"But of course we talked about other things, too, almost every week. I shared things I hesitated to talk about in a larger group, and asked for advice. He almost never said, 'Here's what you need to do,' or anything like that. The closest he came to that was to lay out what my options were, when my thinking was muddy. But he'd say, 'Well, what does scripture say about it?' And when I answered as best I could, he would ask what it meant, or point me to other passages I'd never thought about and ask about what they said about it. He always, always put the texts in context. He'd never let me get away with quoting one verse in a way that changed its meaning out of context. And a lot of the time, he had me look things up, but he wouldn't look at the text because he knew it by heart. I don't know one other single person who comes close to him in knowing whole large sections of scripture by heart. But he always made me look it up and read it myself, in context.
"A while ago, we stopped seeing him so much, and eventually we found out why. He was giving all his time to these two lovely women. And it's really no surprise that they both came to know the Lord through him, or that Martha is marrying him.
"As Lynda said, I don't know Martha all that well. I'm sure that's going to change over time. I know her well enough to know that she has a keen sense of humor, though she reins it in so she doesn't hurt anyone's feelings. She's a great match for Scott in that. Seeing them together, how they treat each other and talk to each other, is an example worth watching. I'm looking forward to getting to know her much better.
"So I too give you Scott and Martha. May their marriage flourish and be an example for all of us!"
When the dinner was over, and many of the guests had left, Scott and Martha got up to leave. Martha went off with Lynda to change out of her dress. Lynda was taking it, and some other things, home with her while Scott and Martha went to a hotel in a nearby town for a week.
The plan was for Scott to move into Martha's house, with Lynda taking Scott's apartment when they returned. They had already moved a few things, mostly clothing, and while the couple was away some friends would move a few pieces of furniture. The really important one, from Scott's point of view, was exchanging Martha's double bed for Scott's queen size. He really wanted a bed he could stretch out full length in. He was very thankful that Martha had no qualms about sleeping in the bed he had shared with Chris.
Before they left, they stopped in the kitchen to thank the women who had prepared and served. A package of leftovers was waiting for them, so that they wouldn't have to go out to eat that evening. Other things were being made ready for Lynda to take. Scott thought that they wouldn't need to cook for a week or more once they got back. They both thanked these women at length, trying not to interrupt their cleanup too much. Scott knew the kitchen crew had eaten, in shifts, while the guests were also eating, but there had always been several serving and making sure that nothing was lacking.
They also stopped to thank the pastor and his wife. He said, "I've never performed a wedding where I've been so sure that the couple understood what they were getting into. The Lord be with you until we see you back here."
Scott took the opportunity to ask him whether he had quoted them from recordings. Pastor Bob laughed. "No, that would be a really bad idea, I think. But in seminary, well, even before that, but especially there, I had professors who expected us to remember everything. And I do mean everything. I learned to take notes in a kind of shorthand, as close to verbatim as possible, then as soon as possible after class go through them and type it all in before I forgot. I even learned to maintain eye contact, looking down when I had to go on to a new line and not much more than that. It all takes time, but it's invaluable in any kind of counseling. I mark up my typed notes with what I think is most important, so that I can skim it before future meetings."
And they stopped to say goodbye to Sheila. She had come in a couple of days before the wedding. Scott had not been surprised to like her right off. He could easily see the qualities that had made her such a close friend to Martha. Given everything Martha had experienced before that, he could see how that had grown into love as well. He wondered whether Sheila's attraction to women was like Martha's, and Lynda's, had been—the result of earlier experiences—or whether it ran deeper. Either way, it wasn't his job to do anything about it. He was sure she knew what he thought, anyway. But she had been a good friend, and a source of stability, to Martha long after all that was over, and he was grateful for that.
He had, however, been surprised to find that she was apparently a few years older than he was. Maybe around fifty? In appearance, she was fairly plain, but at least to Scott's mind not unattractive.
Sheila looked at him for a long moment, then gave him a hug. "You take good care of her, Scott. I can see how happy you've made her, far more than I ever could. Thank you! I'm so glad she's settled where she can be that happy. I wish we had time for me to get to know you a little better. Maybe we'll arrange it somehow, someday." She kissed him on the cheek, and he returned it.
Scott told her, "If you can manage to visit us, once we've had time to figure out how living together is going to work, we'd both love to have you come for a week or so. Or more, perhaps."
"I'd like that. I'll do it if I can arrange the time."
She went on, "You know—I trust I'm not violating any confidences—several years ago, Martha wrote to me that she had fallen in love with her boss, but that she felt she couldn't even express it to you." She glanced at Martha, who nodded. "She told me why, of course. Nothing much more relating to you came up until, oh, maybe close to a year ago, when she said you had fired her, and why. And then, nothing more about this until suddenly she and Lynda were studying the Bible with you. And then quite without warning you were engaged. I must admit to being curious. You should be on your way, so I am not asking any questions now. But I wish that Martha—or you—would write and fill me in somewhat."
Scott thought a moment and said, "Too much of it I would prefer not to have in writing, if you don't mind. And some of it involves more than just us, things we shouldn't discuss without permission and probably involvement. But we'll spend some time together thinking about how much we can say, and if—when—you come and visit, we will talk about it with you.
"But you've now roused my own curiosity. When you do come and visit, would you bring these letters and let me read them? Assuming that you've kept them and that Martha doesn't mind?" He looked at Martha, who nodded vigorously. "And is it OK with you—both of you—if I read the letters you wrote to her, assuming she's kept them?"
Martha said, "Scott, I did just promise to obey you, didn't I? I'm sure I remember saying that!" She gave his hand a squeeze.
"Yes. And we've discussed what that means, limits and all that. I wouldn't ever read your personal correspondence without your permission, unless I really thought I needed to. Never just for curiosity. And for that matter, I hereby give you blanket permission to read mine, unless I specifically ask you not to read something specific. And I can't imagine doing that without reasons you'd approve of." He looked back at Sheila. "If it's OK with both of you, in general, but there are parts I shouldn't know, it's fine to read me only the parts that are OK, or to give me a summary."
Sheila looked at Martha and laughed. "You gushed a lot about him, and I see what you meant." To Scott again: "If it doesn't embarrass you too much, and won't embarrass Martha, it's fine with me."
And then she said to Martha, "You take good care of him, too, lady. From what you said, he's been lonely so long that you'll need to be careful not to push him back into himself. I can see why you love him, anyway. You just make sure you make him as happy as he's making you. Anyone can see how much that is." She gave Martha a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Martha dripped a couple of tears.
