Mrs. Fritz signed off with a click, and Kent flew into action. He took three phone calls in the car—two from members of the congregation and one very encouraging call from Michael Kenner, one of the church’s elders. He then telephoned his mother, letting her know about Charity’s condition. Coincidentally, she and Andrew were already on the road, headed home from Austin.
When he walked through the front door of the day care, Charity rushed into his arms. “Daddy.”
He held her tightly and whispered in her ear, “How’s my girl?”
“I sick, Daddy.” She clawed at her arms, and Kent pushed her sleeves up, gasping as he saw how irritated the little sores had become. He felt terrible for not noticing what should have been so obvious—more foolish still for not realizing she could have infected the other children.
Mrs. Fritz stood nearby with Charity’s jacket in her hand. “I’m awfully glad you’re here. She really needs her daddy today.”
“Looks like it.” He planted a kiss on her tiny cheek and slipped her jacket on, one arm at a time.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kent saw Shauna enter the large playroom to his right with her other students. He willed her to look his way. She glanced up, and their eyes met in a clear connection. A smile lit her face, and dimples appeared. Her beauty almost left him speechless. Kent waved, feeling more like one of the children than the grown man he was. Shauna waved in response and blew a kiss in Charity’s direction.
Or was it his direction?
eighteen
Shauna knocked on the door of the unfamiliar house. Even from here, she could hear the sounds of voices raised in song coming from inside. A Christmas carol. She strained to listen. “O Holy Night.” Apparently, no one heard her knocking, so she rang the bell, not just once, but twice.
Finally, Kent’s mother answered the door. Her face lit up immediately, and she took Shauna by the hand at once.
“Shauna! How wonderful to see you again. Charity will be tickled pink.” Mrs. Dougherty all but pulled Shauna into the living room. “Were you waiting long? We’ve been in here, singing our hearts out, getting ready for the Christmas program at church. Couldn’t hear a thing.”
Shauna pulled her hands from her jacket pockets and rubbed them together. “Not very long.”
“You poor thing. I can tell you’re shivering,” Mrs. Dougherty shook her head. “Shame on me. Well, as soon as I make introductions, I’ll get you a cup of coffee. It’s brewing now. Sound good?”
“Mmm. Yes.” Shauna looked around the beautiful living room, amazed at the family photos on every wall.
“My mother has turned this place into a shrine.” A beautiful young woman with auburn hair rose from the piano bench and approached her. “We’ve asked her to stop taking pictures, but she’s addicted to the camera.”
“I love my family,” Mrs. Dougherty said with a pout. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“Nothing a twelve-step program wouldn’t take care of, anyway.” The young woman laughed, and Shauna couldn’t help but join her.
“Where are my manners?” Shauna’s grandmother exclaimed. “I need to make introductions. Shauna, this is my daughter, Jessica Phillips.”
The lovely young woman extended her hand and Shauna shook it. “Nice to meet you.”
“This is my husband, Colin.” With a broad smile, Jessica gestured to the tall, dark-haired man still seated on the piano bench.
Colin stood and shook her hand, then sat in the large wing-backed chair to her right.
Mrs. Dougherty’s face lit up as she said, “Jessica and Colin sing with the Dallas Metropolitan Opera. You should hear them; they’re amazing. In fact, they’re singing together in the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church. You’re going to be there, aren’t you?”
“Well, I. . .I hadn’t thought about it.”
“You should come. I’m sure you’ll love it. You just won’t believe how wonderful they are.”
“Mom,” Jessica said with a look of consternation. “You don’t need to give us such a glowing introduction. I’m sure that’s not why Shauna came, to hear about us.” She smiled broadly. “So, why did you come? To see my brother?” Jessica’s eyes twinkled.
Shauna couldn’t help but stammer. “Well, I—I. . .not exactly. I came to see Charity.”
“Sugar and cream in your coffee?” Laura Dougherty called out as she headed toward the kitchen.
“Yes, please.”
