Chapter Three - part four

    The next morning they were back from the morning run and had spent some time helping Susan get things ready for the new arrivals. She was very excited. She had confessed that she always loved to get girls. They were more fun than the guys. She could usually talk them into going shopping and sometimes even to a spa for a day before time to report. She had quickly told the boys she would gladly take them shopping or even to a spa if they wanted to go. James was pretty sure she had been teasing them, but Jeremy told him later that he thought she was dead serious about that spa idea. They both agreed to avoid that as much as possible. They had already discovered that if she ever decided to do something it was hard to change her mind, almost impossible according to Mr. Blake.

    They had planned to make themselves scarce before the girls arrived, but Susan would have none of that. They could make excuses and leave after they had been introduced, but not before or she would have a piece of their hides, her words not theirs. She did tell them a little about the girls. One was from the east coast, New York specifically, and the other from the west coast, just outside Los Angeles. When the girls arrived the boys saw what they had expected. One was average height with almost black hair and big brown eyes. She wasn't a knockout, but she was cute in her own way. She just looked like a city girl, but when she smiled at Susan her face just lit up. The other one was the perfect picture of a California girl; she was a tall, tan, long legged, blonde haired, blue eyed gal. She was smiling and laughing all the time, but she looked to be sizing the boys up as she walked towards the house.

    They soon realized just how wrong they were. Sabella, the tall blonde California girl, was actually from New York and had never been west of the Mississippi river before. She had been to Florida for the summer, thus the tan, but she was a total city girl. Shanna was the one from just outside L.A. and she hated the city. She spent every available moment out in the mountains. The boys did make their excuses and headed out for an extra run at the park. They both discussed the two girls at length while they ran. Tonight was going to be very interesting unless they missed their guess. Of course they would probably fall asleep from boredom before the meal was over, if that guess wasn't better than the one they had made about which girl was from where.  Actually they had no idea of just how interesting the night and indeed the next few days were going to be for all of them.  

    It all started getting interesting during the meal that very evening. When Mr. Blake made his customary speech about them saying grace in their home, it immediately became clear that this time there would be a reaction. Shanna had glanced over at Sabella even before he had finished speaking. Sabella had visibly stiffened as he spoke. James and Jeremy were both watching and waiting to see what would happen next. Sabella actually pushed her chair back and stood up before she spoke. "If you will excuse me, I will just wait in the other room until you finish. Then you can call me back." She was about to turn and walk out when Mr. Blake spoke again in a very calm voice. "I am sorry Sabella, but you are not excused. Please be seated again." She stood there staring at him in utter disbelief. He just smiled and motioned for her to take her seat again.

    Only after she had done so, did he speak further. "I am truly sorry that my faith is so offensive to you. However, I did make it very clear that while you don't have to participate, I do expect you to allow us to say grace and that means remaining seated with us. If that is simply beyond you, well then I will ask that you gather your things and I will make arrangements for you to stay elsewhere. I am truly sorry that you seem to be so disturbed, but you should realize that you are about to begin a new life that hopefully will end with you being an officer in the United States Air Force. I can assure you that you will be required to suffer far more than simply sitting is silence as someone says grace before a meal during your time as an officer. You may be totally against religion of any kind or merely Christianity; you will still be forced to not only deal with religion, but possibly defend it during your service as well. Now if you don't wish to join hands with us, I ask only that you remain silent as I pray." With that he held out his hand to Jeremy.

    Jeremy took his hand and offered his own to James who sat beside him now. James took his hand and offered his own to Susan. Susan sitting on the end of the table with Sabella beside her extended her hand to her. Sabella sat there staring at them all in general and Susan's hand specifically. Then she folded her own hands as she shook her head. Shanna hesitated again but then she looked over to see Mr. Blake offering her his hand. She gave him a timid smile and took his hand in her own. The circle was broken, but Mr. Blake bowed his head and said grace as if it were complete. He asked for understanding and forgiveness for everyone in addition to his normal prayer. Once they had finished praying the meal began in a strained silence. Finally, it was Susan who spoke. “Sabella, I am truly sorry that we have offended you, but I hope you will be able to find it in your heart to be understanding and allow us to remain good hosts to you. You see it is as big a thing to us as it is to you, just in a different way. I hope you will be able to understand and forgive us before we eat together again."

    Sabella remained silent for a good while. Then she spoke without warning. "I want to apologize for my behavior." She looked at everyone and tried to smile.  "I just wasn't prepared for this. I thought all this sort of nonsense was just confined to country people and people who had never been taught the truth. I just never expected..." Her voice trailed off. Richard actually laughed. Then he smiled and spoke with genuine feeling. "Apology accepted Sabella. Even if it was less than many would consider proper, it was from the heart... without a doubt!"  Sabella looked at him, clearly stunned by his smiling reaction. When she looked over at Susan she saw the same genuine smile looking back at her. Even James and Jeremy were smiling now. Before anyone else could say anything it was Shanna who spoke up next.

