Page 14 of Sean
“Thank you.I’m glad to be home.”His gaze traveled the group.If he wasn’t going to join his brother, and old friends were too painful, where did that leave him?
Across the room, he spotted the redheaded woman from the nursery that morning, sitting alone on the loveseat.She’d seemed friendly enough, and he didn’t remember her from his years at Grace Community.Maybe she was a safe place to land and chat, she was certainly the lesser of three evils.
Sean smiled at the women standing around him.“Excuse me, will you?”As they nodded, he crossed the room, plate in hand, encouraged by the woman’s welcoming smile as he approached.
“Hi.Monica, right?”
“That’s right, and you’re Sean.”
“Got it in one.”He motioned to the empty seat beside her.“Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.”
Sean sat and popped a cracker topped with cheese into his mouth.It was a stall tactic because now that he was here, he had no clue what to say.His gaze circled the room, hoping for some inspiration, and landed on Benjamin.
His brother’s gaze bordered on a leer and he gave Sean a quick thumbs up.Heat bubbled up from underneath Sean’s collar and he returned his attention to his plate.His dufus brother was incorrigible.Surely no one else would get the wrong idea about a less than private conversation in a room crowded with people.
“Your parents have such a lovely home.”
He looked up, trying to process what she’d said.
Monica swept her arm in a gesture that took in the space.“They’re so gracious to open their house to us every Sunday night.”
“Oh, yeah.They love to entertain their church family.Do you come over every Sunday evening?”
Monica pointed to the assortment of olives on his plate before she answered.“Oh, someone brought olives.Hold that thought while I go—”
Sean held up his plate.“Help yourself.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
She plucked up the one she wanted, popped it in her mouth, and chewed.Once she swallowed, she said, “Pretty much.I moved to Garfield in February and fell in love with Grace Community.Your mom invited me to attend the small group they host and the rest is history.I’m glad you joined us, even if you did miss the best part.”
“I beg to differ.”Sean held up his plate.“Still plenty of goodies.”
Monica laughed and Sean couldn’t help but appreciate the musical sound.
“Not the food, you goof.The discussion about the sermon.It’s a great way to dig out some deeper truths.”
Not where he wanted this conversation to go.When the phone in his pocket buzzed, he slipped it out.“Sorry,” he told Monica before looking at the screen.It was a text from his brother.
Way to go, bro.
Sean rolled his eyes, tucked the phone away, and leaned back into the cushions.“Tell me about yourself.”
She finished the last cracker on her plate.“Not a lot to tell, really.I’ve lived my whole life in Oklahoma.I’m a proud graduate of the Claremore school system.
“Then you’re a zebra,” Sean said, naming the school’s mascot.
Her laughter at his comment reflected in her blue eyes, turning them into brilliant sapphires.Sean’s mouth went so dry that he struggled to swallow the piece of cheese in his mouth and nearly choked.
“Are you OK?”
“Yes.”He took a drink.“Sorry, I must have swallowed wrong.”
“College?”
