The Price of Trust

by Amanda Stephan

  "Um," Todd answered, unsure of what he should or shouldn't say.

  "We're ready to go if you both are."

  Joe looked at Carly for a minute then seemed to make up his mind about something.

  "Just a minute," he said, walking toward Angie, who was talking with a group of people.

  "Angie, what's your problem? You have been nasty to Carly since the day she walked in this church, and I was just curious as to why."

  Angie turned almost purple with embarrassment, the other people staring at them in surprise. "What are you talking about?" Angie sputtered, trying to look innocent.

  "You know very well what I'm talking about," he said through gritted teeth. "I won't have you treating her like that. Do we understand each other?" He glared at her, making her stare at the floor. She looked like she would have liked to find a hole and crawl into it. Joe nodded his head at the people staring at him, turned, and walked back to his family.

  "Bravo, brother," Todd said, clapping him on the back. "You gave it to her pretty good there. You know, I don't think I've ever seen you react like that before."

  "Wow," Kelly breathed, stunned.

  "Why did you do that, Joe?" Carly asked, distressed at all the people staring at them now.

  "I promised that I would take care of you and protect you, and I figured that if I couldn't do it with Angie, then I wasn't going to be able to do it with Ian. Just getting into practice," he said, helping her on with her jacket. "You're not embarrassed are you?"

  Carly grimaced. "That’s the understatement of the year. But I'm glad that you took care of it. Thank you." She gave him one of her best smiles. His heart flip-flopped, and he took her hand.

  "You did what was right son," Tom said, punching his shoulder. "You better be getting along if you're going to be back in time for church tonight. Take care," Penny said, kissing each of her boys.

  "We'll see you tonight, Lord willing," Todd called over his shoulder. "Just pray for us. Joe's driving." Joe grabbed him and tousled his hair. Kelly and Carly laughed, and they were gone.

  "Well, dear, what do you think of that?" Penny asked quietly, referring to Joe.

  "I think we'd better really love that girl, 'cause he isn't going to give her up."

  "I agree. I'm thinking we're going to have some additions to our family." She smiled contentedly.

  "I do believe you're right, sweet-pea," he said fondly, helping her on with her coat.

  Chapter 12

  They stopped to eat at a quaint little restaurant in the next town before they got to the mall.

  "You know," Joe said quietly as soon as they were seated. "You still haven't told what you ate this morning."

  Carly pretended to be engrossed in the menu and didn't answer. "Don't make me pinch you," he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  "You wouldn't do that in a restaurant," she whispered back mischievously.

  He promptly pinched her arm, making her cry out. "Joe!" she said loudly, causing a few people to turn and look at them.

  Todd shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Um, Kelly, maybe we should sit at another table. People are beginning to stare at us."

  Carly scooted her chair a little further away from Joe, her face bright red. "I think that's a good idea. We can sit at another table and leave Joe here to himself."

  "All I wanted was her to answer my question, and she wouldn't do it, so she got what she deserved."

  "What was his question?" Kelly asked curiously.

  Carly scowled. "He wants to know what I ate for breakfast." He just grinned, enjoying himself at her expense.

  "That's a weird question." Todd nodded his head in agreement.

  "It may be a weird question, but I have my reasons." He looked deliberately at Carly.

  "If he's got a reason, by all means, let's hear the answer so we can eat in peace," Todd mocked.

  "I had … " Carly mumbled into her glass of water.

  Todd leaned forward, pulling his ear. "What was that? Didn't catch it."

  Carly mumbled unintelligibly into her glass again.

  Kelly giggled. "Nope. Didn't get it that time either."

  "She said she had some juice," Joe answered for her, unsmiling.

  "Juice? That's it?" Todd couldn't fathom not having bacon, eggs, and toast for breakfast, and thought everyone should eat as much as he did.

  "You must be starving," Kelly added, looking concerned.

  Carly batted her eyes innocently, grabbing her flat stomach for emphasis. "I'm famished."

  "Good, because here comes our food," Todd said hungrily.

