"you seem.off lately? You ok?" Ashley asked. "yes. I am. fine ash. I just have a lot on mine. mind. "Nicole said. "what's going on?"Ashley asked. "after Leanne's funeral, I was playing with the pastor:a kid. The older pastor grant came up to me Hi said that the pastor is going to need a wife and the kids will need a mom. He left before I could say anything. I just froze anyways. "she said.
"your thinking about it?"Ashley asked. "I have been thinking about little else. Right now would not be appropriate of course. It may be quite some time before he is ready. There will come a time when he needs me. I will be there. I will make myself available. One day I will be his wife. "she said.
She knew it would be a while before he could accept her. She understood. She would prepare herself. She would get ready for that day. It was not appropriate now. She knew that.
"I am making lasagna for the pastor and the girls." her mom said. "I can run it into the pastor." Nicole said. "you sure? I don't mind. "she said. "I am happy to do it. I will grab ash and Jamie. "she said. "oh. Your dad says I should not overdo it. I think he thinks I am dying, not pregnant. There are times. Thanks, nick. I appreciate it"her mom said.
Nicole, Ashley, and Jamie brought the food to the van. She got into the driver's seat. They headed for the house of the pastor. Sherry had called ahead and told her that they were coming.
They pulled into his driveway. Matt saw the van pull into. She parked. Matt came out to greet her. He had casey and Macey with him. He saw the door open, he was surprised that it was Nicole, not Sherry.
He saw her two sisters. They brought everything out of the van and brought it inside.
He had them set it on the table. "it looks great. Lasagna is my favorite. "he said. "I had a feeling it was. Mom makes the best lasagna "Nicole said.
They walked back outside. "thank your mom for me." he said. "I will. "she said. "your family meems so much to me. You guys have been such a blessing. I could not go through this without your family. The whole church has been amazing.at"matt said.
"you have always been there for us. It's our turn now. "Nicole said. "I appreciate all of you. "he said. "we appreciate you. "she said. He saw them get back into the van. He saw them off.
Matt had been an assistant pastor at the church his dad pastored. Matt started the gospel baptist church as a missionary outreach of gospel baptist in Clarksville. The church started slow but took off. eventually, the church grew. Over time the mother church let them go off on their own. One of the first families to start attending was waren and sherry. They had attended an evangelical megachurch. waren was unhappy with the direction toward trendy fads and focus on good living over preaching the word.
When they heard about gospel baptist, they decided to check it out. The two families took a liking to each other almost right away. Eventually, waren and sherry became members and became part of the church's inner circle. He became a deacon. Leanne and sherry had been very close.
Warren and sherry were determined to be there for matt and his family. Nicole had always respected the pastor. She was starting to see him differently.

The next time, they were at church, Matt sought out Nicole. "Nicole, the lasagna was really good. "matt told her. "I am glad you enjoyed it. "she said. "we did. Very much so" he said. "mom said that for the outside world when the funeral ends, people move on. That is much harder for the immediate family. When my great-grandfather died, it was hardest on my great-grandmother. I remembered how hard it was for her. You not alone !" she said.

"I do not doubt that," he said. "good," she said. She was glad that he enjoyed it. She started to see him in a different light.