Alex raised a hand and said in English, “It does not matter now. Danke.”
He led the three dazed women over to an open spot on a bench and gathered their luggage around them. “Please. I have a phone call to make. Will you wait here a moment?”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Marti said numbly.
As soon as Alex walked away, Sierra began to make suggestions. “We could take a bus. Or maybe see about renting a car. What do you think?”
“I think we almost died,” Marti said.
“I know you’re not going to like my saying this, Aunt Marti,” Christy said, “but can’t you see what just happened? God protected us. Your lost ticket wasn’t a bad thing. It was a God-thing. It kept us from boarding that train. Remember last night you said that if God is so loving and protective, then He would have to prove it to you? I think He just did.”
This time, Marti didn’t yell at Christy for spiritualizing yet another situation. Instead, a tear coursed down Marti’s cheek. Then another and another. She reached into her purse to find a tissue.
Sierra felt all shivery inside. It was as though she had been invited to see a miracle—the melting of Marti’s heart.
“Where’s the restroom?” Marti asked, suddenly rising. Her face was pale.
“I saw it back there.” Christy pointed toward the bathroom. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“If you would,” Marti said, already heading in the direction Christy indicated.
Sierra watched the luggage and waited for Alex to return. He came back with a broad smile. “My cousin said it is okay.”
“What’s okay?”
“That I take his car. I will drive you to the airport.”
“That’s great, Alex,” Sierra exclaimed, happy to spend more time with him. “You know it’s a couple of hours’ drive, though, don’t you? Of course you do. That’s really nice of you. Marti and Christy went to the restroom. They should be back in a minute.”
“I can load the car. Or do you think I should wait for them?” Alex asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe we should wait so we don’t upset Marti.”
“This is good,” Alex said. “I had hoped for a chance to tell you how good it was for me to be with you. I think for my life always I will remember you, See-hair-a.”
Suddenly, their tender good-bye moment had come. Sierra was too startled to know how to respond. This wasn’t at all the way she had planned it.
“I wanted to say the same things to you,” Sierra said. She felt the pocket of her jeans to make sure her address was still there. Now that the opportunity had come, she felt shy about suggesting they write. Shyness was a new feeling for her.
Forcing herself to be vulnerable, Sierra reached over and touched Alex’s arm. Earlier, she had planned to take his hand in hers, the way he had taken hers in the alcove, and then share her feelings with him. She had even hoped that he would have already taken her hand and told her his feelings. But he had spoken his heart without touching her, and now it felt clumsy trying to take his hand. Sierra gave Alex’s arm a timid squeeze and let go.
“You have given me so much in these past few days, Alexander. I want you to know that your fervent love has opened up my passions.”
He lifted an eyebrow slightly.
“Wait. That’s not what I meant. You didn’t hear that. What I meant was, you know, your verse. The one about loving each other fervently.” Before Sierra could explain further, a male voice boomed over the speakers. Alex listened intently and then interpreted. “They are arranging for passengers with tickets to take a bus. Would you then like to take a bus instead of my cousin’s car?”
“We don’t exactly have three tickets to cash in,” Sierra said. “I think Marti would be more comfortable in the car.”
“You are right. Please excuse. I go to check on parking to make certain I have not exceeded the time.”
Alex stepped away briskly, leaving Sierra by herself.
“That didn’t go so well,” she mumbled. He probably thinks I’m wacky, telling him he opened up my passions. Boy, I sure haven’t made things easy. First I knock him over, and then I scare him off. Father God, feel free to intervene at any time here.
As soon as she thought it, Sierra felt terrible. God had intervened. He had gotten her off the train. Hundreds of other people hadn’t gotten off, and now some of them were dead. Sierra’s thoughts spun around. Finally, she was hit with the realization that she could have been dead right now.
Sierra was struck by the contrasting experiences she’d had these past few days. Life was absolutely wonderful, and life was absolutely horrible. Life was both.
Life was also a gift. God gave people life, and clearly He could also take it back any time He wanted.
He’s God, Sierra reminded herself. He can do whatever He wants.
eighteen
WHEN CHRISTY AND MARTI returned from the restroom, Marti didn’t look well at all. After a brief pause, Alex offered to drive them to the airport, and Marti accepted without flinching.
Sierra climbed into the car’s backseat, feeling as though she were on borrowed time. She decided every moment of her life needed to count. God had kept her on this earth a little longer, and she wanted to make the most of the gift of life He had given her. She thought of the young couple she had seen saying good-bye at the train, and a lump formed in her throat. Was that young woman alive, or was she one of the train wreck’s victims?
Turning her head, Sierra cried silently. The others in the car were quiet as well. Sierra’s tears kept coming. The scenery along the way was a peaceful mix of green hills and fields of corn. She wondered how everything could look so calm and beautiful when something horrible had just happened. But she knew that often in life, there were no simple answers. Life was wonderful, and life was horrible. That was life.
These hard truths brought little comfort to Sierra as the car sped through one small town after another, each of them appearing like a village from a fairy tale. Most of the houses boasted small, tidy gardens packed with a variety of vegetables and bright flowers. The flashes of fresh color had a soothing effect on Sierra. But the sky continued to pout, threatening to rain its tears on them once more.
