Page 21 of Look for Me

“I will. You take good care of Aunt Wanda when I’m at work today, okay?”

Dahlia nodded.

Corinne brushed a fine strand of hair from Dahlia’s face. Her straight but wispy hair was getting long. Next week, Corinne would give her a haircut. It saved money that way.

Dahlia leaned into Corinne and gave her a hug. “I love you very much, Mommy.”

“I love you too, baby.”

Since she had given birth to Dahlia, Corinne knew that she would do everything she could to protect her child.

Everything.

Lord, help me.

Was it time for them to disappear again?

Chapter Ten

Walking among the coconut trees and getting sand in his flip-flops, Martin waited for a phone call or email from Sandra Preston at the chocolate shop. He had been up since seven o’clock, watching the sunrise from beach, and then driving to breakfast at an old restaurant Dad had told him about.

Behind the restaurant, the sand stretched all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, interrupted here and there by coconut trees, hammocks, and tourists taking pictures. At the beach, Martin took in the panorama, thanking God for a beautiful day.

The scene reminded him of his sister Tina’s wedding on Moss Cay in the Bahamas. Corinne had accompanied him. It was tense between them because Martin got his own hotel room, and Corinne mistook him for wanting to play the field.

It all came to a head two days later when Martin finally explained to Corinne about his conversion to Christianity. Corinne didn’t understand what the big deal was. People of different faiths had built families together, hadn’t they? Why couldn’t Martin just put aside his religiosity and make her happy?

Needless to say, they broke up. It was inevitable. Martin suddenly found himself at odds with Corinne. He wanted to know more about God, read the Bible more deeply, and attend church more regularly.

Everywhere he turned, he found himself looking at the stark difference between Christianity and secularism, between life in Christ and life in the world.

There was no way he could reconcile.

Perhaps, in addition to asking Corinne to forgive him, Martin could give her a tract or a Bible.

He wished he had brought more than his own personal study Bible, but if he had to, he would give that to her. It had verses underlined, which could be useful to her.

If she wanted it.

On the other hand, Martin could also find a Christian store—or even WalMart—and buy her a Bible.

Yeah, I’ll do that.

It was a safer route.

That way, he didn’t have to give up his Bible—in case all Corinne was going to do was throw it in the trash can.

Still, Martin wondered what she was doing now.

The sun rose up. Martin donned his sunglasses, feeling pleased with himself that he didn’t need to go to work today. He could just enjoy his vacation.

Unfortunately, he had done something rash—apply for a job at the same chocolate shop that Corinne worked in.

All for the purpose of getting close enough to her to ask her to forgive him for sinning against her and God four years ago.

And to find out if Corinne was still searching for an answer to her life’s problems.

Search no more, Corinne. God is near.

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