"Didn't you think you did well? And what was that word?"
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"That word was 'terrified.' Couldn't you see me shaking?" "No, you did great."
"I'm glad to hear you couldn't tell, but it's a bit daunting to know that I have to go up there four more weeks."
"You're going to do fine. You already know most of these folks, so you're getting more relaxed," he reasoned. "You love the work you do with the translating, so when it's time to talk about that, you just share with us like you did that day with Carson."
Lily glanced toward the podium.
"It's scarier up there than it would first seem."
"Yes, but could you tell that everyone enjoyed it?"
"I could, Gabe. Thank you."
It was on Gabe's mind to say something more, but people were headed their way. They greeted Jeff if they had missed him that morning, and then had more questions for Jeff and Lily. The family was late getting home, but since Jeff was staying with them, it felt like a continuation of their time off. They talked and laughed until much too late, but all agreed that it was worth it.
"So, do the two of you have a plan?" Jeff asked Gabe when he'd been home about ten days.
The two were alone in Gabe's office. Jeff had gone over to ask him an entirely different question and then saw a snapshot of Gabe and Lily on Gabe's desk.
"It's interesting that you should ask that, Jeff. You know how I love maps and charts and such, so just last night I was looking at the calendar and putting some of this down on paper. I met Lily when you brought her to us on September 5. On October 7 just a month later when we were in Hilo we talked about our feelings. You came home November 6, which meant we'd had a month to get to know each other under closer circumstances. And now, Lily leaves for Kashien four weeks from yesterday.
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"I love her, Jeff," Gabe said simply. "Has it happened very fast? Yes, but that's not my problem. My problem is having no idea how to approach your father."
Gabe stopped talking for a moment, but he added something before Jeff could speak.
"I also want you to know that I've done nothing more than hold Lily's hand."
"I appreciate your telling me, Gabe. I recently found out how hard it can be. But tell me something. What does Lily want you to do about our father?"
"She thinks it would be best if she talked to him first and asks him to write to me. She's hoping he'll be willing to dialogue through the mail."
Jeff looked thoughtful, trying to gauge if Lily was on the right track. It was so hard to know.
"Maybe I'll talk with her," Jeff said, his mind still working on
it.
"Or the three of us could talk."
"Yes," Jeff said immediately; that was the idea he was looking for. "Let's do that tonight."
"Okay. We'll let Lily know as soon as she gets back from the store."
"I'd better go and let you get to work." "Before you leave " Gabe stopped him "tell me how things are going with Annika."
Jeff smiled. "I got a letter yesterday." "And she's doing well?"
"Yeah. We miss each other. For the first time I think I know how Ash feels."
"And how I'm going to feel in a few weeks."
"Well, there's one consolation," Jeff said, this time on his way out. "We'll all know how to pray for one another."
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"Look at this one," Lily said to the children, Celia in her arms and Peter standing beside her. Bailey was on her own with the shopping cart. Lily and the children were shopping with the little handheld basket.
"It's red, and this one is yellow," Peter told her.
"And you say they have tiny M Ms inside, Pete?"
"Yeah! They're real good."
"I think we'd better add some to our basket."
Peter and even Celia lit up over this.
"Eat an now," Celia said.
"No," Lily said with a shake of her head; she had become quite good at translating. "We'll eat them later, maybe after lunch. Would you like to walk for a while?"
Celia's little head bobbed. Lily gladly put her down; her arms and shoulders had started to ache.
The threesome shopped on. The whole point was for Lily to entertain the children so Bailey could make better use of her time, but in truth Lily was the one being entertained.
The bathroom was in the produce section, and when Peter needed that, Lily stayed close by but looked her fill of luscious fruits and vegetables. Not until Celia said she missed her mother did they go and report back.
"How is it going?" Bailey asked.
"Someone needed to see her mother."
Bailey took Celia in her arms. "Did you want to shop with me for a while?"
Celia nodded, her face a bit sleepy, and Lily made room in the seat area of the cart for the little girl to ride. Bailey had just moved on her way when Peter quietly spoke Lily's name.
"Yes, Peter?"
"Lily, can we look at the baby things?"
"We certainly can. Do you know where they are?"
"No."
"Well, we'll find them."
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Not many minutes later Peter stood in front of the stacks of diapers, his little face serious.
"Were you hoping to get something here, Pete?" "No, I'm just looking for blue diapers." "Why is that?"
"Well, if Mama has a boy, I think he should have blue diapers."
Lily had no idea that he'd thought that much about this. Her heart was very touched by his admission.
"And why is it important that a boy wear blue diapers?"
"So people won't think he's a girl."
"Will you be all right if your mom has a girl?"
"Um-hm," he said, his face completely open. "I think they have lots of pink diapers."
Lily looked at him, her heart filling with love.
"Have I told you, Peter, that you're one of my favorite people to shop with?"
"I am?"
"Yes, you are."
