NOVEMBER 2020

 

                                           

                                                       "IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD?"                                    

           

                                                  Another one of my Just for Fun Stories

Kat was elated, relieved, proud because her first year of teaching was fini, under her belt, stick a fork in it done!    Once her classroom was cleaned out, she went home to collapse on her couch in her apartment to watch a marathon of cooking shows while eating microwave mac and cheese.  

The next day, Kat decided to go casual to church since she had been too tired yesterday to do her laundry, leaving none of her good clothes left to wear.  So jeans and slightly wrinkled cotton blouse it was.   

She loved her church, not only for its worship and biblical preaching, but it was her whole social life.  It was where her besties attended.  There was an active, large young adult group.  Kat loved the home Bible studies that challenged her.  Then there was a coed softball team, camping trips, and many parties hosted in different homes. The fellowship was great.

Arriving late, she slipped in to sit in the back of her singles class.  It had not been a good idea to try out a new recipe before church, an attempt to cook a new fancy stuffed pancake recipe she'd seen on T.V.  It had looked so easy but was a total disaster that took too much time to clean up, not to mention having to air out her apartment in order to stop the smoke detector from screeching.  Ugh.  Kate hated to be late.  Not only that, she'd accidently grabbed her cookbook instead of her Bible.  So there she sat smelling of burnt pancakes while griping her pancake batter stained cookbook.   Kat felt like a puddle of mortification, awkwardness, embarrassment.

Kat glanced over quickly to see if anyone noticed.  Sure enough, some new guy was staring at her with his eyebrow cocked and a smirk on his face.  He pointed to his chin.  It took her a minute to realize he meant something was on her chin.  Yep, it was a smear of cream cheese which she'd tried to stuff her pancakes with.  Kat looked away, furiously wiping her chin.  Finally, she tried to gather her scatter-brained thoughts and concentrate on the teaching, but a deep horror of realization, recognition crept over her.  It was him.   Her puddle of mortification became a sinkhole of disgrace and shame.

Ironically their leader was reading from Matthew 6:25, "...do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat (burnt pancakes), or what you shall drink (orange juice out of the carton), nor for your body, as to what you put on (jeans and a wrinkled blouse).  Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?"  Just then she looked down and saw a big sticky syrup stain in the middle of her blouse.  Ugh.

As soon as everyone bowed their heads to pray, Kat snuck out to go home and change.  Alas, it was too late to go back for church.  So for some reason, she thought it was smart to try another new recipe by frying cream cheese jalapeno poppers.  After trying to get them out of the hot oil and onto the plate of paper towels to drain, a corner of the towel caught fire.  She put all her glorious poppers on the platter of burning paper towels under the faucet to put the fire out, but not before it set the smoke detector off again.  

She was standing on a chair in front of her open kitchen window waving a hand towel to get the smoke out so the smoke detector would stop its screeching and didn't hear the knock on her door. Her best friend Heather charged in anyway almost making Kat fall off her chair.

"What on earth is going on?" Heather yelled over the obnoxious sound.  

"I caught my paper towels on fire," she hollered back just as the blaring noise stopped which left  her hollering into the silence.  Her ears still hurt.

Kat climbed down off her chair and pulled up her soaked plate of poppers out of the sink and sighed.

"Oh no!" Heather moaned.  "I love poppers."

Kat picked one up and tried to peel off the burnt paper towel stuck to it.  Then she popped it into her mouth before quickly spitting it out.  "Too soggy," she declared sadly.  She scraped the plate into her garbage can.  "There goes failure #2."

Heather scrunched up her nose and said, you still need to air out your house.  It's smells like burnt pancakes or something."

"That was my Sunday #1 failure."

"Oh, no! Was that why you didn't come to church today?  The Scripture Doug used was..."

"Is not your life more than food..."

"Oh, so were you there?  I didn't see you," her friend said while she went and opened the front windows and door to air the apartment out.  "But you didn't get to meet the new guy.  He's the new high school baseball coach.  Think tall dark and handsome." She looked transfixed, all goo-goo-eyed-mesmerized.

"I had a huge syrup stain on my blouse, so I left early.  But by the time I came home and changed, it was too late to go back for the service."

"Anyway, I came to get you.  A bunch of us are meeting at Local Yokels Restaurant. Daniel the new guy is coming, so hurry up!"

Since she had burnt her breakfast and drowned her lunch, Kat sighed and followed her friend out to the car.  Fortunately the restaurant was not far.  When she walked in, a bunch of her friends waved and welcomed her.

