"I have no doubt that if Theta could have spoken, she would have told her sons how pleased she was that their faith was real. She would have been blessed beyond words that they both found believing wives and were having children who would know exactly where their salvation lies."
Rylan's eyes swung to Jeanette before he continued. "I'm sure there were moments when time seemed to crawl, but in truth the time that Theta lived at Jeanette's passed swiftly. Jeanette and I were talking last night, and she vividly remembers the day her sister was born, even though she was only three years old. 'A live doll to play with' was how Jeanette saw it."
More than one person smiled at the image before Rylan went on.
274 "But the relationship progressed far beyond that. They were not just sisters but friends. Theta moved here with her husband and two sons many years ago, and the relationship she shared with Jeanette only became stronger. Theta's sons were Jeanette's sons. They shared joys and sorrows as one. When Jeanette's husband died, Theta was there with love and support. There was nothing they wouldn't do for each other, so when Theta's needs became special, it never occurred to Jeanette to do anything else but bring her into her home to live.
"And I'm sure you can guess who gained the greater blessing. Theta was not able to tell us how she felt, but I know that God used Theta Holden to strengthen Jeanette Fulbright. She has shared with me many times how Theta's silence caused her own heart to quiet. And when those times came, God always used His Word to remind
, Jeanette of something she'd forgotten. Something she needed to have fresh on her heart again.
"Heather, Becky, and Timothy will all miss Theta. They have selflessly given to her for years and also have known God's blessing because of it. Theta has touched many of us repeatedly, and I know her memory will continue to do so."
Rylan closed in prayer then. He had not asked anyone else to share-the family had not wanted that-but few hurried from the graveside. Indeed it was more than an hour before the friends and family broke up and took Jeanette up on her invitation to come to the house.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself," Heather said to Sabrina after the service. A large group had gathered at Jeanette's, and those two women were in the kitchen helping Becky. "I already miss her."
"Give yourself time," Sabrina said. "Don't rush your heart." Timothy sat at the table and pretended to read the newspaper. They all heard Becky sniff but knew she would not want to talk.
275 They worked along, making food for the ones gathered and talking to those who wandered through.
Sabrina thought about the way death affected a family and then realized that was what they were. With Theta gone, not a person who lived in the house was related to another, but that didn't change what they had become.
As if she had suddenly had the same feelings, Jeanette was there. She didn't question how anyone was doing but finished loading a tray with fresh fruit, her hand touching each one of them as she passed by. She slipped back out, Heather behind her with another tray. Sabrina made no move to leave. Even when the next tray was ready, she waited for Timothy to notice and continued to work in silence alongside Becky. She was strangely comforted by this small act and a feeling that for the moment this was where she belonged.
Cassidy found Trace on the porch, sitting across from his mother's empty chair as he had done so numerous times in the past. Cassidy came close, sat on the arm of his chair, and slipped an arm around him.
"How are you?" she asked.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm glad she's not going to stare blankly from that chair anymore, but at least when she was there, I could be with her."
Cassidy laid her cheek on the top of Trace's head, and he reached for her hand.
"The truth is, Cass, I haven't had her for a long time. None of us have. I'm sad for me," Trace spoke as he realized, "but more than that, I'm happy for her."
Cassidy felt tears coming and didn't try to speak. Trace had not cried, and the reason was just as he'd stated: Theta Holden had been gone for years.
"We can still tell the baby all about her, Trace," Cassidy whispered.
276 "You have so many memories to share. These last years will fade, and our baby will know all about the mother you remember."
Trace choked up at that point but didn't try to speak. He held his wife's hand a little tighter, wondering when it was really going to hit him that his mother was gone for good.
It took Rylan a while to find Sabrina. She had slipped outside to sit in the garden. It seemed as though every corner of the house was filled with people, and she had wanted some time alone. Rylan was certainly welcome, but she was thankful when he only sat beside her, his arm going around her shoulders, and left her to her thoughts. Some time passed before she was ready to talk.
