Church

Leaning close to the mirror Bailey finished moving the red lipstick over his lips. Pursuing his lips together he reached over for a tissue and put it between his lips. Checking again he gave himself a nod, his inflated lips looked a creamy kissable red, matching his nails that he painted the night before, the skirt and heels. Stepping back he checked out himself in the mirror, turning from one side to the other. He had borrowed the outfit from Candi, something he saw her wear the week before when the Connors came over for dinner. He had on red three inch pumps, white pantyhose, a red pleated skirt. It had a built in bow at his left hip, the skirt looked cute on Candi, but he was less thrilled with wearing a cute skirt himself. His blouse was white, with long sleeves, but scooped down to show the top of his chest without going low enough to show his breasts. Lastly he wore red button earrings and a cross necklace.

Picking up his cellphone Bailey took another step back from the mirror, turned to the side and bent back one his legs, while tilting his head slightly to the side while he smiled. Snapping a quick picture before looking poking his head out the bedroom door to check on Candi. She was wearing the same blue flower patterned dress when he first met her, she was even wearing the same shoes with the white ribbon. The only difference was the cross necklace she wore and how she had changed over the last few weeks. With the change in her hair, how she got her lips and eyelashes done she looked much less a teen girl and more of a young woman. They looked less like they could be twins now and more the part of younger and older sister. He found her still in conversation with Nana like she had been for the last twenty minutes. So hit looked back into the mirror, smiled and hit record.

“A good girl always looks her best.” Bailey tilted his head to the side moving his hand through his hair to look at the red button earring in his ear. He saw them in Candi’s small jewelry box and knew they would go perfectly with the outfit. “A good girl is polite. A good girl is always obedient. A good girl always smiles.” That had been getting more and more true, some people had resting meanie face, but he had resting happy face. “A good girl is seen and not heard.” Candi spoke plenty for the both of them really. “A good girl never argues or complains.” Nana had threatened to put soap in his mouth the previous night when she said it was bedtime, but he wasn’t ready to go to sleep. She was not a fan of being talked back to. Candi told him after all he needed to do was pout and ask to stay up later and she would have caved. “A good girl never uses foul language.” Aunt Megan knew so much about what he did, he didn’t even know the last time he thought a bad word, let alone spoke one. “I am a good girl, happy and proud.” At the end of the mantra he gave a much bigger smile before ending the recording and sending it off to Aunt Megan.

He had worn the jeans he begged Aunt Megan for twice now, it felt like he got the wrong end of the deal. Not just because they weren’t what he expected, but also because he used to wear the same pair of jeans for a few days, now it felt like he changed outfits two or three times a day depending on what he had to do. Maybe he could talk her into letting stop the recordings, she had to have gotten her fill of this by now. “Bailey honey are you done primping in there?” The elder Connors called out. Bailey took one last look at himself, picked up the red purse with the short strap and put it in the crook of his arm and came out of the bedroom.

“Nana, we are never done primping, what if we see a cute boy there?” The older woman looked over to see Bailey coming closer before answering her granddaughter. “I would tell you that is not the purpose of going to church, but I’m not so old that I don’t remember what it was like to be a young woman. At least at church the two of you could meet someone nice.”

“What if like Candi already met someone who is nice?” Candi raised her eyebrow at Bailey, adding to the question before it could be answered. “Yeah Nana, what if Bailey already met someone who is nice?”

Picking up her purse Edna smiled at the two, doing her best to contain a chuckle. “Then I would ask why they aren’t coming with us to service?” Bailey wasn’t looking forward to going to church and really didn’t need it to turn into another location for males to flirt with him.

“What if Ry is jewish, then he couldn’t come to a Catholic service?” The group started to walk out of the hotel room and through the hall toward the elevator as they talked. “Ry… is that the Ryan that came out to set up for your birthday and then had to go off to work?” Candi almost started to skip as she nodded thinking about him. “He came out to help and then was responsible enough to go do what he needed to do, he does seem like he has a good head on his shoulders. It is okay if that boy or any boy is Jewish. Have you considered going to synagogue with him?”