As she slid into her chair, Kat looked up to see the new guy sitting straight across from her still smirking.  A sigh of relief escaped when she thought at least he didn't recognize her, or did he?  But when his eyes peered more closely at her she wasn't so sure.  Kat checked her chin just to make sure there was no more cream cheese smear.  But this time, he pointed to above his ear.  She raised her hand and found a glob of cream cheese she'd used to fill her poppers stuck in her hair.  She took her napkin and fiercely wiped and blotted the offensive cooking mess.  Ugh!  Afterwards she elbowed Heather whispering fiercely, "Why didn't you tell me I had cream cheese in my hair!"

Heather looked over at her and replied, "I don't see any."

Kat rolled her eyes, then studied the menu and ordered.  When the waitress came back with their tea and soft drinks, she also placed a large plate of appetizers in front of the new guy giving him a wink.

"I ordered this to share," he smiled smugly to the group.  "Help yourself."

Of course, there was a mound of jalapeno poppers in the middle.  Kat swiftly reached out  grabbing one,  stuffing it in her mouth.  It was eye-rolling delicious!  Then the new guy pointed to the corner of his mouth.  Sure enough, some cream cheese had somehow managed to cling to her bottom lip which she soon licked off.  She could feel her cheeks heating to a bright hue.  Why couldn't he have poor eyesight or at least not be so observant.  It was irritating, infuriating, tiresome.

Heather leaned forward saying, "And this is my friend Kat I told you about."

"Nice to meet you," he chuckled.  "It's obvious you are passionate about food," he said with a wink.

"Nice to meet you," she replied through gritted teeth.

Soon conversation swirled around her while she pondered the messy morning she'd had.  Deep in thought, she reached for her water only to knock it over.  Kat watched in horror as the water spilled and pooled in the appetizer platter.  Jumping up and grabbing the platter only made it worse as she accidently tipped it causing the water to drip down in new guy's lap.

"I'm so sorry," she stammered.

Daniel had jumped up trying to use his napkin to dry his pants off  only to leave a trail of disintegrated napkins.   His scowl spoke volumes.  "I'd appreciate if you keep your dining mishaps to yourself," he growled at her.

The waitress came running with more napkins before taking away the floating appetizer platter.  The man finally sat back down but glowered at Kat.  Then his Mr. Nice Guy face fell back in place as he rejoined the conversation.

The waitress brought back a new platter of appetizers on the house.  Kat could only stare at them.  No way would she take any, afraid she'd wear it somewhere on her face or clothing or soak them in more spilled water.  Not to be outdone, the man lifted it up as if to offer her some.  "No thanks," she muttered.  She tried to catch the  waitress' eye to ask for another glass of water, but she was too busy hovering, asking the coach if he was alright, if he wanted anything else, leaving Kat waving into the air.

After picking at her lunch, she kept whispering to Heather asking if she was ready to leave.  Her friend finally groaned saying, "Okay, I heard you the first time!" She stood but then engaged the new guy in another long giddy conversation elaborating on all the upcoming singles and young adult events.  "We'd love to have you join us!"

Once in the car, her friend asked, "What was your hurry?  You were like a lead balloon in a parade today."

"Talking about a lead balloon, that guy was a wet blanket!"

"Of course he was, especially after you spilled your water all over him!"

"He's excessively, unnecessarily hyper-critical."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Heather huffed.

Kat bit her tongue to keep from confessing all about her disastrous, horrible, worst day ever!  Once at her place, she thanked her friend for giving her a ride and hurried into her apartment.  She sank down into her sofa and turned on the food channel until she was in a virtual food coma.

Monday was a new day.  Most Saturdays and summer breaks she worked for her dad in his construction business.  She was his #1 painter and was quite a good one in fact.  It was time to put on her painting overalls and go to work.  She called her dad and then put the address of the job site into her phone's GPS.

Pulling up to his remodel project, she sucked in a breath.  "This is beautiful!" she exclaimed.  Reaching for her own brushes, expensive little devils, Kat climbed out and strode into the house.  "Hi dad!"

"Glad you're here, darling.  You can start in the living room.  I left the paint cans in there for you."

"Thanks."  After spreading out the drop cloths and putting up the blue tape, she took her putty knife out and pried off the paint lid.  Kat took the stir stick and gave the paint a swirl.  Then she began carefully cutting in.  

Kat was up on a ladder when someone came in behind her blurting, "What are you doing here!" 

She turned around so quickly, she almost fell off the ladder as it wobbled dripping paint off her brush and onto the drop cloths.  She scowled, "The real question is why are you here?"

"This is my house, and someone who constantly courts disaster has no business holding a paint brush.  I want you to leave!"  He stood there with his arms crossed frowning.  She slowly climbed down, took her brush to the bucket to wash it off not caring if she splashed paint on him.

"Hey, be careful!  Just leave already!"  His voice had raised so much it caused her dad to come running.

"What's wrong?" he asked confused looking between them.  

"I want her gone.  She has no business being here," he growled.

"What's the problem?  She's my best painter," her dad argued.

"She a disaster waiting to happen, that's what.  It's my house, and I want her out of here."

