Mandy

Chapter 41

The Lord is my strength and my song
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   Mandy stepped into a musty old barn, smiling as she breathed in the scent of mothballs and mud. "This place hasn't changed a bit." She said aloud.

   Caleb watched her from the doorway. For their birthday, the two had decided to go check out some places they used to know.

   "I remember when I walked in here, you ran ahead and I tried to follow without tripping on the ropes that lay on the floor." Mandy reminisced as she turned around to face him.

   Caleb smiled. He remembered that day well. "You wished you'd stayed in the van with Liz, where it wasn't so dark."

   She shook her head as she looked around the place again. "It's funny, this is the first time I've ever seen this place in the daylight."

   "It's only the second time you've seen the place at all Mandy." Caleb pointed out.

   She smiled as she walked back over to him. "It's still the first time in the daylight. I can't believe no one has bought this land since then though."

   "The right buyer hasn't seen it yet." Caleb reassured her. "I'm sure someone will bring this old barn back to life."

   "But not in my lifetime." Mandy replied as she stepped out of the barn and walked back to the car.

   "Maybe they will. You don't know." He pointed out.

   Mandy shook her head. "You don't either." She pointed out. "Ok, where to next?"

   "I'm not sure. Maybe we should go get a bite to eat."

"Sure. I'm getting kinda hungry."

"Do you ever actually get hungry? You don't even eat enough to feed a bird."

Mandy glared at him. "I eat plenty, thank you very much. Besides, some birds eat a lot."

   Caleb shook his head. "Let's just go eat." He said, pulling his keys out of his pocket.

Mandy grinned and took them from his hand. "I'll drive."

"Why can't I?"

"Because of you drove, I have no idea where the car would go. I know what you like to eat, and I'm telling you right now, it's my birthday too." Mandy told him, then walked to the car.

Caleb ran after her. "It's not like I'd pick a bar."

Mandy frowned at him. "I'd hope not. But I want to drive. Please?"

Caleb sighed, than smiled at her. "You ought to be glad I could never turn you down."

   An hour later, the two of them were enjoying their meal.

   "Can you believe we're 30?" Caleb asked.

   Mandy sighed. "I don't want to think about it." She replied.

   Caleb grabbed a green bean off Mandy's plate and popped it into his mouth. "When I was a kid, I thought I'd have a normal job, a wife and possibly kids by now."

    Mandy shook her head. "Don't steal my food." She reprimanded, knowing he would just do it again. "But yeah, I had the same thought. This isn't exactly what either of us planned to be doing."

   Caleb snagged another bean off Mandy's plate. "It's not a bad life."

   Mandy smiled. "Not at all."