Page 29 of Kayak Girl

She turned, her face lighting up. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was welcoming, yet full of surprise.

I hesitated, shifting on my feet. “I wanted to talk to you about lunch. I know I’m supposed to come to you guys, but…” My voice trailed off as I thought of Elle. “There’s this girl from summer camp, and I was hoping I could spend some time with her today. Is it okay if I raincheck on lunch?” I braced myself, unsure of her reaction.

Mom’s eyes softened, a hint of disappointment flickering in them before she masked it with a warm smile. “I suppose so,” she said. “Which girl is this?”

“Elle, she’s a tourist whose helping us with the summer camp. She’s the one who told me about those books I was looking for. Actually, I think you met her at the soup kitchen the other night.”

“Oooh. She seemed so nice. Brenda also told me about her. Why don’t you just bring her to lunch? I’d love your father to meet her.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling suddenly nervous. “Wouldn’t that be a bit intense for her? I don’t want to scare her off.” The thought of Elle sitting at our family table, made me both excited and anxious.

Mom laughed. “Look at this face, what about me is intimidating?” She gestured to herself, her eyes twinkling with humor. “Please. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior.” Her words, light and encouraging, tipped my decision.

“Okay, if she agrees to come, I’ll bring her to meet you after church,” I said, a smile creeping onto my face.

“Perfect.”

“Thanks, Mom. Let me get back.”

With a renewed sense of purpose, I turned and hurried back to Elle. Would she agree to come? How would she react to my family?

Chapter 21

ELLE

Gray was different with me this morning, and I missed his presence as soon as he left to join his team. Oh dear. What did his actions mean? I shook my head at my thoughts, I was getting way ahead of myself. Sighing, I reminded myself that I needed to tell him I’d wrecked his car. He hated liars. It would be much easier if I could just get on stage and blurt it out now in front of everyone, but I was new to facing conflict head-on, the least I could do for myself is talk to him in private. Hopefully I could chat to him after church. I could enjoy him now, but I’d better not get my heart set on him in case it all ended badly.

The worship songs were all familiar today, so I lifted my voice in praise. I meant every word I sang, especially after my heart-to-heart with God last night. The relief I experienced after my conversation with Brenda confirmed for me, I needed to work on some stuff. She opened my eyes to a few things. I’d gone to therapy over the years, so I felt like I had generally healed from my dad’s abuse, but I never dreamed I was still dragging my past around with me. It was a bad habit, I suppose. One I was determined to break.

Pastor Jim continued his series in Ecclesiastes. Without the misguided and closed-off heart I’d brought to church last Sunday I realized his teaching was excellent, and I took loads of notes to reflect on later. Gray sat beside me like a pillar of confident strength. He never spoke to me during the service, but I relished having him nearby. Every so often our elbows would touch, and it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. I also noticed the well-worn Bible in his lap, its pages adorned with his handwritten notes and highlighted verses. There was something undeniably attractive about witnessing his dedication to his faith, to see evidence of his desire to understand the Word of God.

The moment before Gray was called up to sing again, he leaned in close to me and whispered, “Please come to my parents’ house for lunch?” His eyes held a vulnerability I hadn’t seen before, and while the idea sounded scary, I couldn’t find it in my heart to refuse him. I swallowed hard, nodding more to the sincerity in his eyes than to the invitation itself. As he moved away to take his position on the stage, a flurry of doubts filled my mind. What had I just agreed to? Wouldn’t it be weird to meet his parents? I needed to talk to him first!!!

When the service ended, the room gradually emptied, leaving me standing somewhat adrift in the crowd, a sea of unknown faces swirling around me. Then, Gray appeared, his face illuminated with a warm glow of satisfaction and lingering adrenaline from his performance. He guided me past the remaining church-goers to a woman who bore a striking resemblance to him. There she was—with kind eyes that seemed to harbor a universe of love and understanding. I started to introduce myself, but I hadn’t gotten past the first syllable of my name when she drew me into a warm embrace.

“It’s so lovely to meet you, sweetheart,” she said and stepped back, tucking her shoulder-length dark blonde hair behind her ear. “I’m Mandy. I hear we get the privilege of you joining us for lunch.”

I nodded, unable to think of anything to say.

“Well, if it’s okay with you two, let’s get going. I’ve been here since dawn and my coffee and bagel are now distant memories. Jim went directly home after the service to finish preparing his famous tacos, so lunch should be ready by the time we arrive. Gray, do you need a ride?”

“Yes please, Mom. My car is still at the mechanic and so is Elle’s.”

The three of us climbed into Mandy’s car. She chatted animatedly about children’s church almost the entire ride to her house. Grateful for the time to collect my thoughts, I just listened.

When we arrived at the medium-sized family home, it struck me immediately as a place full of memories rather than material wealth. It’s neat exterior, framed with a loving touch of greenery, and the simple, cozy facade were not extravagant. It was as if the walls whispered tales of Gray’s childhood, of family dinners and laughter, reminding me that the people who lived here valued love and connection more than any luxury.

The front door swung open before we’d exited the car, revealing Pastor Jim, Gray’s dad. He stood on the porch with a faded purple apron draped over his church clothes. His gaze was intense yet warm, watching our approach without uttering a word. He exuded strength and control, but there was a certain tenderness in his eyes, especially when they landed on Mandy and Gray.

I hesitated, wondering if I should introduce myself, but Gray stepped forward. “Dad, this is Estelle Knight. Elle, meet my dad, Jim.”

Offering my hand, I tried to convey my respect, still in awe after hearing him speak with such authority earlier during his sermon.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Elle,” he said, his voice deep and gentle. “I hope you’re all in the mood for tacos. You see Elle, every second Sunday of the month, Mandy oversees the children’s ministry. I’m not much of a chef, but I like to give her a break by trying my hand in the kitchen.”

His self-deprecation brought laughter from us all as we moved through the house. Mandy guided us to sit at the table and chairs on the edge of the patio. A large oak tree covered the space with generous shade.

As us ladies sat down, Mandy leaned forward with keen interest and said, “So, Elle, I hear you’re a copywriter? How did you find yourself in that line of work?”

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