Worth Waiting For

Just one more step closer to the edge, one more step toward the life she always believed she should be living. But did she dare take it? She had missed out on so much already, dances and dates, love and romance, being the forefront of her mind, she wondered if the last step really mattered. In truth, she thought that one more step never truly existed. It was always the beginning of more steps, the bottom of long, tiring stairs.

She took the step, saw the stairs and sighed. Of course, life didn't end until one died and she was too young, too lonely, to die. So, she wasn't terribly surprised to discover the steps climbing endlessly upward, but she was discouraged.

Always, she was discouraged.

...

"I thought I'd find you here, Samuel." Beth said as she looked at the handsome young man in unbridled interest. Surely he knew she was interested, surely he realized that she was the only logical choice for him.

Samuel placed the wood polish upon the gleaming pew and moved the rag with solemn love over the rounded back, refusing to look up at the girl demanding his attention. He had work to do, he wouldn't forsake his mission for a woman.

"We're going ice skating-" she began.

"I can't," Samuel said as he sighed and lifted his brown eyes to her blue ones. Beth, the light haired choir leader, was staring at him with pain in her eyes. Samuel couldn't stand it. "Not today, okay?"

"Samuel, surely your father doesn't expect you to do this today?" Beth asked softly, hurt and ashamed. Samuel had been the youth leader but had stepped down when she and some other girls developed crushes on him. God came first in Samuel's life.

"I'm almost done," Samuel mused. "Maybe I'll meet up with all of you."

Beth captured her lower lip between her teeth and frowned. Aware of Samuel's gaze, she quickly smiled. "Okay!" she said cheerfully and turned around. She kept her disappointment hidden until she stepped outside, out of Samuel's view.

Samuel returned to polishing the pews, something he did after every service, with a tender and loving devotion that made his father, Pastor of Blessed Hope Christian Fellowship, very pleased. Samuel did it for God and for himself, though, not worried about any other person's thoughts or feelings on the matter.

He was only twenty-seven but the youth group had developed a strong bond with him, some with genuine respect and desire to learn about God and a closer relationship with Jesus, others with crushes that set Samuel's teeth on edge. He was single because God asked him to be and he was willing to wait for God's timing before stepping into some unknown realm of life.

Sighing again, Samuel picked up the polish and moved to the next pew, the last pew. Normally, Samuel polished the pews two or three times but he decided that once was enough. He didn't want the youth group to come back and wait for him. He didn't want to go ice skating.

...

"Two hundred eighty-three dollars and nine cents, please." Shelly tilted her head slightly and smiled at the customer before her. She couldn't believe that someone would spend that much on a dress but that was only because Shelly didn't have that much to waste on clothes. She had just enough to eat, provide shelter for herself and her two pets, and pay her tithe faithfully. That truly didn't bother Shelly because she knew what it was like to have nothing.

The angry woman handed Shelly a credit card, which she swiped with gentle care and a soft smile. As they waited for the approval, Shelly carefully covered the dress with plastic and tied the bottom, under the watchful stare of the patron.

The buzzing of the receipt printing captured her attention and she turned, deftly removing the copy of the receipt that the customer had to sign.

"Sign this, please," Shelly said sweetly as the woman glanced about angrily for a pen. Shelly subtly pushed the available pen closer and busied herself with the customer receipt and credit card.

"Thank you," Shelly said as she took the signed reciept from the woman and handed her her copy and card. Then, Shelly lifted the dress and placed it in the woman's hands. "Have a nice day, Mrs. Anderson."

It appeared to Shelly actually clenched her jaw and Shelly took a step back but the woman just shoved her receipt and card into her pocket book and stormed out, plastic covered gown in tow.

Shelly placed the signed receipt into the register and stretched. She began dusting off her work station and wiping down her register since no other customers waited.

Suddenly, her boss stood before her. Shelly flashed him a broad smile. "Hello, Mr. Duke,"

"Come with me, Shelly," Eddie Duke said gently as he pressed a button on her register, turning it off. Shelly replaced the cleaning supplies and followed her boss to the office in the back of Strapless.

