Mandy Makes Her Move - Episode 19

A crisp white tee shirt dove into jeans that encased a perfect size six figure. Oh boy, thought Josey, this cannot be good. As Mandy reached out her hand in greeting, Josey took in the well-manicured nails that matched the petite, cocoa painted toes. My word, even her lipstick matches her nails, thought Josey, this one has style.

“Hi, I’m Mandy and thank you for taking me on such short notice. We just moved in and with all the unpacking, I haven’t had time to do anything with my hair. Tonight we’re meeting the congregation for the first time, so I think I need some work. My husband, Matt Brennan, is the new pastor of Trinity church. I’ve been admiring your little town and I just love it.”

Little town, thought Josey, now isn’t that just like someone from the city, but she couldn’t help but like this woman. Maybe it was her eyes, or her soft voice. When Josey looked past the Barbie doll image she felt, rather than saw, that this woman had something going on, and it was going to be her mission to find out just what that was.

“Have a seat honey and let’s see what we can do for you.”

Josey called over to Tootsie, who was nonchalantly acting like she was reading a magazine.

“Tootise, there is the new pastor’s wife. Mandy, this is Tootsie, Tootsie, Mandy.”

Tootsie quickly dried her toes, wedged them into her shoes and plunked herself on the chair next to Mandy.

“Now, you’re just too cute. Where exactly do you come from? I’ve got to tell you, the whole town is sitting on pins and needles waiting on both of you.”

Before Mandy could respond to any of the questions, Tootsie went on, “Well Josey and I are both members of Carington Heights church and have been, long as we can remember. Josey is actually head of our prayer group. It’s supposed to be a surprise, but the whole committee is going to drop by to welcome you here. Were you really in the Peace Corps in Africa?” As she stopped to catch her breathe, Josey interrupted.

“Good Lord Tootsie, you trying to scare this one off? You’ve not let her answer one question. You’re mouth’s running like a jack hammer and if you don’t watch it, you’re gonna get your eye started on that ticking business again.”

Tootsie anxiously rubbed her eyes. “What, is it doing it again?” she asked.

“No,” Josey laughed. “I just said, if you don’t slow down, it’s going to.”

Mandy gave a big smile. “Oh don’t worry about scaring me. I love meeting new people and yes, I was in the Peace Corps and enjoyed every minute of it. When you see the needs of so many people, you realize how blessed you are. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant with my daughter, I think I would have stayed there.”

“Daughter, you’ve got a daughter?” asked Josey. “Honey, you don’t look old enough to be out of high school, let alone have a daughter. How old is she?”

Josey pumped up the chair and clipped a towel around Mandy’s petite shoulders. “Well, I have a beautiful four year old daughter named Madison and Mathew is my eighteen month old son. They keep me pretty busy, which is why I’m so grateful you could squeeze me in. Matt’s at home watching the two of them now.”

Tootsie had been silent long enough and leaned over towards Mandy’s chair so she could be heard over the running water. Josey ran her hands through Mandy’s thick hair, silently admiring it.

“How long has your husband been preaching?” Tootsie asked.

Josey silenced her with a look, as she continued washing Mandy’s hair. “Mandy’s here for some relaxation, so you just hush for a while. I’m sure she hardly gets out from under those two babies, so let her enjoy it.”

Tootsie was a little put off. She had always jealously guarded her and Josey’s friendship. She didn’t take kindly to anyone who even hinted at being of interest to Josey. She opened her purse and rummaged for her lipstick. “Well I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tonight at the prayer meeting Josey, and Mandy, it was so nice meeting you. I’m sure I’ll see you real soon. When the committee shows up to welcome you, act surprised okay. No use letting on that I let the cat out of the bag.”
Stay tuned for the next episode!

The Finger of God-Episode 18

She glanced at her watch and saw she had about fifteen minutes before her appointment. Just enough time for one quick smoke, she thought. Making a beeline for her car, she hastily opened the door and fumbled for her cigarettes. Ducking her head, she pulled on the cigarette and let the nicotine settle her. Like a fugitive, she fervently watched, making sure no one could see her. She had this down to a science. She kept a plastic container of handy wipes in her car at all times, alongside her saving grace, peppermint breath mints. Just a few more puffs to steady her nerves, she thought. Pulling down the mirror she gave herself the once over. She made sure there was no pecans from the cinnamon bun wedged between her teeth, threw out her cigarette butt and popped a peppermint into her mouth. Sliding some Coffee Kahlua lipstick over her full lips, she gave a jerk to her lopsided ponytail and smacked her lips.

“It’s show time,” she said aloud. How many times had she been through this? How many new places and faces had she been forced to deal with over the years? Her sincere love of people is what sustained her. She refused to believe man could possibly be so evil, and that is why she never gave up on people. She had a handful of good friends and all the other people she’d met throughout her life were mere acquaintances. The few she allowed to get close to her accepted all her flaws, her own private demons.

It was a good thing she was a creative person because she had to constantly be “on” when she was before the people. It was an unwritten requirement for all pastor’s wives that they always smile, forgive, and above all else, be holy. Mandy laughed to herself. And as soon as I find the secret to all those things, I will have arrived, she thought. She took a deep breath, reminded herself who she was in the Lord, and set out for one more battle, the beauty shop.

