CHAPTER THREE

I attended church the next day as usual. I wasn't normal, as my thoughts and my heart were racing inside me trying to figure out everything that had happened the previous day. But the day was usual (or so I thought). I sat in the front left corner of the sanctuary as I always had, with the same people I'd been sitting with for over five years, as usual.

This day was different. Shahram, a member of the church, spoke that day. One part of his message brought up the topic of being satisfied with the single life. At one changing point during the sermon, he walked up to me, then looked at everyone else in the pews, and remarked, "I hope Kelly here has some amazing young man waiting out there for her." I sunk down in my seat. He had no idea how close to home he was hitting.

At this time in my life, I was battling my satisfaction with being single and content in whatever God was doing, and my desire to have lifelong romance with a man. I just didn't know where God wanted me, and hated worrying about it. Everyone around me had a good chuckle over Shahram's comment, but I was beyond freaking out. I couldn't pay attention much the rest of the service, and could only think about the hug Aaron had given me the night before. I was sure God hadn't intended for me to stay single much longer.

People stuck around after the service as usual, which was a staple to my week. I loved those moments after church when no one seemed to have an agenda, and life just stood still while we ate our doughnuts and talked about our week. I sat down for a moment with Aaron's brother-in-law Mike, as he held his newborn daughter Odelia.

Out of the corner of my eye, I SWORE I saw Aaron walk by one of the doorways at the back of the sanctuary. But it was only for a split second, because I saw his sister Amanda grab him and pull him out of the doorway. At that moment, I knew he had just told her about me. "Act cool," I told myself, as I got up to head out to the foyer to inspect the situation. My brother stopped me mid-aisle to congratulate me on the win the previous day, and ask about the game. As I was about to answer, Aaron emerged from the doorway at the back of the sanctuary and began walking toward me. "Just a sec, Jer." I said as I pushed him aside.

I cocked my head to the side to see around all the people in the aisle, and Aaron did the same. "Keep it cool, Kelly." I told myself as we approached each other. "What are you doing here?" I asked, as calm and collected as I could be.

"I stopped by to drive with Mike and Amanda up to Stanwood to my aunt and uncle's house." he replied. I was hoping he had stopped by to whisk me away on another date. But there are dreams, then there's reality.

"Ah. Well, this is a nice surprise." Nice surprise, did I really just say that?

We chatted for a few minutes in the aisle of the church. We may as well have been on a quiet beach, or an open field, because I didn't see or hear anyone but Aaron. It was one of those moments I conjure up in my head occasionally, and remember how tranquil and captive we were to each other, in the middle of a million conversations surrounding ours. There is really no way to explain it, except to go through it.

--

Since this fateful Sunday, both Aaron's sister Amanda and my brother's wife Deena have relayed the story to me of what was happening in another corner of the church that day. Once Aaron headed in to talk to me, Amanda ran to find Deena to tell her about our first date. They both recall there was a lot of jumping up and down and screaming, excited that their dear Aaron and Kelly were finding a love connection.

--

Once Aaron and I were done with our conversation, I grabbed a doughnut, found a quick escape and headed home. The last thing I wanted to do was act desperate, and he DID say he would call me. A few hours later, my brother Jeremy called to hassle me for not telling him about my date with Aaron. "I didn't have any time to tell you, I'm sorry!" I responded. We had a good chuckle about it, and he made me swear to let him know when I heard from Aaron again.

So, I spent the next few days anticipating the ring of the telephone. It was the first time in my life I had so anxiously waited for a phone call.