©2010 Wanza Leftwich
This is the continuation of part five of the Deli Style Series. Click here to read the first part of this series, click here to read part one, click here to read the continuation of part one, click here to read part two, click here to read the continuation of part two, click here to read part three, click here to read the continuation of part three, click here to read part four, and click here to read the contiuation of part four.
“Unfortunately, I can not give you an exact time that I will be home tonight. Something came up.” David shook his head as he listened to Ms. Natalie rant about babysitting Alaya. “I will be there soon…and yes, I will pay you tonight.”
David slid his cell phone closed and stuffed it into his back pocket. Ms. Natalie had called four times since he left the deli. David walked onto the college campus. He scanned through the people scurrying to class. He didn’t see Esther.
He knew coming to her school was a long shot but he had to take the chance. “She has to walk by this way to go back to the train.” David said aloud. He sat down on the grass in the middle of the campus and pulled out his handy slim pocket bible to read while he waited.
He read the first page he turned to.
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalms 27:14
David shrugged his shoulders and lay on his back. He prayed silently that he was not making a mistake by coming to Esther’s school. Would she think he was crazy? He was too scared to think of the reaction she might give him. After all, he did fire her.
“I may not even have a job after the way I left today.” David looked into the dimming sky. “Can you hear me God? It’s me David,” he chuckled at the thought of his sister reading her favorite book. “Are you there God, it’s me Margaret.” And her name was Margaret. Margaret the avid reader, college track star and dreamer.
Nothing was going to stop Margaret Warner, David remembered. Only something did stop her. The though of Margaret at that time in her life grieved David’s spirit. He longed to talk to his older sister. He wanted to yell at her, to tell her to mind her business and to let her hang up on all of his old girlfriends that she didn’t approve of. He was sure she would approve of Esther.
“I miss her God, I miss Maggie. Why did she have to be taken?”
~~~
Esther scribbled the last answer onto her test and slammed the pencil on the desk. The entire class and the professor looked up. With a weak smile she apologized, gathered her bags from the floor and walked up to the professor’s desk.
Professor Klein rolled his eyes and pointed to the right corner of his desk. Esther dropped the answer sheet and headed for the door.
“She can’t be finished,” a student whispered.
Esther felt within herself that she failed her midterm so it made no sense to take two hours and ponder over it. She smiled at her classmate and exited the room.
Esther was grateful for the cool breeze on the outside. She adjusted her book bag and began to walk towards the train station.
Esther walked briskly, steadying her eyes toward the train. She envisioned her bed waiting for her. She couldn’t wait to drown out the day’s events. Fired by day and failed a biology midterm by night. Not to mention losing a great friend in between. Esther hated to think that she blew her one chance to be with David.
Esther had her eyes on David after their first meeting at the big A deli. He was handsome, well spoken and looked so out of place for the fast paced sandwich and soup joint. Esther saw the vibrancy in his eyes and heard the warmth in his voice as he interviewed her. If she didn’t know any better she’d thought he was flirting during the interview.
“Esther! Esther!” she heard someone yelling her name. She didn’t want to stop for anyone. “Esther!” The voice bellowed again.
Esther turned to see David running across the grass towards her.
“Esther, didn’t you hear me?” David caught his breath.
“David, what are you doing here?” She kept walking.
“I need to talk to you. You left work before I had a chance to explain.”
“Explain what?” You fired me and that’s all to it.”
He grabbed her arm, but she continued walking. “Let me explain.” He stopped walking. “Please, Esther. Let me explain.”
Esther wanted to smile. She was overwhelmed that he showed up at her school. Maybe he does like me, she thought. She shook head and continued to walk. “You fired me. What’s done is done, right? Did you come all the way to Brooklyn to give me my job back?”
“No, but I did come to Brooklyn to tell you that our date had nothing to do with the job. The job is business and Klyde gave the order to fire you, not me.” He yelled.
Esther decided to stop and listen. Besides, she couldn’t have him yelling across the campus as she walked to the train. David caught up with her.
“David, I thought you had my back.”
“I do. It’s just I couldn’t cover for you any longer. Klyde checked the timecards for the past three months. You were late every day.”
“Wow.” Esther looked toward the ground. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”
“I did what I could for Klyde not to find out, but he did.”
“Well, I understand, but I really need that job. I can’t afford not to get paid – not even for a week.”
“Now, that I do understand.”
Esther stood staring into David’s eyes. They had something in common – they both had a serious financial struggle. “Thanks for coming all this way. I just want to go home now.”
“I came out here to tell you something else as well.”
“Oh?” Esther continued to stare at David.
“I love you.” David took her hand and squeezed it. “I love you.” He repeated.
Esther dropped her head and smiled. Maybe today wasn’t a bad day after all.
Wanza Leftwich, The Gospel Writer, is a freelance writer and speaker. She is an avid blogger and the editor of thegospelwriter.org. She resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Arthur and daughters Symphony and Lyric.
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