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Compassionate Love

By Ann Bell

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Chapter 1


At midnight, Teresa Lennon closed the door of the Rocky Bluff Spouse Abuse Shelter. She had spent the last few hours comforting a distraught, battered young woman, and Teresa sighed now, exhausted. She had finally calmed the troubled woman, then led her to a bedroom on the second floor of the shelter and stayed with her until the woman was ready to sleep. Now Teresa could at last go home.
Teresa had devoted all her working years to helping women in distress, and each person’s pain triggered a sense of personal responsibility inside her. She knew what it was like to be emotionally and physically abused. Years before, others had helped her, and now she was always ready to help someone else in crisis. Still, each session left Teresa emotionally drained, and tonight was no different. She lifted her face to the cool fall wind that whirled around her, then made her way to her car.
When she reached her home, she slipped into a nightgown and fell across her bed. Within minutes, she drifted into a deep sleep. Only two hours later, the sharp ring of the telephone pierced the silence of Teresa’s bedroom. She grabbed the phone.
“Teresa. . .Teresa,” a panicky voice cried. “Can you help me?”
Teresa jerked upright and threw her legs over the side of the bed. As director of the shelter, she was used to being awakened in the middle of the night, and now she was instantly alert.
“I’ll do what I can,” Teresa said calmly. “To whom am I talk-ing?”
“This is Dawn. . .Dawn Harkness,” the voice sobbed. “I can’t get ahold of my parents, and I don’t know what to do.”
Teresa pictured the beautiful daughter of one of the com-munity’s leading citizens; Dawn was also the granddaughter of a dear friend. Teresa had not seen Dawn since the younger woman had left for college several months before, and now Teresa felt a wave of concern.
“Dawn, where are you?”
“I’m in the Chief Joseph County Jail,” the young coed sobbed.
“Jail? What are you doing there?” Teresa gasped.
“A bunch of us from the college went to a ranch outside of Nez Percé. . . just to have a good time. The police busted the party, and several of us were arrested for using drugs. They won’t let us go until we appear with our parents and an attorney. But I’m not able to contact my parents.” Dawn gulped back an-other sob.
“Do you know where they are?” Teresa tried to speak in a calm, relaxed tone even though her heart was beginning to race.
“They’re on vacation in the Caribbean. They’re not going to be home for a couple of weeks. My brother Jay and his wife Angie are with them too.” Her sobs turned to desperation. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I know it’s tough,” Teresa replied calmly. “Since you’re not able to go any place, try to get some rest tonight. I’ll get in touch with an attorney first thing in the morning, and we’ll leave immediately for Nez Percé. In the meantime, I’ll be praying.”
“Thanks,” Dawn murmured. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
Teresa hung up the phone and lay back on her pillow, but sleep escaped her. She thought about the dramatic string of events that had brought her life together with the attractive coed now sitting in the Chief Joseph County Jail.
After an abusive marriage and a traumatic divorce, Teresa had obtained a master’s in psychiatric social work from the University of Montana; she had then taken the job in Rocky Bluff, Montana, as director of the Spouse Abuse Shelter. The last fifteen years had been good to her. She had fulfilled a vital need in the community and had made many long-lasting friends, including Dawn’s grandmother, Edith Dutton. Teresa had watched Dawn grow from a blond, giggly toddler to a vivacious teenager who anxiously sought the independence of college life. She was aware of Dawn’s excessive partying during her senior year in high school, but she had never suspected it would lead to this.
t
Though Teresa had had less than four hours of sleep, before seven o’clock she was up, showered, and dressed. She dropped two pieces of bread into the toaster, while she dialed an attorney friend, David Wood.
“Good morning.” The male voice sounded sleepy.
“Good morning, Dave,” Teresa replied. “I’m sorry to call so early, but a crisis occurred last night, and I need immediate legal help.”
“I’ll do what I can,” the young private attorney replied. “What happened?”
“Dawn Harkness called about two o’clock this morning. It seems that a bunch of college kids went to Nez Percé to party. Before the evening was over, the police came and arrested six of them for using drugs. She’s now in the Chief Joseph County Jail until her parents and attorney appear before the court. The problem is the Harknesses are vacationing in the Caribbean and won’t be back for a couple of weeks. I told her I’d find her legal counsel and drive to Nez Percé first thing this morning. Would you be willing to come with me?”
David paused a moment as he tried to recall the coming day’s appointments. “I have a light agenda today.” He reached for his robe. “I’d be glad to go with you. The Harknesses have done a lot to support me throughout the years. It’s the least I can do. I’ll call my secretary and have her reschedule my clients. Give me an hour, and I’ll come by and get you.”
“Thanks, Dave. I knew I could count on you.”
