“So,” Lauren began, “I see the rumors are true. You did move here to Mountain Province Zarinna.” She continued. “It’s nice to see you again!” Lauren tried her best to put on a sincere smile, eyeing both of the ladies that stood before her.

“Indeed, Lauren…” Zarinna managed to reply, “I’m guessing you’re here for the interview of guidance counselor applicants, right?”

“I am!” Lauren beamed, “And what about you? What are you doing here?” She queried, eyeing Zarinna from head to toe. Surely she’s not an employee here right? She hoped in silence.

“Ah, I teach here, Lauren.” Zarinna’s reply sent a wave of displeasure to Lauren’s being. What!?

“Oh,” Lauren breathed, “I don’t see you wearing the DepED uniform. Since when?”

“Since June. My uniform hasn’t been sewn yet that’s why,” Zarinna replied with a smile, “By the way, this is Gina Gacusan, one of the math teachers here too.” With this, Lauren reached out to meet the short-haired woman’s outstretched hand, pushing away the heaviness she felt as she heard the woman speak.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Lauren!” Gina greeted.

“Nice to meet you too Ma’am!” Lauren replied, taking in a breath as she took a step back. “Well! I best be going now, I still have a lot of paperwork to work on,”

“Alright, Lauren. Take care.”

“Have a wonderful day Ma’am Gina,” She smiled at the woman, “Zarinna,” The way she glanced towards Zarinna was nothing short of a glare, but at this point, she couldn’t care less. Zarinna nodded towards her and with this, Lauren swiftly turned away and walked out of the campus. Her chest heaved heavily with each step, frustration building up within her heart as she processed the information she received. Of all schools, Why here!?

Lauren released a heavy sigh, slowing down as she caught herself swimming in her own frustration again. Lord, you have to help me. She prayed in silence. Take this thing away…

Zarinna hastened her steps as she reached the school gate, swift to open the guard’s office so she can register her time of departure from the school, as they all do. She had to get home early today, the thought of the papers waiting for her to be graded clouded her mind. She placed the sling bag upon the side table and walked towards the timecards. Zarinna pulled the jacket she wore closer to her body, sighing as she registered her time-out. A few moments and she heard the door click open. Lifting her gaze, a wave of apprehension engulfed her being. The sight of Lauren occupied her vision. It had been a week since she found out Lauren was accepted as an assistant counselor, and a feeling of discomfort never left her since.

“Hi, Zarinna…” She heard Lauren speak.

“Hello, how was your day, Lauren?”

“It’s been great! How about you?”

“Same goes for me, I’m glad you seemed to have become well- adjusted here so fast,” Zarinna stepped away from the time cards as she spoke, giving way for Lauren to step in.

“Of course! I grew up here, after all. It’s not much of a new thing to me.” Lauren finished registering her time-out and began to walk to the side table as she spoke.

“I see,” Zarinna breathed.

An awkward silence filled their midst as they walked outside of the campus. Beginning the day she confessed in the church, Zarinna could never look at Lauren the same again, and she knew the same was for the woman beside her. She had this special degree of disgust the day she found out about the affair. Lauren had never quite liked her since the beginning, though, which probably explained why she hated her, even more, when her sin was exposed.

“So,” Lauren’s voice tore Zarinna from her thoughts, thus breaking the silence that flooded their midst. “How have you been, Zarinna?” Zarinna gazed towards Lauren’s fare countenance, taking a moment to appreciate the woman’s likely features.

“I’ve been well. What do you intend to know, exactly?”

“Uhh, I don’t mean to pry, really,” Lauren began, “I’ve honestly just been curious about…” She cleared her throat, “You know, you and him.”

Zarinna dropped her gaze to the ground, “Oh that,” Zarinna took in a breath, unsure of the exact words to say. “Well, we’ve broken up, I came here, haven’t heard from him since,” Zarinna confessed.

“Really?” Zarinna flashed Lauren a brief glance. For the first time, Zarinna somehow heard a genuine tone from Lauren’s words.

“Yes. I mean, he still texts me from time to time but…”

“But?”

“I wouldn’t know what to say anyway so…”

“Ah…”

Once again, silence reigned in the midst of them, Zarinna can swear she heard her heartbeat inside her chest as they walked.

“Well! I’m glad it’s over.” Lauren remarked, “I just hope that... this is all true.” Zarinna felt a pang of shame as she heard Lauren’s words, lowering her head lest she reveals the embarrassment that filled her being.

“Goodbye, Ma’am Zarinna,” She heard Lauren speak, and with this, the woman began to walk away.

Zarinna couldn’t justify being mad that Lauren doubted her; after all, she did some awful things that disappointed many, not only her. She could only hope that somehow she can show them how she deeply regrets her past actions.

Zarinna pushed the door of the church open, raking the loose strands of hair upon her face away with her fingers as she stepped in.

“Hello?” She called out, scattering her gaze around the church. Hmm, nobody else seems to have arrived yet. Turning around, she made her way towards the pulpit and pulled from below it the song lyrics they were going to sing today. She had been practicing with the worship team for a few weeks now as an acoustic guitarist, and joy filled her heart each time that she thought of the fact. Being used for the Glory of God gives her a fulfillment no other endeavor can provide. She lifted the guitar from the stand, gathering it in her middle as she sat down. Sounds of strings mingling together in harmony instantly filled the room as she began to pluck each chord. There was only one thing missing, a voice.

“Mountains are still being moved,” Zarinna opened her mouth, hitting each note as she released the melody from her vocal cords. “Strongholds are still being loosed. God we believe it, ‘cause yes we can see that wonders are still what You do…” she confessed in song.

