Authors: Leona Norwell
“I’m back.” Leah announced as she approached Faith. “I’m sorry it took so long. Nathan was going to come say goodnight but he got a phone call. He said he’d see you tomorrow.”
“Sure” Faith responded. Leah helped her to the car and then drove them home. Faith excused herself and went to her room. She fell on to the bed and let the tears fall silently down her cheeks. She had been such a fool, she had messed up everything. She hadn’t let the Lord lead her, she had been selfish and done it her own way.
Please forgive me Lord, I did my will and not yours. Help me to know you more and to be restored to fellowship with you. Not my will but yours. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Faith got ready for bed and crawled beneath the covers. She needed to talk to Nathan but it was going to take a couple of days to work up to that. Tomorrow she would make some arrangements but it was time to move and let Leah have her freedom.
Friday morning, Faith was working down in her office early. Leah ventured down to see her. “Hi”
“Hi” Faith returned “What are you doing today?” she asked
“I have a class all day, but I’ll be back to get you for the movie and pie social.”
“I’m not going. What would be the point?” Faith stated “Don’t worry about me, I have a lot of work to do here.”
“But you should go anyway, you planned it. And Nathan would want you to be there.”
“He’ll know that I won’t be there.”
“Okay, I disagree but I’ll see you when I get home.”
“Sure. Have a good day.”
“You too.” Leah said leaving Faith’s office.
Faith heard Leah’s car drive away and then called her mother. “Hi Mom, It’s Faith.”
“Hello dear. How are you today?”
“I’m okay. Can I borrow Martha today?”
“Sure, let me ask her.” Pearl was gone from the phone for a moment and then came back to Faith. “She said sure. When do you need her?”
“Most of the day and as soon as she can get here without rushing.”
“I’ll tell her. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I just need her help. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye Faith.”
Martha knocked on Faith’s door and then let herself in. “Faith? It’s Martha.”
“Hi. I’m in my room, can you come in here?” Faith replied. Martha entered Faith’s room and saw her sitting at the window.
“Hi Sweetie. What did you need my help with?”
“Before I tell you, I need you to promise me confidentiality.”
“From whom?”
“From everyone. And if you don’t think that is fair, I’ll understand.”
“What is going on?”
“I’ve been doing some thinking and I need to leave here and let Leah get on with her life without taking care of me all the time. Will you help me move into a hotel tomorrow and then help me find an apartment and a housekeeper/nurse?”
“I don’t understand; did you and Leah have a fight?”
“No. She isn’t aware of what I am planning and I’d like to keep it that way. I’ll stay here tonight but I want to be packed and tomorrow when she goes to Pastor Lindstrom house, I’ll move out.”
“I don’t like this Faith. You need to think about this very carefully. And why are we keeping it a secret?”
“Because my family will try to talk me out of it and I want it to be irreversible by the time they find out. I understand if you don’t want to be involved. I’ll can call Aunt Lil and go stay with her for a while.”
“I’ll help you. What are we doing today?”
“Packing up my room. I’ll leave my office until I find a permanent home.”
“How is Leah going to react to this?”
“I’m not sure, probably relief after she gets used to it.”
“I disagree.” Martha said sadly “I think she will hate it and be mad at me.”
“I don’t want to put you in that position. I’ll get help from someone else. One of my volunteers will help me.”
“Faith, honey, tell me what is really wrong?”
“Leah has given up her life for me and I realized recently that is extremely unfair to her.”
“She won’t agree with you. Please think about this a little while longer.
“What if I am holding her back from having a personal life?”
“She has a life and you do not hold her back.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Please change your mind about doing this today.”
“Okay. But please keep this to yourself, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I want to do the best thing for everyone.”
“I won’t tell. Now, since I’m already here, do you need me to fix you some lunch?”
“No. I’ll take care of it. I appreciate you coming here for no reason.”
“It wasn’t for no reason. I got to see you, didn’t I? I’ll talk to you later at the social tonight.”
“No. I’m not going.”
“Okay. See you later.” Martha said hugging Faith goodbye.
“Bye Martha. Thanks again.”
The crowd was quite large for the movie and pie social but Nathan hadn’t seen Faith yet. He had tried to call her today but was only able to leave her a message. He expected her to arrive with Leah anytime. Nathan got up to speak to the crowd and welcome them to the movie night. “I wanted to thank Faith Newham for planning this for me but she isn’t here yet. But I couldn’t have planned this without her help.” Nathan went onto introduce the movie and then queued the video and sat down in the back to watch the movie.
Leah came in late to the movie and ended up sitting next to Nathan. “Hi” he whispered as she sat down next to him. “Where’s Faith?”
