Guy stepped back, rubbing his chest. Was he ready for that? Was their relationship leading down that path? He didn’t even know how she felt about his kids. He knew she liked them, but to agree to help raise them was an entirely different subject.
He gulped. He wasn’t ready. Was he? Hadn’t he just laid the ghost of Charlene to rest? Lord, help! I’m freaking out here.
“Hey,” Michelle whispered. “Come walk me out. I’m going to get some beauty sleep.”
He nodded, still too stunned to speak. He followed her out to the car thankful for the reprieve to gather his thoughts. She opened her car door and leaned against it.
“Text me when you get home, so I know you made it safely.”
She grinned. “Yes, Sheriff.”
She definitely kept him on his toes. “Sassy. Go home,” he kissed her softly. “Sit with me at church?”
“Yes,” she murmured.
“Night, Chelle Belle.”
He watched as she drove away. She had captured his heart as fast as the first time they dated. He was in serious trouble.
MICHELLE SAT DOWN ON the bench at the foot of her bed. “Do you ever feel like you’re running from the truth?”
She winced. Guy’s question had echoed in her head all the way home. It repeated itself like a preschooler trying to grab an adult’s attention. Nothing she did would block it out. The music on the radio had failed to bring her peace. And she couldn’t talk to Jo, who was on the side of the supposed ‘truth.’
Lord, what is truth anyway? If I were to go from Darryl’s words, then I would have to tell Guy what happened. Because everywhere I turn, it’s slapping me in the face.
Michelle sniffed, trying to keep the tears at bay. She didn’t want to go back there. To remember what happened on that exam table. She had desperately tried to stuff it into the far recess of her brain. Yet it continued to resurface like a drowning man gasping for air.
“I don’t know how to speak about it, Lord. It hurts too much.” Her stark whisper seemed to reverberate off the walls. The echo clawed at her, trying to drag her back down into the pit she had climbed out of.
Only if what Darryl said was indeed truth, then she had been shackled by her sin and omission all these years. Could revealing the truth really set her free? Would it ease the ache and burden she’d carried?
Would it stop the nightmares? The voices in her head reminding her she would never be a fit mother? She had decimated the one chance she had. Gone. Forever.
“I don’t know how to escape the past. And I know there’ll be repercussions, Lord.”
“And that’s where grace comes in.”
She whirled around on the bench and faced Jo. “What are you doing here?”
Jo walked in the room and sat down on her bed. “You do know I live here, right?”
“Girl, you know what I mean.” She rolled her eyes.
“I just had a feeling you needed to talk. And it looks like I was right, considering you were in here talking to yourself again.”
A ghost of a smile passed her lips. “I was actually talking to God.”
“Good. What did he say?” Jo’s brown eyes met hers, urging her to talk, but showing no signs of condemnation.
“Whenever I talk to Him, I always hear two phrases in my brain. ‘Tell the truth’ and ‘forgive yourself’.”
“So do it.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and she brushed it away. “I don’t know how.”
“For which one?”
“Both,” she choked out. The rising ache in her gut threatened to strangle her. The emotions welling in her were not cathartic but filled with despair.
Jo wrapped an arm around her and leaned her head against hers. “You told me the truth. Didn’t you feel better not having to carry it by yourself? And think about what you shared with Tanya.”
She was right. A feeling of relief had leaked out each time. “But how can I tell Guy?”
“With the strength and courage of the Lord, Chelle. You have to do it, or you’re going to drown in the guilt and burden of shame. The only one shaming you is yourself.”
Michelle licked her lips. It sounded reasonable, but life never worked out as her thoughts portrayed. “I just don’t know.”
Jo sighed. “Tell Chloe.”
She jerked away. “What, no! Why would I do that?”
“Do you think Chloe would condemn you?”
“Without a doubt. You know how she is about God and those who do or don’t follow Him.”
Jo nodded. “Which is why you need to tell her. If you can tell her, you can tell anyone.”
She gulped. Telling her friend...the thought was too incomprehensible to entertain. “I don’t know, Jo.”
“Call her. Now. Invite her over and hear what she has to say.”
“I...” she stared at the cell in her friend’s hand. “You do it,” she whispered.
She watched as Jo dialed Chloe and asked her to come over. Once Chloe arrived, there was no turning back. She would no longer be able to hide beyond the veil of secrecy she had maintained.
Chloe arrived in record time, her gaze darted back and forth between Jo and Michelle. “What’s wrong? Is anyone hurt?” She sounded out of breath as if she had run the whole way instead of taking a car.
“No one’s hurt.” She licked her lips. “Let’s go sit in the kitchen.”
Chloe eyed her warily. “Is it about my father?”
“Oh, no, Chloe. I have something I need to share with you about myself.”
Her shoulders sagged and her brow smoothed. “Okay. Do you have any tea?”
“Good idea,” Jo said. “I’ll make some tea and coffee for us.”
Michelle found herself nodding in agreement, although she wouldn’t be able to drink anything. Not until the story came out.
As they sat around the table, Chloe took a sip of tea. Jo met her gaze as if to say you-can-do-it. Michelle smiled and then stared