“So. . .” Jessica took her by the hand, “you’re this teacher we’ve heard so much about. Charity talks about you all the time. Every time my brother calls, she gets on the phone and goes on and on about her school, her teacher, her friends.”
Shauna nodded, her embarrassment almost getting the better of her. She had to wonder what sort of things the child might have said about her. “I’m sure she loves the school.”
“What’s not to love? And you—well, Kent has told me all about you.” Jessica ushered her to the sofa and gestured for her to sit. “But he didn’t tell me how pretty you were—just that you were awesome with kids and had a degree in early childhood education—those sorts of things.”
“He. . .he told you that?”
“And more, but he’d probably die if he found out I told you.” Jessica put her finger to her lips. “So maybe we’d better just stop there.” She paused a moment then plunged forward. “But between you and me, we’re all so excited to hear that he’s actually going out there and meeting people. The fact that you two went on a couple of dates. . .”
Shauna felt her cheeks flush. Colin cleared his throat loudly from across the room, and Jessica took the hint.
“I’m sorry.” Freckles lit her face as she whispered. “Not another word about all that. But after all Kent has been through, I’m just so happy to think. . .” Jessica’s words faded away as Colin gave her an imploring look.
Shauna looked around the room, curious about Charity’s whereabouts. “I was hoping to see Charity,” she said. “How’s she feeling?”
“I think she’s a little better this afternoon,” Jessica said. “And, if you can believe it, she’s been napping. Don’t have a clue how she slept through all the noise, but then again, she’s a Chapman. We’re pretty good at sleeping through anything.”
At that very moment, Charity popped her head around the corner. “Miss Shauna!” She raced to the sofa and jumped in Shauna’s arms.
Shauna pulled her close and let the little girl wrap her in a warm embrace. “How are you feeling?”
“Itchy.” Charity pulled up the arm of her flannel pajamas and showed off her spots, which were considerably larger and crustier than before.
Laura Dougherty entered the room with a cup of coffee in her hand. “No scratching now.” She set the cup on the coffee table in front of Shauna. “She’s been rubbing at those spots all day long. I’ve covered them in calamine lotion—even gave her an oatmeal bath just before. But nothing seems to alleviate the itching. She just scratches like mad.”
Charity hid her face in Shauna’s shirt-sleeve. “I good girl.”
“Sure you are.” Jessica chuckled then shook her head. “She’s something else, isn’t she?”
“Yes.” Shauna ran her fingers through Charity’s hair, and the little girl relaxed in her arms. “She’s something else.” As she looked at the little doll in her snowman pajamas with loops of blond curls hanging in her eyes, Shauna recognized something anew. This is a beautiful child. In fact, she’s absolutely gorgeous.
“Tell teacher what you want for Christmas, honey,” Laura Dougherty said.
“I want a puppy!”
“You do?”
“It’s all she talks about,” Jessica said. “Puppy, puppy, puppy.”
“What kind of puppy?” Shauna asked, gazing into the youngster’s green eyes, which were lit with excitement.
“A pink puppy!”
“Pink?”
“I think she means red,” Laura added quickly. “She always gets red and pink mixed up. But a
t any rate, she fell in love with a red dachshund we saw at the pet store last week.”
“I can’t wait to tell Kent.” Jessica said. “Can’t you see the look on his face now?” She laughed.
Shauna tried to imagine the look on Kent’s face. What in the world would he do with a puppy? He could barely handle Charity. On the other hand, a puppy might be good for them both.
“I’ll tell you what. . .” Shauna took Charity’s hands and gave them a little squeeze. “I have a wonderful book about puppies at my house. I’ll bring it to you so you can read it with your grandma. How about that?”
“You will?” Charity’s eyes seemed to dance with joy.
“I will. But you have to promise something first.”
“I promise! I promise!” Charity bounced up and down in her lap.
“You have to promise not to scratch your itchy spots.” Shauna tried to muster up a serious face.
