Searching for Anna, Jenifer Carll-Tong [cheapest way to read ebooks TXT] 📗

"Why Wendell, this is a pleasant surprise," Phoebe said, beckoning the boy to come in.

"I'm sorry to just show up like this, ma'am, but I need your help."

"Of course, Wendell. What is it you need?"

"I need your help writing a letter."

"A letter? But Wendell, you haven't needed my help with letter writing for quite some time now. You've come so far in your lessons, I'm sure your mother…"

"This one isn't for Ma," he interrupted. He looked at Phoebe shyly. "It's for my girl."

"Oh," she said with a small smile. "I didn't realize you had a girl."

"This will explain it to ya," he said, handing her an envelope. "I've done read it, but you should too so you can help me write mine."

Phoebe read the note. It wasn't very long, and it wasn't very kind. Apparently, Wendell's 'girl' had found herself another boy – one that wasn't so 'religious.'

"Oh, Wendell. I'm so very sorry."

"Would you write what I say? I want to make sure it says exactly what's in my heart, and I'm afraid that my writin' isn't good enough yet to get my point across."

"Of course. Have you any stationery?"

Wendell blushed. "I guess I forgot that."

"No worry, I have plenty," she said, rising. She lifted the lid to the trunk that held her books and pulled out a box with her stationery. As she returned to the table, she prayed that God would give her the right words and attitude to help this young man. He was surely hurt and angry, but Phoebe remembered her letter to her father all those weeks ago, and her subsequent guilt over having written it. She wanted to help Wendell to not make the same mistake. She sat down and nodded that she was ready.

"My dear Beth. I have received your letter and I want you to know how hurt and upset I was when I first got it. But I have spent time prayin' to God and he has comforted me. I know it must have been difficult for you while I've been away, and I am glad you have found someone to love. I will be praying for you and him, praying that you two will be happy together, but most of all that you will find God and His call on your life. As much as I loved you, Beth, God loves you so much more and wants what's best for ya'. Please give my regards to your family. God Bless – Dell."

It took all of Phoebe's willpower not to throw down her pencil and hug the boy. Tears brimmed on her lashes as she looked up.

"Wendell, you are gracious far beyond your years or your experiences. You put me to shame with your demonstration of God's love through this letter. How are you able to forgive so quickly – and completely?"

"I don't exactly know," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "When I first got her letter, I was real upset. I questioned God – even doubted him. I didn't understand why - now that I had my life right with him and was doing everything I thought he wanted me to do - why he would let this happen to me. Then, He led me to Isaiah 55, to the two lines right before the ones you and me discussed the other day. You know, the ones about how His thoughts and my thoughts ain't the same, and how His thoughts are higher than mine. I guess that if God controls everything in heaven and on earth, well, then he's got control of my life, too. I can't see what he sees, so I just gotta trust him."

Wendell rose to leave. "Sorry to run, but I need to post this and get home. I've got to get to bed early. Tomorrow's my birthday!" he said with a huge smile.

"It is? Well, Happy Birthday Wendell!" she said excitedly. "What are you doing to celebrate?"

"Will's taking me deer huntin'! He found out I've never been, and since it's season, he said it was the perfect time!"

Phoebe smiled as brightly as possible for Wendell, but the mention of Will's name brought heat to her cheeks. Her interactions with the State Trooper over the past couple of weeks had been, well, confusing. The emotions that man could stir in her, from complete fury, to forgiveness, to something she wasn't able to label yet was something that unsettled her. She preferred when he only evoked frustration because she knew what to do with that emotion.

But this latest string of encounters with Will, whatever it was, only left her confused, and since she did not deal with uncertainty well, she did the only thing she knew to do. She avoided it.

But avoiding the conflicting emotions had meant avoiding Will as well, which was no easy task in a town the size of Iron Falls. To make matters worse, the more she'd tried to avoid him, the harder he'd tried to insert himself into her life. When he'd shown up for Bible study at the boarding house, Phoebe knew she had to put a stop to his relentless pursuit.

After the study, he had offered to walk her home. She'd accepted, not only because she hadn't wished to be tossed over his shoulder again, but also because the walk would give them the time needed for her to speak with him in relative privacy.

They walked in silence for a short distance and Phoebe struggled with how to begin. To her relief, Will broke the silence.

"Something is bothering you. I can tell."

"You can? How?

"You have a special frown when you are troubled. It's different than your angry frown. When you're angry, you have two little lines between your eyebrows that crease, your jaw tightens, and your brown eyes turn almost black. Your 'something's bothering me' frown is softer – the two lines between your eyebrows aren't so pronounced and your jaw isn't