days?”
“Exactly,” Paul said absentmindedly.
“You really are, aren't you?” she asked amazed.
“I want to get back to see you,” he replied. “We don't have much time left.”
“Paul, if you keep running like that, you won't!” she chided. “Now slow down a bit! That is an order!”
“Yes, dear,” he teased. He gave her the number at his hotel in Cairns and she promised to call him after the Coleman's left on Thursday night. Their farewell was quick and painless, and Lynn slept dreaming of Paul and palm trees and sun.
*****
Lynn slept in and then had planned to spend a relaxing day at the beach. She was excited to spend some alone time with the Lord. She loved nothing more than sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in, and talking with the Lord. She knew she needed time in prayer to regroup and refocus. Lynn grabbed her Bible, her journal, and her towel, and set out for the beach. She found many years ago that journaling helped her to organize her thoughts and keep focused in her prayer time. She spent most of the time at the beach processing her emotions with the Lord. How she valued these precious alone times with God.
She returned to the hotel in the late afternoon feeling relaxed and re-centered. She chose a simple outfit for the evening and began getting ready for dinner. Katherine and Doug were the first to arrive.
When Lynn met Doug she felt herself immediately on guard. She found herself at a loss for words. The more he spoke, Lynn sensed that something about him was not upright. He was every bit as handsome as Katherine had describe, yet he was not at all what she had expected. After all the wonderful things that Katherine had told her she was surprised by her reaction.
Doug was attractive with sandy brown hair, and green eyes. His freckles made him appear younger than his 45 years. In some ways he resembled a mischievous little boy. He was every bit as outgoing as Katherine had described, but somehow he reminded Lynn of Christine! Surely he wasn't just interested in Katherine for her money?
Lynn shook her head, and told herself she was overreacting. Perhaps she was just tired. She committed to herself to find all the things she liked about Doug, for the sake of her new friend Katherine.
Barbara and Duane arrived just minutes later, and they all left for dinner in Manly. The evening passed quickly. Soon they were saying their good night's, and Katherine promised to call Lynn on Saturday. Duane and Barbara invited Lynn and Paul to brunch after church on Sunday. Lynn accepted, pending verification.
Paul was not in his room when Lynn called. She felt a stab of jealousy, and she wondered where he was. She wondered if she should call his cell phone but quickly dismissed the idea. She did not want to interrupt his work meetings, so she left a message with the hotel.
She felt the usual anxiety of waiting for a phone to ring. She wrote postcards and attempted to read the novel she never got around to picking up on the beach that afternoon. She found herself staring at the phone with the foreboding of future nights, back in the states waiting for Paul to call. Premonitions of things to come, waiting for the silent phone to beckon. Nights filled with emptiness and longing.
*****
Chapter 8
Lynn was awakened by the phone at 3:00 AM. Her book still on her lap, her clothes wrinkled and untucked.
“Sorry it is so late,” was Paul's first remark. “I had a late dinner meeting and then Christine showed up throwing a tantrum.”
“Christine!” said Lynn suddenly wide awake. “What in the world is Christine doing there?”
“Pursuing,” he said calmly.
“You?” she asked.
“Of course,” said Paul irritated. “She has this uncanny act of showing up, seemingly by chance, wherever I happen to be.”
“Like Auckland?” asked Lynn.
“Like Auckland,” replied Paul.
“Well?” Lynn prodded.
“Well
“Exactly,” Paul said absentmindedly.
“You really are, aren't you?” she asked amazed.
“I want to get back to see you,” he replied. “We don't have much time left.”
“Paul, if you keep running like that, you won't!” she chided. “Now slow down a bit! That is an order!”
“Yes, dear,” he teased. He gave her the number at his hotel in Cairns and she promised to call him after the Coleman's left on Thursday night. Their farewell was quick and painless, and Lynn slept dreaming of Paul and palm trees and sun.
*****
Lynn slept in and then had planned to spend a relaxing day at the beach. She was excited to spend some alone time with the Lord. She loved nothing more than sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in, and talking with the Lord. She knew she needed time in prayer to regroup and refocus. Lynn grabbed her Bible, her journal, and her towel, and set out for the beach. She found many years ago that journaling helped her to organize her thoughts and keep focused in her prayer time. She spent most of the time at the beach processing her emotions with the Lord. How she valued these precious alone times with God.
She returned to the hotel in the late afternoon feeling relaxed and re-centered. She chose a simple outfit for the evening and began getting ready for dinner. Katherine and Doug were the first to arrive.
When Lynn met Doug she felt herself immediately on guard. She found herself at a loss for words. The more he spoke, Lynn sensed that something about him was not upright. He was every bit as handsome as Katherine had describe, yet he was not at all what she had expected. After all the wonderful things that Katherine had told her she was surprised by her reaction.
Doug was attractive with sandy brown hair, and green eyes. His freckles made him appear younger than his 45 years. In some ways he resembled a mischievous little boy. He was every bit as outgoing as Katherine had described, but somehow he reminded Lynn of Christine! Surely he wasn't just interested in Katherine for her money?
Lynn shook her head, and told herself she was overreacting. Perhaps she was just tired. She committed to herself to find all the things she liked about Doug, for the sake of her new friend Katherine.
Barbara and Duane arrived just minutes later, and they all left for dinner in Manly. The evening passed quickly. Soon they were saying their good night's, and Katherine promised to call Lynn on Saturday. Duane and Barbara invited Lynn and Paul to brunch after church on Sunday. Lynn accepted, pending verification.
Paul was not in his room when Lynn called. She felt a stab of jealousy, and she wondered where he was. She wondered if she should call his cell phone but quickly dismissed the idea. She did not want to interrupt his work meetings, so she left a message with the hotel.
She felt the usual anxiety of waiting for a phone to ring. She wrote postcards and attempted to read the novel she never got around to picking up on the beach that afternoon. She found herself staring at the phone with the foreboding of future nights, back in the states waiting for Paul to call. Premonitions of things to come, waiting for the silent phone to beckon. Nights filled with emptiness and longing.
*****
Chapter 8
Lynn was awakened by the phone at 3:00 AM. Her book still on her lap, her clothes wrinkled and untucked.
“Sorry it is so late,” was Paul's first remark. “I had a late dinner meeting and then Christine showed up throwing a tantrum.”
“Christine!” said Lynn suddenly wide awake. “What in the world is Christine doing there?”
“Pursuing,” he said calmly.
“You?” she asked.
“Of course,” said Paul irritated. “She has this uncanny act of showing up, seemingly by chance, wherever I happen to be.”
“Like Auckland?” asked Lynn.
“Like Auckland,” replied Paul.
“Well?” Lynn prodded.
“Well
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