A Test of Faith (32 page)

Faith came in, laying a gentle hand on her mom’s shoulder.

She woke and looked up with a smile. “You’re home.”

Faith leaned down and kissed her on the top of the head. “I’m home.” She slid into her chair and sniffed. “Thanks, Mom.”

Her mother stretched. “From the sound of your voice when you called tonight, I figured you could use them.”

The first bite was heaven. The second even better. Was
there anything more comforting than fresh-made brownies and milk?

Faith and Anne talked, their conversation warm and relaxed. As she watched her mother, Faith marveled yet again at the changes in her. She was so much softer, more accepting. She’d apologized to Faith for how she’d treated her as a child—and that fact alone told Faith she’d changed.

Of course, Faith knew she’d made more mistakes than anyone. But to hear her mother say she was sorry, tell her she loved her no matter what … well, that meant more to her than she could say.

Now, surrounded by the fragrance of her mother’s care, Faith knew the time had come. “Mom?”

Anne tipped her head. “Yes, honey?”

“I want to tell you … about the year. When I was gone.”

She’d never talked about it. And, thankfully, her parents had never asked. Never pushed her. She’d always been grateful for that. She needed the perspective of time and distance to be able to tell anyone about it.

Anne considered her. “Okay.”

Warmth flooded Faith. Such simple acceptance. Such complete trust.

No wonder she loved her mom so much.

Anne listened as Faith talked, her mother’s heart cringing and weeping as she heard for the first time all that had happened to her daughter when she’d been missing from them. Her heart pounded when she related about the man at the truck stop, then filled with praise when Faith told her about the man’s love for God, the way he helped her.

God had indeed been watching out for her little girl. Why had she ever doubted Him?

She laughed at Faith’s tales of Ethel and the diner.

“The woman drove me nuts half the time, had me in stitches the rest of the time.” Faith grinned. “I felt at home with her right away—”

Anne knew the twinge of jealousy was understandable,
but she didn’t let it take root. Instead, she just thanked God for this woman who’d been such a blessing to Faith.

“—and I finally figured out why. Her spirit. Her devotion to God. Her love of life. It all reminded me of you, Mom.”

Anne blinked away the sting of grateful tears and took Faith’s hand. She listened, awed at the way God kept her daughter safe, at the way He continually drew Faith to His side. And when Faith told about hearing the song, tears washed Anne’s face.

They talked into the small hours of the morning, and when they at last walked toward the stairs, Faith linked her arm with her mother’s. She tugged her mother to a stop at the bottom of the stairs and hugged her.

Anne sniffed. “I’m so glad you’re home, Faith. That you’ve found such a wonderful young man to love.” She smiled. “To marry.”

Her daughter pulled back and gave her a watery smile. “Me, too, Mom.”

Anne lay a hand on Faith’s smooth cheek. “My little girl is all grown up. An old lady of twenty-two.”

At the wistful sound of Anne’s words, Faith lay her hand over her mother’s. “Just don’t let that make you think I don’t still need you.”

“Well, of course not! A girl always needs her mother.”

Faith giggled. “Exactly right. God’s been really good to us, hasn’t He?”

“That He has.”

They started up the stairs. “And I have a feeling,” Faith whispered as they reached the top, “He’s not done with us yet.” She hugged Anne once more, then went to her room. “ ’Night, Mom.”

“Good night, sweetie.” As she headed for her room, she knew, deep inside, that Faith was right. God wasn’t done with them.

More likely, He’d only just begun.

She took hold of the doorknob, then stopped. Frowned. Then pressed a hand to her chest, breathing deep until the discomfort eased.

Chest pains? She’d never had chest pains before.

It’s just the darned diabetes.

Anne nodded. Of course. The disease had caused neuropathy in her feet, which sent stabbing, burning pains from the bottoms of her feet to her shins. And it had aggravated her arthritis as well.

She might only be fifty-six, but sometimes she felt ninety. Like right now. “Lord,” she whispered. “Any chance you feel like coming back soon? If so, I won’t argue. Those new, perfect bodies sound pretty good.”

Cheer up. You’ve got a wedding coming.

A wedding. And one day, grandchildren.

Okay. So she’d stick around awhile longer.

“As long as you give me, Lord.” She opened the bedroom door, heard Jared’s soft snores. The sound made her smile—and as she crawled into bed and snuggled close to her husband, Anne had to admit she wasn’t ready for eternity yet.

Take Your time, Lord
. She lay her head on Jared’s broad chest.
Just take Your time
.

P
ART
T
WO

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.”

M
ATTHEW
7:24–25

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.”

T
HOMAS
J
EFFERSON

The
Rain

“Though the rain comes in torrents …”

M
ATTHEW
7:25

twenty-four

WINTER WAS FINALLY OVER
.

