Tracie Peterson (17 page)

“Tess? Are you all right?” Laura questioned, drawing Tess back into the present.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something.” Tess leaned back in her chair. “I know you’re right. I know she’s probably scared out of her wits, but I don’t know how
to help her. There are times when she seems to open up to me, but then something always happens. Like the other day, I snapped at her when she picked up the baby blanket I bought. I don’t know why I got so upset when she picked it up, but I grabbed it away from her.”

“That doesn’t seem like you, Tess. Were you afraid she might harm the blanket?”

“I guess so,” Tess answered. It didn’t make sense to Tess, however. It was just a material object and she’d never felt overly attached to any of her things. What was wrong with her that she would react so harshly?

“Well, I’m sure this is going to be a difficult time of adjusting for each one of you.”

****

Sherry finished changing her clothes and stuffed her wet things into the backpack Tess had purchased for her. She hated that she’d gotten so mad at Tess. After all, what would happen if she made Tess mad enough to send her back to Judge Woodsby? It was always a possibility.

Sherry stood for a moment looking around the Johnsons’ bedroom. Some of the knickknacks had been put into place, but as Laura had said, a lot of stuff was still in boxes. Spying a lady’s purse, Sherry realized it probably belonged to Laura. Dropping her backpack, Sherry went to the purse and opened it. The routine things could be found. Comb, lipstick, wallet. She listened for a moment to hear if anyone was coming, then opened the wallet. There were four twenties and several ones inside. Slipping one of the twenties into her pocket, Sherry quickly replaced the wallet and put the purse back where she’d found it.

She reasoned that if she were to be ready to run away after the birth of her child, she was going to have to start saving up money. Maybe she could hit Tess up for an allowance. The state was sending them money—at least, she’d been pretty sure they were going to do that. Maybe she could just
insist that she’d always been given an allowance out of that money. Otherwise she’d have to start stealing from Tess and Brad as well.

Picking up her backpack, Sherry slipped it onto her back. She felt a twinge of guilt for her actions. After all, she liked Laura. The woman was kind and didn’t have anything to gain by it.

For a moment, Sherry actually considered putting the money back, but her common sense told her that would be a mistake. This was a world where no one cared whether she lived or died. Well, maybe they cared so long as she was carrying a baby. But she was no fool. She knew very well that after the baby was born, she would be discarded like wrapping paper the morning after Christmas. Somehow that rationale made her actions acceptable. She was merely trying to survive. Who could fault her for that?

CHAPTER 17

Sherry looked at the throng of people gathered in the church foyer and immediately wished she could run away. It was just as she’d figured. Families. Couples. People who cared about one another. They were laughing, patting each other on the back, and sharing secrets. It only served to magnify her loneliness. Just as she’d known it would.

“Sherry, this is Dennis Dearborn. He and his wife run the youth group here,” Brad explained.

Sherry looked at the man and nodded. He smiled at her and reached out to shake her hand. “Sherry, we’re glad to have you here. We’re getting ready to have the youth worship and we’d love to have you join us.”

Sherry looked at Tess and felt even more panicked. Were they actually going to send her off to be with other teens? Sherry wasn’t exactly sure she’d be comfortable with that. She didn’t want to have to explain why she was here with Tess and Brad, and she certainly didn’t want to get to know anyone when she’d just be running away in a few months.

“I think you’d enjoy the youth group if you give it a chance,” Tess said softly. “Dennis is a pretty neat leader. He and his wife have some great activities going for the kids.”

Just then a couple of teenage girls came up. “Hey, Mr. D, we got our registration in for the overnight trip to Key West.”

“Great. Glad you girls are going to be coming along. Say, I’d like you to meet someone new. Sherry, this is Amanda and Renee.”

The three girls gave each other a shy nod. Amanda actually spoke. “You can hang out with me and Renee if you want.”

Sherry didn’t “want,” but it seemed everyone else thought this to be a marvelous idea. Before she even knew what had happened, she found herself in the flow of teens headed for the youth room.

