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Esther
At New Beginnings Church, there was a small room beneath the steeple. They’d taken to calling it “the upper room,” and that’s where the seven ladies were gathered on Sunday morning at ten, praying over the service.
Esther heard the smoke detector first. She didn’t panic, though, as it went off every time one of them used the toaster. “Someone should probably go check on that.”
“I’ll go,” Vera said, and Esther almost laughed. Precious Vera moved like a snail.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll go.” Esther beat her to the top of the stairs and started down. She was halfway down the stairs when she smelled smoke, and she let out a little screech as she picked up speed.
They’d put a few appliances in the back corner of the sanctuary, sort of like a makeshift kitchen, and that’s where the smoke was coming from. And there was lots of it. A frying pan sat on top of the stove, and the flames it contained were a foot high. Coughing, she looked around for something to smother the fire with. One of Rachel’s hats lay nearby, and while it was big enough, she wasn’t sure Rachel would ever forgive her. She grabbed a cutting board off a nearby table and slammed it down on the fire, silently praying that it would do the trick. It did.
“What’s going on?” Vicky cried from the bottom of the stairs.
“Where are the pot holders?” Esther cried.
“We don’t have any! What’s burning?”
Esther ripped off her cardigan, wrapped it around her hands, and then grabbed the handle of the still-smoking pan. She could feel the heat through the sweater. “Someone open the doors!” she cried and saw Rachel heading that way with Barbara on her heels.
Esther rushed out through the doorway and down the steps. Her hand was burning now, so she flung the mess, sweater and all, onto the lawn. Then she looked at her hand to access the damage. None was visible, but it still hurt. She turned to go up the steps.
“You can’t just leave that there,” Vicky said.
“I’ll get it when it cools off. I need to go run my hand under cool water.”
“I’m so sorry!” Rachel cried. “I totally forgot!”
“What were you doing at the stove?” Cathy asked. They didn’t usually let Rachel near the stove.
“Dawn was going to make her homemade doughnuts, and she asked me to start the oil.”
“I didn’t tell you to start it on high!” Dawn cried, turning the burner off.
“I’m so sorry,” Rachel said again.
Esther shoved her hand under the cold water. “It’s fine, Rachel.” She looked over her shoulder. “It really is. No harm done, and we’ve got a great story.”
“Great story?” Vicky cried. “We’ve got people coming in a few minutes, and this place is full of smoke!”
“And I’ve got no pan for the doughnuts!”
Esther turned the water off and turned to face her teammates. “Open all the windows. I’ll run next door and grab my fans. Barbara, can you go get some doughnuts from the coffee shop?”
Barbara nodded and turned to go.
Vera appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She squinted at them. “Is it smoky in here?”
No one answered her but instead started running around to the windows. Esther hurried next door, but she was just about out of energy, so her hurry wasn’t very fast.
She grabbed her bedroom fan and her living room fan and then left her apartment, suddenly aware of how heavy fans were. She was grateful for the elevator, but then it was a long trek down the street.
Roderick Puddy met her in the driveway. “Let me get those for you!”
Vicky met her on the steps.
“How is it in there?” Esther asked, panting.
“Better than you’d think since we almost burned the place down.”
“The bells,” Esther said, out of breath.
“What?” Vicky cried.
“I haven’t heard the bells.”
“Oh, beans! Now the bells are late again.” She reached out and grabbed a Puddy child by the collar of his shirt. Then she hollered, “Rachel!”
Rachel appeared.
“Go teach this child how to ring the bells. Then it can be his job from now on.”
The child beamed.
Esther started to walk by Vicky and go inside, but Vicky grabbed her arm. “I’m thinking of doing something that I know is absolutely insane.”
Well, this sounded interesting. “What?”
Vicky bit her lip. “But I think God wants me to do it.”
“Do what?”
Vicky looked at her. “Would you help me?”
“Help you do what? I don’t know if I want to help you to do something that’s absolutely insane.”
“Come on.” Vicky went inside, and with reservations, Esther followed. Vicky marched right up to Tonya and Emma and said, “You know that giant yellow farm right beside the school?”
Tonya, looking terrified, nodded.
“Well, that’s mine. And it’s a big place. I’m having trouble keeping it up. I was wondering if you two would like to move in with me, for free, and help me keep the place going.”
Tonya’s mouth fell open.
Emma’s whole body started shaking with excitement. She grabbed her mom’s arm with both hands. “Mom! It’s right beside the school!”
“I’m a little forgetful these days. I need help with things. Nothing major, just stuff you need to do to keep from dying in your own house.”
Tonya’s mouth moved, but it took a few seconds for words to come out. “Thank you for your generous offer. Can we pray about it and get back to you?”
Vicky gave her a curt nod. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Then she turned and went to the front.
Esther followed her and sat beside her. “My friend, I think you just did a very smart thing. I don’t think that was insane at all.”
“We’ll see.”
