Glorilyn's old Honda Civic sat under a utility light. JD pulled up next to her, and she tumbled out of the driver's side like she hadn't seen him for years.
Fear blanketed her face. She must really be tense about breaking down. His sister swiped a tear from her cheek. "Oh, thank you, JD."
He stepped out beside her. "What happened?"
She gulped. "First I heard a thump from under the hood and the car wouldn't go anymore. I knew something was wrong, so I steered into the Food Basket parking lot. My Honda coasted to a stop. I tried the motor but it wouldn't start." She grasped his arm with ice cold hands. "JD, I'm so scared."
Sure, a breakdown presented a challenge, but would it cause this much distress?
JD reached through the cab in front of Joella and pulled a flashlight out of the glove compartment. "This should only take a minute." He paced toward the disabled car and propped the hood open.
"Hmm. The belts are okay. Based on the condition of your battery terminals, I can tell you haven't taken your car in for a checkup lately. Since the engine cranks but won't start, I strongly suspect your timing belt is broken."
"Is that bad?" With wide eyes, she gawked at him.
"Well, it's not going to run until you replace it. I'd suggest getting it towed, but it might be expensive this time of night. Why don't you lock the car, and I'll take you home. It should be fine until morning."
"O … okay." She clicked her remote and crawled into the truck's back seat. "But, I've got to think of something to tell Dad."
"All right, we'll talk about it." JD slipped into the driver's seat. "Joella, meet my sister, Glorilyn."
His friend gave her a smile. "That must've been a pretty scary experience. Are you okay?"
Suspicion ate at JD's gut. Could this have anything to do with the conversation he overheard the other night? "Before you answer that, I've got a question of my own." JD peered into the back seat and clutched the ignition key until it made dents in his hand.
His sister bit her nails as she scrunched down into a ball.
"You said you saw my truck. What were you doing at the Civic Center? And why don't you want Dad to know about your car?"
Chapter Seven
A glance at Glorilyn's tortured face and JD knew. She held something locked inside. And he needed answers. "You've never been very good at keeping secrets. What's going on?"
She flinched. "I … I just went out for a drive."
JD slammed his fist against the console between the front seats. When Joella jumped, he regretted coming on so strong. He'd allowed anger to control him—something he usually didn't do. "Glorilyn, I'm not buying that. You tell me what you were doing, or I'm calling Dad right now. He's going to find out how you were hanging out around the Civic Center. You know exactly what kind of area that is—The Wall and the tenement housing."
"No, please, JD." His sister gasped. "He'll kill me. Things will never be the same."
"All right, then. You better give me the truth." What would cause a girl from a good home that honored the Father to put herself in this kind of situation?
Glorilyn's pitiful sobs filled the cab followed by a hiccup. "You've got to promise not to tell Mom and Dad."
Joella gripped her hands into a white-knuckled clench. What would she think of him … and his sister when Glorilyn revealed the truth? But worse, if her actions were drug related, which he highly suspected, what would Mom and Dad say? And the elders? His sister's spiritual status could be in dire jeopardy.
Glorilyn's wails pelted him like sand on a windy day. She was right. Their father would make life miserable until she remedied her wrong deed. "I went to The Wall with some people. But I swear, I didn't buy drugs. I just watched my friends make a deal."
JD ran his fingers through his hair. "Little sister, you are in so much trouble right now. I want the whole story, then you need some guidance."
Did Joella share his beliefs about illegal substances? Maybe she could give Glorilyn some facts about the dangers of drug use. They could both talk some sense into her. "Tell you what, you listen to us and promise you’ll give our advice some serious thought. Then maybe —maybe I won’t tell Mom and Dad."
He took a quick peek at the woman beside him. "Do you mind, Joella?" Volunteering her without asking might not have been the best idea, but he needed her help.
Glorilyn grabbed his shoulder. "No. Not her. I can't discuss this with a stranger."
JD bit his lip. "She's my friend and she has a younger sister, too." What was he supposed to say to a seventeen-year-old? He turned around to the front and started the ignition. At the corner, he stole another glance at Joella.
