Always Tried and Proven (33 page)

     Callie laughed nervously.  “I can’t believe you’re giving me advice about Sam.  Ten minutes ago, you wanted to rip my face off.”

    Sadie sighed.  “Well, that was before you convinced me that something has changed inside you.  And I want Sam to be happy.  He wants you, and he needs you.  Why shouldn’t he have you?  As long as you’ll be good, there’s no reason in the world why he shouldn’t.”

     The girls smiled at one another, and turned around to walk arm in arm back to the tent.

    “So tell me what happened when Sam found you here this time.”  Sadie urged.

     The issue still made Callie a little nervous.  “Well, he was just very nice.  Kind of cautious, but friendly.  A little distant.”  She sighed.  “I was so terrified when I looked up and saw him standing there.  I didn’t know what he might say to me.”

     “Well, I hope you enjoyed it.  I don’t think the quiet times will last.  I suspect that these next few months with Sam will be mighty wild.  He’s a very frustrated man, and he wants you.  There won’t be many dull moments until this is settled.”

      “I do hope it doesn’t take long.”  Callie prayed earnestly.

     “In a way, it’s probably been a good thing for Sam.  He’s always been so in control, so perfectly in hand.  He finally came up against something that pierced his soul; something that’s caused more than a little ripple on the surface.  Something that is testing his mettle.”

      “I don’t think he’s enjoying it.”  Callie answered dryly.

     “No.  But it is challenging him.”  Sadie pointed out.  ”Oh, Callie. Won’t you marry Sam, and put him out of his misery?”

      “I’d do it in a heartbeat, if I thought he’d have me.”  She answered morosely.

     “Sure he will, sweetheart.  He doesn’t draw a single breath without wanting you.  Just give him a little time and space.  He’ll come back.  You know exactly how to turn his head and squeeze his heart.”

      “What do you mean?”

     “Hmm.  Things like the white dress, or the old-fashioned bun.  The perfume you wear, or the way you look at him.  You’ve got a thousand ways that grab him.”

     Callie laughed incredulously.  “What are you talking about?  Has he been bending your ear with silly notions?”

      “No.  But I know Sam pretty darn well.  I can tell by the way he reacts, what he likes best about you.  You turn him into a lovesick mess, when you do those certain things that he loves.  Now, I can help you get this thing settled.  If you’re sure.”

    “Oh, I am.”  Callie assured her.

   “All right, then.  Wear the perfume.  And he likes your hair down, or sometimes in that bun.”

    “He told you that?”

    “No, he didn’t have to.  But he did ask about the perfume once.  Now, did you bring a white dress?”

     “No.”  Callie answered.

     “Then we are going to town.”

     “Huh?”  Callie gasped.

     “Tonight, you will be dressed in white.”

     “Really?  Why, I suppose he said he likes that?”

    “Nope.”  Sadie answered.  Together they answered, “he didn’t have to.”  They laughed.  “Maybe it translates to 'wedding dress' in his addled brain.  Tell me, where are you sleeping?”

     “In Steve’s truck.  But Sam just put an end to that.”

    “I’ll just bet!  He doesn’t want all those guys gawking at his woman in the early morning light, eh?  What did he say about that one?”

     “He asked me to have mercy on him.  Said he couldn’t have peace with me in the truck.  He actually said that men wouldn’t hesitate to pick a lock to get at a pretty woman.”  She confided incredulously.

    “Yeah, well, he’s probably right. I wonder if Clyde's still alive! But it sounds like you’ve got all of his instincts out of the closet.  We are definitely going shopping.”

    And shop, they did.  Sadie had a nose for the best clothes, and the best deals.  She even used her own Visa.  She shushed Callie when she would have objected.  Callie marveled at the chewing out she’d received from this same woman, just a couple of hours before.  The world had certainly turned.

     They found a white dress that Sadie insisted Callie have.  It wasn’t what she’d had in mind, but it was divine!  It was much too expensive, but Callie found that there was no reasoning with the woman.  It was made of the thinnest, softest, most pliable deerskin imaginable.  It was dyed a brilliant white.  It had cutouts in the yoke areas that showed patches of Callie’s smooth, brown skin.  It gave the appearance of a heavy lace.  The yokes and shoulders were fringed, as was the skirt.  Silver beads framed the fringe, and a few well-placed rhinestones made it dazzling.  They found some old-fashioned, high-topped boots that made the whole outfit perfect.

    Sadie had her heart set on a white nightgown for her.  They found one that was all comfortable cotton, yet elegant.  It was in the line of a painter’s shirt, with a deep v-neck, and ruffles on the neck and sleeves, and around the bottom.  It was just above the knee, and had deep slashes on each side.  The yokes were embroidered and the thing was very feminine, without being too revealing.

    “If he doesn’t flip for this, I’ll eat my hat.”  Sadie predicted.

    “Sadie, he is not going to see this.”  Callie protested, holding the gown against her, and blushing.

    “He will, if I know Sam.  He’s going to find out everything about you in these next few weeks.  You mark my words.  It’s going to be a battle to get you to the altar before things get out of hand!  But, I am going to be your
constant
companion.  Never fear.”

    Callie just rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, that’s why he avoids me.”  She sneered dispiritedly.

     “Oh, honey.  He’s going to come to you.  Just you wait and see.  Now, you’ve got to have something very feminine, with a Western flair.”

     “Huh?”  Callie muttered.

    “Yeah.  He definitely likes you in frilly, Western stuff.  I want like, a peasant blouse type thing with round yokes, and a full skirt.  Needs to be white.”

     “I have to wear something besides white
once
in a while.”

     “Why?” Sadie argued.  “Just trust me, would you?  He won’t know you bought them both, today.”

