It Could Never Happen Here

     Pam looked up as thunderous feet pounded down the stairs.

     Jeremy and Megan bolted in to the living room, breath huffing, eyes round. “Mom. Turn on the news!”

     Pam gave her son the stern mommy stare. “Jeremy, I host our Bible study one night a month. Is it too much to ask for you guys to respect that?”

     Her son shook his head, shoved his way between Callie and Karla, and reached over Terri for the remote.

     “Jeremy. What…?”

     “Sorry, but this is important.”

      The forty eight inch flat screen in the corner of the room flared to life. Pam narrowed her eyes at her son’s unusually rude behavior. What’s up with this child? “Jeremy?”

      Jeremy didn’t respond. Instead, he manipulated the remote like the man in training he was.

     “Twelve people were killed tonight and fifty more wounded…”

       The news anchor’s words brought a hush to the room as a dozen pieces of cheese cake were laid aside and a dozen pair of eyes focused on the screen.

      “Facts are sketchy at this hour, but information from our reporter on the scene of the shooting indicates that a lone gunman opened fire in a crowded theater this evening, killing twelve and injuring fifty more…”

       Pam moved to stand next to her son. She slipped an arm around his shoulders and squeezed.

       Jeremy looked up with a frown embedded between his eyes. “Mom…how? I mean…these people were just out for a fun night. They didn’t do anything to this guy…”

        Pam rested her head against her son’s forehead. Small town born and raised, sheltered environment, computer savvy, but a “G” rated gamer, not a news hound. Her fourteen-year-old son was having his own personal wake up moment. She could actually feel a bit of his innocence slipping away and knew it would be gone forever.

         She held out a hand to her daughter and one by one the other ladies in the room joined hands to form a circle. “Mute the sound, sweetheart. We need to have prayer for the families.”

          Jeremy nodded and complied with her request. “I’m so glad that something like that could never happen here…”

 

***Don’t read and run. Please take a few minutes to visit the page tabs to your right. Terri has a new interview and book giveaway on her page. Come visit Tina Pinson and learn about her newest book WHEN SHADOWS FALL. Leave a comment on any page of the blog to be registered to when a copy of this great story. Karla has 2 new books on her Coming Soon page. Stop by for a Sneak peak of Susan Lyttec’s HOMESCHOOLING CAN BE MURDER and LoRee Perry’s FOUND IN THE WOODS. Callie posted a new devotion about forgiveness, and Pam has a recipe for a yummy new summer dessert ***

Getting Away From It All

Terri divided up the remaining Key lime cheesecake while Callie poured fresh coffee into four cups and passed it around.

She held a slice of the light green dessert under her nose and inhaled. “This makes me think of palm trees and tropical islands.” She passed the plate to Karla. “Everything reminds me of a tropical island these days. I have vacation fever.”

Pam forked up a bite of her dessert. “So go. What’s stopping you?”

Terri leaned her chin on her fist and faced her three friends. “Indecision mostly. Planning is half the fun for me, but every time I start looking at options, I just get overwhelmed. Where would you go if you wanted to get away from everyone for a week?”

“That’s easy,” Callie said. “Cozumel. You saw the pictures from our trip. You have to see that water in person to appreciate the color. And the people? Beyond friendly. Sandy beaches, ocean breezes, and just-right temps. Rent a small place on the beach and go lay in a hammock for a week. You’ll love it.”

Karla shook her head. “I swear Callie, you’re Island happy. You don’t have to leave the country to get away from it all.” She looked at Terri. “I have one word for you. Mountains. Clean air, wild life, and solitude that will give a new meaning to getting away. Besides, you can drive from here. The Rockies, the Smokies…pick a direction. Eight hours and you’re there with a suitcase full of books that you didn’t have to pay to transport.”

Terri chucked and looked at Pam. “Are you going to be the deciding vote here or point me in a third direction?”

