Always Tried and Proven (35 page)

     Callie considered carefully.  This was a test.  She raised her eyebrows, and sighed.  “Well, that would depend.  There are probably several ways to approach this.  I think we should cover as much ground as we can.  Maybe, depending on how many of the team want to go, we could split up and go more than one place.  How much territory can we cover do you think, Sam?”

     Sam looked at her curiously, as though not sure she was serious.  “Well, I have to be honest, Cal.  I usually go with just a couple of people, at most.  I never considered to ask the whole team.”

     “I think there are a lot of others who’d like to go, Sam.  I’m surprised you didn’t think of it.  I know you’re dedicated to helping them grow.”

       He raised an eyebrow, and shrugged sheepishly.  “Yeah.  Absolutely, you’re right.  What did I ever do without you, Callie?”  he asked in wonder.  He shook his head, and got to his feet.  “I’ll work on that while you get ready.”

     Callie stared after him with an impish grin.  At least, she’d qualified for the race.  Now, she just had to show him she could run it.  She decided to wear a nice, summery dress and sandals.  Cool, lavender cotton was just the thing for a day like today.  She put her hair up into a French Roll, and was just finishing applying light make-up when Sam came back.

      “Wow.”  He said quietly, grinning up at her from the doorway.

      She smiled and snapped in her earrings.  “Did you find any takers?”

     “Yep, I sure did.  Four for today.  But we decided right away that we need to work on expanding our outreach.  Folks are ready to go, more than I realized.”

      “Good.”  Callie congratulated.

     “We’ll take Sadie’s car. I can’t find her, but it will be all right.”  He explained, as he put his arm around her.  He steered her away from his van, toward Sadie’s little two-seater.  She felt shy with him, as he opened her door and saw her seated.  When he joined her, he seemed very big in the cab of the little sports car.  He put on mirrored sunglasses, and Callie found herself smiling at him.  He was a sexy man, and he didn’t even seem to know it.

      They’d hardly begun their drive, when Callie’s thoughts turned to Sadie and Sean.

     “What’s the matter?”  Sam asked gently.

    “Oh, nothing.” she sighed.  “I just had kind of a surprise, this morning.  I can’t seem to quit thinking about it.”

     “What happened, honey?”  he asked.

    Callie shrugged.  “I don’t know that I should talk about it.  It’s one of those things where you end up hearing something you shouldn’t hear.  You know?  It’s really none of my business.”

     Sam sighed.  “Well, then, it’s probably my business.  Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, and let me be the judge?  If it’s not important, it will stay right here.”  He smiled at Callie encouragingly.

     “It’s probably nothing.  I just worry a bit about Sadie and Sean.”

     Sam seemed genuinely surprised by the information.  “Really?  Why is that?”

     “I didn’t know they were so involved, is all.”

     An eyebrow went up.  “Neither did I.”  Sam assured her.

     “Huh, oh.”  Callie gulped.

     “What now?” he chuckled.

     “Then I just told on my best friend – to Papa.”

     He smiled.  “It happens.  What did you hear that bothered you?”

     Callie shrugged.  “I don’t know, except that Sean just wasn’t himself.  He was not being much of a gentleman.  I’ve known him a long time, Sam, and it just wasn’t at all like him.  I don’t mean to sound crude, but he handled her in a very familiar way and was very suggestive.  It bothered me.”

     Sam sighed.  “And how did she react?”

     “That bothered me, too.  She said all the things she should have to put him in his place, but it wasn’t at all convincing.  She seemed almost ... provocative.”

     “Sadie?”  he asked in disbelief.

    Callie blushed.  “I know!  I was so shocked and embarrassed that I went into the bathroom, so she wouldn’t know I saw.  It wasn’t anything she said, it was just something in the air that was … shocking.  And he was very … not nice.  Inappropriate.” She explained uncomfortably.

    “Huh.  Well, thanks for telling me.  I’ll just keep my eyes open.  Don’t worry, I won’t ask Sadie anything about it.  But I do appreciate knowing.  That’s always my biggest worry, with unmarried people living together in this camp environment.  It’s enough of a risk with married people.  With singles …” he sighed heavily.

