A Place Called Home (14 page)

“I feel just awful. I know she'd love it. She told me she misses her own horse. How could we have overlooked such a thing?”

“Ahem!” Christine felt she needed to remind them of her presence.

Grandma Em turned. “That settles it, Christine. We'll go out this week, rain or shine.” With a determined nod, Grandma Em went back to her breakfast.

Christine was left to wonder what was so special about the ranch. Her grandfather's stables housed four horses, one being
Raven, Christine's own horse—her pride and joy. The thought of seeing the ranch and its horses left Christine in a buoyant mood for church.

Driving into the church yard and being greeted by name felt good to Christine. Mrs. Nolan was in the entryway as usual. She squeezed Christine's hand and said a few words to Silas about her niece Amy.

A brief flash from last week went through Christine's mind and she moved quickly to be first in the pew and next to the wall.

Pastor Nolan said he was fighting a cold. He would need to keep things short today because his throat was bothering him. Only one song was sung before the sermon began.

“Today I would like you to turn to First John chapter 4, beginning with verse 7.” Pastor Nolan read these verses and began to talk about God's love.

“God is love. The Scriptures tell us this over and over. In John 3:16 we see the greatest expression of this love. Listen as I read John 3:16: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.' Who is the only begotten Son in this verse? It's Jesus Christ. He alone is qualified to take on the sins of the world, for He is God. In John 10:30 are Jesus' own words: ‘I and my father are one.'”

Christine turned the pages and read John 10:30. A smile lit her face. She knew this verse. It was the first one on the list that Luke had given her. Shifting slightly in her seat, Christine looked past Grandma Em in hopes of catching Luke's eye. She need not have worried—Luke was already looking her way. They exchanged a quick grin before turning their attention back to the sermon.

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God—Romans 3:23. ‘All have sinned,' it says. Maybe you think that's
just not true. You might say, ‘I've never sinned. I've never stolen from someone or killed anyone. Those are sins and I've never done those.' But the verse says, ‘All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' You see, in the light of God's holiness, we have all sinned. Pride, greed, unforgiveness, gossip—the list is a long one. God will not allow these things into His heaven. Heaven is God's home, and He alone decides who will enter.

“But there is hope. Read on. Romans 3:24 says, ‘Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.' Jesus Christ is the answer to all your needs.” Pastor Nolan stopped and cleared his throat. His voice was getting hoarse, but he continued.

“My throat isn't going to let me go on much longer, but I must ask you this: Do you know where you would spend eternity if you were to die today? God loves you and sent His Son for your sins. My friend, have you ever confessed your sin to God and told Him you believe that Jesus died for those sins? Have you ever opened up your heart to Him? He is waiting for you with open arms. Your prayer need not be complicated or elaborate. The Word says, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!' Do not put it off, my friend. No one knows how long his time on earth will be. Don't wait! Go to Christ and open your heart to Him. He will gladly enter in. He is your only answer to everlasting life as well as an abundant life here on earth. Do it today!”

The closing hymn was led by Silas. His voice was deep and clear. In his closing prayer, he asked for God's healing hand upon Pastor Nolan and for those who had not yet accepted Christ.

Once back in the wagon, Silas managed the reins, with Grandma Em sitting beside him. Christine slid forward from her place in the backseat until her face nearly touched Grandma Em's shoulder.

“Grandma Em?” Emily shifted around in her seat with an expectant smile on her face. “You told me your husband, Joseph, was on the other side. Did you mean heaven?” At Grandma Em's nod she went on. “He believed in Christ and you think he is in heaven?” Again Emily only nodded. “And you also believe in Christ and believe you're going to see Joseph when you die?”

“With all my heart, Christine.”

It was Christine's turn to nod. Placing a cool hand on Christine's flushed cheek, Grandma Em spoke through tears. “I know you are searching, Christine. I also know that God is your answer. God loves you so much, and I'm praying, Christine, that you will open your heart to that love.”

Even though the horses were at a crawl, they were already pulling up to Grandma Em's house. Unlike on most Sundays, everyone including Luke and his guests had arrived ahead of Grandma Em, so she decided it was best to let things go for now.

“If you want to talk later, Christine…” she let the sentence go unfinished. Grandma Em hugged Christine and then Silas was helping her from the wagon. Christine watched as she hurried toward the house.

Christine was preoccupied when Silas helped her down from the wagon. So she was doubly surprised when Silas gave her a big hug. The embrace broken, Christine stood staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. It took a moment for her to realize that in Silas' own quiet way he knew she was hurting. A gentle finger came out to touch the end of her nose, and he smiled kindly at her before moving away to take care of the horses.

Reluctant to go inside, Christine's footsteps were weary as she walked to the house. Knowing there was no way she could
be alone, Christine made an effort to put her confusing thoughts aside.

Christine had no more stepped into the entryway when a small blonde person ran through the parlor and hid behind her skirt. Within moments Charles was planted in front of Christine, hands on his small hips. “I know you're back there, Em. It's my marble and I want it back.”

