Above All Else

Chapter 11:The Man With the Hidden Talent

Reggie: 

We get out of the car. "Why are we at a church?" I ask him. He doesn't say anything and intertwines my hand in his. "If this is a proposal i swear to god." I say in a panic.

He laughs, "Would you stop talking and just wait and see?" I shut my mouth and looked around at all the snow. The closer we walked the louder the music became. It sounded like a choir. 

We were about to walk in and I hesitated at first.  Bailey stops and looks at me.

"Whats wrong?" 

"I haven't been in a church since my mom and dad passed." With his hand still intertwined with mine he kisses my forehead. 

"Come on." We walk in and find like 100 people singing in unison holding papers. I look around confused. A woman hands us both sheets of paper. Are we suppose to sing? 

Immediately Bailey joined in like he has been secretly coming here for a long time. I look at my sheet and try to join him. He is really is a phenomenal singer. I swear this guys surprises me everyday. 

After the first song we sang a series of christmas songs and just like that it was over. Everyone were packing up leaving or talking to other people. We just sat down in the pews and just talked till everyone was gone. 

We walked up to the front pew and sat there. "I had no idea you can sing." 

"Not even Jonnie knows that about me." 

"Why not?" He shrugs. 

"I don't know it never needed to come up i guess.." I chuckle in disbelief. "So I actually follow this group that does random singing sessions in churches once a month. Since its christmas time they do christmas songs but they cover multiple genres. Whenever they are in town or semi close I go to it. This one just so happen to be on the way to our final destination.

" I don't think I can handle more surprises." I say while laughing. I smile at him. 

"You haven't been in church since your parents died?" I sigh and nod. 

"Yeah  its been about....12 years? I think...."

"You never told me how your parents died." 

"Car accident." I say to him. 

"They were coming home together and they never came back." 

"How did you handle that?"

"I was devastated. They were everything to me even at a young age of 6 i knew my brother is a fuck up and my life was going to be miserable. I just didn't realize it would be this bad."

"Would you consider yourself religious?" 

 I shrug. " My parents were Christians. I kind of stopped when they passed. I wouldn't mind going again. How bout you?"

"My mom is religious, but oddly enough she doesn't go to church. She believes that just because you go to church doesn't make you a great christian so she reads the bible and just follows that." I nod. "I don't mind doing either. God is the same inside and outside of church right?"

"Thats what they say.." I say as I stand up and stand in front of the pulpit and close my eyes. I say a little prayer for my parents where ever my parents are. Im not sure if they would be happy with my life right now, but this is where I am right now and I feel like there is no where to go but up now.

Bailey hugs me from behind. "They would be so proud of you, you know that right?"

"I wouldn't be too sure bout that." 

"At the end of day you are strong woman and no parent will be upset about that." He says to me I turn around and hug him super tight.  I feel weird thinking this but I think I'm in love with Bailey. I feel like its too early to say things like that... But its possible right? Am I crazy?

"You ready to go to our final location?" 

"Yes, Please." I say softly. We get back in the car. His hands intertwined with mine as we drive farther into the mountains. We finally get to a little cabin in the woods. 

"This is so cute." I say as we grabs our luggage. We go in and the place has cute lights and a fire all ready going with a queen sized bed and a couch. "You really out done yourself Babe." I turn to find Bailey on the couch exhausted. I hug him super tight. 

"You look like your ready for bed? Lets sleep we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." He nods. We get ready for bed and we fell asleep in each others arms. 

Around 3 am. I feel shuffling. I wake up and find Bailey shifting a lot. He is sweating a lot. I place my hand on his chest and rub it to wake him up.

"Baby.." I say to him. Seeing him like this is scaring me. I reach over him and turn on the lights. I shake him more aggressively. 

"Bailey!" I yell. His body jerks aggressively and yells in pain in his sleep. 

" BAILEY! STOP!" I yell again. Immediately he wakes up. He sits up and kid of gets his bearings. He looks at me as I cover my mouth with tears in my eyes. 

"Did i scare you?" I nod he pulls me to him and hugs me tightly. "Im sorry... I guess i was really that tired today." 

"I didn't know what to do...." 

"Shake me to wake up like you did or even sprinkle cold water on me and i'll be okay. All right?" I nod slowly. We lay back down. 

"Im sorry I scared you everything is okay now."  I slowly fall back asleep until the next morning.