Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“Thank you, Minister Steve, for caring about me. I’ll keep that in mind,” Molly answered diplomatically.
“You have a long life ahead of you. Being happy is the most important,” Minister Steve added.
Molly nodded.
“And your eternal soul,” the assistant minister added from his office.
Minister Steve shook his head and walked down the hallway into Lester’s office, closing the door after him.
Molly strained her ears trying to hear their conversation. She did hear Lester’s voice raising at times. Minister Steve’s even tone reassured her. He always had a positive energy around him. She wondered if the minister considered his assistant to be his personal challenge.
Molly focused on her computer screen when Minister Steve walked back into his office. She worked diligently to clear all the items from her to-do list. By lunch time, she’d made a big dent in her weekly tasks.
Wishing to get up and move a bit, Molly stood and decided to spend a bit of her lunch break outside. She exited to the parking lot and breathed in the fresh air, feeling better already. Reaching her hands up to the sky first, she stretched out her back and twisted to each side.
Already she felt better. Walking around the parking lot, the wind ruffled her hair. Molly looked up at the fast-approaching clouds and realized a storm was coming in. She quickened her steps and headed diagonally across the parking lot toward the door to speed up her progress back inside.
The thought crossed her mind that she hoped Faust was inside. Riding a motorcycle in a storm didn’t sound like a good idea.
She’d almost reached the door when a massive gust of wind buffeted her, almost knocking Molly off her feet. As she struggled to regain her balance, the strong breeze swirled around her legs, lifting her skirt up to a revealing level. Panicking, she pushed it down and ran forward toward the building.
After darting inside, Molly heard a huge clap of thunder that rocked the building and the skies opened to pour water onto the pavement. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering after the scary encounter with Mother Nature.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Molly. What a display in the church parking lot!”
She spun around to see Lester standing behind her. “That storm is awful out there. The wind was uncontrollable.”
“Don’t make excuses, girl,” the unpleasant man answered.
Molly forced herself to keep her mouth closed. Surely he didn’t think she’d flapped her dress up to her waist for the sheer pleasure of putting her panties on display. Oh, crap! She’d put on her white underwear with yellow rubber duckies today.
You did nothing wrong.
Repeating that thought over and over in her mind, she headed back to the office. Molly sat down on her chair. Her gaze landed on the adorable stuffie she hadn’t been able to leave again. She leaned forward to brush her fingers over Angel’s soft fuzz and quickly shifted her hand to pull out the crackers as a woman opened the door.
“Hi, Mrs. Alberts. What can I do for you?”
The woman’s gaze landed on the cracker. “I’m sorry, Molly. I didn’t mean to disturb your lunch.”
“I’m glad to help you.”
“I wanted to inquire about helping with communion,” the older woman told her.
Noticing the woman’s arthritic hands, Molly guessed the heavy communion trays would be too much. She knew immediately who she needed to talk to. “How nice of you to volunteer. Let me check with Minister Steve to see if he has time to talk to you.”
“I’ve got time,” answered her as the gentle man’s voice carried out of the office.
Smiling, Molly escorted her down the hall. Minister Steve would take care of everything and everyone.
The afternoon flew by. Molly tried to keep from looking at the clock every five minutes. At a quarter to five, she heard her cell phone ring. Grabbing it, she grinned at his name and answered, “Hi.”
“Hi, Little girl. I couldn’t remember if I was picking you up at the church or your apartment.”
“Oh, my apartment would be better.” Molly quickly recited the information. “I get off here at five. I should be there by a quarter after.”
“Drive safely. I’ll be there when you pull in,” Faust promised.
“Okay. I’m looking forward to it. Um…” She hesitated before adding, “I might need to change.”
“I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
“Thanks.”
“Soon, Little girl. Drive safely home.”
“Soon,” she echoed, silently adding Daddy to the end of that statement.
Disconnecting, Molly stared at the phone as she tried to pull herself together. How did he have such an effect on her? It wasn’t that he represented danger or living on the wild side. He made her happy. Even just hearing his voice made her happy.
When the second hand reached the twelve, Molly jumped up to grab her purse and tote bag. She left her crackers. They could be her lunch tomorrow. She didn’t plan to get home early enough to throw anything together.