"It's okay, dad.  I'll leave."

He gave her a side hug.  "Sorry, kiddo.  I already have another job lined up for next week.  Enjoy your time off."  Then turning to the huffy homeowner, he sternly said, "I don't know what your problem is, but this will slow down the job.  My other painters aren't nearly as fast and good as she is."

"So be it," he said with a glower on his face.

Her dad turned and walked away with his own matching dark glower.

Kat shrugged it off looking forward to the singles camping trip the next weekend.  In the meanwhile, she had a week to kickback and watch more cooking shows.

When the day came to go camping, wouldn't she know it, he was there.  Mr. Persnickety himself was setting up a brand spanking new large tent.  Kat picked a campsite as far away as possible from his, much to Heather's consternation.

"Why can't we set up closer to everybody?  Why so far away?"

"I'd rather get close to nature than close to people," she spat back.

Heather grumpily unloaded all the groceries onto the picnic table while Kat set up her pop-up tent for two.   Then her friend threw her sleeping bag and pillow in the tent and stomped off to where the rest of the group was talking and laughing together.  Kat couldn't stay tucked into her tent because she and Heather were on dinner duty.  After putting some of the food in the bear proof container, she grabbed up the chips, buns and barbeque sauce and slowly made her way to where some of her other friends were already grilling.  Plopping her offering on the table she went back to get her potato salad out of her ice chest.  At least she hadn't burned that.  

She caught Sir Daniel staring at her but quickly looked away.  She could only hope it had been too dark for him to remember the first time they'd met, another time, another place.  She turned away to set up her chair but still felt his eyes stabbing her in the back.  Kat sat away from the rest in the shadows of towering pines.  When everyone else had filled their plates, she finally went to get her food.   Just as she turned back towards her seat, new guy spoke in a loud voice complaining, "Hey, whoever made this potato salad left an egg shell in it."

Kat cringed.  She saw Heather glance over at her.  She shrugged back and sat with her eyes on her food.  She forced herself to eat even though she'd lost her appetite.  Afterwards, Kat and Heather did the dinner dishes.

"Was that your potato salad he complained about?" Heather whispered.

"Probably unless there was more than one potato salad dish."

"Oh." 

"Anybody want s'mores?" somebody called.

Drying her hands on her jeans, Kat looked around for a green stick to use over the fire.  Of course when she went to get her marshmallow, she saw Mr. Perfect using a fancy wire marshmallow roasting stick.  Evidently he'd let Heather borrow another one.  Kat ignored them, ate her burnt marshmallow and went back to her seat without even getting in line for the graham crackers and chocolate bars.  At least she could enjoy sitting around the campfire singing and listening to the devotional a little later.

But of course new guy whipped out his guitar to help lead the singing, making himself right at home.  Kat's first impression of him way back when, in no way qualified him to be leading worship.  She hoped he'd lose his guitar  pic in the pine needles on the ground.  But no, he sang in a beautiful baritone.  She had  to say a little prayer asking God to forgive her lousy attitude before she could listen to the rest of the outside service.  

After breakfast the next morning, Kat went and got her fishing pole, whipping her line gracefully over the lake with a satisfying plop.  A man's voice behind her said, "You're doing that all wrong."  She cringed as he went on to say,  "Reel it in, and I'll show you how you are supposed to cast."

"No thank you," she snarled, then asked God for grace.

"Okay, just trying to help," he said with his hands up taking a step back.  Then Kat watched him go further down the shore.  Next thing she knew he was leaning over Heather, arms around her helping her to cast out her fishing line. 

Fishing was slow, not even a nibble.  Then Heather and new guy Daniel came strutting by with a creel full of fish.  "How many did you catch?"  Daniel asked smugly.  She just shrugged.  She pulled her line in and walked to her campsite and put it away.  Instead of fishing, Kat decided to go for a walk along the lakeshore.  It was so peaceful, so much so that she almost forgot all her irritations.

When she got back, she ignored new guy's little fan club circling him.  Under her breath, Kat muttered, "When Jesus called us to be fishers of men, I'm pretty sure that isn't what He had in mind." It was obvious the girls were  each hoping to catch him.  Heather was there showing more smiling teeth since she'd gotten her braces off.  It was almost like like he passed out helium balloons for them to breathe causing them to talk in high annoying voices.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw her.  Kat glanced away and went to rest in her tent until lunch not intending to fall asleep.  But she did, missing the mid-day meal completely.   When her stomach complained loudly, she went to investigate to see if there was anything left.  Nope.  It was cleaned up slick as a whistle.  She had to be satisfied with a handful of peanuts.

Needless to say, it was not her dream camping trip.  Oh well, at least it wouldn't be long until the start up of their group's coed softball team in the church league.  She loved playing first base!  When Kat got home, she unpacked and put away her camping equipment before digging in the closet for her first baseman's mitt.  

