Chasing Sunsets (9 page)

A family who lived out their faith as easily as they breathed.

They talked for a good hour before Sami and Tyler decided to head out. “We’ll be here tomorrow for church!”

Mary Catherine had planned on leaving now, too, but as she found her purse Marcus approached her. “Hey . . . why don’t you stay? I can take you home in a bit.” He grinned at Sami and Tyler. “You know, give them their space.”

“Marcus!” Sami sounded disappointed, but she was teasing him. “We don’t need our space.” She motioned to Mary Catherine. “Come on, MC. We want you to come with us.”

“No, really.” Marcus seemed like he was trying to keep
things casual. “Stay and walk around the block with me. I want to hear your story.” He patted his stomach. “Plus I have to walk off these almonds.”

Mary Catherine could feel it again, the heat in her cheeks, the way her heart beat faster around him. Was he serious? Did he really want to take a walk with her? In her peripheral vision she thought she saw Tyler give Sami a light elbow. Whatever the signal meant, Sami was suddenly quick to change her mind.

“Actually, it might be nice to have a little time with Tyler.” She leaned up and kissed him again. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Like that they were gone, and before Mary Catherine could argue, Marcus was ushering her outside for the walk. Never mind that it was nearly midnight or that Mary Catherine had intended to avoid anything even remotely like this. Marcus couldn’t help himself. Every time they shared a moment together, the world around him turned to summer. The hillsides and skies of his heart came alive with new life.

They were still in sight of the Waynes’ house when Marcus laughed. “Sorry if that felt a little forced.”

“Just a little.” Mary Catherine had no idea why he wanted this time with her. Whatever his reason, she had to be careful. She couldn’t stop herself from feeling attracted to him. But she could at least keep her distance emotionally.

“I don’t know . . . it’s like I sensed something earlier, when we were cleaning up. Like you didn’t want to look at me.” Marcus slowed his pace so he could see her. “Or was that just my imagination?”

Mary Catherine was glad for the cover of night. She uttered a single laugh. “Well, Marcus. I mean, you have Shelly. I wouldn’t want to be too friendly.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. If that’s all it was.”

“Tell me about her. You and Shelly.” Mary Catherine was proud of herself. This was a good way to turn the conversation.

“There’s not much to say.” He stayed quiet for a few minutes while they walked. Then he turned to her. “So what’s your story, Mary Catherine? Tyler tells me you grew up in Nashville. Why’d you leave?”

“Good question.” There had been times when she tried to tell herself Marcus was shallow. He was a pro ballplayer, after all. But that simply wasn’t the case. His tone was kind and tender, and she sensed a depth in him that surprised her.

“Didn’t you like the South?” Their pace was easy, relaxing.

“Actually, I loved it.” She laughed lightly and looked up at the stars. “I guess I was too comfortable. Everything felt predictable and safe.”

“Hmm.” Marcus laughed, but barely hard enough to be heard. “Sounds like you. Sami says you like jumping out of planes and riding your bike down Santa Monica Boulevard.”

“And swim with dolphins.” She laughed. “That actually happened right here.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It was amazing.” She cast him a look. “I like feeling alive.” She walked a few more steps and shrugged. “That’s just me.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” They turned a corner
and kept walking. “Were you like the oldest of six kids or what? Locked in the house till you were eighteen?” He chuckled. “Why live life on the edge?”

“Actually, I was an only child. My parents did well for themselves. The right house in the right neighborhood, the best social clubs and affiliations.” She smiled. “They loved me, but . . . they didn’t stay together.” This was the part of her story where her health came into play. Both of her parents worried about her, wanted her close to them, where she could be safe.

Mary Catherine wanted adventure.

She skipped that part. Marcus didn’t need to know. There would be no reason.

“Okay. Why Los Angeles?” He seemed genuinely interested.

She grinned. “It was everything Nashville was not. Wild and loud and crowded and godless.” She nodded once. “In LA, I don’t go an hour without knowing how desperately I need the Lord. I like it that way.”

