Read an Excerpt
Tabitha worked at a small store during the day, measuring and cutting bolts of fabric for customers. Soon after Katie was born, Tabitha and Jack decided that two kids were enough for them. To provide for the increased expenses of a fourth member of the family, along with a new minivan and larger house, they agreed that Tab would also work a day job. This meant that someone else would watch Kyle and Katie during the day.
With no family members close by, and all their neighbors also gone from home during the day, they had few options for day care. The two ladies that watched their children were nice, but Tabitha wished that somehow Jack would earn enough so she could stay at home with the kids. Their money was so tight that neither of them could afford to miss work.
As she opened the mailbox, Tabitha looked to see what bills had arrived that day. Tossing the pile of mail into the empty passenger’s seat, she told the kids, “We’re home!” and pulled into the driveway. “Let’s play outside for a while,” she said.
Despite her weariness of standing on her feet all day, Tabitha still enjoyed chasing her kids in the yard. They all laughed when the kids chased her around, too. For a few brief moments, she did not worry about their tight financial situation.That Sunday evening, Tabitha’s cell phone rang. “Hey Tab, what’s going on?”
“Just spending some time with the family at home before another long work week,” Tabitha replied.
It was Linda on the other end. Linda and Tabitha were good friends ever since Tabitha came to town. Linda was one of her few friends here, as Tabitha was no longer living where she grew up. Even though Tabitha had lived here for six years now, she still felt like an outsider in the small Midwestern city of Maplewood.
Linda said, “There is a women’s conference that is coming up very soon. Would you like to go with me? We can have a lot of fun together!”
Tabitha walked into the quiet bedroom so she could hear Linda better. “Where is it? And how long is this conference?”
“It’s three days in Omaha, April 27-29. There will be hundreds of other ladies there. You will only spend two nights away from your family. Come on, it will be fun!”
“Oh, I can’t go! I don’t want to be gone from my kids that long.” Tab had spent only one night away from her children since Kyle was born.
“Yes you can! Tell Jack to watch them.”
“Jack works most Saturdays, you know, and often Friday late and sometimes even Sunday afternoons. How can I pull that off?”
“Oh, just go ask him,” Linda replied. “You deserve some time off.”
“I’ve never attended anything like this. What will it cost?”
Linda paused for a moment, then said, “We will split room costs between four of us. The hotel includes breakfast. We will pack Friday supper and Saturday lunch so we only have to eat out Saturday night and Sunday noon. And we won’t eat at any fancy places. Registration right now is only $29, so you could go for around 70 bucks.”
“Seventy dollars!” Then Tab lowered her voice, “I don’t have that kind of money sitting around to be gone all weekend!”
