Getting Married
Everyone was delighted when they heard the news. After twenty years of being without a companion, their beloved pastor was finally getting married.
They had grieved with him when he lost his wife and had helped him raise his son to maturity. They’d always prayed he’d find someone to rebuild with. But none of them ever thought he’d do this.
A Grim Story
Many considered what Pastor Chris Jackson had done uncouth and disgusting. That girl was old enough to be her daughter, not even old enough to be his son’s girlfriend.
Yet he walked with her to the altar, introducing her as the woman he wanted to call his wife. Disgusted, half of the congregation gasped, the other half walking out of the church. If only they knew how grim this story went.
A New Priest
Pastor Chris was only twenty-nine when his church assigned him to the small town of Eunice, Louisiana. He had been a man of the cloth for a year and saw this as his big opportunity to lead his congregation.
The premise was short of a dream come true, and the pastor grabbed it without a spent thought. No one would have thought that thirty years in, police would be storming in, keen on bringing him to justice.
A Bright Saint
But none of his congregation could have guessed that their beloved pastor would become this depraved in the coming years. You see, Pastor Chris had long been their bright saint.
Since his first day in Eunice, he had been kind, attentive, and generous. He had an aura around him that could alleviate distress and calm any ailing mind. Although he was young then, anyone who met him knew he was meant to do great things.
Moving The Masses
Pastor Chris was a saint, alright, and his congregation more than adored him for it. Before he arrived at the church, no one ever attended service.
But his arrival brought a sea of people, each eager to experience this enigmatic yet kind and inviting soul. By the end of his first month in Eunice, every pew in the church overflowed with people. But trouble wasn’t that far away from the pastor and his congregation.
A Teacher
It all started when one of the ladies in the congregation caught the pastor’s attention. She was a young elementary school teacher, fresh from college, with her whole life before her.
With rich umber skin, a beautiful mind, and a smile that could part any storm cloud, it wasn’t surprising that the pastor felt drawn to this woman. If only he knew the pain that she would bring to his life.
I Want More
Among the things Pastor Chris had always thought of doing was getting married and starting a family. To him, there was no higher praise to the Almighty than that of family.
He already had his church family, from his deacons, church elders, choir members, and altar boys to his ushers and flock. He had everything a man of the cloth could ask for. But of course, the heart wants what it wants.
Kindred Spirits
Mary Jean White was the lady who had snared the pastor’s heart. She was resplendent as she was humble. She mirrored the pastor’s kindness and self-assertiveness, radiating the same light he did.
The two were kindred spirits. They kicked it off immediately one Sunday after service, and the pastor knew then that God had found someone for him. But his joy would soon turn into tears.
A Perfect Match
Although Pastor Chris was a religious figure through and through, his denomination didn’t frown on their ministers getting married. Everyone in his church was pleased he’d found someone from their home to call his own.
They couldn’t believe that their land had raised someone fit for the pastor and endorsed the relationship immediately. They should have known all this would end in a disaster.
Their First Date
The pastor and his lovely interest went out on their first date, and before the two knew it, they were standing on the altar exchanging their vows.
The wedding was breathtaking. It merged the lush beauty only found in Louisiana with the charm of beaming smiles – a truly life-altering experience. But tears would soon flow just a few months down the line.
A Son
Pastor Chris and Mary Jean had their first and only son a year after marriage. The town of Eunice rejoiced. They came in droves to congratulate and celebrate with the young parents.
They brought gifts and words of wisdom and lauded the pastor for making them proud. But a dark cloud was already looming over their pastor’s house.
A Bleak Night
The disaster started when Mary Jean complained of lower abdominal pains a few weeks after giving birth. Pastor Chris rushed her to the hospital, hoping everything was okay.
But he was heartbroken to learn that his wife had an intestine complication that had come as a result of her giving birth.
The doctors promised him they were doing all they could to stabilize her condition. But even the pastor could see the hopelessness in their eyes.
Her Last Breath
Pastor Chris was present as his wife took her last breath under the surgeon’s scalpel. He was there as nurses and doctors rushed in and out of the theater, frantically trying to save his beloved Mary Jean.
Just as the Lord had given him love and family, He was taking it away. The pastor let his tears flow freely as the world darkened right before him. Was there any point in living when the love of his life was gone?
The Aftermath
The next decade was hell on earth for Pastor Chris. He became a husk of his former self, barely having the light that had made his congregation gravitate toward him all those years past.
But his people didn’t give up on him. They helped raise his son, Travis while caring for the pastor. It was through their efforts and Travis’s presence that Pastor Chris got back to his former self.
The smile he’d long lost slowly returned, the life in his eyes together with it. But it would only be a matter of time before the pastor left the town speechless.
Spreads Like Wildfire
The news left the streets of Eunice stunned. Twenty years had passed since Mary Jean’s passing, and word was going around that the pastor had finally found someone he wanted to build a life with.
The people had lost count of the times they tried to convince him to find another woman. He’d always said he didn’t want to dishonor Mary Jean’s memory. But the people had no idea what he was doing right under their noses.
A Well-Guarded Secret
Like a thick fog covering swampland, the news had blanketed the entirety of Eunice. Everyone wanted to meet this mystery woman who had managed to turn the will of their pastor.
