{"id":1045,"date":"2019-02-10T21:24:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T02:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/read.whitefire-publishing.com\/?p=1045"},"modified":"2020-06-01T09:06:55","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T13:06:55","slug":"shades-of-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whitefire-publishing.com\/read\/shades-of-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Shades of Light"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n

Shades of Light<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

by Melody Carlson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First there are shades of sorrow, then shades of hope. Will Gwen find shades of light?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When her only child leaves home for college, widowed Gwen Sullivan discovers just how lonely an \u201cempty nest\u201d can be. How will she adjust and fill her empty days?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the urging of friends, Gwen takes a job with an interior designer\u2014whom she soon discovers to be domineering and jealous of Gwen\u2019s creativity. Suddenly she\u2019s stuck doing menial tasks. When a sleazy client starts to harass her, Gwen begins to wonder if she\u2019s cut out for the working world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She eventually meets Oliver Black, who gives her an opportunity to use her decorating skills, and suddenly Gwen sees herself in a more confident light. But Oliver is a man of many secrets, and Gwen wonders if she can trust her heart to him.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chapter 1<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\u201cGwen, I think it\u2019s about time you began to have a life,\u201d Candice\nsaid breezily as she moved across the patio refilling the glasses of the many\nguests. Gwen glanced around self-consciously, then forced a laugh. It was so\nlike Candice Mallard to launch a campaign to reinvent Gwen\u2019s life in the\ncompany of strangers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a life, Candice,\u201d Gwen said in an apologetic tone. She\nstood, picked up an empty appetizer plate, and began to move toward the\nkitchen. \u201cAnd if you want to have a dinner, I better go and check on the lamb.\u201d\nShe hoped her exasperation didn\u2019t show in her voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice laughed. \u201cYes, my\ndear, go check on the lovely lamb. One would think that I had invited you here\ntonight just so you could help out in the kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen smiled. \u201cYou mean\nyou didn\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it was Candice who\nlooked slightly uncomfortable, and for that Gwen was sorry. Sorry for her\nwords, but even more sorry that she was probably right. She went into Candice\u2019s\nefficient-looking kitchen and checked the oversized convection oven. It was a\ndream kitchen, but mostly a showplace because Candice rarely cooked. Since she\noccasionally brought her clients here to discuss elements of kitchen design,\nshe had used her kitchen as a tax write-off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lamb was just fine\nand probably wouldn\u2019t be ready for another thirty minutes. Gwen heard footsteps\ncoming her way and knew it would be Candice. Not quite ready for the rest of\ntheir conversation, Gwen slipped into the back bathroom. She turned on the\nfaucet and looked blankly into the mirror. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was Candice right? Did\nGwen really have no life? Gwen\u2019s brown eyes stared back at her, but they seemed\nunfamiliar\u2014dull and sad. People used to say that she had fire in her eyes. It\nwas probably only due to the flecks of gold around the irises, but she used to\nbelieve it was because she had a passion for life\u2014a fire burning inside. But\nfor the last two years that passion had been dormant. And now she wondered if\nshe would ever get it back. She pushed a dark brown curl behind her ear and\nexamined her face more closely. The remnant of a summer tan almost obliterated\nthe sprinkling of freckles across her nose, but at least there were no signs of\nwrinkles yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGwen,\u201d Candice called as\nshe knocked at the door. \u201cI know you\u2019re in there. Are you okay? I\u2019m sorry I\nsaid that. You know how I am. Gary says words just shoot out my mouth before\nthey ever pass through my brain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen\nblew her nose and opened the door. \u201cIt\u2019s okay, Candice. I\u2019m sorry, too. It\u2019s\njust that this is\u2014you know\u2014a difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice wrapped her arms\naround Gwen. \u201cI know, honey. That\u2019s why I asked you over tonight. I figured\nthat with Aubrey just going off to college, you\u2019re probably suffering a case of\nempty-nest syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen bristled at the\nlabel. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t call it that, Candice. It\u2019s more than that. I mean, it\u2019s\nbarely been two years since I lost David, and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd, and\u2014\u201d Candice threw\nher hands in the air. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear another word, Gwen. I invited you\nhere tonight to have some fun and meet some people. You\u2019re too young to give up\non life. Come on back out. You\u2019ve hardly met anyone. You know, Gary has a\nfriend he wants you to meet. He\u2019s an attorney, too. New in town. Recently\ndivorced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust what I need,\u201d said\nGwen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, don\u2019t be such a wet\nblanket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen obediently followed\nCandice back out to the patio and settled into a wrought-iron chair. Already\nCandice was making her rounds again. She had always been socially adept. Even\nin grade school, it was Candice who made things happen. As a child, Gwen had\nbeen intimidated by Candice\u2019s outspoken confidence. Even when they became\nbetter friends in high school, Gwen had always maintained a safe distance. They\nhad never been best friends. Gwen had never trusted Candice that much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the rest of her\nhouse, Candice\u2019s patio was perfection. With terracotta tile and massive fern and\nflower-filled pots, heavy wrought-iron furniture, and a fountain splashing\npleasantly in the corner, it could have been Rome. It was lovely, but with the\nvine-covered patio roof, it was a little on the dark side for Gwen\u2019s taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen liked light. She\nnever seemed to get enough of it. Candice on the other hand seemed to thrive on\ndarkness. She said it was cozy. She liked rich colors, heavy ornate drapes, and\ndark, massive furnishings. Apparently her clients did, too, because her\ninterior design business seemed to be thriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGwen, come on over\nhere,\u201d called Candice. \u201cI want you to meet Mary and Ray Powers. They just\nbought the Randall estate last year. Ray\u2019s in investments, and Mary\u2019s a\nreal-estate agent.\u201d She turned to the couple. \u201cAnd Gwen Sullivan is an old\nfriend of mine. She lives just down the street. As you\u2019ve probably heard, she\u2019s\nalso an excellent cook, and she\u2019s overseeing the main dish for dinner tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNice to meet you, Gwen,\u201d\nsaid the pretty blond woman. \u201cCandice is redecorating our home. And doing a\nfantastic job, I might add.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd for what she\ncharges, it had better be spectacular,\u201d said\nthe man with a lopsided grin that looked as if he was partly serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice playfully punched\nhim in the arm. \u201cFrom what I hear, you can afford it, Ray. Mary told me you\njust made a killing last week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ray grimaced. \u201cA killing\none day, killed the next. Don\u2019t let one good week give you any grandiose ideas,\nCandice. I don\u2019t want to come home to find a Picasso hanging in my bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice tilted her head\nto one side. \u201cNo, Ray, I was thinking more along the lines of Renoir. You know\nhow Mary goes for the more romantic style.\u201d Candice smiled slyly and began to\nmove to the other end of the patio, chatting and joking as she went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary laughed and then\nquickly changed the subject. \u201cAnd what do you do, Gwen?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen took in a deep\nbreath. What did she do? \u201cWell, I\u2019ve mostly been a homemaker.\u201d She paused. \u201cOf\ncourse, I\u2019ve always been involved in community things and whatnot. The garden\nclub and school functions. But now with my daughter going off to college\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo way,\u201d interrupted\nRay. \u201cYou can\u2019t possibly have a daughter old enough for college.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen nodded. \u201cIt\u2019s true.\nWe started our family<\/a> earlier than people do nowadays.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must have been in\npreschool.\u201d Ray chuckled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d said Gwen.\n\u201cActually it\u2019s nice having a grown daughter. She\u2019s been a very good friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what does your\nhusband do?\u201d asked Ray. His wife elbowed him. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Gwen. I get in\ntrouble for that all the time. I know I shouldn\u2019t presume that you are\nmarried.\u201d Ray reminded her of a five-year-old repeating an apology that he\u2019d\nbeen forced to give more than once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cActually, my husband was\nkilled in a car wreck almost two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d Mary said\nwith true empathy. She gently squeezed Gwen\u2019s arm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was hard at first,\nbut at least Aubrey and I had each other. She is a lot like her dad. In fact,\nshe even got a basketball scholarship at the same college my husband played for\nmore than twenty years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe must be pretty\ngood,\u201d said Ray. \u201cI didn\u2019t think they gave out too many basketball scholarships\nto women.