Crawling on a lounger, she spread out and sighed. It felt so good to be off her feet. The heavens took on a life of their own. She imagined a master artist sprinkling brilliant stars to illuminate the cerulean background sky. A full moon shone and she chuckled when detecting a pattern inside the yellow that suggested the man-in-the-moon smiling down on their day. Creation always filled her with an intense appreciation for life and drew her closer to the Creator. She closed her eyes and began to hum a tune magnifying the greatness of God.
“Now isn’t that a pretty sight,” came a voice, interrupting her solitude.
Sandra opened her eyes and looming over her was a stranger. But upon further inspection, she sprang to her feet, gasping at the nerve of the man.
“You’re the man who yelled at Franny in the store.” Her hand went to her throat as his presence registered. “You’re Cindy’s husband.”
“Slightly sobered, and here to beg forgiveness. Someone said you’d know where I could find them.”
Eye to eye, Sandra never backed down. “You’ve hurt your family deeply. You will need patience to win them back, if that is your real goal.”
“Of course, it is. I’m not stupid. Cindy and the kids are my life.”
“Maybe you should have thought of that before you showed up today with too many drinks under your belt.”
He snickered and scanned Sandra. “Cindy told me the old man’s new woman was a do-gooder. Don’t you tire of sticking your nose in other people’s business?”
Sandra swallowed the rebuke she wanted to bark back and kept her voice on an even keel. “And here my intention all along was simply to get acquainted with Robert’s family. Funny how character reveals itself, good and bad.”
Joe grabbed her arm and squeezed. “Well, butt out of our problems. Cindy doesn’t need another mother figure. We were glad to rid ourselves of the first one.”
“Really? Cindy loved her mother.”
“Don’t I know it. Interfering witch that she was. If she’d had her way, I’d have never gotten her daughter down the aisle.” His laugh bordered on mockery. “But we fooled them. Eloped and came back pregnant. That settled their nagging once and for all.”
Sandra changed the subject. “Have you heard yet if the driver in the other vehicle is okay?”
“Minor scrapes and bruises. Nothing life threatening.” He ran his fingers through his blonde mass of waves. “Guess some might call it a miracle; even me after seeing the pint-sized car the cops cut the driver from.”
She watched as a shadow of remorse attempted to lighten his smug expression. Was that a sneak peek granted by the Lord to fill her with His compassion for this lost soul? She inhaled deeply and moved in that direction.
“Do you believe in miracles, Joe?”
“Went to church once a while with the family years back. Got away from it.”
“Would you say you stopped going about the same time you started drinking heavily?”
“You got something on your mind, woman?” he released her arm and she rubbed it to get the blood circulating again.
“From experience I know that God helps me when I fall prey to sinful lusts.”
“You!” He laughed loud and hard, but this time her remark appeared to entertain him with less mockery tainting it. “Can’t see the likes of you struggling with any great sin.”
“We live in the world, Joe, and it requires us to make choices daily, to either walk the straight and narrow path or get lost in the potholes on sideroads.”
“That’s right poetic. Are you suggesting I’m lost on one of those roads?”
“What do you think? You’ve dishonored your wife’s parents and sister, repeatedly abused your wife and children, turned your back on God, and now are attempting to intimidate me, the newbie. I’m convinced you’ve traveled the lonely road for a long time.”
He grinned, and she saw a touch of genuine humor in his face. “You’re a spunky one; I’ll grant you that.”
“And not about to change anytime soon.”
“So wise one – how do you suggest I can get my family back?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Stop asking me that. How do I know what I want? I’m lost remember.”
“Exactly. So, I recommend you prove your good intentions by booking yourself into rehab and getting into a right relationship with God. There is a price to pay for the road you’ve traveled. God won’t take that consequence away from you. But with His help, there’s hope for recovery and a fresh start – whatever that may be.”
“I’m not the patient type.”
“That might be one of the first things you need to work on when you kick your addiction and are in the right frame of mind.”
“What if Cindy won’t wait?”
“No guarantees. All you can do is stay humble and get your act together. If you’re meant to be reunited with your family, it will happen.”
She heard a rustling behind as the gang of Fredricks rushed to the campfire. Robert moved in beside Sandra and pulled her back from the man. As a final comment she said, “Now might be a good time for a dose of that humility.”
The children ran to their father and hugged his legs chattering about the day’s events so far. He listened and at the same allowed a wandering eye to search his wife. She stood stone-cold, and Sandra prayed for the opportunity to minister to her breaking heart.
Finally, Joe moved aside and approached
