The Trouble with Angels (Angels Everywhere #2)(13)

The generosity of their offer brought tears to Maureen’s eyes. Her parents were retired now and enjoyed their freedom. Maureen knew the recent move hadn’t been easy on her daughter. She hadn’t liked changing Karen’s school, either, but it couldn’t be helped. The rent was cheaper, the commute shorter, and the place closer to her parents’ house.

"I can’t thank you enough, Mom, but no. Karen’s capable of looking after herself, and it’s only for an hour.” Now that she lived closer to her family, Maureen didn’t want to get in the habit of relying upon them too heavily.

"You’re sure?”

"Mom, really. I don’t want you to fret about Karen and me. The two of us are doing just great.”

"Great, huh?” Beverly reached into Maureen’s cart and picked up the extra large bottle of antacid tablets. "Are you still having troubles with your stomach?”

"It’s not as bad as it used to be,” Maureen told her, although it was sometimes worse. She didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out where all the indigestion came from, either. Once again Maureen had her ex-husband to thank. Brian wasn’t happy with ruining her life; he wanted to slowly kill her, too.

"All men aren’t like Brian,” her mother said.

Maureen disagreed. From what she’d seen in the last few years, there was damn little to persuade her to become involved in another relationship. The next time she felt like getting married, she’d find a man she didn’t like, bear him a child, and live in poverty the rest of her life.

"See what I mean?” Shirley said to her two friends from the roof of the huge grocery complex. "Maureen’s so twisted up with hate, it’s eating away the lining of her stomach. What can I possibly do to help her forgive her ex-husband?”

Goodness and Mercy looked at each other helplessly.

"I haven’t got a clue,” Goodness admitted.

Mercy didn’t look any more helpful. "It’s as bad as you claimed. She really does hate the man.”

"The one who really concerns me is Karen,” Shirley continued, unable to stand in one place. It was as if the woman were blind to what she was doing to her daughter. "The nightmares are getting worse.”

"The poor kid.” Mercy sat on top of the duct for the air conditioner, her face cupped in her hands.

"If only I could find an easy way for her to have a horse.”

"A horse,” Goodness echoed.

"Karen’s crazy about ’em.”

"Then that’s what we’ll have to do,” Goodness said as if this were the solution to their problems. "All the poor kid needs is a little fun, and before you know it those nightmares will disappear.”

"Just where are we supposed to find a horse?” Shirley asked with limited patience. "And even if we could, Karen’s mother couldn’t afford to feed it.”

"There are ways,” Mercy said with complete confidence.

"Yes, but are these ways of yours going to get us jerked back to heaven by our small feathers?”

Mercy gave her a look of gold-plated innocence. "Why, I’d never suggest anything that would give dear Gabriel a moment’s worry.”

Shirley was just beginning to think she might have misjudged her friend’s intentions when Goodness giggled. "Yes, you would,” she said. "We all would, and good old Gabe knows it, too.”

"Do you mind if we discuss Karen?” Shirley suggested. These two younger prayer ambassadors flustered her. They were far more daring than she was. Frankly, Shirley believed Gabriel had teamed her up with Goodness and Mercy just so she could keep an eye on these two upstarts.

"Oh, yes. Karen.”

"Of course. Karen.”

Now that she had their attention, Shirley felt it was time to mention what she’d discovered, although she wasn’t exactly sure what to do with the information. "Of course, there’s always Thom Nichols.”

"Thom Nichols?” Mercy pressed.

"He owns a riding stable in the valley, and it’s—”

"But that’s perfect.” Goodness vaulted upright in her enthusiasm.

"For Karen, perhaps, but it doesn’t do anything about Maureen’s troubles. I did tell Gabriel that I was certain there was a horse in this somewhere,” Shirley said, feeling downright proud of herself, "but it isn’t as if I can swoop down and tell Maureen about the stables.”

A slow, gradual smile spread over Goodness’s face. "Why can’t you?”

"You’ve got that gleam in your eye again.” Shirley was beginning to get worried. She’d seen that look before, and it usually spelled trouble. "How could you even think such things, Goodness? We’ve just arrived. We don’t dare jeopardize everything so soon.”

"Don’t get all bent out of shape,” Goodness said with a total lack of concern. "I’m not going to do anything I shouldn’t. Now, tell me what you know about Nichols’s Riding Stables.”

Shirley removed the brochure from inside her wide sleeve and spread it open for the others to read. "It says they have afternoon riding lessons with gentle, well-behaved horses and lots of riding trails. It’s ideal for someone like Karen.”

"Allow me,” Goodness said, whooshing the brightly colored brochure out of Shirley’s hand. Before the other prayer ambassador could protest further, Goodness disappeared over the outer edge of the building. Given no option, Shirley followed just in time to find her fellow angel dodging her way between metal grocery carts, headed straight toward Maureen Woods’s car.