A Starling's Redemption

I Know Love

The next few weeks were a little emotional for all of us. I settled back into the Whitakers' home, and Josh settled back into sleeping on the couch. He and I were together as much as possible at school. All of my old associates, I refuse to call them friends, just gave us the cold shoulder. That was fine with us. If they were ignoring us, they weren't annoying us. Josh and I joined his friends for lunch most days, including Shannon's brother, Mike. She'd started eating lunch with a different group, and didn't want to be around us, or even Mike.

Josh took the first week off of work. The following weeks, he drove me home between school and work. When he got home from work, he'd find me in the kitchen with his mom. He took me ring shopping on Monday after school, and we found what I wanted in a second-hand store. It's an antique Black Hills gold diamond solitaire, three-tenths of a carat. I wore it with pride, and showed it off to anyone who'd look. As soon as we bought it, I had him take me to Elise's. From there, we went to show the elderly neighbors.

Mrs. Richardson said, "I knew it would happen when you listened to your hearts." Mrs. Schwartz cried a little when she saw it. Josh was finally able to take me to meet his boss, and his boss's wife, and daughter.

When Chelsea saw me, she exclaimed, "No wonder you never asked me out. You didn't tell me she was a supermodel!" I blushed, and tried to hide my face on Josh's shoulder.

Chelsea said, "I'm sorry, Amanda. I was trying to embarrass Josh."

Bret came home the following Saturday. The entire family gathered at Bret's parents' home the next afternoon.

"Bret, you old dog! Welcome home!" After he and Josh embraced, Josh introduced him to me.

"I want you to meet my better half. Bret, this is Amanda."

"So this is the little girl causing all the trouble? Josh, why do you have to compete with me? I mean, I went and married the most smoking hot babe in the state, and here you go trying to one-up on me."

Bret said to me, "This boy of yours has spent more time trying to get me in trouble."

Josh replied, "Come on now, Bret. I don't hit on your wife, don't go hitting on mine."

"You two aint hitched yet, now are ya?" I showed him my ring, my face beaming.

Bret said to Josh, "You really are serious about this one."

Josh said to me, "Never mind Bret. He's harmless. Just don't eat his cooking." We spent the next couple of hours talking, with Josh and Bret giving each other a hard time.

Later that day, the discussion was all about me. We discussed the plan to have me live with Bret and Elise until Josh and I were married. Bret showed his serious, sensitive side during that discussion, putting my mind at ease. Bret's a little rough around the edges. But, like the rest of the Whitaker family, he has a heart of gold. He's a loving husband and father, and a great friend to anyone who is hurting.

Before we left, I asked, "Can Josh and I set a wedding date? I want it to be soon." Josh was game, so we decided on the first Saturday in June, the seventh, just over a year away. As soon as we returned home, we had to inform the neighbors. If Josh hadn't driven me, I'd have walked, dragging him behind me.

Elise became my counselor, while Bret and Josh spent time together, with Bret counseling Josh. It was their support that helped me adjust to post-starling life. Elise in particular, having been one, was a real blessing. She and Bret helped Josh understand my mind.

I stayed with Josh's family through the end of the school year. Having that stability in my home life allowed me to focus on school work. I had always done just enough to earn passing grades. But now, Robert and Helen were holding me accountable for the quality of my assignments. They were gently encouraging me to do better. There was one moment that felt almost adversarial. I called Elise, who explained to me that I was being parented. After that conversation, I had to apologize.

"Robert, Helen, I'm sorry. No one has ever challenged me like this."

Helen replied, "Amanda, we love you as one of our own, and we want you to learn how to succeed."

Robert added, "You should have heard some of the arguments we've had with Josh and Reuben over their school work." Josh and I studied together for our finals, and I received the best grades of my life.

My biggest hurdle was my lack of self-confidence. The more I learned, and the more I was able to do, the more settled I was. When Josh returned home from work, the Saturday following finals, I was in the kitchen with his mom. The only difference was, I had prepared the meal all by myself. Helen had only been there keeping me company.

Once the school year ended, I moved in with Bret and Elise. I did spend every other weekend at Josh's house, so I could spend time with his parents. I assumed my summer would be all roses and lollipops. But, as they say, into every life a little rain must fall.