     They found just what Sadie wanted, and Callie had to admit that she too, was pleased with the look.  With the high-topped boots, the outfit was exceptionally cute.  They found a belt with a big, tooled buckle that set things off, and they were done.

     “Babe, you are
smokin’
.”  Sadie complimented.  She then made her purchase of a big bottle of Callie's favorite perfume, and everything to go with it.

     When they got back to the tent, they found Sam’s trailer empty.  The closet was open and empty.  They looked at one another and grinned.  Sam had vacated, and it was all theirs.  They made themselves at home.

     Sadie did Callie’s nails in the softest, frosty pearl.  Then she did her make-up and her hair.  It made Callie feel a bit like a Barbie doll, but it was kind of fun.  At last, she helped her into the suede dress and shoes.  “Oh, my.”  Sadie gasped.  “You’re a blooming vision.”

     Callie looked in the mirror, and was shocked.  Sadie had done something to her that she could never have achieved on her own.  She looked soft, and seductive, and innocent all at the same time.  She looked natural, and glowing.  Her eyes looked wide and clear.  Her hair cascaded over her left shoulder. A few, wispy bangs accented her forehead.

     “Wow.”  Callie admired grudgingly.

     “You’ll knock his eyes out.”  Sadie predicted.  “You stay out of sight until it’s time for you to sing.”

     “Whatever happened to all your bellyaching about Sam needing to focus on God to do his job?”  Callie teased innocently.

      “Yeah.  Well, the sooner I can get you married and in his bed, the sooner he’ll be able to do that.”  Sadie said sweetly.  “What are you going to sing?  I’ll tell Clyde and Jeremy for you.”

     “I keep getting ’The Battle Hymn of the Republic’.  In the key of E, please.  Tell Jeremy I'll ad lib the beginning, and the percussion should come in on the first chorus.”

     “All right.  You sit here and behave yourself.  I’ll come back to get you when it’s time.”

      “What if he comes here?”

     “He won’t.  He’ll be with the Lord until the service.  He wouldn’t come looking for trouble, just before.”

     Callie nodded, feeling oddly nervous.  Everything seemed to depend on this night.  She bowed her head to pray.

CHAPTER SEVEN

    It wasn’t long before Sadie came back for her.  They walked to the tent together, and slipped in the back door.  Sam was out front already, and Clyde was doing announcements.

     “What’s he doing out front?”  Callie asked nervously.  “He’s never out there this early.”

     “You ask too many questions.  Just do your thing.”  Sadie hushed her.  “Don’t forget that it’s a surprise you’re going to sing.  You will have enormous impact tonight.  I'll go out and pave the way for you.  Just hang loose, now.  And quit looking so scared!  You're just singing a song, Callie.  It's your specialty, remember?”  She patted Callie's shoulder lightly, to soften the words.

     Callie walked to the curtain, and looked out.  Sam was standing at the tent’s side door, talking to a strange man.  He looked so good to Callie.  He was wearing wheat colored jeans, and a shirt striped with the same color as well as sky blue, to match.  He had on brown cowboy boots, and he was incredibly handsome.

     She stood and just stared at him while Clyde did the announcements, and then Sadie went to the platform to take over.

     “We have a wonderful surprise for you this evening.”  Sadie announced. “I have with me a young lady who has dazzled the State of New York with her talent.  Please give a warm welcome to Miss Callie Wilson.”

      Callie went out with a smile as the polite applause rang out.  Jeremy gave her a low chord, and she played on it.  As she sang the first line of the familiar song, Sam’s head slowly turned to look at her.  His eyes were burning with emotions that no one missed, but none could definitely interpret.  Sadie thought that she saw shock, disbelief, agony, adoration, longing and passion, all flashing through his soul.

     The sweet tones of Callie’s voice rang clear and clean through the tent as she stood there in shining white suede, under the lights.  She looked like a vision from heaven, sweet and innocent, with her big eyes and her wavy, shining hair cascading over her shoulder to her thighs.

    True to style, Callie kept building the song to a greater pitch, a higher intensity, and a more powerful tension; until at the end, the entire tent exploded into praise.  Callie led them in it for a few moments; then she quietly put the mic back into the stand while the worship team picked up the ball.  As things began to die down, Callie went down the front steps and joined Sadie in the front row, center.

     “Awesome, Cal.”  Sadie complimented, squeezing her hand.

    After the worship service, Sam took the mic and began to pace.  Back and forth, silently he walked.  Finally, he began to speak.

     “We are taking on a new identity.  We want to be identified in Christ Jesus.  We are warring against the principalities and powers that exalt themselves in the heavens.  Those forces that have ruled fallen Adam.  Our God has given us all that we need to accomplish His purpose.  To see and follow our pattern, Jesus.  To bring forth the tangible Kingdom of God on this earth.  Let’s look at the full armor of God first.”  He said, and gave them a scripture to turn to.

     Sadie and Callie exchanged a wide-eyed look.  Her song had fit Sam’s theme yet again.  And he was working from notes, so he hadn’t changed his flow to fit hers.  Callie had once again been exactly in step with what God wanted to bring forth, that night.

     As he began to talk, Callie found herself feeling very vulnerable and naked, sitting in the front row.  She felt as though she would die if Sam looked at her; and that she might die, if he didn’t.  Sadie must have sensed her fear, for she picked up Callie’s hand, and held it tightly.

     Sam’s eyes fell to the two women briefly, but frequently.  They could not read his eyes, and he kept a poker face; but they were aware of a certain attentiveness.  He often stood close before them, though he looked beyond them when he did so.  After giving some good teaching, Sam closed his eyes and waited.  Callie and Sadie looked up at him expectantly.