Crest & Shield - Chapter Ten

“Get your feet out of my face!” screams Liz for the umpteenth time “They stink and you are infecting all of us with that horrendous smell!”




Lila umphs, “My feet don’t nearly smell as bad as you do! You’re stinking up this entire van with all of your gagging potpourri perfume! Do you really need to wear so much in here to cover up your own body odor?!”



“Shut-up! I can’t stand you talking any more!” Liz violently turns and sticks ear phones in her ears. She then props up a Little Kitty pillow against the window and flops her legs on the bench seat while trying to become comfortable in the minivan.



Lila searches through her gigantic lime and mustard handbag. She pulls out a pair of bright fuchsia sleeping shades which she lowers over her eyes. Lila crosses her arms and swings her legs while fading off into her own world.



Ellen is driving with the speakers blaring through the front of the minivan to block out the hours of arguing between the Steeles. Next to her in the passenger seat, Anne is intently reading one of her favorite latest summer paperback novels that she borrowed from the library.



Later trying to drown out the loud snores from the back of the van, Ellen turns to Anne and asks her if she wants to talk because she is getting a little sleepy from the boredom of the unchanging landscape on the horizon. “What are you looking forward to doing the most at the training school this week-end?” asks Ellen.



“Liz said that she heard from one of her friends from the Tabernacle that Willoughby is playing the bass in the praise and worship band at the training school for the week-end!” excitedly states Anne “I can hardly wait! We have so much to catch up on and his grandma shouldn’t be there to interfere so we can be together as much as we want to”.



With a look of compassion Ellen begins, “I’m glad you will be able to see him. Maybe it will give you some time to sort things out and find out what has been happening.” Anne smiles “I know. There is so much we need to catch up on!”



“Have you heard any news of Ted lately?” returns Anne.



“No, other than what Liz has told me. He is suppose to be there this week-end and maybe we’ll have an opportunity to talk if everything works out all right” sighs Ellen “Liz has made all kinds of plans to spend time with him as far as I know.”



“Hopefully everything will work out for both of us” responds Anne “It’s so much better being able to talk face-to-face.”



Ellen is lost in her own thoughts. She doesn’t want to expect too much but neither does she want to miss any opportunities of being able to talk with Ted. Wishfully Ellen hopes that he is as excited to see her as she is in being able to see him again. The last three months have been very quiet and she is not sure where she stands even as far as a friend in his life.



“Since we’re getting closer I need to pull out the GPS to make sure we don’t get lost on our way to the training school. I vaguely remember how to get there but mostly through markers such as gas stations and grocery stores but not using street names” recalls Ellen.



“Just one more hour to go” looking back at Lila loudly snoring with her mouth wide open and Liz drooling on her pink pillow against the window “I can hardly wait to get out of this cramped van and in our own place” confirms Anne.



A little while later, “We’re nearly there. Just ten more minutes.” Anne calls out. Lila digs through her bag to put on some fresh make-up. Liz stretches her arms and legs after her very long nap. While brushing her hair she leans forward to Ellen, “How much longer? This trip has taken forever! I’m sure that Ted is so excited and anxiously waiting for me to arrive. I’ve bought a brand new outfit to wear in his favorite color!”



“You have an outfit in every color” explains Lila “you just like to shop.”



“Well, that may be so but I’m going to look good tonight for Ted just the way he likes to see me” answers Liz “actually that’s not too hard because I always look good.”



Anne leaning back into the car seat where she can’t be seen by the others rolls her eyes and acts like she is passing out from too much information. Ellen catches her acting ability out of the corner of her eye and chuckles. It is definitely time to get out of the car.





The minivan arrives through the heavy black iron gates blocking out the impoverished neighborhood but also providing some limited physical protection for the current student residents. The campus of its various buildings in all different shapes and sizes from the decade in which they were built, are huddled closely together on the grounds. Buildings are named after former commissioners who during their tenure as territorial commanders wanted an edifice built in their honor so they would be remembered for posterity.



Generally the school is capable of holding approximately one hundred students per session or two hundred students and residential staff at one time. However for decades now the school has barely reached half of its capacity but still longs to have its halls filled with passionate mission-minded spiritual pastors. One day perhaps this will happen.



The well manicured lawns are lush green with delicate vibrant flowers trimming the full and blossoming myrtle trees. Assorted luminous butterflies crowd the sidewalks and dance among the shrubs and hedges. Large emerald ferns hang from the porch ledges where ivory rocking chairs are situated to provide some comfort and shelter from the blazing sun.



As they drive through the flawless grounds, a picturesque prayer garden rests as a guardian in the focal point of the campus. Intricately carved russet stained wooden benches align the marble sanctuary of solitude and worship. It is the focal point of the school and is a constant reminder of the essential purpose for which the educational institution was created.



The school is a place much more critical and necessary than the brick, cement, or wood that physically holds the buildings together. It is a center for equipping and preparation, but also a place for the endowment of not only knowledge but wisdom as well.



