Twenty-one

Megan

Megan picked up the coffee carafe and took a sniff. It smelled stale and acidic, probably the same batch she’d made earlier.

“Did you go to church this morning?” asked Lelani as she came into the kitchen and got a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Yeah.” Megan shoved the carafe back and turned the coffeemaker off.

“For someone who just got home from church, you seem a little bummed.” Lelani peered curiously at her.

Megan shrugged as she filled the teakettle with water.

“Is something wrong?” asked Lelani.

Megan put the kettle on the stove and turned it on. “I guess I’m just having second thoughts.”

“Second thoughts?”

“I broke up with Marcus yesterday.”

“Really?” Lelani studied her. “Why?”

“Oh, we got into an argument.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, Friday I wanted him to come to the singles group with me.”

“And he refused?”

“He wanted to go to Zeke’s.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that. To hear a jazz group?”

“A friend was playing …” Megan frowned.

“And that’s why you broke up?”

“Well, I’d had a rough day with Vera the day before. And I said some things to Marcus that I might not have meant. At least I didn’t mean them completely. Or I said them wrong. Anyway, it’s over. And it’s probably for the best.”

“What did you say to him?”

“Like if I was dating someone, I wanted that person to be supportive of my faith, and I wanted us to have similar values. Stuff like that.”

“And he didn’t agree?”

“He sort of agreed. But he didn’t really get it. He told me that we did have similar values and that I needed to lighten up.”

“Maybe you do.”

Megan frowned at Lelani. “Meaning I should compromise my beliefs?”

“That’s not what I—”

“Meaning it would’ve been better for Marcus and me to spend an evening in a smoky bar instead of going to a fellowship group at my church?”

Lelani’s brow creased, like she wasn’t going there. Megan didn’t even blame her.

“I probably handled it all wrong.”

“You really think it’s over?”

Megan nodded. “I told him it wasn’t worth it, and that we should call it quits before we got even more involved.”

“Did you mean it?”

Megan considered this. “You know, I think I just wanted Marcus to jump in and say something like, I want what you want, or I’m willing to give up some things.”

“Oh.”

Megan sighed. “It probably is for the best.”

“So you’re really not going to see him anymore?”

Megan shook her head. “Guess not.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Not really, but the alternative …”

“Maybe you’ve just reached a new stage of the relationship,” said Lelani hopefully.

“You mean the we’re-not-together-anymore stage?”

Lelani kind of laughed. “That’s not exactly what I meant. But maybe God is doing something.”

Megan blinked in surprise. She wasn’t used to hearing Lelani talk about God. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you told me the other night. Actually, I’ve been doing more than just thinking about it. I’m trying to live it. I’ve been praying, Megan. And I’ve been trying to trust God with things. Maybe that’s what you need to do about Marcus.”

“I have been.” Now Megan considered this—had she really? “Or maybe not so much. I’m not sure.”

“But it’s not too late.”

“It might be too late as far as Marcus is concerned. I think I hurt him.”

“But if it’s meant to be, if God wants you to be with him, then it can’t be too late, right?”

“I suppose not. I’m just not sure it was meant to be.”

“How do you feel about losing him?”

“Not so great.” Megan frowned as she moved the whistling kettle from the heat. “But at the same time, I’m sort of relieved. It’s like one less stressful thing in my life.”

“So maybe it was the right decision after all.”

“Maybe, but I think it’s kind of a chickenhearted relief.” Megan poured hot water over her tea bag and watched as it steeped. “Do you know what I mean?”

Lelani nodded. “Actually, I do. Like sometimes we stop something just because we’re feeling nervous, but not because it’s the best thing to do. Sometimes I feel like I did that with med school.”

“Why don’t you go back?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if God wants you to go back?” challenged Megan. Actually, she was relieved to get the spotlight off of her.

“I guess I’d have to go back, then.” Lelani smiled. “But hopefully he’d make it very clear if that was the case—and then send money.”

“Where’s Anna?”

“I don’t know. She took off earlier. I didn’t even see her in the house, but I heard her car leaving.”

“Any word from Kendall?”

“No.” Lelani just shook her head. “But I’m really curious as to how this insane plan of hers is going to turn out.”

“Do you think she and Matthew really have a chance to get together?”

“If Kendall has her way.”

“So what are you up to today?” Megan took a sip of tea.

“Just hanging.”

“Well, I have an idea. I mean, if we’re still having our big Christmas Eve party.”

“As far as I know, we are. I’ve already invited a few people.”

“So have I.” Well, Megan had only invited old Mrs. Fowler so far, and she doubted the old lady would come.

“So what’s your idea?”

“Well, it’s what my mom used to do. She’d bake sugar cookies a couple weeks before Christmas and—”

“Won’t they be stale?”

“Not if you freeze them. She’d put them between sheets of waxed paper and store them in the freezer. Then she’d take them out a couple days before Christmas and we’d frost and decorate them.”

“That’s a great idea. Do you have a recipe?”

Megan thought about this. “Not really.”

“Why don’t you call your mom?”

“Okay.” Megan picked up the phone.

“Maybe she’d like to come over and help us,” suggested Lelani.

“She might.” Megan paused before dialing. “But I don’t want to tell her about breaking up with Marcus, okay?”

