Uncollared Read Free Page B

can’t solve the world’s problems. Once you’ve done the best you can— and you have —you just have to let go and let God.” Ronni gave her a stern look. “Do you hear me?”
    “Yes, yes, I hear.” She paused a moment. “Have I been looking…droopy lately?”
    Ronni answered promptly. “Yes.”
    Mia’s mouth crimped. “Thanks.”
    Ronni shrugged. “Honey, you’ve been dragging around here for weeks. Did Serina say something?” At Mia’s nod, she went on. “Well, it’s about time somebody did.”
    “Why didn’t you?”
    “I figured you needed some time to lick your wounds. We’ve all been through boyfriend troubles, hon.”
    Boyfriend troubles . Ronni didn’t know the half.
    “But enough’s enough. Time to dust yourself off, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, and get back on the horse. Have I used enough clichés?”
    “I suppose so.”
    “Well, here are a couple more—no point crying over spilled milk, and there are plenty of fish in the sea.”
    There were no other “fish” like Master Philip, but Ronni had a point. Mia had spent far too much time moping and feeling sorry for herself.
    She nodded in understanding. “Message received.”
    Ronni smiled and stood. “How about lunch today?”
    “If I can make a dent in all my paperwork,” Mia answered, indicating the tower of file folders on her desk. “And I have to battle it out with the power company.”
    “What happened?”
    “The Stevensons are about to have their power turned off because they’re four months behind in their payments.” Mia shook her head wearily.
    “Four months? Why didn’t they come in sooner?”
    “The mother said she thought they’d be able to come up with the money from her husband working overtime, but that fell through. Then one of kids got sick, and they had to pay the doctor, and so on and so forth.”
    So on and so forth. One thing after another. Families like the Stevensons were already living on the edge, and one little thing going wrong—like a sick child—could mean having to choose between paying the doctor and paying the light bill. But pride sometimes kept them from asking for help until the situation turned dire.
    “Well, good luck with that.” Ronni shook a playful finger at her friend. “And don’t forget your documentation.”
    “No chance of that.” Mia sighed. “I’m drowning in it.”
    “Just keep on swimming.” Ronni waggled her fingers in farewell.
    A moment later Kevin Burton poked his head in the door. “Did I hear there are brownies?”
    * * * *
    Droopy didn’t half describe it.
    When she got home that afternoon, Mia forced herself to look in the mirror and really see what she’d done to herself the past two months. She shook her head in disgust. Those hollow-eyed, pasty-faced zombies from the Living Dead films had nothing on her.
    She had always been boyishly slim, but with her recent lack of appetite, she’d become downright scrawny. She resembled an anorectic waif with bad skin. And what was up with her hair? Bed head didn’t begin to cover it. It looked like it had been styled with hedge trimmers. Good God, had she really appeared in public like this?
    Serina’s comment was a wake-up call. Ashamed of herself, Mia made up her mind that things would change. Today she’d start taking care of herself again. A nice long walk would do her good.
    There was more to it than vanity. Every day at her job, she tried to help people like Serina improve their lives. She was, or wanted to be, a role model. How could she ask her clients to care about themselves if she didn’t do the same?
    She changed out of her work clothes, slipped on a pair of running shoes, and then walked the few blocks to a nearby park.
    Mia took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. Fallen leaves crunched under her boots as runners and power walkers swept by her on the path in Meyers Park. A few months ago, Mia might have been one of them. Sadly out of shape now, she was glad to simply keep up a