only
supporter made Jillian hug her closer. “I’m sorry. I guess I got
carried away. It’s just that Jason said the same thing. What are
you all so worried about? Derek would never hurt me.”
“ All right.” Karen Ann picked up her
drink. “If Michael is coming down Friday night, do you think I can
convince him to take me out again?”
Glad for the change in subject, Jillian
offered support for her friend’s budding relationship. “Sure, why
not? He seems to have enjoyed your last date. He asks about you
every time he calls.”
“ Well, maybe I’ll give him a call.”
Karen Ann glanced at her watch, and stepped to the door. “I’ve got
to go. Call me if you need me. My last appointment today is at
four-thirty then I’ll be over to check on you. Remember to take it
easy. We don’t want you upsetting the baby.” After a quick wave,
she strolled out of the store.
Jillian stared at the closed door. What was
wrong with everyone? Had she suddenly lost her ability to take care
of herself? Why were people telling her to call if she needed them?
Had she ever needed anyone before?
She thought about this for a moment. Maybe
it was Derek they were really worried about. She couldn’t see any
reason why she would need any help.
****
Near the end of the day, Jillian heard Karen
Ann’s voice out in the store.
“ Hey, what’s going on?” She stepped
out of her office and watched her friend coming down the
aisle.
“ Nothing, how about with
you?”
“ Well...” dragging the word out
slowly, she answered. “Derek is scheduled to arrive at DFW at
6:51on Saturday night, which means, we’ll probably spend the night
in Dallas and come home Sunday.”
“ Who’s Derek?” John Paul
asked.
Jillian turned and stared at John Paul. She
hadn’t noticed him standing so close to them.
“ He’s my husband. He’s coming home
from Germany on Saturday.” Knowing this would have to come out
sooner or later, she thought she’d help the rumor mill of
Gladewater.
“ Oh! I didn’t know you were married.”
The boy blinked in surprise.
“ You might say that you’re one of the
select few who do.” Karen Ann grinned.
“ It was a secret,” Jillian explained.
“We were waiting until Derek returned from overseas before we made
the announcement.”
“ Okay.” He hesitated, then continued.
“Uh, would you mind if I left today around five-thirty instead of
six? I told some of my friends that I’d meet them for dinner and I
don’t want to be late.”
“ That’s fine.”
“ Thanks.” John Paul walked back down
the aisle.
“ He’s a nice kid,” Karen Ann
whispered.
“ Yes, he is.” Jillian turned and slid
her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “How would you like to go to
Longview with me tonight? I want to buy a new bedspread and
curtains for the master bedroom. We can get dinner and make an
evening of it.”
“ You sure? You look tired?”
“ No, Mother, I’m fine. Now get going.”
She pushed Karen Ann toward the door. “Meet me at my house at
six-thirty.”
****
Dozing, Jillian woke when Michael’s car
stopped outside Derek’s condo. Memories of their passion-filled
weekend flooded her mind as she stared out the car window at the
house. A blush burned her cheeks, and she averted her face from her
brother.
After drawing in a deep breath, she checked
her watch and opened the car door. They didn’t have long before
they’d need to leave for the airport. Derek was due in around
seven, but she needed to retrieve her ring before they left.
Michael slid his arm around her shoulders
when they paused on the front porch. “It’ll be okay, Jill.”
Jason opened the door, cutting off her
reply. “Hello, there.” He stood aside to let them in.
“ Hi Michael, Jillian. How was your
trip?” Kelly, Jason’s fiancée, waved them into the living
room.
“ I managed to sleep most of the way
with Michael driving for the entire trip.” Jillian stepped inside
and paused by the staircase.
“
supporter made Jillian hug her closer. “I’m sorry. I guess I got
carried away. It’s just that Jason said the same thing. What are
you all so worried about? Derek would never hurt me.”
“ All right.” Karen Ann picked up her
drink. “If Michael is coming down Friday night, do you think I can
convince him to take me out again?”
Glad for the change in subject, Jillian
offered support for her friend’s budding relationship. “Sure, why
not? He seems to have enjoyed your last date. He asks about you
every time he calls.”
“ Well, maybe I’ll give him a call.”
Karen Ann glanced at her watch, and stepped to the door. “I’ve got
to go. Call me if you need me. My last appointment today is at
four-thirty then I’ll be over to check on you. Remember to take it
easy. We don’t want you upsetting the baby.” After a quick wave,
she strolled out of the store.
Jillian stared at the closed door. What was
wrong with everyone? Had she suddenly lost her ability to take care
of herself? Why were people telling her to call if she needed them?
Had she ever needed anyone before?
She thought about this for a moment. Maybe
it was Derek they were really worried about. She couldn’t see any
reason why she would need any help.
****
Near the end of the day, Jillian heard Karen
Ann’s voice out in the store.
“ Hey, what’s going on?” She stepped
out of her office and watched her friend coming down the
aisle.
“ Nothing, how about with
you?”
“ Well...” dragging the word out
slowly, she answered. “Derek is scheduled to arrive at DFW at
6:51on Saturday night, which means, we’ll probably spend the night
in Dallas and come home Sunday.”
“ Who’s Derek?” John Paul
asked.
Jillian turned and stared at John Paul. She
hadn’t noticed him standing so close to them.
“ He’s my husband. He’s coming home
from Germany on Saturday.” Knowing this would have to come out
sooner or later, she thought she’d help the rumor mill of
Gladewater.
“ Oh! I didn’t know you were married.”
The boy blinked in surprise.
“ You might say that you’re one of the
select few who do.” Karen Ann grinned.
“ It was a secret,” Jillian explained.
“We were waiting until Derek returned from overseas before we made
the announcement.”
“ Okay.” He hesitated, then continued.
“Uh, would you mind if I left today around five-thirty instead of
six? I told some of my friends that I’d meet them for dinner and I
don’t want to be late.”
“ That’s fine.”
“ Thanks.” John Paul walked back down
the aisle.
“ He’s a nice kid,” Karen Ann
whispered.
“ Yes, he is.” Jillian turned and slid
her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “How would you like to go to
Longview with me tonight? I want to buy a new bedspread and
curtains for the master bedroom. We can get dinner and make an
evening of it.”
“ You sure? You look tired?”
“ No, Mother, I’m fine. Now get going.”
She pushed Karen Ann toward the door. “Meet me at my house at
six-thirty.”
****
Dozing, Jillian woke when Michael’s car
stopped outside Derek’s condo. Memories of their passion-filled
weekend flooded her mind as she stared out the car window at the
house. A blush burned her cheeks, and she averted her face from her
brother.
After drawing in a deep breath, she checked
her watch and opened the car door. They didn’t have long before
they’d need to leave for the airport. Derek was due in around
seven, but she needed to retrieve her ring before they left.
Michael slid his arm around her shoulders
when they paused on the front porch. “It’ll be okay, Jill.”
Jason opened the door, cutting off her
reply. “Hello, there.” He stood aside to let them in.
“ Hi Michael, Jillian. How was your
trip?” Kelly, Jason’s fiancée, waved them into the living
room.
“ I managed to sleep most of the way
with Michael driving for the entire trip.” Jillian stepped inside
and paused by the staircase.
“
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