Free When Perfection Fails by Tyora Moody

to sleep with all this noise?”
    Jonathan spun around to see his mother standing in her nightgown, leaning on her cane. He let go of Lenora’s hand and jumped from the couch. “Mother, we didn’t mean to wake you.”
    Jonathan looked over at Lenora. She held her head down, not looking at him and started folding the blanket. She carefully laid it on the couch. Then she grabbed the remote and shut the television off. Without a word, she passed by him, his mother, and headed upstairs. A moment later, Jonathan heard the bedroom door close.
    Eliza questioned him with her eyes. “Did I interrupt something? I’m an old woman, and I need my sleep.”
    Jonathan walked over to his mother and grabbed her by her shoulders. “Why don’t we all head back to bed?” He turned her gently toward her room.
    â€œI surely hope I can go back to sleep now that I’m awake.” Eliza shuffled back to her room.
    Jonathan waited until his mother closed the door, and then climbed the staircase. He reached for the bedroom door handle, almost expecting it to be locked, but it wasn’t. Lenora was already in the bed, but her back was turned away from him.
    As he slid under the covers, his conversation with Lenora invaded his mind. Jonathan lay his head against the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. In the midst of all that has happened, he had this sinking feeling his marriage was on the shakiest ground it had ever been. If he did pursue his dreams, what would the cost be?
    Lenora stirred next to him. He wanted to reach for her, but clasped his hands across his chest and closed his eyes instead.
    Lord, help me to do your will.

Chapter Thirteen
    Lenora watched the coffee drip into the carafe. She tried to go back to sleep last night, but she had slept fitfully. Jonathan had returned to their room and slid into their king-size bed. She stayed so far near the edge she probably could have fallen off had she strayed an inch. Jonathan had tossed and turned in the bed beside her until she finally heard the rhythmic breathing of him sound asleep.
    She hated the distance between them, and she supported him serving as interim pastor for his father and now as the official pastor. Like he said last night, twenty years ago they would have never imagined being called as leaders of a megachurch. Victory Gospel Church was a small tight-knit church back during the early days of their marriage.
    Jonathan supported her when she opened Lenora’s Bridal Boutique and her hours were crazy too. She had waited until both of her sons were teenagers before she branched off into what she had loved to do so many years. She had planned what seemed like hundreds of weddings before she decided she wanted to have dresses to supply her clients with. She had a great staff of consultants and seamstresses.
    That’s what nagged her last night. She was living her dream. Was Jonathan?
    Michael strolled into the kitchen. Lenora looked at the clock. “Honey, aren’t you running a bit late? You’re not dressed yet for school.”
    â€œI’m not feeling well.”
    Lenora arched her eyebrow. She knew that Keith had been receiving more attention since the accident and sensed her youngest son was feeling left out. Still, he was a good boy and did well in school. She went over and touched his head. “You do feel warm. Let’s take your temperature. We don’t want to send you to school if you have a fever.”
    As Lenora reached into a cabinet for the first aid supply kit, she heard behind her, “Oh, good, you have coffee ready.”
    Lenora closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and placed the first aid kit on the counter. She turned around. “Mother Eliza. Good morning. I’m going to take Michael’s temperature.”
    The older woman pulled out a chair and slowly sat down. “Oh, son, you’re not feeling well?”
    Michael shook his head. Lenora placed the thermometer under his