Always Tried and Proven (37 page)

     “The spirit that came to convince you it would be all right to let Sean have you now, came to rob and steal from you.  And once it had you, it would try to run through this camp with increased strength.  It would bring you no joy, and no fulfillment.  It would ruin any future you might have with Sean.  Please, Sadie.  Use wisdom.  Wait for a man who will love you and commit to you.”

     Sadie cried some more, and Sam held her.  “I’m with you, Sadie.  I’m not happy, but I’m more concerned about you than I am about any incident that happens.  Please believe that.”

      “I do, Sam.  Thanks.  And I am so sorry!”  She assured him tearfully.

     “Good.  I’m glad you aren’t having to be any sorrier than you are.”  He said worriedly.  “Callie, get your things together and come with me, if you will.  Let’s leave Sadie here alone, for a bit.  She will do better if she has a little bit of time to herself right now.” 

     “And Sadie,” he urged gently, “do come to the service tonight.  You know better than to pull back at a time like this?”

      Sadie nodded, and turned away despondently.  She dropped onto her bunk and balled her pillow up under her face.

      Callie collected her things silently, and put the small items into a bag.  She had to put in a strapless bra due to the top’s lace yokes, and fresh, lacy underwear. and panty hose.  She was embarrassed to have to bring these items out in front of Sam, but he wasn’t watching her this time.  His eyes were carefully averted.  She followed him out the door soundlessly.

     He put an arm around her as they walked.  They were both sobered by the session with Sadie, and heart sore.  “Poor Sadie.  I wonder if Sean loves her.  Surely he must.  He’s not a bad guy.”  Callie whispered.

    “Yeah.  Well, I don’t know.”  Sam sighed.  “When it comes to men and women, all kinds of things can come into play.  It’s hard to know.  I’ll just have to talk to him and see what he has to say.  I’m concerned.  He’s such a new Christian.  I’m afraid he may not be able to take the chastening that his behavior warrants.”

       Callie flinched.

    “I’m sorry.  I know he’s your friend.  But I am holding him responsible for what’s happened.  He’s the man, and he is the aggressor.  There’s nothing else I can do.”

     “I know.  I’m certain that he
is
responsible.  Sadie draws him; they are very attracted to one another.  I think, knowing Sean, that he must feel a great deal for Sadie.  I’ve never seen him come on to anyone this way before.  And, he surely knows that because of Sadie’s job, and both of their lives being so wrapped up in the tent, they must live by Christian principles.”

     “Yeah.  But in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget everything except the passion that you feel.  Don’t worry about it, Callie.  I’ll do all I can to guide him in the right direction, without beating him up too badly.  But I have to tell you; Sadie’s very close to my heart.  I feel a lot more like killing him than I do being kind.”

     “Sam, he’s only been saved a few weeks.”  She reminded him, with panic in her heart.

     He shook his head and closed his eyes.  “I know.  I’ll remind myself when I talk to him, that he is close to your heart.  I like Sean, honey.  With Sadie, it's hard for me to stay objective.  But I'll do it.  I promise you.”

     Her eyes thanked him, as they stopped outside his van.  She saw the change in his eyes, the softening when he looked at her for more than a moment. 

     She searched his eyes, wanting to tell him how much she loved him; but then she remembered.  She had to wait.  She had to let Sam reach out to her.

     Sam’s eyes darkened with passion at the tender entreaty in her eyes.  “Don’t you start.”  He warned with a chuckle.  His thumb caressed her chin carelessly.  “Those eyes of yours are dangerous.”

    Callie looked at the ground, and fanned her lashes over her cheeks self-consciously.  Sam found her long, sweeping lashes no less enchanting than the depths of her beautiful eyes.  “You can change in the van.  Make yourself at home, and feel free to take a rest on the bed.  It’s been a very exhausting day.”

     He unlocked the door for her.  She put a hand on his forearm.  “And what about you, Sam?  You could use some rest.”

     He smiled.  “I’m a lot more accustomed to this kind of stress than you are.  I’ve got a bunk in the other trailer.  If I get time to use it, I will.”

