Forgiven (13 page)

“A history of reckless-driving and drunk-driving arrests had already severed the relationship between mother and son,” a police officer said. “Left to himself, the suspect went a little wild.”

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Based on the list of arrests and prior convictions, Jeremy went more than a little wild. He dropped out of Clear Creek High, and over the summer he had squandered all the money his grandparents had set aside for his college education. It became increasingly clear that Jeremy had trouble with alcohol.

“Twice during the summer the suspect had been arrested for drunk driving and ordered to attend a treatment program,” the police officer said. “He attempted the program once but lasted only a few days before dropping out.”

John blinked and looked around the house. It was lonely, but at least he’d lived entire decades where he was surrounded by the people he loved. How would it feel to be sixteen and living alone, knowing your mother was in another state starting a new life and your father was overseas in Iraq?

He thought of his own son, Luke, and his poor decisions a few years back. If John and Elizabeth hadn’t been there for him, this story could’ve been Luke’s.

He might’ve dropped off the deep end if they hadn’t pursued him with the relentless love of God, assuring him that they loved him and forgave him and would always have a place for him.

John looked at the article again. Where would the kid go now? The story said he was facing ten years in prison because he was a repeat offender and had ignored previous court mandates.

John shuddered. God… there must be redemption forJeremy Fisher, right? The same way there’s redemption for everyone. So please.., bring someone into his life who can show him Your love and grace and peace, someone who can let him see that even he can be forgiven.

The phone rang, and John took a quick breath, letting the tails of the article pass for now. He stood, took the phone from its base, and clicked the On button.

“Hello?”

“John? It’s Elaine.” Her voice was upbeat but hesitant. “Just thought I’d see how your week’s going.” She paused. “I know Friday night was hard.”

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“Well, that’s very thoughtful.” He took the phone into the family room and sat in his comfortable recliner, the one with the full view of the fireplace wall and the photos of his kids. His heart beat a little faster as he settled back into the chair. “I’m fine. I was just reading aboutJeremy Fisher, the drunk driver in the accident.”

“I read it too. So sad. He’s been heading for this type of disaster for a long time.”

“He has.” John stared at the photographs on the mantel and let his eyes settle on Luke. “I keep thinking, what if the boy’s parents had been around, helping him find the way?”

“Me too.” She waited again. “Hey, how are your squash and tomatoes holding out?”

“I’m eating them.” John smiled and tried to figure out his feelings. He and Elaine were comfortable friends, two people who had known each other for years.

So why did things between them feel different now? He leaned hard on the right arm of the chair and shifted his gaze to the front window. It was dark outside, but he could still see the shadowy branches of the old oak tree. “I had fun the other day.”

“It was nice, wasn’t it?” She uttered a comfortable chuckle. “Conversations with friends are precious. I learned that after my husband died.”

Cancer had taken Elaine’s husband years before it took Elizabeth, so if anyone understood loneliness, Elaine did. John narrowed his eyes. “I’m finding that out myself.” The song in the background changed, and a familiar melody surrounded him. “Sometimes I think I’ll go crazy if I have another silent night in this old house.”

“Exactly.” In the background, he heard the clanking of dishes. “You know what I liked about being with you the other day?”

“What?”

“I liked your honesty.” Her tone was less bubbly now, more 103

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thoughtful. “You’re an honest man, John Baxter. Honesty means integrity, and that’s not something you find too often anymore.”

John tried to remember what they’d talked about that would have given her the impression he was honest. He sat up straighter. “Thanks, Elaine. That’s kind of you.”

“Well, it’s true. You told me your concerns for Luke living with his wife and baby in New York City and about your hopes for Ashley and Landon.” Her smile was audible in her voice. “I felt like I could see their lives playing out as you talked.”

“Good.” His heart was still beating faster than before. “That’s the way it should be with friends.”

They talked some more about the drunk driver and the funeral tomorrow. Neither he nor Elaine was going, but Elaine said she would call one of her friends who had a grandchild in CKT to get a report on how the kids in the group were doing.

Finally, after ten minutes of talking, Elaine got around to what must’ve been the real reason for her call. “The farmers’ market runs again this weekend. If you need more squash and tomatoes, I’d love to go with you.”