Marti rode with the front seat reclined and her hand on her forehead. Christy indicated silently that Marti had been sick to her stomach when they went to the bathroom in the train station. Sierra wondered if they would have to pull over along the way. She knew it was not fun to be sick when traveling, and she empathized with Marti. It didn’t matter that Marti was probably sick from the combination of having too much wine the day before, along with being thrown into a nervous panic when they missed their train.
The narrow but well-paved road took them past a long, flat field where white sheep were grazing.
“Don’t they look like big marshmallows on top of a birthday cake with green icing?” Sierra asked.
“What are marshmallows?” Alex asked.
They were all keeping their voices low out of consideration for Marti. Alex’s voice seemed loud even when he talked softly, though.
Sierra explained marshmallows, and Alex described a favorite treat from Russia. He explained it as a long white cube that sounded to Sierra like a stick of butter the size of a bread loaf.
“You eat wedges of butter all by themselves?”
“I know butter. This is not butter. It is much more of a delicacy.” He described the treat and how it was made, trying to get Christy and Sierra to understand what it was like.
“That sounds like what we call lard,” Christy said, wrinkling her nose. “We would never, and I do mean never, sit down to eat a slice of lard!”
“Pull over!” Marti shrieked.
Alex stopped the car alongside a grove of trees. Marti nearly tumbled from the car and got sick in the ditch that divided the road from the grove.
“Should I get out?” Christy asked.
“Did she want help when she was sick at the train station?” Sierra asked.
??
?No.”
“Then she probably doesn’t now either. Do you have a tissue or anything?”
Christy reached for Marti’s purse in the front seat and pulled out a travel packet of tissue.
“Are you okay?” Christy asked her aunt, handing her the packet.
“I’ll be fine,” Marti said. “As long as you can do me a favor and change the topic of conversation.”
“Sorry,” Christy said.
“Drive on, Alex,” Marti said, adjusting her seat and rolling down her window. “We can’t miss that plane.”
“I’ll need to stop for petrol at the next opportunity,” he said.
“Fine, fine. I’ll pay, of course. Just drive faster.”
They found a service station just before the entrance to the freeway, or autobahn, as Alex called it. Christy and Sierra went into the convenience store and bought Marti some water and mints. They also purchased drinks for themselves and Alex, some beef jerky, and a bag of cookies.
“It seems like a normal gas station in the States,” Sierra said as they walked back to the car. “Except for the different brands of drinks and candy.”
“And the prices,” Christy said. “Do you realize the gas is more than twice what we pay?”
“I hope I remember that the next time I have to fill the car. I guess we don’t appreciate a lot of things about life at home.”
“That’s for sure,” Christy said as they settled back into the car. “I was thinking about how I’m going to get around here without a car. I guess I’ll get used to the bus and train system. But it’s going to be a whole new experience, trying to figure out everything.”
“Thanks again for taking us to the airport,” Sierra said, patting Alex on the back. He was pulling onto the autobahn and accelerating the car to keep up with the zooming traffic.
“How fast are we going?” Sierra asked.
“I don’t know, but I remember hearing about these autobahns from a friend of mine, Alissa. She said people drove a hundred miles an hour, and I didn’t believe her.” Christy gave Sierra’s leg a squeeze as Alex rapidly changed lanes. “I believe her now!”
They seemed to arrive at the airport in no time. The drive had definitely been faster than the train would have been.
Some of the color had come back into Marti’s face after they arrived at the airport. Alex parked the car and helped carry in the luggage. He stood with them in line as they waited to check in for their flight.
“Are you feeling better?” Sierra asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Marti reached into her purse. “Alex, thank you also. It appears you saved the day. Here’s something for your trouble.”
“It is not necessary,” he said, holding up a hand to refuse Marti’s money. “I wanted to do this for you.”
“It was certainly kind of you. Thank you.” Marti put back the money and glanced at her watch. “You should probably say your good-byes now. We’re nearly to the front of the line.”
Sierra had been wondering what would happen when this moment came. Would it be awkward to say good-bye to Alex in front of Christy and Marti? Should she try to explain to Alex what she meant earlier about her passions being awakened?
“Alexander,” Christy said, stepping forward and shaking his hand warmly, “I’m so glad we met you that first day on the train. Thanks for everything.”
“If I have another holiday here, perhaps I will see you at the school.”
“I would love to see you again,” Christy said.
Alex gave her a quick hug, kissing the air beside her cheeks—first the right side, then the left. Sierra had seen many Europeans greet each other in this way. She even had a friend from Italy, Antonio, who had kissed her on each cheek when he greeted her. He did that to all his female friends, so Sierra never considered it a kiss. Now, with the prospect of Alex saying good-bye to her in the same way, it suddenly seemed very much like a kiss.
He moved over to Aunt Marti and gave her the same warm gesture. She remained fixed in her rigid posture, but her expression was softer than it had been all day.
