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Timmy was sound asleep in his bed, that Jody walked over to the bookcase and took out the bulky photo album. She sat in the overstuffed chair that had been Jeff’s favorite and held the book against her breast in the dim light.
    For several moments she closed her eyes. It had been almost a year since she’d last looked at the pictures. Twelve long months since she’d tortured herself with the memories. Timmy was right. It was way past the time for her to pick up the pieces of her life instead of dwelling in the past. A sob swelled in her throat as she tried to figure out how she was ever going to give up loving Jeff.
    â€œT hat’s Timmy’s mother,” Gabriel said in quiet, somber tones.
    Shirley looked down upon the young mother and her heart ached. “She seems to be crying. What’s happened to make her so sad?”
    â€œShe’s thinking about Jeff, her husband who died,” the archangel explained.
    â€œWhy does she torture herself this way?” It made no sense to Shirley that this young woman would continue to torment herself with memories.
    â€œJody is the problem,” Gabriel continued. “She continues to hold onto her husband. Before you can answer Timmy’s prayer you’ve got to deal with Jody. She must learn to trust enough to willingly let go of the past and reach toward the future. If she doesn’t, she’ll never be ready for the man God has for her.”
    â€œBut it’s been over eight years, doesn’t she realize what she’s doing to herself and to her son?”
    â€œNo, all she knows is the pain. Your assignment is to gently guide her toward the joy that awaits her and Timmy.”
    â€œAnd you expect me to accomplish this before Christmas?”
    Gabriel didn’t look any more pleased about this time restraint than Shirley. “I can’t spare you any longer.”
    Shirley’s wings stretched to their full reach, then folded over themselves once more. She’d assumed this would be a cushy assignment. After all, she’d only been serving as a prayer ambassador for a short while. The other cases she’d been given had been far less complicated.
    â€œI . . . might not be able to help her,” Shirley murmured.
    â€œApparently God the Father feels otherwise, or He wouldn’t have personally requested you for Timmy’s prayer.”
    â€œBut how can I reach Jody when others have failed? How can I show her she doesn’t have to stop loving Jeff, only open up her heart and her life to the love God has ready and waiting for her?”
    â€œYou’ll think of something, only . . .” Gabriel hesitated and leveled his strict gaze on her. “You’re not to pull the tricks you have in the past, understand?”
    â€œYes,” Shirley agreed. “I won’t misplace a single thing,” she promised.
    â€œThat’s what Goodness and Mercy told me earlier. I don’t know what it is about you three, but you worry me more than all the other prayer ambassadors combined.” He wiped his hand across his face, and briefly closed his eyes. “Just do your level best to stay out of trouble.”
    C het Costello sat down at the bar in the Blue Goose and ordered a cold draft beer. He glanced over his shoulder to be sure that pesky little missionary hadn’t decided to follow him inside. Seldom had he met a more aggravating woman.
    â€œWhat’s plaguing you?” Lou asked from the other side of the bar. He polished the mahogany surface with a clean rag, his hand making wide circular movements as he studied Chet. “You look like you’ve lost your best friend.”
    â€œYou would too if you’d sat up all night in the cold.”
    â€œYou were on a case?”
    â€œNo,” Chet returned sarcastically, “I enjoy spending my nights in a freezing car peeking at a couple through binoculars. These infidelity cases have always thrilled me.”
    â€œNo