Heather had spent the night saying she was too tired to go back to her own apartment, choosing instead to sleep on Kat's couch.   However,  she insisted on showing Kat all the photos on her phone of the camping trip starring who else?  Mr. New Guy.  

In the morning when Kat shooed her friend out the door she called, "Remember our team's practice tonight."

Her friend just waved and giggled.  For what reason, Kat had no idea.  She only hoped Heather was not going to be too giddy to play.  She doubted she would keep her eye on the ball, instead would be ogling the coach.

After a long day of house painting, Kat was late to their first softball practice.  She stopped and groaned.  Somebody had chosen Mr. New Guy as coach.  She walked up in time to hear him say, "All you ladies, listen up.  The league rules say we only have to have two girls on the field every inning, so you'll take turns playing in right and center field."

"Excuse me," Kat huffed,  "I always play first base."

"No, it's too dangerous.  In the last coed team I played in, the girl on first almost lost an eye when she missed a hard throw, and it hit her on her eye socket.

"That's ridiculous.  You can't let one bad experience keep us off the field!"

Daniel just stared at her with his eyebrow lifted.  "That's why they call me coach."  Everyone else dropped their gazes and shuffled their feet kicking up a little dirt.

Shucks.  Now she'd have to buy a regular glove instead of using her first baseman's mitt.  Not only that, she was contemplating going church shopping.  Ever since a certain someone had started attending, everything had changed.  Not only had he taken away her pleasure in their young adult camping trip, but now in their softball league.  Even her best friend Heather had gone goo-goo over him, and every other word in their conversations was Daniel this, Daniel that.  Disgusting!  At least she knew it was mutual between them: he couldn't stand her, and she couldn't stand him.  

Another nail in the coffin was when Kat made the biggest mistake in her dating history by caving in to Heather's pleas to double date: Heather with Daniel, and her with poor Simon.  She didn't know which was worse, sitting across the table at dinner from Mr. Hot Stuff while Heather salivated next to him or holding sweaty hands with Simon while walking into the theater.  It felt like she was holding clammy hands with a toddler.

Kat seriously worried that Heather would pass out from hyperventilating.  Not only that, Heather's date was unusually quiet.  Was it partially due to Heather's non-stop blathering, or maybe because his favorite MLB team was down in the count in the World Series?  He was in a funk.  It didn't help that Simon's favorite team was ahead in the playoffs, and he was happy to gloat.  However, it didn't explain why Daniel kept slipping sideways glances her way.  It was weird, bizarre, surreal, odd,  peculiar, and strange.

Then there was Simon.  They had been friends forever, but had never dated.  It soon became obvious that they never would again.  When he walked her to the door afterwards, they both stared at each other blushing.  Finely, he put his hands up as if to fend her off.  

"I'm sorry, Kat.  I think we both know we make better friends than dating material.  Right?"

She let out a relieved sigh before chuckling and admitting, "Yes!  You're a great guy, and someday  you'll find the right one.  But you're correct, I'm not her.  Thanks for being a good friend, Simon.  Goodnight."  However, she knew her friendship with Simon would never quite be the same.  This was another reason to switch churches.

But Kat had one more commitment to keep: it was her Sunday to teach toddlers church.  Equipped with gluten free, no peanut cookies  due to a few of the sweethearts severe food allergies, as well as cute coloring books with pictures of animals to color for the lesson on Noah's Ark, she smiled with satisfaction.  Kat loved those little cuties.  But her smile slipped right off her face when she walked in and saw her volunteer partner sitting on the floor holding a toddler in his lap.  

"What are you doing here?" he barked making the little guy's eyes grow big and his chin begin to quiver.  

Ignoring him, she bent down to reassure the little man before he burst out the big tears. "Hi Henry!" she cooed ignoring her partner's glare.  "Oh, I see you got a haircut!  It makes you look like such a big guy."  When she heard a giggle behind her, she swirled around to kneel to greet little Sarah with a hug.  "Well, Miss Sarah, we are going to have fun today!"

As other parents greeted her with a smile, they looked with curiosity at the new guy.  He had put Henry on his own feet to shake hands with parents introducing himself.  That gave Kat time to go set up the table with her coloring sheets and crayons.  Since little ones attention spans were about three to five minutes max, she also had little containers of playdough handy as well, not to mention the snacks she brought.  Between crayons, playdough and cookies, it smelled like her classroom making her smile.

Letting all the kids have playtime enabled them to be able to become comfortable in the class.  At least Daniel seemed to be adept playing on the floor with the kids with building blocks.  Kat hurried over to settle a fight between two little girls over a doll.  She prayed for the wisdom of Solomon as one child gripped the head and the other pulled on the feet and both yelling, "Mine!"  "How about cookies!" she called, the no-fail end to all disputes.  

