Truly, Madly, Deeply (The Baxters #31) - Karen Kingsbury Page 0,4

island hit her hard. She had barely been able to sleep. Girls and boys in their early teens and younger being sold in the open marketplace. Twenty minutes from here.

It’ll be okay, she told herself. God will lead us where we need to go. She stood and looked around the room until she found what she wanted. Three vitamin B capsules and two bottles of water. A few minutes later Annalee felt stronger. She grabbed her Bible and stepped outside onto the balcony. Her parents were already in the lobby, meeting with the local Each One coordinator about the work ahead. Annalee still had thirty minutes before the group was set to meet for breakfast.

The air smelled of fresh jasmine. Annalee stretched her legs on the chaise lounge and opened her Bible to Philippians, chapter four. God’s Word was her companion and best friend. The voice of the Father spoke to her from the pages of a book that transcended time.

But of all the verses in all the chapters in all the books of the Bible, this part in Philippians was her favorite. She had the fourth chapter nearly memorized, but today more than ever she needed to see the words. Soak them into the depth of her soul.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

With every word, Annalee felt peace come over her. The passage filled the cracks in her heart and convinced her she would survive this day. Whatever terrible realities they saw.

Annalee knew a little about sex trafficking. They had talked about it at school. How to avoid being trafficked. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t chat with unknown people online. Don’t hang out at the mall alone. That sort of thing. But today she would see helpless kids being sold and abused for the sake of someone else’s greed. Bought for a sickening selfishness.

Her eyes found the words again. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything…

She closed her Bible and set it on the nearby table, but even still the Scripture stayed with her…. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds…

A gentle breeze blew off Andaman Bay this morning. Annalee stood and breathed deep. She stretched her arms over her head and for the next ten minutes she ran through a series of stretches. As she did, she remembered last night and the boy who lived permanently in her heart.

Tommy Baxter.

Nothing about Tommy was ordinary. He’d been the star basketball player on the Northside varsity team since their freshman year. Apparently, Tommy played the game just like his father had once played it. Mr. Baxter was a lawyer now, but back in his high school days, Luke Baxter had been first-team all-state.

No surprise that Tommy played like his dad. He looked like him, too. One of Annalee’s greatest joys was watching Tommy run up and down the court, driving to the hoop. Northside fans had come to expect twenty points a game from Tommy Baxter. But they didn’t expect the way he lived his life off the court. If Tommy had been like every other popular jock at school, he wouldn’t be with her family here in Thailand.

In fact, they wouldn’t have dated at all.

* * *

ANNALEE’S DAD WAITED till after they were done eating before turning the breakfast conversation over to Niran, their guide for the day. Niran and his wife ran the newly opened safe house near Phuket City and today he would take them to Bangla Road near Patong—the beach not far from where they were staying.

“You will see things today that will stay.” Niran tapped his temple. “Here. In your mind and soul.” Niran was maybe in his sixties. He told them how when his children had grown and gone, he and his wife felt a driving desire to help.

“So many children.” Niran’s eyes narrowed. “Those lost little ones, they are our family now.”

Tommy stayed by Austin as they walked to Niran’s van. Annalee walked with her parents. There would be no hand-holding for them today. As they set out, Annalee studied the architecture. This was her first time to Thailand, and the pastel buildings and Chinese accents surprised