"Evalyn, I'm frightened!"
Betty had called Ev Wednesday morning early, and they had gone for a walk in the park before Betty had to be at work. Betty, who Evalyn didn't know well but had always thought of as low-key and quiet, was clearly very agitated, now.
"Frightened of what, Betty?"
"Of all this! It's so... It's as if I.... " She hugged herself tightly, hung her head, and said no more.
Evalyn led her to a nearby bench, and sat her down. "Come on, now; what's the problem?"
Betty unfolded her arms, but kept her head down, and wouldn't look at Evalyn. Her hands twisted nervously. "I don't like any of this," she stammered. "I don't understand what's going on. Pastor and Paul are friends, but they don't talk to one another, now. We're talking about things in our group that I don't like to talk about. Everybody gets upset, and mad. And Ed, he's... "
She stopped. Evalyn coaxed. "He's what?"
Betty didn't answer. "What?" asked Evalyn, again.
Then it all blurted out. "He's so hateful! I know I'm not as smart as he is, and I don't understand some of the things that people talk about, but he... He makes me feel so dumb. Well, maybe I am dumb! But then, besides, he argued with people at the group, and he called some of them names after - on our way home. And he said - I think he said, anyway - that Debbie was asking about... Well, maybe because she was pregnant."
"Oh, no!"
"No, wait, Evalyn. He didn't really say that," she backtracked. "I mean, he just said things that made me think... Evalyn, can't we get things back like they were before?"
Ev waved her hand at Betty, implying a time out. "Hold on now, let's think a minute." Betty waited docilely. "Okay, let's start over again. You know why we started the group, don't you?"
Betty hesitated. "Well, I thought I did. But, Evalyn, I didn't expect people to be so upset... "
"Slow down, now. Why did you want to be in the group?"
"I... I wanted to know more about God. But... "
"Okay, but hold on. Wasn't it more specific than that? Weren't you interested in getting more guidance about what to do with each day of your life?"
Betty nodded.
"All right. The way we do that is to read, and study, and pray, and talk about things with others. That's the way we find out what we believe, and then test our feelings to see if we are believing the right things."
"But, Evalyn... "
"But, Betty, don't you see that there are bound to be some questions and problems and disagreements? We're all coming from different backgrounds."
Betty was obviously getting frantic, again. Evalyn stopped, puzzled "Betty, what is the matter?"
Betty lost all control. The tears poured out, and she choked out her words between spasms of tears. "But he said you were dangerous. He said you were hurting the church, and... and hurting the country. And I tried to ask him why, and... And he... "
Evalyn took her by the shoulders, and shook her gently. "Stop it, Betty! Calm down." Betty gulped and looked at her, trying to regain control. "Okay, now. When you tried to talk to Ed, he - what?"
Betty mouthed several sounds before anything came out. When it did, it was just a whisper. "He hit me."
Evalyn felt as if she had run into a wall. Whatever she had expected, it wasn't that. She stared at the other woman, who had hung her head again and was now sobbing quietly. Evalyn sat open-mouthed for what must have been a full minute before her wits returned to her. She still had her hands on Betty's shoulders.
"Betty. Betty, look at me!" Betty raised her head enough that Evalyn could see her eyes. "He hit you, on purpose?" Betty nodded. "Hard?" She nodded again. "Why?"
Betty's voice was still just a whisper. “Because I asked him what he meant." She paused. "He said I was stupid... gullible... that if it wasn't for him, I'd be led down the garden path."
Ev was hearing it, but she couldn't believe it. "Betty, has he hit you before?"
Betty lowered her eyes again, but Evalyn put one hand under her chin and forced her to look up. "Has he?" Betty nodded. "Often?" She nodded again, very faintly.
Evalyn threw her arms around her, and pulled her close. "Oh, Betty, I'm so sorry! I never knew. I would never have guessed." Both cried quietly, and hugged each other tightly.
Even after Ev had control of herself again, she continued to hold the other woman until the sobbing spasms had stopped. Then she held her away, smiled her best smile, and brushed Betty's hair back from her face. "Better now?"
Betty nodded, and tried to smile. Ev found two fresh tissues in her purse, and they both attempted to put themselves back together. Then, they sat in silence.
"Did you ever tell anyone?" Evalyn asked, at last. Betty shook her head. "Why not?"
