Something Old - Dianne L. Christner [117]
Katy bit her lip, and her stomach knotted. What was she saying? Was Lil moving out? She searched her friend’s face, looking for some other explanation, but when she saw the grief etched on Lil’s countenance, she knew she hadn’t misunderstood. She remembered talking to Lil about her mother’s empty-nest syndrome and realized that this was probably the right thing for Lil to do. Wrong for Katy, but right for Lil and her family.
Earlier in church, Katy had thought that she’d already faced dead winter. How wrong she’d been. Within a short twenty-four hours, Katy had lost so much. First Jake. Now her roommate. Megan would soon be going off to her mission trip. It was hard to accept that Lil was actually moving out. She gripped the back of a chair, her mind searching for something to hold on to, something…anything stable. For in actuality, Lil was the motivating force of the trio of friends. Without her, Katy might shrivel up and…No, she wouldn’t. She could be just as strong as Lil. Even if she was afraid of the dark and afraid to be alone in the doddy house at night. She bit her lip. She would show Jake that she was a survivor, that she didn’t care if he flew back into Jessie’s arms.
Matters with Lil’s mom had to be serious for Lil to abandon her dream. Katy didn’t blame her. But if she moved out permanently, Katy wouldn’t be able to afford the doddy house. As it was, she could only afford a few more months on her present income.
Then a disturbing question shot through her mind. Was God punishing her for pursuing such a selfish dream to begin with? For testing Him? Would she end up moving back home, having failed at everything?
“I’m sorry, Katy. I saw what happened to you at church,” Lil said. “The pastor’s sermon was so good, and then all this happened. Where is spring in this?”
“I don’t know,” Katy replied.
Megan stirred uneasily. “He didn’t promise us spring today. His sermon was supposed to give us hope. Remember, he said faith is the beauty of winter.”
Katy and Lil exchanged glances, reading each other’s minds and wanting to tell Megan they weren’t in the mood for wishful thinking. Their friend couldn’t relate because she didn’t have any worries. Her parents allowed her to do whatever she wanted and paid for it, too. They meant well, but Megan hadn’t experienced much in the line of hard work or disappointment. Megan could always say the right thing, but was it heart knowledge or head knowledge?
Yet watching her now, just her sunshiny appearance lightened the room. She was always the exquisite butterfly, the epitome of spring manifest, and who could squash her optimism? If they did, then who would be there to brighten their lives? Someday life would challenge Megan. In the meantime, Katy couldn’t bring herself to put a tear in Megan’s wings.
Evidently, Lil’s thinking followed the same path, because she said, “Thanks.” Then she looked at Katy. “I hate to leave you like this. I haven’t talked to Jake, but I want to wring his neck. What was he thinking?”
Feeling her eyes narrow with a sudden surge of her own hatred, Katy tried to think of a nasty retort to describe Jake, but she got stuck in the dark recesses of her mind until Megan spoke again.
“I’ll stay with Katy tonight. It’s spring break! I have a meeting tomorrow about the mission trip. And I have some stuff planned with my folks, but I can stay tonight, for sure. We’ll pick up your car later or tomorrow. Then maybe I can stay another night, too.”
“See. I’ll be fine. You need to go,” Katy urged Lil with a wave of her hand. “Take lunch over for your dad, too.”
Lil turned and lifted the lid off a pot of stew. “I will take some. There’s plenty for all of us. You sure you’ll be alright?”
“Yes. Go.”
Lil started toward their bedroom. “I need to pack a few things. I’ll call you soon as I can.”
Katy turned and smiled at Megan, wishing her friend hadn’t volunteered to stay over, even