My Love Story ~ Part Seven

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That cold January night, my life as a single woman, single as in "no boyfriend", began. I went to church the next Wednesday night and sat with my parents. Mike sat with some guys. I hadn't even taken the time to notice that Bumper wasn't there. I found out later that he had gone to Illinois to help his parents move. We had started a prophecy conference that week, and had a special speaker for those nights. We all received some papers to follow along with the preacher as he taught us on prophecy. One thing is sure, I thought to myself, the Lord will return before I ever get married, or even get a life! It's hopeless! I sat there, staring at the back of Mike's head, halfway hating him, and halfway wishing he'd stand up and declare that he was going to live right and earn my love! Someone's "Amen" shook me out of my revery. Oh, I guess I should listen to the preacher! I thought to myself. Snap out of it, Valerie! There you go again, talking to yourself!! It was very difficult to listen that night, since I was so wrapped up in myself. I set my paper down beside me and tried to concentrate on the preacher. Just then, someone sat down on my pew. He wasn't right beside me, but on the end of the pew, about four feet from me. I turned to see it was Bumper! He had on dirty jeans, an old shirt (but with sleeves! Hallelujah!) and some work boots. Where had he been? I wondered. Who knows! He's trouble, that's for sure! I thought to myself. I'm afraid I can't tell you a thing about that sermon! My mind was everywhere but there. I was thinking about the future all right but not eternity, merely my own! I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. Bumper was leaning over toward me - now what! He picked up my paper and started reading it!! The nerve! I wanted to reach over and jerk it out of his presumptuous little hands, but I refrained. I decided that if everyone saw me do that, it might harm my parents' good name. So I just seethed inside at him. I held him responsible for everything that had gone wrong in my life. He wasn't a friend to me or Mike or anyone. He only cared about himself! Why was here anyway? He put my paper down. I picked it up. I held it the rest of the night, my heart pounding and my mind racing with words of anger I wanted to spew at him!! After the service that night, I tried to talk to Mike and "win" him back...or see if he was trying to win me back! I was sorely disappointed. He now seemed fine with the fact we were through. This hurt most of all.
Another week went by. I still talked to Mike a lot. I noticed Bumper hanging around more, but I continued to ignore him. One bright Monday morning, a lady in my church, who also worked with me, informed me that Mike had just packed his belongings and headed home. I couldn't believe it. He was leaving our college. I was now seeing more and more of what I had gotten into. He had only come to college for me. He wasn't called to preach! He wasn't even interested in serving the Lord at all. He only cared about having fun. He had lasted exactly two weeks at church after our break up! I later found out he was involved in more than just alcohol. He had another girlfriend in his hometown, and he had been using drugs. The most shocking discovery for me, though, was that Bumper had not been the one to lead Mike down the wrong path. Instead, Mike led Bumper. I felt like I had been an accessory to it all after I learned Mike's true motives for being in college. I thanked the Lord that He had ended that relationship for me! What a wonderful Savior!

Despite my joy of being spared a future with horrible mate, I still desperately hated being alone. I had to make a plan. I was not going to sit alone in my home church forever. If I was going to be single, I wanted to get a degree. At that point, I'd decided that really, men weren't worth the trouble! I'd given up on the idea of "God sending my husband to my church!" I decided to go to my siblings' Alma Mater after all. I filled out the application, got my references in order, and had the physical. I had officially set the college wheels in motion. But....this was January, and school didn't start until the fall. In the meantime, I'd have to endure life alone.
The hardest part for me was after our Sunday evening services. It was then that our church family invaded the local Taco Bell! It was tradition! I used to always go with Mike. Now that he was no longer my boyfriend, I decided to forgo the weekly Taco Bell excursion. I discovered that missing it wasn't bad at all. Instead, I went home. My parents ordered Subway sandwiches most Sunday nights and I started joining them. It was so nice to come home to my own room, change clothes and then sit down with Mom and Dad over a Ham & cheese sub! Some nights, Dad started a fire in the fireplace! I loved that! We would talk about the day, laugh, talk some more, and then went to bed. Some nights, after everyone was in bed, I'd go into the den and watch the embers glow in the fireplace. It was peaceful and cozy. I was so thankful for the safe cocoon that my home was.
Night time was difficult. I felt forsaken! Looking back, however, I can see that I dramatized a lot of that emotion. I made it worse than it had to be. I remember feeling heartbroken. It felt very similar to when my sister left for college. I was nine years old, and we had always shared a room. The night was so dark and quiet and lonely without her. I finally adjusted to that change though, so I guessed I would adjust to this one. While my home hadn't changed with Mike's exit from my life, my heart had! I cried a lot to the Lord when Melanie left, and I did a lot after Mike left, too. The Lord was always there, however, to comfort me and see me through each night.

