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Jack turns around again and grins. “What I told you was the Cliff Notes version. David said she was ‘the bee’s knees, a goddess, and a queen.’ I think he was referring to her time spent in beauty pageants. We looked her up last night, and did you know that while she was in college, she stopped singing for the talent portion?”
Savannah has an amazing voice and entrances me every time I hear it. “What could she possibly do that is better than her singing?”
“Here, I’ll show you!” Jack pulls up a video on his phone and hands it to me. I press play and watch as Savannah throws knives with precision in one video, and in the next, she’s shooting a bow and arrow. There are several more, each with a different type of weapon.
I’m in awe as I hand the phone back. “She’s quite impressive.”
“Oh yeah! She’s great with guns as well. She helped her college team win the championship for skeet shooting. She was the only person to hit all 25 clay pigeons. There are more videos if you want to see them. They’re pretty awesome!” David clearly isn’t the only one who is a fan of Savannah.
I decline the offer since we’re almost home, but I promise to look at the videos later. We pull up into the driveway, and I get out to face the two men who had my back today. “Thanks, guys, for tagging along and watching out for me. I’m sorry you had to deal with that lady. I’ve had some pretty crazy fans, but she took the cake.”
“We’ve seen worse if you can believe it,” Scott says.
I shiver a little, “I hope I never find out what ‘worse’ is. Also, I wanted to let you know that there will be an unexpected deposit into your accounts as a thank-you for everything you all did yesterday.”
Jack and Scott both start to protest, but I raise a hand to stop them. “I know it’s your job, but it doesn’t mean I’m not appreciative of what you did. You’ll all be able to take a nice, long vacation when this is over. In the meantime, you’re welcome to come in and enjoy the game.”
“Thank you, Sir. We’d like that,” Scott says, speaking for the both of them.
I unlock the front door and enter, only to be greeted by a pleasant and welcoming site. Food is spread out on the coffee table, and my daughter runs up to me and hugs me tight. Anna walks into the living room wearing my jersey, just as she promised. She wasn’t kidding when she said it was old school, but it warms my heart to know that she’s held onto it for so many years. What really has me smiling is the fact that it’s faded and well-worn.
If she can love a piece of clothing with my name stitched in, maybe I can convince her that I’m worth loving, too.
Chapter fourteen
Savannah
Penny and I spend the first hour getting ready as if we were attending the game. It takes me at least 20 minutes to comb out the knots in her hair, and I decide that from then on, I will braid her blond locks before bed.
“Can you make me as pretty as you?” she asks sweetly.
I smile at her in the mirror and weave her hair into a cute, easy updo. “You already are, Penny. You’re not only pretty on the outside, but you’re also beautiful in here.” I pat my heart so she understands my meaning.
“That’s because Jesus lives there! Anna, do you believe in Jesus?”
“I do, but we haven’t been on speaking terms for a very long time.” I’m not sure this is a conversation I should be having with a child, but Penny isn’t an ordinary kid. She enjoys asking the hard questions and actually takes the time to listen so that she understands. Most adults haven’t mastered the art of doing that. Most grown-ups hear and respond, but few truly listen.
“Why?”
I stutter over my words a bit, “Um. Well. Because I didn’t have the easiest childhood growing up, and I prayed for Him to take me away from that, but He didn’t. I had to do it myself. I asked God for a lot of things, but He never delivered.”
“Dad said that ‘never and always are absolute, and that there are few things in this world that are absolute other than God. God always loves us and will never turn His back on us.’ You talked to God yesterday, and He answered your prayer by keeping my dad safe even though you hadn’t talked to Him in forever! See! He still loves you!”
I place the last bobby pin in her hair, hoping the conversation is over. “There! All done!”
“Thank you, Anna! I love it!” Penny gets as close as she can to the mirror and tilts her head in all directions, analyzing my work. She’s most likely committing to memory where every strand of hair is tucked, and every pin is placed. She grabs my hand to lead me out of the room when Martha startles me with her presence in the doorway.
Martha tells Penny that Grandpa needs her help with reading a story, which spurs Penny to hurry down the stairs and leave the two of us alone. I move to follow after the rambunctious little girl, but Martha stops me.
“I heard what you said to Penny.”
“I’m sorry, Martha. I know that conversation wasn’t meant for tiny ears. I should be more careful with what I say to her.”
She laughs, “I wasn’t planning on scolding you, Anna. Penny is more than capable of handling an adult conversation. The youthful innocence of a child is often what we need to hear. They see things so simply, whereas we tend to overcomplicate matters.”
I tilt my head in confusion. “Okay. If you aren’t upset with what I said, am I to assume that you have something to add?”
She grins. “I do, but only with your permission. I won’t offer my opinion or advice if you don’t want it.”