      She nodded.  Her eyes were searching his again.  It was almost more than he could bear.  He wanted very much to hold Callie close, to reassure her that everything would be all right, but he knew with a certainty that eyes were watching them at all times.  The tent crew was very curious about this girl and his attraction to her.  They all knew something was up, and they were waiting and watching with extreme interest.

     He smiled at her and put an arm around her neck -- a careless, not very intimate hug.  He chuckled.  “Do you ever feel like the world is watching, Cal?”  he asked quietly.

      “Oh, yeah.”  She growled.

    “Right now I can feel the intense scrutiny of the entire camp.  They’re just waiting for me to do something that will tell them where our relationship is at.”

     “Wouldn’t they be surprised to know that I don’t have a clue either?” she asked teasingly.

      He raised his eyebrows, and looked a bit shocked.  He didn’t know what to say.  He wanted to say something, yet what
could
he say?  There was nothing that he was ready to say.  He was madly in love with Callie, but trust was slow to return.

     She gave him a sad smile that told him she understood, and that she expected nothing.  She laughed ruefully.  “Sam.  It’s all right.” She said.  “I should learn to keep my thoughts to myself.  I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.”

        He
was
extremely uncomfortable. Somehow, with her words, conviction had come from the Lord.  She was looking up at him with that deep trust and sweet love, and his heart felt squeezed.  He frowned, recognizing that fear was keeping him from letting Callie get too close again.  

      She was the one; he knew that.  He was going to have to bare his heart before the Lord and seek direction.  He was afraid, but he didn’t ever want Callie to go.  He needed her.  He just hadn't realized how much he was hurting her.

      “Callie;” he struggled.  “Callie, it will be all right.”  He assured her.  “I’ll … I’ll see you at the tent, later.”

    “Okay, Sam.”  She replied softly.  She watched him walk away, with a perplexed look.  She could sense the wavering in him, the uncertainty, and the need to resolve things.  But, he was running.  She smiled and got into the van.  He couldn’t be feeling a need to run, if he wasn’t in danger of cracking.  That was very, very good.

     Callie was tired when she walked into the tent that evening.  But, she was looking very lovely and carefree in her white linen outfit, and Western boots.  Clyde grinned at her, and shook his head.

    “Little darlin’, you really are something else.”  He said affectionately.  “It’s downright amazing how beautiful you are.  Seems like every service, you come in here looking lovelier.  I know looks aren’t everything, girl, but you’ve been blessed with ‘em, just the same.”

      “Thanks, Clyde.  I don’t see myself that way, but thank you.”

      “I suppose it’s not always a blessing to be beautiful, is it?”

     Callie shrugged.  “Well; I suppose I’ve had my share of spats with women, just because they felt the need to compete, and of course I’ve had my share of men who weren’t really interested in anything but a flirtation with a girl they considered attractive.  I’ve discovered that the world places a very heavy importance on how you look.  People can easily be deceived by looking at the outward.  It’s laughable, if you think about it.”

    Clyde smiled.  “Yeah.  Well, you have a lot of attributes in the looks department, Callie.  One of these days you’ll find a man who can look deeper and see the beauty
inside
you.  It may be your looks that will snag him, but the hook will sink deep when he gets to know you.  You’re a lovely young woman.”

     “What a nice thing to say.  Thank you, Clyde.”  She said quietly.

    “I just hope that you stay with
us
, when that happens.”  He said with a teasing glint in his eye.

    Callie blushed and smiled up at him.  “Clyde, I hope that myself.  One of the dratted nuisances of womanhood, is having to wait demurely for a man to notice you and make every move.”

    Clyde laughed aloud.  “Well, darlin’, I’m praying for boldness for the right man.  Maybe there have been a few bumps in the road, but don’t you fret.  It’s going to come out as it should.  The moth is always drawn back to the flame.”

  Callie blushed and laughed, as Clyde hugged her with one arm.  “You’re naughty, Clyde.”  She accused.  “But thank you for your prayers and for being of one mind with me.  But you know, you may as well relax.  Really, now Sam and I are just friends.”

