A Spark of Hope

Chapter Seven: Baby Steps

Eddie stormed into the auditorium, "Carron, Carron! Where are you? I'm here to take you home."

Carron stood up and came out from inside the sound booth. "Hello, Eddie."

Eddie turned around and grinned. He took a giant step towards her, and it looked like he was coming in for a hug. Carron held out her arms in front of her and jumped back. He looked at her in surprise.

"Eddie, we need to talk. Again."

Gabriel stood behind Eddie and nodded his head.

"Eddie, for months now, you have been trying to get me to go out with you. I have told you repeatedly that I am not in love with you, that we can only be friends. But you don't listen to me. It's like you don't want to hear what I want, only what you want."

"It's not like that. I love you and in time, I know you will come to feel the same. I'm a patient man."

"Eddie, for Piet's sake, I'm in love with someone else!"

Eddie gasped and stared at Carron like someone had just thrown icy water at him.

"Gabe and I have been in love for a few months now."

Gabriel moved around Eddie and stood next to Carron.

"We haven't been allowed to explore our love, but we are going to change that, aren't we Carron?"

She almost melted when Gabriel looked at her, and her legs wobbled when he took her hand in his.

Eddie looked down at their hands intertwined, "I'm deeply wounded Carron. How could you lead me on like this for so long?"

Carron sighed and rolled her eyes, "Goodbye Eddie. Please don't come around here anymore."

"And don't sit next to her at church either. That's my spot."

Eddie stormed out of the church and drove off with tires screeching and radio blaring.

Gabriel smiled at Carron and swirled her in a circle, then pulled her into his arms, "Well Carron, I think we have a lot to discuss. How about I treat you to supper?"

"That sounds wonderful. I have been doing some thinking about my future, and I would like to run it by someone. May as well be you."

Gabriel had his car back. They drove to town in silence.

After supper, they sat in the booth, sipping coffee and chatting. They spoke for what seemed like hours. Carron told Gabriel about being kidnapped and some of the things she was forced to do. He flinched. He then reassured her he had no intention of changing his mind about her. He made it clear that if God could love, forgive and forget about ugly pasts, so could he.

"Oh, I love you, Gabe."

Gabriel grinned, "And I you."

Carron leaned into him, and they kissed for the first time. Afterwards, he held her close.

"Now, what decision would you like to run by me?"

Carron pulled away from the hug, picked up her mug and took a sip, "I cannot volunteer at the church my whole life. I would like to go back to University and continue my studies."

Gabriel smiled broadly, "I think that's an excellent idea. What would you like to study?"

"Investigative Journalism."

"Wow, sounds interesting. I'm assuming it has something to do with your past experiences."

"Yes, exactly that. I'm sure there are many other ladies out there who have been kidnapped and forced to do things they didn't want to do. Girls don't grow up wanting to be prostitutes you know. They all have their stories of how they got there. I'm sure with the right training; I will be able to expose the truth behind all the lies."

"You go girl."

"I will resign from volunteering at the church tomorrow and then go to the university and see if I can re-enroll. I will then try to find a job. I thought maybe work part time and study part time, thus paying for my studies."

"Might be tough, but I'm sure you can do it. You have qualifications and experience from being on the media team; you could look for a job doing something within that field."

Carron smiled broadly, "Good idea. I never thought of that. Thank you."

"You welcome. I would like to sit in with you when you speak to Pastor Blake. I think it would be best he hears our decision to court coming from me. I respect the man, but enough is enough. I have sat back for far too long, watching how he has been manipulating you and others. Carron, how do you feel about changing churches?"

"You mean to stop going to this one and go to another?"

"Yes."

"I have been thinking about this very thing for quite some time. On the mission field some time ago, someone said, 'If someone wants to leave the church, and the pastor says no and won't release the individual, the person must stay because the pastor is the covering of the church. Venturing out on one's own without the blessing, opens the individual to demonic attack and things could go wrong.' This is the reason I am still there."

Gabriel was quiet for a while. "True, but what does God say in His word about manipulation? It is a form of witchcraft. It's never been God's intention for us to blindly walk around obeying someone else's every command. Let's talk to him tomorrow and ask for his blessing to leave the church. If he doesn't accept it, we'll go to the leaders and ask them. We will then pray and ask God together, where He would like us to go next. We can ask him to show us in a vision."

"Can we do that now?"

Carron and Gabriel bowed their heads and brought all their prayers and concerns before God. They asked Him to still their minds and guide their tongues and say only what needed to be said. When they opened their eyes, a waitress was standing in front of them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we are closing up. Here's your bill. Please pay at the counter."

When Gabriel had dropped Carron off, they both felt at peace, "I will pick you up in the morning. I have some praying and thinking of my own to do as well. I will talk to you about it in the morning."

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