He laughed, trying to sound relaxed and unsurprised. “I’d love that, Elaine.”

After that, the conversation ran down, and John agreed to pick her up Saturday morning.

Not until he hung up did he fully exhale. It was no big deal, right? Getting a call from Elaine Denning, agreeing to a second straight Saturday of visiting the farmers’ market with her? Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to think twice about, true?

He sat motionless for a moment and let those thoughts sink in. The horrible CKT

accident had distracted him from thinking too hard about what his time with Elaine meant, or whether it was introducing a new friendship or a new season in his life. The fact was, spending last Saturday with Elaine had been a breath of fresh air. She’d talked about a wide range of issues with depth 104

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and interest, and she spoke with a candor and compassion that had caused the morning to pass too quickly.

But what did that mean? And why was he feeling like he should run to his room, find his wedding album, and stare at photos of Elizabeth? As if somehow he’d betrayed her by even thinking such things. He’d known Elaine a long time, so what was the big deal? He stared out the window again. The deal was, last summer they used to visit in a group. Now they were making plans for the second straight week to spend time alone together.

He stood and switched off the music. Maybe he would turn in early and catch up on his reading. Something to distract him. The feelings mixing around in his mind were too confusing to sort through. But he was sure of one thing: he wasn’t ready to think of Elaine in a future way, wasn’t even ready to imagine having another relationship like the one he’d shared with Eliza beth. But maybe—just maybe—he was ready for something else.

A friendship that would bring some life back into his days and take the edge off the terrible silence.

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AsHLEY LOVED GOING OUT on her brother-in-law’s boat, but rarely did all four of their schedules line up the way they did Thursday.

Sarah Jo’s funeral was set for late afternoon, but this morning Ashley and Landon and Cole met Kari and Ryan and their two children at the boat docks at Lake Monroe. Cole was missing school for the occasion. A fine layer of fog hung on the lake as they pulled out the boat just before nine.

The mood was quiet, somber. They had three fishing poles on board, but even Cole wasn’t his usual talkative self. He didn’t know all the details of the accident, just that it had happened and that his parents had somewhere to go later because of it. He wore a bright orange life jacket, and as soon as the boat began moving, he busied himself near the bucket of worms.

“I can’t imagine what the families are going through.” Kari settled into a seat near the windshield, taking advantage of the windbreak while she nursed little Ryan beneath a blanket. “I’d be so mad at the drunk driver.”

Ashley sat a few seats away. “I talked to Katy again the other 106

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day. There’s a lot of that. People want the guy locked up for a long time after what he did.”

Ryan was at the wheel of the boat, and Jessie and Landon had joined Cole near the back, studying the worms.

Jessie looked squeamish. “Does the wormy hurt on the hook?”

Landon bit his lip to hide his smile, and Ashley did the same. “God made some worms for bait, Jessie. You don’t need to worry, okay?”

“Okay.” Still, she took a step back.

Kari adjusted baby Ryan and looked out at the lake. “How do you get past that?”

She shifted her gaze to Ashley. “I mean, how do you move on and let it go? Some kid drank too much, and that’s why your child’s dead. It’s so wrong.”

“I feel for Katy Hart.” Ashley slid closer to her sister. “Those kids are all looking to her. Some of the parents too.”

“It’s a lot.” Kari stroked the back of little Ryan’s head. “You’re going to the funeral?”

Ashley nodded. “Landon’s going with me. Dad’s watching Cole.” Her throat felt scratchy, and she blinked so she wouldn’t tear up. “I saw Tom Sawyer a few times. I can still see Sarah Jo singing next to Tim Reed, her eyes all lit up.

Her voice was amazing.”

Kari kissed her son’s forehead. “I’ll bet she’s singing right now.”

Tears blurred Ashley’s vision, but she smiled. “I like that.” She sniffed.

“That’s the way I’ll think about it.”

Their conversation fell to a comfortable silence. As they moved farther out toward the middle of the lake, they picked up speed, and a cool wind blew over them. Ashley studied Landon and Ryan. They were smiling, pointing at something on the opposite shore, and sharing an occasional laugh. The picture warmed Ashley’s heart. How wonderful that they were such 107

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good friends, that they gravitated toward each other in any setting.