She half-turned to the backseat. "I don't want to interfere in a family situation if Glorilyn is uncomfortable, but I'm happy to listen. Why don't we go somewhere to get a bite to eat before we decide what to do?"
If JD could feel half as calm as Joella sounded, he'd be happy, since he didn't usually go around handing out advice to teenagers. How was he supposed to deal with his sister? In any case he loved the kid—every bit as much as Tannon.
Glorilyn tugged JD's arm. "Okay. Let's talk—if you promise not to tell."
Why had this happened in the first place? Though his sister was still a teen, they'd been taught the same principle: lead a virtuous life and gain credit on the Scale of Balance.
Joella, a half-smile on her lips, still peered at Glorilyn. "How about Mac's Burgers. It's right up the block."
"Good a place as any." He headed the truck to the parking lot.
Joella gave a soft chuckle. "You did say a hamburger was your second choice after steak and lobster."
He snapped his fingers. In the turmoil, he'd forgotten about their dinner plans. "Oh, yeah. Next time."
The sign, Mac's Burgers, rose in three-dimensional letters over the red brick building's double doors. He got out and opened the truck's backdoor for Glorilyn then walked around to the passenger side to help Joella out.
His sister marched inside without waiting for them. What was her problem? He was trying to help her and if things continued on like this, she could fall into big trouble.
JD grimaced. Surely, he'd never acted like a brat at her age. A booth sat empty in the back of the restaurant away from the front counter. "Go sit down while I order. Burgers and fries good?"
Joella nodded, but Glorilyn shrugged, refusing to look at him.
Cutouts of barnyard animals greeted customers, their outlines posted with the menu. A teen who looked barely older than Glorilyn smiled at him from behind the red and white counter.
"Three burgers, fries, and colas, please." He checked over his shoulder.
Joella slid in next to Glorilyn in the circular booth, but his sister scooted away.
He exhaled hard, turned back to the clerk, and handed her a twenty. He'd get to the bottom of this. One way or another.
With a heavy heart, he retrieved napkins and condiments before carrying the tray to the booth.
Glorilyn's lower lip protruded. She hugged her chest, a stare aimed at the table.
"Hope you're hungry." He set the tray down and scooted in next to his sister.
Joella shrugged and raised her brows. "What grade are you in?"
Glorilyn turned the corners of her mouth down even further.
"She's a senior, though she's certainly not acting like one." He passed a hamburger to Joella and set one in front of Glorilyn.
Though his teenaged sister was rude, Joella looked at her with kind eyes. How could his new friend appear so peaceful in the midst of the situation? Well, Glorilyn wasn't her sister. Maybe that was it.
"If I'm making you uncomfortable, I'll ask JD to take me home after we eat, so you two can talk."
No response. And if looks could kill, that burger would be cinders by now. Enough. She might be younger than he, but this went beyond bad behavior.
"Glorilyn, mind your manners." Whoa. How many times had he heard his father say the exact same thing with the same growl?
/> Joella reached behind Glorilyn. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder. "It's okay. Just give her a minute."
Once again, Joella brought her attention back to their difficult teen. "When I was your age, I thought nobody understood me. I had a rough time. Later, after college, I found out how much God loves me, and I realized He had a purpose for my life." When Joella looked past Glorilyn at JD, she raised her eyebrows.
With an unhurried motion, his sister curved her neck toward Joella and stared. "You know a lot about God?"
Joella nodded. "He's always there, even if everyone else lets me down."
Glorilyn's face softened a fraction. She picked up her hamburger and nibbled.
JD pushed a fry in his mouth, almost inhaling the potato. "I need the whole story about this evening."
His contrary sister yanked her head toward him. "Is your girlfriend going to tell anyone?" She barricaded herself with folded arms over her chest.
My girlfriend. What did Joella think about Glorilyn's summation of their relationship?
Unflinching, Joella looked from him to his sister. An expression he couldn't interpret crossed Joella's face, something like … peace. Yeah, peace.