     “Sam, these people are Christians.  At least they’re supposed to be.  How can a married person even think about indulging in extramarital activities?  Even I know that’s wrong!”

     He shook his head.  “The close quarters and camp atmosphere give more opportunity than normally exists.  Sometimes people let down their guard and get careless.”  He explained carefully.  “It doesn’t happen often, but I’m always watching for that kind of trouble.  Men are still men, and women are still women.  Sex is the biggest area where people seem to remain vulnerable.” he laughed.  “As I well know.” he admitted, shooting an admiring glance at Callie.

     Callie was too preoccupied to notice, for once.  She pressed her lips together and sighed.  “Well, I hope I’m wrong this time.  I don’t think anything has happened yet between them, but I sure felt like I was seeing something far too intimate for comfort.”

    Sam smiled at her.  “Yeah, well.  Sadie has seen me doing some things I shouldn’t have been doing, hasn’t she?”

      Callie tensed.  “That is a matter of opinion.”

     Sam gave her a crooked smile.  “Well; granted, we didn’t do anything wrong.  But I can assure you that I was on the edge.”

    Callie gave him a square look.  “Sam, there is nothing wrong with making love.”

     He sighed.  “Tell me about it.  But Callie, it’s meant for a husband and wife.  It’s not a first or second date activity. Whether there's a license or not. When you make love to someone, you become one.  It’s a very permanent thing that happens.  We don’t understand it all, but the human spirit bonds itself to another.  It’s not something that one can tamper with.  It will mess you up.  There is no happiness in having a string of broken relationships behind you, where you’ve given your all and been wounded.  It’s a damaging thing.  It’s much wiser to wait until you’re sure.”

     “How can you be sure?” Callie challenged.

     “Marriage.  Commitment.”  He challenged in response.

     “Marriages fail.”  Callie pointed out.

     “Yes, and that is a tragedy.  We take even that kind of commitment too lightly.  I’m not suggesting that every marriage is made in heaven, or that anyone should stay in an abusive marriage.  Not at all.  But many times, marriages end due to selfishness, stubbornness or infidelity. Believe me, I’ve seen the entire spectrum.  Callie, when I get married, I want it to be forever.  I’ve seen too much heartache to jump into bed without a commitment.  I have to be sure.  That night, I wanted you, so much.  But I wasn’t sure of you, and you were not my wife, in spirit or in deed.  I couldn’t.  With my history, and my commitment to the Lord, especially.  I can’t afford it.  If I made a mistake, I don’t know what would happen.”

     “I know, Sam.  I understand.”  She said softly.

     “Do you?”  he asked quietly.

     “Yes.  I do now.  I didn’t then.”  She admitted.  “I wanted you, and I didn’t care about anything else.   But, I was wrong.  Love considers the other person’s needs.  I’m very sorry for what I put you through.”

     Sam looked at her, but she couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark glasses.  “It was as much my fault.  It just happened.  Callie, don’t beat yourself up about it.”

     She shrugged.  Sam reached over and took her hand.  She looked up at him apprehensively.  He kissed the back of her hand, and smiled at her.  She looked away, trying to blink back tears.

     “Callie.”  He urged her softly.

    She looked up at him only because he insisted.  The pain was suddenly as fresh at that moment as it had been on the night in question.

     Sam sighed and put an arm around her neck, drawing her head against his chest and holding her there.  Callie couldn’t help it.  The tears just began to pour out against his warm shoulder and chest.  She seemed to have a fountain of misery inside her that was demanding release.

     Whatever Sam was doing, seemed to cause it to flow.  And he wouldn’t let it stop.  He wouldn’t release her, wouldn’t stop stroking her hair.  But he didn’t stop driving, either.

     At last, Callie got a grip on herself and pushed away from him.  “Oh, my.”  She said shakily.  “Where did that come from?”  she laughed nervously.

     Sam smiled.  “Doesn’t matter.  It’s out, and it can’t hurt you anymore.  Now you can start healing.”

     “Your shirt is all wet.”  She pointed out lightly.