“Bodies are still being raised, giants are still being slain!” The sound of her declaration echoed in the room. In isolation, she felt her heart melt to the Presence that slowly overwhelmed her being. “God we believe it, ‘cause yes we can see that… Wonders are still what you do.” With each word sung, Zarinna allowed her spirit to rise above her flesh, yielding as the Spirit of God took domination of her heart.

“We are here for You! Come and do what You do… We are here for You! Come and do what you do… We need a move, oh we need a move, yes we need a move, we need a move…” Gladness and peace surged Zarinna’s heart as she sang, swept away completely by the Presence that clothed her being. She knew in the back of her mind that people would potentially come in any minute now, but something inside her urged her to sing on.

Sing on, beloved, sing on…

In spontaneity, she sang her heart to God, yearning, longing, desperate for more. In times like this, time seemed absent, and with this, she continued to praise. The thought of her sin, more than once had crossed her mind, and more than once she felt His love overcome it as well. It didn’t take much time till her face was overcome by tears. It had been such a long time, such a long time since she felt this much Presence, and she didn’t want to leave. Many years had she lived deprived of the Presence of God, many nights had she felt left alone, many times had she suffered the experience of God’s distance, and now that she basks in It so freely, she couldn’t muster the will to stop. Indeed, Deprivation draws out desire.

“I give You praise…” She spoke with tune, “Oh I give You praise, Jesus…” Little by little, her words become whispers, like that of a man and woman when in their private chambers, “I love you, My Lord... Thank You, LO—“

A loud thud resounded across the room, startling Zarinna from her seat. Instantly she swung her gaze to the door, a man’s form occupied her vision.

“I’m so sorry,” David apologized, “I intended to walk in unnoticed. It’s just that my helmet- uh” David lowered his head sheepishly.

“Oh,” Zarinna began, “I-it’s okay, Pastor, I was just singing…” She ran her palms across her face, wiping the tears frantically as she composed herself.

I knew something like this would happen. Zarinna grimaced.

“Yeah, singing very intimately I must add,” David remarked, “The Presence of God is so evident in this place, the minute I stepped in I felt Goosebumps.”

“Oh really?” Zarinna eyed the man, “I didn’t think it would… I thought I was the only one feeling that.”

“Anybody walking in here would definitely be aware of it,” David spoke with a smile, settling himself on one of the pews.

“Wow, God is good, indeed!” Zarinna remarked.

“You have quite the anointed voice Zarinna, why don’t you lead worship?” Zarinna sat back down to her chair as she heard David’s words.

“Well, I’ve been asked to do so by Gina and the others but…” Zarinna took in a breath, “I felt that I wasn’t ready yet at that time.”

“Oh, what do you mean?”

“I…” For a moment, Zarinna couldn’t muster the courage to speak, unsure of the right words to say, “It’s a really long story Pastor. Maybe not this time…” David nodded as he heard her words.

“I understand.” He assured, “But how about now? Don’t you feel a change about that?” Silence filled their gap.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Zarinna began, the memory of her short encounter with God a few minutes earlier still fresh, as though it clung to her being “But I might begin to consider it beginning today.”

“Yeah, you should Zarinna…” David replied, glad of the answer he heard. The sound of her voice still ringed in his head, all the more amazed at how this voice held such anointing as she sang. Fascination filled his heart as he looked upon the woman before him – anointed women glow differently, indeed. And he couldn’t resist the smile that formed upon his lips as he re-acknowledged it in his mind.

“Pastor?” David snapped back into reality as he heard Zarinna’s voice, “Do I have something on my face?” She asked wonder painted all over her features – lovely.

“Oh,” David chuckled, “There’s nothing.”

“Ah,” Zarinna nodded in relief. With this, she stood and began taking the woven covers from the musical instruments around the altar, preparing them for use for the nearing service.

“These woven fabrics are so beautiful aren’t they, Pastor?” Zarinna spoke, breaking the silence that filled the room.

“Yes, that’s true,” David agreed, “That must be one of the reasons why my grandmother enjoys making them so much.” Zarinna came to a halt as she heard David’s words.

“Your grandmother?” She echoed.

“Yes, why?”

“You mean, Allapo Lumnay is your grandmother, Pastor?”

“Uhuh, what’s with that reaction?” David narrowed his eyes in anticipation, bewildered of Zarinna’s sudden interest in his grandmother.

“Oh yeah!” Zarinna snapped, “I do remember Gina telling me she had a grandson who was a pastor here. So that’s you!” Zarinna nodded in percipience.

“Yup, that’s me.” David chuckled, “Why do you have such interest in Allapo Lumnay?”

“Yeah, I really wanted to speak to her about teaching me how to weave, Pastor. It’s a dream I’ve had since high school.” Zarinna explained, “I was just a bit shy to ask since she’s not really familiar with me yet.”

“I see,” David began, “That’s not a problem. I can introduce you to her.”

“Really Pastor? Thank you!” Zarinna beamed.

“Yeah, if you really want to learn you can come with us this afternoon to her house. I think She’d be thrilled to have someone to mentor.”

A/N : Just in case someone's wondering what the song Zarinna sang in this Chapter, the title is 'This is a Move' by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. I love this song! Never fails to give me chills each time I sing or listen to it. 👇

Anyhoo, what do you guys think of this Chapter? I'd be thrilled to know what you think. 😃Thanks so much for giving this story some of your time...

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Blessings! ✝