"No, of course not. I'll keep anything you say to myself." She smiled at his belligerent sibling. "I can promise you that." Joella plunged her crusty fry into a plastic container of catsup and popped it into her mouth.
Glorilyn seemed to consider Joella’s words for a moment, but then she nodded, her ponytail swaying. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Lori said she had to pick up a delivery at The Wall and asked me to meet her and Jane. I knew they planned to buy drugs." She fished in her purse as a tear trailed down her cheek.
"Need a Kleenex?" Joella smiled and handed her one. "Nobody's going to judge you."
Glorilyn stared at the tissue a moment before slipping it from Joella's hand. "She and Jane smoke dope with their boyfriends. The guys told them to pick up the stuff this time. Lori asked me if I'd ever tried it, and laughed when I said no. They told me it wouldn't hurt me to see how it's done. That's all." She dabbed her eyes. "When I got back in my car, I noticed your truck in the Civic Center parking lot. Nobody could miss your personalized CPA license plate. When my car wouldn't start, I called you. If I phoned Dad to come get me, I'd never hear the end of it." Her wide eyes searched JD's. "I swear. I don't do drugs." Another tear trickled down her cheek into the waiting tissue.
JD plucked the straw out of his drink and plunged it in again. The burger he’d swallowed felt like a block of concrete in his gut. Glorilyn’s involvement in this whole sordid mess tore him apart. She knew better, knew their church forbade drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Their parents had raised them with different standards, taught them to avoid the temptations and dangers of the world.
"Why do you hang out with girls like that?"
"I don't know." Glorilyn chewed on her pinky. "I should pick my friends from church, but those girls at school act like I really matter."
A muscle twitched in JD's jaw. "You mean kids from church don't treat you that way?"
Her shoulders rose and fell. "Lori and Jane make me feel … special." She placed her hamburger back on the cardboard container. "Mom always talks about how wonderful you and Arletta are. She never says anything good about me. Sometimes I don't even think she loves me or Tannon." Another tear leaked onto her cheek, and she brushed it away.
"Arletta doesn't live at home any more. Mom's just crazy about her grandbabies." Mom and Dad, his brother and sisters, were everything to him. Realizing that Glorilyn felt alienated saddened him.
In the past, his sister had always laughed at his jokes and teased him. The only problems she gave were the few times Mom scolded her for improper language. How little he really knew about his sibling.
Joella patted Glorilyn's hand. "It might seem like your mom favors one of the others, but I'm sure she loves you just as much. I have issues with my sister, Tammy." Joella's focus seemed to turn inward. "She thinks my parents don't care about her."
Her brow creased and she paused as if the statement was a revelation. "But it's not true. Mom and Dad love us equally. I've heard them tell her how proud they are that she's studying to be a nurse."
After a deep breath, Joella gave Glorilyn a warm smile. "But most important, God loves you more than your family does and wants what's best for you. He even knows when a brown hair falls from that pretty head of yours."
As if pondering Joella's words, Glorilyn squinted. "Sometimes I don't think I'll ever be good enough for God." She twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger.
"I know what you mean, but God doesn't judge us like that. All that matters is whether we've trusted what His Son did for us on the cross." Joella smiled at JD.
Tension tightened the muscles in his shoulders. The words Joella spoke, like those he heard at the sunrise service, were foreign to what he and Glorilyn had learned all their lives.
From the look in Joella's eyes and her calm voice, he knew she believed every syllable. Only one problem—Joella's God and his weren't the same. And to make it worse, her words confirmed the conclusion he'd reached the night under the stars at Murray Park. She believed in the false religion people had originally followed.
Tonight when he asked for help, he hadn't expected Joella to talk about God. Now his sister knew about the difference in religious thinking between him and his new friend. Would Glorilyn tell Dad—report that he had a girlfriend who didn't believe as their family did?
A deep breath gave a measure of relief. No way would she mention this to him. She couldn't risk having her brother tell Dad about The Wall.
