Come Before Winter – Chapter Eighteen – Who’s There?
December 18th, 2021
2 Timothy 4:21, “Do your utmost to come before winter.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – WHO’S THERE?
The phone vibrated next to Mercy on the nightstand, startling her, the only sound she had in the room maybe since she moved in. She didn’t have too many friends so not many callers. In fact, she could probably count on one hand the times she had received a phone call since she arrived here in this city.
‘H’lo,’ clearing her throat and making sure she sounded alert. Why did people do that? Take every precaution you could to assure you didn’t sound as if you had just been awakened…at four o’clock in the morning, mind you?! To act like at seven am you had been awake for hours and run a marathon and had breakfast with the president and found world peace and getting ready to go for a workout.
‘Mercy? That you?’ Well, yeah, it’s my number I gave you. That’s my name, Mercy thought to herself. But she wouldn’t say any of those things.
‘Yes, ma’am. Gwen? Is that you?’ Mercy sat up and wiped the night from her eyes, yawning another hour or so of sleep away from her as she stretched. ‘Is everything alright?’ She climbed out of bed and paced, although she had little space to roam in.
‘Oh, yes, sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to alarm you. I get up hours before the sun rises for the day and I forget others might sleep better than me. Anyway, I was wondering, could you cover for me today? I had something come up last minute and I don’t really have anyone I trust, or who I think cares about my shop. I mean, if you’re tied up, I can close it and it’s not a prob…’
‘I’ll do it! What time do you need me to be there?’ Mercy interrupted eagerly. Wow! she thought to herself. Wow! A job? A friend?
‘Well, it’s like this. I’m outside your home right now. Can I give you my key and then can I give you instructions while I drive? Like I said, something came up last minute that is more important than my shop, and that’s saying something, but if you’re free, I think I can walk you through just about anything you need for today. Then, later this week, or next, if you’d be interested, I’d like to talk with you about some ongoing parttime work. I like you, Mercy, and I feel you are an old soul and we have known each other somehow, maybe in a past life, or something like that, not that I believe in that kind of stuff…’ Gwen’s voice trailed away, and Mercy wondered if she’d lost the call as she was pulling on boots over her sweats and running toward her entrance. She threw open the door and there was Gwen. ‘Well, hi,’ she said, surprised. ‘How is it you know where to find me?’
‘Oh, you’d be amazed at what I know, little girl,’ Gwen said smoothly, but not haughty, just realistically. Shoving the key to the shop at Mercy, Gwen air-kissed both cheeks and said, ‘Tootle-loo. Gotta run. Go shower and call me when you dry off and I’ll give you all the instructions you need for today. That work, sweets?’ Mercy nodded and Gwen disappeared as quickly as she’d arrived, and as the girl reentered her little room, ie home, she pondered what just had happened. No time though! She had a friend, and she had a job! For today, anyway. ‘Tootle-loo,’ she mimicked.
1 Peter 5:7, ‘Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.’ (TPT)
To Be Continued…
