- Dorothy
- Paula
- Freda
- writing
- under
- her
- pen
- name
- Marianne
- Dora
- Rose
- presents
- a
- clean
- inspirational
- Christian
- romance
- entitled
- CELESTE.
- Two
- young
- women,
- Celeste
- and
- her
- long-time
- friend,
- Florence,
- each
- mired
- by
- two
- failed
- relationships,
- each
- in
- search
- of
- a
- man
- who
- can
- love
- them
- and
- commit
- to
- them
- with
- all
- his
- heart
- and
- soul,
- have
- lost
- hope
- of
- ever
- finding
- true
- lasting
- love.
- But
- there
- are
- two
- such
- men
- for
- them
- waiting
- to
- be
- discovered,
- if
- these
- two
- young
- women
- will
- but
- look
- past
- the
- physical
- and
- into
- the
- soul.Excerpts:
- ...
- As
- soon
- as
- she
- felt
- that
- Celeste
- was
- ready
- to
- meet
- a
- morally
- decent
- man
- to
- capture
- her
- heart,
- Aunt
- Sadie
- set
- about
- arranging
- blind
- dates
- for
- her,
- young
- devout
- Christian
- young
- men
- she
- considered
- worthy
- of
- her
- niece.
- Among
- them
- was
- Girard,
- a
- tall,
- slightly
- stout,
- broad-shouldered,
- pleasant-faced
- young
- man.
- He
- had
- sung
- in
- the
- Church
- choir
- since
- childhood,
- and
- as
- his
- voice
- deepened
- with
- maturity,
- so
- did
- his
- devotion
- to
- the
- Lord.
- His
- piety
- filled
- his
- mellow
- tenor
- hymns,
- and
- often
- brought
- tears
- to
- the
- Congregation
- as
- they
- attended
- Mass.
- ...
- Girard
- responded
- favorably
- to
- Aunt
- Sadie’s
- attempt
- to
- match
- him
- with
- Celeste.
- Unfortunately,
- although
- Celeste
- admitted
- she
- found
- him
- the
- nicest
- of
- the
- blind
- dates,
- as
- he
- was
- a
- gentleman,
- kindhearted
- and
- respectful,
- a
- gentle,
- good-humored
- soul,
- she
- had
- her
- eye
- on
- another
- boy,
- Barry,
- wilder,
- less
- devout,
- more
- worldly.
- They
- attended
- the
- same
- college,
- majoring
- in
- business
- courses,
- and
- decided
- to
- live
- together,
- study
- together
- and
- save
- on
- expenses.
- Midway
- their
- education,
- Barry’s
- father
- passed,
- and
- left
- him
- and
- his
- mother
- a
- sizable
- insurance
- benefit.
- Barry
- announced
- flatly
- that
- he
- was
- leaving
- the
- college
- and
- their
- apartment,
- and
- registering
- for
- Med
- School
- which
- he
- now
- could
- well
- afford.
- And
- that
- was
- that.
- Once
- again,
- Aunt
- Sadie
- tried
- to
- match
- her
- with
- Girard.
- But
- once
- again,
- unfortunately,
- she
- had
- already
- met
- Jake....
- “You
- were
- right
- about
- Jake,”
- Celeste
- admitted
- to
- her
- aunt.
- “But
- he’s
- out
- of
- my
- life
- now.”
“Come
- in
- dear.
- I’ll
- help
- you
- with
- your
- luggage.”
“Thank
- you.”
- The
- warmth
- of
- the
- kitchen,
- and
- heady
- scent
- of
- pie
- and
- newly
- perked
- coffee,
- emanating
- from
- the
- opened
- door,
- lightened
- the
- pang
- still
- gnawing
- at
- her
- heart
- at
- the
- mention
- of
- Jake.
- She
- turned
- to
- take
- the
- heavier
- of
- the
- two
- suitcases.
“Let
- me,”
- the
- man
- in
- the
- grey
- and
- black
- hooded
- button-down
- sweater,
- coming
- up
- the
- two
- steps
- to
- the
- front
- porch,
- offered.
“Girard,”
- Celeste
- gasped.
- “What
- are
- you
- doing
- here?”
- She
- didn’t
- wait
- for
- his
- answer
- and
- turned
- back
- to
- glower,
- “Aunt
- Sadie,
- you
- promised!”
“He’s
- not
- here
- for
- you.
- He’s
- here
- for
- the
- Apple
- Pie.
- You
- know
- I
- always
- invite
- him
- when
- I
- bake
- one.”
Girard
- said,
- “Not
- to
- worry,
- Celeste.
- I’m
- here
- only
- to
- welcome
- you
- back,
- and
- yes,
- for
- a
- slice
- or
- two
- of
- your
- aunt’s
- scrumptious
- pie.”
- He
- lifted
- the
- heavier
- suitcase.
- “Come
- on,
- let’s
- go
- have
- that
- pie.”
- He
- moved
- past
- her
- into
- the
- small
- foyer,
- and
- climbed
- to
- the
- upstairs
- hallway.
- “I’ll
- be
- right
- down
- for
- the
- other
- one.”
“All
- right,”
- Celeste
- scolded
- with
- a
- helpless
- glance
- at
- her
- smiling
- aunt....
- The
- receptionist
- addressed
- Celeste.
- “Mr.
- Michaels,
- Manager
- of
- our
- Installation
- department
- will
- see
- you
- as
- soon
- as
- you’re
- finished
- filling
- out
- your
- application.”
“Girard?”
- Celeste
- whispered
- to
- Florence.
The
- receptionist
- turned
- to
- Florence.
- "Your
- interviewer
- will
- be
- Mr.
- Brian,”
Florence
- asked,
- “Mr.
- Brian,
- as
- in
- William
- Brian?”
“Yes,
- that’s
- right.
- Mr.
- William
- F.
- Brian,
- the
- head
- of
- our
- Personnel
- department.”
“Wil,”
- Florence
- whispered.
- She
- glanced
- at
- Celeste.
- “I
- should
- have
- guessed.”
Celeste
- nodded.
- “They
- always
- were
- the
- best
- of
- friends.”
“But
- how
- did
- they
- know
- we
- were
- applying?”
- Florence
- remarked.
“I’ll
- give
- you
- three
- guesses,”
- Celeste
- said.
In
- unison,
- the
- two
- friends
- harmonized,
- “Aunt
- Sadie,
- who
- else.”
“I’m
- tempted
- to
- leave,”
- Celeste
- said.
Her
- friend
- entreated,
- “We’re
- desperate,
- remember?”
“Yes,
- we
- are,”
- Celeste
- replied,
- miffed.
- “Okay,
- let’s
- play
- their game.”
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