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Bellewood Book Two As We Forgive

By June Foster

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Chapter One


Tim gritted his teeth and pushed through the double doors at the front of the church for a quick breath of cool, rain-filled evening air. The fresh Pacific breeze on his face did nothing to calm him. He stomped down the stairs glaring at the ground. Each foot clunked on the sidewalk toward the parking lot. Then he tumbled forward, his body bumping against another. He flailed and reached out to stop both of them from plummeting backward.
"Oh," the feminine voice murmured against his ears even as her purse clamored to the ground spilling its contents onto the concrete. Another bag bounced against her side but remained secure on her shoulder.
He steadied them both and pulled away.
The teenage girl infuriated him almost as much as Johnny Thompson. "Sorry, but why can't you kids show up on time?" Young people lacked responsibility these days, one thing his father had drummed into his head.
The startled teen stared up at him.
"I'm Pastor Tim. You're a bit late for the girls' fundraiser meeting."
The young girl peered at him with crystal blue eyes as she bent down to collect her belongings. "I'm sorry, I had to--"
"Teens. Always have an excuse," he mumbled.
Johnny tested his patience -- his outbursts in class, his pranks. He'd never trust the kid after tonight.
The girl stuffed a brush, a makeup case, a lipstick, and a pen into her bag before he had a chance to help. She stood and hiked the strap over her shoulder.
One remaining item she'd missed lay next to an azalea bush near the pavement. Conviction hit him with more force than the September rain falling on them. He bent to pick it up and handed her the small black Bible.
Without looking at him, she stuffed it in her pocket.
He didn't have to take his problems out on another kid. She had nothing to do with Johnny lying to him when he said he needed the key to Tim's office to borrow his concordance. He should've known it was a scheme.
Since Johnny had taken more than fifteen minutes coming back to the classroom, Tim figured he'd better check on the kid, but the door was locked. Only when Tim found the spare key in the main office could he get in. Johnny and his girlfriend were leaning against the wall kissing. The nerve of the boy. Tim would speak to the teen and his wayward girlfriend about making out on church property.
Tim's frustration ebbing, his breathing returned to normal.
The late arrival was probably upset with him, for which he didn't blame her. The teen's long blond hair, held back in a clip, flowed down her back. She must be new to the senior high group. "So what high school do you attend?"
"I don't --"
"Well, you're welcome anyway." She's home schooled -- or maybe a dropout. "I'm sorry I bumped into you. Probably didn't make you feel very welcome. Let me show you where the girls are waiting. With the help of a volunteer, Ms. Ratner, they're organizing a fundraiser for our annual camp held during spring break."
He started up the sidewalk but paused to allow her to catch up. Rain covered the walkway. With one final breath, the volcano inside Tim subsided.
The girl paced next to him and lifted her eyes, this time amusement flitting across her lips.
Was she going to be one of those rebellious teens who didn't respect authority?
"So you're the youth pastor here. I haven't attended Bellewood Fellowship for long." She blinked a drop of rain from her eye.
"Well, newcomers are always welcome. I recommend you arrive on time. We're rushed during our meetings." They climbed the steps he'd just tramped down.
"Good advice, Pastor Tim, but now might be a good time to introduce myself." She gave him a sneer. "I've been out of my teens for over six years, but I'm flattered you think I look that young. I'm a hairstylist at Larry's Hair Design near downtown Bellewood." She stuck out her hand. "Roxanne Ratner."

