Disillusioned

Had Collin not come with her to attend Sunday school while she was in the worship service, Stevie would have slipped out during the pastoral prayer and gone home. Unable to do that, she was open game in the foyer after the service. On her way to pick up Collin, the pastor was suddenly in her path.

"Stephanie, it's good to see you today," he said with unimpeachable sincerity. The pastor lowered his volume discreetly. "How is Shawna doing?" Stevie didn't want to get into it. She was sorry she had mentioned Shawna's email problem and departure to the pastor when it happened. When she'd first called him to tell him about it and got the answering machine, she should have left it at that. Instead she had called back later, requesting prayer for the situation. Now he knew, and she could not very well avoid the subject. She answered in as general terms as possible: "All right, I guess. She's with Jon—probably driving him crazy." Had she spoken her true feelings at the moment, Stevie might have said, "My daughter doesn't want to live with me and I'm very upset about it. So far I've lost a husband, a son, and a daughter while attending your church. Perhaps I'd better leave while I still have Collin."