Lightning and Lace (30 page)

“Say yes, Mama.” Lydia Anne lifted her head from Bonnie’s shoulder.

Bonnie sighed, then smiled through her tears. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

“Do you mind if I come up there and give you a kiss?” he said.

“Mama or me?”

Travis laughed. “Both of you.”

*****

Travis walked by the barber shop. How many times had Hank offered him a haircut and a shave? He should get himself fixed up. And he should tell Bonnie the truth about his past. Should have done so the afternoon she agreed to become his wife. In fact, his whole congregation needed to be told what had happened in Tennessee. The days of hiding from the past were over.

If he planned to marry Bonnie and wanted God to bless him and his new family, then the story must be told. Tomorrow morning just before the sermon seemed like the best time. Bonnie always arrived a little early. Then he’d tell his flock. He glanced down at his clothes. Morgan had given him a fine suit, one that would fit. High time he wore it.

Travis retraced his steps on the boardwalk and twisted the knob on the barbershop door.

“Welcome, Brother Travis,” Hank said, glancing up from a newspaper. “What can I do for you?”

“That offer still open for a haircut and a shave? I thought the town might want to see what their preacher looks like.”

Hank laughed until he held his sides. “Just set yourself right down.”

*****

Travis wished Zack still lived with him, but he’d stayed with his mama since the day Sylvia and Lester had been arrested. Travis needed someone’s opinion about his appearance this morning. Freshly groomed and wearing Morgan’s suit, he looked like his old self. But his heart had changed. God had slowly taken care of his relationship with Him during the past year, from his time alone in the mountains on through his pastoring of Piney Woods Church. This morning he needed God’s guidance more than ever. Before lunch today, he’d know whether he still had a church and a future bride and family.

The thought occurred to him of heading over to see the reverend and Mrs. Rainer before church, but did that mean he didn’t trust God for the outcome today? No point in taking a chance. He snatched up his Bible and stepped out into the early January air.

His habit was to be at church before anyone else considered getting there. That way he could pray. This morning he needed prayer. He should have left the house before daylight. After all, he’d been awake.

At eight o’clock, the door swung open, and the reverend boomed his familiar, “Morning.” Travis swung around from the front pew.

“Is Brother Travis here?” the reverend said.

“It’s me.” Travis managed to stand. “I decided it was about time I looked more presentable.”

The reverend’s eyes widened. “My land. I never thought . . . Why, you’re a fine-looking man.”

Travis smiled. “We’re going to talk about my change in church this morning after I tell Bonnie. I’m going to need a few prayers while I confess to everyone what happened in my last church.”

The reverend walked toward him. “I knew right from the start what caused you to leave Tennessee. When you answered the call, I wrote one of your brothers, and he told me the whole story. He has regrets about the way he and your other brothers handled the problems there.”

“And you still asked me to pastor this church?”

“We have a merciful God, and I wanted to give you an opportunity to start over. I knew someday I’d hear your side of the story.”

“Thank you. I’m a mite nervous, but my mind’s made up.” He glanced about. “No one’s seen me but Hank, so we’ll see how many other folks won’t recognize me.”

The reverend chuckled. “My guess is no one, except maybe Bonnie.”

Travis stayed seated in the front pew until the church filled up. Why hadn’t Bonnie come early? A few folks shook his hand, and Morgan even called, “Good morning,” not recognizing his own suit. Travis took the steps to the pulpit, hoping his heart didn’t jump from his chest before he got there. Seemed like since he came to Kahlerville, his heart had taken a beatin’. Help me, Lord. I have to be honest.

Glancing at the pew where Bonnie and the children always sat, he watched as she and the children made their way down the aisle and took their seats. She stared at him oddly. The color drained from her face. Oh, how he loved this woman. Would she and her children trust him after this morning?

“Good morning,” he said to his congregation.

Immediately the room hushed.

“I see that you don’t know your own preacher. Hank kept offering me a haircut and shave, so I finally took him up on it.”

Everyone laughed.

“I also had a good man give me a suit. So I guess on the outside I’m a new man. What I’m about to tell you is about the man I used to be, the man who was asked to leave his last church. When I’m finished, if you choose to have me step down as your preacher, I’ll do so.” He stole a look at Bonnie. “I never meant to deceive any of you. I simply wanted to forget about my past and start my life over by serving the Lord with a clean heart and a clean slate.”

“Doesn’t matter what you say, Brother Travis,” Jake Weathers said. “We wouldn’t trade you for all the preachers in Texas. Without your help, a lot of wicked things would still be going on.”

“I appreciate that, Jake. I hope you still have a high opinion of me once I’m finished.”

“Just tell us whatcha got to say,” Eli said.

Travis cleared his throat, rubbed his clammy hands together, and prayed for the proper words.

“I led a church back home in Tennessee. It was my parents’ church, and my brothers were deacons. I preached there for ten years. Not a single soul found the Lord during that time. I became desperate. Didn’t know what I was doing wrong. That’s when I started calling on people who wouldn’t darken the church’s door—not for them to be saved, but for me to look good. I was sure I’d be blessed for all my work.” Travis took a deep breath. His mouth tasted like dirt. Women and children were listening. How much dared he say?