“So did you break some poor guy’s heart back in Nashville?”

“Hardly.” She laughed out loud. “I dated a few guys, but I never found
that
guy. You know . . . the one I could be real with.” She thought for a moment. The last guy she dated was a good one. They loved to laugh together. But in the end, he wasn’t the right one. Just as well, given the news about her heart. “I guess I’m picky.”

“I could use a little more of that.” He grinned at her.

He had to be talking about Shelly, but Mary Catherine didn’t want to push the issue. She slowed her steps. “Another
thing . . . have you noticed how selfish everyone is? We’re all about our own social media, our own platform, our own interests. I still haven’t found a guy who can be in the moment. You know, carry on a conversation without checking his phone halfway through.”

Marcus stopped walking and looked down. He checked the ground in front of him and behind him, and then reached into the pockets of his jeans. When he found them empty, he patted his other pockets. Then he shrugged.

“You lost your phone?” Mary Catherine glanced at the sidewalk behind them.

“No.” He slipped his hands in his pockets and looked straight into her eyes. “I didn’t bring it. Figured I’d rather be in the moment.”

Touché. Mary Catherine felt something strange and unfamiliar in her heart. He was right. Where so many guys were too distracted to pay attention, Marcus had asked for this time with her and he’d remained truly present. “Thank you.” She felt her smile soften.

They started walking again. “For what?”

“For being in the moment. That’s one of the greatest gifts people can give each other. It’s like a lost art. Listening. Caring enough to look into someone’s eyes.” She couldn’t fall for him. Absolutely not. But she would be wrong not to express her gratitude. “Just . . . thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He looked happy with himself. “Maybe next time we have a conversation among friends you’ll look
me
in the eyes. The way you didn’t do today.”

“I told you . . .” She giggled, not really frustrated.

“I know . . . you didn’t want to seem too friendly. I’m dat
ing Shelly. I get it.” He gave her a knowing look. “Let’s just say today at the center no one would’ve thought you even knew me.”

“Good.” She kept a straight face. Much as she wanted to laugh, she needed him to know how serious she was. “I didn’t want to overstep my bounds.”

“Obviously.” The quiet between them for the next few steps felt comfortable. Marcus looked at her a long time before his next question. “So is it a faith thing, your living dangerously? Jumping out of planes and swimming with sharks?”

Her laughter felt wonderful. “Not sharks. Dolphins.”

“Whatever.” He chuckled. “Really, Mary Catherine. Why?”

The truth wasn’t something she was willing to talk about. Her doctor had told her anything that released too much adrenaline was bound to be hard on her heart. A quiet life, they told her. Keep to the house, the daily tasks and chores. Learning and reading were fine. A desk job, maybe. Anything out of the box would knock days off the life of her heart.

Her mother had begged her to follow her doctor’s orders.

Mary Catherine would rather have died young. She took a deep breath and imagined a way to explain all that without talking about her health. “There’s a Bible verse in John, chapter ten, verse ten.”

He shook his head. “Don’t know it.”

“Jesus is talking. He says, ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’ ” Her tone held a passion never far from the surface. “I figure if Jesus came to give me that sort of life, well, then . . . I might as well live it.”

“Hmmm.” Marcus nodded. “Fair enough.”

“How about you, Marcus Dillinger? You ever jump out of a plane or swim with dolphins?” She loved this, walking with him at midnight. This far up in the hills, the stars shone bright overhead, the moon a sliver in the sky.

His laugh was quiet again. “Hardly.” He sighed. “For me it was baseball, baseball, baseball. My dad was a blond, blue-eyed ballplayer for the Giants back in the day. Played a few years and then got cut. He moved to the Bahamas to try to figure out his life and met the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.” He smiled. “That’s how he tells the story. My mom was just eighteen, six years younger than my dad. Born and raised in the Bahamas. They fell in love and got married six months later at a little white church in downtown Nassau. Right in the heart of the city.”

Mary Catherine had figured one of Marcus’s parents must’ve been white. His light skin and eyes told her that much. But she had never heard his parents’ love story. “That’s beautiful.”

