Whispers in the Night: Book Two

By Melinda J. Abersold

Life as Ruthie Cox once knew it in Williamsville Missouri changes completely when she decides to leave the comfort of her mamas care. She starts life afresh with the man of her dreams, and oh how he showers her with love. She delights in experiencing life as a city girl. Yes, her lovebird introduces her to an element of thrill that she longed for while growing up in a very strict Christian home, yet her relationship with God grows in a depth that she had never experienced.

Buddys world is turned upside down, right side up and completely shaken when he falls in love with Ruthie Cox. Their love was as close to perfect as perfect could be. Ruthie not only fulfills his manly emotions, but she also introduces him to a relationship with God. However, darkness from Buddys past lurks in their almost perfect world, threatening to destroy their future. Will love overcome his dark mistakes?

All the while God is reuniting old flames and bringing restoration to even the bleakest relationships.

Meanwhile, back in the cozy town of Williamsville, love is in the air and promises are being kept. All seems to be going wonderfully well until tragedy hits the life of a young woman recently graduated from high school. Will the town folks overcome the heartache that comes with the misfortune?

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490875521

Melinda J. Abersold

Melinda Abersold co-pastors a non-denominational church with her husband, Silas Abersold. Together they stepped out in faith, and started Shiloh House of Peace, and watched the hand of God perform miracles on their behalf. She graduated from Lighthouse Christian Bible College located in Beebe, Arkansas with a degree in Christian Education. Reading a good Christian fiction book is her favorite pass time. She and her husband currently reside in Alabama.

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Copyright © 2015 Melinda J. Abersold.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-7552-1 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/13/2015

CONTENTS

About The Book

Part One

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Acknowledgments

Reading Group Bible Study

About the Author

ABOUT THE BOOK

Life as Ruthie Cox once knew it in Williamsville Missouri changes completely when she decides to leave the comfort of her mama’s care. She starts life afresh with the man of her dreams, and oh how he showers her with love. She delights in experiencing life as a city girl. Yes, her lovebird introduces her to an element of thrill that she longed for while growing up in a very strict Christian home, yet her relationship with God grows in a depth that she had never experienced.

Buddy’s world is turned upside down, right side up and completely shaken when he falls in love with Ruthie Cox. Their love was as close to perfect as perfect could be. Ruthie not only fulfills his manly emotions, but she also introduces him to a relationship with God. However, darkness from Buddy’s past lurks in their almost perfect world, threatening to destroy their future. Will love overcome his dark mistakes?

All the while God is reuniting old flames and bringing restoration to even the bleakest relationships.

Meanwhile, back in the cozy town of Williamsville, love is in the air and promises are being kept. All seems to be going wonderfully well until tragedy hits the life of a young woman recently graduated from high school. Will the townfolks overcome the heartache that comes with the misfortune?

The BlueInk Review for Whispers in the Night:

Abersold has constructed an intriguing Christian-oriented romance… (and) cleverly introduces plot twists that keeps readers guessing. Abersold is sincere in teaching a godly lifestyle through her characters.

The Kirkus Review for The Crooked Path:

In her first novel, Abersold, who co-pastors an Alabama church with her husband, shows Christian prayer and faith at work in a small Missouri town.

As Christian romance, the book extends charity, love, and forgiveness without stooping to vulgar sensationalism; think 50 tasteful shades of love. The story succeeds in portraying what the author imagines to be a simpler, cleaner life back in 1959.

A gentle romance peppered with homespun expressions of faith in action, which will satisfy readers who trust in the Lord. . .

Dedicated to my wonderful husband: Silas J. Abersold.

I love you bunches.

Part One

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the haven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV

PROLOGUE

1979

R uthie sat on the front porch listening to the sparrows sing and watching two little squirrels chase each other around a tree. The sky was clear blue and there was a nice warm breeze gently sweeping over her face. She breathed in the fresh clean scent of spring as she sipped her coffee.

She knew that she really should go inside and freshen up and do a few household chores. But this morning, she didn’t have the get-up-and-go that she normally had when she started her day. No, this morning she felt a little melancholy, and she really needed a break from her normal routine.

