Forgiven (42 page)

Authors: Karen Kingsbury

Tags: #Fiction, #Christian, #General

BOOK: Forgiven

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“We won’t have much.”

Katy smiled, and the look of it openly admitted her feelings for him. But at the same time it cried of resignation. Because here they were again, their emotions leading the way. And yet their time would still be measured and counted by the events around them, by the parameters of his world.

“How are you, Dayne?” She didn’t blink, didn’t seem to want to lose a moment of whatever time they had together.

“I’m good.” He grinned. Couldn’t this be more than another sad goodbye? “VChat are you working on?”

“Robin Hood.” She stifled a laugh. “It’s coming together.” “The kids?” He wanted to know, wanted to soak himself in

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everything about her work with the theater and life in Indiana. “Are they okay?”

“They are. The older kids are still in the Bible study, the one they did after the accident.” She made a funny face. “Of course, we should probably spend an extra day a week on practice the way things are going onstage.”

“No.” She laughed again. “Trying to stay onstage. I’d be happy. with that.” She talked with her hands when she was excited. Now she still held one of his hands, but with the other she began illustrating her story. “So there’s this one scene and Robin’s supposed

to fly in from the wings on a rope, right?”

“To rescue Maid Marian?”

“Exactly.” She took a quick breath. “Marian’s standing on a fake tree stump, her hands tied, and he’s supposed to swing in, land beside her, and save the day.”

Dayne chuckled. He could see what was coming. “Instead—” Katy used her free hand to show the swinging motion—”he sails in from the wings and knocks her square on the floor.”

“Oh.” Dayne made a face. “Was she hurt?”

“Her pride, yes. Her onstage chemistry with Robin, yes.” Katy gave him a teasing look. “We decided we’d better just have him bound in from now on.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” He gazed at her, taking her in. Her enthusiasm and spirit, her joy and excitement for the little things of life. All of it was like getting air after being too long under water.

“5o… enough on that.” Her tone softened. “How are you, really?”

“Well …” He found her eyes and held them. “I’m not a Kabbalist.”

Her eyes widened, and she looked deeply at him, to the lonely desert plains of his heart. “Really?”

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KA R E N KI N G S B U RY

“Tossed it all.” He felt his eyes begin to dance. “Some girl said it probably wasn’t for me. Told me I needed to find the truth.” “Must’ve been a smart girl.”

“Mmm.” He took both her hands again, but he kept his dis tance. “Definitely.” He paused. “In fact, she gave me a Bible.”

“A Bible? How interesting.” Her eyes twinkled. She was keep ing up with him, playing along. “What a great idea. You know .. since, well, it is the truth. I mean, if you’re looking for it you might as well go to the source.”

“That’s what I figured.” His felt his smile fade. “It’s changing me, Katy. I can feel it.”

Her expression changed, and what had been playful became deep again. She drew him closer, and he felt her arms come up around his neck. “Dayne, I prayed for this.., for you.”

He wouldn’t have gone to her, wouldn’t have crossed the lines he’d crossed the last time they were together. But now, lost in her embrace, he couldn’t imagine letting her go. He worked his fingers up along the back of her neck, into her hair. She smelled wonderful, like the flowers in Bloomington.

Too soon she pulled back and searched his eyes. “Did you find Jesus? When you read the Bible, I mean?”

His hands were around her waist now, but only loosely. He looked beyond her. The question was a good one. He under stood forgiveness and peace better. “Have I found Jesus?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She angled her head, her soul as transparent as a child’s. “When you look past all the hurt and disappointment and sadness of your yesterdays, is He there?”

A part of his heart sank a little. The answer wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“Not yet.” He released his hold on her waist and took her hands once more. He pushed the toes of his shoes against the floor so his feet wouldn’t find their way back to hers. “But I’m looking.”

Disappointment never even flashed in her eyes. She gave him her brightest smile yet. “That’s it.”

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“What?” It was all he could do to keep from kissing her.

“That’s what I’ve been praying for.” Her eyes glistened. “Tha you’ll look.”

The door opened. They dropped hands and stepped back to keep from being hit.Joe Morris was the first to enter. He stopped and looked from Dayne to Katy. “Hi, you must be Katy Hart.”

“I am.” She held out her hand to him. Her cheeks were red, but she rebounded quickly. “I understand the deposition won’t take long.”

“Not at all.” The prosecutor stepped into the room. She greeted Katy and then turned to Dayne. “We need to have your testimony on record so we can move forward with the trial and know how to prepare for the case.”