"Yeah!" ten little ones sang out dancing over to the child-sized table.  

While Kat handed out cookies on napkins, she instructed, "Daniel, please stir up some Kool-aide.  It's above the sink while the pitcher and cups are under."  At least he didn't argue.

When they seemed to all be done except for the cookie crumbs, she called "Come do our circle time with me!"  All the little ducklings followed her till she cried out, "Criss-cross applesauce!"  After a couple of songs, she announced, "Today our lesson is about Noah's Ark!"

Daniel came to sit beside her with a children's book in his hand, "What she means is that our story is about a talking donkey!"  While her mouth dropped open, he proceeded to begin reading the story of Balaam's donkey.  Then to her further shock, her volunteer buddy whipped out a couple of puppets, Balaam with a towel head and a silly donkey.  He actually made a pretty good hee-haw like a donkey and had all the kids chortling and hee-hawing themselves.  Daniel shoved another puppet her way demanding, "You play the angel."  There was no use arguing.  He had a captive little audience.  When they were done, he placed coloring pages of Shrek's donkey around the table on top of her animal pictures, calling it Balaam's talking donkey.

Kat hated to say it, but she was impressed.  Before she knew it, parents were waiting at the door as their little ones ran to them excitedly telling them about the talking donkey.  Since he had it in hand, she turned and packed up her papers, cleaned up the Kool-aide pitcher,  and wiped off the table.  

"That was fun!" he gloated.  

"That was a nice story book you used.  I liked its pictures."  She sighed and obeyed the Lord's little nudge to say, "You did a good job."

"Thanks.  Are you coming with us to Local Yokels to eat?" he asked.

She stuttered, "I'm not sure.  I have a lot to do."  

Actually, the only thing waiting for her at home were more cooking shows.  The neighbors in her apartment complex were beginning to complain about the smoke alarm going off on a regular fashion.  Once, they even called the fire department on her.  "Maybe I will go.  See you there."

On the way to the restaurant, all she could think about was ordering her own appetizer platter all for herself.   She dreamily whispered, "Cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, cream cheese wontons, quesadilla triangles and salsa."

This time Mr. Super Toddlers Church Volunteer Guy sat between her and Heather.  When the platter was placed in front of her, he looked over salivating.  "Are you sharing or are you greedily possessive?  In other words, if I tried to swipe one, would I have a fork stabbed in my hand?"

Kat sighed.  "Help yourself, I guess."  Then she looked over at his steak and shrimp fajita and added, "I'll trade you for some of your fajita."

He looked at his plate and grinned, "Deal!" With their heads bent together, they were busily scraping steak and shrimp off in exchange for poppers, wantons and quesadilla bites.  "Thanks!" they said in sync, and laughed.

"What are you two doing," Heather leaned forward to ask with a pinch of obvious jealousy.  Then she exclaimed, "You can't possibly eat all that food, Kat!"  All heads turned to look at her platter.

"Watch me," she responded like a cat with a canary.  Finally both of their plates were empty except for one popper left on hers.  He eyed it like he was a prisoner on death row eating his last meal's  last popper.  "Go ahead," she sighed.  "I'm as full as a tic on a hound dog."

"Yuk, that's disgusting," Heather exclaimed loudly.  All heads turned to look at them to see what was disgusting.  

"I might have said I was as full as a hound dog with a big juicy bone," Derrick said.

"You didn't say..." but Heather closed her lips when he looked at her with his arched eyebrow.  "I guess I didn't hear you right."  She turned back to nibble her BLT like a guinea pig would.

Derrick and Kat's shoulders bumped as they silently chuckled.  "Thanks for sharing, partner.   Seems like those cookies you brought for toddlers church wore off a long time ago.  I was hungry, soon to be hangry."

She smiled back.  "Me too."  Then she remembered that this guy wasn't her friend and straightened in her chair, put her tip on the table and excused herself taking her ticket to the cash register.

Before Kat left, she glanced over her shoulder to see that Daniel was still looking at her while Heather was glaring.  She sighed.  Maybe now was the time to church shop.  Once at home she went on the internet and looked up possible church choices in their community, but something heavy fell in her stomach, and it wasn't her lunch.

The first Sunday church shopping, she was the youngest in attendance by at least forty years.  They only sang hymns with an organ accompaniment. The next Sunday, it was okay, but the service was a little heavy on music and light on sermon, like crumbs instead of the Bread of life.  The following Sunday, was more balanced, but something in the sermon didn't ring true according to the Scripture in front of her.  It was the prosperity gospel she realized as the preacher said, "Why wouldn't God want you to be rich?  Why wouldn't He want you to be healed?  In fact, if you had enough faith, you wouldn't even need glasses."  Kat got up and walked out before the pastor was done speaking.  She missed her church and her friends.