She didn’t want to think about doing laundry or cooking; she only wanted to sit on the porch swing the entire day observing God’s creation. She felt almost envious as she watched the squirrels nip at each other’s tails as they ran in circles around the big tree trunk. After all, they really didn’t have a care in the world. Not that Ruthie was feeling sorry for herself because she wasn’t, but she was just in one of her moods.

All in all, she was content and even happy at times; fact is she had a husband that loved her like crazy. For that she was grateful because she wasn’t sure if she could love herself if she was in his shoes. And then there was her beautiful daughter, who was the apple of her eye and looked just like her daddy.

The leaves blowing in the trees and the scent of Azaleas took her away from her thoughts for a few moments. Once again she looked up at the sky and whispered a prayer for Jesus to give her strength to make it through the day. She knew that if she could just get over this setback she would be fine. The setbacks didn’t come as often, but when they did, it usually took her a day or two to get back to normal. Not that she battled with depression, because she really was a carefree person; that is for the most part anyway. She was blessed with a wonderful family and great friends. What more could a soon-to-be thirty-eight year old woman ask for?

She tried to think about matters at hand such as, preparing her Sunday school lesson and this Saturday’s church yard sale. But she just couldn’t seem to focus, because her mind was like a kaleidoscope that changed with every thought. Yes, so many memories, some good, some unbelievable, some of a raw love, and some down right painful.

Ruthie looked over at her Bible thinking she should read her morning devotions, but she dismissed the thoughts just as quickly as they came. Instead, she picked up her old tattered journal that Buddy had bought her what seemed to be a lifetime ago. She was holding it close to her heart when she heard the screen door creak. She looked up to see her husband step across the threshold, and their eyes locked for a brief moment. But then he turned his head and slowly walked to his Ford truck without saying a word.

It hurt Ruthie when she saw the pain in her husband’s eyes. Nonetheless, he knew all too well what she needed; time. He would continue on with life as normal, and pray that his wife would soon snap out of her setback. Maybe if he were real lucky she would be back to her little spitfire self by the time he came home from work.

Her heart ached for him, and she longed to give him the happiness he deserved. And she would, but she just needed to take a trip, and she really didn’t know how long she would be gone. Yes, Ruthie realized that the only way she could come back was by going down memory lane yet once again. So she went into the house to make sure her teenage daughter was up and getting ready for school, and she explained that she would be gone for a while. She retrieved her car keys and took off for her therapy.

CHAPTER ONE

St. Louis, Missouri

1959

And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her:

and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

—Genesis 24:67

R uthie looked out the window of the truck as Buddy drove in complete silence. She was in deep thought about the direction in which her life had taken. It seemed to her that everything was happening fast, almost too fast. Just a short time ago she was living in Williamsville, dreaming about leaving and starting a new life with Buddy. And now that her dream had come true, she wasn’t feeling the excitement that she anticipated.

Yes, she loved Buddy, and she wanted nothing more than to allow her dreams to be intertwined with his. But she knew in her heart that she could not turn a new chapter in her life with the old chapter left unfinished. Her mama would forever be haunting her memories, and she would never really feel complete without reconciliation.

She regretted the way she abruptly walked out of the church service without so much as looking back. She felt bad for not even leaving her mama a goodbye note. After all, wasn’t that the very least she could do? Never once had her mama mistreated her, yet she coldly broke her mama’s heart.

She wondered what her mama might be doing, and she prayed that she would find happiness. Ruthie knew that her mama had a true relationship with God, but her secret prayer was that she experience love again.

She looked over at Buddy and felt her heart skip a beat. It amazed her that just the sight of him made her heart melt and butterflies flutter in her stomach. That’s the kind of love she longed for her mama to experience.

The good Lord took her daddy home to be with Him ten years ago, and her mama had dedicated her life to Him and raising her. So, in Ruthie’s heart she felt it was past time for her mama to move on. After all, isn’t that what she was doing by moving on with Buddy?

She could see the dark circles under Buddy’s eyes, which were most likely from weariness. Ruthie knew that he hated to leave without giving her the chance to say goodbye to her family. He even suggested that she go back to her mama, but Ruthie knew that wasn’t even an alternative. No, leaving Buddy Nelson after tasting a piece of his love would have been much harder than walking away from those she loved dearly in Williamsville.

