that’s what you’re wondering.”
“No, I didn’t mean to judge you or anything. It’s just that so many people say they’re Christians, you know. Well, maybe not everybody. But both the guys next door are, and so is Genevieve. I think it just makes it easier when we get together and stuff. We’re all coming from the same place, you know?”
Alissa noticed Steven wasn’t included in the list. But she was too relieved Shelly hadn’t asked for more explanation to ask where Steven stood. She also felt more comforted than threatened to know that she would be around Christians.
Several years ago Alissa would have been the one grilling Shelly, asking her if she had a personal relationship with Christ and if in all her years of church going she had ever repented of her sins and asked Jesus to come into her life. That zeal had drained itself from Alissa’s life after the Phoenix experience. Now she would have felt like a hypocrite trying to evangelize anyone when she wasn’t even attending church.
In a larger sense, Alissa was interested only in that which would bring about fresh new starts and positive changes in her life. There was no point in dredging up Phoenix again or her checkered church experiences. She knew she had given her heart to the Lord that summer day on the beach with Christy, and she knew Jesus was her best friend. For now that was the only place she knew to go back to. Because Shelly reminded her of Christy, Alissa felt a beginning sense of hope that she might get closer to God again.
“What do you think?” Shelly asked. “You want to move in?”
Alissa nodded. “If it’s okay with you.”
“Of course!” Shelly said, hopping up and giving Alissa an enthusiastic hug. “This will be terrific. Now do you want a snickerdoodle? How about something to drink? I went to the store on my way home from the airport, and I have all kinds of good stuff.”
Alissa followed her into the kitchen. As Alissa trailed a bit behind, she tried to remember the last time she had felt a friendly touch like Shelly’s hug. It had been far too long. She had exchanged handshakes at work and pats on the back from Renée. But it had been months since anyone had offered a friendly hug, and even longer since she had offered one.
“Actually,” Alissa said as Shelly held up a pitcher of orange juice, silently inviting refills, “I think I better go. What’s the next step?”
Shelly shrugged her shoulders and said, “Move in, I guess. Genevieve will have some lease papers for you to sign. Did she tell you they ask for a minimum of a year?”
Alissa flinched slightly. Then she realized a year was fine. She preferred six month commitments, but a year, in this case, would be fine.
“Okay. I’ll start to move in this weekend, if that’s all right with you.”
“Terrific. I’m here until Thursday, and then I fly until next Monday. So why don’t you stop by and pick up a key. I’ll have one made tomorrow. You can sign the papers at Genevieve’s then. And be sure to tell her about the paint, if you have a favorite color or something. Otherwise, when the guy comes this week, I think he’ll just do it in some off-white shade. That’s what my room is. Oh, I didn’t show you my room, did I? Do you want to see it?”
“No, that’s okay. I really should get going.”
“If you can stop by tomorrow, for the papers and paint and everything, maybe we could decide about extra furniture. There’s room for more in the living room, like your wicker love seat. It just looks full now because I crammed every empty corner with plants. They’re good for the atmosphere, you know, especially because this place is closed up so much of the time. You’re welcome to rearrange any way you want.” Shelly pouredherself a glass of juice. “Sure you don’t want some?”
“No thanks.”
“You’ll find I’m not very picky about most things. Except shoes.” Shelly wiggled her bare toes. “I should have lived in the Orient
“No, I didn’t mean to judge you or anything. It’s just that so many people say they’re Christians, you know. Well, maybe not everybody. But both the guys next door are, and so is Genevieve. I think it just makes it easier when we get together and stuff. We’re all coming from the same place, you know?”
Alissa noticed Steven wasn’t included in the list. But she was too relieved Shelly hadn’t asked for more explanation to ask where Steven stood. She also felt more comforted than threatened to know that she would be around Christians.
Several years ago Alissa would have been the one grilling Shelly, asking her if she had a personal relationship with Christ and if in all her years of church going she had ever repented of her sins and asked Jesus to come into her life. That zeal had drained itself from Alissa’s life after the Phoenix experience. Now she would have felt like a hypocrite trying to evangelize anyone when she wasn’t even attending church.
In a larger sense, Alissa was interested only in that which would bring about fresh new starts and positive changes in her life. There was no point in dredging up Phoenix again or her checkered church experiences. She knew she had given her heart to the Lord that summer day on the beach with Christy, and she knew Jesus was her best friend. For now that was the only place she knew to go back to. Because Shelly reminded her of Christy, Alissa felt a beginning sense of hope that she might get closer to God again.
“What do you think?” Shelly asked. “You want to move in?”
Alissa nodded. “If it’s okay with you.”
“Of course!” Shelly said, hopping up and giving Alissa an enthusiastic hug. “This will be terrific. Now do you want a snickerdoodle? How about something to drink? I went to the store on my way home from the airport, and I have all kinds of good stuff.”
Alissa followed her into the kitchen. As Alissa trailed a bit behind, she tried to remember the last time she had felt a friendly touch like Shelly’s hug. It had been far too long. She had exchanged handshakes at work and pats on the back from Renée. But it had been months since anyone had offered a friendly hug, and even longer since she had offered one.
“Actually,” Alissa said as Shelly held up a pitcher of orange juice, silently inviting refills, “I think I better go. What’s the next step?”
Shelly shrugged her shoulders and said, “Move in, I guess. Genevieve will have some lease papers for you to sign. Did she tell you they ask for a minimum of a year?”
Alissa flinched slightly. Then she realized a year was fine. She preferred six month commitments, but a year, in this case, would be fine.
“Okay. I’ll start to move in this weekend, if that’s all right with you.”
“Terrific. I’m here until Thursday, and then I fly until next Monday. So why don’t you stop by and pick up a key. I’ll have one made tomorrow. You can sign the papers at Genevieve’s then. And be sure to tell her about the paint, if you have a favorite color or something. Otherwise, when the guy comes this week, I think he’ll just do it in some off-white shade. That’s what my room is. Oh, I didn’t show you my room, did I? Do you want to see it?”
“No, that’s okay. I really should get going.”
“If you can stop by tomorrow, for the papers and paint and everything, maybe we could decide about extra furniture. There’s room for more in the living room, like your wicker love seat. It just looks full now because I crammed every empty corner with plants. They’re good for the atmosphere, you know, especially because this place is closed up so much of the time. You’re welcome to rearrange any way you want.” Shelly pouredherself a glass of juice. “Sure you don’t want some?”
“No thanks.”
“You’ll find I’m not very picky about most things. Except shoes.” Shelly wiggled her bare toes. “I should have lived in the Orient
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