Page 19 of Becoming Family

six

Tabitha had to admit, as she was driving home, that she felt a little stronger. Not physically. Not even mentally. But something was more solid inside of her, like a firming up of her soul.

Tabitha knew she had to be cautious with how she thought aboutHobbs. He flirted with every decent-looking woman who walked into the gym and he was nice to everyone. Tabitha wasn’t anything special. The fact that he’d spent his Open Hour on Sunday helping her meant nothing. And neither did the kiss. That was just a tequila-induced celebratory moment for her birthday. Tabitha was well aware that she was the type of woman who read too much into things. She refused to do that this time and make a fool out of herself in front of the gym playboy. But still, she felt better than she had this morning.

Tabitha sighed so loud Trinity started whapping her tail in the back seat. She glanced in the rearview. “I’m okay, girl.”

The words nearly died on her lips as she pulled up to the house. What did Auntie El do, invite the entire congregation home for brunch? Cars lined the quiet street, spilled out the drive and sat crooked under shade trees planted on the corners. Many of them were the old-fashioned long sedans the seniors preferred. There, right in the driveway, like a blast from the past, was Reverend Stokes’s ancient silver El Dorado.

It felt like a wad of cotton filled up Tabitha’s throat. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. She had nothing but good memories of Reverend Stokes, but every time she saw him, he asked when was she coming back to church. Tabitha never quite felt like explaining about Camp Leatherneck, where sexual harassment on a daily basis had been the norm from the very chaplain she’d been sworn to protect.

It took Tabitha an extra few minutes to find a parking space, since her brain froze up. Her usual curbside spot near the mailbox was filled with a classy new Lexus. The only decent place she could find was in front of the Mailers’ house, right where Mr. Mailer liked to park his Buick. If he came home early from his own church services, he would not be pleased, even though street parking was fair game.

Tabitha walked slowly toward the house, her grip on Trinity’s leash tightening the closer she got. Trinity responded to the tension by pressing her shoulder into Tabitha’s thigh, turning her gait into a leaning lope. Tabitha didn’t tell the dog she was okay this time.

Voices and laughter filled the cool air as she opened the storm door and stepped inside where it was warm and smelled like fresh bread. Clearly, Auntie El had raised the heat for the church crowd, and for once, Tabitha wished the house was cold. Now it was too warm. Stuffy, in fact. Trinity stuck close to her side, staying calm, composed and in charge as they made their way into the kitchen, which was packed to the gills with women in wool skirts and crisp blouses and men in khakis and button-downs.

“Well, hello, little Tabitha!” Reverend Stokes was by the counter, a plate full of food in his hand. He wore a fine black suit and glasses with thick, dark frames, like he always had. The only real change over the years was he’d gone gray at the temples and apparently let it happen naturally, with no attempt whatsoever to hide it. Something about the gray always made her feel better, like it signaled the safety of maturity.

“Reverend Stokes.” The longer Tabitha looked at him, the more the remainder of her tension drained way. Reverend Stokes was the complete opposite of Captain Dorsey, the chaplain who had harassed her. Slender, where the captain had been stocky; smiling, when the captain never did; brown instead of pale. Apparently, all men of the cloth weren’t one and the same to her PTSD, which was such a relief she let Trinity’s leash go and sensed her hunger rekindling after that brutal workout.

Reverend Stokes shoved his plate to the counter, creating space among all the food, and scooped Tabitha into a warm hug. He rocked her several times, then patted her between the shoulder blades before he pulled back and held her at arm’s length. “My girl. We go too long between seeing each other. I think it was last Thanksgiving.”

“Yes.” It’d been almost a year since Tabitha had been in the arms of the only man she’d felt somewhat like a daughter toward. “Good to see you, too, Reverend.” His eyes still held that sparkle, his touch the perfect balance of strength and gentleness.

“Finally back from that gym of yours, I see.” Auntie El pushed through the bodies and came up beside them. “She spends a lot of time on her muscles these days, Reverend. Something she learned in the navy, I guess.”

“Well, that’s good.” Reverend Stokes scooped up his plate and took a bite of Auntie El’s creamy baked eggs. “She looks healthy and fit.” He took another bite. “The food is amazing, as usual, Lavina.”

“Oh.” Auntie El waved a dismissive hand but grinned.

“Please eat something, dear, especially if you’ve been working hard at the gym.” Reverend Stokes gestured to Auntie El’s spread. The crowd had thinned away from the buffet and had dispersed throughout the house, the happy chatter punctuated with laughter. “Later, we can talk and catch up.”

“Thank you, Reverend. It’s so good seeing you.” Tabitha didn’t need to be told twice to eat, now that her jitters had died away completely. Trinity followed beside her as she collected a plate and started filling it with eggs and bacon and fresh fruit. She’d just plopped a tall, flaky homemade biscuit atop the pile, then turned and grabbed another at the last second, when she nearly slammed straight into the chest of a tall, slender man.

“Oh!” Tabitha pulled back just in time, rescuing the contents of her plate from spilling in any direction. “I’m sorry.”

“Good save,” the man said with a smile.

“Thanks.” She looked up and had a moment of déjà vu. The man facing her had close-cropped black hair and wore a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. His face was clean-shaven and classically handsome, with strong cheekbones. He looked like...like...

“Tabitha, you remember Thaddeus.” Auntie El was right by his side, her hand in the crook of his elbow, as if she’d led him over.

“Oh, my God.”

Auntie El brushed aside the exclamation and added, “Thaddeus is a lawyer.” Her giant grin faded as her gaze shifted to Tabitha’s overflowing plate. “Good gracious. When did we get a horse to feed?”

Tabitha eyed her plate, teetering with food. “I’m hungry, Auntie El. My workout was brutal.” She smiled at Thaddeus, even though her cheeks were burning. “Wow. I can’t believe I’m seeing you after all these years. You look the same, but...different.” Thaddeus, always long and lanky, had filled out. He’d got his crooked bottom teeth fixed at some point and he had an air of confidence that filled the entire kitchen. Back in high school he and Tabitha typically hid out in the library, away from other people.

“You look the same, too,” Thaddeus said, eyeing her up and down. “Still light as a feather and cute as a button.” His gaze stopped at her plate of food. “That must’ve been some workout.” He offered a polite laugh. “Where do you go?”

“Thaddeus is a marathon runner,” Auntie El piped in. “He puts in over forty miles a week.”

“That’s great,” Tabitha said. She set her plate down and quickly made a bacon-and-egg sandwich with one of the biscuits. “I remember you did cross-country in high school.”

“It’s nothing.” Thaddeus waved a hand. “I typically run around the Mall, in the District, before the day gets going. Right before work. Do you run?”

“Not as well as I should.” Tabitha took a bite of her biscuit, unable to stave off her hunger any longer. “I go to Semper Fit.” She spoke around the food in her mouth, which elicited one last shake of Auntie El’s head before she moved out of the room.

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