The Greatest Gift by Diana Palmer

believe it,” she exclaimed.
    When the doctor left the room a few minutes later, Bev filled her in on the details. “It gets better. The house is half a block from the shelter, so that you could walk to work.”
    She just stared at Bev, dumbfounded.
    “I know you can afford the utilities on your salary. You could probably even afford to make payments on a good used car, since you won’t have rent to worry about.”
    Tears stung her eyes and rolled down her pale cheeks. “I just can’t believe it!”
    * * *
    When Matt returned that evening with the kids, she filled him in on her wonderful news.
    He smiled. “It’s amazing how kind people can be,” he remarked. “I see a lot of cruelty in my line of work. Sometimes it really gets me down, seeing the dark side of human nature. But then, somebody like you comes along and renews my faith in mankind. Womankind, too. People who give always get repaid for it, Mary.”
    She wiped away the tears. “Bev went out of her way looking for that house, didn’t she?”
    He nodded.
    “What a kind thing for her to do.”
    “I’ll tell her,” he said with a laugh. “For now, you just concentrate on getting better, and out of here.”
    She let out a long breath, thinking what an odyssey her life had become. It was a journey, an adventure, an obstacle course. But she’d become strong and self-sufficient and independent because of the hardships and challenges.
    “Deep thoughts?” Matt probed.
    She looked at him. “I was thinking that it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. I’ve heard that all my life. I never really understood it until I ended up in a shelter with my kids.”
    He nodded. “The journey is the thing. Not to mention the exciting and interesting people you meet along the way.” He gave her a devilish wink and brought her hand to his lips.
    Warmth flooded through her. “I never expected that people would be so kind to me, when I was about as low on the social ladder as a person could get. Even the people I work for have been supportive and generous. And you were the best surprise of all,” she said softly.
    “Right back at you,” he said gruffly.
    She laid back on the pillows. “Thank you, Matt, for everything. And you’ll be happy to know I’m listening to the doctor. I’ll speak with my employers when I get out of here. And I will slow down.”
    “That’s a really good idea,” he mused. “I’ll be back with the kids first thing tomorrow.”
    After Mary kissed the kids good-night and exchanged a highly charged look with Matt that was ripe with possibilities of what the future could hold, she was left alone to rest. Closing her eyes, she thought about the changes she was going to have to make. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad after all, slowing down. Well, slowing down just a little, she amended.

CHAPTER SIX
    M ARY HAD A LONG TALK with three of her employers about giving up her work. They were nice, but she knew they didn’t really understand why Mary had to quit working for them.
    One asked if the money wasn’t enough, and offered a substantial raise if Mary would stay on.
    That was just too hard to turn down. Mary agreed to stay, but she was adamant about the other two jobs. She explained that if she had another stress attack, it could be much worse, and she had her kids to think about. She had to stay healthy so that she could get them all through school. Her doctor had insisted that she had to give up some work. In the end, they accepted her decision and even gave her severance pay.
    Matt was delighted that she was following doctor’s orders. “We get to keep you around for a while, right, kids?” he asked them when they were all enjoying hamburgers after a particularly great fantasy movie on their Saturday out.
    “Right!” they chorused.
    “It’s been a super evening, Matt. Thanks again.”
    He smiled warmly at her. “It’s only the second of many,” he said easily, finishing his hamburger. “I see a pleasant future for