Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades) Read Online Free PDF Page B

room.
Spinning, I gave her a peck on the cheek, and then
raced to the bedroom where Trish had salvaged some
clothes for me to wear on a ‘temporary’ basis.
After slipping into a tank top, light green button
up shirt, and some faded blue jeans we were out the door.
We jumped into Trish’s Jeep Wrangler with the top down
and raced into town. There weren’t a lot of choices in
Grand Rapids but we headed for the one mall. ‘The
small’ the girls called it. It had a few clothing stores along
with a book store, drug store, and beauty boutique.
When the amigos power shopped, they really
power shopped. We nearly melted Mom’s credit card at
the rate we spent. I tried slowing them down, suggesting
we get something to eat before they could do more
damage, but it did little good as they pushed me into
another store with the united cry, “later”.
I have to admit, the excitement of buying clothes
in the woman’s section instead of the children’s section
appealed to me. Walking out of the changing room where
the girls waited to give their approval, I watched their
mouths drop open.
“What?” I asked.
“Britt, you’re gorgeous,” Elisa gasped.
“Oh, come on.”
“No, seriously; Elisa’s right,” Cassie agreed.
“Britt, you are one hot woman,” Trish added as
she walked up to me, took me by my shoulders, and
turned me to the mirror.
The image in the mirror made me gasp. I stared in
shock. The person in the mirror belied the little girl
memory of me. A woman stared back at me; the new
clothing accentuating the shapely figure I now possessed.
Trish stood smiling next to me. I always thought
her the most attractive of the bunch, but her long dark
hair, deep brown eyes paled next to my vibrant blue eyes,
shimmering hair, and glowing skin.
Cassie came to stand on my other side, grinning
as she wrapped an arm around me and gave me a
supportive squeeze. Her bleached blonde hair, tiny waist,
and blue eyes were beautiful. I felt arrogant realizing
myself prettier.
Elisa’s reflection in the mirror as she sat behind us
revealed her smiling face. Tears welled up in her green
eyes and she turned her red head away, embarrassed,
hoping we wouldn’t notice.
These were the girls the guys chased. It never
happened to me. I never felt like a woman what with the
cancer stuff going on. Until now. Elisa joined us as the
girls swarmed me in front of the mirror, giving me a
group-hug as I stared at our reflection, BFFs.
We swung by Sammy’s Pizza, our favorite
pizzeria, and I called Mom to let her know. We sat in a
booth, the backs so high you couldn’t see the people on
either side. Ordering a pizza, we caught up on all the
gossip I’d missed the last two weeks.
Reluctantly I told them about our canoe trip.
Telling them I had a spell and we went to the Mayo
Clinic to check it out, I decided not to share the details
about trying to kill myself. Actually, Mom never asked if
I did it on purpose, though after my conversation with
Dad at the Mayo, I knew he understood. He went along
with Mom’s opinion that the current swept me away and I
was too weak to cry for help. Besides, I did change my
mind, I rationalized.
Elisa told me about Tommy Newman, the starting
quarterback on the football team, and her latest. “The
Thunderhawks are going to be awesome this year.” She
beamed.
“You’re biased,” argued Trish.
“Yeah, so?” Elisa grinned as we erupted into
laughter.
“Just because you’re dating Jeb Strand who
doesn’t have an athletic bone in his body,” Cassie started.
“He has other talents,” Trish defended.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Jeb’s a musician,” Trish explained. “Lead singer
and guitar player for the band, Apocalypse Now. They’re
playing at the first school dance.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“What?” Trish asked.
“I never pegged you to be into the moody artistic
type.” I grinned.
“If you think Jeb doesn’t fit me, you should see
Carl,” Trish