getting through to her. There had to be another way.
As she picked up his other hand and began to massage it, he said, "I started my own business while I was still in college. One of the lecturers kept telling me I would never do well. For a long time I believed what the man said...after all, he was older, more experienced. He kept bringing the subject up in his class, warning the other students against being in too great a hurry. One day I lost my temper and told him, "I am going to make it because I believe in me." I learned something that day. It didn't matter if anyone else approved of what I did or not. The only important thing was I had to approve of what I did."
Abby didn't say anything as her gaze meshed with Daniel's. "Try it, Abby. Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities."
The way Abby looked at him told Daniel he had her complete attention. "You're a wonderful person with so much to offer," he said firmly. "I haven't met anyone else with your capacity for caring for others."
"That isn't hard," Daniel heard Abby mutter.
"You're intelligent and talented." He tried to sound very positive. "Agnes told me you worked as a freelance interior decorator before you got married. Look at the store, the guest house, this room...they all reflect how good you are. Why did you give up your work, Abby?"
"I wasn't getting enough orders."
Rod had told her he wanted his wife to stay home. Rather than argue, she had given in to him. As she always had. By then her growing lack of self-confidence had convinced her she wouldn't be able to make it as an interior decorator anyway.
After Rod's death, Abby had returned to Carbon Canyon. At the back of her mind had been a plan to start her own business again. Once here, she had realized Gran needed her help. Putting what little money she had into the store had been done automatically.
Gran's work was more important than her dreams.
Abby stared at Daniel's hands, her eyes luminous with tears. Daniel wondered if he had trammeled on hurts best forgotten. "When it comes down to it," he said, "each human being has only one cheering section. Ourselves. Think about what I've said, Abby."
She bent her head. He knew he was pushing it, but there was one more thing he had to say. "You're a survivor, Abby." She looked up, surprised. Daniel felt he had to explain his remark. "The fact you haven't caved in under all your problems, personal or otherwise, proves you're a survivor. Each of us has the spark of survival in us. When things are bad it's up to us to protect that spark till its strong enough to burn by itself. The only losers are those who let the spark go out."
He'd done enough for one night. Daniel only hoped he hadn't overdone his attempt to restore Abby's self-confidence. Her face was pale and the hand she lifted to cap the bottle of herbal oil, shook slightly.
"Thank you for the massage," Daniel said gently. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Upstairs, Abby showered and changed into an embroidered nightie. Settling on the window seat, she drew her knees to her chest. Were all the things Daniel said true? Had she handed Rod the power to bully her, to make her feel she was an idiot?
If she had, it had been because she was so much in love with him. Later it had been because if she ever opposed him, he threw a tantrum. His dark moods lasted for days, and rather than bring one on, she'd preferred to do things his way.
When she had found out about Rod's affairs, Abby knew she should have said something, but by then she blamed herself for the failure of her marriage, believed all the cruel things Rod said. It seemed easier just to continue the way she was then cause waves by asking for a divorce.
It hadn't entirely been apathy that had tied her to the marriage. Gran, grieving for Gramps, who had passed away a year after the wedding, would have been tremendously upset by a divorce. Abby
As she picked up his other hand and began to massage it, he said, "I started my own business while I was still in college. One of the lecturers kept telling me I would never do well. For a long time I believed what the man said...after all, he was older, more experienced. He kept bringing the subject up in his class, warning the other students against being in too great a hurry. One day I lost my temper and told him, "I am going to make it because I believe in me." I learned something that day. It didn't matter if anyone else approved of what I did or not. The only important thing was I had to approve of what I did."
Abby didn't say anything as her gaze meshed with Daniel's. "Try it, Abby. Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities."
The way Abby looked at him told Daniel he had her complete attention. "You're a wonderful person with so much to offer," he said firmly. "I haven't met anyone else with your capacity for caring for others."
"That isn't hard," Daniel heard Abby mutter.
"You're intelligent and talented." He tried to sound very positive. "Agnes told me you worked as a freelance interior decorator before you got married. Look at the store, the guest house, this room...they all reflect how good you are. Why did you give up your work, Abby?"
"I wasn't getting enough orders."
Rod had told her he wanted his wife to stay home. Rather than argue, she had given in to him. As she always had. By then her growing lack of self-confidence had convinced her she wouldn't be able to make it as an interior decorator anyway.
After Rod's death, Abby had returned to Carbon Canyon. At the back of her mind had been a plan to start her own business again. Once here, she had realized Gran needed her help. Putting what little money she had into the store had been done automatically.
Gran's work was more important than her dreams.
Abby stared at Daniel's hands, her eyes luminous with tears. Daniel wondered if he had trammeled on hurts best forgotten. "When it comes down to it," he said, "each human being has only one cheering section. Ourselves. Think about what I've said, Abby."
She bent her head. He knew he was pushing it, but there was one more thing he had to say. "You're a survivor, Abby." She looked up, surprised. Daniel felt he had to explain his remark. "The fact you haven't caved in under all your problems, personal or otherwise, proves you're a survivor. Each of us has the spark of survival in us. When things are bad it's up to us to protect that spark till its strong enough to burn by itself. The only losers are those who let the spark go out."
He'd done enough for one night. Daniel only hoped he hadn't overdone his attempt to restore Abby's self-confidence. Her face was pale and the hand she lifted to cap the bottle of herbal oil, shook slightly.
"Thank you for the massage," Daniel said gently. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Upstairs, Abby showered and changed into an embroidered nightie. Settling on the window seat, she drew her knees to her chest. Were all the things Daniel said true? Had she handed Rod the power to bully her, to make her feel she was an idiot?
If she had, it had been because she was so much in love with him. Later it had been because if she ever opposed him, he threw a tantrum. His dark moods lasted for days, and rather than bring one on, she'd preferred to do things his way.
When she had found out about Rod's affairs, Abby knew she should have said something, but by then she blamed herself for the failure of her marriage, believed all the cruel things Rod said. It seemed easier just to continue the way she was then cause waves by asking for a divorce.
It hadn't entirely been apathy that had tied her to the marriage. Gran, grieving for Gramps, who had passed away a year after the wedding, would have been tremendously upset by a divorce. Abby
Similar Books
