Free Woodlands by Robin Jones Gunn Page B

Kyle was cooking the first group of the two hundred shish kebabs Leah had helped him assemble earlier that morning.
    “It’s not as if I had control of my life before, but now I can’t predict how I’m going to react!” Leah let go of Jessica’s arm so she could pick up the tennis ball at her feet and toss it to one of the golden retriever puppies. Travis was keeping them corralled in the sandy play area under the jungle gym. Jessica and Leah hung back from the house and play area to finish their conversation.
    “At least before in my life,” Leah continued, “I knew what was expected of me, and I always did my best to fulfill those expectations. For years my life was on a controlled, tight schedule. Now, everything is tumbled around. I can’t depend on myself for anything!”
    Jessica chuckled. “You know that verse in Joel about how God says he will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten?”
    Leah didn’t know that verse. “Are you trying to say my parents were locusts, and they ate up my best years?”
    “Not exactly,” Jessica said gently. “I was wondering if in some way God was restoring to you the feelings and experiences you might have had over the last decade, but those years were taken up in your giving and caring for others. Maybe some of those feelings had to be placed on hold. You had to actolder than you were. You can be younger now.”
    Leah looked at Jessica, trying to absorb what she was saying. “Could be,” Leah said with a sigh. “I don’t know.”
    She paused to admire her friend in the shimmering brilliance of the late morning sunshine. Jessica wore a long, flowing, pastel pink-and-gray skirt with a matching pink sweater set. Her honeyblond hair was a darker shade than Leah’s was and longer. It billowed from beneath the wide-brimmed straw hat Jessica wore every year for the Easter egg hunt. The hat had a circle of silk flowers around the band, and pink satin ribbons raced down the back, almost to Jessica’s waist. It was the kind of hat that perfectly suited an Easter egg hunt, and it distinctly marked Jessica as the hostess of this grand event. Leah had on overalls and a plain white T-shirt because she knew she would be running in the grass with the little kids today. Leah didn’t even own anything as soft and feminine as the outfit Jessica had on.
    “I can’t say I know exactly what God is doing in your life,” Jessica said.
    “That makes two of us,” Leah muttered.
    “But you know I’m always here for you, and I’m praying my little heart out.”
    “I know,” Leah said. “And if you guys ever need anything, you know I’m here for you, too.”
    “We know that. You have given so much to us and to others, Leah. I know God is going to give abundantly back to you. You can’t out-give God, you know. Maybe he’s giving you back some of your emotions.”
    “And what exactly would someone like me do with more emotions?”
    Jessica looked past Leah to the deck where Kyle had been stringing tiny white lights on the insides of the two patio umbrellas. Jessica stood there holding her fresh daffodils andsmiling past Leah in a way that highlighted the half-moon scar on her upper lip. “Oh, I can think of one direction you might want to toss some of those emotions.”
    Leah turned and followed Jessica’s line of sight. There on the deck, next to Kyle, stood Seth, holding Bungee under his arm. He had on shorts and a white, knit shirt, which accentuated his bronzed skin.
    Leaning closer to Jessica, Leah murmured, “Does that man have any idea how good he looks in shorts?”
    Jessica laughed. “No, but I think you and your revived emotions might find a way to tell him!”
    Leah worked hard not to burst out laughing. Instead, she waved at the guys, and they both waved back.
    Just then a loud wail came from the upstairs open nursery window.
    “Sounds like Sara woke up,” Jessica said.
    “I’ll get her,” Leah volunteered.
    “No, not this time. You have a guest