  "You're going to have to eat better than that, you know," Joe said softly into her ear.

  "What? And ruin my girlish figure?"

  Joe was uncompromising and looked at her sternly. "You know what I mean. You need to eat better."

  "I'll work on it," she promised, blushing prettily.

  "Good," he said.

  "You know," Todd said between bites, "you two never told us what Angie was saying before we came upstairs. You both looked pretty upset."

  "Yeah. What did she say?" Joe asked curiously.

  Kelly, always loyal, jumped to her friend's defense. "She was being really mean to Carly. She started out by telling her that you two were, what did she say, disgusting? No, that's not right. Carly what did she say?"

  "Distracting. We were distracting her because we were holding hands," Carly answered, laughing at Kelly's mistake.

  Todd shook his head at his brother. "Holding hands? You two were holding hands? Joe? Come on now, fess up and tell me. Did Carly make you hold her hand?"

  "No, actually I took her hand first." Joe smiled mischievously. "She didn't have a choice, and I wasn't giving it back."

  Carly laughed. "I did have a choice. I felt sorry for him," she said impishly, winking at Kelly.

  "Anyway. Back to the story. Angie said that you two were distracting her during service, and Carly pretty much told her off. Well, she was really mad, and she started telling Carly that you were just using her, and that you and Amy were going to get back together," Kelly finished the story in a rush, waiting for Joe's reaction.

  "Whoa," Todd said, pursing his lips together and leaning back in his chair. "That was cold."

  "If Billy Pruit had said that, I would have knocked his teeth down his throat," Joe said furiously. "You wait until I see her again."

  "It's okay. Don't let her bother you. So what? She was being a jerk, big deal. I've handled bigger jerks than her before. Just let it go, okay?" Carly coaxed, not wanting him to do anything rash.

  "Why? Why should I let her get away with it?" he asked angrily.

  She reached over and rubbed his arm soothingly. "Because I asked you to."

  He stared down at her, some of the anger leaving his face. "But I don't want anyone to think that I'm just using you," he said slowly. "You do know that I'm not using you, right?"

  "I don't think you are," she answered honestly.

  "Carly, I love you, and I want you to be sure of that," he said, pulling her closer to him.

  "He said the L word, Kelly. It must be real," Todd whispered loudly.

  "And in front of us," Kelly whispered back. They all laughed, breaking the tension.

  "Joe, I'd like to know what happened between you and Amy," Carly said.

  "Uh oh. I knew that was coming. Come on, Kell, we better go," Todd said, getting up.

  "No, you don't have to go," Joe said, laying some bills on the table to pay for their meal. "I'll tell it to her on the way to the mall."

  "I met Amy when I was about nineteen, and she was eighteen," he began when they were all situated in the truck and on their way. "I thought she was the closest thing to perfect that God had made, and I thought I loved her. We started dating right away, and I asked her to marry me about seven months after our first date. She said yes, and I thought that was it.” He gripped the steering wheel a little harder, and stared at the road.

  “But as our wedding date got close
r and closer, I began to see that she wasn't nearly as perfect as I had thought. She would lie about little things, and I'd make excuses for her. Then she'd pick on my family, and once again, I made excuses for her. She began to get greedy and whiney, and downright nasty if she didn't get her own way on everything. She expected me to answer her every beck and call, and I usually did. I was her little lap dog, I'm ashamed to say. Todd can testify to that."

  Todd nodded vigorously. "It was pitiful."

  "Well, I began to build a house for us on some property that I had gotten from my dad. I got the foundation finished without telling her. I wanted to surprise her with it on Christmas morning. I took her to see it and she blew up. She started screaming about how inconsiderate I was to not even ask her what she wanted and proceeded to tell me that she could never live that close to my family. So, being the lap dog that I was, I stopped building and started looking to buy a house that she wanted. All the houses she looked at were way too expensive for me, but if I even mentioned looking at smaller homes, she would say I was being a jerk.” He paused and swallowed, trying to control his emotions as he remembered the past.

