Chapter 1
Lyric sat straight up. Leaning over her was Kate, her step-sister. “Why are you still sleeping?” She asked “Do you not know what today is?”
Lyric rubbed her sleepy eyes and replied “All I know is today is Saturday.”
“Exactly! Which means?”
“We are supposed to sleep in?” Lyric threw herself back on the bed with a sigh “will I ever get to sleep in?” She thought.
“No! Wrong answer! It means you have chores to do...my chores.” Kate smirked, her green eyes looking more evil than ever.
“No!” Lyric got out of bed again and stood in Kate’s face “I am not doing it this time! I am so tired of you bossing me around!”
Kate eyes grew wide and her normally pale face turned bright red. “MOTHER!!!” She screamed.
Ella ran into the room with her youngest daughter, Sarah at her heels “Kate” she said trying to catch her breath “What is the matter?”
“She called me a pig.” Kate said thrusting her finger at Lyric. Lyric opened her mouth to protest but quickly decided against it was no use Kate always won.
“Did you call her a pig Lyric?” Ella said glancing at Lyric with pleading eyes “Just deny it Lyric, please!”She thought.She was so tired of the girls fighting. Ever since she married Drew there was no end to the fighting, before when it was just her and the girls there was enough fighting but now throwing another in it was just almost too much to bear! She didn’t know what to do. Drew always knew what to say, but whenever she tried to discipline it always came out in a fury of screaming and yelling she couldn’t make herself rebuke her girls for yelling at each and other considering it was all she did. And now with something else about to happen she needed all the help she could get. She decided it was time to tell the family “Maybe when they hear, it will inspire them to pitch in more.”She thought.
“Yes” Lyric finally answered.
Ella looked up at her and frowned “Well I guess you can just stay in your room for a little bit.” The three girls walked out leaving Lyric alone. Lyric sat on her bed and prayed “Why God? Why me?” She remembered years ago when her Grandmother had died, She had felt as if she could die of grief. Her Mother had sat next to her stroking her hair “Shhhh Lyric it will be okay.”
“NO! It won’t be okay” Lyric said through fits of sobs “How can it be okay?” Her grandmother had been one of her best friends and just dying unexpectedly was too hard to bear.
“It will be okay” Her mother answered “Because God is here with you and it is not the end of the world even though it does feel like it.”
“But Mom how do you know he is here?”
“I know because his word tells us that he will never leave us nor forsake us.”
“Never?” Lyric asked with a questioning look.
“Never” Her Mother replied “even to the end of the world.”
Lyric remembered those words always. When she felt weak and alone they were her biggest comfort. Her thought were interrupted by a knock on the door “Knock, knock” Drew said poking his head in
“Oh! Hi Daddy” Lyric said suddenly aware that she had been crying.
Drew walked in and smiled at the sight of his daughter. At sixteen she reminded him so much of her Mother, Tabitha, but though she looked like her mother she was definitely his child. She had his strong-willed, short tempered, quick thinking personality. Lyric forced a smile her jet-black hair in ringlets around her face and her deep blue eyes shining with tears. She always wondered why she had to cry at the worst times!
“So Lyric” Drew sat next to her “Ella told me you called Kate a pig, is this true?”
Lyric went back and forth for a while in her mind “should I tell him?” she thought then She finally decided to tell him the truth “No Daddy I didn’t! Kate is just an evil witch who thinks she can boss me around!”
Drew smiled “That is what Ella and I thought happened.” He then tried to think of what Tabitha would say. She always knew what to say, she was always so good with the kids! He missed her as much for him as for Lyric she needed her mother more than anybody. He had tried so hard to connect Lyric and Ella but it was no use Ella was nothing like Tabitha. She didn’t share the same passion for Christ as Tabitha did and her main goal was not to raise obedient children as he and Tabitha’s was. Lyric gazed in her Fathers eyes she could tell he was thinking hard.
“Dad? Lyric?” a familiar voice called out. Lyric and Drew exchanged looks “No! It can’t be!” Lyric thought. That voice sounded oddly like Joshua’s but it couldn’t be because he was in med-school and wasn’t due for another month or so. As if to answer her thoughts a young man walked into the room. He had dark hair, blue eyes, and an unbelievably charming smile.
“Joshua!” Lyric yelled jumping into his arms. She breathed the sweet scent of his cool water body wash and her mind wandered to the day of her Mother’s funeral. She had been twelve at the time that her mother died. Her mother had been sick for awhile, there was always a cough racking through her body, and a very high fever. Later when it was too late they found out she had Pneumonia. The day of her Mother’s funeral Lyric hid away in her room. She couldn’t bear all the sympathy of their friends and neighbors it was just way too much. Instead she sat on her bed watching out of her window the mob of people dressed in black walking in and out of the house. Her Father had tried many times to get her down and thank the people for coming but Lyric refused.
Joshua finally by using his bobby pin trick let himself in “I never understood why people dressed in such a depressing color such as black! It should be a celebration especially for Mom. I can see her right now next to Jesus dancing on the streets of gold!” Lyric looked at Joshua He always viewed things as Mom did. “Come on Lyric” He said suddenly serious “1 Peter says to ‘Cast all your anxieties upon him because he cares for you’.” After a few more minutes of talking and reciting verses Joshua asked if Lyric wanted to pray with him and right then and there she accepted Christ into her life. She thought back on that day often. She believed that God used her Mother’s death to bring her to him and that thought brought comfort when she missed her Mom.
“Man, Lyric you are just getting prettier every time I see you!” Joshua said interrupting her thoughts. Lyric smiled up at him and let go of him as he went to greet his Dad. Drew embraced his son and looked up at him. At twenty-one Joshua was a lot taller than him and was becoming more of a man every day. Drew then glanced at Lyric she was in the corner smiling over at them. He sighed and prayed “Thank you God for my children and thank you for choosing them to be yours.”
After catching up the trio then made their way down to the kitchen for breakfast. Elle greeted them with a smile and said “Hello Guys please go sit down and I will bring breakfast in.” Joshua looked over at Drew with a confused look. Drew was thinking the same thing, Ella had a great heart but she never was one to actually offer to serve others. She looked different also her face glowing, her long auburn hair which was usually in a tight bun was in ringlets down to her back, and her green eyes were sparkling.
Drew was almost going to ask what the occasion was when he was gently shoved by Ella toward the dining room “I can handle it, honey” she said lightly kissing him on the cheek. Drew smiled and joined the family in the dining room. Sarah was talking with Joshua about her classes; Kate was talking on the phone with one of her friends, and Lyric was sitting at the table probably thinking Drew guessed.
After a few minutes Ella walked in with a tray full of bacon, eggs, waffles, and pancakes. Lyric looked up and was shocked. She had never in the 3 years she had lived with Ella seen her make this much food. “My gosh Mom.” Sarah said her mouth wide open. The whole table was surprised even Kate put down her phone which never happened! Drew jumped out of his seat and went to go help Ella with the tray he then whispered something in her hear which Lyric couldn’t make out.
When everyone was all seated and after they said Grace. They all dug in. Lyric had dipped a little eggs and bacon onto her plate and taken a few bites when she heard Ella clear her throat she looked up and saw Ella standing up. Looking around the table told her everyone was as confused as she was.
“Well” Ella started “I don’t really know how to say this but... Well here it goes.” She stood straighter, looked everyone in the eyes, smiled, and said “I am pregnant.”