think there must be a way for all of them to get to know each other.
Talie wondered if her mother’s curious glances might mean she felt the same way. Maybe she was just worried Dana would be blinded by the guy’s good looks; he certainly had that going for him.
Once Ben was buckled into his seat and the car was running, he quieted somewhat. Nonetheless Talie sat in the back with him rather than up front next to Luke.
She wasn’t sure what made her think of it. Would it be too meddlesome? But it could work out for everyone’s benefit. Why not? She had to voice the thought, at least.
“Luke, have you begun the interview process for your architectural position?”
* * *
“There’s no reason not to at least mention it to him,” Talie said to Dana on the phone the next night. “Maybe it’ll work out for both of them—Aidan and Luke.”
“I can think of plenty of reasons not to mention it. Dating isn’t a lifelong commitment, Talie. What if this leads absolutely nowhere? Then Aidan will be left working for the brother-in-law of a former . . . whatever. I can’t really call myself his girlfriend after only one brunch date and two lengthy phone calls.”
“I don’t see why that should be awkward, if he likes the job. If it doesn’t work out and he continues to work for Luke, why would you ever have to see him, or vice versa? I rarely see anyone Luke works with.”
“I don’t know. . . .”
“Just mention it to him, Danes.”
“Why are you interested in having him work for Luke, anyway?”
Talie was sitting on the edge of her bed, having set aside the journal she’d been reading again. She stroked one of the pages with a fingertip. Maybe it was the way Aidan had looked at Dana at church on Sunday morning . . . or the way Dana looked back.
Or maybe her hormones were out of whack. She’d been feeling so strange lately.
“It was just an idea,” said Talie. “Forget it.”
“No, I’ll mention it. He’ll probably call me tomorrow, and I can bring it up then.”
Talie smiled. “Then let’s see what God has in store, shall we?”
10
Earlier tonight, this bed looked every bit as inviting as Berrie promised. Sheltered under a leafy canopy, it is larger than the one I left behind at home. Sheer material stretches across the top, dangling attractively at each of the four posters in swags that touch the floor in gentle folds.
But I could not have foreseen how very little sleep I would get in this bed, no matter how comfortable it is in comparison to either the one at home or the one from which Berrie rescued me in the yellow room. I simply cannot slumber after what just happened.
It all started innocently enough, as I doused the light and prepared to retire for the night. . . .
Cosima doused the light beside the chaise, then went to the window and untied the loops of the heavy silver-and-green drapes. The room fell into darkness without stars or moon to cast a shadow. Feeling her way along the wall, she found the far side of the bed and knelt. Tonight’s prayer would not be written, but that made no difference to the heart of the Lord; of that Cosima was certain.
From the familiar position on her knees, she automatically closed her eyes for prayer but opened them a moment later. The room was so dark it made no difference whether her lids were up or down.
“Father in heaven,” she said aloud, then decided to continue without disturbing the silence.
Once again she asked the Lord’s guidance but also His forgiveness for her suspicions of Reginald and caution with her lovely hostess, at least so far as discussing wedding plans. She asked for heavenly wisdom yet again, wondering how she might serve God best: at Reginald’s side or back home alone, to see the vision of a school become reality.
The door clicked.
Cosima’s thoughts fell from heaven back to earth. Still on her knees, her gaze flew to the threshold, but she saw nothing in the darkness. She hadn’t thought to lock the door; no one
Talie wondered if her mother’s curious glances might mean she felt the same way. Maybe she was just worried Dana would be blinded by the guy’s good looks; he certainly had that going for him.
Once Ben was buckled into his seat and the car was running, he quieted somewhat. Nonetheless Talie sat in the back with him rather than up front next to Luke.
She wasn’t sure what made her think of it. Would it be too meddlesome? But it could work out for everyone’s benefit. Why not? She had to voice the thought, at least.
“Luke, have you begun the interview process for your architectural position?”
* * *
“There’s no reason not to at least mention it to him,” Talie said to Dana on the phone the next night. “Maybe it’ll work out for both of them—Aidan and Luke.”
“I can think of plenty of reasons not to mention it. Dating isn’t a lifelong commitment, Talie. What if this leads absolutely nowhere? Then Aidan will be left working for the brother-in-law of a former . . . whatever. I can’t really call myself his girlfriend after only one brunch date and two lengthy phone calls.”
“I don’t see why that should be awkward, if he likes the job. If it doesn’t work out and he continues to work for Luke, why would you ever have to see him, or vice versa? I rarely see anyone Luke works with.”
“I don’t know. . . .”
“Just mention it to him, Danes.”
“Why are you interested in having him work for Luke, anyway?”
Talie was sitting on the edge of her bed, having set aside the journal she’d been reading again. She stroked one of the pages with a fingertip. Maybe it was the way Aidan had looked at Dana at church on Sunday morning . . . or the way Dana looked back.
Or maybe her hormones were out of whack. She’d been feeling so strange lately.
“It was just an idea,” said Talie. “Forget it.”
“No, I’ll mention it. He’ll probably call me tomorrow, and I can bring it up then.”
Talie smiled. “Then let’s see what God has in store, shall we?”
10
Earlier tonight, this bed looked every bit as inviting as Berrie promised. Sheltered under a leafy canopy, it is larger than the one I left behind at home. Sheer material stretches across the top, dangling attractively at each of the four posters in swags that touch the floor in gentle folds.
But I could not have foreseen how very little sleep I would get in this bed, no matter how comfortable it is in comparison to either the one at home or the one from which Berrie rescued me in the yellow room. I simply cannot slumber after what just happened.
It all started innocently enough, as I doused the light and prepared to retire for the night. . . .
Cosima doused the light beside the chaise, then went to the window and untied the loops of the heavy silver-and-green drapes. The room fell into darkness without stars or moon to cast a shadow. Feeling her way along the wall, she found the far side of the bed and knelt. Tonight’s prayer would not be written, but that made no difference to the heart of the Lord; of that Cosima was certain.
From the familiar position on her knees, she automatically closed her eyes for prayer but opened them a moment later. The room was so dark it made no difference whether her lids were up or down.
“Father in heaven,” she said aloud, then decided to continue without disturbing the silence.
Once again she asked the Lord’s guidance but also His forgiveness for her suspicions of Reginald and caution with her lovely hostess, at least so far as discussing wedding plans. She asked for heavenly wisdom yet again, wondering how she might serve God best: at Reginald’s side or back home alone, to see the vision of a school become reality.
The door clicked.
Cosima’s thoughts fell from heaven back to earth. Still on her knees, her gaze flew to the threshold, but she saw nothing in the darkness. She hadn’t thought to lock the door; no one
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