"I kept seeing Mirabel's tiny casket today. I couldn't believe how strong the memory was."
"I thought of her too."
"I prayed for Eliza even while you were sharing. She just kept coming to mind."
Rylan nodded and said, "I hope she kept reading that Bible I gave her. I don't want her all cleaned up and going to hell."
Sabrina turned her head to look at him. "I don't think I've heard that phrase. What did you mean?"
"Just that she walked away from prostitution, and that's great, but unless she repents before God and believes in His Son, she's a former prostitute who will spend eternity separated from God."
Sabrina suddenly reached for his hand. "I'm so glad you said that, Rylan. Something's not right between Crystal and me. Since that night with the deputy, she's been avoiding me. I don't know what it means, but I have to remember what you said. It's about eternity, or it's not worth a thing."
"It's what makes reaching folks like Jessie Wheeler and Nate Kaderly very hard," Rylan said. "They're moral, kind, and hardworking. It isn't immediately obvious how lost they are."
277 Sabrina laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Are you ever overwhelmed by all the sin and lostness?"
"I'm tempted to be, yes. But then I work not to lose sight of the cross and my fear of God, and I believe again that He is able. You're not giving up on Crystal, are you?" he suddenly thought to ask, hoping she was not.
"No, but I've got to figure out what went wrong and find our friendship again."
"I'll pray you can do just that."
Sabrina angled her head so she could look up at him.
"I love you, Rylan Jarvik."
"I'm certainly glad to hear that," Rylan said before using his arm to draw her in close. He hugged her for a long time, both of them quiet again. Not until Becky came looking for them did either one feel a need to speak.
"I can't remember the last time I was so tired," Meg said, sitting on
the side of their bed, thankful that Savanna had gone right to sleep. "Here, let me get your buttons," Brad offered, but Meg didn't move.
She was looking at his face, studying the weary lines and sad eyes. "Are you all right?"
Brad looked down at her. "It's not real yet. I don't mean her death but the chance that she might return to normal. That's what really died for me today."
"Oh, Brad, it's so true, isn't it? It's almost like hope died."
"Yeah. If you had asked me a week ago if I still had hope, I would have said not much, but I realize now that's not true. I'm grieving that loss more than anything else."
Meg put her arms around him and told him to come to bed. Brad helped her with her dress, and with as little ceremony as they could manage, they slipped under the covers. Sleep did not come as fast as they expected. Their minds didn't relax as fast as their weary bodies,
278 each one thinking about how swiftly their world could change and how precious life was.
Brad ended up reaching for Meg's hand and then started to pray. He thanked God for all the time they'd had with his mother, both before and after her husband's violence had put her in such a state. He asked God to forgive and save his father if he was still alive. And then he asked
God to forgive and save himself and Meg, so that none of this time would be wasted. He finished by asking that they would use what they'd learned to grow more and to pass God's Word on to Savanna and the baby, as Theta had for him.
, Jessie had asked Sabrina to sweep the boardwalk in front of the store on Monday morning. She had been working on it for a while and was almost done when she spotted Crystal. She had been coming up the street but stopped short when she saw Sabrina. Sabrina could see that Crystal was going to turn and walk away, but she had questions and wanted answers.
"So tell me," Sabrina began when the women were still 15 feet apart, "what happened?" Sabrina finished when Crystal was directly in front of her.
"I don't know what you mean," Crystal said, and Sabrina decided to speak plainly.
"Listen, Crystal, I'm not going to force myself into your life. You didn't meet me at the hotel, and you haven't answered your door since. That's fine. I just wondered what I did. I thought you'd have guts enough to tell me."
They were just the right words. The shorter woman's eyes narrowed and her chin came up.
"I don't need your type of friendship. All you want to do is tell me I can have a better life. You haven't said it, but I know it's coming."
"I do believe you can have a better life, but my friendship isn't contingent on that."
279 "Sure."