Charity sighed and didn’t say anything for a moment. Finally, she gave a slow nod. “Okay. I no scratch.”
“Good girl.” Shauna held her close. “Good girl.” And for the first time ever, Shauna contemplated the fact that Charity could very well turn out to be a good girl.
***
Kent tapped his fingertips against the steering wheel as he sat in a sea of traffic on I-45 North. A cheerful holiday tune played on the radio, but he snapped it off, too concerned to be jolly at the moment.
For over an hour, he had tried to reach his mother, but had been unsuccessful. Her house phone must be off the hook. Six times he dialed the number. Six times he had received a busy signal. Frustrated, he had even tried his mother’s cell phone, only to get the answering machine.
Something must have happened to Charity. She hadn’t felt well for the past couple days since her chicken pox diagnosis but had struggled through a particularly difficult time of it last night. Her temperature had spiked, and she spent all night tossing and turning.
“Mom probably took her back to the doctor,” he reasoned aloud. Or worse. Maybe a trip to the emergency room. Maybe that’s why her cell phone wasn’t picking up. Maybe they were at the hospital now.
His mind immediately shifted back to that night—that awful night—when Faith never made it home. The call to come to the emergency room. The rushed drive there, not knowing what would await him once he arrived. Their last moments together as she clung to life. The fear that gripped his heart as she slipped away. The realization that he would be left alone to raise a daughter who needed a mother.
The anger at a God who would allow all of that to happen.
I can’t go through that again. I can’t. Though healing had eventually come, it had come with much wrestling and agonizing. How could he possibly make it through that sort of storm again?
Kent clutched the steering wheel a little tighter and prayed, “Lord, please protect Charity. And heal her, Father. Please.” His heart twisted then released as the traffic cleared a bit. He quickly exited the freeway and scooted along the feeder road until he reached the turn-off for his mother’s neighborhood.
He pulled up to the front of the house and gasped as he noticed the white Saturn in the driveway. Leaping from the car, he sprinted toward the front door. Kent stopped short when he heard singing coming from inside. A Christmas song. Someone played the piano with great gusto. Jessica. She and Colin must be here. They’ll know where Mom is.
He opened the front door and stepped inside, completely unprepared for the scene inside the house. His sister sat at the piano, playing with fervor. Colin stood at her side, singing. His voice boomed across the place as if a microphone had been turned on. His mother sat in the recliner, merrily chiming in.
And Charity. . .
Charity sat on Shauna Alexander’s lap on the sofa.
Kent didn’t know whether to cry from sheer relief or chew them all out for not answering the phone. The music came to a grinding halt as soon as everyone realized he had joined them.
“Kent!” His sister stood and gave him a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you again.” She then whispered in his ear, “Why didn’t you tell us how pretty she was?”
Kent felt his cheeks flush. “I’m so glad you made it safely.” He gave her a peck on the cheek and whispered back, “Cut it out,” then reached to shake his brother-in-law’s hand. “Colin, thanks for coming on such short notice. Everyone at church is really looking forward to hearing you two sing this Sunday.”
“Glad to do it.”
“Daddy!” Charity ran to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his knees.
He scooped her into his arms and planted kisses on both cheeks. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel good.” She grinned. “Ms. Shauna come see me.”
“I see that.” He couldn’t keep his lips from curling upwards as he looked at Shauna. His heart soared, and he fought to keep the joy from spilling out all over the room as he glanced at her left hand. No ring.
“I’ve been calling for over an hour.” Kent looked around the room in the hopes someone would take responsibility.
“Really?” his mother asked. “I never heard the phone ring.”
“It must be off the hook somewhere,” he explained. “I just got a busy signal.”
“I’ll bet you’re right.” His mother left the room in search of the problem, only to return a few seconds later with the portable phone in her hand. “I found it under Charity’s bed. She must have been trying to call someone.”
“I call Daddy!” Charity exclaimed.
“Well, Daddy’s here now.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.