Obviously pleased, the little boy only smiled at her, his eyes shy. Lily was ready to stand and study this aisle for as long as he wanted, but evidently he'd seen what he came to see. A moment later he suggested they look at the candy section again. Lily was only too happy to comply.
"I finally have things figured out, Jeff. The last time we spoke of this you were still away I didn't know what to tell you when you offered to represent me to Father."
"But you do now?"
"I think so. At least, I have a plan. I'm going to tell him how I feel. I know it won't be easy, but somehow I think my having been away will have softened him. I might want you to write him someday, but not now.
"My goal is to go home and find a way to dialogue with my father. I don't know how he'll react, but I'm hoping he'll respond
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to me openly, and through mutual respect we can move to a different level in our relationship, at least within the walls of our own home. And then in the same way I want to introduce the subject of Gabe and me."
"Good," Jeff congratulated her. He was more than willing to write to his father for Lily, but if she could implement changes on her own, that would be best.
"What will you do if he doesn't respond the way you hope, Lily?" Gabe wanted to know.
"I guess I honestly believe he will, Gabe."
Gabe smiled at her. From all he'd heard of this man, his heart was doubtful. But lily certainly knew her father better than he did, and on top of that, she looked peaceful with her decision. And Gabe hoped she was right. His future with her rested on Owen Walsh's response. God might choose to work in the mans heart, and Gabe needed to make up his mind to believe and trust God, no matter what the outcome.
"Will you approach this as soon as you get home, lily?" Jeff asked. "Or ease into it?"
"Right away. As soon as we're home and alone."
"We'll be praying."
"Thank you, but out of curiosity, what will you ask God to do?"
I'll ask Him to help Father to listen
. You put your finger on it, Lily. If he gets upset or angry, you can't talk to him. I'll ask God to work in his heart, even before you arrive."
This plan worked for Lily. She did not want to tell God what to do or beg Him in desperation to make her father listen. She did believe that she had some good things to say to her father. She never once wanted to show him disrespect, but she ached for change between them. Even if she could never come back and marry Gabe, the man she was now in love with, she wanted her relationship with her father to be different in the future.
"What if he never lets you come back?" Gabe voiced the question that had been in the back of his mind for weeks.
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Jeff and Lily both looked at him, but Jeff answered the question.
"He is a hard man, Gabe, but not completely unreasonable. If Lily writes and tells me that it has all fallen apart, I'll write to my father and introduce you so that you can write to him personally. He knows about you. I can't think how he could possibly object to such a man marrying his daughter. But if he does object, we'll do everything we can on this end to make it work."
"Would it make it worse if I came to Kashien?"
"You mean right now, Gabe, or if he won't listen?" This came from Lily
"I would love to go with you right now, Lily, but I was thinking more along the lines of if and when it didn't work."
"I'll have to think on that one, Gabe. I mean, it would be wonderful to have you, but if my father is that upset, I can't think of how your presence would help."
"I guess I thought it might help him to see that I'm serious and committed to us."
The two looked at each other for a long moment. Jeff watched them.
It was one of the most wonderful things he'd ever experienced to have his sister and closest friend in love. And for just a moment, Jeff let himself forget that there might be a man in Kashien who could smash all their dreams to pieces.
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Chapter 24
"What did he have to say?" Evan asked from inside the garage the moment Bailey climbed from the car. She'd had her first doctors appointment, and Evan had not been able to accompany her.
"He says everything looks great and that I'm due on June 1."
"June 1? Okay. Any limitations or restrictions?" Evan asked with an arm around her as they walked toward the house.
"No surfing."
"And what about your swollen ankles?"
"Prop my feet when I can and take brisk walks."
"Okay."
"How are the kids?" "Having a blast with Lily." "What are they doing?"
"They took a picnic to the bay. I ran into Gabe, and he said he can't get a thing done for watching them out his window."
Rather than go inside, the couple walked toward the surf until they could look down the beach toward the bay. Lily wasn't hard to spot.
"It looks like Ash joined them."
As the couple looked on, Lily put her arms in the air and waved as though she was pretending to be a tree. Had Evan and Bailey known it, that was exactly what she was doing.
On the beach, both Peter and Celia were rapt with attention. Lily was telling a story. Ashton had come along in the middle of it and quietly joined them to listen.
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"And when the little girl," Lily continued, "saw how glad her mother was to have her home, she realized she'd been wrong to leave. Her mother put ointment on all her scratches, gave her a big bowl of rice, warm milk, and sugar, and tucked her into her own little bed. The little girl fell asleep knowing how deeply she was loved."
"That was a good story," Peter said. "I liked it." "I'm glad, Peter. Thank you." "Me too. Good store."
"Thank you, CeCe." Lily smiled at her before cupping her small face in her hands to loss her. Watching Lily's actions, Ashton realized something for the first time.
"There are children in Kashien that you love, aren't there, Lily?"
Tears filled Lily's eyes so swiftly that she was surprised. She didn't break down, but emotions filled her very fast.
"Three little girls," she said quietly.
"What are their names?"
