EVERY PIE HAS ITS CRUST

            "Kneading dough is no piece of cake." With full lips a pout, Terra Eskew puffed at scrunchie escaped dark hair.

            "That's," Smitten Kitchens laugh swished her palomino pony tail, "that's because cake be doughless.  I think to bake the cake takes, like, batter?"

            "Exactly," Terra agreed, "doughless, unlike making pie crust, like we are doughing," Terra chuckled at her little play on words, but added, "Just how did we inherit the unofficial family title of Thanksgiving pie makers?" With back of hand Terra dabbed at the salty dew of labor on her nose, but succeeded only in covering her freckles in white flour.

            As she prepared apple filling, Smitten smiled, contemplated not telling Terra, but, "You look so cute with snow capped nose."

            "What?" Terra's brown eyes crossed, fought to focus on tip of nose. "So you are saying my nose is like a snow capped mountain?"

            Smitten giggle vibrated her far more than a tad baby bump gainst counter. "Hold still, silly," Smitten took a break from carving apples.  Her green eyes a sparkle reflected, told the tale of care, the red and white checkered apron borne by right hand, as she reached up to dab flour from Terra nose.

            "That's my Smitten, been keeping your too tall gal pal's nose clean since third grade." Terra pounded dough.

            "Little rough on the dough aren't we there, Terra?" Smitten knew. She was not supposed to know, but she knew that Terra look, that dough of guilt, that forbidden apple pie that ate at the heart of Terra.  Thus Smitten with slip of lip swept up the past, "From the floor of the mind... stir wisps of dust... whispers of time..." That breath, oh how it breathed Smitten heart; yet she sucked air back in thru teeth, bit that lowered lip, too late to retrieve words born.

            Terra mirrored Smitten bite of lower lip, then whispered, "The slip of the tongue is seldom silk, nor without season." She sprinkled white flour over dough, rubbed flour on rolling pin, and rolled not so merrily along.

            "Nobody's perfect." To bowl of carved apples, Smitten added smidgen of allspice, yet now the herb of rub.

            Trembling lip the quiet of Terra betrayed.

            "Sorry." Wrinkled brow of Smitten winced.

            After a tad more quiet, Terra ceased rolling of sour dough. "So you know," she whispered.

            Twas Smitten turn to weigh the quiet, a quiet that echoed off rue mountain.

            "We didn't plan it." Terra closed shades of eyes. "It," she took breath, opened eyes, and with those full pout lips sighed, "it just happened."

            "Yeah," thru apron Smitten rubbed pregnant tummy, "stuff happens."

            "I am so sorry," Terra put her hand over Smitten's on her swollen tummy.

            "I am sorry too." Smitten stared out kitchen window into the garden beyond.

            "Please," Terra fought lump in throat, "forgive me?" Terra cried. She hugged her precious friend, patted Smitten hand atop Smitten's ripe tummy. "At least you and Bill made up after our combined stupidity."

            Smitten hesitated, then as if they played a game of their youth, she put her hand atop Terra's hand, that was atop her hand on her rounded tummy, then said, "About this," Smitten pressed Terra's hand from atop hers directly to pregnant tummy, "I hate to one up you, but, when the smitten smite back, revenge is stupider to the nth degree."

            "You and my Ted?" Terra blinked, squished tears down cheek.

            "High fidelity infidelity sort a amps up the heartache, doesn't it." Smitten stared all the more out kitchen window into the garden.

            "Every pie has its crust..." Terra cried.  Her eyes followed Smitten's thru kitchen window, thru tears she asked, "Is forgiveness out there... in the garden?"

            "In the garden I see the well of grace... the living water... his name is Jesus..." Smitten cried...

            And so it came to pass... in the garden... they prayed...

            That very evening... baby Grace was born...


Our characters take a bow:

Terra Eskew: the earth, the world askew.

Smitten: When the smitten smite back... consequences swell...

Every Pie Has Its Crust: since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit...

Yet read in the totally true and infinitely awesomer Holy Bible:

            John 4:5-42, The adulteress at the endless well of grace... Jesus...

            John 8:1-11,  The woman about to be stoned for adultery... Jesus tells her accusers: "Let ye without sin cast the first stone..."

            Luke 23:34, Nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed for us all, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." So must we forgive also...

The most important decision of any life:

            Romans 3:23 KJ; "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

            Romans 5:8  KJ; "But God comendeth his love toward us, in that, while we yet sinners, Christ died for us."

            Romans 6:23 KJ; "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

            Romans 10:9 KJ; "That if thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

                                         ... ... ... You are loved ... ... ...