Chasing Sunsets (31 page)

“The enemy will stop at nothing.” Anger filled Jag’s heart. Illness was part of a fallen world, the handiwork of the darkest forces on earth. “There has to be something we can do.”

They had known Mary Catherine had a heart condition. That she would need a valve transplant in a few years. Not a big deal, they figured.

But this . . .

“We have to find a reason for her to stay.” Aspyn’s eyes blazed. “We need to ask Orlon.”

“And pray for wisdom.” Jag was in his element here in LA. But a heart condition? One that threatened to take Mary Catherine’s life in less than a year? “It will take all of heaven pulling together.”

They watched as Dr. Cohen typed his notes, filling out a report on his visit with Mary Catherine. The man sat alone in his office. He looked deeply defeated. A call came in and he answered it.

Jag and Aspyn listened intently.

“I told her I consulted with you and that we all agree.” The doctor stared out the window. “No . . . I didn’t tell her that.” He paused. “It’s such an unusual case. She isn’t sick enough for a transplant today. But six months from now . . . you’re right. It might be too late.” He released a tired sigh. “She’s in serious trouble.” He waited. “Yes, I know. I tried to tell her.”

“It’s worse than we think.” Jag’s voice was distant.

“There’s nothing more we can do.” Aspyn’s tone was broken. “It will have to be another Angels Walking team. Months from now.”

“In Africa?” Jag’s frustration nearly overwhelmed him. “We have to think of a way to keep her here, in Los Angeles. With Marcus.”

It was a dilemma they’d battled for the past week. Finding ways to keep Mary Catherine and Marcus together. Jag’s mind raced, still every time an idea came to him the impossibility was greater. Especially now that Mary Catherine was determined to leave.

Aspyn was right. They seemed out of options.

They moved to the waiting room, where Mary Catherine was filling out a stack of paperwork. Jag felt the heaviness in the room, the deep discouragement coming from Mary Catherine.
It’s okay, dear girl
,
he wanted to tell her.
Jesus isn’t finished with you
. This Angels Walking mission might be nearly over.

But they hadn’t lost yet. The greater battle was still at stake. Jag forced himself to hold on to that truth.

Even if the next stage of the war took them to the opposite ends of the earth.

28

M
ARCUS COULD FEEL HER
slipping away. He picked Mary Catherine up each Tuesday and Thursday for the meetings with Lexy at the police station, but no matter what he suggested, she wouldn’t spend time with him. Not alone.

Tyler and Sami were talking with Alicia, while Marcus, Mary Catherine, and Lexy listened. The program had been incredibly beneficial for both girls. At least it seemed that way. They hadn’t had a run-in with the law, and every week they opened up a little more.

Lexy planned to be homeschooled by her grandmother for the next few years and get a job. She didn’t know what the future held, but she was finished with the WestKnights. She had made that decision two weeks ago. Even sent texts to everyone in the gang. She got some pushback, but nothing like what she expected.

Sadly, there were plenty of girls ready to ride shotgun with guys from a gang.

The conversation now was about future plans, what Alicia would do in the coming months while the school year played out. Marcus tried to listen, but he struggled to focus. Mary Catherine was sitting beside him. He could feel the way she moved, sense the way she loved these lost girls.

She consumed him. There was nothing he could do to change the fact.

He let his mind drift. The two of them never talked about what had happened between them that night at his house, and he didn’t push for answers. When they said goodbye he could see the pain in her eyes, the same pain that stayed with him whenever they were apart. It was insane to think that he hadn’t figured out what a treasure she was until the beginning of January.

Now it was the first Thursday in February, the last meeting at the police station with the girls. Tomorrow morning Marcus and Tyler would leave for Glendale, Arizona. Spring training would begin Saturday. And then he wouldn’t see her for two months.

For some reason, Marcus had the sense he didn’t have long with Mary Catherine. Maybe because he was leaving tomorrow. But it was more than that. He couldn’t quite get his mind around the feeling. Yet still it was there. No matter how hard he tried or how much he prayed, he couldn’t find his way back to that moment with her in his arms, under the stars on his deck.

Marcus had thought of a hundred scenarios. Reasons she wasn’t willing to think about dating him. Plausible possibilities for why she wouldn’t talk to him about it. Some days he figured there must be something going on back in Nashville,
something she had to make right before she could move on. Maybe it was someone her parents wanted her to marry.

Or maybe that was it. Her parents. Maybe they wouldn’t approve of her dating a biracial guy. Whenever that thought crossed his mind, Marcus always dismissed it. If race had been an issue, she would’ve said something by now.

There were times when he thought maybe she had something physically wrong with her. Like she couldn’t have kids or she was allergic to baseball diamonds. Maybe she’d suffered some traumatic event as a child and she wasn’t able to form lasting connections with people. That was a legit disorder, right?

Marcus shifted in his seat, his eyes on Alicia, who was still talking.

Whatever the reason, there was no denying it. The feeling was there each time they were together. And lately she had kept her distance again, the way she had when they first started hanging out.

A few days ago after the meeting with the girls, Marcus and Mary Catherine took Lexy to the youth center. The new director was doing a great job. His work meant that Marcus could stop by when he wanted to, pay for pizza each week, and still get on with baseball. For now that was a more realistic setup.

