Keys To Redemption
Page 10
Chapter 10
She was going to call him and cancel their lunch—there was no question about it. He would be her first date since James died, and she just didn’t think she was ready. She slipped off the pair of skinny jeans she had on and tossed them onto her bed, then retrieved the pair of sweats hanging on her bed rail. Just as she slid them on, her mother walked in. Madeleine took one look at her daughter and frowned.
“Honey, do you have sweats on? I know it’s been a while since you’ve dated, but wearing sweats on your first date with a man isn’t really the style nowadays, is it? Well, not unless you guys are going hiking, or maybe to clean out somebody’s house, or perhaps to garden.”
“Very funny, Mama, but I’ve decided not to go out with Stacy. And, for the record, it wasn’t a date, it was a luncheon.”
“A luncheon?” her mother chuckled. “I’m 50 years old honey, men and women your age don’t go on luncheons. Now, why are you not going on your date?”
Madeleine sat down on her daughter’s bed and Evie collapsed next to her.
“Mama, I can’t. I barely know him and I can’t be thinking about men right now. I should just focus on Jamie.”
“Well now, that’s an excellent idea. Will you wait until Jamie is eighteen and out of the house until you start dating again? You’ll be about what by then? Forty? Prime age to start dating again.” Evie rolled her eyes, but her mother continued.
“Honey, what good are you to Jamie if you’re not happy? Plus, he’s a boy. He needs room to grow, not a mother hovering over him all of the time. You have to get a life of your own, and going out with Anna once every couple of months when she is able to drag you out of this house does not count.”
“But I don’t even know him very well,” Evie whined.
“That is why men and women spend time together—to get to know each other.”
“I haven’t dated anybody except James. How do I know this guy is not some crazy killer?”
When Evie spoke those words she noticed a familiar look pass over her mother’s face. It was similar to the one she had given when Evie told her Stacy’s name for the first time.
“I don’t think he’s going to hurt you,” she said in an odd tone.
“It seems to me like he had the perfect opportunity to earlier this week when he stopped at night to help you with your car. But, he let you live. So maybe there’s some good in him.”
Evie rolled her eyes at her mother’s attempt to be funny.
“Go on the date. See what this Stacy is all about. You’re meeting him in a crowded, public place for lunch during the day, and afterwards you will come home and he will go on about his business. There really is nothing wrong with that, love. If it makes you feel better, pay for your own meal. You don’t have to marry him. Although, if this gets serious I hope you eventually bring him over here so that we can meet him.”
“We’re not serious about anything, Mama!” Evie exclaimed, her gut suddenly seizing up. But with the prospect of beginning something serious with Stacy, or the fear of it, she didn’t know.
“Just go, dear. There is nothing wrong with making a new friend at the very least.”
A new friend? Okay, she could deal with that. There didn’t have to be the prospect of a relationship looming over their heads. They were both adults; they could just be friends.
“You’re right,” Evie said, “It doesn’t have to be anything serious. I guess I can go.”
She stood up. “I suppose I’ll change out of these sweats.”
“Oh honey, please do. And if it’ll make you feel better, we can pray about everything before you go.”
“Good idea.”