in my church who cared and laughed with me. Peggy and Dennis Kissinger were two who sincerely took an interest and encouraged me.
Thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I am so blessed.
Prologue
Squirming to relieve her aching back, Sharon continued her drive from San Antonio, Texas to Zephyrhills, Florida. What a way to spend her twenty-first birthday. A new widow, hurt, confused and a tiny bit afraid of her life ahead, she drove bravely on.
I can remember Grandmother McGregor saying, ‘When you find yourself knocked to your knees, you’re in a good position to pray.’ She smiled to herself as she remembered her lovable, feisty Scots Grandmother. Her beloved maternal grandmother had died four years before and was still missed. I’ve sure been knocked to my knees a lot the past few months, and I’ve prayed a lot, but I still am not sure that I’m making the right decision. Guess I’ll just have to keep on keeping on and have a lot of faith and trust. I do trust you, Lord.
Pewter-bottomed clouds didn’t allow much of the blazing sun through while heat covered everything as if it were a thick comforter on a feather bed. Aw gee! More road construction. Someone must have told them I’d be coming through. Trials and tribulations seem to follow me. Stop it, Sharon! You’re getting paranoid.
Sharon breathed a deep sigh and dropped her head against the backrest of the seat. Her aching heart, matching her aching back, brought the past two years to her mind.
She whispered, “Heavenly Father, help me to put the past behind me and make the future strong for me. I still don’t understand how so much evil happened as it did, but I’m so thankful you were there to cushion me. I know that you will take charge and lead me from now on.” She closed her eyes thinking of the past two years.
Chapter One
“Hey! Hey! Ole!” Sharon Donnelly sang as she snapped her fingers and moved her feet in rhythm with the Latin beat that the band played. Waist-length strawberry-blond hair swirled out in waves and curls as bright, jade eyes sparkled with excitement and happiness.
Her parents, Sean and Megan Donnelly, had arranged to give her this surprise nineteenth birthday party. Vivid blue and gold streamers and multi-colored balloons decorated the Silver Pines Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. College friends and neighbors were celebrating with her. Lightning bursts of happiness raced through her heart as she walked smiling through the crowd and feeling blessed.
“Wow! What a grrreat party!” Lynn Yates burbled as she gyrated by Sharon in rhythm to the beat of the rollicking music.
Lynn’s mother was Sean Donnelly’s sister. When Lynn was five years old, her parents died in an automobile accident, and the Donnellys had taken Lynn to raise as another daughter. Three year old Sharon had idolized Lynn and they were much closer than most biological sisters.
Although Sharon smiled at guests, and sometimes made a comment, her thoughts took her away. She smiled lovingly after Lynn. Oh, Lynn and I were such brats. We were, and still are, horse crazy and practically lived in the stable. Poor mom. She’s such a lady, and she despaired of us ever growing to be more than tomboys. Now look at us. I’ve finished my second year of college to become a teacher and Lynn’s finished veterinarian school and Master Instructor so she can open a riding school for the handicapped. We’ll both be teaching and we both adore children.
“Sharon, darling, are you with us?” Megan Donnelly giggled. “You’re in another world and haven’t answered me.”
“Earth to Sharon.” Sean Donnelly laughed as he put his arms around her waist and lifted her to twirl around.
“Daddy! Put me down this instant.” Sharon didn’t succeed in sounding firm or angry. “Thank you, Mom and Dad,” she exclaimed as she hugged each one. “I don’t know when I’ve had more fun. This truly is a wonderful party.”
She smiled at her parents thinking, daddy’s only forty-two and mom’s forty. They both look marvelous and they’ve been the world’s best parents for Lynn and me.
“We’re happy if you are,” Megan said. “Why don’t we get to that delicious looking buffet while we have a few minutes to ourselves.”
“Lead me to food anytime,” Sean chuckled. “Mom’s right. Better grab a bite while we can.”
“Oh, no,” Sharon groaned. “I’d better not eat. If I put anything inside, it’ll be outside real quick. The grasshoppers and butterflies in my stomach aren’t mixing too well.”
“Too late,” Sean whispered. He reluctantly turned, with a smile, to shake hands with the two men who stood by him. Megan talked politely to the men’s wives while slowly moving toward the buffet table.
“Thank you for coming to my party,” Sharon told the two couples. “Please excuse me. My roommate and other college friends are wondering why I don’t spend some time with them.” She walked over to a group of young people that included Amanda Rawlings, her college roommate.
“Yoweee! I’m having a hard time closing my mouth. This is so amazing. See my big eyes,” Amanda laughed. “My family is socially active in Virginia, but we never belonged to a club like this. It feels as if I’m in the middle of ‘Gone With the Wind’ in this plantation setting. Your folks sure went all out for you.”
Sharon put her arm through Amanda’s arm. “Remember, I grew up with this. It ain’t all that hot to me. Besides, you know how I feel. It’s what a person is inside that’s important, and not what they belong to or how much they have.”
“Oh, I know how you feel, and I’m not envious,” Amanda continued. “You’re one of the most down to earth people I know. They would soon throw me out of here with my cut-off jeans and ratty sneakers.”
“You think you have ratty clothing? You should have seen Lynn and me when we were little. My dad almost got kicked out of the country club because we would ride our horses, bareback, straight across the golf course while looking worse than street urchins. We were barefoot, wearing dirty shorts and torn T-shirts. There’s a lake by the golf course for boating and an area for swimming. Can you imagine how those proper ladies felt as they leisurely drifted around in a canoe and here came Lynn and I swimming our horses toward them and yelling like savages.” The group of young people was laughing hysterically. “But at church we were angels. Mom dressed us at least to look like ladies and we were afraid to behave differently. Lynn was always better behaved than I.
“Did I hear my name taken in vain?” Lynn walked to stand beside Amanda. “Are we telling stories? Boy, could I tell you folks stories about this one,” she laughed gesturing toward Sharon.
“Okay, old lady. That’s enough out of you,” Sharon chuckled.
“Who’er you calling an old lady?” Lynn teased trying to look angry and failing. The group laughed and asked to be let in on the joke.
“There’s no joke,” Sharon answered. “Lynn’s two years older, and I like to tease her about being the oldest.” She turned to a neighbor girl. “Remember the party mom and dad gave Lynn for her twenty-first birthday here at the club a couple of months ago?” She explained to Amanda and the group. “This place was decorated horsey. Some
