By His Hand: Truly Yours Digital Edition by Jennifer Johnson Page B

her as she thought of what Sondra said about God giving her what
He
could handle. Victoria knew that God was handling everything.

     
    “Abby”—Chris motioned for his sister to follow him down the church hall—“we need to have a talk.” He stopped a little ways before the nursery and turned to face her. I-don’t-care-what-you-want reeked from her posture and expression, and Chris squelched the desire to put her over his knee and paddle her. “You whispered with your friend all through church.”
    She huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Did not.”
    “I watched you, Abby. You did.” He glowered at her old jeans with a hole in one knee and her long-sleeved green T-shirt that she had cut holes in the bottom of each arm for her thumbs to fit through. A dark blue, tighter tee had been pasted over that. Her hair, pulled back in that same weird band, had pointy brown wisps sticking straight up and out all around her head. She looked more like a person going to a rock concert or just stepping out of bed than someone who’d just come from God’s sanctuary to worship. “Abby, I know you’re already grounded for a month.”
    She snorted. “Yeah, big brother, so whatcha gonna do now?” He thought for a moment. What could he do now? He didn’t have any experience raising children. Abby was only nine years younger than he, and they’d spent their lives bickering like siblings. He’d never been a caregiver type to her. Until last year. “Next week you’re sitting with me.”
    Her mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding, right?” Chris shook his head, feeling pretty good about the discipline he’d just thought up. The punishment should fit the crime. You talk in church; you don’t get to sit by the person you talked with in church. Maybe he could do this parenting thing after all. “Not kidding. Next week you can sit with me, and if it goes well, I’ll let you sit with your friend the week after that.”
    Abby smacked her hand to her hip. “This is a big joke. I can’t wait until I’m eighteen,
DAD!
” She popped her hand up to cover her lips. “Oops, I forgot. My dad died. You’re just my
brother!
” She stomped away from him.
    Okay, so maybe I’m not going to be writing any child-rearing books at this point
. He raked his hand through his hair and then scratched his jaw. “Abby, come back here.”
    She waved him off. “I’ll be in the truck. Silent. Like a good little girl.”
    “Having some trouble?”
    Chris looked behind him and found Sondra holding Peewee’s hand with Emily firmly planted on her hip. Her purse and a baby bag hung haphazardly off her shoulder. “I think you’re the one having some trouble. Let me take something.” He reached for the bags, but instead she handed him the live, wiggling bundle. Emily cooed and grabbed at his hair.
    “That kid loves to pull hair.” Sondra flipped several wisps behind her shoulder. “I’m going to have to cut mine short if I don’t get her broke of that and quick.”
    “It’s just distracting to her, that’s all.” Chris tickled under her chin. She giggled and blew slobber bubbles at him. He wrinkled his nose and wiped her mouth with her bib.
    Sondra laughed. “She’s already insolent, a complete handful. Must be the way of women, even from the very beginning.”
    Chris caught the teasing tone in Sondra’s voice and looked at her. “Abby’s going to be the death of me. I don’t know how to parent her.”
    “I can see that.” Sondra pushed Emily’s slipping shoe back up onto her foot. Emily protested and tried to kick it off again but failed. “Abby needs a woman in her life.”
    Chris thought back to a time somewhere around ten years ago when Abby had sat on the floor in front of the couch while their mom brushed her hair. She would count each stroke and say that Abby’s locks grew softer with every one. “The woman who should be doing this ran off a year ago.”
    “I know that’s hard on you both.” Sondra