28

Still shaky, Nia pulled out her phone, scrolled to Tanya’s name, and then pressed the call icon.

“Hey, Nia. What’s going on? I’m packing up your stuff right now. Sunny thinks I have a gift. Can you believe that? So I’m packing my stuff. It shouldn’t take me too much longer.”

“Stop packing. I changed my mind.”

“Changed your mind? No, you can’t do that. This will be so much fun. A lot better than school.”

Nia didn’t want to get into that discussion with Tanya. “I’m not going. I’m at the mall right now, but I’ll catch a bus and come back to school. So stop packing.”

“Why? What changed your mind?”

Could Nia tell Tanya that she’d had a message from God? That God didn’t want her to quit college or to move in with Sunny. Tanya would call her a Jesus freak for the thousandth time or maybe worse. “Because it would be crazy to quit college. I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to it. It’s not the right thing for me. Or for you either.”

“Then why did you tell her you would?”

Good question. “I thought it was the right thing at the time but then….” She took a deep breath. “Then God told me it wasn’t.”

“Back to the Jesus thing—again. I thought you were over that.”

She closed her eyes. “I will never be over that. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Now and forever.”

“You are no fun, Nia. Has anyone ever told you that before? You’re ruining this adventure we could have together. They might even send us to work in New York or Los Angeles. Helping Hands has other branches around the country. How cool would that be? You’re always ruining everything.”

“Sorry.”

“Well, I’m still going.” Her tone was defiant.

“Don’t do that. I know you don’t like school, but your parents already paid for the year. You might as well finish it and then decide whether you want to come back next year or not.”

There was silence for a moment and then, “I’m staying with Sunny, and don’t tell anyone where I went. The last thing I need is my parents looking for me. I’m eighteen. I can do what I want.”

“Tanya, please stay at the dorm until I get back. Then we can talk about it.”

No response. She’d hung up.

Nia bought two cookies and then hurried out to the bus stop. She needed to get back to school before Tanya made a big mistake with quitting college. It would be ten minutes before her bus came. As she took out one of her oversized peanut butter cookies, someone call her name.

Sunny half-walked, half-jogged up to her. “Tanya just called me. In tears, I might add. She said you changed your mind. That can’t be true.”

“Very true. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I’m not quitting school.”

“But why? I know this is the best place for you. It will allow you to—”

Nia held up a hand. “Just stop. I’m not moving in with you, and I’m not coming back for any more sessions. I’m done with all of it.”

“I don’t understand. You were all excited when I suggested it. What’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem, and I wasn’t all that excited. I decided it wasn’t the right thing for me to do. God has me on a path, and I trust Him enough to take it. Even if I don’t understand it. I can’t quit school.”

“I am your path, Nia. Can’t you see that? God put us together for a reason. I’m the path he wants you to take. I know it.”

Nia flashed back to the puzzle store. That had been real. “I don’t think so.”

“At least, come and stay for a few days. Then you’ll see it’s the right place for you. I’m absolutely sure of it.”

Nia gripped the puzzle in her hand. “No.”

Sunny’s eyes flashed, and her face turned red. “I’ve invested a lot of time in you. What about that? You can’t just quit.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

Sunny grabbed her arm. “I’m not letting you ruin everything. We could have made a lot of money. Don’t you want to be rich?”

Her gift wasn’t about money.

“Let’s talk about this some more.” She stood up pulling Nia with her. “Back at Helping Hands.”

Nia pulled away, but Sunny held on tight.

“Let go of me.”

“No. I just want to talk to you some more. Let’s go.” Sunny tightened her grip and pulled Nia toward Helping Hands.

“Is there a problem here?” A security guard walked up to them.

Sunny released her. “Not at all. I just wanted my friend to come back with me. I needed to talk to her.”

Nia tried to steady her breathing. “But I really don’t have time. I told you I’m not going back there. Ever.”

“But—”

“That’s my bus.” She pointed at the bus making its way to the stop. “Gotta go.”

“Nia, wait—”

“Do you want me to call the police, miss?”

“No. I’m fine. I just don’t want to miss my bus.” Nia walked to the stop and then turned back. “Thanks, Sunny. You’ve helped me more than you know.”