He took a healthy bite of hamburger. Though their viewpoints were different, Joella described a God who seemed to love and accept her … as if He took an active part in her life, unlike Exalted Father. An all-too-familiar loneliness curled ugly tendrils around his heart.
"JD told me your family attends church, and I know your parents don't want you to take drugs. If you rebel against them, it's the same as if you rebel against God."
Glorilyn rested two fingers on her cheek. "It's so odd. We get lectured at school about how bad drugs are, but none of the teachers say anything about what God thinks." His sister looked from him to Joella. "I don't really want to take drugs, but I hate to be different. Sometimes it's so hard to please the Father, I feel like giving up."
Joella dabbed a napkin at the edges of her mouth. "The right kind of friends will accept you for who God made you to be, not because you fall in with all the things they do."
JD slid out the booth and patted Glorilyn's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you home … and I promise not to tell our parents. This time. But if I find out you're hanging with those kids again, I'll go straight to Dad."
"I agree. I made a lousy decision." Glorilyn's smile toward Joella surprised him. "You've said some things I've wondered about. Thank you."
Joella pulled a card from her purse. "Look. If you ever need to talk, here's my phone number."
"Thanks." Glorilyn slipped it in her pocket and fisted JD's shoulder. "Thank you for not telling Mom and Dad."
He pulled Glorilyn to him and hugged her. "I love you, sis."
She gave an embarrassed laugh and hurried out the front of Mac's.
After a quiet drive, he stopped in front of his parents' home.
Glorilyn's soft voice peeped. "I still don't know what to tell Dad when he asks about my car."
JD stretched toward the backseat and pulled the handle to open the truck's backdoor. "I'm going to do you a favor, but you may need to ride the school bus. Give me your keys, and I'll call a mobile mechanic first thing in the morning. When he's finished, I'll have him follow me to the house so I can return your car. If Dad asks, just tell him you phoned me because you didn't want to bother him. Maybe I'll have your car back home before he realizes it's gone. And, Glorilyn, you owe me one."
"You're the best." She climbed out and ambled down the sidewalk. Halfway to the front entrance, she turned arou
nd. Walking backwards, she gave them a wave.
*****
When JD drove out of the neighborhood, he tried to relax his tight shoulders. Until now, his sister's situation hadn't impacted him, causing him to realize how much he loved her. If anything ever happened to her …
Joella's advice sounded good and she meant well, but Glorilyn still had to right her Scale of Balance after this mistake. "Thank you for talking to my sister tonight."
"I'm glad to be of help." She tugged a lock of hair behind her ear. "Makes me want to reach out more to my own sister."
He cleared his throat. "You … talk so plainly about God, as if He were easy to understand." Countless rules in order to lead a good life piled up, and Exalted Father's nature always seemed masked in secrecy, just beyond JD's grasp. "You did much better than I could."
"I'm not her sister or big brother. I think that helped. I'll be praying for her."
His stomach churned. Though Joella had a calming influence on Glorilyn, he hoped his sis hadn't swallowed everything she said.
"Thank you for … praying." The only advantage of prayer was to add positive influence to his scale. Exalted Father liked his children to seek him. But Joella prayed for different reasons, obviously.
In front of her apartment, he cut the engine. Her eyes expressed something he couldn't comprehend. She'd spoken tonight with confidence and serenity. Was she a case of ignorance is bliss?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" An amused smile played on her lips.
He leaned closer. An apricot aroma quickened his pulse. He didn't dare obey his heart and kiss her but instead opened the driver's door and strolled around to the passenger side.
After helping her down, reason said to release her hand, but this time he didn't listen. The way she spoke about God and her quiet self-assurance drew him as a small child enticed by the mystery and wonder of Christmas morning, though the holiday meant nothing more than a cultural event.
With a gentle tug, he pulled her around to face him. Beautiful amber eyes searched his. "You seem to know a lot about your … I mean about God. I've never met anyone like you." Despite being deceived, she spoke of her Deity with a reverence and love JD had never heard before.
She offered a shy grin and cast her gaze to the pavement.