By Design: Books 4-6 by Armstrong JA

Author:Armstrong, JA
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bumbling Bard Creations
Published: 2022-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

“This place is packed,” Melanie whispered to Michelle.

“Yep. People love her,” Michelle replied proudly.

It was true. Candace Reid enjoyed an enormous following of ardent supporters. Dana had done her best to prepare the family for the expected event turn out. Candace had not made an appearance in public in over a week. To most people, that would sound like a short period of time. At the end of the campaign trail, a candidate typically made numerous appearances each day. It was part of the process that had always energized Candace. Senator Reid loved pressing the flesh. Politics were about people and people were Candace’s greatest passion. It made political life a natural choice for her. Candace understood that her choice affected everyone around her. Emotions remained raw in the Fletcher-Reid family. Loss had left its mark on everyone. Immersing herself back in the limelight might be a tonic for Candace’s pain, she worried that it might have different consequences for some of her family. Because politics was about people, it emulated life. In other words, politics was unpredictable.

Candace stood at the center of the stage in the university auditorium waiting for the applause from her speech to subside. As the crowd’s excitement began to settle, Candace began to speak.

“I want to thank you all for coming out here on this blustery day and listening to an old blustery senator’s thoughts,” she told the audience. Laughter erupted. “I also want to thank you, so many of you, for your kind messages, sentiments, and prayers over the last weeks,” Candace said with sincerity. The crowd quieted further. Candace held her hand out to Jameson.

Jameson guided Spencer to Michelle. “Stay with Aunt Shell, buddy, okay?” she instructed him. He nodded and took Michelle’s hand. Jameson winked at him and made her way toward Candace.

Candace looked at Jameson lovingly and then turned back to the crowd before her. “Jameson and I, and our children—We—”

“Your children?!” a voice bellowed from somewhere in front of them. Curious heads turned every which way. Candace held her breath and gripped Jameson’s hand tightly.

“Uh-oh,” Michelle mumbled.

“Your children?” the voice boomed again.

Candace scanned the crowd for an accompanying face. A young man stepped through the crowd. Candace momentarily mused that it seemed like Moses parting the sea.

“There can be no children shared in a blasphemous marriage!” the young man called out as he came into view. Several people lifted signs in support of his message simultaneously.

“Mark,” Laura muttered in dismay. Jonah immediately recognized the young man. “What is he doing here?” Laura asked in bewilderment.

It took Candace a moment, but recollection came to her as well. Candace felt ill when her eyes met those of Mark Klein’s. She wondered how Laura’s brother had managed to infiltrate the event unnoticed. Moreover, Candace could not fathom why he would create such a painful situation for his younger sister.

“Punishment comes. You and your sinful ways corrupt goodness, you have broken apart a family, and this—this is what you reap. You take a daughter

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.