tile floor a block away.
She’d said more prayers after the call came in from the police, alerting her that her husband was being transportedto the hospital and that an officer would meet her there with her traumatized son. As she’d sped through the quiet streets, she’d begged the Lord to spare David’s life. Pleaded with Him.
But when the chaplain met her in the E.R., she’d known at once that the Almighty had turned a deaf ear to her entreaties.
She hadn’t talked to Him since.
The notion of signs niggled at her, though. It did seem odd that she’d pick the same church Nathan attended, that their paths would cross again when she was most in need of help with the house—and with Zach.
A quick glance confirmed that his presence was already having a positive impact on her son. Zach was fairly glowing as his worshipful gaze rested on the man who called him “champ.” As for the house—her aching toes were still protesting the work she’d tried to do yesterday.
It would be good to have him back, for practical reasons.
On a personal level, however, she was far less comfortable with the idea. Yet her son’s welfare had to come first. If Nathan’s presence forced her to confront some serious issues—so be it, she decided.
As the piano struck up the notes of the closing hymn, she took Zach’s hand and leaned close to whisper. “Let’s leave before the crowd so no one steps on my sore toes.”
He gave her a crestfallen look. “Aren’t we going to talk to Nathan?”
“Yes. We’ll wait for him on the lawn in front.”
A smile split his face. “Okay. I bet he’ll be happy to see us.”
Catherine wasn’t as confident of that. Not after the send-off she’d given him.
But maybe—if she was lucky—he would find it in his heart to be generous.
Nathan saw Catherine the moment he stepped out of the church. She was standing off to one side, Zach’s hand in hers, the golden light of morning bathing her skin in a warm glow as their gazes met. She appeared to be waiting.
For him?
“So are you going to stand us up the way you did last week with J.C. and Heather?”
At Marci’s question, Nathan looked over his shoulder. She and Christopher had followed him down the aisle, with J.C. and Heather bringing up the rear. As they reached the door, Christopher dropped back to talk to J.C.
“I’m not planning to. But I need to talk to someone first for a minute.”
“Yeah? Who? I didn’t think you knew many people here yet.”
He motioned toward the duo off to the side. “The woman I was working for.”
Marci’s eyes narrowed as she gave Catherine a cool perusal. “The one who fired you?”
“She had her reasons.” Nathan knew J.C. had filled Marci in on the details. These days, there were few secrets among the siblings—even if certain ones from the past remained hidden.
“I know. But she could have given you a chance.”
“Maybe she realizes that now.” He didn’t hold out a lot of hope she’d changed her mind, but then again, why else would she be waiting for him?
“Okay. We’ll mingle for a few minutes. Let us know the verdict.” She gave his arm an encouraging squeeze.
As Nathan crossed the lawn, Catherine’s expression was difficult to decipher. But there was only one word to describe Zach’s: delighted.
Tugging free of Catherine’s hand, the youngster ran toward him. “Hey, Nathan!”
He dropped to one knee, smiling at the little boy’s enthusiasm. “Hi, champ. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. It’s been real lonesome at home since you left.”
Catherine joined them, and Nathan rose. There were shadows under her eyes that hadn’t been there a week ago, and her features were strained, giving her face an angular tautness. She was also limping worse than she had been when he’d left.
“Hello, Nathan.” A slight quiver ran through her words.
“Hi. Were you at the service?”
“Yes. We always went at home. For Zach’s sake. I meant to go here. But
She’d said more prayers after the call came in from the police, alerting her that her husband was being transportedto the hospital and that an officer would meet her there with her traumatized son. As she’d sped through the quiet streets, she’d begged the Lord to spare David’s life. Pleaded with Him.
But when the chaplain met her in the E.R., she’d known at once that the Almighty had turned a deaf ear to her entreaties.
She hadn’t talked to Him since.
The notion of signs niggled at her, though. It did seem odd that she’d pick the same church Nathan attended, that their paths would cross again when she was most in need of help with the house—and with Zach.
A quick glance confirmed that his presence was already having a positive impact on her son. Zach was fairly glowing as his worshipful gaze rested on the man who called him “champ.” As for the house—her aching toes were still protesting the work she’d tried to do yesterday.
It would be good to have him back, for practical reasons.
On a personal level, however, she was far less comfortable with the idea. Yet her son’s welfare had to come first. If Nathan’s presence forced her to confront some serious issues—so be it, she decided.
As the piano struck up the notes of the closing hymn, she took Zach’s hand and leaned close to whisper. “Let’s leave before the crowd so no one steps on my sore toes.”
He gave her a crestfallen look. “Aren’t we going to talk to Nathan?”
“Yes. We’ll wait for him on the lawn in front.”
A smile split his face. “Okay. I bet he’ll be happy to see us.”
Catherine wasn’t as confident of that. Not after the send-off she’d given him.
But maybe—if she was lucky—he would find it in his heart to be generous.
Nathan saw Catherine the moment he stepped out of the church. She was standing off to one side, Zach’s hand in hers, the golden light of morning bathing her skin in a warm glow as their gazes met. She appeared to be waiting.
For him?
“So are you going to stand us up the way you did last week with J.C. and Heather?”
At Marci’s question, Nathan looked over his shoulder. She and Christopher had followed him down the aisle, with J.C. and Heather bringing up the rear. As they reached the door, Christopher dropped back to talk to J.C.
“I’m not planning to. But I need to talk to someone first for a minute.”
“Yeah? Who? I didn’t think you knew many people here yet.”
He motioned toward the duo off to the side. “The woman I was working for.”
Marci’s eyes narrowed as she gave Catherine a cool perusal. “The one who fired you?”
“She had her reasons.” Nathan knew J.C. had filled Marci in on the details. These days, there were few secrets among the siblings—even if certain ones from the past remained hidden.
“I know. But she could have given you a chance.”
“Maybe she realizes that now.” He didn’t hold out a lot of hope she’d changed her mind, but then again, why else would she be waiting for him?
“Okay. We’ll mingle for a few minutes. Let us know the verdict.” She gave his arm an encouraging squeeze.
As Nathan crossed the lawn, Catherine’s expression was difficult to decipher. But there was only one word to describe Zach’s: delighted.
Tugging free of Catherine’s hand, the youngster ran toward him. “Hey, Nathan!”
He dropped to one knee, smiling at the little boy’s enthusiasm. “Hi, champ. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. It’s been real lonesome at home since you left.”
Catherine joined them, and Nathan rose. There were shadows under her eyes that hadn’t been there a week ago, and her features were strained, giving her face an angular tautness. She was also limping worse than she had been when he’d left.
“Hello, Nathan.” A slight quiver ran through her words.
“Hi. Were you at the service?”
“Yes. We always went at home. For Zach’s sake. I meant to go here. But
Similar Books
