My first novel underwent A LOT of changes before the final proof for publishing. (STORY HERE) When I first wrote Restoring Grace – it was over 115,000 WORDS! I did a lot of axing to get it to where it is today. One of the scenes that I cut was from chapter one. Viviane, Daphne, and Erica were waiting to get a table in the Chinese restaurant.
I was dealing with my own anger at my childhood and used a lesson God taught me for Erica. As a child psychologist, she explains about her day and how a stress ball changed the way she viewed anger.
Section Removed from Chapter One Restoring Grace
It was a very diverse group that walked into the restaurant, where they could see a few people standing and waiting, but it wasn’t a long line. Viviane went to the hostess station and put their names down, told it would a few minutes. Satisfied, Erica would get to eat soon, Viviane went over to her friends and heard the tail end of their conversation.
“…. and I was so angry. I had to ask God what to do because I had another client coming in fifteen minutes. Looking at the mess I had made, I knew I couldn’t go into the next therapy session with this much pent-up anger,” Erica was saying, but when she saw Viviane coming over, she paused to explain.
“I was telling Daphne what happened this morning that taught me about anger. Sometimes, I hear awful things as a child therapist. After a particularly bad session, I asked God what to do to get rid of the anger really quickly, before a new family was due to arrive. He told me to get one of the stress balls and squeeze it.”
Erica paused her story to sit down in one of the recently vacated benches. When the ladies settled down again, she continued. “Apparently, I didn’t know how really angry I was when I started squeezing. I squeezed so hard, the stress ball literally exploded! In case, you didn’t know, those things are full of white powder.”
Viviane and Daphne began to shake with laughter, which Erica ignored, “Yes, I was covered in white powder.” Waving her hands, she said, “My desk was covered in white powder, the floor, and my sofa. It was awful! I started to clean, but it just seemed to make it worse. Before I knew it, the new family walked in and it looked like I had a major drug problem on my hands, literally.”
By now, the women were all flat out laughing, even Erica who struggled to compose herself enough to continue. “I tried to explain, but I don’t know if they believed me. We had to meet in the conference room because my office was such a mess. I guess if they show up for their second appointment, I’ll know they believed my crazy explanation.”
Viviane and Daphne were laughing so hard, they were still holding their sides when the hostess came over to seat them. The women tried to quiet down, but must not have succeeded, because the hostess seated them in a back corner. She handed them menus, and said, “Your waiter will be here in just a few minutes.”
After a chorus of thanks and apologetic looks, the women began looking at the menus.
Wiping a tear from her eye, Daphne asked in between giggling, “So what was the lesson God was trying to teach you?”
“Obviously,” Erica said while she rolled her eyes, “to let him handle the anger because I’ll only make a bigger mess of things. It’s okay to be angry but acting on it for the wrong reasons only leads to other problems.”
Everyone broke out in laughter at Erica’s statement. They were only able to quiet down when a young waiter came up to the table. “Good evening ladies, what can I get you to drink?”
If you want to read more about Viviane’s story, please check out my first novel in the Grace Series, Restoring Grace. Available for pre-sale now, and everywhere on August 14th.
Until next time, may God’s grace surround you,
