Equal Access (34 page)

“You’re not welcome here,” Mom stated
matter-of-factly.

“I know,” Shad replied calmly.

If the situation were only better, Dulsie
could have rejoiced that her mother finally spoke to Shad. But
there was something else that was different.

“Then why aren’t you leaving?” Mom set the
bags on a counter top while never removing her gaze from Shad.

“I’m not leaving without Dulsie.”

Dulsie stared at him. Shad was completely
calm and rational. This wasn’t the emotional suppression she had
grown used to. There was something almost professional in his
attitude, as though he were arguing a case in court.

Mom’s attention snapped to Dulsie. “What’s he
talking about?”

Dulsie stammered a bit. “He’s here ... he
wants me to go back with him.”

“To what?” Mom’s gaze returned to Shad. “Have
you actually changed anything?”

The back door of the kitchen opened abruptly.
Dad, breathing just a little hard, glanced around the room as he
stepped inside and shut the door. Apparently he really had been out
at the barns, and had sprinted to the house when he realized Mom
was home.

Mom shot a glare at him. “And what are you
doing in leaving him alone with Dulsie?”

Dad’s expression was his usual
What
?
Little
ol
’
me
? response. “They had some things
to talk about.”

Mom’s attention returned to Dulsie. “I hope
you’re thinking good and hard about this.”

Shad spoke up. “You were right, Jill. You
always are.” Mom frowned at him, and Shad continued. “I wound up
hurting Dulsie despite my best efforts not to. And I’m very, very
sorry. But everybody was wrong about
who
your warning was
aimed at. It wasn’t meant for Dulsie. It was meant for me.”

Maybe it was because Mom still wasn’t used to
speaking to him that she remained silent. But her expression became
a bit inquisitive.

Shad continued. “You were right that I was
hiding something, but at the time I really didn’t realize that was
what I was doing. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I was
hiding it from myself as well. That was what your warning was. If I
had told Dulsie then instead of now I wouldn’t have hurt her like
this.” Shad’s gaze moved to Dulsie. “She would have had more time
to make a decision about it.”

Dulsie stared at him.

Shad’s gaze remained steady with hers. “God
knows I don’t want to hurt her.”

Dulsie felt the proverbial chill go down her
spine. God knew. In the tale that Shad recently told her, he had
been the right person in the right place at the right time. What
often appeared as a bad event had been turned to good fortune
because Shad had a part in it. It was true he was flawed, that some
of his imperfections were atrocious, but he was able to work
miracles and therefore was still a son of God. And if the Almighty
could love him without reservation, then who was she to judge what
Shad was so ashamed of?

And Dulsie also had to accept that Shad was
still in the right place at the right time. Just because she didn’t
feel ready yet was no reason to put off what Dulsie knew needed to
be done. The road ahead would not be easy, but she had faith it
would be rewarding.

Shad turned his attention back to Jill. His
heart had started hammering again when she came into the house, but
he had already prepared this revelation in expectation of seeing
her. He just wasn’t sure if he was getting through to either of the
women in the room.

Jill regarded him for a few seconds before
returning her gaze to Dulsie. “And what do you have to say about
all this?”

Shad realized that Dulsie was looking at him
instead of her mom when she said, “I’m going with him.”

Shad’s heart soared.

Jill’s gaze locked on Shad. “Don’t think I’ve
let you off the hook yet.”

Shad realized he was smiling. “I wouldn’t
have it any other way.”

“We’d better get going now,” Dulsie
stated.

Shad’s heart fell slightly. She still seemed
a bit distant, but he of all people should understand her reaction.
What mattered now was they were making that first step.

He helped with gathering up a few things for
Dulsie to take, and Jill was cordial even if she still wasn’t
chatty with him. When Shad grasped Dulsie by her good arm he felt
her stiffen, but it was only for a second. He helped her with
walking out to the car. Karl seemed to convince Jill to stay in the
house.

When they reached the Buick Shad opened the
passenger side door for Dulsie and helped her to slip into the
seat. He took the seat belt and gently guided it under her injured
arm to buckle it in place, and then stopped where he was and gazed
into her eyes.

Dulsie gazed back at him, and Shad could
detect a flicker in her eyes that had been evading him for too
long.

“I love you,” he murmured.

Dulsie’s smile was slight but at least it was
for him. “I love you too.”

Shad slowly leaned closer and very gently
touched his upper lip, which wasn’t split, to her mouth. He was
ready to draw back if Dulsie turned away, but to his relief her own
lips pressed softly against his.

Shad stepped back to shut the car door. Next
he strode around the front of the Buick, and hopped into the
driver’s seat.

There was light in his life again. Dulsie was
restored to Shad, back in her role not only as his best friend and
wife, but now fulfilled as the mother of his child. In spite of his
shortcomings, Shad was the lucky one that Dulsie had selected, and
that made her the sacred vessel through whom God worked to bring
out the best in him.

###

Thank you for reading this book. If you
enjoyed it, would you please take a moment to leave a review at
your favorite retailer?

Thank you so much!

A. E. Branson

About the author:

A. E. Branson is a native Missourian and farm
girl who married a wonderful man and they had two lovable children.
Her next story will have a more science fiction slant and it is
part one of a four-part series.

Please feel free to visit my blog page at
http://truetoone.blogspot.com