Amanda introduced her to at least twenty other kids. Some gave her a smile and nod; others offered a more enthusiastic greeting. One talkative girl even questioned as to where she lived, but before Sherry could answer, Dennis Dearborn called them to order.

In rapid-paced order the room settled. Kids took seats on couches, stuffed chairs, and the floor. It seemed wherever there was an empty space, kids were more than happy to fill it up.

Amanda pulled Sherry with her to an old plaid love seat where all three girls squeezed together. “This is our regular place,” Amanda whispered, as if it should matter to Sherry.

Trying not to appear too interested, Sherry tried instead to focus on the flower print of her skirt. She toyed with the rayon material, wondering how long the ordeal would last, when Dennis Dearborn began to speak—or rather, to pray.

“Father God, we thank you for this day. It’s just beautiful out there in the sunshine and glory of summer. The water looks so welcoming and there’s bound to be all kinds of activities to distract us for the rest of the day. But for now, Father, we want to concentrate on you. Help us to keep focused. Help us to leave the world out there and to keep our mind on you in here. Thanks for everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

“Amen!” a chorus went up from the audience.

Sherry looked up hesitantly and watched as Dennis—or Mr. D, as the girls had called him—grabbed a football and called out, “Who wants to play a game with me!” Several of the boys volunteered and Dennis picked out three to come forward.

“Okay,” he said in animated form. “Jimbo, you play third base. David, second base, and, Terry, you’ll be on first.” The guys looked kind of confused but said nothing. “Now, I’m going to need another volunteer.” He looked out over the audience. “Okay, Rachel, you come on up here.” A girl wearing jean shorts and a pretty ribbed-knit T-shirt came forward.

“Okay. Now, Rachel, you’ll be our pitcher.” He tossed her the football.

Everybody started laughing as he tried to position the kids in specific places. Mr. D took the entire matter quite seriously, however, and after approving of each person’s position, he reached for a baseball bat.

“I also need some linemen.” He pulled up a couple of guys who were sitting on the floor only a couple of feet away.

“Now, when Rachel pitches the ball, I’ll hit it and you guys play your positions. Me and my guys will advance forward and tackle you base players while Rachel tries to field the ball.”

Everyone was laughing and even Sherry was intrigued. Dennis stopped at this point and looked at the group with a dead-serious expression.

“You can’t play two games at once. It doesn’t work that way. Each game has different rules, and those rules tell you how the plays will be made and what your goals will be for completing the game.” He motioned for the kids to take their seats.

“It’s the same way with God. You can’t serve two masters. You can’t play the game the world offers, with its rules and goals, and be on God’s team at the same time.”

Sherry had never heard anyone talk like this before. Usually the sermons she’d been dragged to were boring liturgies and tiresome droning of death and destruction.

“Questions?”

No one spoke. Sherry had some questions, but there was no way she was going to voice them in this group. Probably the reason everyone else was silent was that they were already well trained in all this church stuff and knew all the answers. She certainly wasn’t going to make a scene and embarrass herself.

“No questions?” Mr. D said rather thoughtfully. “Well then, I guess we can all go home.” He headed for the door and Sherry’s mouth dropped open.

“I have a question, Mr. D,” one of the boys called out.

The man stopped and smiled. “What is it?”

“Well, like how are we supposed to live in the world and
not have to do some of the things it tells us to do—you know, the rules?”

“Excellent question,” Dennis said, resuming his place at the front of the room. “Anybody else want to know about that?”

Heads nodded and a few people responded with enthusiastic affirmation.

“Okay, then. Let’s get down to business.”

****

“I hope Sherry won’t be too uncomfortable by herself,” Tess whispered to Brad. They had just entered the sanctuary to take their regular place when Brad spotted Bartolo Aznar.

“Oh, look, Bartolo made it. I invited him last week, but I wasn’t sure he’d come.”

“I didn’t know he was even interested in church,” Tess said without giving it much thought.

Brad smiled. “Our men’s Bible study challenged us to invite someone new to church. I got to talking to Bartolo and asked him if he and his family attended church, and he said they’d been looking for a church home but hadn’t found anything.”

“That’s wonderful, Brad,” Tess replied. “Guess we don’t know if we don’t ask.”

