“Let’s go,” Kiara said as she got to her feet. “There’s nothing left in here.”
Angela watched her sister leave the room, wishing she had the same level of confidence that Kiara had. Maybe Kiara would feel differently if it was her family they were meeting.
With a sigh, Angela got up and left the bedroom, hitting the light switch as she walked by it. They didn’t have much to take since the apartment had come furnished with plenty of mismatched dishes and silverware and well-worn furniture.
They’d never bothered to buy things to replace any of it, choosing instead to save their money for the future. Now, it made walking away from Briar Hollow even easier.
A pair of large suitcases and three large boxes sat by the door. They each had a suitcase, but only one of the boxes belonged to Angela. Kiara had needed two to contain all her books.
Angela’s box held some books too, but unlike Kiara’s collection of fiction, they were cookbooks. Though she loved reading fiction, she tended to read whatever Kiara had around.
The box also contained her journals and a binder that held all of Sandra’s handwritten recipes. Even though she was angry at the woman, she hadn’t wanted to leave that behind.
Only a couple of minutes passed before there was a light knock on the door. Kiara rushed over to open it.
“Good morning, Kiara.”
Jude’s deep voice didn’t rush the greeting, and the timber of it washed over Angela, settling something inside her. She didn’t know what it was about the man, given he was virtually a stranger, but having him around made her feel safer.
That could be because of he had revealed that he wasn’t just a friend of the Burke family, he was the head of their security team. The man obviously knew a thing or two about keeping people safe.
And though he was bigger in stature than Craig and Jim, Angela didn’t feel any fear in his presence the way she did when she was around those two.
“Good morning, Angela,” Jude said when he spotted her.
Angela attempted to give him a smile, but it felt like a weak imitation. “Good morning.”
“Is everything ready to go?” Jude asked, looking around the room.
“Yep. We just have these suitcases and boxes,” Kiara said, motioning to the stack by the door. “Is it too much?”
“Not at all,” Jude said. “I rented a small trailer to take everything to the airport.”
It didn’t take long for them to carry their belongings out into the cool, early morning air. Jude stacked the boxes and suitcases into the trailer with ease.
Kiara told Angela to take the front seat next to Jude in the SUV. Angela thought she probably should have insisted Kiara sit in the front because Angela wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold any kind of conversation with Jude.
Still, she took some comfort in his nearness as he competently drove the SUV and trailer out of Briar Hollow. Angela couldn’t help but look back over her shoulder as the town’s lights slipped into the distance behind them.
“How are you doing today, Angela?” Jude asked.
She glanced over at him, taking in the man’s chiseled profile. “I’m fine.”
It was clear that she was going to have to fake it until she made it. She couldn’t cower her way into this meeting with her family. She had to meet them with a confidence that she didn’t feel.
She’d always struggled with confidence and with having a backbone. In recent years, with Ida’s help, she’d been learningto lean on God, especially in those times when she felt like she wasn’t strong enough.
Philippians 4:13 had become her life verse.I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.She’d been reciting it many times since that first meeting with Jude.
“It’s okay if you’re not fine,” Jude said. “I’m sure everyone involved is feeling a little apprehensive about this.”
“Really?” Angela asked, angling her body toward his. “You think they’re a little anxious about meeting me?”
Jude nodded. “I’m sure they hope you’ll accept them.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Angela asked with a frown. “It’s more likely that they won’t accept me.”
“Not gonna happen.” Jude glanced over at her, his eyes shining in the morning light. “You didn’t cease to be part of the family just because you’d been taken from them.”
