Free And the Greatest of These Is Love: A Contemporary Christian Romance Novel by Staci Stallings Page A

now. What had Rob said about Everest? How could he be so arrogant? While he worried about what story to work on next, these people were worried about putting food on the table and clothes on little backs. These kids didn’t need a story, they needed people who were willing to get in here and help.
    “Good morning, Andrew,” Jerry said, and Andrew heard the fatigue in the older man’s voice. “I didn’t expect you here so early.”
    “Good morning, Mr. Richardson.” Andrew stood. “I was kind of hoping we could talk.”
    “Sure. Come on in,” Jerry said, unlocking his door and putting his belongings down in the office. Going around the desk, he settled himself heavily in the chair and turned his full attention to Andrew. “What’s up?”
    Andrew carefully sat down in the dark wooden chair opposite the desk. “Well, Mr. Richardson, I really appreciate all you’ve done to help me with this story, but I’ve been thinking...”
    Uh-oh. Here it comes went through Jerry’s eyes, but he said nothing.
    “To tell you the truth, I think I might be able to learn more about this place if I maybe volunteer for the rest of the week,” Andrew said as if each word might get him taken out and beaten. This was definitely territory he had never been in before, asking for something even he himself didn’t fully understand.
    Jerry’s eyebrows wrinkled his forehead. “Volunteer? Here?”
    “I just thought it might give me a better feel for the place if I worked instead of just watched.”
    “And what exactly do you want to volunteer to do?”
    “Anything you need,” Andrew said suddenly finding strength inside himself that he didn’t even know was there.
    The surprise on Jerry’s face fell somewhere between disbelief and distrust. “What hours?”
    “Six ‘til whenever,” Andrew said, hoping his resolve could get him out of bed again that early tomorrow morning.
    For a long moment Jerry sat, contemplating this turn of events. “During the morning we just have the little ones, you know, until school gets out that is. Then the older kids come. Do you play basketball?”
    “I have,” Andrew said slowly.
    Jerry nodded. “Well, I could set you up to play with some of the boys in the afternoon. We don’t have many men who volunteer, so I think that’d be good for the kids.” He nodded some more. “As far as the mornings go, all we have is the little ones.” His gaze became skeptical and challenging. “How are you with babies?”
    “Babies?” Andrew shifted with his elbows on the chair. “Uh…?”
    “That’s our most urgent need right now, but if you don’t feel comfortable with that...”
    “Oh, no. Uh, that’d be fine.” What parallel universe had he fallen into?
    “Great. So, when can you start?”
    “Well, I think I should probably go home and change right now,” Andrew said, looking down at his suit and tie, “but as soon as I get back, I’ll be ready.”
    “Great. Come see me when you get here, and I’ll get you set up.”
     
    The kids were playing duck-duck-goose on the browning grass as Gabi watched them, wondering how many more times she would get to witness this scene. After her outburst this morning, she was sure she’d blown every chance the center had of staying open. Why did he have to be so aggravating? He should’ve gotten his story and been done with it. What was he trying to prove doing a six-part story anyway? That he cared? What a joke.
    Andrew Clark cared about one thing and one thing only — himself, and she hated him for that.
     
    Never in his life had Andrew heard such screaming. The wails seemed to emanate from the very walls. His fellow workers were doing their best to calm the babies, but the more one screamed, the more they all screamed. It was becoming clear that separating them was the only way to get them to stop.
    “Why don’t I take a couple of them down the hall?” he finally asked in frustration. “I can push them in this stroller. At least that’ll get