Jamie to homecoming, and with her as the angel, I just couldn’t bear the thought that I’d
have to spend every afternoon with her for the next month or so. Being seen with her once
was bad enough … but being seen with her every day? What would my friends say?
But I could tell this was really important to her. The simple fact that she’d asked
made that clear. Jamie never asked anyone for a favor. I think deep down she suspected
that no one would ever do her a favor because of who she was. The very realization made
me sad.
“What about Jeff Bangert? He might do it,” I offered.
Jamie shook her head. “He can’t. His father’s sick, and he has to work in the store
after school until his father gets back on his feet.”
“What about Darren Woods?”
“He broke his arm last week when he slipped on the boat. His arm is in a sling.”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” I said, stalling, but Jamie knew what I was doing.
“I’ve been praying about it, Landon,” she said simply, and sighed for the second
time. “I’d really like this play to be special this year, not for me, but because of my father.
I want it to be the best production ever. I know how much it will mean to him to see me be
the angel, because this play reminds him of my mother… .” She paused, collecting her
thoughts. “It would be terrible if the play was a failure this year, especially since I’m
involved.”
She stopped again before going on, her voice becoming more emotional as she went
on.
“I know Eddie would do the best he could, I really do. And I’m not embarrassed to
do the play with him, I’m really not. Actually, he’s a very nice person, but he told me that
he’s having second thoughts about doing it. Sometimes people at school can be so … so
… cruel, and I don’t want Eddie to be hurt. But …” She took a deep breath, “but the real
reason I’m asking is because of my father. He’s such a good man, Landon. If people make
fun of his memory of my mother while I’m playing the part … well, that would break my
heart. And with Eddie and me … you know what people would say.”
I nodded, my lips pressed together, knowing that I would have been one of those
people she was talking about. In fact, I already was. Jamie and Eddie, the dynamic duo,
we called them after Miss Garber had announced that they’d be the ones doing the roles.
The very fact that it was I who had started it up made me feel terrible, almost sick to my
stomach.
She straightened up a little in her seat and looked at me sadly, as if she already knew
I was going to say no. I guess she didn’t know how I was feeling. She went on.
“I know that challenges are always part of the Lord’s plan, but I don’t want to believe
that the Lord is cruel, especially to someone like my father. He devotes his life to God, he
gives to the community. And he’s already lost his wife and has had to raise me on his own.
And I love him so much for it… .”