IFF - A Love Story

The church basement was crowded with people, preparing for Jacee's sister, Bee's wedding. The lunch committee ladies bustled and flapped. The choir practice was in full force upstairs. The year was 1999. The month was October. Jacee fiddled with the brides tablecloths, arranging and rearranging while Bee and her man stood tall together, laughing and enjoying their day.


Jacee was unconsciously waiting. Mr. Brown was to arrive any time and they were going to be bestman and bridesmaid for Jon & Bee. The next time Jacee turned around three more youth guys had just arrived. She went over to shake hands and sure enough the tallest darkest handsomest one was Mr. Brown. She was instantly relaxed with him. He was shy. He was humble. He was just a safe, nice man. Whew. Jacee could now proceed with the weekend.


It went by in a blur. Mr. Brown and Jacee walked the aisle with Jon & Bee. They helped open presents and move dishes and number and arrange gifts. They chauffeured and arranged and talked and hung out. They moved gifts and sent the couple off on their honeymoon. And when all was said and done Jacee invited Mr. Brown over before the youth deal in the evening. He accepted.


Jacee went to Jon & Bee's reception ten hours away. She sang in the trio with a different group. She sat and visited with Mr. Brown. She even rode with Mr. Brown in his nice little white car to his parents place for a youth deal after the reception. Mr. Brown wasn't given to driving ladies around in his car and his mother and father seemed surprised at the happenings.


Three long months went by and Mr. Brown travelled to Jacee's congregation for another wedding. Mr. Brown's class buddy who also happened to be Jacee's favorite cousin married another very good friend. When Mr. Brown arrived at church for practice before the wedding he and Jacee met eyes in front of a group of good friends. Jacee was impressed. He was still solid, quiet and decent. They spent time together with lots of other friends. That night at home Jacee's father asked her about Mr. Brown.


In March Jacee decided to spend her week of school spring break with her sister Bee. Mr. Brown was nicer than ever, not so quiet, but with a lovely dry sense of humor. Jacee was frivolous and carefree. She liked to sing. Bee and her sang silly songs and Jon and Mr. Brown and the other brothers looked on in amusement.


Only a few days after Jacee arrived home from her lovely spring break her aunty (Mr. Brown's class buddys mom) died very suddenly of a heart attack. Mr. Brown and Jacee met briefly at the funeral. Jacee felt like he understood. He was such a kind gentle hearted man. Jacee also saw her oldest brother-in-law Blaine meeting Mr. Brown, another memory she held on to.


Only a month later Blaine was gone. The trauma. The pain. Jacee thought endlessly of Mr. Brown. She needed him ever so much. The days marched by. Jacee's fellow teacher got married. She was bridesmaid with no thought for anyone except Mr. Brown. And really, she had no idea what he thought of her. He was probably too nice to just not be nice to her, she thought.


Near the end of the school term, confused and hurt, Jacee went to her favourite minister, her best older grades teacher. She poured out her heart. "Mr. Penner," she said, "I've been asked to teach again in Hythe and in Heart Valley and Pincher Creek. My name came up to teach bible school in Georgia right after school is out and my name came up for Gallup. I don't know what to do." She looked at him tearfully.


Mr. Penner looked kindly at Jacee. "Say no to everything," were his kind and steady words.


Just a few weeks later Jacee's mother called her. There were two more days of school left but Jacee's mom wanted to meet for supper. "One last time before you're done teaching school," she told Jacee.


"I can't mom," Jacee told her. "I've missed so many youth deals here and there's singing tonight."


"You can miss it this time," Jacee's mom said.


When Jacee hung up the phone she sat down on her bed and shook like an aspen leaf. She saw her blue and white room, her backpack, her purse, her open closet door and braided rug on the floor where she had knelt so many nights.


Jacee drove to town to meet her folks at the appointed place. When she pulled up she saw her dad leaning against his pickup, his arms folded, watching her and grinning. Jacee jumped out of her vehicle, ran to her daddy, hugged him tight and said, "Tell me, tell me, dad!! Is it what I want?"


"It's what you want," he said. And the three of them walked arm in arm into the restaurant, blindly, tearfully and joyfully.