Teresa hung up the phone and took a deep breath. As much as I hate to, I think I better call Edith. She’d be crushed if one of her family members was in trouble and she wasn’t notified so she could pray. Her health has been so bad lately, prayer is the only thing she can do to help her family and friends.
Teresa dialed the familiar number and waited six rings. “Hello,” a breathy voice greeted.
“Hello, Edith. How are you today?”
Recognizing her friend’s voice, Edith smiled. “Hi, Teresa. I’m doing fine. I just wish I could get out of the house more often. I miss helping all my friends and family.”
“Your prayer power is the best help you can give,” Teresa replied. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Please pray for Dawn today. She needs all the support she can get.”
Edith’s brow wrinkled as she pictured her vivacious grand-daughter. “What happened to my sweetie?”
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Teresa said. “Dawn called me last night from the Chief Joseph County Jail.”
“What was she doing there?” Edith gasped.
“She’d been at a party. The police came by, and she and several other college kids were arrested for using drugs. They won’t release her until her parents and attorney appear before the court.”
“But Bob and Nancy won’t be back from vacation for two weeks,” Edith protested.
“That’s why she’s so upset,” Teresa explained. “Her family has always been there to help her, and now she’s on her own. She was begging for help and was totally distraught.”
“I can imagine,” Edith replied, shaking her head. “The Hark-ness family has always taken care of their own. The poor thing must be terrified.”
“She is. David Wood and I are leaving for Nez Percé at eight o’clock. I’m sure Dave will be able to help her.”
“Thanks,” Edith replied as she sunk deeper into her chair. “I appreciate all you’re doing for her. I’ll be praying for her and her friends all day today. Be sure and call me as soon as you get back.”
“I’ll call as soon as I get back,” Teresa replied. “Better yet, I’ll have Dawn come see you herself.” Teresa said good-bye to her friend and hung up the receiver. She was comforted by the knowledge that Edith Dutton would be praying.
t
The foothills of the Rocky Mountains were a somber backdrop as Teresa and Dave drove toward Nez Percé. Snow glistened from the distant peaks, but the drab, brown sagebrush and bare trees reflected the bleakness of the cold November morning.
Teresa rode in silence for many miles before she spoke. “Dave, what do you think will be the best way to handle the situ-ation?”
“I’ve been pondering that myself ever since you called me.” Dave hesitated. “Do you think Dawn has become a drug abuser since she went to college?”
“I’m afraid to even consider that possibility,” Teresa sighed, “but last summer she was hanging out with some pretty rough kids. When she pledged Alpha Gamma Kappa sorority, her brother had a fit. He’d heard rumors about that particular sorority doing a lot of partying. Jay did everything he could to talk her out of pledging, but to no avail.”
“That’s not a very encouraging note,” Dave said, shaking his head. “How-ever, there’s one thing in her favor. If she is using drugs, I don’t think she’s been using them very long. The less time she’s been taking drugs, the better the chances of her getting off them altogether. I’m a firm believer in rehabilitation centers during the early stages of drug abuse.”
Teresa’s eyes drifted over the landscape. The sight of cattle grazing on the hillside usually lifted her spirit, but today the tranquility of the Montana scene conflicted with her internal struggles. How can this be happening to a beautiful young woman from a fine Christian home?
Teresa turned her attention back to her traveling companion. “But there is no rehabilitation center in Rocky Bluff,” she protested weakly. “Dawn needs her family and friends now more than ever before in her life.”
Dave nodded his head in agreement. “That’s true,” he replied, “but usually separation from family and friends for a short period of time gives drug users time to examine themselves and set new goals and objectives. . .without outside influence.”
“That makes sense, but Dawn seems too young and inno-cent to be sent out of state,” Teresa responded. “It’s not like she doesn’t have a family who loves and supports her.”
“There’s a center in Billings that I’m familiar with that might be helpful,” Dave replied. “I’ve made arrangements for several of my clients to receive therapy at the Rimrock Rehabilitation Center. They all have come back to thank me for steering them in the right direction. Several of them had been addicted for a number of years and had a lot of other problems to overcome. If the center could help them, maybe it would be able to help Dawn as well.”
For the remainder of the trip, Dave and Teresa discussed the services available at the Rimrock Rehabilitation Center. Both hoped that they would find Dawn a mere victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they feared the worst. Had she slipped from casual social drinking to heavy drinking to drug use? As they examined the change in her behavior since she had left for college, the case against her seemed overwhelming. Her grades had dropped. She no longer cared about her personal appearance. She avoided the people and places that had once been important in her life. The few times she had returned to Rocky Bluff, her eyes were distant and glazed. Her mother had commented on her increased moodiness.
When they arrived in Nez Percé, they went directly to the Chief Joseph County Jail. The deputy led them to the visitors’ room, and shivers crept down Teresa’s spine when the barred door of the jail slammed behind them.
