āPeace be with you.ā
āPeace.ā
āGood morning. Peace.ā
āHi, Tina. Peace. Good to see you.ā She looked up at me from under her brow in a girlish way.
āHi, Jack. Peace of the Lord. You look nice today,ā she said.
The smile of reassurance on Tinaās face indicated that she meant it. How she could tell I ālookedā under my choir robe was another issue altogether. But our flirtation each Sunday morning at church was something I neither understood, nor discouraged.
Tina is the 26-year-old mother of two and wife of a handsome Emergency Medical Technician. What she sees in me is a mystery. Iām 35-years-old, married for 15 years and have begun the old manās misery of losing my hair and adding some girth to my middle. The true affection that I see from Tina every week, however, is unmistakable.
And the lust I hold for her is as real. Tina is a petite strawberry blonde, about 5 feet tall with a fabulous figure. Each Sunday as she passes the choir on her way to commune with God I admire her frame: a teenagerās wet-dream embodiment of the perfect cheerleader; firm rear end, full breasts, tight stomach and wonderful, thick hair. Better still are her deep blue eyes and cute nose. Her ears wiggle when she smiles and her breath smells like roses.
āThanks Tina, but youāre the one that looks good,ā I reply. Thereās no time for small talk, itās offering time and the choir has a Rutter piece to perform. I return to my place at the end of the row in the stall and prepare for the service to continue.
During the musical offering I steal a glance at Tina. She smiles and winks. The song concludes and the priest continues. We lift up our hearts, we give ourselves over, and we share in the body and blood. While the congregation files past to share at the railing we sing the familiar communion hymns. Our familiarity with the music allows me to make eye contact and āconnectā with many of my friends as they pass.
Then she ascends the few steps into the apse and begins walking past. Her attention seems focused on the business at hand. I drink in her beauty. A halo hangs over her head as the lights strike her hair. I watch her breathe, blink, tilt her head slightly, then turn to look at me directly. Almost in slow motion the corners of her mouth turn. I smile back. She again turns her attention to the front of the church and takes another step forward. I can see every little thingā¦no movement of hers is lost.
The hymn continues and more congregates file past. I close my eyes āā¦Alleluia, Alleluia, Give thanks to the risen Lord. Alleluia, Alleluia, Give praise to His nameā¦ā we sing. I feel someone brush against me, open my eyes and see that Tina has joined me on the kneeler. My look of curiosity is met with a friendly arm around my middle. She leans close and whispers in my earā¦her hot breath makes the hair on my neck stand up.
āThe Alter group is meeting this afternoon to clean out the sacristy. Would you be able to stop by and help us?ā
I nod, point to my watch and hold up 2 fingers, indicating that I can return at 2:00pm.
Tina pulls her arm tightly against me and stands to return to her pew.
Two oāclock cannot come fast enough. Though there will be other women about, the chance to spend some time with this vision is time that I will cherish. I love the feeling I get talking with her, how her eyes focus on my lips as I talk, how I get goofy and silly. I love how she plays along with me.
A quick lunch and explanation to my wife suffices. I absorb some football then hop in the car for the drive back to church.
Itās odd, though, that there are no other cars in the lot when I park. And stranger still that there is only one light on inside the church when I enter. I walk down the aisle towards the sacristy, whistling nervously as I do when Iām alone in a big buildingā¦worrying that the boogeyman will, in fact, finally jump out and āgetā me. I stop at the door and listen for a moment. I can hear some rustling around, but certainly not the usual gaggle of hens chirping about the sermon and griping about how poor a job the priest does in caring for his vestments.
I reach for the knob and begin to turn it. āTina?ā
āJack. Come on in, baby. I need your big strong hands. And lock the door behind you.ā