At the Canfield home Brian Canfield and Alex Hobbs were in their
room with Alex looking up and admiring his trophy he won at the
Newberry Community Church's pinewood derby. His pinecar
was next to it. They were both getting ready for bed. Brian saw
Alex looking up at the trophy, shook his head and just grinned.
"Still admiring your trophy and car, Alex?" Brian asked.
"Ya," Alex turned to look at Brian as he answered him.
"I did the same thing when I won, too." Brian said as
he patted Alex on his shoulder, "It was a great night for me
as well."
Over in Dawn and Julie's room Dawn and Julie were talking
about the pinewood derby as well.
"Alex was so thrilled he won," Julie said of her little half-brother,
"that he clung to his trophy and car like they were his soul
possessions."
"It was the first time he ever won anything is why." Dawn
answered.
"I know it is," Julie answered back, "We both never been to
something like that before."
Dawn noticed that Julie started to get somewhat uneasy after
she just said what she said. Julie somewhat choked up when
she said the word 'before.' A sniffling sound followed and that
was when Dawn rushed to her side.
"Julie," Dawn exclaimed, "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to leave you ," Julie sobbed, "You've all been
so good to me and Alex and I don't want to leave."
" You won't," Dawn replied, hugging her, "God has
brought you to us, remember?"
"I know," Julie sniffled, "I-I thought about how nice it is
being with all of you and then what it was like back home."
Julie buried her face on Dawn's shoulder and cried some
more.
Gary and Vera were walking down the hallway to get ready
to turn in when they heard Julie's sobs as they approached
the door to Dawn and Julie's room. Vera was the first to
walk in followed by Gary.
"Julie," Vera exclaimed as she came to her side, "What's
the trouble, honey?"
Dawn answered first, "She says she doesn't want to
leave us."
"You aren't," Vera said.
"But what when Mommy gets out?" Julie sobbed, "She'll
come for us and take us away."
"She can't do that," Vera reassured her, "Children's services
won't allow her to."
"They won't?" said Julie, looking up at Gary and Vera.
"No, Julie," Gary put in, "It's a long story, but your mom
is going to be going through a lot, and she won't be able to
take you back, not for awhile, anyway."
"Oh."
"Gary," Vera said, looking toward her husband while she
held Julie to comfort her, "We need to all get together and
pray for the kids, their mom, and the outcome of all this
right now."
"I'll get Brian and Alex," Gary replied and walked out of
the room and to Brian and Alex' room.
Vera went to the dresser nearby and pulled a tissue from
a tissue box that sat atop it and wiped Julie's cheeks with
it and then said, "We're all going to pray for your mom and
this situation she is in and for you and Alex as well. God is
going to work this out, okay, honey?"
"Okay," Julie answered.
Gary came back in with Brian and Alex and informed them
of the reason for the prayer gathering. Alex looked over to
his half-sister and noticed from the puffiness of her eyes and
the reddened cheeks that she had been crying. Alex then
immediately went over to her and hugged her. "Don't cry,
Julie," Alex said, "It be awright."
"Yes, it will," Vera added and then everone in the room
held each others hands and Gary lead the family in prayer:
"Oh heavenly Father, we all come together in Your
precious name and we pray for the situation that
Julie and Alex' mom is in and that you work this
situation according to your will. We also ask that
You protect her and watch over her and also for
your comfort and protection on Julie and Alex
while they are here in our care. We earnestly
pray that you work all this out for your glory.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen."
With the prayer concluded and some brief reassurances
from Gary and Vera, Julie and Alex turned in, followed
by Brian, Dawn, and their parents. Vera bid the girls
good night before she turned and left the room and
then did the same with Brian and Alex as she and Gary
passed by their room.
Outside the Canfield home and across the street opposite
their home a lone vehicle, a 1980s vintage Chevrolet S-10
Blazer in a dark brown paint scheme was parked by the
curb, its engine running. It stood there for maybe five minutes
sitting there at the curb as the driver, the sole occupant of
the old SUV, appeared to be looking in the direction of the
Canfield home. The driver's figure was obscurred by the
darkness outside save for a street lamp that was still burning
at the house at the right of the Canfields' which barely
silouetted the head of the driver. The outline suggested a male
with a ball cap. Five minutes had passed and the Blazer pulled
from the curve and drove off into the night.
This concludes Chapter fifteen.
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