AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’d figured they would shoot him. But if they’d arrested him, then Selena—and everyone else affected—would see justice. “Good.”
“The crew killed one of their group, but the other four are all in custody.”
Clare pushed out a breath. “That’s really good.”
“Don’t worry,” Letitia said, “I won’t offer to represent all of them.”
Clare nearly snorted. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“I’m going to go check on Selena. She was talking about having to go to the police station to break up with Alex.” Letitia leaned down and kissed Clare’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re going to be all right.”
“And if I start dating Gage?” Clare winced, not planning to say that aloud necessarily. “Will you still be glad, or will you try and pay him off again?”
“You know he didn’t take it, right?”
Clare nodded. Ember let out a tiny snort.
Letitia continued, “You’re an adult, Clare. Make your own choices. I love you, so I’ll support whatever you decide. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Clare smiled. “I love you, too.”
Letitia waved a hand and let herself out.
“Huh.” Ember grinned and pulled up a chair. “You good? I can go see if Gage is awake if you want to talk to him.”
“We have time.” She wasn’t in a hurry, and moving wouldn’t feel too good right now. “You know how you said that it’s not religion, it’s a relationship?”
Ember stilled. “Yes.”
“Do you think maybe you could explain some more of that? Because I trusted God in the heat of the moment, and I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t. But I believe He did come through. I mean, we’re all alive right? We could be dead. Selena could’ve been dead.” Clare didn’t want to think about that. Her eyes filled with traitorous tears she didn’t like.
“That happened to me a lot when I became a Christian.”
Clare frowned. “What?”
“Crying.”
“Ugh.” Ember had mentioned that before.
Ember chuckled. “You’ve had a hard heart for years. Trying to protect yourself from being hurt again. Now you’re softening and God comes in, flooding everything with care and kindness. Suddenly we have tons of empathy, and we hurt for other people.”
“That sounds like it’s not a good thing.”
“It is.”
“Hmm.” Clare didn’t like the idea of getting all sappy just because God thought she needed to care too much. She had her circle and she would give everything for those people. It wasn’t about needing to sacrifice to make up for what they’d lost.
Or what she’d cost them.
Now it was more about the pure love she had for people like Selena, and Gage. Her family and friends, and the coworkers she loved like they were friends and family. The same sentiment, now for a whole different reason.
She didn’t need to atone.
God had already done that for her.
And while she could do everything to make sure Selena had a support network, it wasn’t about obligation. It was because she loved that young woman like family.
“You won’t regret making the choice to follow God,” Ember said. “Like you won’t regret choosing to take a chance on Gage.”