Now it was Sierra’s turn. Her heart began to thump like a bongo drum, pulsing its rhythm to her throat. “Alex,” she said in a low voice, leaning close so no one else could hear her, “I wanted to explain what I was trying to say before at the train station. You know, about your verse on loving others fervently. I don’t think I know how to really love other people yet, but you do, and you showed me that kind of love by your living example. I’ll never forget it. And I’ll never forget you. I’m so glad I had the privilege of knowing you.”
Sierra held her breath and replayed the words in her mind to see if she had been able to say what she meant. It was a little bumpy, but basically she had told Alex what she wanted to say. She smiled, satisfied.
Alex gave her a tender look, a look that gave her instant assurance he had heard her heart and understood what she meant. He leaned closer. His steady hand gently brushed a wisp of hair off her forehead.
Is he going to kiss me? Should I close my eyes? Maybe I had better leave them open. I could open one and close one. What am I thinking? I can’t think straight! What should I do?
“Meine Freunde, I have in my heart,” Alex said in his deep voice, “all these same thoughts for you. In heaven we will meet once again, and I will be glad for that day.”
Sierra swallowed. “In heaven,” she repeated. She knew he had called her “my friend” in German. Suddenly, she knew he wasn’t going to kiss her. Not on the lips. And she knew Alex would never write to her either. Sierra’s address remained in her pocket, but she knew Alex would remain in a tiny corner of her heart. And thankfully, Sierra had been able to tell him that.
“May the peace of Christ be upon you,” Alex said.
“And upon you,” Sierra repeated.
He leaned over, took her gently by both shoulders, and pressed his right cheek to hers. It felt cool against her blushing redness. She heard the sound of the kiss he sent into the air next to her ear. Then his head moved to her left cheek, and again, he kissed the air by her cheek.
Alex let go of Sierra’s shoulders and, to her surprise, he put his right hand on his heart. Then Alex bowed to the three of them.
“May God be with all of you,” he said with emotion.
Just then an airline employee motioned the three of them to the next open ticket stand to check in.
“Come, girls,” Marti said.
Sierra and Christy followed Marti, and she handed the attendant their three tickets. Sierra turned to give Alex one last smile over her shoulder. Heaven could be a long time from now—or not. Either way, she wanted to remember that face until then.
nineteen
THE FLIGHT HOME WAS UNEVENTFUL. That in itself was a welcome relief. When the trio deplaned in Los Angeles, Sierra said good-bye to Christy and Marti before catching the next flight to Portland. They were all so tired that it turned into a rather emotional scene.
“Thank you so much for inviting me, Marti,” Sierra said. “I know some of the things I said and did were pretty annoying, and I apologize. I learned a lot on this trip, and I really appreciated your generosity and kindness in letting me come along. Thank you. I …” Sierra paused. “I love you.”
Marti didn’t look as startled as Sierra thought she would. But Sierra herself was startled to have those words even come to her mind.
“You were refreshing to have on the trip, Sierra,” Marti said. She looked at Sierra with a fondness Sierra hadn’t seen before. “I appreciate your loyalty to Christy. At first I didn’t understand the friendship you two have. But, I must say, you are a good friend for my niece. A little too strong on the religious side, but then Christy seems attracted to your kind. Oh, and don’t think I didn’t notice your efforts to convert me.” Marti included Christy in her sweeping gaze.
“I must admit, after they announced that our train had been derailed, I was almost persuaded to bow to your God. I’m sure it was from the stress of the moment and my sudden sicknes
s. I do feel back to myself now.”
Although Marti was acting extremely self-reliant, Sierra thought she detected a new tenderness in her eyes.
Christy and Sierra glanced at each other.
Oh, Marti, you are so close. Just stop fighting and surrender your life! Sierra thought. She could tell Christy was thinking the same thing.
“I’m going to miss you,” Christy said, hugging Sierra.
“I’m going to miss you, too. Send me your address in Germany, and I’ll definitely write.”
They pulled away from each other, and both had tears streaming down their cheeks.
“And I’ll write back,” Christy said. “I promise.”
“If you want to know what to buy me for my birthday,” Sierra said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, “just send me one of those marzipan pastries from that little bakery.”
“Okay,” Christy laughed. “Should I send truffles for you, Aunt Marti?
“No, dear, of course not. And don’t you eat too many of them while you’re there, either.”
Both girls laughed. Their eyes met again, locking in silent, eternal friendship.
“I love you—fervently,” Sierra said.
Christy smiled. “And I love you fervently. ’Bye, Sierra.”
They hugged again, and then Sierra got in line to board her flight to Portland. An hour and a half later, her parents met her at the baggage claim. They hugged and kissed her and listened to her chatter about everything all at once.
They were standing by the luggage carousel, waiting for Sierra’s bag to come rolling around, when a flashback hit her. Last January, when she had returned from England, Paul had stood beside her at this very carousel, in nearly the same spot. He had thought she had his suitcase, but the luggage tag proved it was hers.
Sierra remembered being judgmental of him on the flight home. Her approach had been to act grown-up and witty, and her final words had been “Have a nice life.”
Sierra closed her eyes, embarrassed now at the memory. Who was she trying to be? Where was the fervent love in that comment? She remembered how mature she had felt. After all, she had just traveled to England and back by herself.