The front door opened as Ann walked through bringing the cold, crisp air with her.
“Good morning, Shell,” Ann said as she entered, stamping her feet and rubbing her arms.
“How are you doing, Ann?” asked Shelly, concerned for her best friend and feeling a small echo of Ann’s loss.
“I’m alright, I guess. I won’t say it’s easy, but I’m grateful to have God in this with me,” she said with feeling. “I can only face it one day at a time. Do we have any new listings?” she asked her co-worker, trying to change the subject.
“Not this morning. I have a family coming this afternoon to look at the Tuvey property in Eaglemount. But sales are slowing down very fast for this time of year,” Shelly answered with some concern.
“I know. If I don’t get something moving soon, I may have to take out a loan to carry us through the winter. I’m not sure I can even get one,” Ann said with unease.
“What a shame Sean had to come and disrupt your life so severely the last couple of months… bad timing all the way around,” Shelly said with feeling. “How are you and your mother getting along?”
“You know Shell, it’s going quite well. I’m surprised how well it’s going. She listens to me now. I can see she is struggling not to say too much, which makes me so grateful to her for trying to step out of the control mode she has been in for most of her life. I just don’t know how long it’s going to last.”
“It’s too bad she can’t stay permanently,” Shelly offered. “She would be such a help with Marty and the apartment. Maybe her small income could help you with your bills, at least a little.”
Ann thought about it for a minute. “Her meager income would be of some help, but I’m not comfortable making this a permanent arrangement yet. You know we haven’t gotten along in the past because of her controlling personality. How can I be sure she has really changed, now? If I let her stay, she would have to give up the rent of her trailer so she could help me out. And that would leave us with no place to send her if we started fighting again. You know how hard it is to find low-income housing. I could be trapped in a very bad situation if I’m not careful.”
“However, I have never seen this side of mom before,” she continued. “She is really trying. My heart wants her to stay. Isn’t it funny, but all of a sudden I see her as an elderly, frail woman and not the dominate powerhouse that controlled so much of my life. I can see she needs us and we are having so much fun with her around. I just want her to be safe and not so alone. Is that silly or what?” Ann sighed with indecision.
“Well, give it some time, Ann. You never know what’s around the corner,” Shelly replied, as she started pulling customer files for the day from her desk drawer.
Ann smiled knowingly. “Boy, isn’t that the truth! Well, anyway, we have the time to work it out and I’m in no hurry to send her back to the trailer. Besides, she just got here!” she said with a smile.
Shelly and Ann put in a long day organizing the filing cabinets, cleaning the office and taking a few phone calls from people they called ‘lookie-loos’ -- the people who are dreaming of buying a home someday, but who can’t quite afford it yet. The ones who hope to find a special deal… a miracle just for them.
Both women also phoned a list of rich, prospective clients who might be looking for additional investment properties, but nothing developed into a prospect. The housing market was closing down due to the bad weather. Winter was coming too soon.
As the day wore on, the two best friends sat talking, sharing each other’s needs and desires. Shelly was talking to Ann again about adopting. It was a recurring theme Shelly enjoyed bringing up once in a while, to daydream about, and wonder what it would be like to have children in her home full time.
Ann didn’t mind. She could see the joy and longing in her best friends expressions and gestures. She knew that someday God would answer Shelly’s prayers for a child. She couldn’t wait to see where, when and how He would provide.
How could Ann fathom that the winds of change, which stirred so gently right now for her friends, would blow so violent and deadly, before long?
The Gift
A Tale Of Choice Page 3