The Calling Read Online Free Page B

do what you want.”
    She straightened in her chair, “And I don’t want to drink!”
    “Cate, don’t you love me?”
    “Of course I do.”
    “Don’t you want to celebrate our marriage?”
    “Yes, but I don’t want to celebrate with alcohol.”
    “How can you be so against drinking if you’ve never tried it?”
    “I just am.”
    “Please, Cate, just celebrate with me tonight. Try the champagne; if you don’t like it, don’t drink it,” he pleaded.
    Because she loved him, and against her better judgment, she gave in to his request and agreed to try the champagne. The waiter brought the champagne and poured each of them a glass. Cate tried it, and didn’t like it. Justin, however, seemed so happy at her willingness to please him that she continued to drink. Consequently, the celebration did not have a good outcome for Cate. She became very ill. Justin thought it was funny; Cate did not.
    With Cate still ill the following day, Justin continued the honeymoon activities alone. Cate protested and pouted, and Justin apologized and returned to his charming self. Once again, he catered to Cate’s every desire and things were fine—for a while.
     
     
    After the honeymoon, Cate and Justin moved to Baton Rouge to finish college at Louisiana State University. Once Justin was back in Louisiana, with his friends, his drinking became an issue in the marriage, and Cate found out quickly that alcohol use was a big part of Justin’s life. As far as he was concerned it wasn’t just for celebrating, it was for all occasions. Anytime they socialized with friends, at their home or their friends’ home, alcohol was served. Cate felt uncomfortable and out of place, and Justin was embarrassed and angry at his wife’s attitude toward alcohol.
    “Cate, how dare you treat my friends like this!”
    Cate’e eyes widened, “Justin, I don’t understand. What have I done?”
    “Your self-righteous attitude!”
    “You don’t have to yell. I don’t understand at all. I am nice to your friends when they come over.”
    “Yeah, but you don’t participate. You sit there in your self-righteous smugness . You watch us and don’t participate.”
    “Justin, you know how I feel about alcohol.”
    “And, you know how I feel. You don’t have to be so judgmental.”
    Cate shook her head, her eyes narrowed in puzzlement. “How am I being judgmental?”
    “You’re nice and polite, but the guys know how you feel about alcohol.”
    “How—how do they know. I’ve never told them. Have you?”
    “No one had to tell them. They can see.”
    “What?”
    “Yeah, they can; so can I. You make them feel uncomfortable.”
    Cate was shocked. “I make them feel uncomfortable? They make me feel uncomfortable.”
    “And, it’s written all over your face. That’s what makes them feel uncomfortable.”
     “Oh, I see.”
     “Finally,” Justin softened his tone and sat on the couch.
    “Justin, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that my face was betraying my feelings.”
    He stared at Cate, his tone rigid, “Yeah, well you need to do something about that.”
    A sigh was forced from her mouth and her body tensed. “I–I don’t know what.”
    “It would help if you’d join in.”
    Cate looked him in the eye, as her heart sank. “You know I can’t do that.”
    “Ashley and the other girls do, and they’re not that crazy about drinking.”
    “I–can’t.”
    Justin took her by the hand. “Well, work on that face of yours then. Don’t be so judgmental.”
    “I’ll try.”
    “For my sake, you need to do more than try.” Justin gently pulled her down to him.
    Their agreeing to disagree about alcohol didn’t make things better, and as the problems with Justin continued, Cate sought refuge in a local church and began to get her relationship with the Lord resolved. Justin went with her-at first-but decided that it wasn’t for him. The men of the church tried to reach out to him, but he refused. When Cate confronted him about the