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen smiled. \u201cShe led her\nhigh-school team to state three years in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cImpressive,\u201d said Ray.\n\u201cCome to think of it, I remember reading about it in the paper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, now that your\ndaughter is off to college,\u201d said Mary, \u201cdo you have any career interests that\nyou plan to pursue?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen thought for a\nmoment. \u201cOh, I suppose I have some old dreams. But they\u2019re probably not very\nrealistic.\u201d She glanced over at Candice. \u201cI don\u2019t have any formal training like\nCandice, but I\u2019ve always enjoyed interior decor. I used to work in my husband\u2019s\nfurniture store\u2014for customers, you know. But I really enjoyed it, and some\npeople thought I had a knack for decorating. It was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo kidding?\u201d said Mary.\n\u201cYou should be working with Candice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t think so\u2014\u201d\nbegan Gwen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously,\u201d said Mary.\n\u201cCandice told me just last week that she was shorthanded and needed to hire\nsomeone. With your daughter going off to college and all, it would be a nice\nchange of pace for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t think that\nCandice\u2014\u201d But once again Gwen was cut off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would be perfect!\u201d\nexclaimed Mary triumphantly. Ray was nodding, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCandice,\u201d called Ray.\n\u201cCome back here. We have just come up with a splendid idea for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen looked on in horror\nas Ray and Mary proceeded to tell Candice that they had found the answer to all\nher problems. \u201cAnd now you have no excuse for not finishing up our house in\ntime for Thanksgiving,\u201d proclaimed Ray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd may I inquire as to\nwho this wonder woman might be?\u201d Candice asked with an audible edge to her\nvoice. Gwen couldn\u2019t bear to look up. For the second time she wished she hadn\u2019t\ncome tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy she\u2019s been sitting\nright under your nose,\u201d Mary said as she patted Gwen\u2019s knee. \u201cYour friend Gwen\nhas an interest in interior decorating. And with her daughter going off to\ncollege, I\u2019d say the timing is just perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd,\u201d Ray said in an\nalmost accusatory tone, \u201chaven\u2019t you been saying that you were shorthanded?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice looked at Gwen\nwith raised brows. \u201cI seriously doubt that Gwen would want to work for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary looked at Gwen. \u201cI\ndon\u2019t know why not. What do you think, Gwen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen forced a laugh. \u201cI\ndon\u2019t think that Candice would really be interested in hiring me,\u201d she said\nuncomfortably. If only this conversation could end. \u201cI wonder if I should go\ncheck on the lamb, Candice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat sounds like a good\nidea,\u201d said Candice stiffly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen could still hear\nMary and Ray continue to prod Candice about their new idea as she went into the\nhouse. The pair of them reminded her of overzealous matchmakers\u2014good intentions\nbut slightly obsessed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She checked the lamb\nagain and gave it a final basting. It looked like it would be done soon.\nPerhaps it would be safer to wait in the kitchen until Candice forgot about the\nPowers\u2019s suggestion. She sat down at the little desk that Candice had neatly\ndesigned into a corner of the kitchen and absently began to flip through the\ninterior design magazine lying there. She used to study these magazines with\nreal interest. But she hadn\u2019t picked one up since David\u2019s death. Shortly after\nhis funeral she had been cashed out of David\u2019s portion of the family furniture\nbusiness and politely told that her skills were no longer needed in the store.\nIt had hurt at the time, but there had been so much other pain that she hadn\u2019t\nreally noticed until it was too late. By then David\u2019s brother\u2019s wife had taken\nover that part of the business. But it wasn\u2019t long before several former\ncustomers crossed Gwen\u2019s path and hinted that the new decorator was not nearly\nas talented as Gwen. It seemed all Shawna wanted to do was sweet pastels with\nflowers and frills. And while it was reassuring to Gwen to know that her skills\nwere missed, it was too late to do anything about it as far as the furniture\nstore went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, here is my little\nkitchen slave,\u201d said Candice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt seemed like a safe\nhaven.\u201d Gwen stood and faced Candice. \u201cI\u2019m really sorry about the Powers.