As the doors to the elevator closed Candi opened her own mouth to reply and then stopped, thinking for a second. “I like don’t actually know if he is Jewish or anything.” Edna put one hand on her granddaughter's shoulder and the other on Bailey’s.

“Girls, many people say you should not talk about politics, religion, and money. That is a lot of bullshit, if you want to know someone, then you ask the hard questions. Your Ryan or your August could vote for a political party you do not like, but these things are not black and white. You need to find out what your partner or potential partner stands for. Nothing in life is simple, but never be afraid to tell someone you don’t know enough about something to form an opinion. That way you can ask questions if you don’t understand something.” She gave a light squeeze to each of their shoulders. She found far too often in life people formed strong opinions on something without ever really knowing the details, and these two girls were both wonderful in so many ways, but she feared they could be taken advantage of with where they fell short.

Looking into the reflective surface in the elevator Bailey saw two similar looking young women with an elderly woman, their similar green eyes giving the impression each was related. It made Bailey think back to the last time he had a grandparent. His grandpa and grandma had taken him and his mother on a small vacation, he couldn’t have been more than ten at the time. They were going to California to go to Disney, but along the way their gray station wagon had broken down. Bailey loved sitting in the far back so he could look out at the other cars, but when they pulled over to the side of the road steam was coming out from under the hood. Now he knew it was something to do with the radiator, but at the time he acted out, being mad about them not being able to make it to the theme park. He thought it was so unfair and he felt ashamed now that he was older, knowing it wasn’t because they had to stop to get the car fixed, but because they weren’t able to afford to fix the vehicle and go to the expensive park. Instead they went to a tourist spot that played on perception in different rooms to make one person look tiny and another large depending on where you stood. He bet the place still could have been a lot of fun if he had given it a chance, but the entire time he had acted like a brat. That trip was the last time he saw them and it made him sad he didn’t appreciate what he had.

Nana Connors was a stern woman, but it was clear she loved her granddaughter and she never looked at him any differently than she did her. On one hand it was bothersome to be treated like a teen, on another it was nice to be treated like he was family. She didn’t just make eggs for Candi and him yesterday, she asked them how they wanted them made and her smile when he dug into the fluffy eggs wasn’t lost on him. Her threats to make sure Candi and him would turn out to be proper women wasn’t great, but it came from a place of love. He lost what she was saying, but the way she put her hand on his shoulder and leaned in to give advise or tease made him happy. So much of his life right now he despised, but her… he wanted to make sure he wasn’t that brat, he was a good girl and would appreciate her.

“We will remember Nana.” Candi gave Bailey a side glance. “Well I will remember, Bailey might have checked out.”

“I was totally listening and will totally remember.” He said defensively. He had just thought how he was going to make sure he appreciated the older women and now Candi was calling him out for not listening to her.

“Oh yeah? What were we talking about? Hmmmm?” Candi was giving him a knowing look.

“I ahh umm.” He thought back to the last thing he remembered. Boys going to church and Ryan being Jewish.” That happened before she put her hand on his shoulder and he knew he was wrong before he saw Candi shaking her head.

“So what were you thinking about?” Candi said, her voice going up an octave when she said about. He didn’t want to get into the memory and tried to quickly come up with a believable lie. Boys? August? No, bad subject. Clothes? Shoes? He loved heels. “Your cute shoe I’m borrowing and like how I don’t have a red pair of my own.” Bailey mentally kicked himself, he didn’t love shoes that was just a character. Even as he thought that his mind went over the red three in pumps he was wearing, with their rounded toe and how the stitching was done with just a slightly different shade of red.

“You can totally borrow them whenever you want, but like we should talk to Jeremy’s mom about doing the shoe videos so we can get discounts and stuff.” The girl's smile was almost as bright as the morning sun Bailey thought as they made their way to the car. Enda gave a small shake of her head, thinking about how Bailey might need a little more looking out for than Candace. “Sit in the back with Bailey, if this church is anything like the one I go to back home seeing a teenager behind the wheel is going to scare off all the old fogies.”

