A Beautiful Morning... Part I

As he sat in the car before leaving to pick her up from her dorm he felt rather flustered.

"It's just church!" he told his reflection. "Not a date, not a romance, nothing to be worried about. We're just friends and that's all there is to it. This morning is just about God and His bride. What's to be nervous about there?"

But he still took a few moments more to fix his hair and practice his good-morning smile just once more. Finally, he said goodbye to the young man in the rear-view mirror and started the engine, pulling out into the Sunday morning traffic and heading north.

A few minutes down the road he divided his attention between the stick-shift and his phone, dialing her dorm room number.

"Hello?" her alto came across the line with startling promptness.

Well practiced confidence nearly failed him and cost him his voice, but he came through soon enough with a cheery "Good morning! I just wanted to let you know I'm on my way..." A few pleasantness, a mile more and he had both hands on the wheel again, trying very hard to pay attention to the road.

Soon the dorms of the local Christian college came into view. He pulled up just as she came walking out the wide double doors. "Alright Nathan Hope, no staring now..." he whispered as he opened his door and stood.

While the breath caught in his chest, somehow he did manage to keep his jaw from dropping as his secret heart exulted in the marvelous work of his Creator. Growing up with an older sister whom he actually got along with still didn't protect him from Anne's beauty. If anything, it only made the feeling of awe more complete.

He knew how careful his sister had been with how she dressed. "I'm maximizing the beauty while minimizing the temptation," she'd once told him while preparing for a date with her future husband.

Anne was obviously a woman of the same mind. A country girl to the core, the blue jeans and handsome button-up shirt with small flowers on it perfecly accented her ivory skin and blue eyes, her auburn hair falling in still damp ringlets just past her shoulders.

"My you look pretty this fine morning Miss Lewis!" he ventured as he walked around the car toward her.

"Why thank you Mr. Hope," she replied as she smile and walked toward him. "You're looking rather handsome yourself."

"Good of you to say so Anne," he said as he turned to open the door for her. When he turned back around the smile in her eyes betrayed the determined set of her mouth.

"Do you think I can't open my own door Mr. Hope?" she asked with mock distrust.

"I'm certain you could my dear Miss Lewis," he replied as he took her hand to help her into the front seat. "But if you did it yourself you would steal from me the joy of helping you!" he returned with a flourishing bow.

At this she laughed delightedly and he gently shut the door, smiling to himself as he walked back to his side of the car.

"What a fine start to a beautiful day! Thank you Lord!" he thought as he sat down next to Anne. "Just please don't let me mess it up!"

The drive to church was pleasant, but fairly uneventful. The two of them talked of the places they passed and the people they knew, sharing a few jokes and just enjoying the morning.

Nate was more than a little surprised when he realized just how little he minded being stopped by the red lights, now that Anne was beside him...