A Life of Joy by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston [Clipston, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Religious, General, Christian, Fiction
ISBN: 9780310413073
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2012-01-24T05:00:00+00:00

12

The following evening, Lindsay gnawed on her bottom lip and stared at the familiar brick colonial while sitting in Frank’s Suburban parked out front. A herd of sedans and SUVs clogged the long driveway in front of the two-story house.

Loud music blared from the backyard as young women in string bikinis and young men in swim trunks paraded past the fence. Some were laughing and others were dancing. Anxiety surged through her, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“Lindsay?” He touched her arm. “You okay?”

“I’m not like them,” she said. “Our youth gatherings back home are very different. We sing hymns and never listen to music or dance. We talk about our families and work, and we don’t ever get rowdy.”

He pointed toward the fence. “I’m certain those young people in there are talking about their families and work. They may sing a different kind of music, but inside we’re all the same, right?”

She nodded.

“Now go on.” He gestured toward the house. “Get on in there before I push you out the door,” he joked with a grin.

She gave a little nervous laugh. “Okay.”

“Call me when you’re ready for me to pick you up.” He leaned on the steering wheel. “I’ll be up late working on my computer, so don’t feel like you have to leave before eleven. I’m a night owl, and any time is fine with me.”

She gripped the door handle. “Wish me luck.”

“Honey, you don’t need luck,” he told her. “You’ll do just fine. Go have some fun. You deserve it after working so hard at our place. It’s time for a little R&R.”

“Thanks.” Lindsay wrenched the door open and climbed from the truck. Her heart thumped in her chest as she gripped her soft beach towel and weaved through the knot of cars toward the back gate.

Behind her, the Suburban motored down the street, the horn tooting before it disappeared around the corner.

She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.

Great. Now I’m trapped here.

With a shaky hand, she approached the gate and peered over at the throng of young men and women talking, dancing, eating, and swimming. A concrete patio spilled out from a large deck and surrounded a vast in-ground pool that included a deep and shallow end, along with a diving board. Several lounging chairs and a couple of chairs with umbrellas dotted the pristine concrete. A small pool house sat at the back corner of the yard.

The smell of cooking hamburgers filled Lindsay’s senses, and she smiled, remembering the barbecues she’d enjoyed with her parents over the years. Turning toward the deck, she spotted three young men standing around a grill while smoke poured out from under it, indicating that burgers were cooking. A long table covered with platters of food, bowls of chips, beverages, plates, and cups stood nearby.

The music continued to blare, and she wondered if any of them could even hear anyone else talking. She glanced across the concrete and found Vicki standing with a group of bikini-clad girls. Vicki wore a short yellow sundress with her blonde hair falling in curls past her bare shoulders.

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