     “Yeah.  Ask me if I’m concerned.”   He challenged with a grin.

    They met the other four members of the team at the nursing home.  Clyde was working with his wife Suzie.  John and Linda Swanson comprised a third team of two.  

   Sam tried to prepare Callie for the coming experience by telling her a few stories, both good and rough.  “You never know what to expect.”  He chuckled.

    That was true enough.  Callie found the old folks to be quite uninhibited, in many cases.  Others were extremely reclusive, even hostile.  There were a few who really stood out to Callie.  She knew she was to act on the prompting, but she wasn’t certain just how. 

     “Help, Lord.”  She breathed to herself.

    Then an old man raised a shaky hand, and waved her over.  “Girl.  You girl, come over here.”  He wheezed.  Callie put on a smile, and went.

     “What’s a tall drink of water like you doing in a place like this?” he demanded, staring up at her with eyes that squinted to focus.

      “I came to see
you
.  My name is Callie.”  She answered gently.

      “Me!  You don’t know me.”  He shouted.

      “I will if you’ll tell me your name.”  She teased.

     “Buttons!  Matthew Buttons!   You’re a good looking woman.”  He said in a loud voice.  He eyed Callie’s virtues wickedly, and reached a hand toward her.  Callie  blushed and backed up, right into Sam.  He put an arm around her, and chuckled.

     “Mr. Buttons, are you making a pass at my woman?” he asked, narrowing his eyes teasingly.

     “She’s got one hell of a nice little bod.”  He told Sam with spirit.

     “I can’t argue with you, but trust me -- the lady deserves a little more respect.”  He said, matter of factly.  “As she happens to be my lady, I will have to insist.”

     Matthew Buttons assessed the steely glint in Sam’s eyes, despite the smile.  “Well.  Young fella, if I was a few years younger, I might just take you on.”  He said, a mite more meekly.

    “I’ll bet you would.  What did you do for a living, Matthew?  Tell me about yourself.”  Sam urged.  He sat down in a chair, keeping Callie close.

     “Me?  I was just a factory worker in Norwichtown.  Started in 1916, worked in textiles all my life.” He answered proudly.  “Our factory still stands, city blocks long.  Brick, made to last for centuries!  Me wife, she worked at the Thermos factory”.

     “Really?  Where is Norwichtown?”

     “Connecticut.  Southeast of Hartford.”  Matthew shouted on.

     Callie felt chastened, her spirit dampened.  She had
so
wanted to be able to show Sam that she could bless this man, and here he’d treated her like a sex object!  She blushed, thinking about the man’s leering eyes and bold tongue.  Though, she knew it was all for the shock effect.  But Sam!  Sam  had him eating out of his hand.

     The men talked for some time, and then Mr. Buttons turned his eyes back to Callie.  “You’re sure a pretty thing.  Why don’t you throw this young fella over and give an old man a good time?”  he asked lightly.

      Callie narrowed her eyes.  “Mr. Buttons, you’re incorrigible.”  She accused.

     “Well, you can’t blame an old man for trying!  Don’t you think too badly of me for being a bit feisty.  It’s not often a young, pretty thing like you comes calling here.”

     “I believe you’ve enjoyed trying to shock me.”  She chided.

     “Yep.”  He confirmed.  “S’pose you could give me a little peck to get my blood moving again?”

     Callie laughed.  “I don’t think you’re safe, Mr. Buttons.”  She accused.  “Tell you what.  You turn your cheek up here, and I will kiss it.”

     “You’re no fun.”  He complained, as she put her soft lips to his wrinkled cheek.

     His eyes were dancing as he looked up at her.  “Even that wasn’t too darn bad.”

      Sam and Callie chuckled at him, and said goodbye.  Callie gave Sam a wide-eyed, indignant look as they walked away.

     He chuckled and shook his head.  “Oh, Callie.”  He sighed.  “This could be challenging.  You brought a ninety-year old man’s hormones to blazing, glorious life, with just a look.  No
wonder
I’m in such a difficult way.” He complained.  “I’m going to have to point you toward easier game, I suppose.”