“How could I?" Betty replied so softly that Evalyn could hardly hear her. “He's my husband... and he's right, I guess; I'm not very smart... "
"Betty!"
"No, wait. I'm not. And he's mostly good to me, and we're Christians, and I can't leave him, and... "
"Betty... "
"And even if I could, what would I do? What could I do? Oh, Evalyn, I'm so ashamed!" She started to cry, again.
Evalyn put her arm around the other woman's shoulder, and pulled her close again. "Wait now, Betty. You have nothing to be ashamed of. And you're not alone with it, anymore. I know we can help,"
Betty continued to sob quietly.
***
By coincidence, Ed had stopped for coffee that morning at the same time and place as had Don White. They knew each other casually, but not from church. Therefore, it was even more coincidental when they moved from hunting and fishing talk to the church controversies.
"I had hoped to take off hunting this weekend, with my kid brother (‘kid brother'; he's 45!), but we've had a kind of brouhaha going on in the church, and I think I better be around. Nobody knows what that crazy preacher will do next."
Ed's ears pricked up. “Preacher? You don't mean Felton, do you?"
The older man admitted that he did mean Josh. "Do you know him?"
"A little. My wife goes to your church - Betty, Paul Grayson's secretary?"
"Sure, I know Betty. I thought I'd seen you around; besides here, I mean. Small world." Don raised his cup for more coffee, "I guess you know what I'm talking about, then?"
"A little," said Ed, cautiously. He let the waitress fill the cups and leave. "Betty's been going to church right along."
"What does she think?"
Ed shrugged. "You know women."
Don nodded. "Well, I think we're about to throw the Reverend Felton out on his ear, if he doesn't straighten up."
"Really? I didn't know there was anything serious going on. Betty's been holding out."
Don detailed all the complaints he had about recent church events. Ed listened with growing attention. "Then this new meeting group must really worry you, like it does me."
"Meeting group? What do you mean?”
"You didn't know that Felton has a group meeting every Tuesday night, where they talk about church business, and so-called ‘Christian issues'?"
"No, not a word. Are you sure?”
"I sure am. Betty's been going, until I laid the law down last night. They've got some real liberals in that group!"
Don looked puzzled. "Liberals? I don't follow you. I thought you said it was a church group."
"Well, that's what they call it. But last night, they got into some real left-wing crap. One guy - Allen... "
"Harry Allen?"
"Yeah, Allen. He was talking about cutting defense spending, and about abolishing capital punishment."
"Wait a minute. This was a meeting with Josh Felton?"
"Felton! I think he may be as bad as Allen. He was talking about abortion like... " Ed had been talking fairly loudly to this point, but now he paused and looked around before continuing more conspiratorially. "I've got a feeling that one of the girls in the group may be pregnant, and thinking about getting rid of it."
Don White was a little too old for that kind of talk, and a little too confused by Ed's other comments to know what to think. He quickly finished his coffee, and excused himself as soon as he could do so politely. His mind was working overtime as he drove to work.
***
"Paul, what do you know about a church group meeting at Josh Felton's home?" asked Don, over the phone an hour or so later.
Paul sensed a new red-alert. "Nothing," he replied, cautiously. "I don't think there's been any meeting, None of the elders were called."
"I don't mean a legal meeting. This is some kind of a prayer meeting or Sunday school. And it's not just a one-time thing. Apparently, it's been going on for some time. You really don't know about it?"
"No, honestly. I haven't had much communication with Josh lately. But I can't believe that... "
"You don't need to talk to Josh about it," interrupted Don. "You have a member right there in your office. I understand your secretary is one of the group."
"Betty?"
"You got another secretary I don't know about? Look, Paul, you were going to straighten this out. Instead, it looks to be getting worse. Now, it's secret meetings. I've a mind to go to prayer meeting tonight, and get this whole thing out in the open."
"No, wait, Don. Not tonight. I've got to be out of town. Anyway, I think we need to talk about this, first."
"Paul, we've talked already. When Mag and Herb hear this one... "
"I know, Don, it's bad. But let me find out what I can from Betty. She'll be in, soon. Then let's get together with the other elders, and do this the right way. Okay?"
Don agreed, reluctantly. "All right. But before Sunday, right?"
"All right; Saturday night."
Don hung up. Paul waited for Betty to come in. Instead, she called in sick, and she sounded so sick that he couldn't bring himself to question her about anything. No hurry, he guessed. It all had to come out by Saturday.
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