Susie stopped talking then and put her head in her hands and sobbed. Bill, who was still in shock at all that he had heard, had tears running down his face as he reached over and cradled her in his arms. "Susie, I am so sorry that you had to endure all that. Is it still going on? And did you ever try to talk to your mom?" "I tried, but Matt never left me alone with her," Susie said, "then Mom was killed, along with Matt and Teddy in a car wreck, so now I am all alone, except grandma, that's where I live now, but I keep having these nightmares." "Have you told your grandmother?" Bill asked. "No," she said, "I've never told anyone. I was afraid they would blame me. Matt told me it was my fault, he said I was bad and I needed to be punished. He said nobody would believe a little kid like me anyway, and if I told, they would take me away from my mom. Now he has taken my mom and Teddy away because of his drinking. The only one I have left is my grandma and she is sick, the doctors say she has cancer and that she may not live very long. I'm so scared, Pastor Kendell. Where will I go? What will happen to me if grandma dies too?" Then she sobbed again as Bill tried to comfort her.
 

Finally Susie calmed down and Bill made her a promise. He said, "Susie, I will talk to your grandmother and if it's okay with you and her, you can come live with me and my family, in the event of her death." "Pastor Kendell, It's okay with me, but you don't have to do that, you don't even know me." He took her hand and smiled as he said, "I know you well enough, Susie. Just leave everything to me, okay?" Susie forced a tiny smile and said, "Okay, I will, I promise." "Wonderful, now how would you like to go to a birthday party? Today is my daughter's sixteenth birthday and I would love it if you would come and meet her and my son. We can call your grandmother and ask her if it's okay." "I would love it," she said, "but instead of calling, can we go by the house so I can change clothes? I have a party dress I bought for the prom, but never got to go, I would love to wear it." Bill said, "That will be fine, honey, let me just turn off the lights in the office and I'll be ready to go." "Okay," she said, "I'll just wait outside."