Second Chance by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins

“He can find out at our meeting with Bruce, Judd. I mean, if he’d really rather stay here, he can just wait to see what we talked about.”
    “Good idea,” Judd said. “What’s it going to be, Ryan?”
    “Do you promise to quit calling me ‘little man’?”
    “Sure. Now quit stalling.”
    “I want to stay here,” he said.
    “It’s your call,” Judd said, turning to head into the sanctuary.
    “I hope you don’t regret it,” Vicki said, not in a mean way. In fact, Ryan thought she seemed so nice, he wouldn’t have minded going in with them.
    They were almost out of sight when he muttered, “Wait up. I’m coming.”

TEN
The Mystery
    J UDD was glad Ryan Daley had followed Vicki and him to find Bruce and Lionel. He had a feeling this was going to be a good meeting, regardless of what Ryan decided. Still, despite his anticipation of telling Bruce his and Vicki’s good news, Judd couldn’t shake the turmoil deep inside him. He wondered whether, even if he survived the seven years of tribulation that was to come, he would ever forget his regret, his remorse, and the bitter loss of his family.
    He tried to push that aside for now, knowing that everyone who had been left behind faced the same anxiety. Bruce opened their little meeting with prayer. Then he asked each person to bring the group up to date since the last time they had been together.
    Judd was first, and he told of his and Vicki’s talks, of their adventure at O’Hare, and added that he would leave it for Vicki to tell about what she found at her home and what spiritual decision she had come to. “As for me,” he said, “I finally realized I was being stubborn and stupid to put off doing something I should have done years ago.”
    When Bruce realized what Judd was saying, he immediately stood and leaned down to embrace him. Judd felt awkward and embarrassed. His dad had not been much for hugging, especially after Judd got to be about twelve, but still he was glad Bruce seemed so genuinely happy for him. Bruce was on the verge of tears when he said, “Lionel and I welcome you to the family. We’re all brothers in Christ.”
    Lionel reached out a congratulatory fist, and Judd met it with his own. Then it was Vicki’s turn. “I’m going to keep this short, Bruce, because you look like you could use some sleep—”
    “Oh, don’t worry about me.”
    “—And I’m going to tell it in the order it happened.” Her story was much like Judd’s, of course, and when she got to the part where she prayed to receive Christ, Bruce embraced her too and welcomed her as a sister in the family. Lionel reached out his fistand she patted it, making him chuckle. Judd was too embarrassed to hug her, so he shook her hand. Meanwhile, it appeared Ryan was just taking this all in.
    When Vicki told of finding the burned out shell of her trailer, Bruce looked startled. He did not appear pleased to hear that she seemed to be planning to stay with Judd for a while. Judd felt he had to explain.
    “We’re not going together or even interested in anything like that,” he said. “And we would stay on different floors. We’re more like brother and sister, like you said.”
    “I’d feel more comfortable if I could find you a woman from the church to stay with, like my secretary. She has a big home with lots of room. And she’s by herself now.”
    “I don’t think I want to do that,” Vicki said. “This doesn’t have to look bad, and if it does, it’s only because people are assuming the wrong thing.”
    Bruce looked as if he wanted to talk about it some more, but instead he urged Vicki to continue with her story.
    “That’s all, really.”
    Bruce called on Lionel, who gave a rundown on all that he and Ryan had been through. Judd was surprised that he seemed to speak for Ryan, but it was also likely that Ryan didn’t want to talk anyway. If Lioneldidn’t tell Ryan’s part, no one would. Judd was amazed at all they had been through in such a short time.