"Tell me something," Sabrina forced herself to stay calm when she was confused and getting frustrated. "What happened to make you suddenly feel this way?"
Crystal's defiant stance melted a little, and she said quietly, "I can't have what you have, Bri. I just can't."
"Why not?"
"I don't know how to read, and I can barely write my own name. What kind of job can I get in this town except the one I have?"
"Crystal," Sabrina said just as quietly, glad she had not become angry. "You need a friend like me. I can teach you those things."
Crystal stared at her.
"And I'll always believe you can have a better life, but if you don't want to hear it, I won't talk about it," Sabrina said, not forgetting what Rylan had shared in the garden but praying that Crystal would change her mind about what she was willing to hear.
Crystal wanted what Sabrina was offering, but she was afraid too. She happened to look over just then and spotted Paula coming from the Boar's Head. She looked awful, as if she'd been up all night. A cold feeling swept up Crystal's spine, and she turned back to Sabrina.
"I'll meet you for supper tomorrow night."
"I'll tell you what, come to Jeanette's and I'll cook something." Sabrina's voice dropped at this point. "Then we can start working on reading."
"I can't come to Jeanette's," Crystal started to say, but Sabrina cut her off.
"Yes, you can. I'll expect you at five-thirty. If you don't show up, I'll come looking for you."
Sabrina didn't wait for an answer. She turned to get back to work, her heart pounding with emotion and questions. She didn't know if Crystal would make an appearance, but Jeanette and the others would be warned, and she would try to be ready for anything.
280 Sabrina wasted no time on Monday night. As soon as supper was served, she explained to Jeanette, Heather, and Becky who would be coming the next night.
"I'll make something for us, and we won't be any trouble."
"You can eat with us, Bri," Jeanette said, but Sabrina had to shake her head.
"I'm not sure Crystal would be comfortable with that. I just hope she shows up so I can prove to her she's welcome. We'll eat in the kitchen or on the porch. I'm going to be helping her with something, and we'll need a little privacy anyway."
"I hope we'll get to meet her," Jeanette said, meaning it with all her heart.
"I'm sure you will. She won't be comfortable until she can see for herself that you don't hate her."
"Is that what she thinks?" Heather asked in her sweet, compassionate way. "That we all hate her?"
"Well, I don't know if hate is the right word, but she would have a hard time believing that she was welcome. And I don't know," Sabrina had to add, "she might not even show up. But thank you for letting me invite her."
"Thank you, Bri," Jeanette said, and Heather nodded. Becky was quiet during all of this, staring at Sabrina as if she'd never seen her before. Sabrina didn't have time to find out what she was thinking. Tonight was her meeting with Chas and Miranda. Rylan would be arriving for her in less than an hour.
"I can't believe how changed she is in the last month alone," Chas said to Rylan when the men were alone in the living room. Miranda and Sabrina had gone to the kitchen to get dessert. "You've heard from both your father and Danny Barshaw. When are you going to ask her to marry you?"
"I have a plan for that, but I need the church family's help."
281 Chas' smile threatened to stretch off his face, his romantic heart giving him away. By the time Rylan was done whispering what he had in mind, Chas had all he could do not to rub his hands together and start to work on the spot.
"What did I do wrong?" Sabrina asked Becky, who was once again working not to laugh, this time at the thinnest gravy she'd ever seen.
"I don't know, but you can't give the girl this stuff! What am I going to do with you?"
"I was trying not to be any trouble."
"And when have you ever been trouble?" Becky asked next. Sabrina gave up.
"Did you make enough for Crystal and me?"
"Of course I did. Enough here for an army! Go on to the front door so you can catch her before she runs off."
Sabrina did as she was told, and not a moment too soon. She went so far as to walk down the front walk and see that Crystal had come partway up the street and stopped.
"Come on," Sabrina called to her.
That woman finished the rest of the walk, her modest brown dress in place, and stood staring up at Jeanette's imposing home. "I've never even been close to this house."