She knew in time she would adjust to St. Louis, and she would meet new friends. After all, wasn’t this what she longed for? She reminded herself again. She only wished that she hadn’t left the dress and shoes under the bed at Uncles Joe’s shack. The shack is where she and Buddy had lived for a short time while waiting for her to turn eighteen so they could get married.

They didn’t shack up as some people supposed, but they shared the same roof, so to speak. Buddy was every bit the gentleman; in fact, he didn’t give Ruthie her first kiss until last night. He always said he wanted her first kiss to be special.

Their first kiss opened a door in their relationship that caused a raw attraction. Ruthie could still feel the touch of his lips brushing across hers, but Buddy refused to take full advantage of her love.

He desired that they honor God’s Holy Word, even if he wasn’t exactly living for God. He said they would wait until their wedding night before they gave in to their desires, which was fine by Ruthie. The thought of giving Buddy all of herself made her feel a little uneasy. Once again, it was times like this she wished she had her mama. Ruthie was sure her mama would give her the proper female advice.

When Ruthie ran away from home, she left all of her personal belongings behind. The only thing she owned was her dress and shoes—the dress her mama had hand-stitched and the shoes she had purchased from Sears and Roebuck.

Ruthie could still recall her mama pinching and saving so she could buy her the shoes. But that was just like her mama, always sacrificing for others. She looked down at the cute sundress she had on, and she thought it to be worthless in comparison to the beautiful dresses her mama hand-stitched.

Ruthie was thankful for the nice clothes, shoes, and personal items that Uncle Joe gave her. Uncles Joe’s wife ran off some time ago, and she left behind an entire wardrobe. Everything just happened to be Ruthie’s size, which only proved that Buddy was her destiny. However, all of the fancy clothes in the world could not compare to the clothes her mama made for her.

Buddy could tell that Ruthie was battling with conflicting emotions, so he thought it best to give her some space. He realized she needed to sort through the events that brought them to this point. He wished that everything had turned out differently for Ruthie’s sake and her mama’s. But as it is, they did what they had to do so they could stay together.

Buddy couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, especially not after the way he opened his heart to love. He was madly in love with his little spitfire, and oh how he loved to rile her up. To him, it made her look that much cuter. Truth be known, she became challenging when he ruffled her feathers, and he liked challenges.

Look, Ruthie, we’re in St. Louis!

Ruthie jumped up, realizing she must have fallen asleep, and she rubbed her eyes as she looked out the window. She felt excitement flood her heart when she saw all of the bright lights and high-rise buildings. They had traveled down Highway 67 to get off on Telegraph Road, going to Kingston, and on to South Broadway, which is where his Mox lived. Buddy had called his mama Mox since he was a few years old.

I can’t wait for you to meet Mox. I’m sure she will be in bed, but I have a key to the house. You can rest in my room while I get a little shuteye on the sofa. He reached over and took her hand into his.

She smiled and replied, Wow! This is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.

Buddy laughed out loud as he commented, Baby, you haven’t seen nothin’ yet! Just wait until I take you to a picture show, and we go out on the town dancing.

He felt excitement bubble up within him as he talked about the events. Ruthie, I feel good about this move. I really do.

She batted her brown eyes as she replied, Me too.

And, she really did feel good. It just felt right being with Buddy. Every mixed emotion she battled with earlier was replaced with joy, excitement, and amazement. Buddy, guess who loves you . . .

He kissed the palm of her hand and whispered, Hmm, let me see. Well, I know that Mox loves me and of course there’s this cute little chick with brown eyes that has a pretty strong grip on my heart. I’m kinda thinking that she might . . .

Ruthie rolled her eyes and snickered. You, know at times you can be such a dork!

Buddy placed his hand over his heart. Oh, ya just broke my heart! He winked at her and then got serious. Hey, we should be coming up on Mox’s house soon. Ruthie, if ya don’t mind, I would like to have a chance to talk to Mox once she’s up. Is that okay?

Ruthie squeezed his hand and said, Yeah sure, I understand. Do you want me to just stay in your room until you’re finished talking to her?