“It was. My dad got a job in San Diego in computer engineering. He and my mom had me and two girls. Dad and I played ball all the time. He was one of my coaches. Believe it or not, I had a choice about playing baseball. He wasn’t one of those fathers.” Marcus grinned. “I just loved the game.”

“So no time for planes and dolphins?” She could feel her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

“Exactly.”

Their teasing made her feel like she’d known him all her life.
He has a girlfriend
,
she told herself.
Don’t let yourself fall.
“Hey, wait!”

“What?” He looked intently at her. He had definitely perfected the art of being present.

“I know that little white church. The one in Nassau. Is it on the main street, right past the pink government buildings?”

He looked surprised. “Yes. That’s the one.”

“I went there once on a mission trip.” She laughed. “I know. Not the roughest place to do mission work. Anyway, on Sunday most of our group went to service there. It was super colorful. They passed out tambourines and percussion instruments.” She nodded. “I loved it.”

“You and my mom should meet.” His tone remained genuine. “She grew up in that church. She’d love to hear that story.”

They had turned around and now they were nearly back to the Waynes’ house. Mary Catherine wasn’t going to bring up Shelly again, but this time Marcus did. “You asked about Shelly. She’s interesting. A little aggressive.” He raised his brow. “It’s awkward, her being Coach’s niece.”

“Mmm.” Mary Catherine didn’t want to say too much. “You think Coach Ollie is in favor?”

“I’m not sure.” His laugh sounded nervous. “Just feels awkward. I kind of fell into the whole thing before I knew what was happening.”

Up until then, Mary Catherine wondered whether Marcus had a chink in his armor. She had assumed the guy was a typical pro ballplayer, but her assumptions had been wrong.

Until this.

She considered her words before she spoke. “So . . . are you pursuing her?” She was careful not to sound mean. Just curious. “Or the other way around?”

“I asked her out, if that’s what you mean. But more to kind of see if we were compatible.” He was quiet for a long minute. “Actually, I guess she asked Coach if I was interested. I didn’t really know about her until a month ago.”

Mary Catherine didn’t respond. Maybe it was better if Marcus was allowed to sit with his own thoughts for a bit.

“Yeah, maybe she’s doing the pursuing.” He looked troubled. “To answer your question. I guess I hadn’t thought about it.”

They were back at the house. Mary Catherine smiled. “The Waynes are great. I love the way their home feels.” She was finished talking about Shelly. Marcus could figure that out later.

“They’re my second family.” He looked to the front door. “They seriously always have a light on.” He chuckled. “Like that old motel commercial my dad used to like.”

They both laughed and headed inside. Mary Catherine said goodbye and thanked Rhonda and Ollie for having her.

“Come anytime. Seriously.” Rhonda hugged her. “We health foodies need to stick together.”

“I’ll be back.” She grinned from Rhonda to Ollie. “I want to meet your daughter next time.”

The only thrill greater than jumping out of a plane or bungee jumping off a bridge was investing in people. Mary Catherine worked with the youth group every Sunday at church. She didn’t lead it, but even as a volunteer, girls were always talking to her. Telling her their struggles.

It was another wonderful reason she loved being alive.

Marcus walked her out and opened her door first before he slid behind the wheel. The whole way back to the apart
ment, Mary Catherine couldn’t stop from dreaming. Even just a little. And in the time it took them to reach the freeway, she allowed herself to imagine the greatest possible plans ahead. If she could, she would walk that way whatever the cost. However many steps the journey might hold.

For tonight, she could dream about the possibilities. As if for this one moment she might pretend Marcus was
her
boyfriend and the two of them were facing life together. Head on.

She looked out her side window.
Don’t be ridiculous
,
she chided herself
. There are a hundred reasons why it could never happen.

Because Mary Catherine had no time for a relationship. If God was going to give her more than thirty years—the way she truly believed—then she would spend it living and serving and loving people.

Just not the sort of love her wayward heart had dreamed about tonight.

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