“Old fogies? Really Nana?” Edna gave Candace a hard look to see if she wanted to push that any further, but she quickly moved to get into the backseat. “As a compromise we can listen to some of your pop music on the way. Unless you rather I put on one of those Christian stations?”

Leaning between the front two seats Candi quickly moved the rental cars radio to a local station playing some Brittney Spears. Lip syncing the first few lines before it turned into her singing along, as the chorus started she leaned closer to Bailey and poked him in the side where he was ticklish, then did it again. Bailey tried jerking to the side, but when the second **** came he gave in and started to sing along with her. He thought it was a tragedy that he knew the lyrics, but he sang along with his friend in the impromptu karaoke. By the end of the song he was moving his body and hands to the music like Candi was, her energy and enthusiasm catching on once he got over the fact no one was going to judge him for this other than himself.

As they pulled into the parking spot the three sang along to Taylor Swift, Edna joining in the best she could. “All you had to do was stay. All you had to do was stay.” As she turned the car off she smiled back at the girls, letting the song finish before they got out. “I bet a road trip with you girls would be enjoyable.”

As the three started walking up to the church Candi took her grandmother's hand. “And I bet I would win the road trip games. I am super good at them!” Edna held out her other hand for Bailey when Candace had taken hers. Seeing what Candi was doing and the open hand Bailey took the offered hand, walking side by side with them till they came to a stop in front of Aung Megan. She wore a white blouse, light blue skirt that went down just past her knees, with some white slingback pumps. “Good morning Aunt Megan.”

“Good morning pumpkin. Good morning Candi and good morning Mrs. Connors, I am so happy the three of you could come and attend my church.” Bailey watched as she opened her arms up for a hug, he stepped forward, but was beaten to it by Candi so she ended up hugging the both of them at the same time. “Oh someone is excited this morning.”

Candi nodded her head quickly, her eyes wide and a smile on her face as she gave the taller woman a second hug. “I love seeing you, Daddy doesn’t have any sisters and you said I could call you Aunt Megan and I love having an Aunt. When do you think we can do those cooking classes you signed us up for?”

“The first class isn’t till the week after this one, but if you are excited to learn, maybe we could get together before that and do a little baking?” Candi nodded with enthusiasm, giving her a third hug. “Bailey would you like that?”

He did not like the idea of spending any minutes with the sugar coated not so nice woman, but he couldn’t say that. “Auntie, you like know I always want to spend time with you.” Bailey looked away from her, and pulled his cell phone out from his purse that was in the crook of his arm. He wanted to make himself busy so she wouldn’t ask him any more questions and so long as he did something girly he knew she would leave him alone. So he turned on his camera, pulled out his lipstick and touched himself up. He didn’t really need to, but it sure beat whatever she would pull next.

“Mrs. Connors, if you will still be in town maybe you could join us?” Bailey looked up from the camera screen to see the elderly woman nod and agree. “Only if I can show you how I make chocolate chip cookies, one of the tricks is to add a little salt to enhance the sweetness.”

The group talked a little more when a middle aged man with dark hair, except for the gray at his temples approached. He wore a bunch of robes, just another thing Bailey hated about coming here, all the church folk acted like this was still the middle ages with how they dressed to conduct service. “Welcome, welcome. I see some new faces and a familiar one. How are you doing Mrs. Best?”

“Oh father Thomas you know you can call me by my first name and it is Miss, but I do appreciate you remembering I did get divorced and changed my name back.”

“Of course, of course, many people feel strongly about divorce, but I was here with you when you tried to make it work. Now tell me who did you bring to the flock today?” Bailey knew the man, not well, his little beedy brown eyes seemed nice now, but he knew he was judging everyone. He was the type to say one thing to your face and then condemn you from the altar as being a sinner and how hell was the destination for you if you didn’t come and repent.

“You remember my sister Amanda right? This is her daughter Bailey Ann, this is her best friend Candace and her grandmother Edna Connors.”

Candi smile at the paster and took his hand when he offered it. “My middle name is Ann too!”