Buddy sighed with relief as he replied, Yeah. That would be great.

Ruthie started twisting her hair with her index finger while looking out the window, and Buddy asked if there was something on her mind. Buddy, you’re not going to lie to your mama… or I mean Mox, are you?

Buddy wasn’t quick to answer, because he hadn’t really thought about what he was going to say to his Mox. He just prayed that Mox wouldn’t make a big fuss over Ruthie and ask a lot of questions. And he really didn’t intend on volunteering much information; he had made up in his mind the less said the better.

He looked at Ruthie and winked as he replied, No, not at all. I promise ya, no lies. My Mox will trust me, and she probably won’t ask a lot of questions. I thought we could just let her see that we plan to do things right, you know according to the Word of God. I was kinda hoping that you would even consider going to church with her. Who knows, in time I might even start going.

Ruthie smiled and replied, That would be nice.

Buddy parallel parked in front of one of the many brick houses; he jumped out of his truck and ran around to open the door for Ruthie. He pulled her into his arms and held her as he softly rubbed the small of her back.

Together they swayed under the moonlight, and Buddy started humming a soft tune in her ear. He pulled back just far enough so he could look in her dreamy eyes; he kissed her nose, her cheeks, and then her lips.

Ruthie allowed him to deepen the kiss as she ran her fingers through his thick dark hair. She heard him moan and felt her legs tremble as he continued to kiss her. Buddy pulled back with a deep look of desire in his sea-green eyes. He knew that he had to stop before things got out of hand.

He looked at her and said, This dork loves ya more than I knew I could love, and August won’t get here fast enough. Come on, let’s go inside.

Ruthie giggled and together they walked hand in hand into her future mother-in-laws home.

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Buddy woke to the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen and the sound of running water. He stretched and then sat up to look at the oversized wall clock that ticked away.

Wow, 10:00 o’clock already! he said to himself.

He wondered if Ruthie would still be sleeping or if she was waiting for him to knock at his bedroom door. He could hear his Mox humming in the kitchen, most likely anxiously waiting for him to rise and shine.

He ran his hand over his face thinking he needed to shave and wash up, but first he would go speak to his Mox. He stood and put his hands in his pockets, and he whispered a small prayer.

As soon as he walked into the kitchen, his Mox looked up with a big smile on her face and a questioning look in her eyes.

Buddy, what time did you get home? Why were you sleeping on the sofa? she asked. She dried her hands and walked toward her son to wrap him in a big hug.

Buddy tightened the hug and kissed her on the cheek. It’s good to see ya, Mox. I missed ya like crazy. I got home late last night, and we’ll talk about why I slept on the sofa after I wash up, if that’s okay with you?

She patted him on the back and replied, Yeah sure, you go wash up. I have some blueberry pancakes already cooked and in the oven keeping warm. You want me to fix you a plate?

Buddy chuckled as he thought that it was just like her, always thinking of others. Yeah, that sounds great. And, Mox, I love ya.

She smiled and said, I love you too, son.

Jenny knew that Buddy had brought a girl home last night, and she was anxious to hear her son’s explanation. She had heard the squeak of the door when it opened, and she heard the floor creak as the two of them walked across the living room. She also heard both of them talking in a hushed tone. He knew her rules, and she would not compromise her Christian faith.

She knew all too well that her son had some explaining to do because she saw the look of guilt in his eyes. However, she would wait for his explanation. Besides, his friend couldn’t stay hiding for long. She would eventually be exposed.

Lord, I pray my son hasn’t got himself in trouble. Please give me wisdom, Jesus.

The answer came quick, I am with you, my child. Love covers a multitude of sins.

She felt God’s peace flood her soul and felt certain in her heart that everything would be okay. Jenny made up in her mind that she was going to love and seek the guidance of God as she walked through this valley. Everything within her knew she was about to walk down a valley that would force her to lean on her Heavenly Father.

Buddy knew he had his work cut out for him if he planned to convince his Mox to allow Ruthie to stay. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was on to him. Nonetheless, he could only hope that she would agree to his plan. He thought about his plan until late in the night, and he decided he really had no other alternative. He prayed that Ruthie would not buck up against him.