    “Huh.”  Clyde snorted.  “When it snows in hell.”

   Callie gave Clyde a surprised look.  “What do you mean by that?”  she laughed.

     “That’s not what I hear from Sam.”

     “Sam talks to you about me?”

    “Well,” Clyde hedged.  “Just little things here and there, you know.  He says enough and his face betrays enough, to tell me that he’s
far
from just being your friend.”

     Callie sighed.  “Well, when we first met, maybe.  But now, I’ve lost his trust, and it has been very slow to come back.”

     Clyde shook his head.  “Well, you know, it’s going to be all right.  Jeannie and Suzie are praying, too.  And I know Sadie’s on a veritable campaign.  So how can you miss?”

    Callie rolled her eyes.  “Believe me.  I don’t plan to blow it again.”  She affirmed.  “It’s killing me, but I know I have to wait, and let him do it.”

      Clyde chuckled.  “Well, I’ll be doing all I can to split the wall open.”

      She smiled up at him mischievously.  “Thanks, Clyde.  You’re a pal.”

      He shrugged.  “I know what he needs, and I know what you need.  It ain’t no secret.  The whole camp is watching this like a soap opera, you know.  We can’t help it.  You’ve got a whole team praying for you.”

    Callie blushed and laughed.  “Oh, dear.  Sam feels it, too.  He was just mentioning to me that he feels like the whole camp is watching, every time he’s around me.”  She advised.

     “Well, doggone it.  We can’t hardly help it.”  Clyde explained.  “He’s obviously fighting like a tiger on a leash, and you’re so helplessly smitten and vulnerable and lovely, he can't help himself.  It’s darned interesting.  He’ll just have to find ways to be alone with you if he doesn’t like the scrutiny.”

     Callie sighed.  “Oh, to be alone with him.  He did take me to the nursing home today with him.  He’s relaxing his guard in very quick order, really.”

     “Yeah.  We all noticed.”  Clyde laughed.  “Keep hanging in there, and it won’t take long.  This guy is suffering, big time.  I’ll guarantee it.”

      Callie left the conversation feeling a great hope.  She was encouraged.  Sam really was coming around, she realized.  It was just a matter of time before the suspicion was dead, and his love was alive again.  Just a matter of time.

   She went backstage and found herself praying, walking back and forth restlessly.  She was praying for Sam, praying for the service.  Praying for the people who would come.  Praying for Sadie and Sean.  She looked up and saw Sam staring at her, hands on his hips.  He looked serious, but as he walked over to tower above her, she saw a sparkle in his eye.

     He picked up her hand, never breaking eye contact, and raised it to his lips to kiss it.  “Ma’am.”  He said softly.  There was a look of determined purpose in his eyes that caused her heart to turn over and flutter convulsively.

     “You look lovely.”

     “Thank you, Sam.”  She said softly.

     He looked at her as though he remembered the look of the lacy things under the skirt and lace-yoked top, and gave her a crooked smile.  “I’ll see you later, I hope.”

      Callie smiled hopefully.  “I’ll be around.”  She assured him.

    She watched Sam walk away, and felt a longing rise in her heart that was painful.  She loved him so much.

     “You really have unfinished business with the preacher, eh Cal?”

    She turned and looked into Sean’s handsome eyes, but they were carefully shuttered.  “Time will tell.  Sean, are you all right?  I’ve been very worried.”

    “Yeah, I’m fine.  He didn’t make me at all happy, but I guess I can see his point about not wanting affairs in the tent while he’s trying to preach the Ten Commandments.”

    “Believe it or not, he does understand.”  Callie assured Sean.  “When Sam first became interested in me, we had some very trying temptations.  I didn’t understand his need for chastity at all.”  She admitted.  “It’s a very big change for you and I to realize what all this means -- salvation, the tent ministry and all.”

     “Yeah.”  He growled.  “It’s been an eye-opener, all right.”

     “Sean, are you going to stay?” she asked worriedly.