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“I heard about what happened.”
“You mean about Rodney?” Luke said gently.
Becky nodded.
“I think that has made us all sad. Are you okay?” Kristin asked gently, wondering if this had somehow brought back memories of her parents, or if it triggered something, maybe something that was familiar to her. Kristin’s heart broke at the difficult childhood Becky had.
“I’m fine. But... Rodney helped me when nobody else did. Not that nobody else wouldn’t, he just... He helped me when I asked him. And... I’d like to be there for him.”
Kristin and Luke exchanged a glance. Kristin wasn’t sure whether this was something to do with romance, or whether it was just a friend wanting to be there for her friends. That’s what friends were. They were there in the hard times. They came, just to sit and be supportive. To be a body when someone needed it. They didn’t need an invitation, and they didn’t allow someone they love to be alone in a hard time.
Kristin loved that Becky was that kind of friend. It didn’t surprise her. Becky was fiercely loyal. But, Rodney was eighteen. Old enough to be an adult, but young enough to be a love interest. It made her a little bit uncomfortable.
“I think it’s fine if you go see him. From what I heard he’s staying with Griff, but he’d be at the diner right now.”
“Chi told me he’s working after school there, from the time he gets there until closing.”
Luke nodded at Kristin’s words.
“And I think you’re old enough to walk to the diner by yourself.” Luke gave Becky a long searching look. “And as long as you sit inside the diner and talk to him, that’s fine.”
Becky nodded.
Kristin figured she understood what Luke was saying. It wasn’t okay for her to sneak around to see him.
Luke glanced at his watch. “It’s eight thirty. They’re probably just finishing up at the diner. I think in normal situations you should be in by nine, but would nine thirty be long enough?” he asked, lifting a brow at Kristin, who nodded immediately.
“That’s good. Maybe tomorrow I can talk to him some more if he wants?”
Luke nodded. “I think that would be fine.”
“Thank you.” Becky turned and shoved her hand in her jacket as she walked toward the door.
Kristin waited until she left before she said, “Do you think they’re just friends?”
“I hope so. She’s so young. But, she had to grow up fast. And, whatever it is, when something hard happens to someone that you care about, you want to be there for them. I guess I just didn’t feel it was right to tell her no.”
“So this makes you just as nervous as it makes me?” Kristin asked softly.
Luke nodded. “I don’t think Becky is going to lie to us. But I do think she’s pretty headstrong. I guess... Maybe if she had been raised in our house we’d handle it a little differently, but I don’t think you can treat kids like they fit into a cookie-cutter.”
“I think you’re right. Different situations and personalities require different parenting techniques.”
Luke squeezed her hand, and then his fingers slid away from hers as he put his arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Neither one of them knew what they were doing. All they could do was pray that they were making the right decisions and that they could guide Becky into an adulthood where she loved God and served him. That was her goal.
