The Space Between You and I

Chapter 1

Using his teeth to pull down on the coffee tube, Henry Hart filled his coffee cup at Mama P’s Coffee Shop with their house coffee and then proceeded over to join his father, Jasper, at a table. The smell of fresh coffee lingered in the air that early February morning. Sounds of hushed conversations filled his ears as he journeyed toward the only father he had ever known, even if he wasn’t blood-related. He was almost to the table when a woman in line at the counter dropped her keys a few feet from him. Stopping, he turned and saw her with a baby on her hip. Moving closer, he bent down and retrieved the keys for her.

     

Henry rose to his feet and handed her the keys.

“Thank you, sir. It’s sure been one of those mornings!” Adjusting the baby on her left hip, she flashed a friendly smile and took the keys.

 

“Have a nice day, ma’am.”

 

Continuing to his father’s table, Henry was greeted with a warm smile. Pulling out a chair, he hung his coat on the back and sat down. A smile grew on his lips and in his heart as his father folded the newspaper he was reading formerly to his arrival. He loved seeing his dad, an occurrence that didn’t happen as often as he had hoped since he moved out of his parents’ house six years ago.

   

“Hey, boy. It’s good to see you. That weather is a bit bad this morning.” Jasper took a deep drink of his coffee.

 

“Yeah, I think I heard thirteen degrees on the radio on my drive over.”

 

“Yep. Hey . . .” His father leaned in slightly across the table with raised eyebrows.

“Your mother and I don’t see much of you unless it’s Christmas. What’s going on with that?”

  Taking a drink of his coffee, Henry set his cup down on the table and rubbed the rim lightly with the side of his thumb. He nodded lightly. “Work has been busy, Dad. You know all those new renting houses regulations I told you about a few months back?” His father nodded. “They finally rolled out to the production server and it’s a mess. One of the new testers on our team marked a ton of things as useful when they weren’t. We had to roll the entire update back and slowly release bits and pieces at a time. Lots of cleanup, and that means long hours of work and work.”

     

Raising a hand, Jasper shook his head. “I don’t know what most of that means, but I believe you, Son. Just give your mom a call occasionally and let her know you care. Would you?”

   

Henry nodded in agreement. “I can do that.”

 

Silence fell across their conversation for a few moments. Then his father changed the topic elsewhere.

 

“Any word on scholarships to get into Bible college?”

 

He shook his head. “I’m going to have to let that dream go, Dad. If I focus hard at my current job and dedicate it all to the Lord, He will bless that. God will just have to use me where I am.”

  “That’s the right mindset to have about it. If it’s God’s will for you to attend Bible school, you will.

 “I know.”

   

“How’s Noelle?”

   

Henry stifled in his seat. He knew the basic reason of his father’s question. Noelle wasn’t just any girl in Henry’s life but the girl, according to everyone but him. Henry and Noelle had gone to high school together and had been best friends for six years. A year ago, she had started attending the same church as he did, First Baptist. This last year, he had seen her more and more because of it. Their friendship had deepened and tilted back and forth on the fence toward a relationship, according to everyone around them. But Henry didn’t want more than friendship when it came to Noelle. He feared a relationship would only mess up their friendship, and he couldn’t put something so lovely at risk.

 

Clearing his throat, Henry nodded as uneasiness rose within him.

   

“She’s good, Dad. You know she and I aren’t ever going to happen. You and Rachel and Mom should all just give it up.”

“Is it because she’s black and Nigerian, son?”Jasper took another sip of his coffee.

“Geez Dad, I’m not racist.” Henry chuckled

“Then what exactly is the problem, son?” Jasper leaned to hear his son’s next words.

“Dad……uhm how do I start….”

     

“Son, listen.” Jasper interrupted his son, his voice lowered, and grew more serious. “Women like her don’t come around very often. She’s God-fearing, never been married, sweetest girl in the works and she’s single. You’ve been her friend for years, and that’s a very good start, but only a start.”

 Henry  smiled politely at his father’s words. “I know . . .”

 

A moment passed, then Jasper glanced away for a moment. His gaze came back to Henry. “What else is going on?”