Okay, maybe not for the year, but at least for the last week.

Faith stretched out in her lawn chair. It was like the old folks always said, if you don’t like the weather in Southern Oregon, give it a week. It’ll change.

She held her arms out in front of her, letting the sun wash over her skin. She’d forgotten how good this felt. Was it only a few days ago she’d been grumbling to Zeke that the overcast sky would never be clear and blue again?

He chuckled at her, but she insisted it was true. She planted her hands on her hips. “Do you realize how long it’s been since we’ve seen the sun?”

“About as long as it was last winter?”

“Ooohhh, you!” Faith turned and plopped a dirty dish into the sink, sending a dollop of warm, soapy water splashing over the edge and onto the tile floor.

“Avast, ye wench, watch yerself there, or you’ll sink us for sure!”

She eyed Zeke, telling herself not to give in, not to grin at his pitiful pirate’s accent or laugh at the way he morphed his face into a fairly passable leer.

But not even her sour mood could resist his playful efforts. Her lips twitched then lifted.

“Aaarrrhhh—” he swept her into his arms, and the grumble of his words vibrated deep in his chest, beneath her hands—“there be a comely smile, fer sure. What say you and me gets to know each other, eh, lass?”

She couldn’t hold back a giggle as he waggled his brows at her. “You’re a nut, you know that.”

“Aaaarrrrhhh, but I’m yer nut, I am.”

“Ooo, lucky me.”

Faith smiled anew, remembering the exchange. Zeke could always make her smile. That was just one of the things she loved about him.

“Brought you some tea, darlin’.”

She squinted up at her husband, accepting the tall glass with a grateful sigh. She took a sip.

“Good?” He settled into the chair opposite her.

“Absolutely. How’d you know exactly what I needed?”

He stretched his arms out, then folded them behind his head. “It’s a gift.”

Faith didn’t argue. In the almost fourteen years they’d been married, he’d proven countless times that was true.

“I’m telling you, Zeke, 2005 is going to be a good year.”

“Oh?” He let his fingers trail down her arm. “What makes you think so?”

“Look at it.” She lifted her arms toward the sun, soaking in the warmth. “It’s only February, but it feels almost as warm as summer.”

“
Almost
being the operative word.”

She made a face. “You’re such a literalist.”

“Ain’t it da truth.”

Faith closed her eyes. The weather forecasters were all talking about the unseasonable temperatures and how everyone
had to be ready for them to plunge again. She didn’t care. She planned on enjoying every minute of every beautiful day.

Her coffee group—a gathering of woman who met together every Thursday evening to talk and laugh—had even met outside a few nights ago. The Coffee Crew, they called themselves. Faith had never known such fun, thoughtful, down-to-earth women. They’d met at an area Christian women’s conference six years ago and started coming together out of a need, one of them said, for “female companionship and hilarity.” Well, they supplied that in abundance. They’d been through so much—from family crises to cancer to divorce—each struggle knitting them ever closer together.

They stayed in touch through the week via e-mail, sharing everything from jokes to prayer requests. What did the world do before e-mail?

They talked in person
, came the dry rejoinder from within.

Maybe so, but with people’s busy schedules nowadays, e-mail was a lifesaver. There was something so comforting about sending off your worries, knowing with a click of the mouse they were winging their way to friends who loved you and would do more than mouth platitudes. They’d pray.

Faith had always wanted a sister. Now she had nine. They ranged in age from late twenties to late forties, but there didn’t seem to be any real age differences. They all were young at heart.

A breeze ruffled her hair, and Faith drew in a deep breath, savoring the tangy scent of newness that filled the air. Flowers were budding and starting to bloom, and the mix of fragrances tickled her nose.

What a beautiful day. And what a blessing that it came on the weekend when they could bask in it. She opened her eyes, studying the yard, the house, and a sense of gratitude swept over her. Never in a million years, when she was young and so angry, could she have imagined being as blessed as she was. But God had never let her go. In spite of herself, He worked His will and brought her from a place of despair to where she was now: married to a wonderful man, living in a home that they both enjoyed, and closer than ever to her parents.

She wasn’t the only one close to them, either. Zeke loved them.

Faith turned her head, drinking in the sight of her husband of fourteen years. It had been so amazing to watch him connect with her folks. When the opportunity came for them to buy this house she didn’t even have to convince Zeke. Of course, she’d had a speech all planned, one reminding him that her mother’s health was only getting worse, that it would be good for them to live closer, and that it was a great neighborhood for raising a family, should God ever bless them with a child. But before she could open her mouth, Zeke came in after work one day and told her he’d contacted a Realtor.