hard for me to talk about.”

“Hard for you to talk about?” Or something you’re trying to hide?”

“No! I
wasn’t
trying to hide it,” Cate sat tall in her chair, “but neither do I wish to openly talk about it.”

“I would imagine
not
, since it would disqualify you to teach at the mission school.”

“That’s not why I didn’t tell you, and it didn’t disqualify me.
Matthew
knows. He knew when he hired me.”

“Matthew knew,” Miss Janet’s eyes widened, “and he still hired you?”

“Yes, he did,” Cate fought to maintain her composure.

Miss Janet rolled her eyes. “What in the world was he thinking?”

“Miss Janet, I don’t understand why you are so upset.”

“Why
are
you so upset?” Kim asked Miss Janet.

“I’m upset because,” she paused-and looked at Cate, “
she
passed herself off as someone she isn’t.”

Cate’s mouth flew open at the fierceness of Miss Janet’s attack.

“
How
did I do that?”

“You passed yourself off as a dedicated, single young Christian woman,” Miss Janet answered, with concentrated anger.

“Miss Janet, she
is
a dedicated, single young Christian woman,” Kim attempted to mediate the situation. “The children love her, the villagers love her.”

Miss Janet’s eyes flashed with anger, “No, she’s a young
divorced
woman, who passed herself off as a single woman.”

Calmly, Cate said, “I didn’t try to pass myself off as anything.”

“A divorced woman is
not
a proper teacher, not according to mission rules.”

“A few days ago, you told me that the school was lucky to have me.”

“That—was
before
I knew you were divorced.”

“Miss Janet, I can’t change the fact that I’m divorced, but it’s not the unpardonable sin. God forgives divorce, and God called me to teach in a mission school,” Cate desperately tried to make Miss Janet understand.

Miss Janet rolled her eyes, “I don’t believe God calls divorced people to missions to teach young and impressionable children.”

“Miss Janet, we’ve lived with Cate for seven months. You know what kind of person she is,” Kim tried to reason with her.

“I don’t believe I
do
know her.”

Cate shook her head, “How can you say that?”

“Because it’s true, you’re not the person that I thought you were,” Miss Janet answered.

“Yes, I am. Miss Janet, I promise I am.”

Miss Janet was unmoved. “I’m sorry, but you’re not.”

“What can I do to prove it to you?” Cate pleaded.

“I don’t believe there is anything you could do-short of leaving the mission school.”

Cate’s mouth and eyes were both wide open, but she couldn’t form any words.

Kim couldn’t believe what she heard, “Surely, you don’t mean that.”

Miss Janet was filled with self-righteousness, “I do, and the sooner she leaves the better.”

“But, Cate’s a great teacher, and we need her.”

“She’s a
divorced
teacher. It’s against the rules, against–the–rules.”

The server brought the food; but no one ate. Miss Janet sat at one end of the table rigidly guarding her plate. Cate sat at the other end, her head down and tears falling in her food. Kim sat in the middle wondering how she could bring about reconciliation. Finally, she decided that at this point it wasn’t possible. Kim asked the server for the check, paid the bill, and suggested that they return to Peguche.

The short drive home seemed to last for an eternity, and the silence was deafening. Kim drove, Miss Janet sat resolutely in the back seat, and Cate sat dejected in the front seat. Kim prayed for the situation all the way home.

When they arrived home, Miss Janet promptly got out of the car and stormed into the house while Kim and Cate took Matthew’s car home. Kim asked, “Cate, are you all right?”

“No.”

“I’m so sorry about Miss Janet’s attitude.”

“Me too, but I don’t know what to do about it.”

“Just give it time. I’m sure she’ll see that she’s over-reacted,” Kim gave a half-smile. “She’s a good Christian woman, compassionate, forgiving.”
At least I thought so
.

“But, what if she doesn’t? It hurt to hear all of those things she said, and to know her opinion of me.”

“I know, but she’ll come to her senses, just give her time.”

“I hope you’re right, but there’s something else that really bothers me.”

“What?”

“Did Matthew really hire me in violation of mission rules?”

“I don’t know.” Kim turned to look at Cate, “I don’t know about any rules like that, but it wouldn’t have affected
my
hiring you.”

“I have to know,” Cate said.

Matthew met them as they parked the car. He saw their anguished faces, “What’s wrong?”

Cate walked up to him, “Matthew, did you hire me in violation of the mission rules?”

He held up his hands, “Whoa! Where did that come from?”

“Miss Janet said the rule is that a divorced person can’t teach at the mission school. Is-that-right?”

“That… It was my father’s policy, but I don’t think it’s written down anywhere.”

“So, Miss Janet was right,” Cate sighed.

“No, she’s not.
I’m
the head of the school and the mission agency. I decide policy, not my father.”

Cate seemed to collapse into herself, “But, technically, it’s still your father’s organization and therefore, written or not, his rules apply.”

Matthew grabbed her shoulders, “No, Cate that’s not correct.”

Cate shook her head, “Yeah, it is, and I’m sure if he knew, your father would be terribly upset with you.”

“
I
make the decisions here, not my father.”

“But, I don’t think he’d approve of your hiring me,” Cate’s teary eyes found Matthew’s, “and I don’t want to cause trouble between you two.”

Matthew held her at arm’s length, to get a good look at her, “You’re thinking about resigning. Aren’t you?”

Cate tearfully nodded, “Yes”.

Looking to Kim for help, Matthew pleaded, “Tell her Kim. I’m running things, so
I
call the shots.”

“He’s right,” Kim nodded. “He’s been running the school for the last three years. Surely, he has the authority to decide policy.”

Matthew pleaded, “Don’t resign. I promise; my hiring you was okay.”

Cate avoided his eyes, and remained silent.

“Please, Cate. Listen to him. Just give the situation time,” Kim said.

Matthew gently touched Cate’s chin, turning her face to him, “She’s right, Cate. Just give the situation time. I’ll talk to Miss Janet. Everything will be okay.”

Although Cate agreed, the next day things were the same. Miss Janet refused to go to church with Kim and Cate. She brooded all day. On Monday she stormed into Matthew’s office and confronted him about Cate. “Matthew Kennedy, I’m disappointed in you.”

Matthew sat back in his chair and folded his hands, “About…”

“Don’t play dumb with me. I’m sure that Cate told you about Saturday.”