Page 35 of Boston
I come as often as I can, because it feels like the right thing to do. When I’m here, I feel good about myself. I feel worthy of the life I’ve been given. I know God loves me, and I want Him to know that I love Him too.
He sent that message and immediately started typing another.I don’t know if that makes sense, and I don’t know if it’s my complete answer either. That was a really hard question.
He sent that text, a small smile crossing his face.I’m going to ask you a hard one, if you don’t mind. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to.
Do you go to church or have any desire to? If you do, you could come with me, because I’m pretty sure the only thing that could make this pastor’s sermons better would be if I listened to them while I held your hand.
He stared at the text, sure it had not come from his mind or fingers. Boston didn’t say things like this to women, and certainly not one that he’d met only a week ago.
The letters shone back at him, and before he lost his nerve, he tapped to send them. He watched his phone for several seconds, expecting Cora to respond quickly. When she didn’t, he flipped his phone over, his chest tightening even though he told himself he hadn’t said anything too bad.
Maybe she’s just not religious,Boston thought, and he remembered a lesson his father had taught their family from his youth.
Look for someone who shares the same values as you, Daddy had said when Beth and Boston were getting ready to leave the house and strike their own way in the world.It’s not essential, Daddy had said.But it will make your life a lot easier if you’re on the same page when it comes to these things: how to spend your money, how and where to raise your children, and your religious beliefs.Anything you don’t agree on can be worked out if those three things are talked about and aligned first.
Boston told himself he’d only known Cora for a week, and he wouldn’t even give her the label ofgirlfriendyet. He picked up his phone and texted Beth.Are you coming to cousin night next week?
I don’t know,Beth said.Are you going?
Yeah,Boston said.And I’m thinking about bringing a friend from work. Well, she’s kind of a friend right now, and I’m hoping she’ll be a girlfriend soon.
That’s exciting, Boston!Beth said.
Can I ask you a question?
Of course.
Why do you go to church?
Uh, I don’t know,Beth said.That’s a really hard question to distill down into a couple of sentences.
That made Boston feel a whole lot better, and he sent Beth an emoji with crazy eyes and the tongue sticking out.It’s something my friend/almost-girlfriend asked me, and it kind of confounded me too. I’m just thinking about that lesson Momma and Daddy gave us about being on the same page with someone.Do you think it would be a total relationship killer if I was religious and she wasn’t?
Where are you right now?Beth asked.Can I call you?
I’m sitting in church,he said, half chuckling under his breath.It’s not a bad place to be thinking about these things.
Call me when you get done then,Beth said, and Boston gave her a thumbs up.
He didn’t normally spend a lot of time thinking about deep religious things or his convictions or his beliefs. They had been coming up a lot more lately, and Boston couldn’t help feeling like he’d entered a critical time of his life where the decisions he made now would frame his days, weeks and years ahead.
He thought about the old adage of having to sleep in the bed he’d made, and he wanted to make the right kind of bed, with the right people, at the right job.
His phone buzzed, and he looked down at it, his pulse bumping harder when he saw Cora had finally responded.Let’s talk more at lunch. Are you thinking like a hike-type of walk or a walk over to a restaurant?
Cora sent a smiley face.I’ve got to be real honest, after my first week here, I’d vote for the second one.
Boston grinned.Same. I’ll pick you up and we’ll walk over to Shanghai’s. I can text Karla and get us a reservation.
Done,Cora said, and Boston sat back to listen to the rest of the sermon, beyond thrilled that he had a date after this.
Now, if he could just figure out the answers to his questions, he’d be sitting pretty.
Boston walkedover to Cora’s later that day. He hadn’t been able to talk to Beth yet, as she’d gotten called into a last-minute meeting for her summer MBA cohort. It was fine, as Boston had figured out a lot of things on his own, and he could do this too. Of course, he had plenty of other people he could call, but he didn’t want to talk to his momma or daddy about Cora quite yet, and he’d already unloaded enough on Cash.
He’d stayed after the service and chatted with Joey and Adam for a couple of minutes. They’d both asked about Cora, and Boston had simply said, “We’re still getting to know each other.”
He jogged up her front steps and knocked on the door as the cabins out here didn’t have doorbells.
