Elaine came bustling back through the swinging door, carrying two plates. “Jim is coming out to say hi too.” She set the plates in front of them. A heady aroma of warm cinnamon enveloped them. “I’ll get those coffees. Since you’ll be here a while, I’ll put them in real cups. I think it enhances the experience.” She gave them a wink and went behind the counter to where the coffeepot sang a song of caffeine.
Jim came through from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. “I’m glad you stopped by. I was just in the back making a batch of our famous walnut raisin bread. If you hang around long enough, I’ll send a fresh loaf with you.”
Elaine brought over two coffee mugs.
“Will you join us?” Typical Bob. Once again, his invitation indicated his desire to never be alone with her, even here at the bakery.
Jim and Elaine exchanged a look. Jim smiled. “We’d love that. I have a few loaves to put into the oven, but then we’d be free to join you for a few minutes.”
“It’s been slow today. I’ll grab two more coffees.” Elaine walked back behind the counter.
Bob reached out and took Marilyn’s hand. Sighed.
Right here? Right now? He was going to end their relationship in the space of pouring a cup of coffee? She had nothing.
“Honey, lately I’ve been having a hard time—” Bob’s cell phone jangled. He broke off and checked the screen. “I should probably take this. It’s Dan Matthews.”
Whatever. “Go ahead.” Bob stepped away from the table and answered the call.
A second later he returned to the table and grabbed his jacket and tossed it on before heading outside. “No, it’s fine. Yes, I was up. No, I wasn’t doing anything important.” His words wafted back as the door shut behind him.
Nothing important.
Nope. Nothing.
Suddenly, all her efforts at keeping the tears at bay were in vain. They began rolling down her face in fat drops of despair.
“Oh no! What’s wrong?” Elaine came back from around the counter. She put a hand on Marilyn’s shoulder, then dropped into a chair next to her.
Marilyn grabbed a few napkins from the dispenser and mopped at her face.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I think my marriage is falling apart.” And just like that, the words out of her mouth took her under. She was going to need more napkins. “Forty-one years, and now it’s ending.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“Yes, it is. Bob can’t stand to be alone with me anymore. He doesn’t initiate conversation or interaction or…or anything.” She wasn’t going to tell this virtual stranger about the bedroom stuff. No matter how delicious her cinnamon rolls were.
Elaine gave her a soft smile, something of compassion in it. “I won’t pretend to know what you are going through, but Jim and I have been married about ten years longer than you and Bob. We went through a rough patch too. A few of them, really. It seems to hit every couple sometime.”
“You seem so happy now. How did you get through it?” She tore the side of her napkin into bits.
“It took a lot of work and a lot of honesty with each other. I’m glad we did it too. Not that long ago we had a bad scare. Jim had a heart attack, and I thought I’d lose him forever.” Now Elaine, too, grabbed a napkin.
“Oh, I’m sorry. He looks so good. I wouldn’t have guessed.”
Elaine dabbed at her eyes. “He’s made a great recovery.” She took a shuddering breath. “Anyway. I believe there comes a time in every marriage where you have to decide if you’re going to stick it out, if what you’ve built together is worth it. I think a good marriage is worth fighting for.”
Marilyn nodded. Attempted a smile.
Elaine began ticking things off on her fingers. “Do you love your husband? Is he good to you? Fun to be around? Does he show care for the people around him?”
Marilyn nodded at each question. He did all of that and more.
“Then my advice is to fight for him. Keep pursuing unity with him. Show him that you’ll love and respect him through thick and thin.”
Good advice that Marilyn had probably even given herself at some point.
Problem was, the fight seemed already over.
Talk about being saved by the bell, or rather his cell phone’s ringtone.
The drive into town with Marilyn had seemed to last two lifetimes. Sure, yesterday’s lunch could have gone better. But he’d been too miserable to reassure her that he didn’t hold the accidental food poisoning against her. Plus, the news that he was quitting the ministry…well, that needed to be done right.
He needed to explain himself, tell her how he got here.
Although, honestly, even he wasn’t sure. Just that…the idea of returning to the pulpit filled him with a heaviness he didn’t know how to escape.
But if he explained it, or tried to, then maybe she’d understand.
Who knew? Maybe she’d even agree with him.
When Dan’s name had popped up on his screen, well, call him a coward, but he’d jumped at the moment. Still, yes. He had to talk to her. He’d never kept a decision this big from Marilyn before, and he didn’t like doing it now. He could feel the distance between them growing wider, and he hated that.
So he couldn’t help the relief he’d felt at answering the phone and avoiding the inevitable. When he had heard Dan’s raspy voice, he’d known cinnamon rolls were not more important in that moment than finishing the call. He’d headed outside for some privacy.
Bob pressed the phone closer to his ear, Dan’s voice a thin croak on the other end. “You sound terrible. What’s up?”
“Smoke inhalation, among other things,” Dan said. “I fought a fire in town last night. I’m actually calling you from the hospital.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Can I stop by and visit you?”
“I’m sorry to call you so early, but I have a request.” Dan coughed, groaned. Bob heard him take a sip of something. Water probably. “I was supposed to officiate a wedding today.” Dan paused to breathe. “Obviously, I’m unable to talk long enough to do the ceremony, and even if I could, they want me in here for another night of observation.”
“I’m glad they’re being cautious. But where do I come in?” A growing sense of unease filled him. There was only one way he could imagine being involved.
Dan confirmed it. “I want you to do the ceremony. I trust you to do right by them. They’re a special couple—they deserve a great pastor.”
“Oh. Dan. I…” He took a breath. “I’m sorry, but—”
“I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important. I know how much you needed this time off.”
“It’s not that.” Bob rubbed at a spot on his temple. Good thing he’d stepped outside. The sun had just cleared the horizon, the sky a glorious blue. A perfect day for a wedding. So long as he wasn’t the one doing it. “Look. I haven’t even talked to Marilyn about this yet, but I’m thinking about leaving the ministry.”
“What?” Dan’s voice broke on the word. “Why?”
“Remember when we had our conversation before you offered us this vacation?” Bob took Dan’s raspy wheeze as a yes. “You were right. I needed to get away.” Then, in a quiet voice, he told Dan about the ways he’d been messing up in the pulpit. All the errors he’d made. How he felt like he couldn’t get up the gumption to stand in front of his congregation anymore.