Courageous (28 page)

Dylan smiled, then took off running.

Chapter Thirty-one

The men sat at the Cookie Shop, an Albany legend, happily downing homemade baklava and chocolate nut surprise and enjoying endless coffee refills.

Javier described his meeting at the factory.

“Frank Tyson wants you to lie?” Adam said. “He’s a deacon at my church! He’s the guy I asked about your job!”

“I was surprised. But Carmen said maybe that’s the way they do business.”

“But he’ll hand you $2,000 to do it? That’s a payoff!”

“Maybe you don’t see the full picture,” Shane said. “I know Frank Tyson. I don’t think he’s dishonest. Before you say no, hear him out. And a $2,000 bonus? Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Or as Adam once put it, ‘Don’t kick a gift horse in the teeth.’”

Adam smirked but couldn’t deny it.

Javy lifted his hands. “I need this job. I don’t want to let down Carmen.”

“But you’ve got to be honest,” Nathan said.

“I still say let him explain,” Shane said. “But sure, in the end, honesty’s the best policy.”

Adam wasn’t so willing to let Tyson off the hook. The guy was a church leader. Where did he get off putting Javy up to something shady?

Javy said, “I would like to hear your opinion, David.”

David looked at all the men, then back at Javy. “Well, I think you have to be able to live with yourself. I’ve been able to live with my conscience for the first time I can remember. Obviously my faith in Christ is a big part of it. But so is making things right with Amanda. Javier, you might think you should keep the Resolution about providing for your family, right? But if you violate the points about honesty and accountability to God, that would be wrong. So if you’re a Jesus follower, shouldn’t you say to your boss, ‘Jesus followers can’t lie like that’?”

Adam gaped.
Where did he get such insight?

“You are a wise man, David,” Javier said. “Thank you.”

David swallowed hard. “You’re welcome.”

Adam looked at the young deputy. “You just spoke to me too, David. I remember something that happened when I was at the police academy with Shane and Bronson. A young man—in fact it was Brock Kelley, the football player from Shiloh Academy—asked how it worked for a Christian to be a cop. I answered, but I didn’t have the guts to come right out and say
I
was a Christian. At the time it seemed wise. But the truth is, it was cowardly.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Shane said.

“To keep the Resolution, we have to be hard on ourselves. A good athlete never trains easy. And when he competes, the hard work pays off. So, Javy, we’ll pray for you. If you lose your job, so be it. We’ll stand behind you and do everything we can to help. Including finding you a new job.”

Adam looked at Shane and whispered, “And if Frank Tyson loses his job as deacon, so be it!”

Javier looked at the big factory clock and walked toward Frank Tyson’s office. He paused to pray. After taking a deep breath, he knocked three times. The door opened and Walter let him in.

“Good morning.”

Tyson kept writing while Javier stood across the desk from him. “Hello, Mr. Martinez. How are you today?”

“Fine, sir. How are you?”

“I don’t know yet. Have a seat. I trust you thought about our conversation yesterday.”

“Yes, sir, I did.” Javier sat.

Mr. Tyson stopped writing and glanced up. “Well. What did you decide, Mr. Martinez? Are you on my team?”

Javier swallowed hard, then with a steady gaze said, “Mr. Tyson, I am very grateful to have a job here. But . . . I cannot do as you have asked.”

Frank Tyson regarded him a moment, then leaned back in his chair. “And why is that?”

“Because it is wrong, sir. It would dishonor God and my family if I lied.”

Frank studied Javier’s face, then looked at Walter, clearly surprised. He turned back toward Javier. “Do you understand what this may do to your job here?”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

Tyson slowly stood and held his hand out toward Javier. Javier was confused.

“Javier, may I shake your hand? Young man, you just gave me the right answer.”

Javier rose and shook his hand.

“I’ve searched a long time for the right person to manage shipping and inventory. You were actually the last person on my list. But I need someone I can trust. Would you take the job? We would adjust your pay, of course.”

Javier, bewildered, looked at Walter, who smiled and nodded. He looked back at Frank Tyson. “I would be honored, sir.”

“Good. The job is yours. Walter will go over the specifics with you. I’ll announce it to the staff next week.” He started to sit down. “Oh, and, Javier? Thanks for your integrity. It’s rare.”

Walter shook Javier’s hand and opened the door for him. “Well done. After six times, I was getting discouraged.”

Javier thanked both men and stepped out of the office. There was a bounce in his step as he strode down the hall.

Carmen was working in the kitchen, grateful for every minute after ten o’clock. But at 10:10, the phone rang.

“No, no, no. Please, God. No.” She tried to compose herself as the phone continued ringing. “Carmen, be strong for him,” she said aloud. “Be strong.”

She picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Carmen.”

She sobbed. “It’s okay, Javy! It’s okay, baby. We’ll get through this.”

“Carmen, no, listen to me. I . . .”

“The Lord will take care of us, Javy. We’ll get through this.”

“Carmen, listen, they—”

“I know you trust God. I will, too. You are a good man. A good husband and a good father. I am proud of you.”

“Carmen, stop! You’re not listening! They didn’t fire me. They
promoted
me!”

Carmen froze. “What?”

“It was a test. They wanted someone they could trust. They made me a manager. And they raised my pay!”

“A test?”

“Yes, Carmen. I got a promotion. Everything will be okay.”

Carmen held the phone out and screamed, jumping up and down. The kids ran into the room, terrified.

“What’s wrong,
Mamá
? Please don’t cry.”