“I love you, Daddy!” Charity ran back toward the sofa, crawled back up into Shauna’s lap, and leaned her head against her shoulder. “I love teacher, too.”
The room grew silent for a moment until Shauna gave her a light kiss on the cheek and responded, “I love you, too, Charity.”
Kent struggled with the feeling of joy that suddenly washed over him. “Looks like she’s feeling much better today,” he observed.
“Must be all of the attention,” Jessica said.
“She had a hard night last night.” Kent spoke the words as much to Shauna as anyone in the room. “Really scared me.”
“Teacher pray for me, Daddy,” Charity snuggled her head against Shauna’s arm.
“She did?” He couldn’t help but smile at Shauna, but as he did, he felt every pair of eyes in the room bear down on him. “Looks like God answered her prayer.” He took a seat on the couch next to Shauna and his daughter and tried to think of something to say. He found himself tongue-tied, unable to think straight.
“How are things at the school?” The words tumbled out.
“Oh, good,” she explained. “We’ve been hanging Christmas decorations and getting ready for our little party in a few days. We’re sure missing Charity, though.”
“Really?” He didn’t mean the word as an accusation, but the look of pain in Shauna’s eyes told him she had interpreted it as such.
“Of course,” she said. “I sure hope she’s able to come back in time for our Christmas party.”
“She loves being at school.” He gave her a comforting look. “Especially when you’re there.” He felt his cheeks grow warm. “And she always loves a party.”
“So do I!” his mother exclaimed. “So why are we all sitting around gabbing? Let’s get the music going again. Come on, everyone. Let’s sing some Christmas carols.”
Jessica sprang up from her seat and headed to the piano. As “Jingle Bells” began to spring forth from her fingers, the room came alive with Christmas cheer. All of Kent’s earlier fears were washed away as he joined in the song—all of the people he loved best at his side.
nineteen
Kent looked over the congregation from his seat on the platform. If this evening’s service got any better, he might just bust a few buttons. Already, the choir had performed a beautiful Christmas medley then joined with the congregation to sing several of their favorite carol
s together. Jessica and Colin combined their skilled voices for a unique version of “What Child is This?” The song seemed an appropriate choice in light of Jessica’s news just this morning that she and Colin were expecting their first child come summer.
Kent’s heart could hardly contain the joy. But he had to stay focused. The evening would be drawing to a close soon, and he didn’t want to miss his favorite part. Any second now the music for “O Holy Night” would begin, and all of the memories of past Christmases would fade together into a beautiful new picture of holiday hope and joy.
His heart warmed when the familiar introduction began. Several of the teens from the congregation came forward as they had been instructed. They traveled in silence from pew to pew, handing out the small white candles that would soon light the room. Jessica’s voice rang out above the crowd, clear and strong. “O holy night, the stars are brightly shining. . .”
Kent looked out over his congregation, the words stirring him as never before. He felt a mixture of joy and sorrow, knowing his time as interim pastor would soon be drawing to a close. The board had only asked him to stay through the end of the year, after all. Though the interview process had moved at a snail’s pace, he felt sure they must have made some decision in recent days.
They must be coming closer to finding the right man for the job. That had to be the reason they had asked him to stay after tonight’s service for a brief meeting. He had noticed both a sense of excitement and peace in the countenances of those involved in the process. Soon he would receive the news that would release him from this position—and send him in search of another.
Thank You for this time in my life, Lord. Thank You for trusting me and for allowing me such an amazing opportunity. I know I’m young, but I feel like I’ve gained several years’ worth of knowledge in such a short time.
Had it only been months?
Jessica sang on, her voice like that of an angel. Kent looked out at those in attendance, amazed to see so many new faces. At least twenty or thirty new members had joined them during his brief stay behind the pulpit. Many more were yet to come; he felt sure of it. His mind reeled as he considered all of the things the church could do on the evangelism front over the next months and years. His imagination almost got the better of him before he realized these were not his decisions. At least, they wouldn’t be for long.