"Faith, Hope, and Charity."
"How old are they?"
"Faith and Hope are six and five. Charity is little more than a baby."
"We're having a baby," Peter put in.
"Yes, you are," his uncle agreed. "Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?"
"I don't know. I think a boy would be fun, but a girl would be okay too."
"I'm a girl," Celia informed the group.
"You could have another Celia," Ashton said to his nephew.
"Yeah," Peter agreed, looking a bit uncertain.
"I must tell you, Peter," Lily said, "that I think you are a wonderful big brother."
Peter smiled shyly, but Lily could see he was pleased.
"Are you leaving soon, Lily?" Peter asked next.
"In three weeks, yes. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
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Lily glanced at Celia, thinking this was the usual time for her to chime in with a comment, but she had found the grapes. "How many of those have you had?" Lily asked. Celia's answer was to put another one into her mouth. "I think that means it's time to eat."
Although the little group invited Ashton to join them for lunch, he said he had to get back to work. He took the cookies they offered him and went on his way, but he walked slowly so he could listen to the sound of Lily's gentle voice as she talked to the children. Hearing it reminded him to pray for Gabe. Deanne would be back very soon now; Ashton could count the days on the calendar. But when Lily left, Gabe had no idea when he would see her again.
"Where are we going?" Lily asked Gabe the next afternoon as she went with him toward the garage.
"Cottage nine has a problem that no one else can get to right now, so I'm going to check it out. And you know what?" Gabe asked just as they reached the garage.
"What?"
"You're going to drive."
Lily stopped and Gabe laughed.
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"I think this is a great idea," he disagreed.
"Gabe," Lily said seriously, I'll smash into something or maybe kill someone."
"You won't. I'll be right beside you."
Lily glanced at the golf cart.
"You'll like it," Gabe said enticingly.
Lily looked at him and tried not to smile.
"Come on. Just sit in the driver's seat and see how it feels."
Lily did as she was told, and to her surprise it did look rather fun.
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"Okay." Gabe wasted no time, having her where he wanted her. "Here's the key. Put it in right there and start it up." "Will it move?"
"Not until you step on the gas."
After much laughter, some panic, and a few jerks and starts, Lily found herself driving down the beach in the golf cart. She had liked riding in them all along but now discovered this was a whole new sensation. If she let off the gas, it slowed. If she braked, it stopped. She was in control!
"Oh, my," was all she could say for the first minute. "I had no idea."
"Maybe I'll just let you do all the driving from now on. If I have to move from my office, I'll call you to pick me up." "I can do that," Lily said brightly. "I love it when you smile." "Do you?" she teased him a little. "Um-hm."
"I can't look at you, Gabe," Lily said, knowing he wanted her to. "I have to concentrate on my driving." "That's okay. I can look on my own." Lily smiled again.
"Here we go," Gabe said, and suddenly it was time to show Lily where to stop. Telling her to leave the keys in the cart, he led her onto the porch and knocked on the door.
"Is someone staying here right now, Gabe?"
"Yes, but they said they would be out all day."
"How will you get in?"
"The master key."
"Why did you knock if they're not here and you have a key?"
"Because you never want to walk in on
someone. You always take for granted that they are in until you find out otherwise."
Amid this conversation Gabe had knocked again, received no response, and used his key. Lily came in behind him and stood still while he read the note he'd brought.
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"Okay, it looks like there's a problem with the showerhead. The bathroom in this unit is a bit small, so you might want to wait here."
"Okay."
Gabe headed in the direction of the needed repair job, and Lily looked around. This cottage was different from the one Ashton had showed her, and of course the guests' belongings were scattered here and there, but certain aspects were familiar.
"Gabe?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have a favorite cottage the way Ash does?"
"Yes, it's the same one, number six."
"Why that one, do you think?"
"Oh, the layout is nice, and the size."
Lily didn't answer. The toaster, an unusual model, had caught her attention, and she had moved in for a closer look. She didn't see the magazine until it was much too late.
In the bathroom, Gabe wrapped up the repair job quickly. The fitting was loose, and after a little tightening, Gabe ran the water and saw that it was fine. Not until he'd done all of that did he realize that Lily had become very quiet. He gathered his things and went looking for her. He found her standing stock-still, eyes glued on something. When he was close enough, he could see that a magazine had been left open on the kitchen counter. It showed a very intimate scene between a man and woman. Shocked as she was, Lily seemed incapable of taking her eyes from the picture.
"Lily?" Gabe called to her, and she seemed to snap out of her trance.
Face flaming with mortification, she turned away and moved to the door. Gabe double-checked to make sure he'd left all in order, exited, locked the door, and found Lily sitting in the passenger seat of the cart.
"Are you all right?" Gabe asked when he climbed behind the wheel.
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"I don't know right now," Lily answered honestly, her eyes on nothing.
Gabe knew they needed to talk. Thankful that he was not expected back for a while, he drove slowly toward the garage but parked outside of it in a shady, secluded area.