Page 32 of A Taste of Grace

“Caleb is the son I never had. He was smart as a whip as a kid and the head of his high school class. He went to Morehouse for his accounting degree then Emory for an MBA. He and his daddy, my brother, were entrepreneurial, so they bought several fast food restaurants and became multimillionaires.”

I didn’t expect that news since Caleb’s house was humble. He must have been a frugal man.

“He was laser focused on his career until he met his ex-wife, Madeline. She was pretty, seductive, and conniving. Caleb’s nose was wide open. We warned him about her, but Caleb was headstrong. Like God, I believe in free will, but I prayed that everything would work out.” Nita’s voice trailed off. “The girls were the bright spot from that union.”

“When did he become a preacher?”

“Before his daddy died of a heart attack. Caleb was called to the ministry years before he accepted his calling to preach. It was a little before he met Madeline. When he said yes to the Lord, all hell broke loose in his marriage. That devil in Madeline came all the way out. Nearly destroyed my baby. But God...” Nita waved her hand and wiggled her body like she had caught the Holy Ghost.

“Where is she?”

“Who knows? She got caught up in drugs. Caleb held on as long as he could, but God said no. It nearly broke him.”

“That’s really sad.”

“Like you, everyone has a story, even if they look perfect on the outside. The God I serve protects and redeems. You may walk in the valley of the shadow of death, but you don’t have to stay there. You and Caleb have a lot in common.”

“I agree. This helps me. I’ll have a better perspective at dinner with him and the girls tomorrow after church.”

“What’s this?” Nita’s mouth dropped.

I blushed, hiding my smile behind my glass as I sipped my water. I set it back on the table with a serious look.

“He asked me to join his family for church and dinner.”

“Hold up, Miss Ma’am. My nephew has standards. The only woman he will entertain is one he courts. Is he courting you? And did you agree?” Nita shrieked her questions.

Her animation startled me. Only now did it fully hit me to what I agreed to when I accepted Caleb’s invitations.

“I think so…yes? Maybe? I’ve learned not to overanalyze potential blessings. You only live once.”

Nita smiled so hard it made me grin.

“Praise God.”

“I’m exploring whatevercourtingmeans, so please don’t put the cart before the horse.”

“The way y’all are going, I’m going to be at a wedding soon.” She pulled out her phone. “Let me buy that sky blue dress I’ve been eyeing at Nordstrom.

“You are a holy mess.”

Nita dropped her phone and resumed her meal. Her smile was so big; I wondered if it hurt her face.

As I ate, I thought about what a modern-day courtship might look like. Would we only kiss? How would his previous admirers feel about me?

When Nita left, I went grocery shopping for Sunday dinner and wrapped up tasks for work. Throughout the day, I tried not to ruminate about visiting Caleb’s church and joining his familyafter service but couldn’t help but wonder what they might think about me. This was still a relatively small town, and people had strong opinions about strangers, especially those who caught the eye of one of Farmerton’s most eligible bachelors.

To calm my nerves, I sorted through my accessories and dress clothes, pairing my mother’s pearl choker with a below-the-knee sheath dress that accentuated my legs and hips. I smiled as I ironed the hem of my purple dress on low heat, recalling how grateful Hannah and Esther were to have me style their hair for tomorrow’s service. They would look like little dolls and probably wouldn’t be able to sit still the entire day.

I drew my bath for the evening when a notification popped up on my phone.

Caleb:

You good for tomorrow?

Everything Caleb said made me smile. When I didn’t text back immediately, he called me.

“Yes, King.”

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