As they entered the large office, Eddie closed the door. Shelly didn't fear being fired, she'd been fired a lot of times before, but she didn't relish the experience either. It seemed to always happen just this way: an angry customer, a nice boss, a closed door. Shelly kept her smile in place, it didn't waver. Through it all, she trusted God.

"Shelly," Eddie swallowed then took a deep breath. He seemed to gather his strength about him before he leaned forward and met her gaze steadily. But he still didn't speak.

"It's okay, Mr. Duke," Shelly said, though her voice trembled slightly. "Really..."

"I got a call just moments ago from Dean Sheffid," Eddie leaned back then and let out a soft sigh. Shelly wrinkled her forhead in confusion. "He asked me to fire twenty employees."

Shelly sighed then as well. She just sold a three hundred dollar dress and she was being let go. Oh, well.

"But he then told me to hire a new sales manager," Eddie smiled softly then. "Their salaries pay for his, you know..."

Shelly understood. A new sales manager takes the place of twenty part-time employees. But, Shelly was full time.

"So, I'm promoting instead," Eddie leaned forward again. "Do you want the job, Shelly?"

"Yes, sir," Shelly said before she even realized it. God providing for her once more, as He had in the past. "But maybe we can keep some of the employees on if you don't give me a raise. I mean," Shelly faltered as Eddie chuckled. "Not right away, anyway." she added at last.

"Shelly, you are perfect for the job," Eddie nodded. "I already told Dean that I had no intention of firing anyone. The holiday season is coming, the holiday employees will leave afterwards, everything will work out fine."

"Well, that's good," Shelly murmured, wondering why he had bothered with the whole speech if he wasn't intending on firing anyone anyway.

"The sales manager is in another store, Shelly," Eddie said. "You'd have to move."

Shelly swallowed. "Where?"

"New York City."

...

Pastor Mike smiled broadly, "Take it, Shelly! God wants to bless you...let Him."

"But it's in New York,"

"Change of scenery,"

"They will pay for the apartment for the first six months," Shelly admitted at last.

"Shelly, it's time for you to move forward. Remember what I said about God's timing?" Shelly nodded. "Well, this is it! Time to move forward or get left behind."

Shelly gnawed on her lower lip. More stairs, she thought to herself. That's all I ever see, more steps, more stairs.

"My brother pastors a church out there," Pastor Mike said softly. Shelly lifted her eyes to his. A church? Her heart soared. A safe place.

"Really?"

...

Samuel ran with the football, the other young guys closing in fast. He was almost there...almost...then he was tackled. Laughing, Brad stood and helped Samuel to his feet.

"Almost," Brad said with a broad smile.

"Yes," Samuel dusted off his sweats. If the youth group could see him now, they wouldn't recognize him. Samuel took Fridays to hang out with his old school buddies. His father often told him that one day wasn't enough but Samuel loved being in God's presence more than anywhere else and so one day was enough.

"Hey, guys!" Ryan trotted toward them, holding Samuel's cellphone aloft. "It's your dad, Sam."

Samuel met Ryan halfway and took the phone. "Thanks," he said as he put the phone to his ear. "Dad?"

"Samuel, I just called to tell you that your uncle Mike is coming for a visit." Tom Adams said.

"When?"

"His plane arrives Tuesday. There is a young girl that attends his church in New Mexico. He's bringing her here. Apparently she received a promotion at work and she's being relocated here. He wants her to feel welcome."

"Is Heather coming too?" Samuel asked.

"Both your cousins are coming. They are going to stay for a week. Can you help your mother with the chores tomorrow? You know, heavy lifting and the like?"

"Of course, dad."

"Thanks, son,"

"Bye." Samuel was smiling when he hung up. Heather and Dylan both coming. They were fun preteens, just the kind of kick his youth group needed.

"Hey, Sam!" Brad yelled. "The game!"

"Coming," Samuel called over his shoulder as he trotted toward his jacket and placed his cellphone into the pocket. "Prepare to lose!" he shouted as he joined his friends.

...