*****

Roxanne chuckled as Tim propped the door open with his shoulder, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. The handsome pastor with dark brown eyes and spiked hair could probably put a size thirteen shoe in his mouth.
"You... you're Ms. Ratner? The guest volunteer?" He allowed the door to close after them, drops of rain dampening the tile inside the foyer.
With a sly smile, she smirked. "I don't look young enough to be mistaken for a teen, but thank you." The darkened glass windows and locked door gave the impression the church office was closed. "I'm twenty-five, Pastor. And you're welcome to call me Roxanne."
"My profound apologies. I don't have any excuse for my rudeness other than trying to cool off after a problem with one of the boys earlier in my high school group. Thank you so much for coming. Let me show you to the Sunday school room."
With lips pressed together, the good-looking guy walked with a rigid gait down a long hallway opposite the church offices and slowed at the corner room.
The day the pleasant church secretary cajoled Roxanne into heading the event, she'd jumped at the opportunity to work with the high school girls. But now she considered she'd have to work with the intense youth pastor. If his manners were always this bad, maybe it wouldn't be as easy as she thought.
Roxanne touched her fingers to the silver cross around her neck. Though she'd only asked Jesus into her life six months ago, she was anxious to serve others. A makeover fundraiser was perfect. Maybe she'd even drum up some business and expand her clientele.
Rapping his fingers on the closed door, Tim paused then opened it. "This way, ma'am. Girls, I'd like you to meet Ms. Ratner. She's from Larry's Hair Design and attends our church."
Ten teenage girls sitting around a large round table stared up at her. Some smiled, a few gawked, and one folded her arms over her chest with a scowl.
"You can call me Roxanne, girls." She turned around to Tim again, and he nodded at her.
"Sit here." He held a chair out between a dark-haired girl and a blonde. "Don't forget, you're planning an event where women of this church and anyone else from the community can make appointments for all the stuff you're going to do."
The dark-haired girl raised her hand. "Like facials and make-up."
"Right, Mandy." Tim laughed. "Ms. Ratner, I know our efficient secretary, Nancy, briefed you on this so I'll just be in my office if anyone needs me." He backed toward the door, tripping over his feet and hitting his backside on the wall.
With a snicker she hoped wasn't audible, Roxanne watched the fumbling pastor.
He backed all the way out the door and pulled it shut after stepping into the hall.
Her gaze remained on the door a moment then she turned to the girls. The name badges on each caught her attention. "I'm happy for this chance to work with you."
A petite redhead, who's nametag said Betty, smiled at Roxanne. "We're anxious to work on the project. It's just that Pastor Tim makes us nervous sometimes. He gets mad at us for no reason."
"I understand he's fairly new. Maybe it'll take awhile for him to get comfortable."
"Yeah, right." A girl across the table folded her hands over her chest. Tiffany. The scowling teen glared at Roxanne a few more seconds. "He loses it for no reason. Johnny..."
Her upheld hand silenced the girl. Tim had mentioned a problem with one of the boys, but Roxanne didn't want to get involved. "We need to work on our fundraiser, and not talk about Pastor Garrett when he's not around."
She opened her bag full of Kathy May products and set everything on the table. "We'll ask the ladies of the church to sign up for appointments the morning of the event. I sell a line of makeup but plan to donate all proceeds to the church."
Eager faces beamed around the circle.
"Your job will be to demonstrate the products they're interested in -- makeup, facial toners, anti-aging creams, and nail polish. One of you will take orders. I'd like you to decide what you're interested in doing."
Tiffany uncrossed her arms and leaned forward. "I do my mom's toenails all the time. Sign me up for nails."
"Good, Tiffany. I'm making a list of the job each of you will do, and we'll talk about advertising and setting up the schedule." Though she'd been a bit nervous to begin, the time flew. She glimpsed her watch. They only had fifteen minutes left.
"Before we wrap up tonight, I want to invite you girls to come to my salon for a free haircut and style, but you'll need to make an appointment." Roxanne passed out her card to each.
Mandy smiled. "We really appreciate you doing this for us. You're a lot easier to get along with than Pastor Tim."
"Just give him time." Roxanne placed a jar of face cream and a bottle of toner in her bag.
"No, Roxanne." Tiffany wrapped her arms over her chest again. "He's so unfair. He takes the fun out of the meetings. The boys are just kidding around. Johnny didn't mean anything earlier..."
The rest of the items went back in her Kathy May carrier. "Girls, I'm sure that being a youth pastor comes with a lot of responsibilities. I'd encourage you to give Pastor Garrett a break."
"Maybe he should give us a break." Tiffany scowled. "One day we might all walk out and not come back." She tromped to the door and flung it open.
Roxanne shook her head and followed the girls to the entrance of the room. She'd seen Tim in action...
Mandy caught up to Roxanne. "Pastor Tim is a good Bible teacher, and we learn a lot, but when some of the boys challenge him, he freaks out. They know how to get to him, and some of them do it on purpose. But nobody tells their parents because mostly we're the ones who start it."
"Yeah, they know how to push his buttons." Betty tossed her red hair and laughed.
Mandy shouldered her backpack. "I'll have to admit, some of the girls give him a hard time, too. We just want to see him get riled up."
For some reason she believed the teens. How did the man keep his job if he acted like that? The question plagued her, but another matter preyed on her even more. How could a youth pastor called by God lose control of his temper?

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