\nBelieve me, I had no idea they were going to pull something like that. Please,\ndon\u2019t give it another thought, Candice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, don\u2019t be so hasty,\nGwen. I must admit that it took me by surprise. It\u2019s true, I had been thinking\nabout hiring someone. But I did want someone with more experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\nkind of experience?\u201d asked Gwen, with an unexpected feeling of hopefulness.\n\u201cYou do remember that I used to run the interior design department at Sullivan\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice frowned. \u201cNo\noffense intended, Gwen, but Sullivan\u2019s Fine Furnishings is pretty small\npotatoes compared to the clientele I deal with. Besides, I need someone with\nmore office skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe I could learn\nthose things, Candice. At least I have a pretty good understanding of decor. I\nknow how to measure for window coverings, flooring, and whatever, and I have excellent\nfurniture knowledge\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t an interview,\nGwen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d Gwen went\nover to check on the lamb again, keeping her back to Candice. She knew that the\nidea of working for Candice was probably insane. The smartest thing would be to\ndrop the idea right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that I wouldn\u2019t\nlike to give you a job, Gwen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen carefully removed\nthe steaming lamb from the oven. It looked perfect. \u201cI better check the mint\nsauce,\u201d she said as she put the pot holders away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, what the heck,\u201d said\nCandice. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you give it a try?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Gwen asked,\nturning to look at Candice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you come in on\nMonday? We can give it a shot. And if it doesn\u2019t work out after a few weeks,\nwe\u2019ll still be friends, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. I mean\nthis is so unexpected. It could be a big mistake, Candice. And I haven\u2019t even\nhad time to give it any serious thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s there to think\nabout? It\u2019s a job. And you probably need something to keep you busy. And I\ndon\u2019t know how good David\u2019s insurance was, but you have a kid in college, and\nthat can\u2019t be cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen thought about that.\nFinances were not a problem, but she knew that wouldn\u2019t always be the case.\n\u201cWell, if you really think you\u2019d want me, I could give it a try. I am a hard\nworker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice nodded. \u201cI know\nyou are, honey. I just hope this is the right thing for both of us. Now, let\u2019s\nlet Tammy finish up in here. Besides you still haven\u2019t met Willis Newman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe divorced lawyer?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s just think of him\nas a single attorney, dear,\u201d Candice said with a smirk. \u201cIt sounds more\nflattering, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhatever you say, boss.\u201d\nGwen wiped off her hands and followed Candice back out to where the guests were\nbeginning to drift into the spacious house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can feel autumn in the\nair,\u201d said Candice brightly. \u201cDon\u2019t you just love this time of year?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like the fall foliage,\nbut I don\u2019t like the way the days get shorter. I miss the sunshine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s right.\u201d\nCandice laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re one of those light deprivation people, aren\u2019t you?\nIsn\u2019t that called SADS? What does that mean anyway? That you\u2019re sad all the\ntime?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Gwen could answer,\nCandice was introducing her to a slightly bald man who looked to be at least\nfifteen years older than Gwen. \u201cWillis is with Hadley and Gunderson but Gary\nhas been trying to get him to join forces with him. You know Samuel Green is\ngetting ready to retire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I take it that means\nyou specialize in criminal law?\u201d said Gwen politely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot exactly. But before\nI came here I worked for the DA in Brandon. And criminal law has always\nfascinated me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m always curious about\nthat,\u201d Gwen said as she studied his slightly puffy face. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to\nunderstand why someone wants to defend criminals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no,\u201d Candice said\nwith mock horror. \u201cDon\u2019t get her going on that subject, Willis. I completely\nforgot about her crusade against criminal lawyers. I won\u2019t even let her and\nGary discuss this anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Willis grinned. \u201cI\u2019m not\nworried, Candice. I\u2019m a lawyer. Arguing is what I do for a living.