Keeping Faith

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 13)

Chapter 4 Part II

Cindy Bradford
She ordered the small catfish platter with fries and hush puppies.

“Okay, here goes. I’ll take the large order with coleslaw on the side. And would you bring us another beer and wine, please?”

When the waiter brought the food, it was so heaped with small, crisp filets of fish that a couple fell off on the table.

“Why didn’t you tell me this was going to be so big,” Patrick asked with his eyes wide with surprise.

“You’re a big boy. You can eat that.” [Read more…] about Keeping Faith Chapter 4 Part II

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 12)

Chapter 4 Part I

Cindy Bradford
Basketball season was once again a flurry of activity and Patrick was excited because he was playing really well. Although his grades were not faring the same, he was managing to keep them high enough for his scholarship to remain intact. Sue told him in East Texas it was called “holding on by the skin of your teeth.”

“Another saying from the foreign land,” he laughed. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith Chapter 4 Part I

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 11)

Chapter 3

Cindy Bradford
When Sue met Patrick at the airport in Dallas the last week of August, he smothered her with kisses and gave her a tiny box. His plan had been to save the gift until dinner but he was too anxious to wait. Curious, Sue nervously removed the wrapping and opened the package. Inside she found a small, gold ring with a note in Patrick’s handwriting that simply read: Promise me! Immediately she began to cry.

“Hey, now don’t do that. Don’t you like it?” he asked, worriedly.

“I love it and I love you,” she answered.

“Then pledge to me you’ll wait for me and someday be my wife. But tell me we can get out of this godforsaken part of the world.” [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 3

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 10)

Chapter 2, Part VI

Cindy Bradford
The weeks raced into December and dread crept into Sue. She had found the holidays almost unbearable since her parents’ deaths and now Patrick would be leaving for two weeks.

But there was no ignoring the time of year. The town was dressed for the holidays with cheerful Salvation Army volunteers at the four corners of the main shopping area tolling their bells and wishing the generous a Merry Christmas. A life-size nativity scene sprawled across the side lawn of the First Baptist Church. Bales of hay were scattered strategically along the outer edges so believers could sit and watch a brief enactment of the Christmas story every Friday and Saturday night. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part VI

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 9)

Chapter 2, Part V

Cindy Bradford
Though usually a second-level sport, this basketball season even the visitor bleachers were packed. Some of the overflow hometown backers were forced to sit across the gym, just to gain a seat. Students had to be posted to help reserve the front rows behind the clock keepers for the university recruiters. And the crowd was getting there earlier and earlier. Concession sales were up for the first time in four years because the Cherokee Indian basketball team had the town in a frenzy and Patrick was having his best season yet. If next year was anything like this, he knew he might have a shot at going to a powerhouse university. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part V

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial #8)

Chapter 2, Part IV

Cindy Bradford
The Pizza Joint looked crowded. Small, dark, and smoky, the main room was quaintly furnished with small tables, each covered with a red and white checked tablecloth. No two coverings had the same kind of checks, or the same faded red color. Three old photographs of Townsend’s own sports heroes hung crooked on one wall, yellowed by smoke and age. A poster of an Italian countryside and a worn map of Italy were tacked with pushpins to another wall. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part IV