Teresa paced nervously around the room until Dawn en-tered. She was thinner than Teresa had remembered her, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She rushed into Teresa’s arms, sobbing.
“I’m sorry. . . . I’m such a fool. . . . I’ve ruined my entire life. . . . I’ve disgraced the Harkness name.”
Teresa held her until her crying subsided. Dave seated Dawn at the small conference table and nodded to Teresa. “Now tell us exactly what happened,” the older woman insisted gently but firmly. “We’ll do our best to help, but we have to know every detail that happened.”
Dawn fidgeted nervously as the words tumbled from her mouth. “One of the fraternity guys invited our sorority to a party at his parents’ ranch while they were away.” She twisted a lock of her hair around her index finger. “I don’t know how the she-riff’s department heard about the party, but they turned up around midnight. Nearly everyone was drinking beer, but the police were looking only for drugs. They arrested six of us for using cocaine.”
Dave looked at Dawn gravely. “Were you using cocaine?”
Dawn’s eyes fell to the floor. Her face flushed. “Yes,” she whispered.
“How long have you been using drugs?” Dave persisted.
Dawn did not lift her eyes as she muttered, “I started a year and a half ago when I first went to college.”
“What kinds of drugs have you used?”
Dawn choked back her sobs as she stared blankly at the tiled floor. “First it was just drinking, then I tried marijuana. I started sniffing coke about three months ago. I’m not addicted to it or anything like that. It just helps relieve the stress of my classes. Whenever I’m faced with a big test, a little cocaine helps me get through it.”
Dave shook his head. “You are faced with a very serious charge,” he said softly. “You are charged with possession and use of a controlled substance. The judge may not be very le-nient. I suggest you agree to enroll in the Rimrock Rehabilitation Center in Billings. They have an excellent success rate, and the judge will be more inclined to give you a break as a first offender.”
“But I’m not addicted,” Dawn persisted. “I just wanted to have some fun and relieve my stress.”
“Judges don’t accept that logic,” Dave replied sternly. “They could fine you and send you to jail. If I were the one making the choice, I’d choose rehabilitation over jail.”
Dawn’s jaw dropped, and her face turned ashen. “You mean it’s that serious?”
Dave nodded his head. “It’s that serious.”
Tears again filled Dawn’s eyes. “Do you think I’ll have to stay here until my parents get home?”
“I’ll talk to the judge if you’ll promise to go to the rehab center as soon as there is an opening. This might be your only way to prevent having a criminal record,” Dave explained. “If he agrees, I’ll ask that you be released to Teresa’s custody until you enter rehab.”
Dawn thought a moment, then turned to Teresa. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Teresa took Dawn’s hand and looked into the frightened young woman’s eyes. “Of course I do. If we all work together, you’ll be back in college in no time.”
t
The next few hours were hectic for all three of them. The court released Dawn to Teresa’s custody and arranged for Dawn to enter the Rimrock Rehabilitation Center in three days. Teresa signed the necessary papers, and Dawn agreed to avoid all drugs and alcohol.
Late that afternoon, Dave, Teresa, and Dawn drove to Dawn’s sorority house and packed her belongings. The next stop was the registrar’s office, where Dawn withdrew from col-lege but retained the right to reenroll at a later time.
By five o’clock the three were on their way to Rocky Bluff. After a day of tension and frustration, the sunset’s red glow behind the mountains relaxed the trio. Dawn was soon asleep in the backseat. Her blond hair framed her petite face, giving her an air of innocence that belied her recent experiences. She did not awaken until the lights of Rocky Bluff shone through the windows of David Wood’s car.
“Can we go see Grandma as soon as we unload the car?” Dawn asked shyly. “I know I’ve been a lot of trouble to everyone today, but it would mean so much if I could see her. When I was a little girl, I used to crawl up in her lap, and she always seemed to make everything right again.”
Teresa turned around in her seat. “Of course,” she agreed. “I promised her I’d either call or bring you over just as soon as we got back to town.”
Dave parked his car in Teresa’s driveway, and the three hur-riedly carried suitcases and boxes into Teresa’s spare bedroom. As Dave set the last box in the corner, Dawn extended her hand. “Thanks for all your help. I don’t know what I’d have done without you,” she murmured, her face red. “Rehab will be a lot better than going to jail. But I still don’t think I’m an addict.”
Dave smiled at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m looking forward to talking with you next month after you have been through treatment. You’ll see drug use in an entirely different light then,” he said. “Good luck. I’ll be praying for you.”
