By His Hand: Truly Yours Digital Edition by Jennifer Johnson Page A

accepted her completely. “I do accept Abby.”
    “No, Chris, I don’t think you do. This has been a very hard couple of years for her. She needs compassion and tenderness from you, not constant criticism and punishment.”
    “I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”
    “Oh yes, I do. Abby told me you do little more than berate her. She said you are always looking for things to be upset with her about.” She smacked her hand against her leg. “I have no trouble with Abby. She does everything I ask.”
    “You haven’t asked her to do something she doesn’t want to do.”
    “Oh yes, I have. Do you think she
wanted
to clean her room and the kitchen? And yet she did it, and she’s kept both clean.” She paused. “She’s not used to you being her parent.
    She’s used to you being her brother.”
    How dare Victoria criticize him for the way he treated Abby! How dare she be so condescending, so know-it-all with him! He did the best he could with his sister. Abby was the one who wouldn’t give him a chance, who wouldn’t listen to reason or a single thing he had to say.
    Chris stopped the car in front of Dylan and Sondra’s house. He willed the mounting fury to stay put in his gut as he turned to look Victoria in the face. Pointing to his chest, he said, “That’s what I’m used to, as well.”
    Victoria flung the truck door open and jumped out. She leaned forward into the cab. “Then quit acting like such a jerk.” Slamming the door, she walked up the porch steps and into the house.
    What was I thinking? I should have known Victoria Thankful would pull something like this. The woman lives to make me crazy
.
    He yanked the truck into gear and skidded out of the drive. Did Victoria take the time to ask him about anything Abby said? Did she give him the chance to tell his side? No! He was the bad guy. He was always the bad guy. Nothing he could do would ever be good, or even okay, in Victoria Thankful’s eyes.
    Well, what do I care anyway! I haven’t liked that woman from the moment I saw her
. He huffed and turned onto the road leading to his house.
And yet, I can’t seem to get her out of my mind
.

eleven
     
    Chris shut the hood of the car. Three vehicles behind on his schedule, but he had finally figured out what was wrong with Mrs. Mitchell’s car. Walking over to the front desk, he called and left a message that she could stop by and pick it up at any time. He flipped through his appointment book and growled. If he wanted to get through all of them today, he’d have to stay until well after dinner. Noting his filled calendar for the rest of the week, he decided he’d order a pizza and just go ahead and stay.
    Dialing the number to his house, he listened to rings and waited for the answering machine to pick up. Abby had gone to the group home with Sondra to visit the kids, so he needed to leave a message for her so she wouldn’t wonder where he was this evening.
    Abby’s recorded voice sounded over the phone. She sounded so young, so sweet. It had been more than a year since Chris had thought of Abby and sweet at the same time. He remembered all Victoria had told him two days before. Did Abby really feel he didn’t accept her? It had been hard for him to switch from brother to guardian. He still struggled with the reality, the truth of it. Of course Abby would struggle, as well.
    He thought of Abby sitting beside Victoria during church. Both had smiled and clapped their hands while he played his new song. When the chorus came and he invited the congregation to join him, both seemed happy and ready to join in. In truth, he hadn’t seen Abby that worshipful in over a year.
    His mind replayed the rainy day that sent his already faltering world into a tailspin. “I can’t take it anymore.” His mother’s voice sounded as plain as if she stood beside him.
    He closed his eyes and saw her standing in the kitchen. Her eyelids were swollen over her dark eyes. Wrinkles spread across her