Free Detour: Destination Abiding Love by JoAnn Carter

Cole, or Stan...
    Mrs. Smith stomped past her and threw over her shoulder, “Go back to where ever you came from. We don’t need or want you here.”
    People who were in hearing distance stopped and stared.
    Sierra offered a weak smile, which no one returned. Her neck heated, and it kept going right up her face. Tears welled and she tried to blink them away as she walked into the pavilion. There is something seriously wrong with that woman. She couldn’t shake the incident from her mind.
    A little girl came up to stand by the railing. She tucked her arms behind her and watched with smoky gray eyes. Her gaze followed everything Sierra was doing to prepare for the evening.
    “Hello.” Sierra dredged up a smile for the child. “What’s your name?”
    “Callie.”
    “That’s a pretty name. Do you like music?”
    Callie nodded so quickly, her pigtails swished back and forth.
    “Would you like me play a song for you? What’s your favorite?”
    “Twinkle, twinkle,” she said with a shy smile.
    A rush of memories cascaded over Sierra of sweet summers as a child. She would stand at her window with her brother and wait to see who could spot the first star to wish upon. How she missed him and the innocence of her youth. “I like that song, too.” She picked up her bow and ran it across the strings, playing the song for this tiny audience of one.
    The little girl plopped right down on the concrete in her pink dress and cupped her chin into her hand. As the last strain faded, she grinned. “You’re pretty.”
    “Why, thank you. You are, too.”
    “Callie Ryder, what do you think you’re doing?” An irate man asked. “You nearly gave me a heart attack when I didn’t see you.”
    “Sorry, Daddy. The pretty lady was playing a song for me.”
    He frowned at Sierra, and then reached for his little girl’s hand. “Come on. It’s time to eat.”
    Callie stood up and obediently followed her dad, but she turned around and waved to Sierra.
    Mrs. Whitten laughed from the other side of the pavilion. “I think you may have found another admirer.”
    Sierra swirled around. “You made it! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
    “Well of course I did, child. I told you I’d be here.”
    Sierra set down her bow. “Another admirer? I feel like I’m at a pig roast and they’re all waiting for me to get up and twirl on the spit.”
    “Good grief, what an awful analogy. What an imagination you must have.”
    Sierra walked over to Mrs. Whitten until she was close enough that her voice wouldn’t carry. “Laura Smith is not happy that I am here. She told me to go back where I came from, I wasn’t wanted here.” Grasping the older woman’s hands she implored, “Please pray that I would have the patience I need.”
    “Of course I will pray for you…and her too. Unforgiveness is an ugly poison that eats away at a person.” She took a breath. “As for your admirers...”
    Sierra dropped her hands.
    Whitten reached up and ran her fingers over a delicate cross pendant hanging from a gold chain. “Well, I think I know why God has brought you here.”
    “This wouldn’t happen to be about Cole, would it?”
    Mrs. Whitten’s wrinkles deepened as her smile grew wide. “I know things look a bit muddled at the moment, but God has a way of working things out, dear. And speaking of Cole, here he comes now.”
    Cole’s steady blue gaze caught her own and Sierra’s heart filled…with peace.
     
    
     
    “Hello, Sierra.”
    “Cole, it’s nice to see you.”
    He shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded toward Mrs. Whitten. “How are you doing, Mrs. Whitten?”
    She waved him away. “No need for you to be polite with pointless chatter. I’ll leave you two alone to talk about whatever you young folk like to talk about these days.”
    Cole took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you’d care to join me after the concert for dessert.”
    Sierra fiddled with the stand of beads that was draped over her sheer,