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI suppose you can hold your own then.\u201d\nCandice laughed and began to mingle again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I take it you are\nnot fond of attorneys who defend criminals?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen shook her head.\n\u201cThat\u2019s not exactly true. I completely agree that everyone has the right to a\nfair trial. And I think there are cases, especially when innocent people are\naccused of criminal acts, when the sharpest lawyers are needed. But I\u2019ve seen\nsome lawyers who skew or even obscure truth and justice just to keep their\nclients out of jail. Innocence or guilt don\u2019t seem to come into play a lot of\nthe time. Take O. J. Simpson\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you think the Juice\nis guilty?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe jury didn\u2019t seem\nto.\u201d Willis smiled. He reminded Gwen of a lion licking his chops just before he\ndevoured his prey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as they were\nthoroughly embroiled, it was time to sit down to dinner. Thankfully, Candice\nhad not arranged the seating, and Gwen managed to politely slip away from\nWillis and sit by Mary Powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, did you get the\njob?\u201d Mary asked as she passed the rolls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to give it a\ntry,\u201d said Gwen. \u201cWe\u2019ve agreed that if it doesn\u2019t work out, we will remain\nfriends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat sounds like a wise\nplan. And if it works out, you can thank me by taking me out to lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a deal,\u201d agreed\nGwen. She liked Mary. It would be fun to get better acquainted with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the rest of the\nevening, Gwen managed to avoid Willis. She was tired of arguing with him. And\nhe reminded her of the defense lawyer who had defended the drunken driver who\nhad killed David. That had been just over a year ago, but it was during the\ntrial that she had begun to question the ethics and morals of criminal lawyers.\nAlthough the defendant had been driving with a suspended license, due to other\ndrunk-driving convictions, he had only been charged with manslaughter. But even\nso, his attorney had managed to get him off with what seemed a mere slap on the\nhand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the crowd began\nto thin a little, and Gwen told Candice and Gary thank you and good night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope my friend Willis\ndidn\u2019t get your dander up,\u201d teased Gary as he walked Gwen to the front porch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I probably irritated\nhim more than he did me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSay, Candice told me\nyou\u2019re coming to work for her. Are you sure you can stand working in the same\nbuilding as a criminal law firm?\u201d Gary was smiling, but Gwen could hear the\nseriousness in his voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen answered lightly.\n\u201cWe\u2019ll just have to set some ground rules, Gary. I won\u2019t bug you if you don\u2019t\nbug me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary laughed. \u201cShall I\nwrite up an official agreement?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I think a handshake\nwill do. Thanks again, Gary. It was a fun evening. Even sparring with Willis\nwas sort of interesting in a weird way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen walked home alone.\nShe knew almost every neighbor on the street, and her house was only a block\naway. She and David had purchased their home just before Aubrey started first\ngrade. Several years later, Candice and Gary Mallard moved in down the street.\nAt first Gwen had been delighted to have an old friend so nearby. But before\nlong, she realized that Gary and David could hardly tolerate one another. So up\nuntil the last two years, Gwen had rarely socialized with the Mallards or their\nfriends. David had always called them yuppie social climbers. And David was too\ndown-to-earth to go in for such things. Not that Gwen had been overly eager to\nbefriend the Mallards. But Candice, with all her faults, was rather fun and\noutgoing. And after several hot confrontations with Gary, Gwen had learned to\navoid conversations like the one she had shared with Willis tonight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen unlocked the door and let herself into her house. She had\nbeen careful to leave on the porch light as well as several interior lights. As\nshe closed the door behind her, she sighed. Ah, so good to be home. Her house\nfelt light and airy, especially after being in the Mallard\u2019s dark home. Gwen\nkicked off her shoes and sank into the soft, white chenille sofa. It wasn\u2019t\nuntil Aubrey had started high school that they had gotten white furniture. Up until then,\nGwen had wanted a child-friendly home. Not that it was unfriendly now. There\nwere plenty of vibrant splotches of color on pillows and throws and other\naccent pieces. And Aubrey had always enjoyed their home. But now Aubrey was\ngone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen picked up the phone\nand dialed the number that she already knew by heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi, Aubrey. How\u2019s it\ngoing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFine, Mom. What\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I just wanted to\nhear your voice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh-huh,\u201d said Aubrey.