“I guess I will see you there.”
Jennifer nodded and walked him to the door, sighing with relief as she locked it behind him.
Chapter 3
The church building was surprisingly large with white steeples rising towards the cloudless blue sky and several cars already in the parking lot. Jennifer had been here a few Sundays before and did not particularly care for the ritualistic ceremony that appeared to have no deviations whatsoever. She had attended services at home because she had been brought up in a Baptist church and had had parents who had strong beliefs in the afterlife and the power of God. She had gotten a little bitter after her mother had succumbed to her illness two years after her dad’s heart attack which had left her without family. They too had been only children and she never had uncles, cousins or aunts to look forward to. That was one of the reasons that she yearned for a family of her own. She felt self-conscious in printed blue and green dress with the capped sleeves and straight skirt. The first time she had visited the chapel, she had worn denims and a cotton shirt but one of the sisters had discreetly taken her aside and told her that they dressed up for services. She had wanted to tell the woman where she could put her suggestion but had thought better of it. She was new in town and had to make a good impression. So, she had toed the line and made sure she always wore a dress. It did not bother her much because she did not attend often. But this was a special occasion to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the township itself and she had told herself that as the resident surgeon, she had to attend.
It did not help that the air was as dry as a corn husk and not even one leaf was stirring on the trees in the cobbled parking lot. Sitting in her car and breathing in the AC for a few more minutes, she allowed her eyes to drift around the area. It was a nice serene area and only a few miles away from where she lived and worked. Someone had tried valiantly to maintain the patch of flowers garden beneath a weeping willow tree, but it was losing the battle to the murderous heat. Mystic Rivers only got two and half months of summer and it was as if nature was somehow making up for that lack. The two and half months, which started in the middle of June and ended abruptly at the end of August was so stifling that it felt as if one was breathing in flames! And then abruptly at the beginning of September, the weather would change dramatically, becoming frigid and forcing one to reach for sweaters and light jackets. She had learned to adapt to the extreme heat and icy cold but doubt that she would ever get used to it.
Stirring herself, she took a deep breath and opened her car door. The heat hit her like a ton of bricks and caused her to suck in her breath, trying not to hurry into the cool interior of the building. Hurrying would only make it worse and cause her to sweat and she did not want that. She had just cleared the roadway and had stepped onto the covered portico when she heard the voice behind her.
“I was hoping that I would have the honor of escorting you in.”
Jennifer cursed beneath her breath and forcing a smile on her lips, she turned to look at the man she had treated yesterday afternoon. He was wearing a dark blue dress pants and light blue shirt that opened at the throat to reveal tanned skin. “May I?” He reached for her arm and she had no choice but to offer it to him. He pressed against her in a familiar way that almost had her pulling away from him, but just managed to stop herself as they were greeted by one of the ushers whose name tag said that his name was Bro. Stephenson.
“It is good to see you in the House of the Lord, doc.” He beamed at her, revealing slightly yellowing teeth and stretched forth a hand to clasp hers. “And Brother Clive, how nice to see you again. I told my dear wife that I will be dropping by to purchase some of those delicious peaches for our bake sale on Wednesday.” He looked at the hand on Jennifer’s arm curiously before directing them to a seat near the back. The place was almost filled to capacity and heads turned to look at them with avid curiosity. Jennifer knew that by this afternoon, the locals would have them sleeping together and getting ready for marriage.
That was one part of small town living that she could never learn to accept. Pulling away from Clive, she made space between them and reached for the hymn book at the slot at the back of the chair in front of them and opened it up to the hymn that was announced. Within minutes, more people wandered in and she felt rather than saw the shift in the atmosphere.
“Here come the big shots.” Clive muttered snidely, causing her to look up and over as the two men made their way inside. She had had visits from representatives of the company, offering her all sorts of incentives for her to let go of her clinic but she had turned them down flat. She had never met the owners but had seen pictures of them in the papers. They had made the news because of their importance and of course their looks. Both men looked like they topped well over six feet and were identical in coloring with the same ink black hair and trim muscular frame. She could see the females, old and young preening as they tracked their progresses to the front of the sanctuary with the obsequious usher leading them to a seat at the front of the pew. “I guess money affords you the best treatment.”
Jennifer made no comment and stood up when the minister indicated that they should with the hymn book opened in her hand.
*****
Mason fidgeted as the minister droned on and on about a woman who was talking to some guy at the well and the conversation between them. He used the time to gauge the congregation, sighting a few of the people he recognized by their photos who were still refusing to give up their properties. He was not exactly religious, but his uncle had introduced the argument that in order to align themselves with the locals, they needed to get involved with the important happenings. So, he had taken a shower and donned a plain white shirt and dark blue dress pants and taken a step outside to confront the stifling heat that had taken his breath away. He had intended to spend the day indoors and deal with some paperwork and was slightly resentful of what he considered wasted time to come and listen to the old man behind the pulpit who had charged full on - into the most boring speech he had ever had the misfortune to listen to. He shifted a little on the seat and was poked in his ribs by his uncle.
“If he is not finished in the next ten minutes I am leaving. There is so much a person can take.” He muttered in an undertone to his uncle.
“We need to make our presence felt.” Manuel mouthed back. “We have attended numerous board meetings. Pretend that you are at one of them.”
“At the board meetings I can always tell them to get the hell out and call the meeting to an end. I cannot very well do that here.”
Manuel chuckled and nudged him to get to his feet. “I think we are at the end.”
“Good.” Mason said feelingly as he got to his feet.
“Just remember that we have to make ourselves available to meet and greet.”
Mason stifled a groan and tried to look interested as the last hymn was being sung.