When Kat got home, there were multiple messages from her friends on her phone.  One was from her singles class leader and another from the pastor.  None were from Heather.  She sighed with her heart falling again like a lead balloon.

She had changed into her pajama pants, was eating microwave Lean Cuisine, settling into her cooking shows when someone knocked on her door.  "Coming!" She figured it was Heather finally coming around.  But Kat was wrong.

"Hi." It was Daniel grinning down at her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Are you sick?  You haven't been to church in three weeks.  What gives?  Or are you backsliding?" he said with a wink.  "Hey, are you going to ask me to come in?"  She was struck dumb.

Finally she stammered, "Uh, I guess so."  All the while Kat was running her fingers through her messy hair and barely smothered a yelp when it snagged in a snarled knot.  

"What are you watching?" he asked sinking down on the cheap couch which slid people into the sunken middle.  "Don't tell me you are eating that!" he gasped looking at her microwave meal. Wait, let's order Chinese."  Before she could answer, Daniel was on his phone typing in an order.  "What is your favorite?  I already ordered wantons," he added with a wink.

"Uh, sweet and sour pork, I guess."  She picked up her microwave dinner and put it in her frig.   

"A cooking show and you're eating a microwave dinner?"

"I'm taking notes," she responded with a defiant lift of her chin.

"Why aren't you watching the World Series?  I was bummed that I had nobody to watch it with, so I came here.  May I?" he asked picking up the remote.

"Help yourself," she shrugged. 

He was absorbed in the game, sometimes cheering and sometimes groaning.  Kat had not watched baseball since she moved out of her parents' house.  It brought back memories when she used to watch it avidly with her dad.  

The doorbell rang, and Derrick jumped up to get the food.  Coming back, he unpacked the sack setting the little white boxes on her coffee table in a delicious line while she went to the kitchen to bring back drinks.

"Soda or water?"

"Water."

When she sat down on the sofa he said, "I'll pray." It made Kat's heart swell uncomfortably squeezing against her rib cage.

Feasting in happy silence, Kat finally groaned, "Umm.  This is so good.  I don't think I've ever eaten their food before.  And of course, I love the wantons," she said with a grin.  

He pointed to her lip.  She licked and swiped her hand but didn't find anything.  He chuckled, "I was just kidding."  

She elbowed him, but laughed along.  "You know me, I love food so much I usually wear it."

During one of the commercials he turned the volume down and moved that so he could face her. Looking straight into her eyes and asked, "Seriously, why haven't you been in church.  Everybody misses you."

She looked down at her hands with paint under her fingernails as she pondered her  answer. "I'm looking for a change and am trying out different churches."

He was quiet, before he deeply sighed.  "It's because of me isn't it.  I've been an oaf, an ogre and ruined your camping trip and the softball season, not to mention how obnoxious I have been every time we are together.  I'm really sorry.  I'm the one who should leave, not you.  You've grown up here, but I'm the newcomer.  Let me be the one to leave."

The game was back on, so she nodded towards the T.V.  The further he sank into the couch, the closer they were drawn together in the middle.  But she had no idea how to respond to what he said.  

Finally, the next commercial she said, "Neither of us need to leave.  I shouldn't be so thin-skinned. You haven't really done anything wrong.  Besides, I miss my church."

He heaved a big sigh.  "I was hoping you'd say that.  Our church seems like home more than any I've ever attended, except when you aren't there.  But don't let me off the hook so easily.  I think I was scared of you and barked like chihuahua nipping at your heels."

Kat laughed releasing all kinds of butterflies in her stomach.  "Still, I'd hate to be bit by a chihuahua."

Then the final inning of the game captured his undivided attention which ended in him jumping off the couch and yelling, "YES!"  Kat didn't care that he had bumped her spilling her water on herself and could only grin.  

"You gotta come to my house for the final game in the World Series.  I've got a huge screen.  I'll provide the food, just come."

A bush crept over her face like a rosy sunrise.  "Okay."  She suddenly felt like a grinning possum topsy-turvy hanging upside down by its tail.  

As he sank back down, Daniel cleared his throat and got a serious look on his face.  "Did you by chance go to college at Northwestern?"

She looked up nervously afraid where this conversation was leading to.  "Yes."

"Did you work as a caterer there?"

She laid her head back on the back and closed her eyes.  "Yes, occasionally."

"So that was you."  It was a statement more than a question.

"Yes,"  Kat confessed as she thought back to that New Year's Eve office party in another place, another time.  Unfortunately that specific night, she happened to walk right by him at the wrong time on her way to check the food table when the Time Square ball fell.  She felt herself swooped up in a New Year's Eve unforgettable kiss.   She was stunned until his girlfriend slapped her back into reality.

"I was so ashamed and am truly sorry for my girlfriend's reaction.  I want you to know that I quit drinking and hanging with the party crowd after my improper behavior that night.  It also spurred me to make my relationship with God right again, but I never thought I'd get to see you again to apologize."

