The Space Between You and I

Chapter 2

Heart pounding, Noelle quickly put on her red coat and exited the church in search of Henry. She knew that man better than she knew herself. He had to be hurting after a rejection like that by his fellow congregates. He wasn’t the type of person to speak up publicly, so when he did, he had to have been moved with a deep sense of rightness to what he was doing. He had put himself out there and was shot down and rejected.

 

  Noelle walked out the front doors of the church and into the chilly night air. Light snow was falling, and she spotted him beneath a street lamp in the parking lot. He was opening his car door.

 

“Henry!” Her voice strained as she called out.

 

He stopped at the sound of her voice and turned. Her heart fluttered and she made her way down the church steps and out through the parking lot over to him.

  “What is it, Noelle?” His words came soft and gently as she arrived at his car.

     

“Are you okay?”

   

His eyes fixed on the church building behind her. “They don’t take me seriously.” He then shifted his gaze toward Noelle. His golden-brown eyes pierced right through her, touching the very fabric of her soul. “I might be young, Noelle, but I know what I’m talking about. It’s not right what he is doing.”

   

She reached out and touched his arm lightly. She hoped it would help calm him down. “I don’t think it was about your age, Henry. It’s just this church’s passion to help those people who are less fortunate. It’s a good thing.”

   

  “A good thing. Handouts to keep people from bettering themselves. People keep saying that is a good thing but . . .” He shrugged. “Well, maybe you’re right. And maybe this church just isn’t for me.”

 

  Her eyes widened and her heart felt a slice of pain rip right through it. “You’re just going to leave?”

     

“Yeah, maybe.”

     

A chilly breeze brushed against Noelle’s cheeks and sent a shiver through her whole body.

 

“It’s getting cold out. I’ll meet you over at Bips for that late dinner.”

 

Turning, he pulled his car keys out from his coat pocket and got in his car.  As she walked through the snow to her car on the other side of the parking lot, she prayed earnestly and with an ache in her heart. God, soften that man’s heart.

He knows so much about You, even loves You, but his heart is not filled with Your Divine and Perfect love. Soften him, Lord. No matter what it takes. Amen.

 

  Noelle loved Henry dearly, but her patience with him was growing smaller by the day. She knew she couldn’t wait forever for a man who couldn’t commit. It wasn’t because he didn’t feel something for her. She already knew he did. The half-dozen times he had almost kissed her had confirmed that long ago. There was also the way he looked at her. It made her insides melt and the world feel like a less lonely place. There was no denying that there was a connection beyond friendship between them, but she was trying her best to stay patient while he figured it out.

     

       

         

           

         

       

* *

     

      Arriving at Bips, she ordered her food and brought it over to the booth where Henry was sitting. They prayed over the food and then started to eat.

 

on his burger,  Henry carefully placed each

   

though the silence. “I got that

 

Pausing, he peered up at her with raised eyebrows. “Wow, that’s great. Congratulations. When

 

“Monday. I have four days of

 

you. You lost that job at the nursing home not that long ago, but they gave you enough of a severance

 

for that kind of package when a nursing home closes. And I’m literally on my last hundred dollars,

 

your mum

 

a strained relationship ever since her father died in Nigeria in an accident and they had to move to the United States when she

 

I didn’t tell her.”

on, Noelle! That’s your

 

don’t mean to change the subject, but are

 

his bun on top of his burger, he respected the shift of conversation and nodded. “I really

eyes couldn’t help but begin to well with

   

“What?” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Why?”

   

see you more at church than anywhere else,

 

went quiet for a

   

now. Whenever you don’t like something, you run away from

 

long moment. Then he shrugged. “Sometimes, it’s just time to move on.”

 

Henry had restarted the search for his mom again a few months ago made Noelle see an irony in his words. “I find that a little

 

come?”

lips and her mind momentarily. She didn’t want to upset

I don’t share the truth with him, though? She was emboldened in the moment.

it. I understood when you did it for two years after turning nineteen. But now? You’re starting it all up again?”

   

even distant as the

 

I couldn’t

   

her forever, I just feel stuck in

 

expect to happen if you find her?” Noelle asked.

I just want to look my mom in the eyes and

   

pain in Henry’s tone. Noelle nodded and her voice became quiet. “Yeah, I’m sure you want some answers.”

burger. “Yeah. But I

 

  “Yeah.”

them for the next little while. Then

 

I was over there the other day for a few hours. West is so cute. He loves to smile

 Henry smiled. “Babies are cute. How many

 

with joy bubbling up within her. “Yes,

 

He shook his head. “You’re crazy, Noelle.”

actually normal in Nigeria.” Noelle

Henry asked.

Noelle replied.

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