Page 50 of The Friend Game

“Well those boys were doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing,” I remind them. “So some level of correction was necessary.”

“Another time we were outside for field day,” Mia says breathlessly, “and she sprayed some kids with her hose because she said they got too close to her property. One of the kids had to go to the doctor because she blasted him so hard with the jet setting.”

“I see.” I eye Scary Miss Sherry’s house with slight apprehension. I mean, these sort of sound like crazy urban legends kids just tell each other, but still. I don’t want to get sprayed with a hose. I’m wearing a white shirt. “Well, I’m an adult and you guys are with me, so I’m sure if she does come out we can have a perfectly reasonable discussion before anyone gets any hoses out.”

The kids exchange nervous glances with each other, evidently unconvinced.

“Besides,” I add, infusing my voice with cheer and confidence, “I already asked her for permission.” This is not strictly true. I did go to her house yesterday and knock, but she didn’t answer so I left her a note explaining my idea and asked her to call me if she had any issues with us painting her beautiful trees.

She never called me, ergo I concluded that she doesn’t have any problems with us painting her beautiful trees.

Right?

Okay. Now I’m officially nervous. Maybe this was a bad idea. Why do I always think with the artistic side of my brain instead of the logical side of it?

“Oh you have permission?” Mia looks relieved.

“I thought you said it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission,” Ellie says unhelpfully.

“Yes, well that was specifically in regards to us each enjoying a slice of that pie your mom left on the counter the other day,” I say hastily. And it proved to be quite wrong. Apparently Jill had planned on bringing that pie to a Grace Canyon family’s house; the mother having just had a baby. I had to help her make a new pie and take it over for her since making the second pie made her run late for Liam’s soccer game.

On the plus side I got to hold the new baby and Kelly—the mom—got to take a little catnap. So, all's well that ends well.

“Anyway, let’s paint, shall we?” I turn on my Bluetooth speaker and get some praise and worship music going, then walk around to give the kids some tips about painting the trees. The whole thing is peaceful and wonderful and honestly, pretty perfect. For me, creating art has always made me feel close to God; like I’m reflecting His creativityin my own. I’m about to say as much to the kids when Ellie starts squealing excitedly.

“Look! It’s Pastor Abbott!” She points her orange-tipped paintbrush over my shoulder, managing to spray my arm with orange specks in the process. I follow her wild pointing to see that Luke is in fact headed our way. My heart picks up speed, clearly taking its job of reminding me that I like Luke very seriously.

“Pastor Abbott!” Ellie calls, continuing to jump up and down like there’s a chance he might miss the thirteen of us congregated here with our easels and paint. A couple of the other kids join in her shouting and Luke lifts a hand in greeting.

As he gets closer I spot headphones in his ears; he removes them and smiles at us. “What are you all doing out here?” he asks.

“We’re painting Scary Miss Sherry’s orange trees,” Ellie supplies.

“Scary Miss Sherry?” Luke echoes, looking over his shoulder at the house behind him. “Aww, c’mon you guys aren’t still calling her that are you?”

“We are,” Ellie says gravely. Next to her Caroline giggles. Meanwhile Mia still looks nervous.

“Miss Sherry isn’t so scary,” Luke reasons. “You know I walk back here all the time and a lot of times she’ll come out here and say hello to me.Sometimes she even gives me a glass of her freshly squeezed orange juice.”

Okay. Hold up. Luke and Sherry have conversations? I’ve been imagining an older woman, but now I’m wondering if Scary Miss Sherry is actually a young woman. If perhaps the scariest thing about her is how pretty she is…In fact I bet she grows these oranges just so she can offer Luke that freshly squeezed orange juice. I shoot a suspicious glance at the orange trees, suddenly seeing them for what they are: man stealers.

“Really?” Mia asks him earnestly. “She gives you orange juice?”

“Sometimes.” He nods.

“Yeah, but maybe she poisons it,” Musa shouts. “Didchya ever think of that?”

“Stupid, he’d be dead if she poisoned it,” Toby says, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t call people stupid,” Luke and I say in unison. He grins at me and my workerbee heart does a little flip.

“Sorry,” Toby mutters.

“There is one thing you need to be careful of when it comes to Miss Sherry’s house, though,” Luke tells the kids and they all instantly go quiet.

“What is it?” Ellie whispers, leaning forward on her toes.

“Her sprinkler system,” Luke says very seriously.

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