"I had hoped you wouldn't remember me," she said as an awkward smile tugged at her lips.  "It was one of my more unforgettable  moments, especially when your girlfriend slapped me," she added with a giggle.

"I'm so sorry about that.  It was my fault.  While I am sorry for the way I kissed you, I truly did think you were my girlfriend at that time when I grabbed you as you walked by.  It was dark and everybody was yelling, Happy New Years!"  He almost whispered the next confession, " But I've never gotten over that kiss."

Now that made her blush in a fireworks glow as her heart exploded in bursts of secret joy. "It sure surprised me, that's for sure.  It was very unexpected, shocking, astonishing," she said laughing softly.  "Yes, I worked occasionally for my roommate's mother who was a caterer, but I can't say that I've had a kiss like that before, at least not while on the job."  She didn't tell him that it was the last kiss she'd had period, one she couldn't get off her mind as well.

"Really?  You've never been kissed like that?" He looked down at her one part smirking, another part curious.  

She was staring at him with her lips barely allowing air in to keep from getting light headed.  Then his phone rang.

"Hi, Heather.  Uhhuh, uhhuh, oh, I'm pretty busy.  I'll have to get back to you on that but I don't think I'll be available."

When he hung up, he rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I think Heather is thinking of me as her boyfriend, while I think of her as only a friend and am having trouble getting that across."

"Don't look at me.  I'm not going to burst her bubble," Kat replied grinning.

"Thanks for nothing then," he said grinning back.  "But seriously, come to my house for the game."

"Sounds fun," she said in a shy voice like she was sixteen again.

When game day rolled around, Kat was exhausted.  She had banged out most of the walls in her dad's latest remodel.  Paint was in every crack of her hands.  Like food, she probably had it all over her, but what else was new.  C'est la vie.  She barely had time to change out of her paint overalls into her jeans and an appropriate team colored tee shirt. Then she topped off her outfit with a team hat her dad had given her years ago.  Grabbing a six-pack of diet soda, she hurried to her car.  Just then Heather called.  Kat let it go to message.  She couldn't talk to her right now.  Besides, she was driving.

Kat was surprised to find she was first to get there, and more shocked and befuddled when she found that she was to be the only one invited to watch the game with him.

"You know, sometimes a crowd makes you miss the important but easy to miss parts of the game.  Baseball is my life.  I try to watch everything in detail so I can figure out tips on how to make my players better.  That's why I invited only you.  You don't distract me from the game."

"Oh." Kat didn't know if that was a good thing or an insult to her ability to be attractive.  He had ordered Tex-Mex food, lots more than they could possibly eat.  She craved guacamole every minute of her waking day.  Yum!  "You can invite me over anytime, Daniel.  This looks  delicious!"

The game started.  She didn't dare interrupt his intense concentration, so, she ate like a piggy at its trough gobbling up its swill.  When she couldn't eat another bite, she tried to concentrate on the game.  Kat was proud that she even cheered at appropriate times, and only accidently clapped once when the other team hit a home run.  She was in a food fog, but woke from it went Daniel jumped up cheering.  So she jumped up to only to be surprised when he hugged her and swung her around.

"What a game!"

When he put her down, she stammered, "Yeah, I'll have to call my dad later to listen to him brag on his winning team."

After the game, Daniel watched all the sport commentators and player interviews.  Then he dug into the cold food, whereas before he only grabbed a taco here, a burrito there, sometimes even forgetting he was holding them.  Now that's a true fan, Kat thought.  She was impressed.

"Want to watch a movie now?  You can pick," he truly looked at her without distraction.

Kat's eyelids were heavy, but she murmured, "Sounds good."  She picked "Princess Bride," but since she knew almost every line, she began fighting sleep.  When she heard a soft snore, she looked over to see Daniel out in a dead sleep spread out comfortably on his couch crowding her into a corner.  

The next thing she knew her phone rang.  It was a video call.  Her dad.  But everything was fuzzy as she woke up stiff and sore.  "Hi Dad," she managed to say yawning.  "What time is it?"

"Where are you?" he looked concerned.

Kat looked around and her mouth dropped open.  Daniel had been roused and was stretching in the background.  Um, how 'bought that win last night, huh dad?" 

"Don't try to distract me.  Isn't it kind of early to be at Daniel's house?"

She could not lie.  "Um, it isn't what you are thinking, Dad. We just accidently fell asleep watching a movie after the game.  You know how tired I was yesterday after banging out the paint job."

"Oh, Kat.  What will the neighbors think?  What if someone from the church saw your car parked there overnight."

Daniel walked over to look over her shoulder.  "I'm sorry, sir.  It's my fault.  I shouldn't have encouraged her to stay to watch a movie after the game, but I can promise you that nothing inappropriate happened here last night."

