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is the first time you’ve ever missed class. So relax!”
    â€œI guess you’re right.” She sank back onto the couch and realized Randy’s arm was still around her. It felt good.
    â€œI know I am. Now why don’t you go home and take a nap or go for a walk or something? Just clear your mind for a while.”
    â€œMaybe I will.”
    â€œGood girl!” He patted her arm. “I’d go with you, but I’m giving a test in a few minutes. You go on and I’ll meet you on the quad for lunch.”
    â€œI think I’ll pass on lunch. I’ll just grab something at the apartment.” She saw the disappointment in his eyes and she looked away. She needed some time to think.
    â€œSure. Maybe later.”
    â€œBye,” she said as she walked out the door.
❧
    Randy watched from his window as she crossed the lawn. There was something she wasn’t telling him. He was sure of it. Thinking back to last night, he remembered that stab of fear he felt when he heard the weather report. There was no planning, no thinking it through, just an urgent need to find her. When he heard that the tornado had hit the community center, he knew that Rachel was there and needed him. It had taken almost an hour to get through the rubble to where she was. She had been standing alone looking at the damage, obviously in a state of shock. It had been instinct that made him cross the lawn and take her in his arms. She had followed his instructions meekly, accepting his help as if it were as natural as breathing. Then she had said, “Randy, what am I going to do?” She had finally called him Randy. It had come out so easily, as though she had been saying it for years. He had wanted to hold her in his arms, but he was afraid he would scare her. And today he had surprised himself too. Maybe he had come on too strong and that was the reason she had suddenly shied away. Maybe. Still, there was something else going on and he was bound and determined to find out what it was.
❧
    Rachel walked across campus, but this time she wasn’t feeling sorry for herself. It was time to take some action. She reviewed her resources again and mentally went through a list of options. There had to be a way to keep the Center. There just had to be. With that in mind, she turned her steps toward Susan’s house.
❧
    â€œI don’t see how it could work, Rachel,” Susan said for the third time. “There’s no funding available for another building. The only reason we had the Center is because the property was donated. There never was any money budgeted for a building. That’s why it was in such bad shape.”
    â€œBut isn’t there someone who’s willing to let us have classes in an office building or library somewhere? Maybe on campus?”
    â€œThat could be a possibility, but that’s only short-term. What are we going to do after these classes are finished?”
    â€œI don’t know, Susan, but I’m not going to give up without a fight. We owe it to the students to at least finish the term. That will buy us some time to figure out a long-range plan.”
    â€œOkay. Okay. I give in.” Susan threw her hands up in surrender. “We’ll do it your way. You just don’t give up, do you?”
    â€œNot when I believe in something. This town needs that Center, whether it knows it or not. There’s so much more that we could be doing.”
    â€œWhoa there. One thing at a time. First, we find a place to hold classes, and then we conquer the world.”
    â€œI’ll talk to the university first thing in the morning,” Rachel offered.
    â€œGreat. I’ll see if the church will let us use the basketball court and the fellowship hall for the kids’ programs. I’ll meet you here tomorrow and compare notes.”
    â€œPerfect. Tomorrow we fight.”

six
    â€œI can’t believe this,” Rachel fumed.