Free Waiting for Sunrise by Eva Marie Everson Page B

over.”
    Patsy looked up at the pretty redhead. “But what if Gilbert does ask me out?”
    “Tell him you can’t date. That simple.”
    But it wasn’t that simple and Patsy knew it. If Gilbert asked her out, she’d want to go. Granted, she wouldn’t be allowed to date him, but what if he wanted to do things with her and her friends? What if he was okay with church socials and school functions?
    It was a big “what if,” but . . . what if ?
    ———
    The big crisis of the day was not that Miss Grace told Mam about Patsy dancing with Gilbert; she never had the chance.
    Gilbert Milstrap showed up at Trinity Methodist Church between Sunday school and church. As Patsy and her Sunday school classmates rounded the corner of the building in order to head up the stretch of steps to the sanctuary, Patsy spied him standing near the marquee. He spotted her too; he gave a quick wave, a deep grin, and walked right toward her.
    She broke from her pals to meet him halfway in the midst of all the good members of Trinity Methodist, including Mam and Papa. Patsy threw a momentary silent prayer up to God, asking that nothing happen within the next few minutes to embarrass her.
    “Hey, little sister,” Gilbert said when she’d reached him. He looked handsome, dressed pretty much as he’d been the night before, in a dark blue loose-fitting suit, complete with a double-breasted coat.
    “Gilbert,” she breathed out. “What are you doing here?”
    He continued smiling. “That’s a fine way to welcome a visitor to your church.”
    “But you’re a Baptist.”
    With that he nearly roared. One of her fellow church members walked over and shook Gilbert’s hand. Patsy hardly noticed who it was. She heard, “Gilbert, how are you doing?” followed by Gilbert’s answer, “Fine, fine,” but her eyes never left the young man’s face.
    “Gilbert,” she said again.
    But before she could say another word, Lloyd was at her side. “Mam says come on in, Patsy.”
    Lloyd had grown a lot in the last two years; he and Patsy stood shoulder to shoulder now. Patsy turned to him. “Tell her I’ll be right there.”
    Lloyd didn’t move. He just stared from Patsy to Gilbert and then back to Patsy again.
    “Go,” Patsy demanded.
    Lloyd scooted off and Gilbert chuckled. “Okay, so are you going to invite me in?”
    She glanced toward the doors of the church. “Uh, yeah. But I can’t sit with you, Gilbert.”
    They started toward the steps. Only a few stragglers remained outside, and most of them were staring openly.
    “Why not?” he asked her.
    “Because . . .”
    “Do you sit with your family or . . .”
    “Or. I sit with Sandra and Rayette and a couple of the other girls from school. You’d stick out like a sore thumb.”
    He nodded. They reached the top of the steps. After walking across the landing, he opened the front door for her, then held it for the others coming behind them. Patsy didn’t wait for his chivalry to be over; she kept her path straight, walking through the swinging doors into the sanctuary and down the aisle to slip into the pew where her friends waited.
    “What in the world?” Sandra whispered.
    Patsy shook her head. “Shh . . . don’t say another word.” She stared straight ahead, painfully aware that her friends were looking behind them and that Gilbert’s footsteps were shuffling up the aisle. “Oh, my goodness,” she whispered.
    The steps stopped short. A rustling in the pew behind her and the giggles of her friends told her that Gilbert was sitting there. For the remainder of the service, that knowledge was never far from her eardrum. She heard him as he sang the three hymns, the rich baritone of his voice. He sang as though he were projecting from the choir, drowning out everyone on the right side of the church. When the pastor prayed and had said his “Amen,” Gilbert repeated the word. He recited the Apostles’ Creed with boldness of conviction. When Brother Michael acknowledged