falseramona
Synopsis
Rose Gluck thought she had everything in life. Just out of high school, she spent her days working as a pioneer minister of her Jehovah’s Witness faith, going door-to-door teaching others about the Bible and the happifying future God had planned. She thought she knew what it meant to be happy, but things would change when Wyatt True, a recent graduate of the Ministerial Training School came to help her small country congregation.
Rose finds herself drawn to the dashing young brother and experiencing feelings that she never knew existed. Meanwhile, despite his vow of singleness, Wyatt can’t but help to fall for the beautiful young sister. Love is never easy, but it is particularly tough when you are a part of high control religion. The two seem headed toward happy ever after, but the Presiding Overseer of the congregation has his own plans for Rose. Now, Rose must now risk losing everything and everyone to be with the man of her dreams. Will she find eternal happiness?
Excerpt
Rose felt her face growing hot. She hated to be put on the spot and tried to reject the invite, but the entire bus was looking at her and prodding her to get up and sing. Wyatt walked midway down the aisle of the bus to where she was sitting and implored her.
The large sister next to her grabbed Rose by the shoulders and forcefully said, “Girl, don’t be shy.”
So Rose stood up and scooted past the sister’s ham-sized legs as the entire bus looked on. Wyatt made such a production of it, she hated to disappoint him. She’d almost rather be put on the spot and embarrass herself than to have him be embarrassed if she didn’t come up and sing after he had made such a fuss about it.
When they reached the front of the bus, Wyatt handed her the short green microphone that was wired into the bus’s sound system. She bowed her head hoping to avoid making eye contact with the bus group and folded her arms tightly in front of her in the manner she did when she felt uncomfortable.
“So Sister Gluck what song do you want to sing for us?” Wyatt asked.
Rose didn’t have to give it much thought. She immediately said her favorite, “Song Number 114 God’s Loyal Love.”
The fat brother with the ukelele looked it up in his songbook and finding it handed the book to the sister across the aisle to hold up for him so he could read the music as he played. Rose was unsure that she could follow along having never heard the song played on anything but a piano recording, but when he began plucking the nylon strings of his ukelele she immediately recognized the tune.
She swallowed and prepared herself to sing. When she came in her voice was not her normal singing voice, but a shaky, monotone parody of it. It was so different singing before a crowd of people than just being one voice among the rest of the congregation or in her car alone. She thought that perhaps she had overestimated her singing voice and only now was discovering the horrible truth — she couldn’t sing. As she went through the opening line she thought she heard snickering coming from the back of the bus where the teenagers were seated. When she hit the tinny, wilted chorus, “Hey there all you thirsting ones, come and drink life’s —” she stopped bruskly and handed the microphone back to Wyatt who was standing to side just behind her. As she passed the microphone back to him she said quietly, “I’m sorry; I can’t do this.”
She turned to walk back to her seat when she felt a hand catch her forearm, stopping her. Looking down, then back she saw that it was Wyatt’s hand. He smiled at her quickly before coming in gently with the next part of the chorus, “yes come drink you thirsty ones” Wyatt briefly paused giving her a reassuring nod that conveyed his confidence in her and she knew that with Wyatt True by her side she could do anything. She picked up the final part of the chorus, more sure than before as both of their voices together lifted and they confidently sang out, “God’s loving kindness see.”
With her newfound faith in herself, Rose’s voice smoothed out and her beautiful voice began singing the second verse of the Kingdom song. Because they now shared the microphone the two were turned to each other and Rose peered deeply into Wyatt’s dark brown eyes. He inspired her in ways she never thought possible. His hand moved down her arm to her hand, holding it softly. He continued singing with her and Rose was amazed at the quality of his firm tenor that fit with her soft soprano, like a hand in a glove.
When they reached the second chorus she let Wyatt take the lead and she began introducing backing harmonies. Together their voices swelled and carried over the melodious strumming of the ukelele. Another brother joined in using the seat back as a makeshift drum, holding down the rhythm leading into the third and final verse.
Wyatt smiled gently again and his eyes sparkled, before he turned back toward the bus, still holding the microphone between them. Rose now looked out at the bus full of her brothers and sisters with happy faces urging her on. She smiled broadly in response as she and Wyatt started the third verse together. It was such an exhilarating moment and she happy to share it with Wyatt. Her heart swelled along with the music that headed into the rousing third chorus.
Lost in the excitement of the moment Rose called out, “Everybody sing”, gesturing to the crowd to join them, and the entire bus sang out with the two for the final chorus. Wyatt handed the microphone over to Rose and began moving his now free hand like an orchestra conductor leading the bus in a rousing praise to Jehovah.
As the song drew out to the final “Yes come drink you thirsting ones,” the ukelele player, as if feeling the moment, improvised an extended, melodic trill. Wyatt stopped conducting the crowd and a hush fell over the bus. He turned back to Rose putting his hand over hers that held that the microphone. The ukelele faded to silence and Wyatt gently angled the microphone down toward Rose’s lips for the final line.
Rose did not hesitate, but looked right up into Wyatt’s eyes and sang with a sweet vibrato, “God’s loving kindness …” She paused slightly, letting herself soak in the moment. She was now miles away from that shy, timid creature that had started the song just minutes earlier. Rose could feel a magnetism between Wyatt and she wondered if she imagined it or if his face had drifted closer to hers. His eyes gently fixed upon her as if in a trance. Her lips parted for the last word of the song and with a heart full of confidence and love she sang, “seeeeeeeeeeeeee”, holding it out softly, her voice pulling Wyatt in even closer.
Still holding their gaze, Rose absently lowered the microphone, almost if subconsciously wanting to eliminate the one thing that stood between their ready lips. The bus was silent. In Rose’s mind the rest of the group had simply ceased to exist. It was just her and him. Wyatt’s breath quickened a bit and she desperately wanted him to kiss her.
Then suddenly enthusiastic applause broke out from the bus group jolting Rose and Wyatt from their love-locked sight. They quickly snapped back to reality and Wyatt awkwardly pulled away from her taking the microphone into his hand. Turning to the bus group he said, “Thank you Sister Gluck”, awkwardly shaking her left hand he was still holding on to.