Ellen finds a spot marked “visitors only” and moves the van into place. Liz states “Thank God were here – and I’m not saying that in vain either.” Lila smirks “Yeah, this time you can get by with it”. Ellen and Anne share a mutual look and smile to themselves. Liz retorts, “Whatever.”



Anne has a lavender suitcase and matching cosmetic bag which interlocks with each other on wheels. Ellen grabs her Samsonite luggage and large filled to capacity book bag. “Why did you bring so many books? When are you going to have time to read them? You knew that you would be driving too because no one else wants to” notices Anne.



“Well you never know. I like to read in the evenings before I go to sleep. I don’t know which book I’ll be in the mood for” responds Ellen.



“Just so you know, I am not helping you carry any of them” remarks Anne.



“I haven’t asked you yet, have I?” retorts Ellen.



Next Lila pulls out a Sponge Bob suitcase. Everyone stares at the suitcase for a moment but doesn’t say anything. Anne starts to say something, but Ellen looks at her and she decides that the question is not worth asking.



Liz after finishing applying her red lipstick starts to grab her leopard print suitcase that is in the largest size that can be purchased from the back of the minivan. “Can someone help me please? This is too heavy and I can’t get it out by myself!” annoying yells Liz.



Anne asks, “How did you get this in the back before leaving?”



“If you remember, I made Lila help me but she has selfishly gone off and left me to do this by myself!” angrily states Liz.



Ellen without saying anything helps Liz lift her oversized luggage out of the van along with her other two smaller and more reasonable size suitcases.



While Ellen moves ahead and struggles with the heaviest piece of luggage, Anne surveys what is left “Why did you bring so much junk?” none too politely asks Anne before considering what the response might be.



“Ted likes to see me look great. I won’t know exactly what I need until the time comes. I want to be prepared. Ted has his favorite outfits he likes to see me in. He loves to see me look good” snootily replies Liz.



Anne raises one side of her lip and decides it is best if she just ignores Liz for the rest of the week-end because they still have the ride home in a few days.



They head to the registration table in the community room and are given an empty two bedroom guest apartment that they will all have the privilege of sharing together. The four of them blankly stare at the single female Home Officer with large hazel eyes and a warm friendly smile when they hear these words of encouragement, “All of you already know each other. It will be like one huge slumber party!”



Lila snapping on her overused gum is the only one to respond sarcastically out loud, “Yeah, maybe” while grabbing the code cards for the door.



The women drag all the trappings of their luggage across the campus grounds. Fortunately Liz quickly flirts and finds another male cadet to help her lug the heavy leopard burden.



“To an outsider we might appear to be a caravan of misfits” thinks Ellen to herself. “We all look like we have been in a van traveling together for 17 hours even make-up at the moment doesn’t fix it.”



On arriving at the guest apartment each girl claims a bed and throws open their suitcases. A shower schedule is quickly organized so everyone can be refreshed and still manage to have hot water. Lila opens her small cooler of sodas which she managed to tow from the van and places the sodas and juices in the fridge.



Liz looks at the cooler. “Why didn’t you tell me you brought the cooler on the trip? We could have had pop on the way.”





“I was saving it for while we are here. I didn’t know if they would have pop machines or not” nonchalantly replies Lila. Liz shakes her head at Lila and walks away with a can of pop in her hand.



“I need to find Ted. Janice, my friend who works in the office, said that he is not arriving until tomorrow because of some previous engagement. He must be worried sick to know if I have arrived or not” dramatically sighs Liz “I need to text him so he knows that I am all right”.



While Liz grabs her phone from her purse, Anne whispers to Ellen, “I checked on the registration list and Willoughby hasn’t arrived either. But I saw that the praise team is scheduled to have a rehearsal tonight at the Tabernacle before all the events start at the school tomorrow morning.”



Ellen nods and bites the edge of her lip with slight hesitation, “Tomorrow is going to be an interesting and exciting day for all of us.”



Liz looks at the time and tells everyone she is headed for her beauty rest. Anne yawns and heads off to her room too. Lila is already sleeping on the floor, Liz kicks her lightly in the side to which she sleepily gets up and grabs her pillow to head to their room as well.



Reaching down into her bag, Ellen finds a book that she has been waiting to read for awhile. She hopes that by reading, it will deflect her from the other concerned thoughts that want to dwell on the possibility of seeing Ted tomorrow. The book doesn’t help.



Ellen wonders if Ted will snub or worse yet reject her when she sees him tomorrow. She really hopes that he will be excited to see her too and want to talk with her but his silence has left that possibility more of a rarer choice. “At least I will know for sure if I should move on or not” thinks Ellen to herself “or maybe the real answer is that it will make me able to and force me to move on. However, staring at this book all night isn’t going to solve anything. It’s going to be an enlightening day tomorrow. I just hope I am ready for it.”