Campaigning for Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

was only Uncle Charles and what he’d done to her was part of the problem.
    “I’m having a bad life right now. There are a lot of things coming at me all at once, and—and I’m not feeling especially battle-ready today.” She looked up, searching his face. For what, she didn’t know, but she needed to fill the silence somehow. “How’s that for honesty, Pastor Jeremy?”
    He sat down next to her, took her hands in his, and held on. “It’s pretty good for someone who has a phobia about admitting she gets overloaded. What’s going on that’s making you feel this way?”
    “My past has found a way to resurrect itself and become part of my daily courtroom life.” At his confused look, she elaborated, “A guy from one of the high schools I attended is serving in family court with me. He called me over the weekend. He’s interested in playing catch-up with a part of my life I buried forever.” She stared at their joined hands, drawing on his comfort. “I have nothing to say to him.”
    Too restless to sit, she got up and paced. There, she’d told him the important parts. Even Jeremy didn’t need to know all the dirty details of why she didn’t want to talk to Nick. The silence around them grew while Jeremy waited her out. No pity. She hated pity. She didn’t want anyone knowing how pathetic she’d been as a teenager, not even Jeremy. She appreciated his sympathy for her loss, but if he knew what Nick and his father had done to her, he’d feel sorry for her. She couldn’t take that right now.
    She turned and faced him. “Alice taught me the past—well—it belongs behind me. She said it was better to look ahead to where I’m going, not where I’d been.” She hugged her arms about her body to stave off the icy chill of loneliness that settled over her.
    Jeremy stood, but didn’t infringe on her space. “Katherine, you’ve been hit with so much all at once. You’re grieving the loss of your mother.” When she tried to speak, he raised his hand and checked her protest. “I know she adopted you.” His eyes, his words, were so earnest. “That woman couldn’t have loved you any more if she’d given birth to you, and you loved her just as much. That’s what made her your mom. Now, this trouble you’re having at work. All of it combined would be too much for anyone.”
    She was helpless against the hot tears leaking from her eyes. She confessed in a jagged whisper, “I miss her so much. She’d know what to do about work and Uncle Charles and his crazy schemes.” She wiped her face and moved away when he reached for her, unsure whether he was offering pity or comfort this time.
    His voice turned heavy with protective intensity. “What has Judge Pierce done that’s upset you? You’re very special to him. He wouldn’t make you do something he didn’t think would help you.”
    Her nod was her only response.
    “There’s something I need to tell you.” Jeremy turned her to face him. “I know about the Citizen of the Year nomination. I asked the judge if he’d apply some pressure and help me persuade you. Alice asked me to arrange your nomination for the award when I visited her in the hospital. Of course, I would have waited before putting my plan into action if I’d known you were so overwhelmed at work.”
    When she kept quiet, he went on. “All you’re doing is documenting what you do all the time. This, in no way, means they’ll select you and it’s not bragging about what you do to help others. It’s more like bearing witness to your spirit of giving.”
    Then he hit her with the ultimate low blow. “It was important enough to Alice that I promised her I’d make it happen. Don’t fight the judge over this,” he pleaded. “We all care about you.” He smoothed the side of his finger along her jaw and caught a stray tear. “A lot. And we’re proud of you and how you look out for people who don’t have anyone else to stand up for them.”
    The intense silence was too much.