  “About two months before our wedding, she left, leaving me a note that said she had made a mistake. She wasn't ready to throw her life away on a piece of trash, and she hoped that she never saw me again. That was six years ago, and I haven't seen her since."

  "I'm sorry. I should never have asked you to tell me," Carly said quietly, looking out the window.

  Todd added quietly, "And you're the first person he's been interested in since."

  "Don't be sorry for me, Carly. Losing her has been one of the best things God has done for me. I thought at the time that I wouldn't ever love anyone again, but you've shown me otherwise." He smiled tenderly at her. "I'm glad she's gone, and I'm glad she left the way she did. Now I know what I've got, and I'm not going to lose you."

  Kelly bounced excitedly in the backseat, her face beaming. "Here we are!"

  Todd groaned, shaking his head. "This is Kelly's favorite place."

  "Have you ever been here before, Carly?" she asked gleefully, as they walked inside the huge entrance.

  Amused, Carly grinned at her excitement. "No, can't say that I have."

  She hugged Todd's arm happily. "I love this place, but I don't get to come here very often, so it's a real treat when Todd takes me. I'm so glad you asked us to come with you, Joe."

  As soon as they were inside, Joe steered Carly toward a store. "My pleasure. I'm taking Carly in here for a little while, so you two can go wherever you want." Carly looked at him in surprise.

  "Oh, I think we'll come too. I haven't been here in ages, and they have some pretty good sales." Kelly started to follow, but stopped when Todd groaned, holding his stomach.

  "What's wrong? Are you sick?" she asked worriedly, putting her hand on his arm.

  "I think I ate too much or something. My stomach is killing me." He groaned again, bending over a little bit.

  "Oh my goodness! Are you going to be okay?" Kelly tried to help him stand up. "Joe, I think we'd better take him home."

  "Do you want to go home, Todd?" Joe asked, a little disappointed. He had wanted to spend the day shopping with Carly and didn't really want to go home yet, but he would do whatever was necessary to help his brother.

  Todd stood up still holding his stomach. "No, I don't need to go home yet; I just need to find a men's room. I'll feel better in a little bit. You all just keep shopping, and I'll be back." Kelly looked unconvinced, but he kissed her and left before she could argue.

  Kelly watched him leave, her face anxious. "I hope he's going to be okay."

  "He'll be okay. Come on, Kelly. Let's look for some of those sales you were telling us about," Joe said, trying to ease her mind. "Really. He'll be okay; he just ate too much at the restaurant. Come with us."

  Kelly followed them reluctantly, but sale racks soon put her back into the shopping mood.

  "Where exactly did you want to look, Joe?" Carly asked quizzically.

  Joe grabbed her hand and pulled her along, not answering. He seemed intent on one purpose. "Where would they be?" he muttered to himself, looking around for something in particular.

  She laughed, still trailing behind. "Maybe I could help you find what you're looking for if you just told me what it was." His grip tightened as he turned to smile at her mysteriously. "Now I'm really nervous."

  They turned the corner and found themselves in the winter coats. Carly, knowing what he was up to, stopped abruptly and pulled her hand out of his.

  "What are we doing here?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at him.

  He grinned at her. "You need a winter coat, and we're going to buy you one."

  "I don't think so," she answered with a stubborn shake of her head.

  "Why can't I buy you a coat?" he asked in bewilderment.

  "Because I don't want people to think that I'm using you," she answered firmly.

  "I don't care what people think," he answered mildly, taking her hand again. "I want to take care of you, and you need a coat. Don't take away my blessing of doing this for you. Please?" he argued. She held back. "It's about Ian, isn't it?" Joe asked quietly. "I'm not Ian, Carly."

  "I know," she answered softly.

  "Do you trust me?"

  "Yes."

  "Then please let me do this for you." He drew her into the leather coats. "Pick one out."

  "I don't know," Carly said doubtfully, looking at the price tags.

  "Don't worry about the price," he admonished, playfully smacking a tag out of her hand.

