The Secret Promise

Chapter Twenty

Susan glanced at Allie. "What's wrong"

"Nothing." Allie replied with a slight shrug. Then she sighed. "I just realized I haven't seen Lucas since church last Sunday."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Susan said. "And I'm sure you'll see him soon enough, like at church tomorrow." Then she peered closely at her friend. "Why do you mention it?"

"Because it's strange," Allie replied with a shrug. 

"Yes, it is kind of strange." Susan admitted. "But it's been rather nice this week. You don't suppose he's plotting something horrible, do you?"

"No." Allie laughed. Then she grew serious as she truly thought about it. "I actually don't think he is," she said softly.

Susan stared at her. "But he could be."

"He's been back in town for more than a year, Susan, and he hasn't done anything yet."

"So, you trust him all of a sudden?" she was absolutely flabbergasted.

"I don't know if I fully trust him," Allie said. "And it certainly hasn't been 'all of a sudden'," she walked along, playing with the tops of the long grasses along the road as she always did. "I guess it's been happening very slowly over the past year and a half."

"I don't know if I'd trust it. Just when you think he's grown up and isn't going to act a fool, he's going to do something horrible."

"That's what I've been waiting for. I guess I'm cautiously optimistic," Allie said. She hoped Lucas wasn't going to disappoint her again as he'd done so many times before.

".....and then Martin tripped me and I hurt my hand!" Olive Parker was telling Allie in the most animated way possible how she'd fallen and scraped her palms.

"Well," Allie said. "I think Martin should definitely apologize. How horrible!"

"Oh, he did!" Olive said. "He was crying because he thought I wouldn't want to be his friend anymore."

"Well, that was nice of him anyway." Allie said softly. She looked up just as Lucas walked over from tying his horse to the hitching post and she stood up from where she'd been crouched down to talk to the little girl.

"I think your friend Martin is very smart," Lucas said gently, having overheard the last part of the conversation. He was holding his hat in his hand.

Olive heard her mother calling from the church steps and skipped away, smiling brightly.

"Hello," Allie said softly as he stepped closer with his hands in his pockets. She had never noticed him do it when he was younger, but it seemed like a habit he'd picked up over the last year or so.

"I think some of us grown up boys could use a lesson or two from Martin." he said.

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, for one, I should have apologized to you years ago," he said softly. "Maybe it's too late, but I am sorry, Allie."

"Oh," she breathed. She couldn't smile. Or speak, for fear she'd burst into tears. She finally managed a half whispered, "Thank you."

He nodded, pulling one hand out of his pocket to drag it through his hair. "Well, I'll see you inside."

She stood there staring at his back as he walked up the steps and through the door. She didn't realize she had been there for several long minutes, until Susan came down the steps.

"Are you coming inside?" she asked. "Service is about to start!"

"Yes!" Allie gasped. "I'm coming. Right now!"