Quite a few friends approached Isaac and me on our way out the door. I tried to get out of there as quickly as possible because I was a little nervous about someone accidentally saying something embarrassing like, 'finally, Shelby brings a man with her to church,' or 'Shelby has never had a boyfriend before,' or something like that.
We held hands during the service, but afterward, we just walked next to each other and had a quick but cordial meet and greet with about ten more people on our way to the door.
A couple of people recognized him from the news and asked to him about the arts building, but most of them were just curious to get a look at the man I brought with me to church.
"I enjoyed that," Isaac said once we got into his truck.
"Really? I'm so glad," I said, feeling relieved.
"We just went to mass on Christmas and Easter, so that was different from what I'm used to. I really liked it. I want to do it again."
"I knew everyone would want to shake your hand," I said somewhat apologetically.
"That's better than them not wanting to shake my hand," he returned, making me laugh. "Do you want to go get Patrick before we head to your Aunt's?"
I shook my head. "He would love it, but every time I take him over there, he gets into trouble with Owen's dog and gets all muddy. Sometimes I don't mind, if I feel like giving him a bath, but I don't know if I want to do all that today."
"I'm not doing any work today," he said. "I could help you give him a bath later if you want to take him."
I thought about it for a second, turning to glance over my shoulder at the bed of Isaac's truck. "Usually, I don't want him riding in my car because I know he'll be all nasty on the way home, but I guess it's fine since he'll be in the back of the truck. I know he'd much rather come with us than be stuck in his kennel till I get back."
I told Isaac to make a left at the next light so that we could go by my house.
Patrick was absolutely ecstatic about coming with us, and he paced back and fourth near the cab in the bed of his truck the entire way. I almost forgot, but thankfully, Isaac reminded me about Nana's birthday, and we made another stop at Walgreens where I bought her a musical birthday card and some of her favorite lavender soap.
Uncle Jesse was standing outside along with Owen and Daniel when we pulled up at their house.
"Patrick finally got to come?" Owen asked as soon as we got out of the truck.
"Yeah, he can get as muddy as he wants since he's riding in the back," I said.
Patrick jumped out of the truck and I led him to the fenced area where Owen's dog was patiently waiting for his playmate. I watched out the corner of my eye as Isaac walked over to shake hands with my cousins and uncle. Once I had successfully closed Patrick in the gate, I walked over to meet them.
"Where's Courtney and the baby?" I asked Daniel.
"Inside," he said, gesturing at the house.
"Y'all missed Shug singing," I said.
"We watched it online," Daniel said. "We'll probably do that until she's ready to leave the baby in the nursery."
"Bout three or four years," Jesse said, making us laugh.
I hugged Daniel since I hadn't seen him that morning. "Is everybody else inside?" I asked.
Uncle Jesse nodded and gestured toward the house confirming my question.
I looked at Isaac. "You wanna come in?"
"He was asking about my bikes," Jesse said. "You go on in. We're having man time out here. Tell your daddy and Liam they can come join us. Doozy and Max, too, if they want. We'll probably end up taking Isaac down the street and back, depending on when Rose says lunch is ready."
"Down the street and back, how? On motorcycles?"
"We're certainly not going on foot," Daniel said.
"He's only ever ridden a dirt bike, and it's when he was a kid," I said, hoping they didn't make Isaac feel uncomfortable.
Uncle Jesse smiled and narrowed his eyes at me. "He's a man, Shelby. He can handle it."
"We won't let him get hurt if that's what you're worried about," Owen said.
I glanced at Isaac, who seemed perfectly comfortable. I wanted to say something or give him a way out. "He's got on dress clothes," I said to Uncle Jesse.
"So do we," Owen said. "Go on in," he added.
"I'll go in with you," Jesse said, taking me by the shoulders and manually turning me around since I was so reluctant. "I need to ask Rose how long till lunch, anyway."