    "I was wondering Mr. Blake; I was told that religion of any kind..." She hesitated just a moment before finishing her sentence. "...and well Christianity in particular, were strictly taboo at all of the Academies. Is that just a rumor or is it true?" She was clearly very concerned and interested in knowing the answer, but why she was interested remained unclear. He replied with that same smile. "The name is Richard and the answer will take a little explaining. The Academy and I suspect all of them are much the same, does frown on any religion being openly displayed. Christianity takes a harder hit than most. I won't debate why that is the case. I will tell you that it is at least partly due to the fellowship that goes along with Christianity. As long as you practice your religion alone and in private as much as is possible... well, it is allowed, though frowned upon. You will find that the less you display any personal religious beliefs around the Academy the less flak you will have to face. They won't actually run you off for believing in something more than just this life, but they will make you want to leave on your own if they can. Does that help you understand it any better?"

    Sabella spoke up next. There was a note of distress in her voice once more. "Wait, you mean they actually make things harder if people are Christian? How can that be right? I mean, I know believing in some 'Supreme Being' is loony, but to each his own. At least, as long as they don't try to make me buy in or..." She stopped short and turned red. Mr. Blake was nodding his head and smiling as he folded his hands together with his elbows resting on the table. He spoke with amusement now. "That is exactly what I mean and also why I 'forced' you to remain seated while I said grace. I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me now." Momentarily waving his hands in an offering gesture, he chuckled as he added one last comment. "Consider it an early lesson in political and religious culture within the Academy. They can seem as harsh and forceful to those who have chosen to 'believe in all that nonsense' as I must have seemed to you tonight."

    After that, the conversation dried up again for a short time. Jeremy was the one who started it up again. He glanced over and gave James a quick wink. Then he immediately looked at the girls sitting across from him as he spoke up. "So, do either of you do any running? James and I go run every morning at the local park. They have a nice track and several great trails you can run. We would love to have either one or both of you join us." The girls both looked at him stunned, because up until this he had remained almost silent, unless Susan had pressed him to speak up. It was Shanna who spoke up. "Why not, I’m sure we’ll all do a lot more running than I want to think about. How about it, Sabella? Are you up for a morning run?" Sabella laughed and looking at Jeremy, she gave him one of those flashy smiles that would make a guys heart rate go up, as she answered Shanna. "That depends. What time do these hotshots do their 'morning run?' I am just not into watching the sunrise. I am more of a sunset kinda gal."

    It was Susan who laughed now. Shaking her head she spoke quickly. "Oh dear, you may be in for a lot of rough days ahead. They just 'LOVE' watching the sunrise at the Academy, especially while they run the newbie's." Richard also began to laugh as he added to her words of warning. "Yep, but you will get to see the sunsets too... while you are still running!" Now everyone burst into laughter. What had been a very tense evening meal became a much more relaxed gathering. The girls had agreed to go running with the boys in the morning. After they had finished and helped Susan clean up they all went outside to watch the sunset over the mountains. They all continued to talk and laugh together. It almost seemed like the earlier incident had never happened. James was a bit quieter than the rest though. He still participated, but only occasionally. Mostly he just listened and watched.  He noticed many things and considered many things as the evening progressed. He had learned a great deal tonight and not just about the others.

    The way Mr. Blake had handled the situation, and used it as a chance to teach a lesson, had impressed James. He had managed to turn resentment that was bordering on outright hate into serious doubts about what was actually right and wrong. James had seen Jeremy open up and reach out to strangers. That was something he hadn't been sure Jeremy could do without someone to give him a little push first. Shanna, he didn't know well, but he saw obvious changes in her actions and behavior. She had been very tense and acted almost afraid at first. Now she was still being very cautious and careful, but she was much more at ease and relaxed. She seemed to be getting more relaxed as time passed and was definitely showing a little more about her own feelings and opinions. Sabella was laughing and almost seemed to be glowing. Her attitude was so cheerful and bright now. It was a drastic change, but James wasn't sure it was a real change at all. He noticed that when the focus was somewhere else the glow seemed to diminish and she would watch the others, it almost looked like suspicion was in her eyes then rather than joy.

    James observed and considered things until well into the evening before he quietly slipped away. He needed some time to think, time away from all of the distractions. As he walked back inside he decided to go up to the library and just find a book to read. It wouldn't really matter what the book was, he just wanted time away to think. As he sat trying to read he thought about Mr. Blake again and the way he had handled Sabella. There was little doubt in his mind now about the Blake's. They were definitely Christians. While they didn't make a big deal about that, it was now clear to him that it truly was a big deal to them. They hadn't backed down or even hesitated when confronted about their faith. Mr. Blake had, in fact, stood solidly in place like a rock and refused to be moved. He hadn't pushed back; not really. He had just stood his ground. James smiled as he thought about him being just like a huge rock, solid and unmoving. Mr. Blake had remained unchanged by all that was going on; standing firm upon the rock of his faith.