Out of the Blue

Sunday Morning

The familiar sound of the bells ringing on a Sunday morning filled the warm air. It gracefully wafted along the breeze, coming in to the window of my SUV gliding down Main Street. I glanced side to side, looking for a parking space. The repaving of the Church parking lot displacing everyone in town, throwing a wrench in the usual routine. My eyes lit up as I spied an open spot next to the entrance of the little town playground. I pulled slowly in between the two white lines, putting my vehicle in park. Grabbing my large purse off the tan leather passenger seat, I hopped out and locked the doors. Although, there was no need to lock your vehicle, let alone your home, in this little town. 

"Alexandra!" A short woman with hair the color of mine called over from across the street. 

My smile grew wide as I raced over, making sure to look both ways before hand. Her arms wrapped around me. The scent of peonies and vanilla mixing together, filling my nose. It brought a tear to my eye. A couple years too long. How could I forget the feeling I had every time I was back in this place. 

"Oh, Mama. How I missed you." I squeezed her a little tighter. 

"C'mon, baby. Let's get inside before Pastor Gibbons gives us the evil eye.... again." She chuckled, her Southern drawl coming out even more as she laughed. 

The two of us diligently made our way around the bright orange construction cones that blocked the entrance of the parking lot. My navy blue floral dress swinging as I did so. As we approached the wide open oak doors at the front of the little white Church, I was met with smiles a mile wide. I made promises of catching up after the service, continuing to follow behind Mama as she trailed us along to our usual seats. 

I listened intently to Pastor Gibbons' sermon. I closed my eyes, my Daddy's smile flashing before me. Man did I miss him. I would sit between he and Mama every Sunday. He would crack a joke and Mama would shush the two of us as we tried to giggle as quiet as a Church mouse. As I opened my eyes and let them wander around the room, they landed on something else familiar. The Atlanta Braves baseball cap sitting on his lap. A plain white tee shirt, the outline of a huge tattoo scrawled from shoulder blade to shoulder blade peeking through. A calloused hand running through a freshly groomed beard. That was new. Yet so very familiar. 

My breath caught in my throat as his green eyes wandered too, eventually landing on mine. His pink lips parted slightly, surprise clearly setting in. We looked at one another for what felt like eternity, and then he looked back toward the front as the organ began to play the same song it always did when Church was coming to an end. 

I was shaken from my thoughts as Mama grabbed on to my arm and pulled me along to say hello to everyone. I tried to keep up my cheery disposition, but my heart was beating up in my throat. It was almost suffocating. My eyes darted between the people who watched me grow up in this town, hoping that maybe he had slipped out the doors without me knowing. But the shrill sound of a woman basically stampeding towards me let me know otherwise. 

"Oh my Heavens! Alexandra!" 

"Mama Becky," I grinned as I was encapsulated in the biggest hug I had ever received. 

"Give me a spin darlin'. Let me get a good look at you." Mama Becky replied as I turned in a circle, a little embarrassed at the show that was being put on in my honor. 

"You have grown to be such a beautiful young lady. Please, come over later tonight for dinner with your mama. I will surely have enough food for the whole town, you know me. Plus, I need to hear what you have been up to since I have seen you last." 

I wanted to protest, stomp my feet like a two year old and say no. "Sure thing." I accepted her offer, knowing full well what that meant. 

As Becky stepped aside to gush over the details with Mama, a tall figure came around from behind her. "Hey, short stack." 

"Hey, Kolbs." I greeted him as he pulled me in to his side. His cologne reminding me of the good ol' days. The ones where the days turned in to nights. Where we would get chased out of the general store for causing a ruckus. Driving as fast as the old rusty truck would allow us to skip out on the cops. 

"I'll be at Mama's too, don't worry." He chuckled. 

"Thank the good Lord. You know I need saving from the third degree I am going to get." I put my hand to my chest, a little bit of relief washing over me. 

And then he appeared, and that all went away.