I also agree we need to talk. I’m not sure what to say, though. You know how rotten I am about dealing with conflict. I didn’t exactly have the best role models—dad got drunk and mom stressed out and did completely crazy things like auditioning for a part as a giant tulip in a local garden center commercial the year after dad left us. She got the role, which turned out to be more than she bargained for—she spent the next ten months as the nursery’s official mascot. I was in eighth grade, and my nickname became “Flower Child.” You can imagine what that did to my social life. Her psychologist says she deals with stress by lowering her inhibitions and doing nutty stuff. He calls it a “defense mechanism.” So that’s my lame excuse for not being better at this conflict-resolution thing. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism, too. I was telling the truth when I said things are really hectic this week. Let me get past this weekend and then we’ll talk. I promise.
Love,
Tom
* * *
From:
Dulcie Huckleberry
To:
Brenna L.
Subject:
It’s Saturday!
* * *
Dear Brenna,
I’m sorry to be such a grouch this week. And I didn’t even get back to you about your adoption talk with Darren. How did it go? I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me. Boy, it seems like all we’ve done the past seven days is apologize to each other, huh? I’ve never been so glad to see Saturday come and go.
I’ll be praying that Darren lets God heal his hurt. I haven’t personally faced something like that, but I can imagine how painful it would be. My heart goes out to you both.
Love,
Dulcie
* * *
From:
Brenna L.
To:
Dulcie Huckleberry
Subject:
So glad it’s Saturday!
* * *
Dulcie,
I shouldn’t have dumped on you like that when you were having a rough week. The adoption talk didn’t go so well. Darren’s just not ready, I guess. He thinks that since I gave birth to Madeline, if we adopt, it would be like advertising to the whole world that he has “the problem.” I tried to explain to him that people might assume it’s secondary infertility, which is when a woman becomes infertile after being able to have a baby, but he didn’t seem to get it. So I suppose we just keep waiting. I’m super disappointed, though—every time I see a baby on TV, I start crying. Christmas is going to be a blast, huh?
Thanks for being my friend.
Brenna
* * *
From:
Michelle Oster
To:
Dulcie Huckleberry
Subject:
Apology
* * *
Dear Darcy,
Thanks for the card and the book. I accept your apology. I say dumb stuff, too. In fact, Bruce (my step-dad who almost runs the company) always tells people he was crazy to hire me in the first place, but if he fires me, he’d have to sleep on the couch because Mom wouldn’t even speak to him.
Something I’ve learned from reading romances is that the couple never finds true love and happiness with each other until they start appreciating and being nice to each other. Maybe that would help with you and Tom. Not that I’m in any place to give advice, since I haven’t exactly been a success in the romance department myself, but it seems like you’re taking Tom for granted. He is SO great.
I hope I’m not being too nosy by saying that. But I want Tom to be happy. I don’t want him to end up like my parents and most of my friends. He deserves better. And I guess you do, too.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ostler
P.S. I already had the book you sent. But it was a nice thought.
* * *
From:
Dulcie Huckleberry
To:
SAHM I Am
Subject:
Re: [SAHM I AM] TOTW December 13: A Servant's Heart
* * *
Well, ladies, I haven’t really been following the discussion, but I can tell you I had no problem being humbled this week. It was rather forced on me—by my own big mouth. But then, I learned a lot about what it means to be a servant, by watching my friends reach out to me and take care of me, even when I didn’t want it. And by seeing how one friend’s husband surrendered his own dignity and self-respect to do something for his wife that was very important to her. And learning how to have the humility to forgive myself and accept it when the person I love isn’t ready to forgive me yet.
And you know what? This servanthood and humility thing isn’t for wussy people. It takes a TON of courage.
Dulcie
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