Simple Gifts by Lori Copeland

Author:Lori Copeland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Zondervan

That evening I was in Beth’s bathroom touching up my makeup. I needed to eat something, but it’d been such a hectic day and I’d grabbed periodic snacks. My blood sugar wouldn’t let me get by with junk-food surfing. I’d have to get something balanced after the town council meeting. I could not continue neglecting myself this way; I had to follow doctor’s orders. The hairs on my neck stood up as my eyes moved to the bathroom window where Aunt Ingrid’s curious features appeared against the pane, her hands cupped on both sides of her eyes, peering through the glass.

Why couldn’t the woman just ring the doorbell like any normal visitor?

I moved the curtain aside and lifted the window. “Yes?”

“How soon will you be ready?”

“Five minutes. Do you need help?” I leaned over the sill to see how she’d managed to reach the window. She’d wheeled flush to the house, and now she balanced her toes on the chair’s metal steps to see inside. Her window peeping technique was an accident waiting to happen.

“Sit down!” I fired the request out like a drill sergeant’s command.

Ingrid sat.

First time she’d ever listened to me. I yanked the curtain shut, ran a little gloss over my lipstick, and then turned off the bathroom light. By the time I locked the front door Ingrid was waiting beside the car.

I paused, keys in hand. “How did you get out of your house?” There was no handicap ramp. She had to roll down concrete steps. Could she do that?

She sniffed. “A body has to devise ways when she’s on her own.”

Theatrics. Still I was skeptic. Just how did she devise a way to get the wheelchair and herself down those steps? Was it possible my theatrical aunt could walk when she wanted?

“I was on my way to get you.” I unlocked the rental car, then turned and helped her out of the chair and into the passenger seat. By the time I’d stowed the chair in the trunk, Ingrid had managed to snap her seatbelt into place and tie the rain bonnet around her head. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but she’d be prepared if a monsoon hit Parnass Springs.

“Drive slow. We’re not going to the circus.”

“Yes, Aunt Ingrid.” If I sped, it wouldn’t be because I anticipated a fun evening. The town meeting would be anything but fun. My thoughts turned to the coming fracas.

Vic would be there tonight. How would I face him?

Simple. I’d look him straight in the eye and confess that all these years I’d been lying up a storm. Something he knew—-had known for a long time and never mentioned. That made it even worse. He’d stood back and watched me make a complete fool of myself.

Suddenly every reason I’d ever manufactured for my deception wouldn’t fly.

Fine. So I’d wait and let him confront me about my lie.

That’s it. I’d go along as if nothing had happened—never mention Noel or my private life unless he brought up the subject.

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