“Why not?”

“My mom thinks he’s a nice guy.”

“He is a nice guy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Megan as she dialed her mom’s number. “But that’s not the main issue right now.”

As it turned out, Megan’s mom was game. Not only did she come over with her recipe, but she brought her cookie cutters too. And the three of them made dozens of shaped cookies.

“This has been so much fun,” said Lelani as Megan’s mom was packing up her things to go home. “Thanks so much for helping.”

“I wish I could come to your party.”

“You’re not coming?”

“No,” said Megan. “She’s off to Mexico to sit on a beach and drink margaritas.”

“Oh, it’s not like that,” said Mom.

Megan patted her mom on the back. “It’s okay. I think it’s a great idea.”

“Not me,” said Lelani. “I’ve had more than enough beachy Christmases. Nothing would make me happier than having snow.”

“I hate to disappoint you, but that’s probably not going to happen.” Megan’s mom pulled on her coat. “I can count white Christmases in Portland—and I mean in my lifetime—on one hand. And that’s not counting my thumb.”

Lelani laughed. “Well, anyway, it’s not like Maui.”

As Megan’s mom left, Anna came in. “Smells good in here,” she said as she peeked into the kitchen. They had saved out one plate of slightly deformed cookies to eat, and Megan offered this to Anna.

“A one-legged reindeer?”

“Yes,” said Lelani. “Those are the rejects.”

“Right.”

Just then the landline phone rang. Megan answered it and was surprised to hear Kendall’s voice. “How’s it going down in sunny Southern California?” asked Megan cheerfully.

“Not well.”

“Oh. Anything seriously wrong?”

“I need a ride from the airport,” snapped Kendall.

“Sure. Okay. When do you—”

“Tonight.”

“When tonight?”

“My flight gets in late. Is Lelani there?”

Megan just shook her head. “Hang on.” She nodded to Lelani now. “It’s Kendall dearest, and she wants to speak to you.”

Lelani frowned and took the phone. “Hey, Kendall, what’s—” But she was obviously cut off by a grumpy Kendall.

“She sounds mad,” Megan whispered to Anna.

Anna frowned. “Her big plans must’ve fallen apart.”

“Ya think?” Megan rolled her eyes.

“So now she’ll probably come home and be a big old grouch.”

“The Grinch who’s going to steal Christmas?”

Anna nodded. “Just what we need.”

They waited until Lelani hung up. “Wow,” she said. “Kendall does not sound like a happy camper.”

“What did she think was going to happen?” asked Anna.

“She was slightly delusional when she went down there,” said Lelani. “But she’s had a huge reality check.”

“I wonder what happened,” said Megan.

“She said Matthew told her to get lost. Or something like that.”

“Poor Kendall,” said Anna.

“You feel sorry for her?” asked Megan.

“Okay, maybe I feel sorry for me,” said Anna. “I’m the one who shares a bathroom with her. I get more of her wrath than you guys.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” said Lelani. “She seems to think I’m her best friend in this house. And when I let her down, she lets me know.”

“And she still seems to hate me,” said Megan.

“She doesn’t hate you,” protested Lelani.

“Maybe not,” Megan admitted. “But I’m pretty low on her food chain.”

“Anyway, I’ll use her car to pick her up. Her flight doesn’t get in until ten fifteen,” said Lelani. “And it sounds like she’s broke.”

“Big surprise,” said Megan.

“It also sounds like she’s pretty brokenhearted and discouraged.” Lelani seemed to direct this comment to Megan. “And I think she could use a little warmth and support from her housemates.”

Suddenly Megan felt guilty for being so mean and judgmental toward Kendall. Seriously, what kind of Christian was she anyway? “Yeah,” Megan said slowly. “I’m sure you’re right about that. I’ll try to be nicer, okay?”

Lelani brightened. “Who knows? Maybe God is working on Kendall.”

Anna seemed surprised by this. “What do you mean?”

“Megan’s been talking to me about God lately. And I’m starting to take him seriously. Maybe Kendall needs to do the same.”

Anna stared curiously at both of them. “So, you guys really believe in God?”

“Sure,” said Megan. “Don’t you?”

Anna shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“But aren’t you Catholic?” asked Megan.

“I’m also Hispanic,” pointed out Anna. “But, if you haven’t noticed, I don’t exactly embrace all those customs either.”

“Gil was telling me that you guys haven’t gone to Mass or confession since you were kids.”

“Well, that could change any minute,” said Anna. Then she pointed to Lelani. “Speaking of Gil, he asked me to tell you he’d pick you up at six for dinner tonight, if that’s okay.”

“Sounds good.”

Then the three housemates went their own ways. Megan couldn’t help but feel somewhat corrected, albeit gently, by Lelani. She knew Lelani was right; Megan did need to try harder with Kendall. She’d actually tried to be a better friend a few weeks ago, back before Kendall had fallen for Matthew Harmon. But the truth was Kendall’s stupid choice to hook up with her celebrity crush—a married man—disgusted Megan. It was just so wrong. Still, it would be even more wrong for Megan to kick Kendall while she was down. Okay, it would be wrong to kick Kendall even if she was up. But sometimes Megan wished she could smack some sense into that girl!