enjoyed board games, especially Monopoly ; they preferred shopping at off-the-beaten-path boutiques versus the clearance racks at major department stores. The major thing they shared was they both had been hurt by the men they loved.
As Desiree revealed how she found out about her husband’s affair and confronted him, Solae’s heart ached. “I moved out. I had to. It’s been ten days.”
“Your family doesn’t know or suspect anything?”
Desiree began to pick with her food. The dinner conversation was definitely taking a turn for the worse. “Probably so. I guess they’re waiting for me to say something. I can tell they want to ask.”
Solae had no advice to offer; neither did she have an opinion. It was foreign territory. “I feel ashamed for even thinking, ‘woe is me’ because I’m not the marrying kind.” Solae didn’t believe in telling all her business, especially to a new friend, so she gave Desiree the highlights that she and another friend were dating two brothers; one got a diamond ring, she got other diamonds; and then Hershel’s clueless response about their future—that hurt her the most.
“From what you’ve told me, Hershel is a jerk.”
I didn’t say all that. Solae tried not to cringe. I still do love the man. When Solae vented to Candace, her friend tried to stay neutral, but always grasped at straws in Hershel’s defense. Desiree probably didn’t see the value of any man at the moment. Solae understood that.
Changing the subject, they both agreed to enjoy their meal without any further discussion of their woes.
Chapter 7
Solae called Desiree to check on her new friend a few days later. At least the woman’s problems trumped hers so that Solae no longer harped on her situation as much. It was as if God gave her a new focus.
“I’m still prayerful.” Desiree advised she was at work and didn’t have the privacy to talk long. “Although my fairy-tale love story has been ruined, I’d like to see Michael come begging for my forgiveness,” she said in a hushed voice, “so I can say no. I know that’s vengeful, so I’m asking Jesus to flush out my thoughts that are not like His thoughts.”
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. How many times had Solae recalled that verse in Isaiah 55?
It was Solae’s turn to sigh. “I know. Where you would be justified to tell him no, I would feel like a proposal from Hershel now would be because he pities me. I don’t want that.”
“Do you really feel that?”
“Yes and no.” Solae eyed the emergency scanners that she had packed up to donate for the disabled veterans’ truck along with some other household items. “I gave him an unspoken ultimatum. I was beginning to feel like he was stringing me along, only to admit in six months or a year that we wouldn’t work out. When we first started dating, he mentioned that he had dated a couple of times after his divorce; but they didn’t work out, so he ended them.”
“Wow. Well, if you saw the handwriting on the wall, you did right. I’m sorry,” Desiree tried to comfort her.
“Me too.”
My thoughts are not your thoughts, God spoke the Word.
Lord , I don’t even know what my thoughts are at this point, Solae confessed.
“I’m going to need your prayers, Solae. I have an appointment to see an attorney tomorrow, then I agreed to give Michael an hour of my time on Friday. It’s going to be hard.”
“Will do.” She began praying at that moment. Desiree joined her. They whispered their “Amens” together.
“If you’re up to it, we can always go to see a play at the Black Rep on Saturday,” Solae said. “At least we can end the week on a good note.”
“I’ll let you know. Thanks again for the prayers.”
Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. At this point in her life, Solae felt she had done both, leaving no room for her own misguided thoughts.
The next day, Solae began
As Desiree revealed how she found out about her husband’s affair and confronted him, Solae’s heart ached. “I moved out. I had to. It’s been ten days.”
“Your family doesn’t know or suspect anything?”
Desiree began to pick with her food. The dinner conversation was definitely taking a turn for the worse. “Probably so. I guess they’re waiting for me to say something. I can tell they want to ask.”
Solae had no advice to offer; neither did she have an opinion. It was foreign territory. “I feel ashamed for even thinking, ‘woe is me’ because I’m not the marrying kind.” Solae didn’t believe in telling all her business, especially to a new friend, so she gave Desiree the highlights that she and another friend were dating two brothers; one got a diamond ring, she got other diamonds; and then Hershel’s clueless response about their future—that hurt her the most.
“From what you’ve told me, Hershel is a jerk.”
I didn’t say all that. Solae tried not to cringe. I still do love the man. When Solae vented to Candace, her friend tried to stay neutral, but always grasped at straws in Hershel’s defense. Desiree probably didn’t see the value of any man at the moment. Solae understood that.
Changing the subject, they both agreed to enjoy their meal without any further discussion of their woes.
Chapter 7
Solae called Desiree to check on her new friend a few days later. At least the woman’s problems trumped hers so that Solae no longer harped on her situation as much. It was as if God gave her a new focus.
“I’m still prayerful.” Desiree advised she was at work and didn’t have the privacy to talk long. “Although my fairy-tale love story has been ruined, I’d like to see Michael come begging for my forgiveness,” she said in a hushed voice, “so I can say no. I know that’s vengeful, so I’m asking Jesus to flush out my thoughts that are not like His thoughts.”
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. How many times had Solae recalled that verse in Isaiah 55?
It was Solae’s turn to sigh. “I know. Where you would be justified to tell him no, I would feel like a proposal from Hershel now would be because he pities me. I don’t want that.”
“Do you really feel that?”
“Yes and no.” Solae eyed the emergency scanners that she had packed up to donate for the disabled veterans’ truck along with some other household items. “I gave him an unspoken ultimatum. I was beginning to feel like he was stringing me along, only to admit in six months or a year that we wouldn’t work out. When we first started dating, he mentioned that he had dated a couple of times after his divorce; but they didn’t work out, so he ended them.”
“Wow. Well, if you saw the handwriting on the wall, you did right. I’m sorry,” Desiree tried to comfort her.
“Me too.”
My thoughts are not your thoughts, God spoke the Word.
Lord , I don’t even know what my thoughts are at this point, Solae confessed.
“I’m going to need your prayers, Solae. I have an appointment to see an attorney tomorrow, then I agreed to give Michael an hour of my time on Friday. It’s going to be hard.”
“Will do.” She began praying at that moment. Desiree joined her. They whispered their “Amens” together.
“If you’re up to it, we can always go to see a play at the Black Rep on Saturday,” Solae said. “At least we can end the week on a good note.”
“I’ll let you know. Thanks again for the prayers.”
Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. At this point in her life, Solae felt she had done both, leaving no room for her own misguided thoughts.
The next day, Solae began
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