you really think I’m against you?”
“You mean you aren’t?”
“ ’Course not,” Livvy said. “I just think you sound, uh, insanely jealous.”
She felt hideous. Livvy had no right! “Look, this conversation’s going nowhere,” Jenna said, the anger creeping into her cheeks.
“Well, you called me ,” Livvy replied. “So I guess you have the right to hang up whenever you want.”
“Oh, is that how you feel?”
Click!
Jenna hung up on her friend. She dropped the receiver back into the cradle and just stared at it. “What’s wrong with me?” she whispered, fighting back tears.
Livvy would be terribly hurt. She didn’t deserve this sort of treatment. Not after losing her mom to cancer and having to move away from her Chicago hometown all in the space of a few months. Not after just moving here to Alpine Lake, Colorado—same as Jenna’s family.
“Ohhh!” she groaned, lying there in her pajamas. “My whole life is falling apart!”
She could see it now. Her mom would want to rush out and start shopping for baby things. Years ago, they’d given away Jenna’s old crib and high chair, so they were starting over from scratch. Starting over in more ways than one!
And there was the nursery. Her parents would expect her to help them fix up the old guest room—turn the small room into something special.
On top of everything else, there probably wouldn’t be time for anyone to drive her to gymnastics anymore. Mom would be too busy planning and preparing for the blessed baby event.
She sighed, worrying over every possible detail. Once the baby arrives, what then? she wondered.
Jenna skipped reading her Bible and her devotional book. She didn’t bother to pray even the shortest prayer. Crawling into bed, she curled up in a ball. Hot tears slid down her face and onto the pillow. “Why me?” she cried. “Why now? ”
Only the Best
Chapter Five
“Our big day is Saturday, December fifth,” Jenna’s mother announced at breakfast two days later. She held the certified letter in her hand.
Jenna felt her heart thumping hard. “December fifth? No way!” she said, her spoon in midair.
“What do you mean?” Dad said, looking aghast. “That’s the day of my gymnastics meet at the Olympic Training Center,” Jenna blurted.
Dad was silent, and Mom was beginning to look mortified. “We’ll just have to work something out,” she said.
“No! I can’t skip this event, Mom!” Jenna insisted. “I’ve been working forever to compete with the team.”
Her mother nodded, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “I didn’t mean that you’d have to miss themeet. Of course we want you to attend . . . and to do your very best.”
Jenna had always been one to overlook things, including conflict with friends at school and church. She had a way of just wanting to forgive and forget. But today she struggled with her stressful feelings and felt physically sick.
Excusing herself, she scooted away from the kitchen table. She trembled as she leaned against the archway to the dining room, unable to speak.
Dad’s voice filled the awkward silence. “Jenna, dear, no other child can possibly change our love for you, if that’s what’s troubling you.”
She felt tiny and weak, wishing he’d stop talking about how much they loved her.
“We’ve been asking God for another child for a long, long time,” he was saying. “We wanted to adopt a Korean baby boy . . . to match our nationality.”
Jenna spun around. “So . . . what you really want is a son? ”
“Only because we already have a wonderful daughter!” His eyes were gentle, his face solemn. “We hoped you’d be as delighted as we are.”
She voiced what she was thinking. “Just so this kid won’t intrude on my life,” she muttered.
But her mother had heard the cutting remark, and her look was stern. “What a selfish thing to say, Jenna.”
Mom’s right , she thought. But I can’t ignore the way I feel .
----
“Hey,
“You mean you aren’t?”
“ ’Course not,” Livvy said. “I just think you sound, uh, insanely jealous.”
She felt hideous. Livvy had no right! “Look, this conversation’s going nowhere,” Jenna said, the anger creeping into her cheeks.
“Well, you called me ,” Livvy replied. “So I guess you have the right to hang up whenever you want.”
“Oh, is that how you feel?”
Click!
Jenna hung up on her friend. She dropped the receiver back into the cradle and just stared at it. “What’s wrong with me?” she whispered, fighting back tears.
Livvy would be terribly hurt. She didn’t deserve this sort of treatment. Not after losing her mom to cancer and having to move away from her Chicago hometown all in the space of a few months. Not after just moving here to Alpine Lake, Colorado—same as Jenna’s family.
“Ohhh!” she groaned, lying there in her pajamas. “My whole life is falling apart!”
She could see it now. Her mom would want to rush out and start shopping for baby things. Years ago, they’d given away Jenna’s old crib and high chair, so they were starting over from scratch. Starting over in more ways than one!
And there was the nursery. Her parents would expect her to help them fix up the old guest room—turn the small room into something special.
On top of everything else, there probably wouldn’t be time for anyone to drive her to gymnastics anymore. Mom would be too busy planning and preparing for the blessed baby event.
She sighed, worrying over every possible detail. Once the baby arrives, what then? she wondered.
Jenna skipped reading her Bible and her devotional book. She didn’t bother to pray even the shortest prayer. Crawling into bed, she curled up in a ball. Hot tears slid down her face and onto the pillow. “Why me?” she cried. “Why now? ”
Only the Best
Chapter Five
“Our big day is Saturday, December fifth,” Jenna’s mother announced at breakfast two days later. She held the certified letter in her hand.
Jenna felt her heart thumping hard. “December fifth? No way!” she said, her spoon in midair.
“What do you mean?” Dad said, looking aghast. “That’s the day of my gymnastics meet at the Olympic Training Center,” Jenna blurted.
Dad was silent, and Mom was beginning to look mortified. “We’ll just have to work something out,” she said.
“No! I can’t skip this event, Mom!” Jenna insisted. “I’ve been working forever to compete with the team.”
Her mother nodded, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “I didn’t mean that you’d have to miss themeet. Of course we want you to attend . . . and to do your very best.”
Jenna had always been one to overlook things, including conflict with friends at school and church. She had a way of just wanting to forgive and forget. But today she struggled with her stressful feelings and felt physically sick.
Excusing herself, she scooted away from the kitchen table. She trembled as she leaned against the archway to the dining room, unable to speak.
Dad’s voice filled the awkward silence. “Jenna, dear, no other child can possibly change our love for you, if that’s what’s troubling you.”
She felt tiny and weak, wishing he’d stop talking about how much they loved her.
“We’ve been asking God for another child for a long, long time,” he was saying. “We wanted to adopt a Korean baby boy . . . to match our nationality.”
Jenna spun around. “So . . . what you really want is a son? ”
“Only because we already have a wonderful daughter!” His eyes were gentle, his face solemn. “We hoped you’d be as delighted as we are.”
She voiced what she was thinking. “Just so this kid won’t intrude on my life,” she muttered.
But her mother had heard the cutting remark, and her look was stern. “What a selfish thing to say, Jenna.”
Mom’s right , she thought. But I can’t ignore the way I feel .
----
“Hey,
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