Free Shadowed by Kariss Lynch Page A

winced.
    â€œUh-oh. Trouble in paradise?”
    Kaylan forced a smile. “Everything’s fine. What about you? I haven’t seen Lance lately.”
    â€œThat ended last week.”
    â€œYou haven’t even been together for two weeks.”
    â€œFlings are easier, Kaylan. Nothing serious, no strings attached. Just fun and then
done.”
    Kaylan shook her head. “That doesn’t sound very fun to me.”
    â€œYeah, I’m sure. From what I can tell, you have a perfect family, perfect boyfriend
even if he is military, perfect friends, and a perfect life. You wouldn’t know what
it’s like to move from place to place every year, your mom out of your life and off
with some guy, your dad too consumed with his job in the military, promising face
time then never showing up. You wouldn’t understand . . . ” She stopped short, her
face filling with pain and anger. She quickly lowered her gaze, her dark hair falling
to hide her eyes. With a sniff she lifted her head. “Forget it.”
    Kaylan watched Megan for a few moments, her heart racing. She knew what she had to
do, but it was the last thing she wanted to share. Lord , please. Anything but that.
I can’t talk about that. She waited, hoping the urgency would pass. She’d rather
face the barrel of a gun than talk about what happened to Sarah Beth. Not yet.
    But Kaylan couldn’t shake the stirring deep within her. Kaylan could tell Megan why
Jesus loved her, or she could be honest, risk showing Megan the most vulnerable place
of her heart and what God had done. She could acknowledge that she still didn’t understand
the why, but she knew where her hope came from and because of that she could live
a life full of joy. She wasn’t there yet, but one day she would be.
    Kaylan hopped from the counter and grabbed Megan’s hand. “Come with me.” Megan pulled
her hand free but followed Kaylan to the bookshelf in her room that held photos of
her and Sarah Beth over the years. She handed one to Megan, taken in Haiti.
    Megan glanced at the framed photo in her hand and then back at Kaylan. “Okay, I’ll
bite. Who’s this?”
    â€œThat is my best friend in the world. And this is also a big reason my life isn’t
perfect.” She grabbed another frame housing a photo of her and Sarah Beth trick-or-treating
as third graders. Kaylan was dressed as a scarecrow and Sarah Beth as the Tin Man.
It seemed appropriate. In the end Sarah Beth really did have the biggest heart of
all. She’d encouraged Kaylan to live joyfully. Kaylan could never thank her enough
for that.
    Kaylan sank onto her bed and patted the spot next to her. “I know you think I’ve
lived this charmed life, and in reality, I have. It’s been incredibly sweet and incredibly
blessed. Up until a year ago I lived in a safe bubble of family, friends, and college.
Life was good.”
    â€œYeah, I think you’re only proving my point.” Megan moved to stand up, but Kaylan
put her hand on Megan’s arm.
    â€œWait, please. You need to understand. You need to know that I really do understand
some of your heartache.”
    â€œHow could you possibly? This Sarah girl sounds pretty spectacular to me. Looks
like you’re set in the friend department.”
    Kaylan shook her head, her eyes welling with tears. More than ever she understood
that despite outward appearances, one could never really know or understand the broken
stories or the beauty that lay hidden in some people’s hearts. Lord , I don’t want
to.
    Again the urge to speak overwhelmed her, and she continued, praying for the right
words. “In late December Sarah Beth and I went to Haiti. That’s where everything
changed.”
    â€œI don’t get it. I’ve heard you talking to that Rhonda lady and Abraham on the phone.
You have pictures of Haiti all over the house. How could that experience possibly
be bad unless . . .