 

Taking a sip of his coffee, Henry remembered his upcoming schedule ahead of him. His eyebrows furrowed. “We have a business meeting tonight at the church.”

   

“Oh, yeah?” His dad took a drink of his coffee. “You don’t seem too excited about that.”

 

going to be proposing more money going to that homeless camp in Campside

   

there’s nothing wrong with that. We have to take care of

 

poor. Believe me. Even that particular homeless camp, we’ve done a lot for it as it is right now. I just don’t feel we need to keep pouring money into helping those people when they want to be there in the first place. If we keep giving them stuff, they’ll never need to better their lives. Some tough love might be the

 

it was gentle. “Caring for the needs of the poor is Biblical, Son. There is no way around it, and you know that. It’s a good thing your church is doing with these people who are

 

bags and money. You know what else is good? Using your own personal finances to do it, not the church’s money. You know what Terry did last week? He bought a BMW. Then tonight he’s going to come beg for more money to go into the homeless

this time. He only held a look

 

sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about Terry The guy just bugs me, and I

 

Jasper asked, “Is your heart in the right place,

God and wanting to be a

true, why did you

 

I was rude and it upset

 

and your

 

don’t get what

 

hands on the table, he peered directly into Henry’s eyes. Uncomfortable, Henry turned and looked away.

 

from me, Son. Look at me. Don’t turn away from

 

his father’s eyes even though it was uncomfortable.

 

about him, but that doesn’t change

 

years. Jasper had been Henry’s spiritual leader. Through his father’s instruction, he had been taught what it meant to be a true man of God. His sister, Rachel, was taught what it meant to be a

 

weren’t his biological parents. Jasper had found him in a manger when he was but three years old on Christmas Eve. Swaddled in

Jasper took Henry home to be his son.

 

about my heart in regard

   

coffee. “Real men conduct their

     

       

   

           

       

   

* *

   

set his Bible and coat down on the long bench. He joined in the singing of the last chorus and then took his seat in unison with the rest of the congregation. Terry took

BMW, and walk around like you’re some spiritual guru, but when it comes to supporting the

 

audience with a smile on his lips.

 

of ‘Amen’

   

is Mary. She’s our guest of honor tonight. She comes from the camp across the street, and I want to tell you a little bit about her.”

 

the sanctuary at other people to pass time as Terry went on and on about the woman. After he was finally done talking, he read the church announcements. Henry listened to the announcements, and then Terry asked everyone to bow their heads to pray over

   

back a portion of what you’ve been so gracious to give us. It’s only through Your grace

 

agitation eating up his soul. Even the man’s prayers fanned the fire of Henry’s annoyance. Concealing behind every word from Terry’s lips  was Henry’s blame and judgment. He didn’t like the way he felt toward Terry but didn’t feel as if he had any power over it. He felt

 

the only woman besides his mother and sister whom he had ever loved.

finished collecting the offering, Pastor Jacob

around you. Then we’ll jump into the Word of God.” Before the pastor could even finish speaking, Henry was out of his seat and into

   

smiled that smile that lit up Henry's face and made everything else seem

 

said jokingly, “It’s my first time here, actually.”

 

and then embraced in a long

 

this right?” Henry inquired, verifying their plans after church.

 

for dinner. I hope you know it’s all just for you. By the way . . . normal people eat at five or six o’clock,

 

“What fun is normal? Plus, I

 

playful eyebrow with a smile on her face and in her voice. “If you didn’t take naps at work, you would

 

They both laughed.

   

He loved Noelle's personality and the fact that every person who knew her loved to be around her. That was just her. She was

see you all playing and

 

everyone to turn in

years before coming to Christ, and it wasn’t until late one night when a man found me passed out in an alley behind a bar that my life changed forever. That man was a Christian. I’m not talking about a ‘went to church on Sunday’ Christian, or a fire insurance Christian, but a real Christian. A Christ follower. He helped me get home that night, then he

 

shared with me years later that a man whom he didn’t know had done a similar thing for him, which led him to Jesus too. I’m a pastor now, but my start was in an alley behind The Spark.

   

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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