Page 66 of Here With Me

“This weekend?” That was really fast. Sadie’s face flashed in his mind. He’d already told her he wasn’t going back. Weeks ago, the desire to return consumed him, but now? Did he even want to go back? Maybe this was God’s way of pointing him in a new direction. Shouldn’t he go back and see if this is what God wanted? He still had supporters to consider. Maybe Lance was right, and being on-site, talking to Wesley, visiting all his old hangouts would make the final decision easier.

Or give him peace if he walked away.

He wiggled his ankle. If he wrapped it good, it should be fine. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

David hung up the phone, with Lance promising to send the flight information later that night.

Just then, the front door slammed, and David looked up to see Sadie breeze into the kitchen, a large smile on her face as she filled his water glass and handed it to him with his pain pill. “Here you go. Drink up. Want me to help you walk down the hall?”

“Totally unnecessary. See?” David stood. Pain shot up his leg, and he sucked in a lungful of air.

“I see a stubborn man.” Sadie quickly wrapped one arm around his waist and dropped his arm around her shoulder. Her spicy scent broke through the pain, her soft frame pressed up against him.

Right. He’d wanted to say goodnight and perhaps leave her with a lingering kiss. Not use her as a crutch to maneuver the hallway.

But she nudged him forward. “Come on. I’ll help you and then bring the ice pack for you.”

Maybe he should have taken the doctor up on those crutches, but he didn’t want the hassle of returning them. And he didn’t want to buy them and have them around. He could totally tough this out. Besides, it would make traveling easier if he didn’t have crutches.

“Thank you.” He said the words as he sank onto the bed. He should tell her about the trip. He started to say something, but the pain medication must have been kicking in, because his words jumbled together.

A chuckle escaped Sadie, and she bent down and brushed her soft lips across his cheek. “Any time, David.”

She stood up and backed away. His hand itched to reach out to her, to touch her, to hold her, but it wouldn’t move.

“I’ll bring you a glass of water and the ice pack. Be right back.” Sadie slipped out of the room.

The next thing David knew, his phone was ringing. His heavy eyelids blinked open. Sunlight shone through the window. His mouth was dry, a disgusting aftertaste lingering. His phone went quiet, and he rolled to his side. On his nightstand was a glass of water and his phone.

Sadie.

She’d told him she’d be right back, but he must have fallen asleep before she returned. His hand scrubbed his face and landed on his chest. The throw from the couch. Tres protested as David moved, snuggled against him. Cinco stretched and jumped off the bed. Mamá Gata slept at the foot of the bed, but not close enough for David to reach without sitting up.

He grabbed the phone and saw a message from Lance with his flight information.

He hadn’t mentioned it to Sadie last night. But in the light of day, he couldn’t picture leaving her. Didn’t want to picture life without her. He’d already done that. There was no reason to cause her concern with a change in the status quo if there wasn’t going to be one. He’d travel down and back without anyone noticing he was gone, and no one would be the wiser.

But what if God did want him to return?

He’d have to leave behind connections he’d made in Heritage. With the teens playing soccer, with Lottie, even with his family. The hardest person to leave behind, though, would be Sadie.

Last time he’d sprung Costa Rica on her, it had ended in disaster. He had no desire to recreate that fight.

It would better to wait and see.

thirteen

“Did you know that George H. W. Bush outlawed broccoli in the White House while he was president?” Lottie stared at the offending vegetable as she looked over the produce Sadie had placed in the grocery cart.

“Yes, and when you’re president of the US, you can make the same rule, but growing up, his mother made him eat broccoli—just like your mom.” It shouldn’t be so hard to convince a growing child to eat some healthy vegetables.

“What if I agree to eat…”—Lottie looked around and picked up a long, skinny cucumber—“this instead. You could put the broccoli back then.”

After a full day of school, Lottie shouldn’t be so argumentative. It was almost like she’d been saving up her stubbornness for this moment. When she got older, Sadie would encourage her to consider the debate team. “Add the cucumber to the cart, and we’ll keep the broccoli. It’s packed full of those vitamins and minerals your aunt Doris says you are lacking.”

“M-o-o-m.” Lottie fisted her hands and placed them on her hips. “Aunt Doris doesn’t know everything.”

With this much sass now, the teenage years would be a blast. But Sadie couldn’t disagree, Doris didn’t know everything. But she did want to take Lottie away. And that was enough that Sadie wanted to include a few more veggies, in case anyone asked Lottie if she made her eat her greens.

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