Captive Heart

Angie grabbed her knife off the hook, folded it, and stuck it in an oversized jacket pocket.
"Hold it! I'll get my sweater," called Kathy heading to the closet in her room.
Angie headed for the patio door. Her blue eyes shot back a quick look of alarm. "Hurry, Kathy, look at the sky! Good grief, that sure looks like the makings of a tornado.”
“I’ll bring the furniture and toys inside.” Kathy moved toward the door, gazed at the sky, and breathed in deeply. "Smell the rain . . . notice, the maples radiate a golden glow . . . but it’s fast becoming dark as night!"
"It's too quiet!" Angela’s voice trembled. Storms terrified her. She dug her tennis shoe into the dry, sandy soil. "We definitely need rain. A soaker. D-don't you think?"
Black eyes snapped as Kathy scrutinized the oncoming swirling mass, and Angela stood silent. She wouldn't look up at the dark danger looming overhead. Instead she searched Kathy's face anticipating . . . a miraculous change of weather. Lord, she began pleading, send this storm somewhere else. Let it pass away . . . then the sun will shine through the trees. Maybe, just maybe it wasn't as bad as what she thought. Yet, darkness was moving in about her like a heavy fog. Kathy's face was becoming shadowed. “Help me, Lord!” She's going to tell me the bad news that we’re in for a tornado. Potential danger now showed in Kathy's eyes as she watched the yellowish darkness arrive. I'm going to freak out . . . Kathy will know . . . I'm terrified of storms. Anxiety caused her stomach to churn. A cold, sudden hard wind swirled leaves and debris into her eyes and hair, and she broke out into a cold sweat.
“W-w-what do you think, Kathy?”
“No doubt about it Angie, it looks like possible tornado weather.”
“We better take cover in the basement, Kat.”
“First, let’s put away the chairs, toys etc. outside. Why don’t you get your mums picked?”
“You know what storms do to me Kat . . . I haven't changed.” Little screeches started coming from Angie’s throat, short gasps for air and finally tears.
"Calm down Angel!" Kathy held her trembling sister as she sobbed.
"When will I quit reacting like a scared rabbit over every rain cloud?" she sobbed.
"It's normal to have storms, Angel."
"I'm scared.”
"It will be over soon, sis."
“Kathy, it’s not just the storm. B-but . . . I fear for my family. All the strange things happening in our quiet little town, it just doesn’t feel safe anymore. And don’t get me started on how the morals in this town have gone downhill.."
"Every word you say is true,” replied Kathy.
Angie groped for the right words to say. "Something else, Kathy, tell me, who phoned you last night? His voice was not familiar."
With her hand gently patting Angie's arm, Kathy spoke in a soothing voice. "I wasn't hiding him from you. His name is Jack Nichols, we met in Carolina while I worked at the church.”
“Kathy, he sounded so strange. Did you go around with him?”
“Of course not, he came to church twice a week for counseling with our Pastor. Naturally, we exchanged conversation, we became pretty good friends.”
"Should you always be friendly?" she cautioned.
A strong wind suddenly came up that swirled Kathy's long hair over her eyes and mouth. Kathy expertly twisted and rolled the heavy hair, binding it together into an oval bun at the nape of her neck.
Angie watched with her mouth open. A sudden thought flashed through her mind. We don't look alike. She has thick, long lashes, large dark eyes, and a marvelous Grecian nose. Everything about us is completely different.
Kathy not only caught hold of her blowing hair, but she gathered her senses. Suddenly, she remembered who, and what she was.
"The Lord is with us," she said with absolute confidence. "Angela, He promises us, He will be with us always.”
Angie’s eyes were wide and blue as she took in what Kathy was saying “Sometimes I forget when I’m excited that, In Him, I can do all things, Angie.” Kathy paused reflectively, and then continued.
“Isaiah says, ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it.”
"How do you remember all those verses, Kathy?"
"I spend time daily reading the Word, and when I need comfort or wisdom, The Lord quietly brings those verses to my mind to guide and comfort me."
"I need to spend more time reading and studying my Bible. It is so easy to get away from the habit of doing so when life gets busy and the kids need my attention. But I am determined to start reading at least a chapter a day. Will you hold me accountable?" Angie asked
“I will be happy to do that.” Kathy with a grin. “Sometimes I get busy and neglect my time with the Lord, too. So we can keep each other accountable.”
“Sounds good.” Angie said with a smile, still nervously eyeing the sky, "I'll hurry and get my mums. Will you grab the folding chairs?"
As Angie swished leaves from around her mums, they became instantly air borne. Hurriedly, she pinched tops off several brown dried mums, and snipped off the longer stems, lush with amber colored flowers. "Just right for the table," she hollered against the noise of the wind.
Sand and pieces of leaves suddenly whipped her skin. Cold hard rain drops stung her face. Feeling overwhelmed once again Angie swiftly gathered the cut flowers and knife.
Kathy hurriedly folded lawn chairs and stacked them against the house and walked over to where Angela was just standing up.
"Something you should know about Nichols. First, He has a brown eye and a blue eye and second, he is a private person and Nichols may not be his real name."
"Kathy, why is Nichols in Michigan?”
"I have no idea, Angel. North Carolina isn't exactly next door, and he didn't get lost driving."
"Tell me? How does Mr. Nichols know you live with us? What does he want? Last of all, what does he want from you, sis?"
“I have no idea.” Kathy wrapped her sweater tightly around herself as they stood in the hard hitting wind and rain. “Come on, we'd best get ourselves inside.” They took hold of each other against the now forceful gale, and made their way through the patio door and into the kitchen. Kathy shut the windows.
"The wind blew two plants over. I'll take care of the mess later,” sighed Kathy. She rubbed her hair and face with a towel, and tossed one to her sister as she continued.
“Something else occurred to me. Back in Carolina, Nichols seemed to know everything about me: my work, friends and you, Angie.”
“How would he know you worked at the hospital? Tomorrow will be your first day.?”
“Strange.” Kathy began busying herself cleaning up spilt dirt and broken pottery.
"Kat, this is frightening.” Angie’s wide eyes showed alarm
Kathy whisked the broom around working very quickly. "You know what? Do you know what I believe I will do? I'm going to call Pastor Blythe. He'll advise me. He knows Nichols from counseling with him. I'm sure he wouldn't have told Jack I was coming up here. Yes, I'll do just that. First, I'm going' to close the upstairs windows if any are open. This is going to be one dandy of a storm.”