That night they had played a pickup game of basketball with some of the teens who were there. When it was over he and Mary Catherine had high-fived. But when he tried to hold her hand, she eased away from him. “Gotta get water!” she had told him.

Sure, she had been out of breath. But that wasn’t why she left so quickly.

Marcus tried to stay in the moment. Alicia was done talking. She smiled at Tyler and then at Sami. “Is it okay if . . . I still meet with you? Like once a month or something?” She looked uncomfortable for the first time that afternoon. “I think I might really need that.”

Involvement in the program after the first four weeks was optional. But all of them were willing to help. At least they’d agreed on that at the beginning.

Tyler stroked his chin, clearly trying to find an answer for the girl. “Marcus and I leave in the morning for a few months.” He looked at Sami.

“I’ll be here.” Sami reached over and patted Alicia’s hand. “We can definitely meet.”

“Me, too?” Lexy looked from Sami to Mary Catherine. “Could we maybe all meet?”

“I want to.” Mary Catherine was quick with her answer. “But I’m not sure about my schedule.”

Sami smiled. “I can promise you girls this. I’ll be available for both of you. Once or twice a month at least. But let’s talk and text more than that.”

Marcus sat back in his seat and looked at Mary Catherine. Something had just happened, but he couldn’t figure out what. Why wasn’t Mary Catherine saying anything? How come she didn’t offer to meet with the girls? He met her eyes, but she looked away. A sick feeling started in his stomach and quickly moved to his heart.

Just like he thought, she was pulling away. Not just from him, but from all of them. Whatever else happened, he had to get to the bottom of this. Figure out what was wrong and why she was distancing herself. By tomorrow it would be too late
to sort out what was happening, to hear what was going on in her heart. So that left just one option.

He would have to find out tonight.

MARY CATHERINE COULDN’T
look Marcus in the eyes. They were all four going out to dinner after the final meeting with the girls. She had already told Sami her plans to move to Africa. She would tell the guys tonight. At the same time.

The session ended, and Officer Charlie Kent joined them along with a few new volunteers. Mary Catherine recognized one of the women as Aspyn, the neighbor who had pushed Marcus out of the way the night of the shooting at the youth center. Mary Catherine and the woman exchanged a smile.

Officer Kent asked the four of them to talk about how they thought the program had gone, and then finally he turned to the girls. “Would either of you like to tell our new volunteers about the difference this time has made?”

Mary Catherine didn’t expect either of them to say anything. They’d come miles since a month ago. But that didn’t mean they would share here. But even as she was telling herself the reasons Lexy wouldn’t talk, the girl raised her hand. “I’d like to say something.”

Lexy sat up straighter. Something else she wouldn’t have done at the beginning of the program. “Before, I just always assumed I’d be in prison one day.” Her eyes looked tender. “Like my mama.” She turned to Marcus and then Mary Catherine. “I didn’t know I had a choice. But now I know I got someone who cares about me. I don’t need to hang with the
guys, risking prison and getting killed. I belong somewhere else now.”

Moments like this Mary Catherine wondered if she was making the right decision. Maybe she was supposed to stay in Los Angeles and help Lexy. She could stay out of Marcus Dillinger’s way and keep from falling in love with him. And never—no matter what—have a night like the one at his house. If she could do that, she could stay.

But she would miss her one chance at Africa.

When Officer Kent was finished, the group dispersed. Aspyn walked up to Mary Catherine. “Remember me? From the youth center that night.”

“Of course.” Mary Catherine would never forget. Marcus was alive today because of this woman.

“I wondered if you heard about the latest situation. The kids on the street are talking about the program.” Aspyn smiled. She put her hand on Mary Catherine’s. “You’ve done a wonderful job.”

“Thank you.” Looking into the woman’s eyes was like looking into the ocean. They were that light, that complex.

“Anyway”—Aspyn glanced at the door—“there’s another dozen girls ready to go through what Lexy did. But we only have a handful of volunteers.” Aspyn gave Mary Catherine a single sheet of paper. “This describes the need.” She smiled. “I told Officer Kent I’d ask you to stay on. You and Sami. The city really needs you.”

Mary Catherine looked at Marcus across the room. He was talking to Tyler, his long legs and filled-out shoulders reminding her of what it felt like to be in his embrace. She looked back at Aspyn. “I’m afraid I may not be staying in Los
Angeles.” She took the piece of paper. “I’ll keep it in mind, though.”

“Okay.” Aspyn didn’t move. She looked deep into Mary Catherine’s eyes. “Just remember . . . you don’t have to go halfway around the world to find a place to help out. The need is very great right here.” She smiled again and then slipped her purse onto her shoulder and headed for the door.

For a few seconds Mary Catherine wondered how Aspyn knew. How was that possible? Had she somehow talked to Sami? Or was she just guessing, assuming Mary Catherine might be leaving for some sort of mission work?

The woman had to still be just outside. Mary Catherine hurried to the door to call after her, but the parking lot was mostly empty. Just a few cars, nothing and no one else. She took a few steps out the door and looked to the left and then to the right. The woman had already driven away.

But her message remained.

It was a message Mary Catherine would keep with her. So that she would know there was a place for her here. If she was ever healthy enough to come back and take on work like this again. For now, she didn’t dare dream of a time like that. She looked at Marcus again and felt the now-familiar hurt. No, she would stay in Uganda until she was sick enough to need a heart. Then she’d come back.