He nodded. “Come on. Let’s go welcome them.”

Tess followed her husband to where the Aznar family was taking seats at the back of the sanctuary.

“Care if we join you?” Brad questioned, coming up to greet them.

Bartolo extended a brilliant smile to them both. “I’m glad you found us. I wanted to make proper introductions.” He turned to a beautiful redheaded woman. “This is my wife, Emily, and our children, Stacy and Daniel.”

Tess smiled and noted that Stacy looked to be about the same age as Sherry, while Daniel appeared closer to seventeen or eighteen.

“This is my wife, Tess. We’re very happy to meet you all,” Brad said, reaching out to shake hands with Emily Aznar.

“You have a beautiful church,” Emily told Tess as she slid into the pew beside her.

“It seems to be in a perpetual state of change,” Tess said, nodding to the area behind the pulpit. Heavy construction plastic had been stapled in place behind the main stage, where a new choir loft was being constructed.

“It’s a good sign to see a church like this,” Emily replied. “It means growth, right? Alter the old to bring in the new?”

Tess thought about Emily’s words long after they’d finished singing and the pastor had begun to speak. Growth meant change, and Emily was right—the old was often discarded or remodeled to make way for the new. Some people thought that was bad. They clung to the old ways and the old things as though to lose them or change them somehow stripped away the preciousness of what they had.

I’ve been guilty of that myself
, Tess thought.
Change has always been hard for me. I find my security in a stable routine and consistent schedules
. All of that would have to change, she reasoned, once the baby came. In fact, all of that was changing now. Ever since the arrival of Sherry, her life had taken on many changes, including one change she hadn’t planned on. For some time now, Tess had hardly given any thought to getting pregnant on her own. She found that amazing. For years it had been her only consuming goal.

Tess was so lost in her own thoughts that she hardly heard the sermon. She followed Brad out into the foyer after the service and was surprised to find Sherry laughing with a group of kids. The youth group had apparently ended their worship earlier than the adults and they now all stood congregated around the front doors of the church.

“Oh, I’d like to introduce you all to Sherry,” Brad said as the teen joined them. “She’s staying with us for a time.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Emily said in greeting. “You look about the same age as our daughter.”

Sherry smiled shyly and endured the introductions. Tess
worried that she’d become sullen or retreat back into her shell, but she remained quite open and pleasant.

“Would you and your family by any chance be interested in an afternoon of relaxation and fun?” Bartolo questioned.

Tess laughed. “We’re always up for an afternoon of relaxation.”

The man’s dark eyes seemed to twinkle. “Good. I would like to invite you all to join us on our yacht. The weather promises to be good and we thought a cruise might be a welcoming reprieve.”

Brad rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Sounds good to me. What do you think, Tess?”

“I think it sounds perfect. Shall we bring lunch?”

“That’s a good idea,” Emily said. “We already have a fridge full of deli meats and cheese, as well as several different kinds of breads, so why don’t you bring salad?”

“Sure,” Tess said. “What about dessert? We could bring that as well.”

“If you like,” Emily replied. “And we’ll furnish the drinks.”

Tess looked to Sherry and remembered Laura speaking about how the teen’s life had been turned upside down. No one gave her options anymore. In hopes of helping Sherry feel included, she asked, “What about you, Sherry? Do you think spending the afternoon on a yacht sounds like fun?”

Sherry seemed surprised to be asked. “Yeah, I guess so.” She smiled then as if she’d given the matter a more thorough consideration. “It sounds good.”

It was settled then and Bartolo gave Brad directions to the marina where he kept his boat. The kids seemed especially excited by the prospect of spending the day on the ocean.

****

Later that day, groggy from the sun and too much food, Tess lazily drifted in and out of sleep on the deck of the Aznars’ boat. She didn’t know when she’d enjoyed anything quite so much. The lapping of the water against the hull
and the rhythmic hum of the boat’s engine lulled her into a sense of serenity. At least for the moment, she was void of problems and concerns.

“You said you wanted to talk to me,” Bartolo remarked as he came alongside her lounge chair.