helping Anton feel comfortable. She nearly wilted with relief when the bus driver arrived to transport him home. She walked her charges to the door and said good-bye to each one, but only Doris offered any response.
At her locker, preparing to go home, her cell phone inside her purse blared out its song. She yanked it out and flipped up the lid. It took a minute before she recognized the number on the screen, but then a rush of eagerness filled her. She pushed the talk button and squealed into the phone.
“Janine!”
“Hey, girl, long time no see.”
Janine’s voice, familiar and welcoming, made tears prick behind Angela’s eyes. She pulled out a chair at the break table and sat down, cradling the phone against her cheek. “I know. How are you?”
“Ornery—same as always.” Janine’s laughter rang briefly.
Angela laughed, too. The first genuine laugh in days. It felt good. “Yeah? Well, I suppose the same applies to me.”
“What did you do today?”
Angela replayed the monotonous tasks, the unresponsive clients. With a sigh, she said, “I mopped floors and washed tables.”
To Janine’s credit, she didn’t make a smart remark, but Angela could hear humor in her tone as she said, “Sounds like … fun.” There was a slight pause before she went on. “So, do you have time for your ol’ buds?”
Angela licked her lips. She glanced up and, through the break in the partitions, she noticed Ben at his desk, his head bent over his work. Her heart caught. “Yeah. I’ve got time for you guys. What’s up?”
“Todd, Alex, and me are meeting for pizza. Why don’t you come? Fill us in on your adventures in Rehab Land.” The laughter came again, and Angela ignored the brittle undertone.
“At the Ironstone?” Angela noticed Ben lift his head, and for one brief second their gazes met. She turned away before he did.
“Yep. At six. Can you make it?”
“Yeah, I can do that. I need to run by my aunt’s apartment and change out of my work clothes though.” She had finally resorted to jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers for work, but she couldn’t show up at the Ironstone dressed so sloppily.
Janine’s snort blasted Angela’s ear. “I bet! We’ll be there. See you soon.” Angela clicked the phone closed and dropped it in her purse. Then she charged out the door.
eleven
Ben stared at the closed door, his heart thumping. Although the air-conditioning kept the building comfortably cool, he felt sweat break out on his body.
Who was Angela meeting? She was obviously comfortable with the person. He’d gathered that from the tone she’d used. What he hadn’t been able to determine from the lopsided conversation was the purpose of the get-together. Was it possible she was meeting with her drug-using friends?
Ben ran his hand down his face, wondering what he should do. He was Angela’s supervisor, not her keeper. Yet he was also her—
Swallowing, he processed where his thoughts were going. Should he consider her a friend? Or something more? He admitted that over the weeks she had worked at New Beginnings, he’d come to care about her. His time in prayer for her, attending Sunday school and church together, and their times of conversation had developed an undefined relationship.
As her supervisor, he had no authorization to check up on her outside of working hours. His authority was nonexistent there. However, as a Christian mentor, his concern was not only appropriate but warranted. Didn’t the Bible say admonishment in love was a sign of Christian care and concern? Plus, if he took it a step further and considered her a friend, he had a real obligation to protect her. Possibly from herself.
But was there a reason to be worried?
Concern and curiosity wavered at the back of his mind as he went through the closing-down routine, checking the different training areas and locking closets. By the time he’d finished everything, the clock by the back door showed 6:05. Angela had intended to meet her
At her locker, preparing to go home, her cell phone inside her purse blared out its song. She yanked it out and flipped up the lid. It took a minute before she recognized the number on the screen, but then a rush of eagerness filled her. She pushed the talk button and squealed into the phone.
“Janine!”
“Hey, girl, long time no see.”
Janine’s voice, familiar and welcoming, made tears prick behind Angela’s eyes. She pulled out a chair at the break table and sat down, cradling the phone against her cheek. “I know. How are you?”
“Ornery—same as always.” Janine’s laughter rang briefly.
Angela laughed, too. The first genuine laugh in days. It felt good. “Yeah? Well, I suppose the same applies to me.”
“What did you do today?”
Angela replayed the monotonous tasks, the unresponsive clients. With a sigh, she said, “I mopped floors and washed tables.”
To Janine’s credit, she didn’t make a smart remark, but Angela could hear humor in her tone as she said, “Sounds like … fun.” There was a slight pause before she went on. “So, do you have time for your ol’ buds?”
Angela licked her lips. She glanced up and, through the break in the partitions, she noticed Ben at his desk, his head bent over his work. Her heart caught. “Yeah. I’ve got time for you guys. What’s up?”
“Todd, Alex, and me are meeting for pizza. Why don’t you come? Fill us in on your adventures in Rehab Land.” The laughter came again, and Angela ignored the brittle undertone.
“At the Ironstone?” Angela noticed Ben lift his head, and for one brief second their gazes met. She turned away before he did.
“Yep. At six. Can you make it?”
“Yeah, I can do that. I need to run by my aunt’s apartment and change out of my work clothes though.” She had finally resorted to jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers for work, but she couldn’t show up at the Ironstone dressed so sloppily.
Janine’s snort blasted Angela’s ear. “I bet! We’ll be there. See you soon.” Angela clicked the phone closed and dropped it in her purse. Then she charged out the door.
eleven
Ben stared at the closed door, his heart thumping. Although the air-conditioning kept the building comfortably cool, he felt sweat break out on his body.
Who was Angela meeting? She was obviously comfortable with the person. He’d gathered that from the tone she’d used. What he hadn’t been able to determine from the lopsided conversation was the purpose of the get-together. Was it possible she was meeting with her drug-using friends?
Ben ran his hand down his face, wondering what he should do. He was Angela’s supervisor, not her keeper. Yet he was also her—
Swallowing, he processed where his thoughts were going. Should he consider her a friend? Or something more? He admitted that over the weeks she had worked at New Beginnings, he’d come to care about her. His time in prayer for her, attending Sunday school and church together, and their times of conversation had developed an undefined relationship.
As her supervisor, he had no authorization to check up on her outside of working hours. His authority was nonexistent there. However, as a Christian mentor, his concern was not only appropriate but warranted. Didn’t the Bible say admonishment in love was a sign of Christian care and concern? Plus, if he took it a step further and considered her a friend, he had a real obligation to protect her. Possibly from herself.
But was there a reason to be worried?
Concern and curiosity wavered at the back of his mind as he went through the closing-down routine, checking the different training areas and locking closets. By the time he’d finished everything, the clock by the back door showed 6:05. Angela had intended to meet her
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