Heart Echoes by Sally John

Author:Sally John
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / General, FICTION / General
ISBN: 9781414369112
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2012-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

They sat for a while in silence, not as comfortable as before, and watched Maiya dance around on the promontory. Teal began chitchatting again as if she’d swept Lacey’s stupidity under the rug.

By then Lacey did not have the energy to care much. She’d blown their first heart-to-heart. Self-reprimand and physical exhaustion were an ugly combination. When it was time to go, she stood on legs about as strong as rubber and plopped back onto the bench.

“Lace?” Teal sat down again beside her. “What’s wrong?”

What wasn’t wrong? She was messing up her one chance to be a good sister and an influential aunt. She was losing Will. The physical aftereffects of cancer and treatments still ruled her life.

Maiya knelt before her. “Aunt Lacey?”

She heard the concern in both of their voices but had nothing left inside her to comfort others. “Call Will.” She fumbled pulling the phone from her jacket pocket.

Teal took it from her.

The world began to spin and Lacey climbed on board its carousel. Chaotic thoughts bombarded her. There was no cancer, but the pain in the emptiness where there should have been a womb pierced like a surgeon’s knife cutting, cutting, cutting.

“Aunt Lacey, drink some water.”

She felt a plastic bottle at her lips and took a sip. Arms came around her and she leaned into Teal.

“He’s on his way. Ten minutes.”

It would take longer than that unless he drove like a maniac through town and sprinted like an Olympic athlete over the half mile of rugged trail to reach their spot.

On second thought, maybe he could do it in ten minutes.

“I’m such a wimp,” she whispered.

“Shh. Shh.” Teal ran her fingers through Lacey’s short hair over and over. She kissed her forehead.

A faint scent of perfume emanated from Teal. It carried the pure blend of floral and spices characteristic of expensive designer brands. Maybe Will would order some online for Lacey. Then she could be the type of woman who had it all together.

“Mommy, she’s shivering.” Maiya’s voice was scared.

It’s okay. It’s okay, Lacey wanted to say, but it wasn’t true.

“Put your wrap on her legs.”

She felt the warm press of soft fleece against her thighs.

No, things were not okay. Her body rebelled against her, short-circuiting energy that should have been readily available. It turned it into stress, the very thing that fed that army of cells that had declared war on her. Could it rouse them from the dead? Maybe they weren’t dead as in dead and gone. Maybe they were just lying in wait for new rations.

Muffled voices broke through the fog in her mind. Teal’s arms slipped away, replaced by stronger ones.

Will had come. She would be all right now.

“Lacey?” He gathered her to himself. “Can you hold on to me?”

Always. She clutched his shirt with both hands. He stood, scooping her up like an overflowing laundry basket. Her ear against his chest, she heard the rumble of his voice.

“She probably overextended herself hiking out here.”

“And,” Teal said, “she’s been doing way too much for us.

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