He noticed dark circles under his eyes as he stood in front of the mirror combing his hair. He was only twenty years of age and he always had a very youthful look, but today he looked older. However, he did look some better after washing up and shaving. He knew once he cleared his conscience with his Mox, and got a good night’s sleep, he would be back to looking his youthful self.

As he walked out of the bathroom, he looked over at his bedroom, and he thought it would be a good idea to check on Ruthie. He quietly walked across the hall and softly knocked, and then he slowly opened the bedroom door. Ruthie was sitting on the edge of his bed looking both beautiful, and vulnerable.

Buddy placed his index finger over his lips, Shhhhh.

Ruthie sat up straighter and whispered, Is everything okay?

He knelt down in front of her and replied, Yeah, I’m getting ready to go talk to Mox. When you hear my voice, go ahead and slip out and use the bathroom if ya want. Ruthie, I have a plan but I can’t talk about it now. Promise me you won’t buck up against me. Can you promise?

She turned her head and felt the tears sting at the back of her eyes as he whispered, Ruthie, look at me.

She slowly turned her head, and their eyes locked. She felt his gentle touch wiping the tears as they fell, and at that moment her heart melted. She knew that she would agree to go to the moon and back if it meant spending the rest of her life with him.

She whispered, I promise.

He smiled and lightly kissed her on the cheek. I will come for ya when I finish talking to Mox. I shouldn’t be long. I love ya.

She smiled and whispered, I love you too, and it seems to me you have learned how to say those three words pretty well, Buddy Nelson.

He rolled his eyes and replied, A cute little chick taught me.

She swatted at him and said, Shoo with you, Buddy Nelson! I need to use the restroom.

Buddy spotted the pancakes sitting on the table as soon as he walked into the kitchen, Thanks, Mox, it looks great, but do ya mind if I set these back in the oven while I talk to ya?

He felt guilt rise within his heart as he thought of Ruthie in the other room, so he decided to wait for her before eating. Blueberry pancakes were her favorite, and he had no doubt that she was hungry.

Yeah sure, go ahead. Would you like a cup of coffee?

Coffee sounds great, but I can get it, Mox. He went to pour himself a cup of coffee and then sat at the small kitchen table. So . . .

So what do you want to talk with me about?

Mox, I brought a girl home and I plan to marry her come August. What I mean to say is she will stay here with you and I’ll stay with my buddy, Rex. You remember him don’t ya? Well, anyway, she’s a good Christian girl and I’m in love with her. She’s made me a changed man."

Is that right?

I promise. She’s different from any girl I’ve ever met. We plan to do things right, ya know, according to God’s Word. She even wants to go to church with you.

What makes you think I’ll let her stay here… Jenny trailed off for a bit, with me?

Mox, I know this is a lot to take in, but I promise once ya meet Ruthie, you’ll love her.

As soon as the words rolled off his tongue, he thought of the little spitfire she could be. Granted, she can be a little moody at times, but for the most part she’s very kindhearted.

Buddy looked off in the distance as if he was looking for the right words to describe Ruthie. To me, she’s perfect. Perfect for me, that is.

He shifted in his chair, and he wished his Mox would say something. In his opinion, she was entirely too quiet, which only made him that much more nervous. He sighed and went on to say, Mox, don’t ya have anything to say?

Jenny sat looking at her only child with his heart completely exposed. She thought of what the Lord had said to her earlier, Love covers a multitude of sin.

She reached across the table and took his hand in hers. She couldn’t help but notice that he had the hands of a man, but at that very moment he seemed to still be her little boy. She gently rubbed his rough calloused hands and looked into his sea-green eyes.

As Jenny looked at her son, she saw the image of Pete Nelson, his pop. Yes, he had some of her features as well, but his eyes were the same color as Pete’s. She felt her eyes well up with tears, which only made Buddy feel that much worse.

Mox, please don’t cry.

She smiled and replied, I’m okay. Why don’t you let me meet Ruthie?

CHAPTER TWO

Can two walk together,

except they be agreed?

