My Wife (Chapter 9: Happy Birthday!)

I couldn't sleep that night. What a day it had been the day before! Things seemed like they were rapidly changing, and I would soon find out that they would rapidly change even more.

I went to the office that morning, 1/2/03, Keila's birthday. I spoke briefly with Pastor Jim about the whole ordeal. He encouraged me as I explained we were waiting for her parent's response. I don't think I did a thing in the office that morning, I was just pacing waiting for the opportunity to go over to my parent's house where I knew Keila would be waiting.

Noon soon came and I hurried out of the office to go have a small lunch at my parent's. (Dinner was already planned for everyone at the Olive Garden later that night). The adrenaline was rushing as I made the short drive, I was so excited! I sped up the driveway, threw myself out of the car, tripped and stumbled my way up the stairs, quickly gathered myself, trying desperately to hide me being out of breath, and calmly strode through the front door.

"Hello?" I called as the house seemed a bit empty. I was a little surprised Keila wasn't waiting at the front door for me. "Mom? Andrea? Anyone here?"

"Hey Ben!" It was my mom.

"Oh, hey mom..." I paused about one second so as not to appear too desperate, "is Keila around?"

"Yeah, they are upstairs..."

I waited the longest 20 minutes of my life. In the following months I would have to wait weeks and sometimes months before I would see her...those 20 minutes are still up there as the longest.

Andrea came down the stairs first, and Keila followed right after. She has always been a princess to me. I can still see that day in my mind, I can see her coming down the stairs, she is so beautiful.

"Uhhh...Happy Birthday!" The words stumbled out of my mouth like trying to drink peanut butter through a straw. Why was I so nervous?

"Thanks." She smiled at me.

Her smile, her eyes, her hair...I was gone.

"Ben?" She asked.

"Huh?" I responded...I had no idea she was speaking.

"How was your morning?"

I am such a moron! "It was alright...how was yours?"

"Okay..."

I really wanted to know if she talked to her mom, and how the conversation went. I needed details. I needed everything spelled out for me. I wanted to be delicate about it. I didn't know what to do!

"Did you talk with your mom?" I blurted out. Okay, the truth is just the best direction.

"Yeah."

I could tell it wasn't a time to talk. Everyone was staring at us. We made our way to the kitchen, and though people were around, they respectfully gave us some privacy.

"So," I began, "is everything alright?"

"Yeah..."

I gave her a moment to search for the words. One thing I haven't shared with you yet is that Keila was here volunteering with an internship program. Part of the commitment to the program was no courting or romantic involvement with anyone for six months. She joined the program on September 1, and her commitment was until March 1. It was January 2. Two months short of March 1. I didn't know if this was going to be an issue or not.

"Well, we discussed the March 1 commitment."

"Okay...no problem..." Those words left my mouth...inside I was like, oh no! What does this mean?!

"My mom feels that we should submit to Pastor Rick's counsel for this situation. She would like you to meet with him." Pastor Rick was the senior pastor in charge of the internship program Keila was involved with. This was an immediate roadblock because it was going to be difficult for me to meet with Pastor Rick, seeing that he lived 4 hours away!

"Okay...so, she wants me to meet with Pastor Rick?" I was trying to sound upbeat. "Did your mom say anything else?"

"No, that is pretty much it. We talked about other things, but concerning us she wants us to submit to Pastor Rick."

Just about this time the phone rang.

"Ben?" My mom had answered the phone, "Can you talk to Derek?"

I stepped away and took the phone from my mom, "Hey bro, what's up?"

"Nothing much, are we still all on for Olive Garden tonight?"

"Yeah...as far as I know, everything is still on."

"Did Keila talk to her mom?"

"Yeah...it went well, her mom just wants me to meet with Pastor Rick...and neither of us know when that will be."

"Really?" Derek sounded surprised.

"Well, yeah, why are you so surprised?"

"Pastor Rick is coming to Albany tomorrow for a wedding this weekend. Maybe he would meet with you. Do you want me to call him?"

"Uhh...yeah..." If this all wasn't happeneing to me, I wouldn't believe it.

We quickly got off the phone. I turned to Keila and told her the information about Pastor Rick's trip. She couldn't believe it either.

The phone rang again.

"Hello?" This time I answered.

"Ben? It's Derek, 1:00 pm tomorrow at the foodcourt at Crossgates. Can you make it?"

"No problem bro. Thanks...I'll see you tonight for dinner."

Keila was staring at me intensely when I turned.

"I'm meeting with Pastor Rick tomorrow at 1."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope. Can you believe this?"

"God is really involved here, isn't He?"

"I'd say."

We both chatted for awhile in the kitchen during the afternoon. Eventually the time came for us to go to Olive Garden for Keila's birthday. I wish I could embellish on how romantic the evening was. How wonderful an event it had been. The truth is, it was an akward night. We were both anticipating my conversation with Pastor Rick the next day. There was good conversation around the entire table, but I could tell Keila's mind was deep in thought.

"Are you okay?" I asked her during the evening.

She looked me straight in the eyes, and she spoke firmly and warmly, "Ben, I'm fine, believe me." Her eyes filled with tears as a smile came to her lips, "This is just all so overwhelming. God is so good."