Season of Blessing by Beverly LaHaye Page B

with other high school dropouts, he could be influenced by them? I mean, kids usually drop out because they hate the rules, want to party all night, take drugs and drink…”
    â€œThat’s true,” Steve said. “But haven’t all those in the GED classes dropped out of school? Morning or night, it doesn’t really matter.”
    â€œYou’re right.” Cathy rubbed her forehead. “And I know there is something to having him work really hard. I do want him to realize how much he needs his education.”
    â€œCathy, why not just make him finish school the traditional way?”
    â€œBecause I’ve been trying to put myself in his place. I understand why he doesn’t want to go back to high school. That’s where he met the kids he started doing drugs with in the first place. And I can understand why he doesn’t want to study with Brenda anymore. I think he’s insecure and feels stupid, because her kids are so advanced.”
    â€œBut that would challenge him. And you know Brenda needs the money.”
    â€œShe’s done without it for a year. I’m not even sure she wants him back. We haven’t really talked about it. And, Steve, he may be able to get his GED now , even without the class. I mean, he has gone to school straight through. Brenda put him a few steps ahead, and then he had school at River Ranch. He may very well know enough to pass it.”
    Steve finished his glass and set it down next to him. “I don’t like it much, Cathy, but if you have peace about it, go ahead and let him. The goal is to get him to go to college, and the GED shouldn’t hurt in that area, not if he plans to go to the community college first.”
    â€œAll right,” Cathy said, “I’ll let him. Now all I have to decide is whether he should go to the morning or night class.”
    â€œAnd he has to start looking for a job.”
    â€œRight. A job.” Cathy held his gaze for a moment. “Do you really think that making him take the class at night and work during the day is the right choice?”
    â€œDepends on what you want to accomplish.”
    Cathy smiled. “I want him to hate the kind of work he can get and go to college.”
    â€œThen let him work his tail off for the next few months,” Steve said. “Guaranteed, he’ll be in college by the next semester.”

C HAPTER
    Seventeen

    The moment Harry stepped off the plane Sylvia felt as if the parallel planes of her life had finally converged. She could get through this now.
    He started to cry as he walked toward her, and she took him into her arms and held him as if he were the diseased and she were comforting him. They stood there like that for a long moment, him weeping into her hair, her weeping into his shirt, while the hustle and bustle of the airport life moved around them. Then she took him back to the house he hadn’t seen since they’d left it to go to the mission field.
    The “For Sale” sign still sat in the front yard. Harry got out of the car, and instead of going toward the door, he headed to the sign.
    â€œHarry, what are you doing?”
    â€œTaking the sign down.” He moved it in the dirt, loosening it so he could pull it up.
    â€œNo, don’t. We have to sell the house, Harry.”
    The sign came up. “Not until this is resolved. Honey, God is obviously working here. He didn’t let us sell it because he knew we’d need it. We can put the sign back up when the time is right.”
    She watched as he laid it on a shelf in the garage—one more reminder that their plans and dreams had been derailed.
    Harry went back to the car and got his suitcase. He carried it into the kitchen and looked around. “Home,” he whispered. “I didn’t even know how much I’d missed it. Isn’t God good for not letting us sell?”
    Sylvia put her arm through his and led him through the house.