Read Online Promising Angela by Kim Vogel Sawyer - Free Book Online
Authors: Kim Vogel Sawyer
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rattling Dad’s cage so he’d pay some attention to me. Ended up with guests who liked using stuff the policemen frown about.” She thumped her own forehead with the butt of her hand. “Used the stuff myself. Duh! What is that—three things not done right?”
She began ticking off offenses on her fingers. “Then there’s not only using but getting caught, getting sent to rehab, getting sent to community service at a place where I have to relate to people who are completely different than me—and doing it very badly.”
“Hold up there.” Aunt Eileen remained perched, her gaze pinned to Angela’s face. “Why do you think you’ve done badly? Philip says you’re working well there.”
Angela stared at her aunt. “He said that?”
Aunt Eileen nodded, the knot on her head bobbing. “Yes, he did. He’s pleased with your progress.”
“Huh!” Angela thought about that for a moment, but then Ben’s evaluation ran through her mind, bringing another scowl. “Well, according to Ben—who is my direct supervisor—I’m not doing things right.” Once more, she began to pace.
Aunt Eileen reached out and grabbed her hand, bringing her to a halt. “Sweet girl, sit down. Please.”
With a long sigh, Angela sank back into the recliner.
“Now.” Aunt Eileen slid from the armrest to the couch seat. “Tell me exactly what happened downstairs with Ben. You weren’t down there more than five minutes. He couldn’t have possibly picked you apart in that short amount of time.”
Oh, Angela only wished that statement weren’t true. She felt tears gather in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to control them. “Ben told me Kent said I was his girlfriend.”
Aunt Eileen smiled, giving a wink and nod. “Ah, I can see why Kent would want that. You’re a very pretty girl.”
Angela brushed the comment aside. She didn’t feel pretty right now. “He didn’t seem happy about it. He asked me what I was doing with Kent—like I’d been flirting with him.” She pressed her palms to her chest. “I know I’ve been a flirt in the past, Aunt Eileen. I did a lot of things that weren’t right before I became a Christian, but I’m trying so hard to change, to let people know Jesus is in my heart now.”
“Of course you are.” Aunt Eileen patted Angela’s arm. “I’ve seen it.”
She lowered her hands to her lap, twisting her fingers together. “I thought Ben knew it, that he saw it, but I guess not. I just want to be friends with Kent. I’d like to be friends with Ben, but I don’t think he really trusts me. All he sees is this dumb woman who can’t relax around people with handicaps. And I just don’t see the point of trying if all I’m going to do is fail!”
Her voice fell silent, and Aunt Eileen remained quiet, too, her lips puckered in a thoughtful expression. Roscoe peeked from the hallway, his tail twitching, then made three running leaps to land beside Aunt Eileen’s hip. He coiled into a ball and began to purr, his motor a soothing sound.
Angela sighed, her emotions spent. “Aunt Eileen, I’m so … alone. Mom and Dad are never around. My sisters … They’ve got their own lives. I’m staying away from my old friends so I don’t get myself into trouble, but I really miss them. I miss the fun we used to have. Well, some of the fun. And what scares me is—when Ben accused me of coming on to Kent, I realized the old Angela is still hiding somewhere inside. What if she comes back? What if the need for friendship and fun takes me right back to where I was before?”
“That
won’t
happen.”
Angela laughed. Her aunt’s adamant retort was encouraging, but she wasn’t sure it was realistic. “How can you be sure?”
“Because you aren’t the way you were before.” Aunt Eileen leaned over the armrest of the sofa to clasp Angela’s hand. “When you asked Jesus into your heart, He washed you clean. He made you holy. Now you just have to walk like you believe it.”
“You mean, I should
She began ticking off offenses on her fingers. “Then there’s not only using but getting caught, getting sent to rehab, getting sent to community service at a place where I have to relate to people who are completely different than me—and doing it very badly.”
“Hold up there.” Aunt Eileen remained perched, her gaze pinned to Angela’s face. “Why do you think you’ve done badly? Philip says you’re working well there.”
Angela stared at her aunt. “He said that?”
Aunt Eileen nodded, the knot on her head bobbing. “Yes, he did. He’s pleased with your progress.”
“Huh!” Angela thought about that for a moment, but then Ben’s evaluation ran through her mind, bringing another scowl. “Well, according to Ben—who is my direct supervisor—I’m not doing things right.” Once more, she began to pace.
Aunt Eileen reached out and grabbed her hand, bringing her to a halt. “Sweet girl, sit down. Please.”
With a long sigh, Angela sank back into the recliner.
“Now.” Aunt Eileen slid from the armrest to the couch seat. “Tell me exactly what happened downstairs with Ben. You weren’t down there more than five minutes. He couldn’t have possibly picked you apart in that short amount of time.”
Oh, Angela only wished that statement weren’t true. She felt tears gather in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to control them. “Ben told me Kent said I was his girlfriend.”
Aunt Eileen smiled, giving a wink and nod. “Ah, I can see why Kent would want that. You’re a very pretty girl.”
Angela brushed the comment aside. She didn’t feel pretty right now. “He didn’t seem happy about it. He asked me what I was doing with Kent—like I’d been flirting with him.” She pressed her palms to her chest. “I know I’ve been a flirt in the past, Aunt Eileen. I did a lot of things that weren’t right before I became a Christian, but I’m trying so hard to change, to let people know Jesus is in my heart now.”
“Of course you are.” Aunt Eileen patted Angela’s arm. “I’ve seen it.”
She lowered her hands to her lap, twisting her fingers together. “I thought Ben knew it, that he saw it, but I guess not. I just want to be friends with Kent. I’d like to be friends with Ben, but I don’t think he really trusts me. All he sees is this dumb woman who can’t relax around people with handicaps. And I just don’t see the point of trying if all I’m going to do is fail!”
Her voice fell silent, and Aunt Eileen remained quiet, too, her lips puckered in a thoughtful expression. Roscoe peeked from the hallway, his tail twitching, then made three running leaps to land beside Aunt Eileen’s hip. He coiled into a ball and began to purr, his motor a soothing sound.
Angela sighed, her emotions spent. “Aunt Eileen, I’m so … alone. Mom and Dad are never around. My sisters … They’ve got their own lives. I’m staying away from my old friends so I don’t get myself into trouble, but I really miss them. I miss the fun we used to have. Well, some of the fun. And what scares me is—when Ben accused me of coming on to Kent, I realized the old Angela is still hiding somewhere inside. What if she comes back? What if the need for friendship and fun takes me right back to where I was before?”
“That
won’t
happen.”
Angela laughed. Her aunt’s adamant retort was encouraging, but she wasn’t sure it was realistic. “How can you be sure?”
“Because you aren’t the way you were before.” Aunt Eileen leaned over the armrest of the sofa to clasp Angela’s hand. “When you asked Jesus into your heart, He washed you clean. He made you holy. Now you just have to walk like you believe it.”
“You mean, I should
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