—Amos 3:3

R uthie freshened up the best she could and sat quietly on Buddy’s bed, waiting for him to give the okay for her to come out. She said a little prayer, asking God to be with Buddy as he spoke with Jenny. She prayed that she and Jenny would get along, and she prayed for her mama. She knew that Jenny could never take the place if her mama, but she hoped that they would at least develop a friendship.

Ruthie began to feel forlorn as she thought of her mama, so instead she tried to think about her and Buddy’s future. Yes, she needed to think happy thoughts, because she didn’t want to give a poor impression when she met Jenny for the first time. She knew that she needed to try to keep her spirits uplifted, but she was finding it difficult in Buddy’s hot, stuffy bedroom.

She looked around and noticed that it was a lot neater than the bedroom at Uncle Joe’s shack. She shivered at thought of the pigsty they called home. She could only hope that Jenny kept a cleaner house, because she didn’t want to go through the misery she endured at Joe’s shack. The man wouldn’t even allow her to clean the dump.

Ruthie was starting to feel a little irritated with Buddy for taking so long. She was hungry and tired of waiting to know if she had a place to live. Just when she was about to walk out of the stuffy bedroom to find out what in the world was going on, Buddy came knocking at the door.

When Buddy opened the door, he could tell by the look on Ruthie’s face that she was not pleased. He put a smile on his face, hoping that would help to ease the tension.

Ruthie, are you ready to meet Mox?

She huffed rather unladylike and replied, I was beginning to wonder if everything was okay. I was about to go check on you.

He chuckled and said, Come on, you little spitfire, and meet your future mother-in-law, and you be good.

To Ruthie’s relief, as she and Buddy walked to the kitchen she noticed that Jenny’s home was spotless. She stopped to admire the pictures of Buddy on the wall in the living room, and she giggled when she spotted his kindergarten picture. Jenny had written Buddy’s grade level at the bottom of each picture. To Ruthie’s surprise, there were pictures of Buddy from kindergarten to his senior year.

Buddy, you were such a cute little guy.

He smiled and said, Oh, so now ya don’t think I’m cute?

She kicked the side of his shoe and replied, You know what I mean.

Jenny walked into the living room with a big smile on her face and said, Yes, I must admit Buddy was a cute little guy, but he’s grown to be a very handsome young man.

Ruthie felt a pang of guilt in her heart for selfishly allowing Jenny’s interruption to irritate her. Jenny extended her hand toward Ruthie and softly spoke, You must be Ruthie?

Ruthie looked into her beautiful hazel eyes and said, Yes, ma’am, and you must be Jenny?

Jenny replied, Yes, I am; however, I’m also known as Mox. The two of you must be very hungry. I made some blueberry pancakes, and I’m sure they’re still warm. So, come along, and let’s get some food in your stomach.

Jenny watched as Buddy pulled Ruthie’s chair out for her, and then he paused for Ruthie to say a silent prayer over her food. She thought that the two looked good together, and they seemed to interact very naturally. She was pleased with the way Ruthie prayed over her meal, and she thought just maybe this might work. She only wanted to find out more about this young lady who had stolen her son’s heart.

Jenny felt her motherly instincts kick in when she realized that Buddy had already drunk half of his milk. So she went to the refrigerator to retrieve the carton of milk, and she poured more in his glass. She noticed that Ruthie was picking at her food, and she wondered if the pancakes were to her liking.

Buddy looked up and said, Thanks, Mox. These pancakes are great.

Ruthie looked up and commented, Yes, they are, and thank you so much for all of the trouble you went through making them and all.

Jenny decided that Ruthie was nervous, so she thought to help her out a little by going into the living room while the two of them finished their brunch.

The two of you are quite welcome, and it was absolutely no trouble at all. I think I’ll go to the living room and relax a while. Holler if you need me.

Buddy was thankful for the space she was willing to give him and Ruthie. He winked at her and said, Sure thing, Mox, and thanks again for everything.

Jenny quickly replied, Yes, we’ll have time to talk later. You two enjoy your pancakes.

So, what do ya think?

I think she’s a real good cook.

Is that it? Buddy asked.

She’s a very beautiful woman, and I can see that you have some of her features.

What I mean is do you like her?

"I can’t say. I mean, I haven’t gotten to know her yet, so how am I suppose to know if I