Chapter 10

At breakfast, Paul and Linda gave us a funny look. Lisa said, "We had Stargazer connect us again when we loved. To know what the other is feeling is explosive. I know what I am doing to Al and he knows what he is doing to me but, even more, we can feel what the other is feeling while it's happening. It's a reinforcing circle."

Paul said, "Lisa, Al, you two made a powerful couple. Enhanced by Stargazer, it's a bit scary even to hear about it." He looked at his watch. "It's time to get ready for Sunday school and church." He refreshed his coffee and headed upstairs with Linda behind him.

Lisa and I refreshed our coffees and headed up, too. She said, "That's the first time I can remember seeing my father befuddled. We and Stargazer have had an effect."

I said, "Yes, I think the rapid movement of our becoming a couple has surprised him and Stargazer has kept him off balance.

"I'll wash your back if you'll wash mine."

She laughed. "Your washing skills are way overmatched by your fondling skills."

We went into the shower and washed each other thoroughly. We were clean and a bit flushed of face, too. I shaved while Lisa played with her hair and put on her dab of makeup. I went into my room to put on my clothes as did she. We met again in the bathroom to check ourselves in the mirror. We matched up pretty well. Lisa was wearing her engagement ring. We decided all was well, gave each other a light kiss, and headed downstairs.

We met Paul and Linda at the door and got in his car to ride to the church. Lisa took me to her Sunday school class. I found out that she taught seventh graders, eight boys and nine girls. She came in saying, "Good morning, everyone." Lisa was wearing a mini dress and looked hot. The boys were watching her enter. The girls were, too. I stepped in with her with my hand in hers.

Two of the girls said, "Wow!"

Lisa held up her left hand and said, "I would like you all to meet my fiancé, Al Chambers. We will be married in a couple of months."

One of the guys said, "Lucky stiff! He's marrying one of the prettiest ladies in town."

I looked at him and said, "I think so, too."

One of the girls who said, 'wow' sidled up to me and said, "Mister Chambers, you didn't give any of the rest of us a chance."

"There will be plenty of chances for you just not with me." I smiled at her and she blushed deeply.

Lisa said, "Okay. That's enough drooling, girls. I saw him first and nailed him down.

"Now, let's talk about the Two Towers."

"Miss Lisa, I was reading that the two towers were Sauron's Barad-dûr in Mordor and Saruman's Orthanc in Isengard. Both of those are evil in the book. Was Tolkien suggesting that we choose between evils?"

I started. Lisa looked at me and said, "Al, what do you say?"

"Uh. Tolkien would never suggest that we choose between evils. He would suggest that we choose which one to attack first. His friend, C. S. Lewis, would support that thinking. I would think that Tolkien would support fighting against both but might suggest that we pick our fight.

"For instance, if you knew for a fact that in the middle of next month a hurricane would come through town and rip it apart and that, tomorrow, a tornado would come through town and rip it apart, which one would you prepare for first?"

"The tornado."

"Correct! In 'The Two Towers, ' Tolkien has the big first battle and sees it through to the end. Orthanc is toppled and Saruman's power is stripped from him. Then, Aragorn's face turns toward the bigger issue of Sauron.

"In World War Two, the allies defeated Italy before taking on the more serious foe, Germany. The books were written as World War Two was commencing. Tolkien felt the horror of the coming war keenly. At that time, the two evil axis powers were Germany and Italy. While that may be reading too much into Tolkien, it does work.

"Let's hear from my lovely lady, Miss Lisa."

"First, Al is right Tolkien's work was critiqued by Lewis. They were friends along with some others. Second, the title came from the paper shortage and the times when it was published. I believe and some letters of Tolkien suggest that Al is correct."

She said, "Let's pray and dismiss early. I want to show everyone my ring and my guy."

She prayed. With an "amen," the girls crowded around her to see her ring. The guys crowded around me some. One of the guys said, "Where did you meet her?"

"We met at the fitness center when her Ipod quit working. I fixed it and asked to meet her at the juice bar. We had smoothies together."

"That's not much of a pickup."

"No but it worked. I wasn't looking to get married. I just wanted to meet someone nice to talk to. The rest of it just happened."

"You just wanted to talk to her!"

"Initially. She seemed to be serious about her exercise, had a great smile, and looked smart. My thinking was friends. After we got to know each other came any thought of romance."

"What kind of work do you do?"

"I'm an engineer but I have taken some time off because of sickness. I'm better now.

"I saved enough money to take my time looking for work. Lisa and I will be married first."

Lisa said, "Enough. I want to take him away. You will see him next week and after that. I want to show him off to others while he's still 'new.'" They laughed but let us leave. We quickly caught up with Lisa's parents to hear her mother say, "Here's the happy couple now!"

Linda and Paul were standing with two other couples. Linda said, "Al, please meet friends of ours. This is Marcia and Jack Baker and Reg and Cathy McNamara. This Al Chambers, Lisa's fiancé. Lisa had my left hand in hers and I extended my right to both couples and shook hands with all four.

Lisa held up her ring with her free hand. She said, "I am so happy to be with Al. He's a good man."

All four were attractive people though there was a look about Cathy McNamara that wasn't pleasant. Lisa whispered, "She has a son she wanted me to date."

Cathy said, "That's not a very big diamond." Everybody was quiet.

Lisa looked at her and smiled blandly. "It's an heirloom. Everything else about him is gorgeously bigger than life."

Paul laughed loudly as did the Bakers. Linda had a fiendish smile. She looked like she was preparing to say something but I noticed Paul touch her arm.

Cathy McNamara looked at me and said, "Where do you work, Al?"

I decided that I could probably play one up as well as anyone. I said mildly, "I'm looking for a business to buy. Right now, I'm concentrating on some acreage and building a new home for my bride. Do any of you know of any businesses having difficulty that need to be operated well and made profitable?"

Cathy brusquely said, "No. Let's go Reggie." She and her husband left.

Paul was trying with only moderate success to keep from laughing really loudly. He clapped me lightly on the shoulder. "That was better than you know, Al. We'll talk about it later."

Linda and Lisa pulled us gently but firmly toward the sanctuary. We went in and took seats. The first hymn was another that I recognized when the organ started. Lisa and I sang the alto and bass parts together. I have to admit singing with her was something we had to do more often. It was fun.

After the hymn, the associate pastor asked for announcements and Lisa stood up pulling me with her. "Jenna, we have an announcement. Al caught me in a moment of rare good sense when he asked me to marry him. I accepted his proposal." She waved her left hand in the air letting her ring flash in the church lights. The congregation laughed lightly.