Free Waterfalls by Robin Jones Gunn Page A

that.”
    “Terrorized? What did you do?”
    Meredith cautiously described the early morning encounter with the avocado face and blue bonnet. Shelly burst out laughing.
    “There’s more,” Meri said and proceeded to share the part about the puppet show, the smashed muffin, and the immature outburst in the parking lot.
    “You know,” Shelly said after she managed to control her laughter, “if nothing else, you made a lasting impression on the guy.”
    “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Meri muttered.
    They stopped just outside the lodge and beyond the hearing of the dozen or so people sitting on the front porch visiting. “You know what I think?” Shelly said. “I think your picnic must have been a refreshing experience for Jake after battlingthe attention he’s gotten ever since
Falcon Pointe
came out. No one expected that movie to become such a big hit. He was a no-name, out of nowhere, and now he’s suddenly famous and being assaulted in parking lots and drugstores. It must be frustrating. I can see why he didn’t want you to know who he was for as long as possible.”
    “I wish I could turn back the clock and start this day over.”
    “No, you don’t. This is life. This is your crazy, amazing life, and nothing happened to you today that didn’t pass through God’s fingers before it came to you.”
    Meri smiled. She used to be the one who was quick to offer spiritual insights and encouragement to her sister. Now Shelly was the one counseling her.
    “If God is really in control, then I think he must be in a very strange mood today,” Meri said.
    Shelly looked serious. “Do you really think God has moods?”
    “I’m kidding,” Meri retorted. “Let’s go inside. Do you suppose any food is left?” Then she remembered the candy bars. “Oh, I bought all those Milky Way bars. Where did I put them?”
    “You left them on the counter in the kitchen. They’ll be fine there. Jonathan will thank you profusely. You’ve brought him a two-week supply, you know.”
    “Just so your mutt doesn’t get to them.”
    “Don’t worry. Bob Two hasn’t figured out how to climb up onto counters yet.”
    “When he does, you’re in big trouble.”
    They walked up the front steps together, and Shelly warmly greeted all the people on the benches and in the rocking chairs.
    “Your mother was looking for you, Meredith,” one of the older women said.
    “I bet she was,” Meri muttered under her breath. Then shesmiled and said, “Thank you.” Something inside of her started to shrink down to junior high size all over again. She knew the minute she saw her mom she would be lectured about missing the dedication ceremony. And what would she tell her mother? “I was at the pharmacy, but I can’t tell you why”?
    Fortunately, Mom was busy in the kitchen and didn’t pay much attention to Meredith until the long day came to a close, and Meredith and her mom and dad drove back to Kyle and Jessica’s after nine. Mom nonchalantly said, “I didn’t see you at the ceremony, Meredith. Where were you standing?”
    She took a deep breath. “I had to run an errand in town. I didn’t get back in time.”
    “What kind of errand?” Mom wanted to know.
    “Whose car did you take?” Dad asked.
    “I took Shelly’s Jeep, and it was nothing. A quick errand to help out Shelly. That’s why we came down, isn’t it? To help out? Well, I was helping out.”
    Mom turned around and gave Meredith a disapproving look. “I only asked a simple question,” she said. “You don’t need to be so defensive.”
    Meredith thought about that line as she washed her face and prepared to crawl into her comfy bed in the Patchwork Room.
But I do need to be defensive with you, Mom. How can I tell you that? Don’t you see how much you’ve changed in the last few weeks? You’re trying to tell me what to do all the time, and you’re not treating me like an adult
.
    Meredith placed the warm washcloth over her face and drew in the steamy water