She smiled with joy. “Wonderful. Not anything like I expected. Who knew church had changed so much since I was a kid?”
“Glad to hear you liked it.” Ryan squeezed her hand.
Mia spotted Verna exiting the worship center. Mia had talked to Verna only once since Pope’s arrest when she’d asked Verna to stay on as Evergreen’s manager, but Verna hadn’t yet responded.
She hesitantly approached Mia. “You sure you want me working at Evergreen after thinking I did all those things?”
The heat of a blush crept over Mia’s face. “I’m sorry about that. I really am. You were so testy and seemed like you were trying to hide something. I didn’t know what to make of it.”
Verna planted her hands on her hips. “Can’t a body be worried about keeping her job? I figured you would take over and send an old lady like me packing, and then how was I going to support my daughter.”
“Why would I do that? I wouldn’t know how to run the place without you.”
Verna sniffed, but a tight smile slipped out. “That’s fine, then. I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
“And we can talk about finding the money to build Nico his cabin.”
“Now that’s downright good of you.” Verna squeezed Mia’s arm and then departed.
“C’mon.” Ryan clasped her hand. “There’s something I want you to see.”
He led her to the door near the kitchen. He pushed it open. She stepped in, and a loud chorus of voices shouted, “Surprise.”
Mia took a step back, inhaling the aroma of bacon, onions, and tangy spices. She took the time to look at the festive tablecloth, balloons, and flowers covering a long table where church members sat looking expectantly at her. The décor was loud and boisterous, colors clashing, and shouting that Gladys’s flamboyant style was behind it all.
“Relax,” Ryan whispered near her ear. “I know you don’t like public demonstrations, but this is different. These people all love you and want to let you know how proud they are of what you did to save Jessie and take a murderer off their streets. They’re our friends.”
Memories of being publicly grilled for her poor decisions in high school rushed to the surface. The urge to flee as she had in the past clung to her like fabric sheets in the laundry.
Ryan squeezed her shoulder. “Think of this as a start to building a life here.”
She offered a prayer. She could do this. With Ryan or without. God was here. Among His people. And she was strong. She would be the person God wanted her to be.
She put on a smile.
Gladys rushed forward. “About time you got here.”
She entwined her arm in Mia’s and ushered her to a chair at the end of the table.
Gladys lifted a glass of sparkling cider to the group. “To Mia. Thank you for returning our community to the calm place we know and love. And of course, for taking care of our little Jessie and Nikki.”
Glasses raised all around to calls of, “To Mia.”
Gone were the frowns of disapproval from her teen years to be replaced by thankfulness and gratitude.
Acceptance.
She could now walk down Main Street without dreading it. She could greet her neighbors and make a life for herself here. A real life with relationships and neighbors helping neighbors. A deep solid life with God at the center.
She searched the tables for two familiar faces. No. No. Her dad and David hadn’t come.
The old pain rose up and tried to swamp her.
“Now, let’s eat.” Gladys clapped her hands. As if she were conducting an orchestra, the others started passing dishes. The potluck offerings were scooped onto plates until they were heaped full.
Mia wiped moist palms on her knees, dug into a hash brown breakfast casserole, and caught a smile from Jessie. The little girl wore a pink party dress and sat at the far end of the table with Reid and Russ flanking her. Sydney, Nikki, and Eddie took up the seats on one side, Sydney watching the pair as if uncertain about them sitting together.
Mia connected gazes with Eddie. He gave her a thumbs-up. She smiled at him, and he returned it with a beaming smile she’d not seen before.Oh, man.What a rush of emotions. The good feeling from helping to change a life erased the last of her unease, and she fully relaxed to gobble down the spectacular food.
