Free The Promise by Dan Walsh Page B

matter?”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œSomething’s happened,” Jim said. “You were radiant a moment ago. Now you look so sad.”
    How could she tell him what she was thinking? It would totally ruin their day.

 13 
    I t’s nothing,” Marilyn said. “Well, it’s not nothing. But it’s certainly something that can wait.”
    Jim stared at her a moment as if trying to read her. The bus tour guide interrupted them with an update. “We’ll be taking a more scenic route to Florence this morning. It will add about thirty minutes to our journey, but I’m sure you’ll agree it will be time well spent. We’ll be stopping at the historic town of Siena for lunch, just about ninety minutes from now.”
    â€œIsn’t that the city where they have that fancy horse race called the Palio?”
    â€œAre you sure you’re not trying to change the subject?”
    â€œI’m not.”
    Jim smiled. “Then yes, I think it is.”
    â€œOkay, I am,” she said. “But we said we weren’t going to talk about our kids’ problems on this trip.”
    â€œThat’s a relief.”
    â€œWhat is?”
    â€œI thought it was me, something I said. But if it’s one of the kids, I’m in the clear.”
    â€œIt’s nothing you said. But really, we don’t have to talk aboutthis now.” She looked around the bus, hoping their conversation wasn’t being overheard. That couple they’d met—their new picture-taking friends—were sitting across from them, one aisle up. Everyone seemed totally preoccupied with the sights out the window.
    Jim leaned a little closer toward her. “I don’t mind if we talk about them . . . a little, here and there. It was probably unrealistic to think we could avoid talking about them completely. But I’d like to help you work through whatever you’re wrestling with, if we can. Like you did for me at St. Peter’s. So you can enjoy this beautiful scenery with me.”
    But this was different, she thought. Then, she was helping him work through an internal struggle he was having. Her struggle was about him , a problem involving him. And this was a big conversation, something she’d been thinking about a lot these past several months. Really, every time they had gotten together with Tom and Jean or had spent any time with them. Was this really a good idea? To get into something like this with Jim now? Here? Was it a safe time and place? In their small group back home they had been talking a lot about cultivating a safe atmosphere when resolving difficult relational problems.
    If Jim didn’t respond well to what she was about to say, it could prove to be the opposite of “safe.” It could literally ruin their day. “I really think we should postpone this conversation to another time,” she said.
    â€œYou do. Why?”
    â€œRemember that small group discussion we had about a month ago, about the importance of creating a safe environment for resolving conflicts?”
    â€œHmmm,” he said. “It’s that bad, eh?” His face suddenly grew serious.
    What was this new look? she thought. See? She shouldn’thave brought this up. “We can just talk about it later. Really, it’ll keep.”
    Jim looked around at the people nearby. “I think this is a safe place, hon. We’ll be sitting here for over an hour. If we talk quietly, we should be fine. Look around, everyone’s pretty distracted. I think the safe idea has more to do with the way we talk to each other. Why don’t we give it a try? If it starts to get edgy, for either of us, we’ll back off. I can tell this thing is bugging you. I’d really like you to be freed up and, to be honest, now you have me concerned. I know I’ll just keep trying to figure out what this is all about.”
    Part of her wanted to risk it. He seemed like he could