Her dad was silent a really long time, an uncomfortable, excruciatingly painful long time.  Finally he replied, "I will take you at your word, but don't let anything like this happen again.  That's my daughter, and I expect you to treat her with more respect than this."

"Yes, sir.  I understand, sir.  She is an exceptional young lady.  Excuse me, someone is at the door."  Someone had knocked, then rang the doorbell.

"Send me the GPS for the new job, and I'll be there in 30 minutes," Kat promised.

"Kat!  What are you doing here?"  Of course it was Heather screeching.  It was Heather standing there with a plate of cookies.  

"Hi, Heather.  I'm just leaving."  She wished her face had not lit up like a red siren making her look guilty.  

Daniel tried to step in saying, "She was here to congratulate me on the World Series win."  True sort of, but not completely.

Heather looked daggers at her hissing through her teeth.  "I drove by last night and saw your car here.  Then this morning?  It appears that you spent the night.  I am so ashamed of you both!"

She shoved the plate of cookies into Darrick's stomach then jerked them back.  "Wait a minute, you don't deserve these!" She swirled around and stomped out with her nose in the air."

Kat chased her out.  "Heather, it's not what it looks like.  I accidently fell asleep watching "Princess Bride" after the game last night."

"You've never fallen asleep watching that movie in your life!  And what were you doing here anyway?  He's my boyfriend."

"Actually, I'm not Heather.  I'm sorry you assumed I was, but it wasn't what I intended.  We only had that one group date."  Daniel stood there rubbing the back of his neck.  He stepped closer to Kat and put his arm around her waist and confessed, "We knew each other from her days at Northwestern."

For some reason, Kat did not step away, but leaned into his side.  "It's not what it looks like.  Nothing happened, honest, Heather.  You know me better than that."

"Yeah, just like you didn't tell me you two were already friends.  Why didn't you tell me, Kat?  What were you hiding?  You want me to trust you, but you didn't trust me with that bit of information when you knew I was into him?"  Tears were running down her friend's face.

"I didn't want to get in your way," she said as Heather stomped away.

"I'm sorry how that went down, Kat, but I'm not sorry that I finally got off her boyfriend list.  She's a little too high maintenance for me."

Kat gasped, "Oh, I'm already late for work!" she stepped out from being tucked under his arm, grabbed her purse and ran.  "What a disaster," she said in frustration as she backed out of his driveway.

She avoided him at church while Heather avoided her.  Kat didn't see him until a couple weeks later.  She was shocked, stupefied, astonished to run into him at her nephew's travel ball game.  Kat stood there with a mustard hot dog in one hand and a diet Pepsi in the other looking up the bleachers hoping she could climb to the top without falling.  Then she saw him.

"I'm not afraid of him," she whispered to herself and began carefully climbing up to where he patted the empty seat next to him.  Daniel reached out to take her drink and dog the last couple of steps. 

"I like to sit at the top so I can lean and rest my back against the stands."

"Me too," she agreed taking her food from him.  "What brings you to this game?"

"I like to unofficially scout out up-and-coming potential players for my high school team.   Why are you here?"

"See the first baseman?  He's my nephew.  See his mitt?  I gave him my old one since I won't be needing it any longer," she added with an elbow to Daniel's ribs.

"Ouch!" he chuckled.  "I've got my eye on him.  He's good.  Where will he go to high school?"

"You're in luck.  He'll be all yours next year."

"Now that's just dandy!" he grinned.

She would have grinned back, but was sure she had mustard covering her teeth since she'd just taken a big bite of her hot dog.  So she only nodded while chewing.

They talked all through the game and still sat there  afterwards hardly paying attention when everyone else had left.  She noticed he kept glancing at her mouth though, and was embarrassed when he leaned forward and pointed to the corner of her mouth.  She licked it and tasted a little dab of left-over mustard, of course.  But then he leaned forward again until she felt his breath as he once again pointed to her mouth.  She licked her lips again, until his lips hovered above hers as if asking permission.

After he thoroughly kissed her making it impossible for any trace of mustard to be left, he sighed.  I have waited a long time to finish that kiss I started a couple of New Years ago."

"With the added bonus  of no slap from an enraged girlfriend," she added with a grin.

"I'm done with all other girlfriends.  Do you know what my New Year's wish was that night?"

She shook her head not taking her eyes off his.

"I wished to find my one and only and promised myself I would not kiss any others until I found her."

Kat felt her heart swelling like a helium balloon in her chest.  If she tried to speak right now, it would only come out as a high pitched squeaky helium voice.  She felt bewitched, bedazzled, besotted, enchanted, entranced, enthralled, and down right dotty about Mr. New Guy who wasn't all that new after all.

 

                                                    "God sets the lonely in families."

                                                                       Psalm 68:5-6