~Sunday~

Lucy was still asleep when Jennifer woke up the next morning. She got up and went into the kitchen where Mrs. Camden was making breakfast.

"Good Morning Jennifer, I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, you didn't. Do you need any help?"

"I think I've got it. Why don't you beat the rush to the bathroom now?" She smiled warmly.

"Sounds like a plan."

Jen walked upstairs and into Lucy and Ruthie's room, careful not to wake the sleeping girl. She grabbed her bag and headed for the shower. By the time she was finished, Ruthie and Matt were both waiting there turn.

She walked downstairs to find Simon, Robbie, the Reverend and the twins all eating breakfast. Lucy walked into the kitchen at the same time Jen did.

"Well, looks like your all ready to go." Lucy said laughing, "And I just got up."

"Yeah, and your last in line for the bathroom too. I'm next." Robbie said, groggily. The rest of the bunch laughed.

About an hour later the whole crew was standing outside the church, talking with various people. Simon stood alone, thinking about the past two days. He remembered how much fun Jen was at his mom's birthday dinner Friday night. He had told her just how stunning she really was, but since then they really hadn't talked. He decided to change all that. He walked over to her.

"Hey Jen, how's it going?"

"Good, I'm pretty tired though. Luce and I had a late night." Simon could tell Jennifer didn't really want to talk to him. There was an uneasy silence between them.

"Well, I'll talk to you later." He said, walking off. "I knew I shouldn't have made a move, it was too soon." He mumbled to himself.

When Simon left, Jen had to bite back tears. She had been ignoring him on purpose ever since Friday night. She knew that he liked her, but something held her back. Something she couldn't tell anyone.

The whole Camden family, with the addition of Jen and Robbie, sat in the front of the church as services began. Jen sat on the end, with Lucy next to her. She listened intently to Reverend Camden's sermon that morning, and the last thing he said really caught her attention.

"God forgives everyone, even when man can not. All you have to do is pray, tell Him what is on your mind, because He knows what's in your heart. When your mind is struggling with decisions you face, go to Him and ask for help. That is the first step."

Reverend Camden led the church in a closing prayer, and everyone filtered out. Jen stayed behind a little while, telling Lucy she would be out shortly. She sat on the pew, resting her elbows on the back of the one in front of her, hands clasped tightly. Her lips moving slowly, with her eyes closed. Her tears hit the pew as she opened up to God.

"Please, give me strength." she whispered, before slowly leaving the church.

Lucy saw Jennifer coming towards her, and it looked like she had been crying. Lucy walked up to her young friend.

"Jen, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"There's something I have to tell you Lucy. It's important. Is there anywhere we can talk in private?"

"Yeah, we can go in my dad's office." Both girls walked inside and into the office, closing the door. Jennifer seemed hesitant to start.

"Jen, what is it. You can tell me. Please" Lucy said, her voice shaking.

"You said you hated liars Lucy, and I've been lying to you all along." The young girl began to cry. Lucy walked over to her, embracing her tightly.

"Shhhhhh. It's alright. You can tell me the truth. It will be ok. I promise."

"When I was little my mom was very abusive. My dad divorced her and took me with him. We lived a very normal life until about two years ago, when he died in a car accident." Lucy listened to her shaken young friend.

" They sent me back to live with my mom, and she was still very abusive. She would use anything she could find to hurt me with, baseball bats, tire irons, and she had one of her many boyfriends beat me up whenever the mood struck. One day she got a hold of a carving knife, and stabbed me with it. That's where I got this." Jen lifted her shirt to reveal a five inch scar across her stomach. Lucy flinched.

"I ran away after that and stayed in a homeless shelter in Talbrook. I hid there for about 5 months but one of her boyfriends spotted me. He told the shelter I was a prostitute, so they kicked me out and he dragged me back. I got the beating of my life. It took me 4 months to get well enough to escape again. That's when I came to Glen Oak." Jen stopped, catching her breath and wiping her tears.

"All the shelter's were full, and I had no were to go. So I got a job at the Diner, and Mr. Fredrickson agreed to let me stay in a back storage room he doesn't use. That was the only way I could still go to school. I couldn't go to the system. I had no where else to go and no one to turn to. I'm 15, no one adopts 15 year olds, they just get passed from foster home to foster home, unwanted. If I wanted to make it in this world, I had to make it on my own. But now, I have you. That is, if you don't hate me by now."

"No, Jennifer, please." Lucy went to her young friend, hugging her. She couldn't believe the horror this wonderful girl had been put through. They both cried in each others arms, finally breaking the embrace.

"I'm sure my dad will help you out, maybe find room in a shelter or something......" Jen stopped her in mid-sentence.

"No, Luce, you can't tell anyone. You just can't. I know your Dad would do anything to help but it will blow my cover. Before he could help me one of my mom's boyfriends would be here, she has ways of finding out where I am. Promise me you won't tell."

"I promise Jennifer, I promise."

*********************************************************************** Jennifer's secret has finally surfaced??? Will Lucy be able to keep this from her family?? Will Simon and Jen get closer or drift farther apart? What do you guys think of my fan fic so far? Please Review!!!!