Free Road Trip by Jan Fields Page B

very supportive.”
    She shrugged. “Men are like that.”
    Annie shook her head firmly. “No, many men are not like that. My husband used to tell me my work was beautiful, even when I knew I’d gotten some of the stitches wrong. As I was growing up, my grandmother told me that anyone who tries to tear at your dreams isn’t worthy to be your friend. I tend to think she was right.”
    The young woman sighed again. “She sounds like my brother. He’s always telling me stuff like that. But I love Max, and he loves me.”
    “Does he?” Annie asked. “Here’s what I know: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered.’” Annie looked at the young woman and jumped to the end of the seventh verse of First Corinthians 13. “‘It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’ I think that’s the kind of love we need to give … and to get back. Or at least as close to that as humans can.”
    “That would be nice,” the young woman said with a shake of her head. “It’s not very realistic though.”
    “Love might not be realistic,” Annie said, “but it exists. My husband loved me like that for all the years we were together.”
    “But then he changed—right?” the woman said. “And you ended up divorced?”
    “No, then he passed away,” Annie smiled sadly. “Look, I don’t mean to tell you what to do. Really I don’t. But I believe real love is a powerful thing, and I also believe you deserve that kind of love. Not the kind that says you’re stupid.”
    Just then, a stocky older woman called everyone to the side of the small raised stage to form a line. The young woman hurried to follow the woman’s directions, and Annie joined the group.
    The plan for the fashion show seemed relatively simple. Annie was grateful that they wouldn’t have a real runway like models on television. They would simply wait for their turn. Then the master of ceremonies would name the outfit and designer as the model walked from a small side-room, across the front of the room, and up onto the stage. The model would turn slowly as the outfit was described. Each model then would walk the rest of the way off the stage on the other side and form a small line until every outfit had a turn. All the models would walk back onto the stage, and each would be mentioned again as the audience was called upon to vote.
    The votes would be counted overnight, and the top three winners notified—though none of the three would know which one was the prizewinner until Saturday when the models and the designers were presented in front of all the convention goers at the morning meeting, right after the second-day keynote speaker. Annie hoped Kate’s dress made it to the Saturday round. She looked around at all the lovely clothes.
    They ran through the procedure a couple of times. At the end, the master of ceremonies told them that they would only run through one practice the next morning. “I promise it will be short,” the woman said. “You’ll be amazed at how much less nerves you’ll have Friday evening after the extra practice in the morning.”
    Annie was already less nervous about the show, but still more than a little concerned about her baby blankets. She hated the idea of having to tell Gwen and Peggy that their blankets never made it to the missionaries.
    Annie carefully changed out of Kate’s lovely outfit and hung it up on a padded hanger provided. There were several really amazing outfits in the show, but Annie had to admit she was partial to Kate’s. She hoped her friend made it to the top three. It would go a long way toward helping Kate believe in herself.
    As Annie thought about believing in herself, she looked around for the young woman with the rude boyfriend, but she’d already left. Annie sighed. That relationship really didn’t sound healthy. She hoped the young woman would