But the pastor wouldn’t divulge any information. Although he was usually a very open book, with no secrets between him and the town, he chose to keep this close to the chest.
She’s Right There
Although the congregation didn’t pry, they sat silently, waiting for any chance to learn about this mysterious woman. They had no idea that she sat right next to them every Sunday.
But how could they when the woman was nearly old enough to be Travis’s girlfriend and the pastor’s daughter? It would be a disaster when the truth finally came out.
Gobsmacked
Now a college freshman, Travis heard that his dad was about to get married. Even he had no idea who this mystery woman was.
He’d heard it one Saturday evening while visiting home for Easter. His childhood friends asked him to reveal his dad’s fiance. But Travis was just as gobsmacked as they had been when they heard the news.
No Secrets Between Us
Travis confronted his dad. He loved and respected him to the moon and back and always wanted to make him proud. But he wouldn’t stay in the dark about such an integral matter.
Travis had been too young when his dad lost his mom. But he’d been there through the pain. He’d been there as his dad rose from the ashes of their loss. They’d done that together. So why wouldn’t his dad share this with him?
Mind Your Business
Travis wanted his dad to be happy. He was all for him finding love again and expanding their family. He sat him down that night, telling him what he’d heard in town.
But Pastor Chris would not cave. He only smiled and thanked his son for his concern. He asked him to focus on his life instead. But Travis wouldn’t let it slide.
An Obsession
He started a campaign all over town, going from restaurants his dad loved to the old man’s friends’ homes. He asked about the woman, wanting to know anything he could.
But he couldn’t find a thing. The woman was shrouded in mysteries no detective could unravel. All this secrecy birthed an obsession in Travis, making him think his dad had some ulterior motives for wanting to get married. But what could it be?
Watching From The Shadows
Travis decided he’d keep an eye on his dad. He didn’t leave for school as he’d planned to after Easter, renting a motel just outside town. Every day he’d watch over his dad.
Although he hated what he was doing, he wanted this to end. He expected to see his dad laughing in some pretty woman’s hand, a woman almost his dad’s age. But what Travis uncovered had him sick to the bone.
He Knows Her
Travis had seen that girl before at Sunday service. She’d been three classes behind him in high school and had always kept to herself.
He felt sick as he watched his dad converse with him, worry stricken. Travis couldn’t come to terms with the fact that this girl was the mystery woman. He ate back a cry before hurling. This was sick.
Meet Ivy
The girl’s name was Ivy Gonzalez. She was an only daughter to an elderly couple living just outside town. Travis followed his dad home immediately.
He bombarded him with questions, highlighting and fixating on the fact that Ivy was younger than him. His dad looked away, embarrassed and equally furious. He’d do something he’d never done in the twenty-one years Travis had been alive.
Anger
“Mind your business!” Pastor Chris yelled at his son. This was the first time he’d let his anger take over, and Travis shriveled at the raw emotion.
His dad towered over him, eyes wide and a thick vein ticking on his sweaty forehead. His chest went up and down as he silently challenged Travis to say anything else.
Travis inched back. Although he didn’t receive a direct answer from his dad, he knew he’d found his mystery fiance. But there was still a painful truth he didn’t know about.
Light And Darkness
Grief-stricken, Travis walked away. The moon was high above the sky, the night leaning towards midnight. In this darkness, there was only one place Travis could go for light.
He went to church, sitting in the front pew for what felt like hours. He prayed and asked for forgiveness. No son was meant to attack his own father like that. But more than that, he asked for guidance.
Looking For Ivy
Travis knew he had to talk to Ivy. She’d been a literal child when he graduated from high school. He hoped she was of legal age for the sake of his dad.
Travis went to his motel room and spent the night. But early the following day, he visited Ivy’s home. The house was outside town, small and humble. It was run down and barely standing, with overgrown bushes around it.
Her Home
Travis walked up to the door and knocked. For a while, no one answered. But at the last second, an older woman peeped at the window with tears in her eyes. Travis waved at her. Seemingly recognizing him, she unlocked her door.
“I wanted to speak to Ivy,” Travis began after greetings. But the woman, wiping her tears, told him, “ She’s gone to that accursed wedding. She’s not even eighteen years yet!”
Speak Now, Or Forever Hold Your Peace
Travis shot to his feet, speeding onto the highway leading back to town. He knew where the wedding was and would stop it if it was the last thing he did.
Through Ivy’s guardian, he’d learned that the girl was just a day from turning eighteen, which technically made her a minor.
Travis hitched a ride to the church. He found a small congregation waiting eagerly outside the Holy building, keen on finally putting a face to this shrouded woman. But that wedding wouldn’t take place today. Not with Travis still breathing.
They Are Here
Travis called 911 as he rushed into the church. His dad and Ivy were still away, no doubt getting dressed. Travis searched the premises, but they were nowhere to be found.
He was almost giving up when he heard ululations outside the church building. He turned around to see his dad dressed in a sharp black suit stepping out of his car. Beside him was Ivy in a white wedding gown. The people of Eunice, Louisiana, were speechless around her.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.