Jake never found out.
Chapter 13
Jake’s heels sank deeper into the sand with each sweep of the waves until both feet lay buried. The water crept past his legs and soaked the backside of his shorts where he sat. On the horizon, translucent hues of orange and red smeared the sky, painting the undersides of clouds mounded over the circle of the earth.
Another morning. Using his left hand, he drew hash marks in the sand: two and a half days on the cruise ship, two and a half on the broken lighter, and now a new day on the island. Six days since he and Ginny had boarded the Gateway. He ran his palm over his face and flinched at the sting of sunburnt skin. Its nip contrasted the icy numbness in his chest.
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he ought to be grateful he hadn’t been shark meat. He inhaled the tang of brine off the sea and focused on the horizon, where the rising sun flung its radiance like a king donning his robes. He wasn’t alone—Nam had taught him that. Lo, I am with you always. God’s promise. And he’d made it home to Indy, hadn’t he?
But there was no home now. Only a wide, gaping hole where Ginny had been.
“Jake!” Crystal raced across the beach and plopped down next to him. “What are you doing?”
For a second, the muscles in his neck and shoulders knotted. He ducked his head to hide the resentment dead-bolting his jaws at her intrusion. She was just a kid. She wouldn’t understand the enormity of his loss, what it meant to be hollowed out and left behind.
He eased his shoulders into a comfortable slump and faced Crystal with a smile that felt like cardboard. “Reading.”
Crystal’s eyes widened as he raised his right hand to show her a notecard-sized book. “You found a book? What is it?”
He handed it to her and she rubbed her fingers over the stiff, plastic brown case sealing off the pages. “ The New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs . You found a Bible?”
“Got it from a Navy chaplain in Viet Nam. I carry it with me everywhere I go.” He patted his back pocket and grinned. “Waterproofed for shipwrecked Marines and long swims in the ocean.”
“Why do you want it?” She ruffled the pages and handed the book back to him.
“I read some of it every day.” He paused. “You ever get a love letter from your dad?”
The corners of Crystal’s mouth drooped. “No.”
A pang yanked Jake’s heart. A father not expressing love to his child? What wouldn’t he give to wrap Brett and Dana in his arms right now? Warmth seeped into his chest and nestled against the chilly place of Ginny’s absence. He took a quick breath. He still had his kids. Still had his life as a father and their love for him.
He pressed his lips together until he could speak without choking up. He tapped the book. “This is a love letter from God, our heavenly Father. Every day He tells me in a new way that He loves me. I wouldn’t want to miss out on that, now, would I?”
“No.” The color drained from Crystal’s face and she stared motionless at her hands. “Can I read it?” she whispered. “I don’t have a daddy.”
Air slammed into Jake’s lungs and rushed back out in a tight rasp. He wanted to sweep the kid into his arms, to squash the ache pinching that tiny whisper of despair. “Tell you what,” he whispered back, his voice hoarse, “every morning, you find me and we’ll read it together.”
A flush sprang to Crystal’s face, and she raised her head, eyes blinking back moisture to look at him. Her chin and lower lip twitched in a tug-of-war between crying and smiling.
He encouraged the smile with a warm one of his own. A real one this time. “How about if we get some coconuts going? See how Eve and your aunt are doing?” He stood as a smile won the battle on Crystal’s lips.
Who knew how many mornings they’d have together? He knew where they’d start their reading, though. Lo, I am with you always .
It took every bit of self-control Eve could muster
Chapter 13
Jake’s heels sank deeper into the sand with each sweep of the waves until both feet lay buried. The water crept past his legs and soaked the backside of his shorts where he sat. On the horizon, translucent hues of orange and red smeared the sky, painting the undersides of clouds mounded over the circle of the earth.
Another morning. Using his left hand, he drew hash marks in the sand: two and a half days on the cruise ship, two and a half on the broken lighter, and now a new day on the island. Six days since he and Ginny had boarded the Gateway. He ran his palm over his face and flinched at the sting of sunburnt skin. Its nip contrasted the icy numbness in his chest.
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he ought to be grateful he hadn’t been shark meat. He inhaled the tang of brine off the sea and focused on the horizon, where the rising sun flung its radiance like a king donning his robes. He wasn’t alone—Nam had taught him that. Lo, I am with you always. God’s promise. And he’d made it home to Indy, hadn’t he?
But there was no home now. Only a wide, gaping hole where Ginny had been.
“Jake!” Crystal raced across the beach and plopped down next to him. “What are you doing?”
For a second, the muscles in his neck and shoulders knotted. He ducked his head to hide the resentment dead-bolting his jaws at her intrusion. She was just a kid. She wouldn’t understand the enormity of his loss, what it meant to be hollowed out and left behind.
He eased his shoulders into a comfortable slump and faced Crystal with a smile that felt like cardboard. “Reading.”
Crystal’s eyes widened as he raised his right hand to show her a notecard-sized book. “You found a book? What is it?”
He handed it to her and she rubbed her fingers over the stiff, plastic brown case sealing off the pages. “ The New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs . You found a Bible?”
“Got it from a Navy chaplain in Viet Nam. I carry it with me everywhere I go.” He patted his back pocket and grinned. “Waterproofed for shipwrecked Marines and long swims in the ocean.”
“Why do you want it?” She ruffled the pages and handed the book back to him.
“I read some of it every day.” He paused. “You ever get a love letter from your dad?”
The corners of Crystal’s mouth drooped. “No.”
A pang yanked Jake’s heart. A father not expressing love to his child? What wouldn’t he give to wrap Brett and Dana in his arms right now? Warmth seeped into his chest and nestled against the chilly place of Ginny’s absence. He took a quick breath. He still had his kids. Still had his life as a father and their love for him.
He pressed his lips together until he could speak without choking up. He tapped the book. “This is a love letter from God, our heavenly Father. Every day He tells me in a new way that He loves me. I wouldn’t want to miss out on that, now, would I?”
“No.” The color drained from Crystal’s face and she stared motionless at her hands. “Can I read it?” she whispered. “I don’t have a daddy.”
Air slammed into Jake’s lungs and rushed back out in a tight rasp. He wanted to sweep the kid into his arms, to squash the ache pinching that tiny whisper of despair. “Tell you what,” he whispered back, his voice hoarse, “every morning, you find me and we’ll read it together.”
A flush sprang to Crystal’s face, and she raised her head, eyes blinking back moisture to look at him. Her chin and lower lip twitched in a tug-of-war between crying and smiling.
He encouraged the smile with a warm one of his own. A real one this time. “How about if we get some coconuts going? See how Eve and your aunt are doing?” He stood as a smile won the battle on Crystal’s lips.
Who knew how many mornings they’d have together? He knew where they’d start their reading, though. Lo, I am with you always .
It took every bit of self-control Eve could muster
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