This Time(2)

"No! No, Burke Benning," she blurted out. The others gawked at her.

"Why not?" Dan wanted to know, peering over his glasses.

Desperate, Belle manufactured a weak reason. "Tyler McDermott's name is on reunion handbill.

"You have to do better than that," Gates said, arms crossed, giving Belle the eye. "The programs haven't been printed yet."

Belle squirmed, feeling cornered. "This is a committee," she argued. "Gates and Meg can't make the decisions like that without all of us weighing in."

Gates turned to the men. "Any objections?"

"No," they said with one voice.

"Well, I object," Belle said.

"Overruled," Spencer bellowed, sounding like a season judge rather than a lawyer.

"Sustained!" Belle fired back without thinking. She reddened at how ridiculous her own voice sounded as it echoed around the gym.

Everyone laughed. "You can't sustain an overruled, Belle," Spencer said, his laugh crowning every word.

I'm making no sense! I'm falling apart already. Blasted Burke.

Spencer stepped in front of her, his determined stare holding her gaze in a contest. "Belle, he's an NFL star running back. He's been All Pro since his rookie year. He was Rookie of the Year. He's an awesome athlete."

"I'm not impressed." Her words were flat and cold.

Gates pushed Spencer aside and took a turn. "Belle, I've known you since the Community Church Cradle Roll. You are one of my best friends, and one of the most extraordinary people I know. You are also one of the most inflexible. Put aside your personal feelings and realize the rest of the class would love to see Burke as emcee."

Meg added her logic to the argument. "This is the first reunion that he's attended since that spontaneous one we had the year after we graduated. It's an honor to have him. Not many small town high schools can say they have such a famous alumni."

"So, we make him Master of Ceremonies?" Belle challenged.

"Belle," Spencer began. "Give it up. It's five to one. He's going to emcee the Friday night events. It's a Square Dance, so there won't be much for him to do. Does that make you feel better?"

She looked at the determined faces of her committee. They wanted Burke Benning. No objection of hers would change their minds.

With a sigh, she conceded. She could never expect them to understand how the sound of Burke's name made her heart pound, her stomach weak and her mind confused.

For the past twelve years she'd managed to avoid him and the rest of the Benning family. Not an easy feat in a small town. Except for the magazine rack at the grocery checkout counter, she rarely saw him.

Now she would be confronted with him for an entire weekend. She shuddered. Yet, wasn't it that very morning she read the Apostle Paul's words, "I forget what lies behind and press forward to what lies ahead."

Obviously, she had not forgotten the past. She had not pressed forward. Not when it came to Burke.

Once, about ten years ago she had resisted a little nudge during a Sunday service to give Burke a call, to get it all out in the open, to clear the air. Forgive and move on.

But she could never bring herself to face him with the pain.

"Belle?" Spencer peered into her face. "You okay?"

She lifted her chin and glanced into his eyes, bringing her wandering thoughts into focus. "I'm fine. Let's go to the bleachers to discuss the rest of the reunion agenda."

Within an hour the reunion committee had finalized the weekend events, and each member had a list of to-do's.

Spencer and Meg jotted notes. Spencer in a leather bound organizer, and Meg in a cartoon covered notepad.

"I think that does it," Belle said.

"Great," Spencer said, tossing his organizer in his brief case and slapping his hands on his knees. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm hungry and thirsty. Anyone for a soda and burger at Charlie's?"

"Not me," Gates said, standing and moving down the bleachers. "Paul is grilling out tonight. He's holding down the fort until I get there."

"Well, my husband is not grilling out tonight, so if we are going to have dinner at my house, I need to get going," Meg said, following Gates.

Cody and Dan also had families waiting. "See ya'll," Belle called after them.

Spencer stood and reached for his briefcase and jacket. "Charlie's?" he asked Belle. "We can finish our conversation."

Belle gathered her papers and stuffed them in a worn leather saddlebag. The news of Burke's reunion appearance left her in no mood to deal with Spencer's romantic overtures. "Not tonight, Spence," she said, flinging the saddlebag over her shoulder and starting down the bleachers. "I'm tired, and in desperate need of a big bar of soap and a hot shower."

"Can I stop by a little later?"

"I'll be in my pajamas. Maybe another night," Belle said over her shoulder, as she stepped onto the gym floor and headed for the door.

"Belle," Spencer said with force. "You can't keep avoiding me. Avoiding us."

She turned and waved just before stepping outside, a weak smile on her lips, and heavy feeling coating her heart.

***

The Jamison ranch, Bar J, ran along the southern county line; six thousand acres of rich grazing land.