“Well if I didn’t know any better I would have thought you were sisters. It is a pleasure to meet you both.” His attention moved to the last member of the group. “It is also a pleasure to meet you, Miss Connors. I would not have taken you for a grandmother if I wasn’t told.”

Edna blushed a little as he took her hand in both of his as he smiled. “You can call me Edna, but flattery will not get you anywhere.”

“Flattery is just empty words, I walk the path the lord has set out for me and only speak the truth. So you know my words have true meaning when I tell you Edna that you are beautiful and I will be looking out to you when I give my sermon this morning.” Bailey watched as Nana put her free hand to her cheek and blush, while Candi’s smile grew several degrees. A bell run in the distance and it drew the pastors attention away from them.

“It seems it is time for everyone to take their seats, maybe we can talk more in the fellowship hall after service while the girls go to bible study.” Someone called his name to get his attention and he had to depart.

“He seemed nice.” Candi said, giving a beaming smile to her grandmother. “He did.” Edna said in agreement before the four made their way inside to take their seats.

Please stand, please read along, please sing, please kneel, please stand, you may be seated… the service was like every other one he had been to before, but this time he did sing along. He didn’t at first, but when he caught Aunt Megan looking his way part of the mantra went through his mind, telling him to be obedient. He was a good girl and proud, he was not going to get in trouble.

When the sermon started Bailey pulled out one of the bibles that was provided to follow along with the scripture as pastor Thomas read from the Bible before starting in on her sermon. There was no condemnation, todays was talking about the Samaritan woman at the well.

“To Jesus, to God himself it did not matter that this woman was considered an other.. A Samaritan woman could not share a drink with Jew, but he told told if she knew who she spoke to and asked upon him for a drink she would be given living water. He saw her for who she was, she had five husbands in her time and if you think people would judge you now for such a thing, back then it was much worse. Yet Jesus called upon her and she went back to the people who she had met and to ask them to come see the Messiah.”

The pastor paused and looked around the room, Bailey getting more annoyed everyone he looked in his direction. “All of us can ask for a drink of living water, all of us can know our Lord. It doesn’t matter how you have sinned, the type of life you have led. We are all his children and welcome. Not everyone is called to go out into the world and sing his praises, but everyone has a calling and I believe the more of us that kept our Lord in our hearts as we went about our lives could do a better job of showing the world what it meant to be a Catholic or a Christian. Keep him in your hearts and your minds as you act and others can know him through your actions. There is no need to post on social media a bible verse or condemn someone for their actions, for they will be judged in the end and none of our opinions will hold sway. “

The pastor paused again, this time to take a drink of water. “One of my best friends doesn’t believe in God. Let that sink in, me a pastor for… well I’m older than I once was. I have never tried to convert him, but when he asks me questions I am open to him. He asked me once about how some people think without the bible people wouldn’t know how to be good. Now I’m quoting someone on this one, maybe not well, but lets see if you catch it. I say when trouble is happening, when things look the worst. Look out into the world and look for the helpers. I don’t think I got that right, but most people know who Mr. Rogers is. He was a man of the cloth, but without knowing that everyone can see the character of the man. I used to see people wearing bracelets saying what would Jesus do? Not so much now and that is okay. If any of you have a friend that isn’t religious, you don’t have to read them scripture. SImply ask them to try and live a life they think would make Mr. Rogers proud.

He went on for almost an hour before he stopped and the rest of the service could conclude. Sitting there that long had Bailey needing to use the bathroom, but unlike any other time he was here. He wasn’t able to just get in and out he had to stand in line with all the girls. “That was an excellent sermon, don’t you think girls?” Bailey nodded to Nana’s question even if he didn’t agree.

“I wonder what he has in store for us next week.” Bailey blinked a few times looking at the older woman as she said that to herself. He thought this was a one time deal, he did not want there to be another week of this. “Nana, you umm want to come back here again?”

Edna smiled at Bailey, she was smiling, but she thought she could see a little worry on her face. “Don’t worry Bailey, I’m not going home any time soon, you will be able to come along with us when we come here. I think I even heard someone talking about a youth group that meets one of the nights during the week. Wouldn’t that be fun for you girls.”