Just a Click Away

Chapter 2

          

Greg Wyatt slammed the door of his late model, Chevy pickup, grabbed his overnight bag out of the back and headed to the apartment of his friend, Will Fielding.  For some reason he could not get Leslie out of his head.  She was the most adorable girl he had ever met.  Even while she was soaked with mud, she was both beautiful and sweet.  He didn't typically take notice of women that he met, but there was something different about Leslie.  He didn't know why she had thrown him for such a loop, but he definitely had to get his head on straight before he got into the apartment.  He tried to focus on other things as he knocked on the door.  A few moments later, he heard carpeted footsteps, and the door swung open.  Will's wife, Jenna, answered the door with a huge smile.

"Greg!  We have been looking forward to having you all week!  Come on in!"  Jenna held the door open wide as Greg walked in to the smell of pot roast.

    "Smells great in here, Jenna," Greg said as he gave her a hug. "I'm starved!"

     Will came out of the spare room and shook hands with Greg.  "Good to see you, man! How was the drive up here?"

     "Not bad at all!  As you know it's only 50 miles, so it was pretty quick.  I'm definitely ready for a long weekend and ready to eat whatever Jenna has is the oven!"

     "You and me both!" Will replied.  "Jenna has been like Ebenezer Scrooge, and hasn't let me get even one bite since I got home from work.  She said we have to wait for the company to get here.  She obviously doesn't know yet that you're not company; you're family!"

     Jenna snapped Will with a dishtowel, and playfully said, "I know he's family, but I also know how much damage you can do to a pot roast when you're hungry.  I just wanted to make sure that there would be food for Greg once he got here."

   "She knows me too well," said Will as he took Jenna's hand and kissed it.

     Will and Jenna showed Greg to the guest room, and told him he was welcome to look at it as his second home. 

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.  We will leave you alone for now, so you can get settled in," Jenna said.  "We don't stand on ceremony here, so I'll holler when dinner's ready, and you had better come, or Will could have everything eaten.  That's your one and only warning."  She and Will walked out to the living area hand in hand leaving Greg to get his clothes hung in the closet before they were too badly wrinkled.

     As happy as Greg was with his construction business and the life he had, he wanted to have a family of his own.  He really seemed to notice this desire tonight when he saw Will and Jenna together.  They had so much fun together, and truly enjoyed each others' company.  They worked in the church youth group together, and even though they had their ups and downs, God was at the center of their marriage, and they came through the trials stronger than ever.  That is the kind of relationship he wanted.  He had never managed to find a woman who he felt like he could both laugh with and serve the Lord with.  Honestly, he hadn't been looking very hard.  God had given him peace long ago that if he waited, He would bring the right girl to him.  The last thing Greg wanted to do was get ahead of God, so he decided that the best thing he could do right now was pray.  "Dear Lord, You know better than I do how I'm feeling right now.  I'm confident that You have my best interest in mind during this time of waiting.  Even if you don't have anyone for me, help me to live my life knowing that Your will is always best.  Thank you for your care of me.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

   "Come and get it!" Jenna shouted from the dining room. Greg followed his nose to the table and took his seat.  Will and Jenna clasped hands across the table and Jenna grabbed Greg's hand as Will led them in a prayer of thanks for the food and the hands that prepared it.  After the prayer was finished, sounds of clinking utensils and plates were all that could be heard for a few moments as they started dinner.

     "So Greg, any girls in your life that you need to fill us in on?"  Will questioned jokingly.

      Jenna, embarrassed by her husband's abrupt manner jabbed him with her elbow.

   As Will was gasping and rubbing the sore spot the jab left behind, Jenna said, "Don't mind him Greg, he has no sense of boundaries."  To Will she said, "I'm sure if he has anything to tell us, he will do it in his own sweet time.  Don't be so nosey!"

     Greg decided to save his friend any additional pain, because Will really did have no sense of boundaries, and would just ask him again as soon as the pain subsided.  "Nope, no girls you should know about.  Still waiting on the Lord to show me when the right one comes along."

     "Now that you'll be going to church with us, you might be meeting a few girls," Will replied.

     "Don't you two spend most of your time working in the youth department?  I'm thirty-two years old!  I had hoped to find someone that wasn't a minor," Greg said with a hearty laugh.

     "You know what I mean!" Will exclaimed. "You will be able to meet new people in a new place, that's all I meant.  Besides, once you join the church on Sunday, you will be able to choose your own ministry.  As much as we would love to work in the youth group with you, you will be free to serve wherever you want!"

     "We'll see how it goes.  I'm certainly not joining your church with the design of getting married.  If it's part of God's plan, it will happen, if not, I'll be content," Greg said.

     Will and Jenna began to whisper inaudibly among themselves, and motion in Greg's direction.  "Ok, you go ahead and ask him," Jenna resigned.

    "Greg, hear me out," Will asserted.  "Have you ever considered online dating?"

    "No way, Will," Greg chuckled.  He couldn't believe what he was being asked!

    "I'm being serious here, Greg.  My sister, Amanda, just got engaged last week.  She met this guy on the internet, Christian Cupid I think the website was called.  I was very skeptical at first, but we met him a couple of days ago, and I can't believe how great he is!"

     Greg looked at Jenna to see what her reaction was, because she was much easier to read.  He was surprised to see that she was shaking her head in agreement.  "It's true, Greg.  I was afraid that Amanda had gotten involved with a serial killer or some loser, but I met him, and he's completely normal.  Not only is he normal, but he is a solid Christian man who treats Amanda very well.  I never thought I would say this about an online relationship, but I really think that God brought them together."

     "But the internet, Jenna?" Greg interjected.  "How could I feel like I was waiting on God and have a dating profile online."

    "Do you think that God is limited by the confines of your church circle to find you the perfect woman?" Jenna asked, "because I sure don't."

     "I guess I never thought about it that way before.  They say God works in mysterious ways," Greg replied thoughtfully.  "It's something to pray about, I suppose."  Greg didn't know what to think.  His mind was racing as he tried to process his jumbled thoughts.  Was scoffing at online dating really showing that he didn't think God was able to bring people together that way?  He didn't want his actions to limit God in that way, but it also wasn't something to be entered into lightly.

     His sudden silence prompted Will to smooth things over and try another subject. "Sorry about that, Bro, we just think that you're great, and want to see you with a great girl.  We will leave that alone for the time being.  How have things been going at the construction site?"

     Greg was much more comfortable with this topic.  This was something he had a handle on and could be confident about. They talked about work and church and other innocuous topics of conversation until the plates were cleared and Jenna began to wash up the dishes.  Will offered to help her, but she declined by suggesting that he and Greg go out to the basketball court and burn off some calories.  They were more than eager to comply.  Grabbing a basketball, they quickly headed out the door.