I’d been prowling around the room where we waited between performances since the minute we’d left the stage, which had been about six minutes. Others were watching the stage on a closed-circuit TV, and others were grabbing dinner from the buffet, but I wasn’t hungry, and I was too nervous to watch the concert, although why exactly I was nervous I couldn’t explain. I think I wanted to be able to claim ignorance if someone onstage said something I couldn’t explain or said something offensive. Not that I’d ever known anyone here to do such a thing, but there might always be a first, and I didn’t want to witness it if it happened today.

I was also nagged by the fact that I’d ducked his kiss on my way out. Something about kissing in church didn’t seem right. I wasn’t sure why I thought it was wrong, or if I even thought it was wrong, or if I was just projecting “God doesn’t approve of sexuality” myths onto the church.

“Closing remarks coming up,” was stated from within the TV crowd. Everyone stood and straightened clothes and hair and lined up near the door. I took my place along with them and ached another prayer as we made our way up the back stairs.

Back on stage I was grateful I knew the songs well enough to sing them without thinking. I was a mess inside. I was beginning to regret my decision not to listen to the message; now I wanted to know what kinds of questions I was in for.

We finished the last song, and as the orchestra played a postlude, the singers filed offstage and down into the room below. After a few minutes of discussion we all drifted back up to the sanctuary, and as everyone else went to the lobby to stretch their legs and meet up with friends and family, I snuck back to the associate pastor’s office.

“You did great!” Missy squealed as I entered. She and Jane both hugged me, and Jack smiled warmly. “What’s the game plan now?” Missy asked.

I did some quick math. “I have about twenty-five minutes left before the next concert starts, but that’s not enough time to do anything, so Jack, if you want to go back to my place to hang out, I can give you the keys.”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked a bit on his feet. “Well, now, I don’t know. I might just stay and watch the next service, too.”

I nearly fell over. “Seriously?” Missy and Jane looked just as stunned.

He nodded. “That Greg guy was really good. Very interesting. Do you think he’d be able to talk after the next concert?”