I’ll be here for you as long as you’ll let me and I promise you your Savior will be here even longer than that. He’ll never desert you, and neither will I.
Ah, Braden. Could she not only remember his words but internalize them and act on them?
Falling to her knees, she wasn’t sure if she could really do it, but she felt her chin drop to her chest and then she simply begged,Help me. Please help me.
Seconds passed. Then minutes. She didn’t feel something miraculous, but she could almost feel Braden’s arms around her and that seemed like heaven to her.
A soft rap came on the door behind her. She scrambled up and yanked it open.
Beautiful, sweet Jessie stood there, smiling at her. “You okay, sis?” Jessie asked. “You seem more sarcastic yet sadder than I’ve ever seen you.”
Maddie wasn’t sure what to say, but she hoped Jessie was an instant answer to her prayers. Talking to her sister was a million times better than exposing her twisted soul to heaven. “Get in here and chat with me.” Maddie tugged her into the room and plopped onto the bed, lying back on the pillows with only the lamp on. She patted the bed next to her. “Come on, little sis. It’s been too long.”
As soon as Jessie settled down next to her, Maddie turned on her, not ready to explode with all her secrets, pain, and Braden. Ah, Braden.
“Let’s talk about you first,” she insisted. “You’re far too quiet. Where’s all the sparkle and shine that is our adorable Jessie girl?”
To her surprise, Jessie avoided her gaze. “It’s just a lot, protecting the secret and …” She finally turned to her. “Do you ever miss being innocent?”
Maddie gave a chortled laugh, wrapped her arms around her sister, and rocked her slightly. “Ah, sis. I do. I haven’t known innocence for a long, long time.” She wished she could share all with Jessie, but that would hurt the darling girl’s innocence even more.
Jessie settled against her. She was thinner than Maddie remembered. “You know I adore Papa, and I don’t blame him, this whole thing is so much huger than our family. But sometimes I wonder … how he could bring us all into this nightmare.”
Maddie rested her cheek against her sister’s hair. “I understand what you’re saying, but knowing how huge it is, and how easily someone could be tempted to steal or sell it, who else could he trust as implicitly as he does his family?”
Maddie didn’t blame Papa. The secret was an enormous burden for the creators to put on him, yet they’d given their lives for it, so how could they blame them? Papa and their parents had trained them all so intensely not only to protect the secret weapon but to make sure they stayed safe and alive while doing it.
“You’re right. Have you ever felt like something bad is coming?”
Studying her sister Maddie had to admit, “Most days of the week.”
“Remember how you used to call me the ‘peacemaker’?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t know that there’s any peace left in the world.”
What had happened? Jessie always saw the good, always tried to fix things. Maddie wondered the same thing herself but she didn’t want Jessie to see the darkness she’d seen.
“Jess?”
“Sorry. It’s just heavy tonight. But I’m so glad you’re here. So …” The glint came back into Jessie’s blue eyes. “Tell me all about your time with Braden.”
Maddie smiled. She wanted to pry more out of Jessie but she was tired of the heavy and hard stuff. She could share some of the fun, flirtatious moments with Braden and lighten both of their nights. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll share with you if you’ll have a sleepover in here with me.”
“Sure,” Jessie answered easily.
“And can you do me another favor?” Maddie didn’t know if it would work like it had with Braden, but she humbled herself enough to at least ask. “If I wake you up muttering ‘no’ and ‘stop,’ will you … pray for me?”
Jessie pulled away and studied her. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you.”
“But Maddie, if I don’t wake up … you can pray for yourself.”
Maddie pressed her lips together. That sounded exactly like what Braden would tell her.
Trust Him. Turn to Him.