Carmen hugged both of them while holding the phone.

“Hello?” Javy said. “Is anyone there?”

“Yes! I am okay. We are all okay!”

“Tell the children that God heard their prayers. He gave us much more than we asked!”

“I’ll tell them. I love you, Javy!”

“I love you, Carmen. Tell the children I love them too. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Gracias a Dios,”
Carmen whispered.

Chapter Thirty-two

Adam, Victoria, and Dylan walked toward the Westover High School track. Dylan wore his uniform and carried a team duffel bag.

“We’ll see you after the race.”

Dylan jogged ahead while Adam and Victoria walked up to the fence and watched the runners stretch and warm up.

“You know this is a long shot, right?” Adam asked Victoria. “He’s only running the 400 because one of the older students got sick. Billy Reeves is a senior, and he owns the district record. Every guy on our team is faster than Dylan—but maybe there’s somebody from Monroe he can beat.”

Victoria put her hand on Adam’s shoulder. “That’s only the third time you’ve explained it. You’re as nervous as he is. He said he just doesn’t want to come in last. But I say it’s okay if he does.”

“Let’s get a seat.”

Victoria looked at the mostly empty stands. “When you come an hour early, that’s no problem.”

Adam watched Dylan from the stands. Despite attempts to loosen up, Dylan looked very tight to Adam, who now knew his routines and habits. He seemed so young alongside the upperclassmen. The Mitchells spoke with other parents as the stands filled up and a few other events took place. But to Adam, these were preliminaries. His son’s race was the main event.

Coach Kilian approached Dylan, gestured, and spoke. Though Adam couldn’t hear exactly what he said, his attempt to lip-read yielded, “Just try to stay with the group.”

“He’ll be all right,” Adam said.

Victoria wondered if Adam would be all right.

“I’m proud of him no matter what,” Victoria said. “His grades are better, and he does his chores without my reminders.”

“Well, I’ve been reminding him,” Adam laughed. “But not as much. The key is, he’s growing spiritually. He’s really becoming a man.”

“Does he know that’s what you think about him?”

“Well, yeah, I think . . .” Adam stopped. “Maybe he doesn’t.”

Adam popped out of his seat and walked down the stairs toward the track.

Victoria reached out. “Where are you going? Are you supposed to . . . ?”

Warm-ups were over, and they were moments away from the lineup. Adam saw the disapproving stare from the coach. But he walked up behind Dylan and put his arm around his son’s chest, startling him. Adam spoke into his right ear so only his son could hear.

“Dylan, I’ve watched you take more responsibility. I’ve seen you own up to your mistakes and be honest, and I admire you for it. I want to tell you that today I consider you a man. I love you. Your mother and I are proud of you no matter what. Do what God has gifted you to do. Run your race. God has made you fast, so when you run, just like Eric Liddell, feel God’s pleasure.”

Adam let him go. Walking briskly, he saluted Coach Kilian and hopped up the stairs back to his seat.

“What did you say to him?”

“I said what it was time for him to hear.”

“What did he say to you?”

“Nothing. I just wanted him to know I believe in him.”

Soon the announcer called the runners to their marks for the 400.

Victoria squeezed her husband’s arm. “I know how excited you can get, Adam, but remember there are other people around.”

“So I shouldn’t embarrass you? I’ll make no promises.”

The gun went off. Runners sprinted down the track. Near the first turn, Dylan was seventh of the eight. As they went through the turn, Dylan picked up his pace and moved into sixth place.

As the runners swept around the turn to the back straightaway, Dylan passed another.

“He’s in fifth!” Adam yelled. “Go, Dylan!”

“Come on, Dylan!” Victoria yelled—louder than Adam.

As they continued down the back straightaway, the lead runner, Dylan’s senior teammate, extended his lead, but Dylan passed another runner.

“Fourth place! He’s in fourth place!” Victoria shouted. She jumped up on the seat.

“Go, buddy! Go!” Adam yelled.

The runners got to the final turn and fought for position. Dylan edged to third.

Now half the crowd was on its feet, and people all around were yelling.

“That’s it! Go, Dylan!” Adam and Victoria both screamed, felt their throats go raw, and didn’t care.

As Dylan came around the turn, the lead runner, Billy Reeves, pulled out of reach, but Dylan gained ground on the second-place runner from Monroe. The entire Westover crowd cheered, and anyone who didn’t have a favorite cheered for Dylan. Dylan and his opponent neared the finish line neck and neck.

“He’s doing it! He’s doing it!” Adam yelled.

“Go! Go! Go!” Victoria’s voice went hoarse.

Dylan crossed the finish line a half step ahead of the runner next to him, taking second. His coach, teammates, and friends mobbed him.

Coach Kilian was astonished. “Where did that come from? You haven’t run like that all year!”

Dylan fought to breathe while everyone patted him on the back and embraced him. He looked up in the stands to see his father and mother jumping up and down, celebrating his victory.

“Dylan, you’re the man!” Adam shouted. He grabbed Victoria’s shoulders. “My son is the man!”

“My little boy is the man!” Victoria yelled. Her voice gave out completely on the word
man
.

“Let’s get down there,” Adam said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the track. They pushed toward Dylan.

“Way to go, Dylan,” his father said, voice raw.

“You were terrific!” His mother mouthed the words, but no sound came out.

“What’d you say, Mom?”

The winner, Billy Reeves, back from his cooldown, approached the mob around Dylan and looked confused. “Hey, what’s going on? I won the stinkin’ race!”