Greater Than Rubies, a Novella inspired by the Jewel Trilogy by Hallee A. Bridgeman Read Free Book Online Page A

support themselves so that they would never have to rely on anyone else for anything.
    She didn’t know God, then. She didn’t know Tony, then. She had no idea that she served drinks to her own father every single night when she worked at the bar – a father who now faced sentencing in just a few short months for a fifteen year old manslaughter charge from when, years ago, he stepped out of prison, dug up his pistol, and shot and killed Robin’s mother and her mother’s male companion.
    Now her mind reeled on how different things were, how much better. She slid down the door and wrapped her arms around her legs, whispering a tearful prayer of thanks to God for not turning His back on her, even when she didn’t know He existed. While she had His attention, she put in a plea, begging him to help her with this looming fear of not being the right Mrs. Viscolli for Tony.
     

Greater Than Rubies: CHAPTER 4

     
    ONY sat on the worn plaid couch in the living room of Peter and Caroline O’Farrell. Peter, Tony’s mentor and dear friend, headed up the extensive children and youth department at Boston Central Bible Church. Next to Tony on the couch sat a little girl of Chinese descent with straight black hair and a crooked smile. Angel Dove, as Caroline named her, had no idea how she got there or where she came from.
    Caroline had first found her digging through the church’s soup kitchen Dumpster after lunch was served one afternoon two years ago. The doctor guessed her age at the time at about six. Angel Dove, currently the youngest child in the O’Farrell home, was at the time directing Tony which color of crayon to shade the puff of smoke coming off of the cartoon train in the coloring book in his lap.
    Derrick and Peter had braved the winter storm to walk to the corner store so they could replenish the spent supply of milk the children would need with dinner. Robin and Caroline busied themselves in the kitchen. That meant that Tony and Angel Dove had a few moments of quiet time.
    Looking at her sent Tony back a number of years in his memory. He remembered the first time Peter brought him here to this house, the very night he’d given his life to Christ. Peter’s wife, Caroline, had greeted him warmly, with the first hug he’d had in his life. He remembered nearly being brought to tears by that embrace.
    Like Angel Dove, the O’Farrell’s had taken Tony in and fostered him, teaching him about life and God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He had learned, grown, and learned some more. He cherished his relationship with these two amazing people. While Peter and Caroline taught him the love of a family, he used the extensive library at the huge inner city church to feed his hungry soul with the Word of God.
    By the end of the year, he had saved every dime he earned as one of the church’s janitorial crew and invested it. With the profit from his initial investment, he made another one, and another one. Now he was what the press labeled “Boston royalty,” an entrepreneur who dabbled in just about anything, all the while pouring money into church ministries and local charities.
    Never having children of their own, the O’Farrells fostered dozens over the years. Caroline never turned a child away, even if she had to make a pallet on the floor of a bedroom while she found a better home. Tony shared a room with three other boys the year he lived with them. Today, he financed a network of children’s homes throughout the country.
    “I have sandwiches,” Caroline said, bringing Tony back to the present. She set a huge platter of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches next to a two bowls of potato chips. Bright red tendrils of hair escaped the pony tail on the top of her head.
    Tony glanced up to find Robin strolling out of the kitchen carrying a pitcher of lemonade. She gave him a warm smile that thrilled him. He so enjoyed seeing how well his bride to be fit so perfectly into his life and felt so comfortable