The Boy Next Door

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Hearing the bells that tell me the door to the vet's office was being opened, I looked up from the computer with a smile.

"Matthew, uh..."

I wasn't too keen on doing this job, but I had to to start out. Now I was thankful I'd stayed here, because I could take the phone off the base and hit the emergency call button. He didn't notice, since my hands were already so close to the phone.

"I'll call the police again," I said. He just stared at me and didn't say a word. I gulped.

They didn't even have to drive over, I thought as I realized that the police station was across the street. Through the window I saw a few men tumble out and run over.

Matthew was gone minutes after that, without a struggle. I hadn't broken eye contact with him to whole time, and I finally felt like I could breathe. "Evan," I said with relief when he picked up.

"You okay? You sound off."

"Matthew was here. I called the police and they were able to take him in, but he was watching me the whole time."

"He's gone?" I realized that just as he said it and smiled.

"Finally."

"I think we need to celebrate. Tomorrow night I'm going to take you out somewhere special."

"What about Savannah?"

"We can ask your parents if they'd watch her for us."

I smiled. "Great. I'll see you tonight."

I hung up, not wanting my boss to see me making a personal call.

Everyone seemed a lot better that night. Evan wasn't as tired, I had been able to make dinner and not get pizza, and Savannah was bursting at the seams to tell me all about her day.

"And the kids said mean things so I sat at lunch with Maddie, and-"

"Wait," Evan interrupted, "how ere they being mean?"

She shrugged. "Well they said I'm a silly foster kid and that makes me a freak. But I know that isn't true! God says in the Bible that we're each special, and to be special you hafta be different."

I smiled at her knowledge and handling. "Good for you. Ready for dinner?"

"Yep!" She carried the bowl of green beans to the table and I followed behind with some chicken. It was a simple dinner, but I was proud because I'd made it here, without my mom or friends, and I'd done it perfectly.

Evan, Savannah, and I clasped hands to pray, and when the meal was through Evan was reluctant to go. "You're not as tired because you got more sleep," I told him, so he left. Tomorrow was Friday though, and I hoped he wouldn't be tired for our date. The ring weighed on my finger and I bit my lip some.

Before laying in bed that night, I kneeled and prayed. "Father, thank you for all the wonderful things You're doing. Thank you for getting Matthew out of my life, and thank you for this wonderful day. I don't want to do this though, if it isn't what You've planned for me. Please reveal to me if what I'm doing goes along with Your plan for my life, because I don't want to be here otherwise, no matter how much I care for Savannah and Evan. In Your Son's name, Amen."