"Our church is having a Kid's Crusade, and we'd love to have Jeremy and Jennifer join us," Annie told Laura.
"What's a Kid's Crusade?" asked Laura.
"It's similar to Vacation Bible School, only instead of going into individual classes and doing crafts, all the children gather together in the main church and sing songs, watch plays, and learn Bible stories and verses."
"Well, they've already been to Vacation Bible School at our church," Laura hedged.
"But I told you, this is different! Please let them come; I know they'd enjoy it!"
"Well - all right."
"Great! We'll pick them up at six Monday evening."
Monday evening, Laura made sure the seven-year-old twins were clean and dressed in their best clothes. Since starting her job at Landon and McLeod, she'd moved out of her parents' house and into a small apartment with her children. She'd been living there for almost a year, and although making ends meet could be a real challenge sometimes, she was happy to be on her own at last.
Jimmy's car pulled up, and she kissed Jeremy and Jennifer goodbye and told them to have fun.
When they got home at about eight thirty that night, she was eager to hear how it had gone.
"They wouldn't let us sit together," Jennifer told her. "They made the boys sit on one side and the girls sit on the other."
"How strange!" said Laura.
The third night, Jeremy had more news. "Part of it was really sad. A little froggy waited too long to jump into the pond, until finally it was frozen over and he froze to death."
"I wonder why they would tell such a sad story to children," said Laura.
"I think it really meant something else," said Jennifer.
Laura frowned. "I wonder what!"
On Friday, Jennifer came home in tears.
"The boys popped all the girls' balloons!" she sobbed.
"It was because we had more offering," Jeremy explained.
"That doesn't sound fair at all!" said Laura. She'd given each of her children a quarter to put into the offering every night. It had created a strain on her budget. Now, she stooped to Jennifer's level and cradled the child's face in her hands.
"I'm going to KMart tomorrow and buy you a whole bag of balloons," she promised.
"Me too, Mommy," said Jeremy.
That night, Laura lay in bed and sobbed.
"Oh, Stephen, why did you have to go away? I need someone to talk to so much! Annie promised me this was gonna be fun for the kids. Nobody told me they were gonna tell sad stories and shame children for their offering not being enough!"
She cried herself to sleep that night, and the next day, she took the twins to KMart and bought a big bag of balloons. She spent the rest of the day blowing them up.
"Hope says it's supposed to be a really good movie," Lili told Ginny.
"OK, you can go," said Ginny.
Lili was smiling as she walked outside to the Browns' station wagon.
Ginny and Matthias were watching All in the Family in the living room when Lili came home several hours later, looking very pale.
"How did it go, sweetheart?" Ginny asked her daughter.
"Oh, Mom, it was terrible!" Lili cried. "A guy on a motorcycle got his head ripped right off! It showed all the blood and everything!"
"That doesn't sound like an appropriate movie for an eleven-year-old to watch," said Matthias. "What was it called?"
"I don't remember, but it was awful!"
Later that night, Ginny heard sobs coming from the girls' bedroom. She went down the hall, opened the door, and switched the light on. Lili was crying her heart out while a worried Paula looked on.
"What's wrong?" asked Ginny, rushing to her younger daughter's side.
"She won't tell me," said Paula.
"Lili?" Ginny touched her daughter's shoulder, and Lili turned a tear-stained face to her mother.
"I'm just so scared, Mom!"
"What are you so afraid of?"
"I went forward when they gave the altar call - I prayed the prayer - but I'm still scared!"
"Lili, you've attended the Lutheran church with us your whole life. What have we taught you?"
"That I'm God's child and He loves me."
"Right! So what are you afraid of?"
"I don't know!"
Ginny held her daughter close and comforted her.
"Go back to sleep, darling. Everything's gonna be all right."
She patted Lili's back until she fell asleep, then returned to her own bedroom.
"That movie again?" asked Matthias.
"Uh huh. I don't think we should let her attend any more church functions with Hope. They seem to use fear to manipulate children."
"I've been thinking that for a long time," Matthias admitted. "But I don't think we should forbid the friendship."
"Neither do I," Ginny agreed. "Hope has been a good friend to her."
It was July 4, 1976. Laura and Annie sat in folding chairs in the park, watching their children play together. It was almost dark, so the fireworks would begin soon.
"I love how they play so well together," Annie remarked.
"So do I," Laura agreed. "I was wondering, did Amy get upset when the boys won the offering contest?"
Annie shrugged. "No. She didn't even mention it until Jimmy asked who won."
"Jennifer came home in tears," said Laura.
Annie frowned. "Over that?"
The first of the fireworks went off, and all conversation stopped as everyone watched the lights in the sky.