Chapter 3

Bobbie Jean Wulff stood on the top step of the church waiting for the members to file out. She glanced upward at the church facade. She loved the front of this old church with its ornate stone carvings. This building looked more like it belonged facing some square in an European town than gracing a steet in Texas. She smiled. Her members were decidedly Texan. Good people for the most part, except for an old grouch or two, well, one young grouch, too. All part of the church, her church, her people, she was the shepherd here.

"Thank you, God, for the call to this pulpit. Thank you for showing me I belonged here."

One of the oldest church members stepped through the heavy, wooden doors that were propped open so that congregation could leave the morning service with ease. Morris was dressed in a suit and tie, not a hair was out of place. Bobbie Jean repressed a smile. Morris wore his very best clothes every Sunday. He often told her how he detested the casual dress of many of the other congregants. Bobbie Jean shook hands with him, then watched him totter down the steps. She wished that he would use a cane.

More members left. Bobbie Jean busied herself speaking to as many as she could. After a while, she adjusted her robe and stole. She was a little hot. She should have taken off this robe before coming out.

Rachel Burleson and her two children came out. Bobbie Jean greeted the newest members of her congregation. Rachel and her children had joined just three weeks ago. Bobbie Jean was glad to see them here.

Rachel held out her hand to Bobbie Jean. "Reverend Wulff, I enjoyed your sermon. I'm so glad we found this church. It's just what we needed."

Bobbie Jean grasped Rachel's hand firmly and shook it. "Good, I so glad to hear that. It's nice to see new faces in the pews. Are you settled in your new home?" Bobbie Jean remembered Rachel telling her when she joined that she and her husband had just purchased a new house.

"Yes, we're all unpacked," Rachel said with a smile. "The move was hard, but we're adjusting."

Bobbie Jean patted her hand before she released it.

The Burleson children huddled next to their mother, obviously a little overwhelmed by the proximity of the minister. Rachel patted the boy on his head. "It's a big change for everyone. This city is so different from the coast, but we're thankful that Mark, that's my husband, finally found a job. He'd been out of work for over six months. That was tough for all of us."

"I can understand that. You told me, but I forgot where you said he works now."

"For the Texas Environmental Protection Department. He's got a job as a permit engineer. He reviews plans for new manufacturing plants and other things like that."

"Oh, I remember, Tepid. He works for Tepid. Oh, I mean... Well, I've heard it called that. We have several other members that work there, I believe."

Rachel nodded quickly. "That's right. We know one of them. Ralph Gorham. Mr. Gorham is Mark's office mate. He's the one that told Mark about this church. So here we are."

"I'm glad, but I haven't met you husband yet."

Rachel frowned slightly and put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "No you haven't and you probably won't. He's not a believer. He's a good man, but..."

Rachel's discomfort was palpable. Bobbie Jean hurried to reassure her. "Don't worry. God has a way of taking care of such matters. We're happy to have you and your children."

"Thank you," Rachel whispered and moved down the steps. Bobbie Jean watched her as she walked away. A nice looking family, too bad the husband didn't come. Despite her reassurances to Rachel Burleson, Bobbie Jean doubted that Mr. Burleson would ever come to church. And we'll lose the son one of these days because of that. Bobbie Jean shook her head. Not a very positive thought.

More congregants were leaving. Bobbie Jean had no more time to muse. After shaking hands with several members, she spotted Ralph Gorham, a non-descript man with gray hair and faded good looks. She remembered what Rachel Burleson had said. She stepped forward so he could not avoid her and took his hand in both hers.

"That woman and two kids are the Burlesons," Bobbie Jean said nodding toward the Burlesons walking toward the end of the parking lot. "Have you met them, Ralph?"

"No, I haven't. I share an office with her husband."

"Mrs. Burleson told me that. She also told me she came here because you recommended our church. Good work, Ralph."

Ralph smiled at the compliment. "Thanks," he said. "You know her husband is an atheist."

"An atheist? She told me he was not a believer."

"Stronger than that. He's really anti-religion. We got into it a few times at work before I knew where he was coming from. Now, we just don't touch the subject. He did tell me that he agreed before he was married to let any kids they had go to church."

"See there, maybe he's not as adamant in his beliefs as you think."

Ralph shook his hesd. "He's an atheist. And he'll turn his kids into atheists if he can." .

Bobbie Jean started to reply, but Ralph had already gone down a couple steps, his back was to her. Bobbie Jean did not want to lose those kids to unbelief, she'd have to figure out a way to meet this Mr. Burleson. There must be a way to reach him.

More parishers appeared and Bobbie Jean focused on them. She had to take care of all her flock.

The last of her congregation teetered down the steps. Old Mrs. Fox was always the last to leave.
Bobbie Jean returned to the dressing room off the sanctuary and took off her robe. She'd have to get it cleaned soon. If this warm weather continued, she'd start her summer routine of cleaning it weekly. She didn't want her congregation to smell her coming. She remembered all too well the elderly man that had been her pastor when she was a child - the smell. The stench of an unwashed body covered by the aroma of Old Spice had made an indelible impression.


Bobbie Jean walked through the deserted sanctuary checking to see if any personal belongings had been left. On a middle pew, she found a Bible. She opened it to see if there was a name, but there was none. In the foyer, she opened the small closet and put the Bible on a shelf along side a half dozen more. People did not seem to remember these lost books.

Once more, Bobbie Jean walked through the front doors of the church. This time locking the doors behind her. James, the janitor, was still in the building, but, by agreement, Bobbie Jean locked the front doors.

Her home stood next to the church, a small stone cottage just the right sized for a single person. If she had a family... Bobbie Jean shoved that thought away as an old pain resurrected itself.

In a few minutes, she was busy fixing lunch. She set the table in the kitchen and ate there. That was one of her rituals. Even though, she was alone she always ate at the table. After lunch, she decided to read a while, but after pawing through a stack of books, she found nothing to interest her. Finally, she picked up her Bible. That always brought comfort.

She remembered Rachel Burleson and her two children. There must be some way to reach her husband. Some way.