THE FERALS


By Tessa Harvey


Jake was beginning to appreciate this northern hill district of England. He did not press his companion for details of her loss, instead gathering the picnic litter together and wrapping up the leftover food - what there was of it!

The children pulled on their damp socks and shoes and they trudged back past the farm and up a slope to the car.

Alice stooped to look at a tiny blue flower. She smiled up into Jake's face, and for a moment something warm was in both their glances, a flicker of more than friendship. An instant later and the kids were demanding them to hurry up. An ice-cream had been promised!!

Later in her unit, Alice thought over the day. It had been a beautiful time. Gareth would have loved it there. He had shared her passion for the outdoors and had even looked at the tiny flowers. She loved eyebright and the delicate pale pink wood sorrel with its beautiful veined petals.

Her faith in God had faltered when Gareth died, but loving support from pastors and church family had helped fan it once again into flame. She wondered how she could share her faith with Jake, but didn't feel ready to move on in a relationship yet.

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