"You'll like it. It's beautiful but also homey."
Crystal stared at her.
"Come on in."
"Is anyone else inside?"
"Sure. Everyone. They'd like to meet you."
Crystal followed Sabrina up the walk, a feeling of unreality coming over her. But she was in for the surprise of her life. She met the women inside, as though nothing was out of the ordinary. They ate supper in a beautiful garden room, and then she started learning the alphabet
282 with Sabrina, who was the same today as she had been every other time they talked. Crystal walked away three hours later, her heart stirring with hope that she would have said was long dead.
"And then we worked on the alphabet-she already knows some of it," Sabrina told Rylan when he came to the shop on Wednesday, "and I could tell she was so pleased with her progress. We worked for two hours!"
Rylan watched Sabrina's animated face and could tell that she was losing her heart to this woman. He knew that feeling well. There were many in town that he ached for, Nate Kaderly among them.
"I prayed for you," Rylan said when she took a breath, and she smiled when she caught herself.
"Am I driving you mad?"
"No, it sounds great. Does she want another lesson?"
"Yes." Sabrina's eyes shone up at him when she answered. "Next week."
Jeanette had sat quietly for all of this, not even suspecting that Sabrina was teaching the other woman to read. She could see why she would want that kept quiet.
"What did you think of Crystal, Jeanette?" Rylan asked.
"She broke my heart," that woman admitted. "Her eyes were
guarded when we met, but she looked so vulnerable when she followed
Sabrina into the conservatory that I almost wept." "She's not had an easy time of it," Rylan said.
"But she might have a chance now," Jeanette added.
Neither Rylan or Jeanette could have missed the way Sabrina sighed.
Sunday morning the three women met as usual at the front door
283 for the walk to church. This
was not a new routine because Becky had always stayed with Theta. Theta's absence was still being felt keenly, but each woman was dealing with it in her own way.
"All set?" Jeanette asked when Heather joined them at the door.
Before she could answer, however, Becky joined the group. She was obviously dressed to go out, and evidently going to church with them for the first time. Jeanette had all she could do not to comment. She, Heather, and Sabrina said not a word, or dared to even look at each other, but went out the door and down the street.
"In two weeks' time," Chas announced at the end of the service. "We're going to have a church picnic. Our hosts will be the Holden families. If the weather cools on us by then, we'll bundle up and build a big fire. Bring plates and such, and two dishes to pass. We'll head out directly after the service and eat around one o'clock. If you have any questions, see Miranda, me, or anyone from the Holden family. Even Savanna."
Everyone laughed at Chas' zany brand of humor. He grinned with pleasure, and the congregation was dismissed. Rylan, who had stood quietly at the front, wasted no time getting to the women from the Fulbright house.
"Welcome, Becky," the big man greeted.
"Thank you, Pastor Rylan," she said, nearly all of her bluster subdued.
"How are you?" Rylan asked the rest of the women, his eyes lingering a moment longer on the youngest woman.
"We're doing well. Can you join us for dinner?" Jeanette asked. "We have plenty, and there's something I need to tell you and Sabrina."
"That sounds fine," Rylan agreed, telling the women he would see them shortly.
284 They all started for home, and Sabrina could not keep her curiosity to herself.
"What did you think, Becky?"
"I like it," she said, her voice clipped, but not unfriendly.
"I do too," Sabrina said, her voice soft, causing all the other women to smile with her.
285
"THE APARTMENT ABOVE THE shop will be open by the end of the
month," Jeanette told just Rylan and Sabrina when the meal was over. "Mr. Aspenson caught me as I was leaving yesterday. He's found a house to live in. I could have told just you, Bri, but I thought I'd save the news in case you wanted to discuss it with Rylan. You're welcome to it if you want it, Bri, but I hope you know by now that we don't want you going anywhere." This said, Jeanette stood up. "I assume you might want to talk about it., so I'm going to leave you alone."