Read Online Changing Her Heart by Gail Sattler - Free Book Online

for me to talk to him, when he’s still reeling from the effects of what he’s done.”
    â€œHe’s got to go to work tomorrow. What about today?”
    â€œIf he’s drunk now, this isn’t a good time to talk. Tomorrow morning would be best, before work and before he can fall into his normal routine. If he’ll talk to me tomorrow morning, I can take him out for breakfast before he goes to work.”
    â€œYou would do that? You don’t even know him. Or me. Why are you doing this?”
    Using more courage than he had for years, Randy stepped back and reached for Lacey’s hand. He intertwined their fingers, just as she had done to him before she learned of his history, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, taking advantage of the fact that Susan was watching, making it awkward for Lacey to pull away. Again, he looked at Lacey while he spoke to Susan. “I’m doing it because I want to help anyone get out of the grip of the trap of alcohol abuse. It’s what God has called me to do. You’re also Lacey’s sister. So that’s two good reasons.”
    His heart pounded while he waited, but Lacey didn’t pull her hand away. Even though it wasn’t the best situation, and he knew he wasn’t playing fair, he wasn’t ready to let go of her hand. He hadn’t had much physical contact in his life until he becamefriends with Bob’s family and got to know Bob’s mother. His head swam with the sensation of holding Lacey’s warm hand in his.
    â€œHow will you do that?” Susan asked. “Don’t you have to go to work in the morning?”
    Not releasing Lacey’s hand, he turned back to Susan. “Yes, but I work at the mall, so I don’t have to be there until nine-fifteen. Most people are already at work by the time I’m just getting out of bed in the morning. I have plenty of time to take Eric out for breakfast.”
    Susan’s voice shook as she spoke. “I’ll phone Lacey later and let her know what Eric says. I should go. It’s past time for my daughter’s nap, and I really should take her home. Besides, I’m not being very good company.” Susan stood and turned to leave the room, but she only took a single step, froze, then turned to Randy.
    â€œI don’t know how to thank you for what you’re offering.” Tears again welled up in her eyes, and she sniffled. “I don’t even know your name.”
    Since Randy was holding Lacey’s right hand with his left, he extended his free right hand and enclosed Susan’s smaller hand in his own. “My name is Randy,” he said. Fortunately, he didn’t have to say the rest to Susan, at least not today. He’d said it so many times it was automatic in certain circles, but here he struggled with the words as he recited the next part mentally. And I’m an alcoholic.
    He released Susan’s hand so she could go home. Before she took one step, the same children who’d jumped up on Bryce earlier wrapped themselves around Susan’s legs. The boy looked like he was in the first couple of years of grade school and the little girl looked like she was in preschool, which made sense if her mother said she needed a nap.
    Susan smiled weakly, and twined her fingers in the little girl’s hair. “These are my children, Shawn and Kaitlyn. I guess you’ll probably be seeing a lot of them. Kids, this is Randy.”
    They clung their mother’s legs, stared at his hand joined with Lacey’s, then looked up at him with big, wide eyes.
    â€œHi, kids,” Randy said, not knowing quite what to do. He liked children, but he didn’t have a lot of experience with them, which, with his history, was not a bad thing. He’d messed up his own life enough.
    â€œCome on, Shawn, Kaitlyn. It’s time to go home.”
    In the blink of an eye, the three of them were gone.
    Randy turned to Lacey and gave the