Once I had made the decision to go to college, I felt relieved. I felt as though I had regained a purpose for my life. I tried to avoid certain people at church, especially Bumper! He still had his "entourage" of girls: his ex-girlfriend still "loved" him, a missionary girl adored him (to the point of near subserviance) and another girl flirted with him regularly. It all made me ill. He would date a girl, dump her, date another girl, dump her, so on and so forth. Were they blind to his patterns?? Obviously so! Well, I wasn't going to be caught up in it. I'd been hurt once; I wouldn't allow that again.
I also tried to avoid situations where everyone was coupled up. At those times, I felt like I was glowing with a neon sign that read "NOT TAKEN"! I saw February 14 approaching, and along with it, our annual Valentine's Banquet. I knew I wouldn't have a date. Even if someone asked me, I wouldn't care to accept. I wasn't worried about anyone asking me, though! I talked to Bro. Graham and asked if it would be all right to babysit the staff children at the church that night. That way, I wouldn't have to go, and I would be busy. He agreed.
The Sunday night before the Valentine's Banquet, Bumper and his friend, Terry, called me into our church office. I stood in the doorway and tried to be friendly.
"Yes?" I asked them, as they stood inside the office. Terry spoke first.
"We wanted to know if you'd like to go to the banquet with us, as friends."
Bumper didn't say anything. He just looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and that mischievous grin.
"Oh, I'd love to!" I said with mock sincerity. "But, I've already agreed to babysit the staff children that night. I'm sorry!" I said with a fake grimace and a shrug.
"Oh, that's cool." Terry said.
"Goodnight!" I said as I went on my way. "Whew. That was close! I'm sooo glad I had plans already!", I thought as I walked away.
I had a good time babysitting the kids that Valentine's night. We had about fifteen kids, so I stayed busy! I had some girls help me that were too young to go to the banquet, but old enough to assist me. I wondered what the banquet was like. I missed getting roses like the ones Mike had sent me the last Valentine's Day, but I made it!

The next Saturday at church, Bumper hollered to me to wait as I was walking to my car. "Oh brother. What does he want now?" I thought. I kept walking and got in my car.
"Hey! Hold up!" He said, running up to me.
I hadn't started my car yet, so I just sat there, holding the door open. He sort of squatted down in front of me to be at eye level.
"I just wanted to apologize for treating you so badly this past year. I really want to be your friend. I'm also sorry about the banquet." He said. He actually looked sincere.
"It's okay. I guess I haven't been the model Christian myself! What do you mean you're sorry about the banquet?"
"Oh, I thought you'd heard?"
"No, I guess I haven't." I said seriously.
"Well, Terry and I were going to take you to the banquet and just dump you there alone, after we heard what you said."
"What did I say? Why would you do something like that?" I asked, my voice getting higher.
"Well, someone told us that you said you could have any guy in the church, and we were going to get you back for that!"
"EXCUSE ME??" I said incredulously. "Who told you I said that? I have never said that! I've only had four boyfriends in my entire life and they were all pen pals! Why would I assume that I could have any guy in the church? That's crazy! I know I can't get any guy!!" I was infuriated! He apologized again, and told me who had said it. It hurt so much to discover that others were talking about me behind my back!This girl was supposed to be my friend.
I was glad Bumper cared enough to apologize to me, but should I consider someone who wanted to publicly embarrass me a friend? I didn't know what to do. I was starting to wish that college started in the summer! The sooner I could leave, the better!
On the way home, I thanked the Lord that I hadn't gone to that banquet!

To be continued....