won’t let me.”
“You know she needs to hear it from Daniel himself. Only he knows what happened that day. If she won’t go to Texas, I’m hoping she’ll come with Vivian and me to the art sale. If she can get away by herself and have time to think, she might see how lonely it is without God in her life.”
Wade leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “That’s why I love you so much. You’re as wise as Solomon.”
She grinned. “Thanks.” Another loud bang from upstairs made Sandra pull back. “I think I’ll run up to her flat and see if I can help her pack.”
Wade nodded. “And I have to get back to the station. We’re having trouble with the new street lamps we installed. For some reason the sensors aren’t working all the time. If I knew I had to be an electrician when I took this job, I might have turned it down.” He grinned at her and turned toward the door.
“Bangers and mash for supper.”
Wade licked his lips. “ Mmm, mmm, sweetheart! Remind me to do something special for you more often.”
Sandra smiled at him as he walked through the door but frowned when another bang filtered down from upstairs. “Guess it’s time to brave the lioness in her den.”
She stomped up the stairs leading to Marti’s apartment. Getting Marti excited about a trip to Texas was as easy as getting a turkey excited about Thanksgiving. Yet Sandra knew Marti needed the trip . . . for her own peace of mind . . . for her future . . . and possibly Daniel’s as well.
When she reached the top step, she gaped through the open door of the apartment at Marti on her tip-toes—perched on a wobbly step stool. She was punching and prodding a small suitcase, trying to wrestle it into a larger bag sitting on the highest shelf of the closet.
“Marti? Do you need help?”
Marti half-turned to glance her way.
“I’ve almost got it.” One more shove and the luggage rocked against the wall. The small suitcase nestled down inside the larger one, and they both balanced on the shelf. A black overnight bag sat by itself on the floor of the closet.
Marti blew out an exasperated breath and stepped off the stool. She turned off the closet light, pulled the overnight bag and step stool out of the closet, and closed the door.
Sandra propped her hands on her hips. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but why are you putting the suitcases back in the cupboard when Wade just got them down for you yesterday?”
Marti looked down and avoided Sandra’s eyes. “You shouldn’t have gotten them out in the first place. I told you I wasn’t going to Texas,” she said as she slid the folded-up stool under the bed.
Sandra puffed her cheeks as a flow of air escaped her lips. She sat down on the bed and patted the comforter. “Sit.”
Marti shook her head. “I have things to do.”
“Sit!” This time, Sandra’s voice was a little more forceful.
Marti frowned and perched on the edge of the bed.
“Okay. Let’s have it. Why won’t you go?”
“I don’t want to talk to him—”
A loud “Fiddle sticks!” burst from Sandra’s lips. “Like you expect me to believe that. Come on, Marti, what gives? Yesterday when you left for the homeless shelter, you were open to the idea. What changed your mind?”
Marti gave Sandra a scared look before her lips tightened and her gaze swept toward the window. The white curtains couldn’t have been any whiter than Marti’s face, and her eyes looked far away. Her hands rubbed up and down on her jeans, as if she was remembering something she wanted to forget.
Sandra softened her tone. “Come on, Marti. Talk to me. I’m your friend. I only want to help. Yesterday, you promised you’d think about going to see Daniel. What happened?”
Marti couldn’t keep back the tears any longer, and they rolled down her cheeks. Sandra leaned over and pulled Marti into her arms.
“Marti, love, what’s the matter?”
Marti sobbed against her friend until the whole story of being chased and threatened
“You know she needs to hear it from Daniel himself. Only he knows what happened that day. If she won’t go to Texas, I’m hoping she’ll come with Vivian and me to the art sale. If she can get away by herself and have time to think, she might see how lonely it is without God in her life.”
Wade leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “That’s why I love you so much. You’re as wise as Solomon.”
She grinned. “Thanks.” Another loud bang from upstairs made Sandra pull back. “I think I’ll run up to her flat and see if I can help her pack.”
Wade nodded. “And I have to get back to the station. We’re having trouble with the new street lamps we installed. For some reason the sensors aren’t working all the time. If I knew I had to be an electrician when I took this job, I might have turned it down.” He grinned at her and turned toward the door.
“Bangers and mash for supper.”
Wade licked his lips. “ Mmm, mmm, sweetheart! Remind me to do something special for you more often.”
Sandra smiled at him as he walked through the door but frowned when another bang filtered down from upstairs. “Guess it’s time to brave the lioness in her den.”
She stomped up the stairs leading to Marti’s apartment. Getting Marti excited about a trip to Texas was as easy as getting a turkey excited about Thanksgiving. Yet Sandra knew Marti needed the trip . . . for her own peace of mind . . . for her future . . . and possibly Daniel’s as well.
When she reached the top step, she gaped through the open door of the apartment at Marti on her tip-toes—perched on a wobbly step stool. She was punching and prodding a small suitcase, trying to wrestle it into a larger bag sitting on the highest shelf of the closet.
“Marti? Do you need help?”
Marti half-turned to glance her way.
“I’ve almost got it.” One more shove and the luggage rocked against the wall. The small suitcase nestled down inside the larger one, and they both balanced on the shelf. A black overnight bag sat by itself on the floor of the closet.
Marti blew out an exasperated breath and stepped off the stool. She turned off the closet light, pulled the overnight bag and step stool out of the closet, and closed the door.
Sandra propped her hands on her hips. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but why are you putting the suitcases back in the cupboard when Wade just got them down for you yesterday?”
Marti looked down and avoided Sandra’s eyes. “You shouldn’t have gotten them out in the first place. I told you I wasn’t going to Texas,” she said as she slid the folded-up stool under the bed.
Sandra puffed her cheeks as a flow of air escaped her lips. She sat down on the bed and patted the comforter. “Sit.”
Marti shook her head. “I have things to do.”
“Sit!” This time, Sandra’s voice was a little more forceful.
Marti frowned and perched on the edge of the bed.
“Okay. Let’s have it. Why won’t you go?”
“I don’t want to talk to him—”
A loud “Fiddle sticks!” burst from Sandra’s lips. “Like you expect me to believe that. Come on, Marti, what gives? Yesterday when you left for the homeless shelter, you were open to the idea. What changed your mind?”
Marti gave Sandra a scared look before her lips tightened and her gaze swept toward the window. The white curtains couldn’t have been any whiter than Marti’s face, and her eyes looked far away. Her hands rubbed up and down on her jeans, as if she was remembering something she wanted to forget.
Sandra softened her tone. “Come on, Marti. Talk to me. I’m your friend. I only want to help. Yesterday, you promised you’d think about going to see Daniel. What happened?”
Marti couldn’t keep back the tears any longer, and they rolled down her cheeks. Sandra leaned over and pulled Marti into her arms.
“Marti, love, what’s the matter?”
Marti sobbed against her friend until the whole story of being chased and threatened
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