Fiction

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Waiting
Looking out over the ocean, small wave after small wave washing ashore, Brittany stood, her bare feet squishing in the wet sand, feeling the cool waters wash over them. She was waiting. Waiting for something to happen.
She finished school, graduated from college and had come back home to teach at her old school in this small coastal town in Florida. She wasn't getting any younger. In fact, she had already celebrated her thirtieth birthday- with family and a few close friends, and of course, her students. Her whole fourth grade class loved having a party for their old teacher. Now, she was nearing her fortieth birthday and still, she was waiting. Waiting for what exactly? Brittany didn’t know. She guessed she was waiting on life. For her, it seemed as if life would finally begin for her when she had a husband to make a home with. Her sisters were married. Her niece was married. Pretty much all of her friends were married. So why wasn't she? She didn't think it was because she wasn't attractive- she was, even if she was a little overweight. But she had pretty blue eyes, a cute nose, and had been told that she had a great smile. So, why hadn't Mister Right come along yet? She had certainly dated plenty of Mister Wrongs.
Feeling the warm breeze play with her short hair, continuing to blow it around her face, tickling along the bridge of her nose, she couldn't help but feel that a Someone was waiting there, next to her. Waiting for something himself. She couldn't see him, but she could feel his eyes on her. She went to church every Sunday. Sang the same old hymns her grandmother used to hum to herself while doing dishes. She shook hands with the people she'd known her whole life. She promised to be back Sunday and Wednesday evenings for Bible study. Did Brittany realize that while she talked to all of these people, that she was avoiding talking to one Person in particular? One who wanted to hear more from her than just "please bless me with a husband" or "please help me" in whatever area she needed help in at that time.
No. Brittany never really gave him much thought until she needed him. She didn't talk with him like her grandmother used to. She didn't treat him like the Father she no longer had. She didn't even treat him like a friend who you go to when things are good. She really only went to him when things went bad and she needed someone to dump on and claim to not understand.
So, there, on the beach, that breezy Saturday morning, they stood. Side by side. Not talking as usual. Her waiting on the husband she didn't have and the life she didn't feel she's started living yet. And him, waiting for this daughter he loved more than his own life, to talk to him and acknowledge his presence in her life.

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