Pam sat back and sipped her coffee. Her brown eyes went dreamy with memory. “I think the best trip I ever took was to this little cottage snugged down in a valley next to a river…”

Terri groaned at the third suggestion.

“It was beautiful,” Pam continued. “Brilliant sunrises, the music of the river running fifty feet from the porch. There was this doe and her fawns that came to drink every morning. I almost had them eating out of my hand before the week was over.”

Terri sat back, crossed her arms, and stared from one face to the other. The beach, the mountains, or the valley. “Thanks guys, you certainly cleared that up for me.”

***Don’t read and run. Please take a few minutes to visit the page tabs to your right. Pam posted a recipe for a yummy new summer dessert. Karla has a new book on her Coming Soon page. Stop by for a visit with Sophie and Sadie Cuffe and get a sneak peek at her newest book, THE SEEKERS.  Callie posted a new devotion, and Terri has a very special surprise for all. She has an interview with Ann Miller. Ann talks about her new book, KICKING ETERNITY.  Anyone who leaves a comment with an e-mail address in the body of the comment will receive a free e-book copy of Kicking Eternity. Those who don’t want to leave an e-mail may contact Ann for their free book at AnnLeeMiller.com. What a deal! Remember, I welcome your comment on any page of the blog, but to qualify for this offer, you must comment on the interview.***

 

Terri's favorite guy

Terri stepped out onto her back porch, snugged a fuzzy purple throw around her shoulders with one hand, and lifted a steaming mug of hot chocolate to her lips with the other. Forty degrees and four in the morning, at least it was Saturday. When she got to heaven Terri planned to have a talk with God about His timing. She looked up at the night sky. Stars glowed in the moonless, cloudless expanse like diamonds against velvet. Velvet shaded somewhere between black and navy. A perfect night for a celestial show. Light and movement caught her eye. There! A single meteor streaked to earth, disappearing below the tree line.

Her eyes drifted shut and she found herself transported to a time twenty years in her past.

Daddy had pulled her out of bed with a finger to his lips. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

“What…?”

“You’ll see. Don’t wake Mom.”

Now, he knelt beside her on the sofa, Mom would have a fit if she saw their knees in the cushions, as hundreds of lights streaked the night sky outside the big picture window in a display bigger than any summer fireworks show.

“It looks like a space movie. What are they?” Terri asked.

“Meteors.” Dad must have found her puzzled look at the unfamiliar word funny. Terri remembered his rich laugh, and warmth of his arm around her waist. “Little pieces of space junk. Rocks mostly, that get caught in earth’s gravity and burn up in the atmosphere. I heard on the news earlier that tonight’s shower promised to be spectacular. I wanted to share it with my best girl.”

A cold breeze lifted the hair from her neck and stirred Terri from her memories. Oh, Daddy I miss you. She sat in her deck chair and leaned it back as far as it would go. The show picked up speed as she tucked the throw around her legs. Terri raised her mug to the sky in a silent salute, her sigh echoed sadness into the darkness.

“I heard on the news that tonight’s show promised to be a good one. I wanted to share it with my favorite guy.”

***Don’t run off. The whole blog is new tonight. Someday I might get back on schedule, but in the meantime, take a few minutes to visit the page tabs to your right. Pam posted a recipe for a yummy new summer dessert. Karla has a new book on her Coming Soon page.Stop by for a vist with Naomi Musch and get a sneak peek at her newest book, The Black Rose, Empire in Pine Book Three.  Callie posted a new devotion, and Terri has a very special surprise for all. She has an interview with Ann Miller. Ann talks about her new book, KICKING ETERNITY.  Anyone who leaves a comment with an e-mail address in the body of the comment will receive a free e-book copy of Kicking Eternity. Those who don’t want to leave an e-mail may contact Ann for their free book at AnnLeeMiller.com. What a deal! Remember, I welcome your comment on any page of the blog, but to qualify for this offer, you must comment on the interview.***