  "I thought that you said I could pick one out. Doesn't that mean that I can look at the ones that I like, even if they're cheap?" She smiled pertly.

  "Yeah, you can find whatever you like, but if I think you're picking them because they're cheap, I'll pick one out for you," he said light-heartedly. Carly rolled her eyes at him and grinned.

  "There you two are!" Kelly said, joining them. "I've been looking for you. I thought you left me."

  Joe shook his head, grinning. "And have to deal with an irate little brother like Todd? You must be crazy! Hey, will you help Carly pick out a winter coat? She seems to be having trouble finding one."

  "Sure! Carly, which ones do you like?" Kelly came over to help her decide. They conspired together quietly for a couple of minutes, then hung three out on the racks.

  "These are the ones I like," Carly said self-consciously. Joe examined each one individually, noticing the sales tags. They were the cheapest she could find, but they were durable.

  "All right. Which one do you want?" he finally agreed.

  "This one," she said immediately, holding up the cheapest of the three.

  "Sounds good. You two can go look around while I pay, and I'll meet you," Joe said, giving Carly a hug.

  "Thanks, Joe," she whispered, "but you didn't have to."

  "I know. I wanted to," he affirmed, still holding her close. She kissed his cheek, blushed, then left quickly, Kelly in pursuit. He watched them go, made sure they weren't coming back, and switched the coat to the most expensive of the three.

  He joined them shortly afterward, bag in hand, to find Todd still wasn't there. Kelly was beginning to get worried.

  "Joe, we've been in here for a while. Do you think we could go look for him?"

  "Sure, but I think that's him right there," he said, nodding toward the door his brother had just walked through.

  Kelly sighed in relief. "Todd! Are you feeling better?"

  Todd hugged her to him. "Sure! I feel great! I don't know what it was, but it's gone now. Where to next?"

  "Let's just show Carly around," Joe said quickly, leading the way.

  Walking through the expansive hallways and going into various stores, they were rounding the last bend when Todd pulled Kelly ahead, excitement written on his handsome face.

  "The Apple Barn! They've got some of the best caramel apples. Do you want one, Kell?" he asked, already pulling his wall
et out.

  "I thought you weren't feeling well," Kelly asked with a doubtful look.

  Panicked, he decided to beg. "But I feel better. Nothing a caramel apple couldn't cure. Joe, help me out here. Tell her I'm feeling better."

  Kelly laughed, giving in easily. "Okay. If you say you're feeling better, then go ahead."

  "You want one?" Joe asked Carly, already taking some off the shelf.

  Carly giggled. "Do I have a choice?"

  "You always have a choice. You can say yes or yes!"

  They paid for their apples and sat down. Todd had already started eating his before Joe and Carly had even sat down.

  "Well, I guess he is feeling better," Carly said.

  "I guess so," Kelly said, eating hers more daintily.

  "Which one do you want? Nuts, or no nuts," Joe asked, giving her the choice.

  "With nuts, definitely," she answered immediately. Joe took the wrapper off and held it out to her. She reached for it, but he pulled it back before she could get it.

  "Hey!" She laughed, reaching for it again.

  He grinned as he held it further out of her reach. "Apple for a kiss!"

  She shook her head. "I don't know if they're that good."

  Stubbornly, Joe repeated his plea as she reached for it again.

  "Apple for a kiss."

  "I think you better give him that kiss, Carly," Todd said, pointing toward a little girl about five, staring fixedly at the apple. She laughed then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

  Smiling indulgently, he handed her the apple. "There. Was that so hard?"

  "Yeah," Carly said, taking a bite from her apple. "It about killed me!"

  Kelly and Todd laughed hysterically, while Joe tapped her head into her apple as she took another bite out of it, causing the caramel and nuts to smear all over her face.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry," Joe said with an unapologetic chuckle. "I really didn't mean for that to happen."

  "Yeah right. Sure you didn't." Carly laughed, wiping her face with a napkin. "Now I'm all sticky. I better go wash off." She stood up to go to the ladies room.