Page 106 of A Surefire Love
“God cares about you and your family. I know things seem messed up, but I think you’re about to have a front-row seat to watch the Lord in action.”
Carter grunted. Still skeptical, then. “So you’re on your way?”
“Let me coordinate with Greg. I’ll text you when we’re on our way.”
“Okay. Then I’ll get Dylan. And maybe Mom. She can handle Dad. Sort of.” Carter disconnected.
Anson surveyed the dark neighborhood. If he’d been stumped over how to respond to Blaze a few minutes ago, he would be completely out of his depth walking into the Newsome house. They needed someone who could handle Eric, and Anson doubted he, Greg, or Samantha could. It would be up to the Lord.
38
Blaze and Mercy spent from noon until five at The Depot. Philip and his family had pushed together enough tables to make a banquet table long enough for the thirty-some people who gathered. After the meal, Blaze and Mercy helped clean up and then worked on a puzzle with Philip’s oldest daughter and a few others. As dinnertime neared, they carried their now-empty platters back out to the car and headed home.
“You know what I’m grateful for?” Mercy said from the back seat. “That they didn’t have a kids’ table.”
Blaze chuckled. Mercy had been listing things she was grateful for all day. Blaze was having a harder time being so thankful.
“I’m also grateful we know about ADHD,” Mercy said.
“Me too, kiddo.” Blaze steered through town.
Mercy was keeping up with her chores, schoolwork, and friends. It’d been weeks since Blaze had had to drop off a forgotten lunch or instrument. And she was having an easiertime at work. An easier time staying on top of the clutter. They’d even shown up on time for the meal today.
If only she could blame ADHD for the rift she’d created between herself and Anson. He’d been so shocked she’d kept a secret from him but so ready to believe Mercy simply because Blaze did.
She never should’ve underestimated him.
Of course, she’d had to do so right before a major holiday. How had his conversation with Carter gone? How was dinner with his parents going? Should she have accepted his offer to travel with him, or would he have rescinded it after she revealed her secret?
She pulled into their driveway and hit the button to lift the garage door. She should’ve texted him to check in—she’d thought of little else, even through all the conversations at The Depot—but she’d chickened out. They’d talk once he got back home, as planned.
“I thought you said Anson was at his parents’ house.”
“He is.” She angled to see Mercy in the rearview mirror.
Her sister was looking over her left shoulder, back toward the street. “Was, maybe. He just parked.”
Foot still on the brake, Blaze turned. Sure enough, a familiar SUV sat at the side of the road. A flurry of nerves swirled in her core. Blaze straightened in her seat and carefully navigated into the garage. “Sweetie, there’s something I should tell you.”
“What?”
“I told him you left the house the night of the fire.” Blaze shut off the car and twisted to look directly at Mercy. “I was wrong to ask you to keep it a secret like I did. I don’t want to put you in that position.”
Mercy fiddled with her seatbelt. “I shouldn’t have gone for that walk.”
“I forgive you. Forgive me?”
Mercy nodded, then quirked an eyebrow. “How long are you going to make him wait in the cold?”
Blaze reached into the backseat to tweak Mercy’s nose, but her sister dodged, giggling. They got out of the car and headed outside.
“I’m going to have to go to my room again, aren’t I?”
“Anson and I do need to talk today, but you don’t have to hide away from us all the time.”
Mercy stepped into the gray afternoon. “You having a boyfriend is kind of boring.”
Boyfriend. Did he still want that title? Her steps dragged as she and Mercy met Anson between the garage and the house.