“One of the places I visited . . .” He paused. “Well, women of questionable reputations lived there. I started visiting regularly. One of them was interested in knowing more about Jesus. In my enthusiasm to bring a new convert to church, I spent too much time with her. She made a profession of faith, and I thought I’d fallen in love with her. I wanted to marry her, so I told my family. They were very upset, especially my brothers. They said this woman would not be a good preacher’s wife. They told me to choose between this woman and my church. When I refused, my brothers went to see her and informed her that she wasn’t fit to be my wife. Not only did I not have any converts in my church, but my only one went back to her previous occupation and refused ever to see me again. She disappeared from the community. My brothers said I wasn’t fit to lead their church and asked me to leave.”

Travis studied his flock, his congregation. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Bonnie. Not now. He couldn’t bear to see her disappointment. Zack sat beside her, and he alone knew the story. He smiled and nodded, giving Travis a little more courage.

“After I left my church, I spent six months in a mountain cabin. I needed to find out where I went wrong. Why hadn’t I been able to bring folks to God? What was wrong with me? God spoke to me there. He said I was full of pride—that He wasn’t my first love. I also realized I hadn’t loved that woman at all. I’d been in love with the idea of bringing a woman out of her past and makin’ myself look good in my church—not understanding it was God’s church, not mine. At the end of the six months, I learned about your church needing a preacher. I felt God wanted me to take it, giving me another chance.” He swallowed hard.

“I was afraid of allowing anything to get in the way of following God, so I let my hair and beard grow, bought spectacles, and wore those big clothes. I’m sorry to have deceived you, folks. You’ve been better to me than my own family. You’ve given me a fine house, sung in the choir, given me the privilege of baptizing some of you. Treated me like family. I’ll be forever grateful.”

He wanted to look at the reverend, Mrs. Rainer, the Andrews, and Bonnie, but his insides froze, and he couldn’t. Travis stepped away from the pulpit and set his sights on the door. A flash of the first day he’d walked into this church swept across his mind. He blinked and took another step.

“Brother Travis, I came here expectin’ a sermon this morning,” Jake said. “What about the rest of you folks?”

“Me, too,” another man said.

“Me and Jake never agree, but I do on this one,” Eli said.

Travis glanced at Miss Scott. She dabbed her eyes.

“Confession is good for the soul,” Pete Kahler said. “Now, let’s get on with worshippin’ God.”

“Weren’t you listening?” Travis said.

“Sounds to me that any problems you might have had got worked out,” Morgan said.

Travis glanced at the reverend. He smiled. His attention moved on to Mrs. Rainer. She nodded as though she knew his turmoil. His gaze ventured to others in the church. No condemnation looked back at him. Zack grinned and nodded again. With his stomach churning, Travis turned his attention to Bonnie.

He met her gaze. She placed her hands on the pew in front of her and slowly stood. “Brother Travis, I believe you have an announcement to make before you give the sermon.”

Heat flooded his face. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“Would you come up here with me?”

Bonnie made her way into the aisle. Her sweet blue eyes never left his face. She held out her hand. Travis hesitated. He didn’t feel worthy of this woman, these people, and they were not rejecting him. Just as God had not rejected him. Travis grasped her hand, and she took her place beside him.

“You’re completely sure about this?” he whispered. “Don’t be saying yes because you feel sorry for me.”

“If you don’t make the announcement, I’m going to be very disappointed,” she whispered. “And you already know what I can do with a rifle.”

He chuckled. “Oh, life with you will never be dull.” He turned back to the crowd. “Folks, I, or rather, we, have something to tell you. Looks like this morning is full of news. Bonnie Kahler has agreed to be my wife.”

A clap rose from somewhere in the church. A whoop and a holler came from the back. Zack and Michael Paul grinned like somebody had given them a whole bag of jelly beans. Lydia Anne clapped her little hands.

“I still came to hear some good preachin’,” Jake said when the clapping died down.

“And you will.” Bonnie squeezed Travis’s hand and walked back to the pew and joined her children—soon to be his children. With eyes filled with tears, she sat down.

Travis couldn’t believe his blessings. He had a church, a home, a God who loved him, and a future wife and family who knew his faults and still loved him.

“When’s the weddin’?” Jake said.

Travis dared a look at his future bride.

“Tomorrow?” she said. “I’m ready.”

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn’s first book was published in 1998. She currently has more than fifty books published.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won placements through the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Awards and Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards. DiAnn won the Christy Award in 2010 and 2011.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also the Craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

Website:
www.diannmills.com

Lightning and Lace

Copyright © 2007, 2012 by DiAnn Mills. All rights reserved.

Previously published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., under ISBN 978-1-59789-357-2.

First electronic printing in 2012 by eChristian, Inc.

eChristian, Inc.

2235 Enterprise Street, Suite 140

Escondido, CA 92029

http://echristian.com

ISBN EPUB: 978-1-61843-124-0

ISBN MOBI: 978-1-61843-125-7

Published in association with the Books & Such Literary Agency, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-5370,
www.booksandsuch.com
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Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

For more information about DiAnn Mills, please access the author’s website at:
www.diannmills.com
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Cover design by Steven Plummer and interior design by Larry Taylor.

Produced with the assistance of Livingstone, the Publishing Services Division of eChristian, Inc. Project staff includes: Dan Balow, Afton Rorvik, Linda Taylor, Tori Newhouse, Ashley Taylor, Lois Jackson, Andy Culbertson, and Tom Shumaker.