“She told me she wasn’t coming and that you wouldn’t expect her.”
“Why wouldn’t I expect her?” he asked quietly
“She acted like you would know not to expect her.”
“I’m going to go call her.” He whispered as he snuck out. Nathan was back a moment later. “She didn’t answer.”
“She acted kind of tired this morning, maybe she is resting.”
“Maybe. I haven’t heard from her all day.”
Nathan and Leah went back to watching the movie and then on to the pie social. Nathan tried again to call Faith but again just got her voice mail. He asked her to call him as soon as possible, he was worried about her. But even as he was heading to bed later she had not returned his phone call.
Lord, please bless her and help her to be okay. Help us to continue to seek your will with our whole hearts. Help us to have the right heart. In Jesus Name Amen.
Saturday morning, Nathan opened his front door to Leah and expected to find Faith standing with them. “Good morning Leah, Jeremy.”
“Hey Nathan. Ready for your shelves to be installed?” asked Jeremy as he brought in one section of the shelving.
Nathan welcomed them in and as Jeremy went to retrieve the other sections of shelving, Nathan glared at Leah. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. When I knocked on her door this morning, she didn’t answer.”
“She isn’t there or she didn’t answer?”
“I don’t really know.”
“What’s wrong lately? I haven’t talked to her in a couple of days.”
“Maybe she is really busy, I haven’t talked to her either.”
“Okay. I’m a little concerned though.”
“I’m sure it nothing. Relax.”
Nathan, Jeremy and Leah spent several hours putting up the shelves. Nathan fixed them lunch. After they were done, he followed Leah back to her house to see Faith. “Faith?” Leah called as they were in the house. “Faith?” she called down to the basement.
“Faith? It’s Nathan. Are you here?”
Leah went to Faith’s room and opened her door quietly in case she was sleeping. Instead of Faith sleeping she found a mostly empty room. She was stunned, most of Faith’s clothes were gone and her bathroom was pretty empty of personal items. She ran to the phone extension in that room and called her mother.
“Hello?” her mother said as she answered
“Mom, it’s Leah. Do you know where Faith is?”
“No. I haven’t sent her. Isn’t she there?”
“No and most of her clothes are gone.”
“What? Where did she go?” Pearl asked
“I have no idea. I’ll call you back when I find her.”
“We are coming there.”
“No, stay there until I call you. Bye”
Leah hung up and went to find Nathan. “Where is she?” he asked at the look on her face.
“I really have no idea. I don’t even know where to look.” Leah said worriedly “She doesn’t carry a cell phone.”
“She will from now on.” He said fiercely. “Let’s stop and pray before we do anything else.
Lord, please keep Faith safe until we can find her and bring her home. Help us to find her. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Leah was trying to figure out a next step when the phone rang again.
“Hello” Leah said as she grabbed the phone “Faith?”
“No honey, it’s Martha. I have to tell you something. It’s about Faith.”
“Do you know what is going on?”
“Possibly.” Martha answered and went on to explain about her conversation the previous day with Faith. As Martha talked Leah’s face got paler and paler. Nathan helped her into a chair before she collapsed. She was crying steadily as Martha finished her story. “I thought I had talked her out of it. She mentioned your Aunt Lil, your dad is calling there right now. I’m sorry, Leah.”
“Thanks for telling me Martha. Bye. Have Dad call me if he finds her.”
“I will.”
Leah disconnected from Martha and laid her head down on the table. She was crying silently as Nathan waited anxiously. “Leah, where is she?”
“No one knows. She is moving out according to Martha. Faith contacted Martha yesterday and asked for help but Martha thought she had talked her out of it. Faith was just planning another way I guess.”
“Why is she moving out?”
“So I can have my freedom and not have to take care of her anymore.” She sobbed again.
“Your freedom? What does that mean?”
“She told Martha that she was holding me back from having a personal life.”
“Was she? Did you and Faith argue?”
“No she wasn’t and no we didn’t argue. I need her here, she helps me out.”
“Why ?” Nathan started to ask as the phone rang again.
“Hello” Leah snatched up the phone
“It’s Mom. She isn’t at Aunt Lil’s.”
“Thanks Mom. I’ll call you if I hear from her.”
“Do you want us to come there?”
“No. She may call there too. Besides Nathan is here.”
“Why is Nathan there?”
“Uh” Leah stalled and grimaced at Nathan. She mouthed I’m sorry at him and he took the phone from her.
“Hi Pearl, it’s Nathan. Faith and I are beginning to have a relationship and I came over today to see her and found out she isn’t here.”
“What kind of relationship?”
“We were working on that. Now, I’m just confused.”