Dayne felt the atmosphere change. It was no longer a reconnecting, a time to remember why he couldn’t get Katy Hart out of his mind. They were in business mode now, and it stayed that way for the next hour.

When it was finished they stood and headed for the door. Dayne was about to ask Katy if she wanted to go somewhere to talk, to spend some time together before she left. But before he could say anything his cell phone rang.

He checked the caller ID and saw it was Kelly Parker. He stuffed his frustration. She rarely contacted him, so he’d take the call. The conversation would be quick, just long enough to tell her he’d call her back. The two of them hadn’t talked much since she moved out. He held his finger up to Katy and opened his phone. “Hey.”

“Dayne—” her tone shouted of defeat and fear—’Tve got bad news.”

His heart skipped around a little, and he moved to a corner of the room. In the background he heard his attorney start a conversation with Katy. “What is it?”

“Ther(s no easy way to say this.” She sighed, and it rattled all the way to his soul. “Dayne, I’m pregnant.”

357

KAREN KIN GSBU RY

John Baxter was running out of options.

He’d done everything he could to find him, everything a per son could do. He’d searched the Internet for information, and he’d gone to adoption sites. He’d made phone calls and connected with people who aided parents in finding their birth children. Now he was down to his last hope.

The chances of finding his oldest son rested completely in the hands of a private investigator. John had hired him a week ago, and now—sitting on his deskmwas a message from the man with one simple instruction: Call immediately.

He stared at the piece of paper and reached for the phone. Was this it? Had the man found the boy he and Elizabeth had prayed about for so many years? Would he have every bit of information he’d ever wanted in just a few minutes? The possi bilities welled up in him and made it hard to breathe.

He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. God, meet me in this place. I want to find him so badly, and this is my last chance. Please . . let there be something to go on—a lead, a phone number, a name. Something.

As he opened his eyes, they fell on a small [rame on his desk, which read: With God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26. A smile tugged at the corners of John’s lips, and he felt himself relax. Thanks, God. You always know just what I need. Whatever the private investigator had to tell him, he wouldn’t give up.

Not now, not ever.

His palms felt sweaty against the phone’s receiver. He took a full breath, picked it up, and tapped out the private investiga tor’s number The man’s secretary answered and connected him to the PI.

“Tim Brown here.” The man was a fast talker with high energy.

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“Hi, Tim, this is John Baxter, returning your call.” He swal. lowed hard. “Did you find my son?”

“John, thanks for calling back.” The man’s tone was now, slower than before. “Listen, something’s come up in research. Something very, very important. 1 think we need to i talk about it in person.”

In person? John wouldn’t be able to think straight until heard whatever news the man had. “Are you sure? Can’t you tell me now?”

“Not something like this.” Tim rustled some papers. “Can you be here in an hour?

This is very sensitive. I think you should know right away.”

359 The Best-Selling REDEMPTION SERIES by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley Novelist Karen Kingsbury and relationship expert Gary Smalley team up to bring you the Redemption series, which explores the relationship principles Gary has been teaching for more than thirty years and applies them to one family in particular, the Baxters. In the crucible of their tragedies and triumphs, the Baxter family learns about commitment, forgiveness, faith, and the redeeming hand of God.

REDEMPTION

a story of love at all costs ……

REMEMBERj a journey from tragedy to healing RETURN

a story of tenacious love

and longing for a lost son

REJOICE

a story of unspeakable loss and

the overwhelming miracle of new life . >‘360 Other Life-Changing Fiction by

KAREN KINGSBURY

REDEMPTION SERIES Redemption

Remember

Return

Rejoice

Reunion

FIRSTBORN SERIES Fame

Forgiven

Found (summer 2006) Family (fall 2006) Forever (winter 2007) SEPTEMBER 11 SERIES One Tuesday Morning Beyond Tuesday Morning RED GLOVES SERIES Gideon’s Gift

Maggie’s Miracle

Sarah’s Song

Hannah’s Hope

361

362 FOREVER FAITHFUL SERIES Waiting for Morning Moment of Weakness

Halfway to Forever

WOMEN OF FAITH FICTION SERIES A Time to Dance A Time to Embrace

STAND-ALONE TITLES A Thousand Tomorrows Oceans Apart Where Yesterday Lives When Joy Came to Stay On Every Side

Divine (spring 2006)

CHILDREN’S TITLE

Let Me Hold You Longer

MIRACLE COLLECTIONS