Mandy

Chapter 15

That He would leave his place on high...and come for sinful man to die. You count it strange so once did I... before I knew my savior.
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   When Mandy headed down to the gym the next morning, she found Caleb already going on one of the treadmills.

   "You must have been up early." She commented as she stepped onto the one beside him.

   Caleb shrugged. "I wanted to run for awhile."

   Mandy nodded, knowing that for both of them, running was a way to think.

   Caleb looked back at the screen of the treadmill.

   A couple hours later, Mandy and Caleb were finally in the rented car and headed back to the airport.

   "No, Ami, I said no movies while Samantha is babysitting." Caleb said impatiently.

   Mandy shook her head, then took the cellphone from him. "Focus on driving." She mouthed, then turned to the cellphone. "What's going on sweetie?"

   "Mommy Samantha won't let me watch my cartoons." Amilee wailed.

   Mandy tried to hold back her laughter. "Ami, you don't watch cartoons."

   "But I wanna!" Amilee protested.

   "Amilee, listen to me. If you are trouble for Samantha you will not be allowed to watch any television for a week." Mandy told her.

   Amilee didn't reply.

   "Mandy?" Samantha asked a minute later.

   Mandy sighed. "Hey Sam."

   "What happened?" Samantha asked.
  
   "She isn't suppose to give you any trouble. If she does, she won't be able to watch television for a week." Mandy relayed.

   "Ok." Samantha replied. "When are y'all planning to get back?"

   Mandy glanced at the schedule laying on her lap. "We should be there at about Ami's bedtime, providing there aren't any delays. I'll call you when we land."

   "Sounds good. Amilee misses you."

   Mandy laughed. "Well tell her we miss her too. I'll call you later."

   "Bye." Samantha replied, then hung up the phone.

   Caleb glanced over at Mandy. "Are we going to address them?" He asked.

   Mandy sighed. "I want it to work out." She protested.

   Caleb watched the road. "I'm not sure you do." He told her honestly.

   Mandy bit her lip as she looked out her window. "I'm trying." She whispered.

   Caleb sighed. "I know. I believe you are, but you need to stop thinking of it as a possibility and try to accept it."

   Mandy nodded slowly. "Yeah."

   "We need to find some house to rent." Caleb said.

   "Why?" Mandy asked curiously, looking at her brother.

   Caleb frowned. "Mandy, we need a place to live."

   "Why can't we stay in one of the rooms?"

   Caleb looked shocked. "How are we going to fit into a small inn room?"

   "Caleb, we lived in a closet. For two years! A room at an inn would have been a mansion at that time!" Mandy exclaimed.

   Caleb's hands tightened around the wheel. "That's because we couldn't afford anything else. Not to mention we have two little children. And they've lived in an actual mansion their whole lives."

   Mandy shrugged. "They are five and two. I'm sure they will adjust."

   Caleb glanced at her incredulously. "You really want to live in a room at the inn?"

   Mandy laughed. "Yes! There's only four of us, and we can design the room to our liking. Not to mention we would always be around the inn."

   Caleb didn't reply for a minute. "Ok." He said finally. "That's one question answered."