Beth sighed. “Lynn has always been wild. As far as I know, she’s never made a commitment to the Lord, and I’ve never seen her show any interest in doing so.”
Bryce frowned. “Really? After meeting you and your parents, I figured you both grew up in church and that she just… strayed.”
“We did grow up in church,” Beth confirmed. “We were involved in everything. Dad’s still on the music team, Grandma Jean and Tami led the women’s ministry, and Mom helped startthe mentor mom’s group. We were at every Sunday school class and youth event. Skipping church wasn’t an option. Not accepting the Lord, however, was.”
She hesitated, then added quietly, “You know just going to church doesn’t make someone a Christian. Faith isn’t about works. The Bible is clear—salvation is a free gift to those who believe in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. Knowing He was willing to sacrifice Himself so I could have eternal life is overwhelming and humbling. And it kills me that Lynn doesn’t want that.”
Bryce was silent for a moment. “I can’t imagine spending my whole life in church and it not making an impact—especially under Pastor Steve’s teaching. But then again, belief in God was never my struggle. Anger… a hardened heart… that was my fight.”
Beth gave him a small, knowing smile. “Then maybe you and Lynn have more in common than you think. She’s spent most of her life hardening her heart—not just against God, but against us and the church.”
It was spoken like a fact, but the pain in her voice was unmistakable.
“Were you two ever close?” Bryce asked.
“When we were kids, yeah. We played together all the time. But there’s a five-year gap between us. By the time she started high school, I had already moved out,” Beth hesitated. “She used to talk to me more, but most of those conversations were just… venting about Mom and Dad.”
Bryce quirked a brow. “And what would you tell her?”
“That she wasn’t being singled out,” Beth admitted. “I had the same rules she did. But Lynn always had this thing where she’d say, ‘I’m not you.’ Like because we were different, the same rules shouldn’t apply.”
“That must have been hard on all of you,” Bryce said. “How did your parents handle it?”
“With a lot of prayer and consistency. I know that sounds oversimplified, but it’s the truth. That’s all they could do then, and all we can do now. Lynn doesn’t feel like she fits in our family, so it’s like she tries to be as different as possible.”
Bryce gave her a puzzled look. “Why does she think she doesn’t fit?”
Beth hesitated, then exhaled. “Because of her height. Her hair. Her coloring.”
Bryce stopped walking. “Wait—you’re kidding, right?”
Beth shook her head. “I wish I was. But in a family where everyone is tall, dark-haired, or tan, it’s not easy being a short redhead with freckles. Add the fact that she isn’t athletic like Mom and me, or musically talented like Dad and me… she’s always believed she was born into the wrong family.”
Bryce frowned. “Has she ever looked at your faces? You two could be twins.”
Beth gave a small, sad laugh. “She can’t see past the rest.”
Bryce stayed quiet as they kept walking, sensing there was more.
“I’ll never forget the day it all came to a head.” Beth’s voicewas steady, but Bryce could hear the tension underneath. “She was in high school, and Mom and I took her prom dress shopping. It was a long day, and she was already frustrated. Couldn’t find anything that fit right, was appropriate, or that she liked. Finally, at the last store, we found one we all agreed on. She stood in front of the mirror, Mom and I behind her, admiring the dress.”
Beth stopped at the edge of the trail, her gaze unfocused. Bryce stepped behind her—not touching, but close enough that she could feel the warmth of his presence.
“Lynn looked from her reflection to ours and back again, and I could see the anger fill her. Then she asked Mom if she got pregnant with her from an affair.” Beth swallowed hard. “She actually accused Mom of cheating. Demanded to know who her ‘real father’ was, and if he was short with red hair.”
Bryce exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Wow.”
“What did Sue say?” Bryce finally asked, his voice quiet, steady.
“I’ve never seen her so shocked,” Beth admitted. “She told Lynn she had never, and would never, cheat on Dad.”
“And Lynn?”
“She spun around and told Mom to stop lying. That it was ‘just us girls’ and it was time she told the truth. She said if Mom really expected her to believe someone who looked like her had been faithful to someone as ‘dorky and ugly’ as Dad, then she must think she was an idiot.”
Bryce winced. “Ouch.”
“Yeah.” Beth let out a heavy breath. “Mom just told her if she wanted the dress, she needed to take it off and bring it to the counter. But when we got in the car, Mom finally said she was sorry Lynn had such a low opinion of them, but that she loved Dad and wouldn’t listen to another word against him.”
