Lynn and Leif Forevermore Ch. 33

Leif had to find tissues in his pocket for his mother. Linda was so moved, she was crying.

After the service, they got hugs from the congregation members thanking them for their testimony. The pastor met with them again, and gave them cards and an address to a website so they could find the local church in their own area.

The pastor also expressed regret that they were actual New Yorkers, because she would not be able to marry Leif and Lynne.

"Not if we get married here in LA," blurted Lynne.

"I'd love for you to get married in LA. Much prettier weather here than New York," said his mother with a chuckle.

"I mean, I need to discuss it with Leif, but we'll talk about it alone, and if he's comfortable marrying in LA, we'll think about-" said Lynne.

"Baby, you could say you wanted to get married on the Moon and I'd be there, doing exactly the kind of wedding you wanted, in my space suit. We talked about that before. The wedding is for you, to do pretty things that women enjoy. I just want all the days after the wedding, to spend for the rest of our lives. We can get married in LA if you want. Whatever my Lynney wants. It's your day. Get her card so you can coordinate her doing the ceremony," said Leif tenderly.

Leif was glad that they'd gone to church together. He took his ladies out for an early dinner, in a semi casual restaurant, where they ate outside by the beach.

He did apologize to the two of them for acting grouchy earlier about church. Lynne understood and appreciated his tenderness and his love, and not wanting to see her hurt. She also mentioned that she didn't have any desire to go overboard with church right now, but she just wanted a place to go occasionally when she wanted spiritual fellowship. Lynne also was glad to have a pastor that she liked to officiate their upcoming wedding.

She explained:

"I felt kind of lost, because I waned a pastor, or someone spiritual to be able to do it for us. It was hurting me to know that there was no one I knew that I could turn to and just ask them to marry us. I was thinking that it would be just some clerk or some judge, for some justice of the peace type wedding. I mean I know we don't know her well, but she is a woman of God. And I get a kick out of the fact that she's a woman. Women weren't allowed to hold any offices in my own church. But she's a woman, and she knows her flock, and she knows her bible and she wants to marry us. You never could have told me I'd ever be listening to a woman preacher, much less be getting married by one. Damn, I am coming out of my shell, and thank you both for this big, beautiful world out there you are introducing me to," said Lynne.

Her words were so heartfelt that Leif raised his vodka and cranberry mixer up to Lynne and they all toasted.

"I'm glad we found someone that you feel comfortable with to marry us. Maybe you were being led to check out that service today by some Higher thingy or something. Thanks for letting us see you outside your shell Tortoise. It's beautiful when you shine. And, this is putting you so behind on our bet about whether God is a male or a female. Last I checked, you were winning Lynney, with your actions on that fateful day, in convincing that god was a He. But, looks like our wedding officiator is a female. God has a helper, and she's a female. Looks like God is a chick today huh?" said Leif taking a healthy bite of his burger.

"If God is a woman, you shouldn't be calling her a chick. I see lightening in the forecast," said Lynne.

"Don't be so uptight little miss churchy pants. If the pastor had been male, I would have said, maybe god is a Dude. It's all spirits anyway. And you don't know if you have it right. He or She might tell you when you get there, that you should have been a Shinto but they will let you in anyway, with that sweet, pure heart of yours," said Leif.

His mother laughed.

"You two are just really silly. It's delightful to see-"

This was their argument, and he loved teasing her, and the spark that the differences drove, and how it seemed to heighten their bond. He could have never imagined differences enhancing a relationship before meeting Lynne.

Lynne chewed her Waldorf salad with extra relish, rolling her eyes. Then she chuckled, her eyes shining, ready to tease him.

"Then what's your excuse gonna be then, when you get there and meet he, she, or it, devilish as you are, just a royal mess," said Lynne.

"I'm hedging my bets by dabbling in it all. Even loving you is part of my religion baby. Lot's of calling on the higher power, it all counts," said Leif.

Lynne guffawed with laughter, and his mother quipped.

"That's quite enough Leif, I'm going to loose my dinner,"

"Yes Leif, behave yourself, and let's keep dinner PG for now," teased Lynne.

"I'm trying ladies, I'm trying, what more do you want from me, you had me cooped up in that church for two hours, on my absolute bestest behavior," he teased.

***