Cole and Jessie were sitting near the back of the boat, their feet resting on the bucket of worms. Their life jackets bunched up around their necks, but that didn’t stop the animated conversation they were having. Cole’s eyes were wide and serious, and every few seconds he tapped the container of worms. Jessie would nod really big or shake her head.

“I love getting together like this.” Ashley raised her voice so Kari could hear her over the sound of the boat. “Makes me wish Luke and Erin lived closer.”

“Me too.” Kari was finished nursing, and little Ryan was sleeping in her arms.

“Or that Brooke and Peter could get away and do something like this more often.”

Ashley stared out at the water. After a few minutes when they’d crossed the lake and found a place near a quiet cove, Ryan cut the engine. “Okay… let’s see what sort of fish live on this side of the lake.”

Cole started to clap his hands, but he caught himself. He held his finger to his lips. “Shhh.” He peered over the edge of the boat. “The fishes might get scared and leave!”

“Here, buddy, hand me your rod.” Landon moved in next to Cole and gave the worm bucket a light shake. “All right, find the fattest worm and let’s get started.”

“You mean, I get to pick out the worm all by myself?” Cole looked the way he did on Christmas morning, eyebrows raised, energy seeping from every pore.

“Yep.” Landon moved the bucket closer to Cole. “Go for it.”

“Yuck!” Jessie sat next to Kari. “Someone else do mine, okay?”

“I will!” Cole had both hands in the bucket, sifting through the rich loose dirt. After a few seconds, he pulled out a worm, sized it up, and held it straight out like a trophy. “This is the fattest one, Daddy!”

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Ryan took a closer look. “I think he’s right. That oughta snag you the biggest fish on the lake.”

Ashley wore walking shorts and a sweatshirt over her tank top. The sun was breaking through a thin layer of clouds, so she kicked her feet up and leaned back. Kari and the baby were still beside her, and they stayed that way for the next hour, watching the kids fish, and once in a while getting up to admire a catch. In all, Cole and Landon caught three fish, and Jessie and Ryan caught two.

“But one of my two is the biggest of all,” Jessie was quick to point out.

“I have one with a stripe on the side.” Cole stuck his hand in the bucket of fish and ran his fingers along the side of the top one. “I’d rather have a stripey one than a big one, anyway.”

“Cole…” Ashley raised one eyebrow in his direction. “You both caught nice fish.”

“Just that mine is bigger, right, Aunt Ashley?” Jessie lowered her chin and batted her eyelashes at the moms and then at Cole. “That’s okay, ‘cause Coley’s fish is nice too.” She patted him on the back. “Even if it’s smaller.”

Ashley covered her smile and caught Kari doing the same thing. When she was sure she wasn’t going to laugh out loud, she put her arms around both kids. “The important thing is, you both caught fish and now we get fish for dinner.”

Cole wrinkled his nose at Jessie, and she giggled. “It’s more fun to catch ‘em, I think.” He grinned at his cousin, and all was well between them.

On the way back, Ryan took the long way around the lake. The sky was bluer than before, the clouds relegated to the distant horizon. Ashley took her sweatshirt off and tied it around her shoulders. The sunshine felt good on her arms and face, and she thought again about Katy Hart and all the day would hold for her.

“I think I’ll call Katy when we get back.” Ashley brushed a 109

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section of her dark hair off her cheeks. “They’re meeting back at the theater after the funeral so the kids can talk and share with each other. Sarah Jo’s family wanted a quiet gathering alone back at their house.”

“Maybe you can help set up at the theater.” Kari leaned closer, her voice low.

Little Ryan was still sleeping but every now and then he stirred. She cradled the baby closer. “What’s the situation with Katy Hart, anyway? Is she seeing someone?”

Ashley hadn’t told anyone but Landon the story about Dayne Matthews. She wouldn’t have said anything to the people in CKT, but her sister could know. She drew a quick breath. “A couple months ago she was sort of involved with Dayne Matthews.”