While Dave backed his car down the driveway, Teresa and Dawn hurried to the garage. They were silent as they drove the familiar streets to Edith Dutton’s home. Dawn’s mind drifted back to the day when her grandmother had moved here from the spacious, two-story family home. She had turned the large house over to her son and grandchildren, and Dawn remembered the joy of unpacking the treasures she had collected in the first seven years of her life in her upstairs bedroom. She pictured her grandmother’s wedding with Roy Dutton and the fun she had had with them. A lump built in her throat as she thought about Roy’s stroke and the year he had spent in the nursing home before he passed away. Roy had been a welcomed replacement for the grandfather who had died before she was born.
Dawn scarcely waited for Teresa to stop her car in front of the Dutton home before she sprang from the front seat and bounded up the sidewalk. Before she could reach the doorbell, Edith flung open the door and wrapped her frail arms around her granddaughter. “Grandma, Grandma. I’m sorry,” Dawn gasped. “I’ve let everyone down. I’ve never had such a terrible experience in my life.”
Edith motioned for Teresa to close the door behind her, then led the trembling young woman to the sofa. “Dawn, tell me everything that happened,” she insisted gently. “There’s nothing so bad that God and the Harkness family can’t handle together.”
For the next two hours, Dawn poured out the details of her guilt and fears. Teresa was amazed at the loving acceptance Edith showed her wayward granddaughter. So often when she had worked with people in trouble, their families would turn their backs on the struggling person until they had regained some level of acceptability. But Edith’s love for her granddaughter never wavered.
Edith gently tried to move Dawn from the denial of her ad-diction to ad-mitting that drugs had taken control of her life, but the beautiful young coed was still not ready to accept the impact that drugs were having on her life.
After she had poured out her heart to her grandmother, Dawn noticed the dark circles gathering under the old woman’s eyes. “Grandma, I didn’t mean to keep you up so late. I better let you get some rest. I’ll come and see you before I leave for Billings.” Dawn stood to leave.
“Get a good night’s rest,” Edith replied as she hugged her granddaughter. “I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thanks, Grandma.” Dawn returned the hug. “There’s one other thing. If Mom or Dad call, would you tell them what hap-pened and let them know how sorry I am to disgrace the Hark-ness name? Don’t let them cut their vacation short on my ac-count. They’ve saved for this trip for years. They deserve every moment of relaxation they can get.”
“I’ll do the best I can,” Edith assured her, “but knowing your parents, they’ll probably be on the next plane back to Rocky Bluff.”
t
Dawn slept most of the next day. The security of being home in Rocky Bluff relaxed her tension-filled body. When she awoke, she began pondering drug rehabilitation and bombarded Teresa with questions. Teresa went through her files until she found several brochures, pamphlets, and a book on the subject. Dawn spent the rest of the evening poring over them. She searched for any clue as to what the future might hold for her.
The next morning, Dawn arose early, showered, and was waiting in the living room when Teresa stumbled to the kitchen with her eyes only partially opened.
“Good morning,” Dawn greeted as she looked up from the morning paper.
“You’re up early for a Sunday morning,” Teresa replied. “You look nice today.”
“I want to go to church with you,” Dawn replied. “I haven’t gone since I went to college, and I think I better get back in the habit. Maybe if I hadn’t ignored what my parents taught me about walking daily with God, I wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Teresa smiled and nodded with agreement. “Your family did give you a firm foundation, and Pastor Rhodes has always been available to teach and console those who have needed him.”
“He’s the only minister I’ve ever known,” Dawn replied. “Every time there was a high point in my life he was always there. Now he’s here during the lowest point in my life. I’d like to talk with him before I leave for Billings.”
Dawn fixed breakfast, while Teresa dressed. After they had eaten, they drove to Edith’s house to give her a ride to church. Since Bob and Nancy were gone, Edith was left without trans-portation.
The church service that Sunday took on a special meaning for Dawn. She squeezed her grandmother’s hand as she recited the Lord’s Prayer. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The hymns, the sermon, and the prayers seemed to have been tailored just for her. After the closing hymn, instead of walking to the back to greet the people, Pastor Rhodes motioned for the congregation to be seated. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances as they quickly obeyed.
“I have some sad but exciting news for you,” Pastor Rhodes began. “The first of January, I will be leaving Rocky Bluff to accept the pastorate in Sheridan, Wyoming. I am leaving this congregation with deep regret. We have shared many years of joys and sorrows and have grown together as a family of God. I will miss you greatly, but there comes a time for change. I now feel it is time for me to move on and turn this congregation over to a younger minister. I trust you will receive your new pastor with the same love and acceptance you have shown to me.”
Dawn didn’t hear any more of Pastor Rhodes’s farewell speech. Just when she needed him the most, he would be leav-ing them. No one would ever be able to fill his place in her life. By the time Dawn completed drug treatment, a new minister would be in the pulpit, and church would never be the same again.

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