I glanced over my shoulder at Isaac with a fear-filled expression that made him smile. I knew he'd be fine, but I was already nervous as it was, and now my family was taking things out of my control.
Jesse and I walked through the garage and into the house together. There were a lot of people in the kitchen and they all turned to look at us.
"Where's your beau?" Shug asked. "I thought he was coming with you."
"He's here," Jesse said. "He's outside. We're going to show him the bikes and probably take him on a little ride if anybody else wants to come." He paused and looked at his wife. "How long till lunch?"
"Thirty minutes," she answered.
"I have six bikes here, and there's only four of us out there if two more of y'all wanna come."
"I wanna come," I said.
"Men," Jesse said, narrowing his eyes at me. "No girls allowed on a man's first ride."
I knew he wasn't saying that to be mean to me, but more to be nice to Isaac. I made a fake pouty face, but secretly I loved it that they were being so nice to him.
"I'll go," Liam said.
Doozy stood with a groan. "I'll go unless you want to," he said, looking at my dad.
"Somebody can take my bike," Ivy said. "Just don't give it to the new guy because it's pulling to the left. Dad hasn't had the chance to look at it."
"I'll ride Ivy's," Jesse said. "That way I can see what's wrong with it."
"Mine's out there, too," Rose said.
"I was counting yours as one of the six," Jesse said. "But that works out. I'll just ride Ivy's."
So, Doozy, Liam, and my dad went outside with Jesse, and I was left in the kitchen with everyone else. I felt anxious for Isaac, so I let out a nervous giggle when the first thing Aunt Rose said when they walked out was, "Throwing him to the wolves."
"They made me!" I said. "Uncle Jesse took him hostage."
Aunt Rose shot me a reassuring smile. "He'll take care of him, Shelby. Don't worry. And they're all too hungry to stay gone long, anyway."
I let out a sigh as I looked around. "Where's Courtney and the baby?"
"Changing a diaper," Aunt Rose said. "They'll be out in a minute."
For the next half hour, I stayed in the kitchen, talking with the women in my family. Uncle Max, Pa, and Uncle Jacob were there, too, but they were entranced by the football game, and they stayed in the living room the whole time.
Ivy and her friend along with Darcy and Aunt Betty played Banana Grams at the dining room table. We all knew we could join in any time, but the rest of us just hung out in the kitchen while Shug and aunt Rose finished preparing lunch.
We could all hear each other's conversations, so I knew that Ivy and her friend both gave their stamp of approval to Isaac. They teased me about bringing a "hot date" to church.
Daniel and Courtney had named their baby boy Kip. They thought Kip Bishop sounded cool, which it did, and coolness was pretty much a primary factor when you're a famous pop star like Courtney. I held baby Kip for little while during the time the men were riding, which made it go by faster.
After a while, Courtney said she wanted to put him in his bassinet since he was sleeping so soundly. I had just handed him back to her so that she could do so when I heard motorcycles coming up the driveway. I really wanted to go meet them outside, but I made myself wait in the house.
Owen and Daniel led the way, followed by Isaac, Liam, Dad, Doozy, and Uncle Jesse. I watched as they all came inside, wearing smiles and looking wind-kissed and larger than life. They didn't mean to do it this way, but they all sort of disbursed into the room in the direction of their respective female counterparts—Owen going to Darcy, Doozy going to Shug, dad going to mom, etc. Daniel asked about Courtney, and we told him she was in the back room with Kip.
There was so much chatter going on that I hardly knew which way was up.
"We're ready to go if y'all want to bless the food," Rose announced.
"Yeah, we're ready," Jesse said, hungrily. "Smells amazing in here."
Everyone, even the football watchers and Banana Gram players, began gathering around the kitchen, knowing it was time to bless the food.
Isaac came to stand next to me. I was tempted to reach out for his hand or lean against him, but I stopped myself from doing those things thinking it would be too much too soon. I smiled at him, and he smiled back.
"How did it go?" I asked quietly.
He gave me a nod, wearing an expression that I knew meant he had fun.