“Cal gave it to me.” The small voice was muffled, and Christine wondered if she were crying.

“He can't give it to you. It's mine.”

Christine, who was needed in the kitchen, was on the verge of stepping in when Mac appeared beside his small son.

“I hope you have a good reason for trapping Christine against the front door.” John MacDonald dwarfed the five-year-old, but Charles showed no fear as he pointed toward Christine's skirt. “Emily is back there and she's got my marble.”

Mac's eyes followed the direction of Charles' finger and laughter rumbled out of his chest when Christine's skirt moved around her legs as she herself stood perfectly still. “Are you harboring a fugitive, Christine?”

“Not intentionally,” Christine laughed with him. She made an attempt to move toward the kitchen, but the little girl behind her had other ideas and held fast.

“Go ahead, Christine, I'll get her,” Mac said.

Christine turned then and exposed Emily. In one movement, surprisingly fast for a man Mac's size, she was in his arms. Christine glanced back before walking quickly through the house. Charles was standing below his father, looking up at the little girl in his arms. Emily's hand was clenched into a fist, the coveted marble obviously inside. Mac was smiling and saying something to her, but Emily's lower lip was out a city block and she was looking most unreasonable.

Christine entered the kitchen to find everything under control. “When you came through the house, Christine, were the kids getting along? I thought I heard raised voices.” Julia spoke from her place at the stove.

Christine peeked at the gravy that Julia was stirring before moving toward Susanne, who was slicing fruit into a bowl. Christine gently removed the knife from Sue's grasp. Taking the smaller woman by the shoulders, she steered her to a chair at the kitchen table. Christine then took over where Sue had left off, all the time explaining about Emily, Charles, Mac, and the marble.

Julia, Grandma Em, and Sue all laughed at the end of the story. Christine joined them, unaware of how much their laughter was over the way she had maneuvered a very pregnant Susanne.

Julia's eyes lingered on Christine as she worked. She was so much a part of them now—just like family. She felt a sting behind her eyes as she silently prayed that Christine would soon be a member of God's family too.

Earlier Grandma Em had quickly told her and Susanne about the conversation in the wagon. Grandma Em had said a quick prayer as they stood together in the kitchen, asking God to save Christine and to use them as instruments as He needed them.

Not until it was time to sit down to dinner did Christine meet Frank and Caroline Chambers. It was to date the most humiliating introduction that Christine had ever experienced.

“Christine, this is Frank Chambers. We bought the new horses from his stables in Chicago.” Christine shook his hand. “And this is his daughter, Caroline.” Christine's hand went out for the expected handshake, but Caroline's words stilled her movements. “Why, you're as tall as Julia!” Caroline's voice was shocked and slightly outraged.

Joseph Bennett had, from the time Christine was small, instilled in her a pride about who and what she was. She had never been allowed to slouch or to be ashamed of her height. She was told to hold her head up and look people in the eye. But at that moment she felt she would have given a year off her life to be a foot shorter.

Christine's eyes took in the petite woman before her: big, light-blue eyes, very blonde hair, pale skin. Christine felt as big as Mac and as dark as the wooden Indian downtown.

Caroline didn't realize how her words sounded, so she went on. “Of course, I shouldn't be surprised, since most all of the Camerons are so tall.” Caroline smiled adoringly up at Luke.

“Oh! I'm not related to the Camerons. My last name is Bennett.”

“That's right,” Luke said, smiling kindly and putting his hand on Christine's shoulder. “Christine lives here and works for my grandmother.”

“She works for your grandmother and she's going to sit down to dinner with us?” Caroline's voice was incredulous.

Christine drew back as if she'd been slapped. Caroline's words had been spoken without thought. Watching Luke and Christine exchange a smile in church, plus watching him put his hand on her shoulder, had been fine—until she found out they were not related to each other.

Slowly Caroline became aware of a tense silence which had permeated the room. Even her father, who thought she could do no wrong, was staring at her as if she had taken leave of her senses.

Surprisingly enough, Christine was the one to save the meal. Quietly and with a calmness she herself could hardly believe, she said, “Let's eat.”

For Christine the meal was a strain. She ate mechanically. The food that had smelled so good in the kitchen now tasted like sawdust in her mouth. As the meal progressed, Christine's embarrassment faded to an emotion she could not quite define. Something almost painful stirred within her each time she saw Caroline's hand on Luke's arm and each time she leaned toward him to smile into his face. What Christine failed to notice was that Luke's return smile was forced and that he had glanced in her direction more than once to see how she was faring.

But, no, Christine didn't see any of this. She only saw a pretty blonde who made her feel ungainly, too tan, and unwanted. Plus this intruder had Luke's full attention. So Christine continued to eat, feeling miserable and every bit as green as the color of her eyes. It might have helped to define the word, but Christine, having never before been jealous, was left in the dark. Her thoughts were bleak, even going so far
as preferring Spooner with all its danger to being in Baxter today.

“Did anyone see you come?”

“No, sir, no one.”

Vince Jeffers grunted and glared at the man before speaking. “Get back to the Bennett house.”