I care about you. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
He’s just looking out for me. He cares about me. She soaked up his words, trying to soothe her wounds with his sentiments. He smiled when she allowed herself to relax in his embrace. “But see, this is a great example of why we work so well together. We balance each other out, we’re each strong in different ways. I know more about business stuff than you do, but I’m sure there will be situations in the future where you can help me out.”
He kissed her and she tried to let go of the anger and hurt that were still simmering in her heart. She had to admit he was right—she didn’t have a mind for business. And she could see how it could be weird—for both of them—if she was his boss. Though if we went at it as equal partners… She pushed the thought away. The economy would still be in shambles, like he’d said. Best to just put the whole idea to rest. Get over it, move on, don’t ruin the rest of the evening with pouting.
“Thanks for wanting to take care of me,” she said when they broke their kiss.
“You’re welcome. How could I not? You’re beautiful, you’re sweet, you’re so good to me—taking care of you is the least I could do.”
“I’m not just some rebound girl now, am I? You are fresh from another relationship, you know. I’ve heard stories about these kinds of things.”
“Not on your life.” He tightened his arms around her, kissing her again. “I couldn’t ever leave you. You’re all mine.”
S HAWNEE POPPED HER HEAD INTO DEBBIE’S OFFICE. “A new guest just arrived. Do you have time to process her or should I see if Candice can do it?”
Debbie looked at her watch. “I’ll do it. Get her comfortable and grab a box lunch for her if she needs it. Let me know when she’s ready.”
Shawnee closed the door behind her and Debbie sagged in her seat. She knew how much was already on Candice’s plate. Hers was no less full, but she had to be careful not to burn out her remaining staff now that Andi was gone. Just don’t let me get burned out either, God.
She picked up another resume from the stack, scanning it for the skill-set she needed for their fund-raising and grant-writing position. It was one of the few parts of running the shelter for which she had no competence, and it wasn’t the kind of job she could divvy up amongst the other staff. It was also one of the most important positions, since it was the one that kept them in business.
The applicant’s resume was lacking in too many areas; she set it on her reject pile and took another with a sigh. There were so many jobless people in Ann Arbor, but none of them had the training she was looking for.
Shawnee returned, handing Debbie the new arrival’s intake form. “She’s not hungry, Deb. She’s ready for you.”
“Thanks Shawnee, I’ll be right there.” She stood and pulled her notebook and a welcome packet from her desk drawer, then said a prayer as she made her way to the green room. Speak to this woman, Lord. Speak through the staff and the other women here. Open her eyes to her worth as your creation and to your existence. Break the cycle of abuse in her life . She grabbed a bottle of water for herself from the kitchen, then walked into the green room and lost her breath.
The young woman couldn’t have been more than twenty, but it wasn’t her age that struck Debbie with such force. It was her face, her eyes, her build—all striking in their resemblance to Gina.
Debbie reached out a hand to her sister’s doppelganger and hoped her shock was not plain on her face. “Hi Stacia, I’m Debbie. Welcome to the shelter.” Stacia shook her hand quickly, then returned her arm to her midsection, holding onto her middle as though her insides might fall out. “I’m so glad you made it here today.” Debbie sat down and opened her water, then took a long drink before meeting again the dull stare of those sapphire eyes.
Stacia spoke so softly Debbie had
He’s just looking out for me. He cares about me. She soaked up his words, trying to soothe her wounds with his sentiments. He smiled when she allowed herself to relax in his embrace. “But see, this is a great example of why we work so well together. We balance each other out, we’re each strong in different ways. I know more about business stuff than you do, but I’m sure there will be situations in the future where you can help me out.”
He kissed her and she tried to let go of the anger and hurt that were still simmering in her heart. She had to admit he was right—she didn’t have a mind for business. And she could see how it could be weird—for both of them—if she was his boss. Though if we went at it as equal partners… She pushed the thought away. The economy would still be in shambles, like he’d said. Best to just put the whole idea to rest. Get over it, move on, don’t ruin the rest of the evening with pouting.
“Thanks for wanting to take care of me,” she said when they broke their kiss.
“You’re welcome. How could I not? You’re beautiful, you’re sweet, you’re so good to me—taking care of you is the least I could do.”
“I’m not just some rebound girl now, am I? You are fresh from another relationship, you know. I’ve heard stories about these kinds of things.”
“Not on your life.” He tightened his arms around her, kissing her again. “I couldn’t ever leave you. You’re all mine.”
S HAWNEE POPPED HER HEAD INTO DEBBIE’S OFFICE. “A new guest just arrived. Do you have time to process her or should I see if Candice can do it?”
Debbie looked at her watch. “I’ll do it. Get her comfortable and grab a box lunch for her if she needs it. Let me know when she’s ready.”
Shawnee closed the door behind her and Debbie sagged in her seat. She knew how much was already on Candice’s plate. Hers was no less full, but she had to be careful not to burn out her remaining staff now that Andi was gone. Just don’t let me get burned out either, God.
She picked up another resume from the stack, scanning it for the skill-set she needed for their fund-raising and grant-writing position. It was one of the few parts of running the shelter for which she had no competence, and it wasn’t the kind of job she could divvy up amongst the other staff. It was also one of the most important positions, since it was the one that kept them in business.
The applicant’s resume was lacking in too many areas; she set it on her reject pile and took another with a sigh. There were so many jobless people in Ann Arbor, but none of them had the training she was looking for.
Shawnee returned, handing Debbie the new arrival’s intake form. “She’s not hungry, Deb. She’s ready for you.”
“Thanks Shawnee, I’ll be right there.” She stood and pulled her notebook and a welcome packet from her desk drawer, then said a prayer as she made her way to the green room. Speak to this woman, Lord. Speak through the staff and the other women here. Open her eyes to her worth as your creation and to your existence. Break the cycle of abuse in her life . She grabbed a bottle of water for herself from the kitchen, then walked into the green room and lost her breath.
The young woman couldn’t have been more than twenty, but it wasn’t her age that struck Debbie with such force. It was her face, her eyes, her build—all striking in their resemblance to Gina.
Debbie reached out a hand to her sister’s doppelganger and hoped her shock was not plain on her face. “Hi Stacia, I’m Debbie. Welcome to the shelter.” Stacia shook her hand quickly, then returned her arm to her midsection, holding onto her middle as though her insides might fall out. “I’m so glad you made it here today.” Debbie sat down and opened her water, then took a long drink before meeting again the dull stare of those sapphire eyes.
Stacia spoke so softly Debbie had
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