"Did you drive?" I asked.
"Did he drive?" Doozy asked incredulously. "He rode like he's been doing it his whole life," he added, looking at me.
"I don't know what you were worried about," Daniel said. "The guy knows how to handle a motorcycle."
"He only wrecked once," Jesse said.
I knew by his tone that he was teasing me, and I gave him a narrow-eyed expression that made everyone laugh.
"All right, we're gonna bless the food, y'all, because I'm hungry." Jesse looked at Doozy. "You wanna do it?" he asked.
Doozy gave him a nod, and we all bowed our heads. I was tempted again to reach out for Isaac's hand, but I leaned into him instead, letting our shoulders touch.
"Gracious Father," Doozy said. "We thank you for the meal we're about to receive and for the hands that prepared it. Thank you for the gift of Nana's life—that she's been such a wonderful, steadfast matriarch for our family. Thank you for blessing our family with such abundance. Thank you for motorcycles, and football, and a nice warm house where we can gather together and share this delicious food. Thank you for new babies and new friends. Please help us to do right by you, Lord, and to bear the fruit of your Spirit. It's in your son Jesus's name we pray, Amen."
Several people chimed in with their own amen afterward, and we went to work, lining up and dishing out food for ourselves in typical buffet style like we always did.
Courtney had come back into the room just before we prayed, and right afterward she rushed up to Isaac.
"What on earth are you doing here, Isaac Charles! Am I seeing things?" She stared back and forth between us, looking baffled.
"I thought you heard us talking about Isaac," Mom said.
"I heard y'all talking about Shelby's friend that she brought to church, and the motorcycle ride and everything, but I had no idea you guys were talking about Isaac! I thought it was someone from your work. What in the world? I feel like I'm going crazy. I can't believe you're here."
She gawked at me with a slack-jawed, incredulous expression.
"Why didn’t you tell me it was Isaac you had with you?"
I stared at Courtney feeling somewhat confused. I had totally forgotten she didn't know we had been hanging out for the last three days and that she wasn't at church this morning. I thought for sure in all our conversation during the last half hour, someone had mentioned his name or that he was an architect. I wondered how she had possibly missed that and figured it was just that she was preoccupied with Kip. I just stared at her blankly as all these thoughts cross my mind.
"I don't know. I guess I just thought you knew he was here with me."
"No!" she said. "I'm stunned! This makes my day. I'm so glad you're here. I wanted you to come meet the family."
Isaac smiled. "I'm glad I'm here too."
"Did you meet Shug?" she asked, knowing he was a fan.
My grandmother heard the question, and she walked over to where we were standing.
"We did, but it was too quick," Shug said. She knew how to give good hugs, and she came and stood right in front of Isaac, squeezing him tightly before pulling back and patting the side of his face. She regarded me and then Courtney with a smile. "He's a handsome one, isn't he?"
"Yes ma'am he is," Courtney said. "He's the one I was telling you about last week. I wanted him to come eat barbeque at your house, but he couldn't make it."
"Is he the same one you wanted to introduce Shelby to?" Shug asked, acting surprised, like she couldn't believe the coincidence.
I gave her an expression that begged her to say nothing more, but she just smiled at me and reached out to pinch my cheek.
"Yes he is," Courtney said. "But they met without my help—when he went to the station to do an interview about the arts building."
"That's so amazing," Shug said, nodding and playing dumb even though she had already put together who Isaac was. "How'd you like the ride?" she asked him.
"I loved it," he said. "Your family makes beautiful motorcycles. I think I might need to buy one."
Shug laughed. "Well, we can definitely make that happen. We probably have an extra one laying around somewhere if we look hard enough."
"And I loved your song this morning, too," Isaac added. "I almost feel like I should thank you for singing that even though I know it was for your mom."
This statement made Shug reach out and squeeze him again. She made herself comfortable by Isaac's side and still had an arm around his waist when she looked at me and said, "You've got to keep this one."