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“Wow.” He brushed out the narrow doorway without a jacket over his Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt. “You’d have a cow if you knew what I thought of this hotel room.”
Bennett could guess. It was likely not far from the not-so-pretty label that had scrolled through his mind when they’d checked in yesterday.
“Might want a sweatshirt,” Bennett said. Did Nathan know his favorite grunge-rock band with the most depressing messages ever was older than Bennett? Likely not. Nor did Nathan know that Bennett had also spent way too much time drowning in the blackness of songs like “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” himself. Enough to have tattooed in his brain that final, life-sucking lyric . . .
But praise God, Bennett no longer believed that he couldn’t be saved. Now, he desperately knew that he’dneededto be saved.
“Was Dad this uptight when he was a preacher?” Nathan’s snarky question caught Bennett off guard.
Bennett hadn’t even known Nathan knew their dad had been a pastor. “I don’t really remember.”
“How could you not remember?”
“He left when I was young. Before that I rarely got into trouble, so it wasn’t an issue either way.”
“Ah. So that’s why you and Gemma get along so well. You’re the compliant type.”
“I was for a while.”
“Was?” Nathan snorted. “Whatever.” Shaking his head, he stuck his AirPod back into his ear.
Be careful, little ears, what you hear . . .
Bennett’s heart squeezed as he imagined what kind of lyrics were blaring into Nathan’s brain. He realized, now more than ever, how much impact a song could have. How much influence words could have.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. That was in the Proverbs, wasn’t it? Bennett made a mental note to look it up later. And to meditate on the truth of it, because he knew going forward he was going to need to hang on tight to it with this little instant family he’d gained.
“Which of these is Mama Bulldog’s?” Gemma pointed toward the line of facade fronts along the boardwalk across the road, effectively pulling Bennett from his heavy thoughts.
He motioned toward the center building. “The Pantry.”
“She has the biggest shop in town!” Gemma employed her cheerleader voice.
Would Elk County Public School have cheerleading for junior high students? Doubt weighed Bennett’s mind. Issues he could deal with later.
He followed the bubbly girl to the store, Nathan trudging five feet behind him. Once inside, Mama B greeted them with her smiling blue eyes.
“Hello there, Croftons.”
Gemma clapped her hands. “We’re famous!”
“Bennett is certainly a celebrity in Luna.” Mama B winked. “Therefore, his siblings must also be known.”
“I’m Gemma. You must be Mama Bulldog. Hunter told me about you. Oh!” She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Am I allowed to call you that, or is it only for special people who know you?”
“I declare you special.” Mama B dubbed Gemma’s shoulders with her hand. “However, I will need your name to make it official.”
“Gemma.” She bowed to receiver her “knighting,” before pointing to Nathan. She grew serious. “That’s my brother, Nathan. He won’t like being declaredspecial.”
“Got it.” Mama B raised a wave. “Hello, Nathan.”
Nathan must have heard his name, because he jerked his chin in a’s’upgesture. That was as good as it was going to get.
“We’re in need of sturdy shoes for Princess Gemma here.” Bennett landed his hands on Gemma’s shoulders.
“Right. I’ve got a few.” Mama B waved them toward the back and then led the way.
Along the back wall there were exactly five styles of footwear. Thick strap sandals, low-rise hikers, high-top hikers, cowboy boots, and mud boots.
