Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 15 Read Online Free PDF

swelled—her husband !
    “ It ’ s nice to meet you , ” Chad said. “We’d love to get coffee with you.”
    “ Oh! ” The man ’ s gestures were the same effeminate movements that had interested her the last time. Before she could introduce Chad, Josh added, “ You are a lucky man. Come on, I can ’ t wait to hear everything .”
    Outside the store, Josh led them down the street, around the corner, and into an old café that had definitely seen better years. “ The coffee isn ’ t gourmet here, but it ’ s good and it ’ s hot .” He waved at the waitress at the counter. “ When you have a minute , Wendy .”
    Chad pushed Willow ’ s card across the table. “ Willow told me how helpful you were. I really appreciate it. I was afraid she ’ d be overwhelmed in a store like yours .”
    “ I could tell she ’ d never been in one .” He grinned at Willow. “ You know, if you hadn ’ t said bridal, I would have asked you out right there. You were the most interesting person I ’ ve met in a long time .”
    The look of shock on Chad ’ s face surprised Willow and amused Josh. “ I thought —”
    “ I ’ m not surprised, ” Josh agreed. “ Before Barney over at the mission introduced me to Jesus… ”
    Chad grinned at Willow and said, “ This is going to be beautiful. I can tell .”
    “ I don ’ t understand .”
    Josh looked at Chad surprised. “ She didn ’ t think —”
    Chad shook his head. “ She ’ s never been exposed to —”
    A wistful tone entered Josh ’ s voice. He looked into Willow ’ s eyes and reached one hand across the table to squeeze both of hers. “ You have no idea how absolutely blessed you are .”
    Confused, Willow listened as Josh told o f his life long love of fashion, interior design, and beauty. “ People always assumed — I guess I can see why , but —” He sighed. “If you hear it enough, you start to believe it—or at least believe you don’t have a choice.”
    Curious, Willow’s eyes darted back and forth between the men, pausing on Chad as he said , “ You felt trapped and assumed that others knew more about you than you knew yourself? ”
    “ If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck —”
    “ It couldn ’ t possibly be a person who likes to wear duck costumes? ” Compassion and surprise flooded Chad ’ s voice. “ When did you realize it wasn’t what you wanted ? ”
    “ When Barney treated me like something worthwhile. He loved me, told me about Jesus, and didn ’ t preach at me about my lifestyle. I finally had to bring it up .”
    “ What ’ d he say? ”
    “ Nothing. He said that when Jesus indwelled my heart, He ’ d help me do whatever Jesus wanted me to do. He could have shown me the Bible. At that point —” Josh ’ s slight lisp grew slightly more pronounced. “ I would have grabbed at any excuse —”
    “ I ’ ll bet that ’ s why he didn ’ t, ” Chad commented. He was impressed. Without a doubt, Chad knew that one of the first things he would have done would have been to encourage Josh to repent.
    “ Right. I was looking for an out for something I hated anyway. I don ’ t know if I would have ever truly repented if he would have pushed right then .”
    Willow listened confused. Josh and Chad seemed to understand each other perfectly , but she didn ’ t have a clue as to what was such a big deal. Though tempted to interrupt and ask, she wisely decided to wait. Chad could explain later. Josh seemed to need to talk.
    “ Of course now, ” Josh continued, “ I ’ m an outcast with the old crowd, the girls at church see me as something they can ’ t quite trust, and I feel as alone as I ever did .”
    “ But with Jesus —” Chad began.
    “ You ’ re never alone .”
    Unconsciously, Willow began humming the old hymn, “ … no never alone, no never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone… ” Josh squeezed her hand again. “ Exactly. Someday I ’ ll