Now every woman knows about beauty salons. They are like being the new kid on the block that everyone is wary of. Until you establish a relationship with “the girls,” everything you do and say is chewed on like a piece of bubble gum, and if you’re not careful, you’re liable to get spit out.

The allure of the small town settled Mandy down. She was determined to enjoy herself today and build a new life for herself here. No one knew anything about her, so if she wanted to, she could use this opportunity to recreate herself. Be anyone or anything she wanted to be. It was all in how she presented herself to others, and that was an exciting thought.

Josey’s Dippity Do Beauty Salon was painted across the huge picture window in stenciled letters with flowers dotting the i’s and hanging on the tails of the y’s. That’s cute, Mandy thought, as she grabbed a hold of the doorknob. Taking one last deep breath, she arranged a smile on her face and opened the door. She let her eyes adjust, if that was possible. What she saw made her think she had stepped back in time, instead of into a beauty salon.

The walls were Pepto Bismo pink, the strong odor of permanents stung her eyes, and everywhere she looked there were pictures of naked babies. Suppressing a laugh, her eyes waited for some Disney character to pop out of a flower and when they landed on Josey, she was not disappointed.

Josey had a few seconds herself, to quickly survey her new customer. Long honey colored hair was held hostage by a pink scrungee, but wisps of the fine hair had escaped and framed a perfectly shaped oval face. The thickest eyelashes Josey had ever seen shielded huge amber eyes, and two dimples drew attention to a set of lush lips.

Looks like the finger of God went and stamped His approval on that face, thought Josey. The Lord may have given His approval, but once the women in town saw this one, watch out. They’d forgive you for most anything, except good looks. Somehow they just couldn’t get past that jealousy.

Stay tuned for the next episode!

Nadine's Loose Lips-Episode 17

Mandy laughed, “Cornbread Corner…what and where is that?” she asked. Her eyes quickly took in the pumpkin plank wood floors, the dainty lavender striped tablecloths on the wrought iron café tables and the huge antique coffee urn.

“Go south to the tip of town. It’s right next to Carington Heights church and it’s where this whole town has taken to meeting every morning for coffee and gossip.”

Shaking her head Nadine said, “Oh Lord, I shouldn’t have said that, and you being a pastors’ wife and all. I try to still my tongue, but like the Bible says, it’s got a mind of its own. Seems the older I get, the more I lose my wits and the smarter my old tongue gets.”

Mandy sensed Nadine’s frustration. “Well don’t worry about offending me. I’ve lived in the city too long, and please, I may be the pastors’ wife, but I know what you’re talking about with gossiping people. I’d love one of those luscious looking cinnamon rolls. I’ve got a hair appointment, but I’ll make time for one of those.”

“You going down to Josey’s?” Nadine asked, as she nervously glanced out the window.

Mandy noticed the look, “Yes, why?”

“Oh nothing. There I go again. You never mind. Here’s your cinnamon bun. You want some fresh coffee to go with that? I grind my own beans, unlike Rosa over there. Oh my goodness, there I go again. I am having one of those days I guess. See, that’s what happens when you don’t take time to read your Bible in the morning. Everything just goes wig whammy the whole rest of the day.”

“Wig whammy?” Mandy asked laughing, “and no, I think I’ve had enough caffeine for today.”

“You just watch yourself at that beauty shop,” Nadine said as Mandy headed for the door. Suddenly the tinkle of the bell when she opened the door, didn’t sound quite as sweet.

Nadine plunged her hands back into the sticky dough. “Don’t be a stranger, and anytime you need catering for your church, just give me a call, I’m in the book.”

Mandy bit into the thick bun and savored the buttery taste of cinnamon as it melted in her mouth. Maybe she should have gotten a cup of coffee, she thought. And a nice cigarette after that. No, she told herself, we are not going to go there. Her desire to smoke was one of the things she had not left behind in the city. Matt was so patient with her. Only he knew about her unyielding habit and his answer for it was prayer. For years she had secretly stolen out on her patio to light up. She laughed to herself, as she imaged the congregation seeing their fine upstanding pastors’ wife puffing on her cigarette like a frenzied dragon. In their eyes, there was no way one could be holy with a lit cigarette suspended between their fingers, yet at the same time, they devoured people with their tongues and licked their souls clean like satiated lions. Well the Bible does speak of the devil roaring about like a lion seeking whom he may destroy, Mandy thought, as she walked on.

She stopped to gaze in the shop windows. Purple pansies and yellow daffodils in a baby blue window box waved in the breeze, outside Lucille’s Dress Shop. A weathered one-armed manikin displayed a turquoise polyester pantsuit. Dead flies and lost bumblebees were wedged against the inside glass, never making it to their target, the beautiful bouquet of flowers in the flower box outside.

Kind of like life, thought Mandy. We beat up against the glass so hard to get what we want, when in reality, we walk right by what’s real and don’t even know it. She looked in amazement at the pavement that was covered in bugs. It was eerily like some kind of phenomenon. Where in the world did all of these dead bugs come from, she thought, as she shoved them aside with her foot.

Stay tuned for the next episode!