\nShe sounded different, slightly distant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs everything okay,\nhoney?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Mom.\u201d Gwen could\nhear the trace of irritation in her daughter\u2019s voice. \u201cYou\u2019ve called me every\nsingle day this week. Is this going to go on all year?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, sweetheart. I\u2019m\nsorry. It\u2019s just that I miss you so much. And this was your first week at\nschool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know. And I miss you\ntoo. But it\u2019s not like I moved out of the state. I\u2019m only a twenty-minute drive\naway. I\u2019m just hoping that you\u2019re not going to call me every night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI won\u2019t. After this\nweek, I\u2019ll be better. I promise.\u201d Gwen\u2019s voiced brightened. \u201cBut I did have a\npiece of news for you, unless you\u2019re too busy to listen.\u201d She carefully placed\nher words before Aubrey like a tasty piece of bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not busy. What\nis it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m going to go to\nwork.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood for you!\u201d Aubrey\nsounded sincerely glad. \u201cWhat are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to work for\nCandice Mallard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInterior design?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, she\u2019s needing help.\nAnd we\u2019re going to try it out and see how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, Mom, that\u2019s the best\nnews. I\u2019m so happy for you. You\u2019re a great interior decorator. Everyone says\nso. You are going to be so happy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aubrey\u2019s happy words were\nlike a tonic to her heart. \u201cI\u2019m excited about it, too. A little nervous\nthough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t be. I think\nyou\u2019re way more talented than Candice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen laughed. \u201cWell,\nyou\u2019re my daughter, so you\u2019d have to say that. Just don\u2019t say it to anyone\nelse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, really, Mom. Her\nhouse is so gloomy and dark. Everything seems old and way too traditional. But\nthe things you do with interiors are always exciting and full of life. Like my\nroom, Mom. All my friends thought it was way cool. In fact, I miss it a\nlittle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou do?\u201d Gwen smiled.\n\u201cThanks, Aubrey. I think I needed to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen do you go to work?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMonday. And I\u2019m already\ngetting the first-day jitters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, call me Monday\nnight and tell me how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t mind if I call\nyou then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, as long as you can\nhold yourself back a little and not call me every night. I don\u2019t want the girls\nin the dorm to think I\u2019m a mommy\u2019s girl.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen laughed. \u201cDon\u2019t\nworry, Aubrey. I don\u2019t think anyone would ever think that of you.\u201d Gwen\nimagined her beautiful, almost six-foot-tall daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, the girls are\ngetting ready to make an ice cream run. I don\u2019t want them to leave without me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI won\u2019t keep you then,\nAubrey. Have fun.\u201d Gwen was about to hang up. Getting ready, once again, to cut\nthe umbilical cord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, I\u2019ve got an idea,\u201d\nsaid Aubrey suddenly. \u201cWant to go shopping this weekend? I could help you pick\nout some work clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019d love it, Aubrey. Do\nyou really want to?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure, it\u2019d be fun. I\u2019ll\nmeet you at the campus Starbuck\u2019s at ten on Saturday. Then we can head into\nSeattle. Okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds great! Thanks,\nAubrey.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gwen hung up the phone\nand leaned back into the couch. This was\nexciting! For the first time in ages, she felt that old creative flame within\nher beginning to flicker. It felt almost as if she might at last be\nemerging from a long, dark tunnel of winter. She closed her eyes and whispered\na heartfelt thanks to God. She had tried to rest in the assurance that He had\nbeen holding her in His hand all this time, but often she had felt isolated and\nforgotten. Now it seemed a new door was opening for her. <\/p>\n\n\n