No Ordinary Noel Read Online Free PDF

Nonetheless, when he saw her push her cap and her wig along with it to the side without shame, he knew she was just winding up.
    â€œEven if I am blessed with enough money to carry me through in comfort, I know that the country is in a crisis. There ain’t a day gone by that I don’t find out that a lot of people here and about have lost jobs, and to a degree, have lost their faith. Of course, when that happens tithes got to fall off.”
    The Reverend didn’t need rocket science to tell him that somebody on the Finance Committee had talked too much or Sister Betty was more of an insider with heaven than he’d known. One thing was for certain, he’d continue to listen and show respect so he could find out who the leak at the church was. It wasn’t as if she was going to shut up before she’d had her say, anyway.
    The reverend continued to hold his peace, waiting for Sister Betty to pause and let him say his piece. “I’ve been thinking about one fundraiser in particular,” she said slowly. “I know I was against it in the very beginning because I could see nothing good coming out of it.”
    When Sister Betty was deep in advisory mode using political correctness to keep things in perspective she often closed her eyes. It made her appear a bit more thoughtful. It also caused her not to see the smile that began to spread across the reverend’s face. It hadn’t taken but a few more minutes before she’d provided the opening.
    â€œEvery time Bea and Sasha get together with a plan, folks around them come close to backsliding. This time I think they may be on to something.” Sister Betty shuddered suddenly. She thought perhaps that it had gotten colder. “I like this idea of a Seniors Prom right here in Pelzer, right after the Thanksgiving holiday. I attended the one held in Belton a few months ago and it was just wonderful. Whenever I talk about it to seniors I know, they all start reminiscing and everything . . .”
    â€œOh really.” Reverend Tom took a hand from the steering wheel and laid it across the back of her seat. He was about to say more, but decided to let Sister Betty open that door just a little wider.
    â€œOh, they just love it. In fact, I’ve heard that many of the seniors from other churches who went to the one in Belton are coming to this one, too. I’ve already discussed it with my old friend, former Congresswoman Cheyenne Bigelow. Many folks don’t know that she’s the one who helped put the one in Belton together.”
    â€œI don’t believe I know a Miss Cheyenne Bigelow.” As soon as he said that, he stopped. He liked the planning side of Sister Betty and didn’t want to stop the flow.
    â€œI didn’t expect you to know her because you’re anti-political except when it comes to our first half-black president. That’s okay with me ’cause I like the handsome fella and his beautiful family. But ’cause she’s had a very colorful personal and political life, Cheyenne Bigelow keeps a low profile, so you don’t need to bring up her name, in case you’re thinking about doing so.”
    Sister Betty let her words linger for a moment and when he said nothing more, she continued. “If it’s a success, then other churches will want to take turns having it on a yearly basis.” She grinned like a giddy young schoolgirl. She liked the idea that her pastor hadn’t interrupted again and let her have her say; not that she’d expected different from him. “It probably won’t be in time or make enough to help our current fiscal mess, but it’s still a good idea.”
    The reverend’s smile couldn’t get much wider without his lips meeting somewhere in the back of his head. That’s when the smile slid from Sister Betty’s face and her right knee twitched. And the pain, she was certain, didn’t come from the coldness.
    Sister Betty