The Barefoot Girl

Chapter 14

I wake up the next morning in much higher spirits than the morning before. Out of habit, I reach for my phone on my nightstand next to me. I have five missed calls... All from Natalie.

A little concerned, I call her back.

Gosh, if anything happened to Mark...

"BRIDGET!" Natalie screams into the phone. But it's a happy and overly hyper scream so I calm down a bit- even as I'm jumping out of my skin.

Sheesh that was unexpected.

"What's up?" I ask, still dazed from that wake up call.

"You. Are. A. Life. Saver," she says.

"Maybe even more literally than you think."

I rub my eyes.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Mark!" She exclaims.

"He's looking into getting a job at the hospital where Lacy's at!"

I furrow my eyebrows, confused.

"Don't you need a medical degree for that?" I ask.

"Noooo," she remarks sarcastically before mocking me saying,

"Of course, stupid! But he's hoping to be able to work as a sort of waiter, bringing the patients their meals throughout the day."

"That's awesome!" I reply.

"But Natalie, you called me at one in the morning to tell me this?"

"Yeeeesssss...?" Natalie answers sheepishly before exploding into laughter.

"You're so weird," I mumble, chuckling.

"Well, no!" she protests.

"The point is he's happy! Now it doesn't make depression go away in a snap, but at least this job gives him a sense of purpose. He can stop believing the lie that he's good for nothing. So thanks for bringing us to see Lacy," she says in the most genuine way I think I've heard her say anything.

"Well, you're welcome, but like I said, it's Lacy you should thank," I respond.

"I see no reason I shouldn't thank you both. And hey... Bridget?" she starts hesitantly.

"Yeah..?"

"I'm about to sound so cliché..." she mumbles before gaining confidence and proclaiming,

"Bridget whether you want to believe it or not... It was God's love shining through you and Lacy... So... Yeah," she concludes awkwardly.

I remain silent. Natalie laughs uncomfortably until I say,

"Well... Thank you?"

"Any time," Natalie says.

I'm about to ask if Natalie can come over again so we can go deeper into this discussion, but I decide otherwise. I feel like she might want to hang around Mark.

I sigh and awkwardly say goodbye to Natalie. Then, I roll over on my stomach and stare at the screen of my phone.

I decide to look up more Casting Crowns music. I find a song called "Voice of Truth."

Oh what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in, onto the crashing waves.

To step out of my comfort zone, only the realm of the unknown where Jesus is.

And He's holding out His hand.

I can't call myself a Christian; gosh I don't even understand the faith right now.

So why do the lyrics speak to me so much?

"BOO!"

I jump out of my skin for the second time that day, dropping my phone in the process.

Michelle has thrown herself on top of me and is now laughing hysterically.

I would've hit her with my pillow or something, except for the fact that my phone is playing a Christian song....

I scramble to get it as Michelle gets off me and sits at the end of my bed.

"Whatcha doing?" she asks.

"Nothing!" I say, trying too hard to be causal.

She scoffs and let's out a long,

"Ooooooooookkkk."

I quickly press the home button to stop the music. Michelle gives me a weird sideways glance.

"Why are you so jumpy?" she asks suspiciously.

"What are you talking about?" I say, still trying to play cool after I'd already failed at that.

She gives me a long hard stare. Then buzzes her lips and says

"Whatever."

I thought that was the end of that but if course she had to ask,

"What were you listening to?"

I freeze up.

"Music," I say, thinking I'm smart.

"No, duh," Michelle remarks.

"But what music? Usually I recognize everything you listen to cause you like only ten songs," she teases.

I stiffen.

"It's just this song called The Voice of Truth," I spit out, hoping to get her off my back.

Bad choice.

"What band?"

"Casting Crowns..." I mumble. Then quickly added,

"You wouldn't like them."

I mentally face palm myself after that comment. It'll only make her more likely to look them up.

She shrugs.

"Anywho, mom just wants you to watch Liam. Megan and I are off to a game and Mom and dad are getting Benjamin at the airport so he can see Lacy!!!!" she says the last part clapping her hands together.

"Oh ok, awesome!"

Benjamin's coming home!!!! I hope Lacy has at least some recollection of who he is. He had already been out of the house by the time she was born...

I'd hate to be the brother of a girl who didn't remember me....

I'd also hate to be the girl attacked by her family just for listening to a Christian song.

I shake my head, annoyed with myself for being so paranoid.

Chances are Michelle will never think to look up Casting Crowns and if she does, it won't escalate into anything much.

At least, that's what I tell myself to keep myself sane.