Ray paused, casting an eye over the attentive faces. “But before we go forth to celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth, I have a declaration I wish to share with all of you. Many of you know that I’ve been a widower many years, having lost my wife to cancer. When I started The Road to Calvary back in 1997, I did my best to serve God and you, my congregation, unconcerned about my own needs. Until recently, I thought perhaps my being alone was God’s will, part of His perfect plan for me. Then I realized He had another plan.”
He paused again, surveying his audience, curious faces waiting for their pastor to continue. “That plan was the realization I could accomplish more with a partner.”
The reverend left the stage, walked to the front row where Susannah was seated, and stood before her. Dressed in a red sheath, her auburn hair framing her face, Ray thought for a brief moment he spied the aura radiating from her being. “After an existence of being alone, I’ve met someone who has changed my life.” Ray stretched his long arm toward Susannah, his smile that of a man deeply content. “Susannah, would you please join me?”
Susannah rose, accepting Ray’s beckoning hand and facing him. He sensed the cameras were still rolling. “Susannah Baker, you have enriched my life beyond my greatest dreams. And I am asking you, here, before God and these Christian witnesses, if you will join me in the covenant of Christian marriage and partnership?”
Her fingers slipped from his grasp, covering her mouth in stunned silence, joyful tears glistening against her cheeks. He used his free hand to retrieve the black velvet box from his coat pocket, displaying the solitaire diamond ring. The expectant crowd gasped in excitement, anxiously waiting for Susannah’s response. Regaining her composure, she proclaimed loud enough for all present to hear, “Yes, Ray, I would be honored to join you in the bond of Christian marriage.”
Ray passed the microphone off to Ryan and taking her slender left hand, slipped the sparkling solitaire on her finger. Susannah inhaled at the beauty of the ring as tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. On their feet now, audience members clapped and cheered. From the back of the back of the congregation a voice shouted, “Kiss her, Reverend!”
Ray smiled at Susannah, and they kissed tenderly. Ryan returned the microphone to the beaming Rev. Ray, who tried unsuccessfully to quiet the audience. “Thank you, thank you.” The crowd gave the couple a standing ovation.
At last, the audience settled down, and Ray spoke into the microphone, “My brothers and sisters, on this blessed day of Christmas Eve, let us go forth to love one another and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
The KNSL crew was still filming as the crowd circled around them, with congratulations and shouts of “Merry Christmas!” For far too long, Ray had sacrificed any type of relationship, always maintaining that his duty as a pastor serving his congregation was his primary calling. Yet, as he stood here, surrounded by worshippers ecstatic with the news of his impending marriage, he realized that Susannah was the perfect helpmate, and that, as partners, they could accomplish far greater good than he could alone.
A heavy woman grasped Ray’s forearm to shake it. “Thank you, Reverend Ray, for helping heal the rift in my family. Jesus brought my children back together. My kids were skeptical at first; but when I told them you called me by name and knew about our problems, they became convinced. After many years of being angry with one another, we’re going to celebrate Christmas as a family.”
Ray smiled. “If we truly believe, the Lord is there for us, Thelma.”
Still clutching his arm, Thelma clasped Susannah by the wrist. “And congratulations to the both of you! This is wonderful news.”
Ruth would be attending Christmas Eve services later with Emma, Jack, and the girls, but she was delighted The Road to Calvary was carrying a live broadcast. It had been a lovely service; but the moment the Reverend Ray presented Susannah Baker with the glittering diamond solitaire, Ruth had found herself reaching for tissues to dry cascading tears. The romance of the reverend asking the woman he loved to marry him after being so long alone had gotten to her, but so had memories of her own happy marriage. And, now, perhaps her daughter and son-in-law were on their way to mending their troubled union.
Clutching a tissue, Ruth dialed 1-800-HE-SAVES, which scrolled at the bottom of the TV. Next to it also scrolled the tag line: The Road to Calvary—Your Salvation Station.
“Merry Christmas, and thank you for calling The Road to Calvary. How may I help you?” a man’s voice asked Ruth over the phone.
“Excuse me, the Reverend Ray’s proposal to Miss Baker brought tears to my eyes,” Ruth sniffled. “What a beautiful service. I want to make a Christmas donation in the amount of five thousand dollars.”
On the other end of the line, Buck thought he recognized the elderly woman’s voice.
Large donations were increasing in frequency and he was certain this was her, but he wanted to choose his words carefully. “This wouldn’t by chance be Mrs. Ruth Perkins of St. Charles, would it?” As three ex-wives could attest, he was a charmer, but never phony.
“Why, yes, it is. How did you know it was me, Mr.—”
“Call me Buck, Mrs. Perkins. We’ve spoken in the past, and I recognized your voice and a prayer request. I remember you so well because we don’t receive many handwritten letters.”
“A dying art, I’m afraid. I’ll be using the same credit card as before.”
On set, groups were still congratulating Ray and Susannah twenty minutes later.
“Now, you understand how I know Reverend Ray.” Sally Sullivan came up to Susannah. “I almost spilled the beans, but the reverend has offered guidance regarding my aunt’s health issues, too.”
Putting her left hand, where her engagement ring shone under the studio lights, prominently on Sally’s shoulder, Susannah was all apologies. “I apologize for being short with you. It never occurred to me that Ray would meet someone making a prayer request in person. And a marriage proposal certainly wasn’t on my mind!”
“Apology accepted. And that ring looks great on your finger.”
“It fits perfectly!”
“Well, I told Ray to make asking you for your ring size part of an ordinary conversation, so you wouldn’t catch on.”
Susannah pretended to look sternly at Ray. “That’s where the ‘You have such delicate hands’ conversation came from.”
Ray smiled. “I had to find out somehow without giving my true intentions away!”
Balancing on her walker, Aunt Julia smiled at the happy couple. “Well, this truly is a memorable visit. Congratulations and Merry Christmas!”
Across the soundstage, unnoticed by almost anyone, Jeff Jones sat alone, observing the celebration. Since KNSL had brought camera equipment and operators, he hadn’t filled his usual role. I might not be very smart, Jeff thought, but I’m smart enough to realize The Road to Calvary is changing. He was glad Ray hadn’t shut down production, but this was no longer the pastor he had once felt so close to. He felt less and less useful, and Ray’s agreeing to look for larger markets surprised him.
His and Buck’s mounting concerns about Susannah and her increasing influence over Ray and the show’s direction seemed to be a point not worth arguing over. Ray was going to marry her. Jeff had a sickening feeling in his stomach that he and Buck were going to have to be extra cautious in their dealings with the reverend’s fiancée.