Dancing at Daybreak by Valerie Comer

Author:Valerie Comer [Comer, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781988068480
Publisher: GreenWords Media
Published: 2019-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

14

Dixie hadn’t stepped foot in Bridgeview for three weeks, and never in the doors of the white clapboard church. She studied the building from the safety of her car. There’d been enough snow overnight that someone had plowed the parking area and shoveled the sidewalks. Dan, maybe? She had no idea if he had this contract. A year ago, there was no way he’d have submitted a bid to a church. So much had changed.

Like Dixie entering a house of worship. Desperate times called for desperate measures, though. When she’d seen the name Juanita Ramirez in the list of available counselors, it had sounded familiar enough for her to check it out. Seemed the woman was, indeed, the pastor’s wife that Dan had talked about.

Maybe she should rethink. Maybe it would be a better idea to bare her soul to someone with no preconceived opinions about her tangled mess. On the other side, it was a shortcut, and a pastor’s wife should be able to tell her how to become good enough for Dan and for God. She kept reading that story over and over until she wanted that kind of end result for herself. And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.

Of course, it might not be possible. She might not have run off with her inheritance — as if there’d be anything when her mom kicked the bucket — or eaten pig swill, but she still felt for the guy where it talked about his binge of extravagant and reckless living.

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

Dixie shoved her car door open and stepped into the cold December wind. She tugged her jacket tighter, grabbed her purse, and headed to the side door. Inside the building, warmth greeted her in a small lobby. A carved nativity scene sat on a golden tablecloth, surrounded by pine cones and several squat pillar candles with flickering flames. The aromas of cinnamon and ginger mixed with the pine infiltrated the air, and orchestral Christmas music flowed from hidden speakers.

Christmas. It was just a week away. There was no Christmas tree in Dixie’s life. No wrapped gifts, no iced cookies, no small faces lit with wonder. She swallowed hard.

“Dixie?” A small Latina woman stood in a doorway across the space. “I’m Juanita. Come on in. May I pour you some coffee or tea?”

“Tea would be nice. Thank you.” Dixie followed Juanita into the welcoming room with two comfortable armchairs. A family portrait, surrounded by framed children’s artwork adorned the walls. While Juanita fixed the tea, Dixie examined the photo. “You have a lovely family.” Her voice choked on the words.

“God has blessed Tomas and me beyond measure,” Juanita answered, setting two teacups on the round table between the armchairs. She moved to stand beside Dixie. “Sabrina is our eldest. She’s nine. Then Emmanuel — Manny — who’s seven. And our baby, Isaac, who’s two.” She angled a look toward Dixie. “You also have a girl and then two boys, right?”

Dixie nodded, tears blinding her. “You probably know them.

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