Free Tianna the Terrible (Anika Scott Series) by Karen Rispin Page A

very well with Tianna's family.
    That night I couldn't go to sleep. No one had even noticed Tianna was out of the house. I wondered where she was and listened for her to get back. I could hear the low hum of the furnace. Car lights swept across the room now and then. Sandy was breathing with little snores. After a while Mom, Daddy, and Uncle Kurt went into the living room. I could hear them talking.
    "Well, Doreen is working late again, and I told her to be here tonight," Uncle Kurt said. "I thought maybe you could talk some sense into her."
    Mom answered, and I leaned up on one elbow to hear better. "You can't make people be what you want them to be against their will, Kurt. Even God doesn't do that."
    "Well, she ought to listen to me!" Uncle Kurt's voice rose. Daddy's answer was low and quiet, so I slipped out of bed and pushed the door open to hear better. Maybe he'd say something to make Uncle Kurt see that God thinks women are people, too. What Aunt Doreen had said about Jesus having no women disciples still bothered me. With all the rush of getting ready to leave, I hadn't remembered to ask about it.
    "Christian leadership isn't that way, Kurt," Daddy was saying. "Christ gave up his life for us. Ephesians 5 says that husbands are to love their wives in the same way. It says that husbands should love their wives as though they were a part of themselves."
    "I thought you would be on my side," Uncle Kurt said, sounding hurt and angry. "I thought you'd help me uphold traditional values in this family. Do you think Doreen is behaving properly, then?"
    Mom spoke up, and she sounded irritated. "Kurt," she said. "How Doreen behaves has nothing to do with you. Her problems don't excuse your behavior. Your so-called 'traditional' values are pure destructive selfishness. You just want to be in charge and get your own way. That's not Christian at all. The Bible says we are to submit first to Christ, then to one another. We are to consider others' interests more important than our own. The husband is to lead for the benefit of his family."
    "So now I'm not Christian!" Uncle Kurt half yelled. "I don't need to listen to this."
    I could hear his heavy footsteps cross the floor, then the front door slammed. I thought I heard Mom crying, but I couldn't be sure.
    I went back to bed, but I lay awake for ages. Thoughts tumbled around in my head. Worry for Tianna was all mixed up with being happy about going home. Everything was just sliding into a dream about skiing when I finally heard Tianna come in and go to her room. I kind of wanted to get up and talk to her, but I was too sleepy.
    I didn't see her again before we left, because our plane left really early, and she didn't get up.
    Uncle Kurt drove us to the airport, but he would hardly even talk to Mom and Daddy. Sandy was crying about leaving her kitten. I felt strange—happy to be going home and to be getting out of that house, but sad and scared for Tianna. Aunt Doreen's question was also still bothering me.
    On the plane all four of us ended up in a row in the center seats. I was next to Daddy. As soon as we were off, I blurted, "How come Jesus didn't have any women disciples?"
    Daddy laughed and said, "I want your mother in on this one. Hazel, did you hear the question?"
    He repeated it, and Sandy said, "You were listening to Aunt Doreen! She told me that, too, but I didn't listen."
    I made a face at Sandy and said, "Well, I want to know. Why didn't Jesus pick any women? Aunt Doreen said the Bible says women aren't as good as men."
    "Never believe that!" Daddy said firmly. "All over the world and all through history, Christianity has made men see women as equal with them before God. In pagan societies, men often use their greater physical strength to force their women into roles of virtual slavery. The Bible warns men to treat women gently, as fellow-heirs of the faith. What's more, the Bible tells us that God values us all just the same, regardless of whether we're male or