AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You know, doing what he wants always leads to something better. Something better than what we think that we would get if we were doing things our own way.”
“I guess it takes a lot of faith to believe that sometimes, especially when you’re sitting where I’m sitting right now, out here along the lake by myself instead of in the office with Peter.”
“Norma Jean might not be in the office with Peter. He might be avoiding the office when she’s in it.”
Sally laughed, but it was a short laugh. She didn’t really wish any ill will on Norma Jean. “Maybe they’re meant to be together, and now that I’m out of the picture, he’s figured out that he actually really does love her.”
“Or he’s getting even more annoyed with her the more time he spends with her.”
“You really know how to make a person feel better. I appreciate that.”
“Oh, you know, a girl can dream.”
“Really?” Sally looked over at Lana. “You’ve been single for a while. Are you dreaming about someone in particular?”
And as Sally watched, she was surprised to see that Lana’s cheeks reddened and she gave a self-deprecating smile.
“I think I’m too old to have schoolgirl dreams.”
“But I’m not too old to have schoolgirl dreams?”
“Yeah. I didn’t mean to insult you. I meant... When you get to be my age, there’s too much water under the bridge to start fresh with someone, you know? You’ll have history, scars, baggage, and I know I’m more than a little set in my ways. I just can’t imagine...things working out between me and someone else. Plus, I will be a lot more picky than I used to be.”
“I don’t see how I can get any pickier.”
“Being picky is okay. But looking for perfection is not. After all, if you’re looking for the perfect guy, he’s going to be disappointed in you, since you are not perfect.”
“That’s a good point.” Sally laughed again. “I wasn’t really looking for a perfect guy. I just want someone who’s not going to cheat on me, you know? Is it terrible to have standards that are that low?”
“You want character. That’s what that is. Plus, you want someone who’s going to work hard too. The Bible clearly teaches that the man is supposed to be taking care of the woman. Not the other way around.”
“We don’t listen to much of what the Bible says anymore.”
“I think we’d be happier if we did. Although, I think happiness is a choice as well, and that’s not always a popular idea.”
“I agree with you there. Maybe it would be easier to choose happiness if we were doing what God wanted us to do, instead of what the world tells us to.”
“Yeah. There’d be a lot less broken families anyway.”
Lana’s words were sad, and they made Sally feel bad. Lana’s family was one of those broken families, where the husband hadn’t stayed around, hadn’t done what God taught, and instead chased after his own way.
Sally figured that was probably something that a woman never got over, even though Lana seemed to be happy and joyful and kind and motherly. There were still scars, like she had just said.
“What should I do? Just let it all go?”
“Has Peter tried to contact you again?”
“No. He hasn’t.” Sally couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice.
“Well, I suppose, if we don’t want to take Norma Jean from Peter, maybe we can get her to fall in love with someone?”
Sally’s breath caught in her throat. That was a brilliant idea.
“But who?” she asked, going through her mind, thinking of all the men who might be available. Norma Jean really was a great person. She wasn’t always the nicest person, but she really did work hard, and she did try to do right; she just wasn’t always successful, not that Sally was. She could hardly fault Norma Jean.
“I don’t know,” Lana said after a little while as she gazed at the lake, watching the waves crash on the shore and a pair of eagles fly overhead.
“And there won’t be anyone new in town until next spring or summer.”
