Forgotten

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

   Brandon got out of the car to the small Baptist church he knew so well. This was the church he had grown up in. Living Waters Baptist church was where he got saved and baptized. He always felt at home here. He watched as his pastor came out of the church with a wide smile on his face. As he greeted the congregation, he spotted Brandon and looked surprised. Brandon grabbed his bible from his car and walked up the few steps to the door.

   “Hey Pastor Anderson.” He reached out and shook his pastor’s hand. Prior to his leaving for California, the head pastor had left for another church in Pennsylvania. Pastor Anderson was the youth pastor and stepped up for the role.

   “Brandon! What are you doing back in town? Last I heard, you went off to school and became a computer analysis for Westmont Police Department.”

   “Yes sir. I’ve been there for a few years now, but I’m back to help with a case here. Chief Ron suggested I stay.” He gave a small chuckle, “I guess we’ll see. It’s good to see all the familiar faces around here. California isn’t all that small you know.”

   “I guess it would be. Well it’s good to have you back Brandon.”

   “Thanks Pastor.”

   Brandon walked into the small church and looked around at the many familiar faces and a few new ones. Music came from the front by the woman playing the piano. Many friends came up to him and shook his hand, some went in for hugs. He had forgotten what it was like for a small church to surround you and make you feel like family. He looked down the aisle and spotted Jenna and Dave talking. He went up to them and they were laughing.

   Dave looked over at him, “Brandon, you should join me for lunch, Jenna wont.”

   Brandon shrugged his shoulders and answered, “I don’t see why not. I’m not a party pooper like some people.” He shoved a thumb in Jenna’s direction.

   Jenna just glared at him with an eyebrow raised. Brandon laughed and heard his grandparent’s voices behind him. He turned around and spread his arms out wide to receive a hug from his grandma. She playfully slapped his arm for not telling them he was in town.

   “Grandma, just like I told mom and dad, I’ve been very busy and I knew I’d see you two today.”

   “So you’ll be home for dinner right?” His grandma asked, as if he was in high school again. He just smile and agreed.

   Just as he was finished hugging his grandpa, the music stopped and everybody found their seats.

***

   Jenna eventually decided she would come with Brandon and Dave to lunch. Entering the small, retro styled diner, she followed behind the two men laughing. She didn’t even know what they were talking about anymore; she stopped listening once the subject switched to cars.

   As they took their seats, Dave looked over at Jenna and asked, “So miss party pooper, how’d you like it?”

   Jenna looked up, completely blank on what he was asking about.

   “Way to keep with the conversation, Jenna. We are talking about the sermon.”

   Pastor Anderson was a young pastor who had three toddlers roaming his house. He always included different stories into his sermon about the life lessons those kids could teach. This week’s was about Josie, the four year old, who wanted to build a fire place in her room. She had asked for the gun with the fire so that she could make her own fire place in her room. She said she had seen how to do it on a cartoon with boy scouts. Pastor had told her that just because she knew how to do something, that doesn’t necessarily mean that she should.