She groaned at his apparent bad breath. “I’ll see you afterwards,” she said. “But it’s going to be later than usual. We’ve got that fund-raiser dinner for the missions trip the teens are taking to Nicaragua this summer. I promised I’d help with the slave auction. I’m handling the money part of it.”
“Man.” Nathan paused to think. “I forgot about that. I told some kid I might buy his time. Maybe get him to come and do some work on our yard.” How could he have forgotten, when his overgrown yard beckoned?
“That was Jerry Chandler,” she reminded him. “But I’ll explain you’re not feeling well.” Kellie walked toward the bedroom door, then turned back to look at him. “I could still arrange for him to come and work on the yard next Saturday, if you like. Might cost a little more than we’d pay otherwise, but it’s for a good cause.”
Good girl, Kellie. I knew I could count on you to take care of that for me. “That’s fine. Whatever you think is best.”
“Okay.” She paused for one last story. “I should mention that I’ll be at the Rehab from 2:00 until about 4:00 or so. If you want to join me—”
“I’ll be there.” He sat back down on the edge of the bed. “I promise.”
“Okay. Well. . .” she turned and walked from the room. He heard the front door slam just as his head hit the pillow once more.
Can I help it if I’m worn out? Can I help it if my head is killing me?
Nathan pouted in silence. He didn’t want to get up. He didn’t want to face a church full of carefree, smiling people. Not today.
No, today he wanted to lie right here, snoring peacefully. The world could go on spinning without him for awhile longer. Kellie could. . .
He punched the pillow and fought to get comfortable. Kellie could surely face her friends and family without him just this once. After all, it wasn’t like she’d been the one working twenty-four seven. What more could she expect?
And of course he’d be there to see her father at 2:00. What kind of person did she think he was? An internal argument began, one he couldn’t seem to squelch. It wasn’t like she’d spent any time with his family over the past month. It wasn’t like she’d spent a lot of time talking to him about his struggles, his thoughts, or his concerns.
Nathan rubbed at his aching head and tried to still the frustrations that had erupted from out of nowhere. Lord, I don’t know where all of this is coming from. I had no clue I was this bugged about things.
“I’m just tired.” He spoke aloud to the empty room, and then let out an exaggerated yawn. “That’s all that’s wrong with me.”
Nathan immediately thought about his work back in Houston. The company seemed to be going a thousand different directions at once. He had hoped the meeting with Mr. Abernathy would bring some order to the confusion in his mind, but things had only grown worse. Chaos reigned at Siefert and Collins. And somehow he managed to be stuck in the middle of it all. This coming week he’d have to spend at least one or two nights in town in order to accomplish all that needed to be done. He’d stay at the condo.
The condo. Nathan slapped himself in the head, remembering. He’d received a call on his cell phone on Friday about a problem with the condominium. Something about a leak in the bathroom that had caused flooding for a neighbor downstairs. The maintenance people had stopped the flow of water, but he still needed to hire a plumber to fix the problem.
I’ll take care of that first thing tomorrow morning. Right now I need to get some sleep.
He gripped the pillow with both arms and clamped his eyes shut. Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the wood shutters at the window. Outside, a congregation of birds continued to chirp in a crazy chorus, nearly driving him out of his mind.
“Why is it so stinkin’ noisy in the country?” He rolled over the other direction and put the pillow over his ear. And why in the world is Kellie so infatuated with this place?
He pondered the thought, eyes still squeezed shut. She loved it here. The thought plagued him. At the root of his headache, his frustrations, his pent-up anger, lay that one, horrible thought.
Kellie loved it here. And perhaps she always would.
But what could he do about that? How could he begin to counteract it? Clearly, something needed to be done—and quickly.
An idea formulated; one that wouldn’t leave him alone. She had forgotten what it was like to be in the city. He would take her back to Houston for a couple of days. They’d have a night on the town at that great little French restaurant. They would talk about the condo and their investments. They would start planning that trip they had always talked about. Everything would be just like it was.
He punched the pillow again, sleep a distant dream. Did he want life to return to normal? Wasn’t Kellie more peaceful? Didn’t he enjoy getting to know the people at church? Wasn’t the Lord providing for all of their needs?
Nathan groaned and then sat up in the bed. He swung his legs over the side once more and bowed his head in shame. Lord, what’s wrong with me? What in the world is going on?
With turmoil still eating at him, Nathan slipped down onto his knees. Enough with all of this arguing. What he wanted—what he needed—was time with the Lord.
***
Kellie cried as she drove along the country road toward town. Frustration drove her tears, not anger. At least, not anger at her husband. At the enemy, perhaps.
She didn’t blame Nathan for not getting out of bed. She understood his need for rest. She could certainly relate to his exhaustion. She’d lived in an exhausted state for the past three years.
In truth, she didn’t hold any grudges; she just missed him. And it seemed the more she tried to create times together, the more he seemed to pull away from her. Or was that just her imagination at work?
With a heavy heart, Kellie continued her drive to the church. Alone.
fourteen
“How does this sign look?” Nathan stretched his arms up as high as he could, lifting the banner above the front door of his in-laws’ home.
Kellie clasped her hands over her mouth, then released them triumphantly. “Oh! It looks great.”
He scrambled to get the large vinyl banner hung straight. After he was sure he had it up properly, he stepped down from the stepladder and climbed down for a look.
“Welcome home, Kenton.” He whispered the words, thrilled at the joy they brought.
“Can you believe it?” Kellie slipped her arm around his waist. “He’s actually coming home.” A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and she brushed it away with a fingertip. “I’m not sad,” she assured him. “I’m just so happy.”
“I know, Babe.” Nathan’s heart swelled as he pressed a kiss on her forehead.
Kellie glanced at her watch. “We’ve only got ten minutes. Mom called when they left the rehab and said 6:30.”
The front door swung open and Mrs. Dennison stepped outside. “I’ve got everything ready in the kitchen.” She beamed with pride. “Do you need my help out here with anything?”
“I think we’ve got it covered.” Nathan folded up the stepladder and carried it to the garage as she headed back inside. Even from here, he could hear the bustle of the crowd in the house. The noise level was at a cheerful high. At least ten or twelve of Kenton’s nearest and dearest friends awaited his arrival. They would welcome him home in style—with good food, good conversation and even a few tears. Nathan could see it all now.
It must be nice to have friends like that, people who would stick with you through thick or thin.
He had friends, of course—men he played racquetball with, co-workers he’d grown to admire and converse with on a personal level. And then there were the guys he’d grown up, his buddies from high school. Of course, they hadn’t seen one another for years. They had no. . . what was the word? Longevity. They had no longevity. He had temporary friends. Well, near-friends, really.
This more intimate type of friendship had somehow eluded him. For a moment, Nathan wondered who might b
e waiting in the living room for him, if he were in Kenton’s place.
“Everything okay out here?” Kellie appeared at his side.
“Yes.” He pressed the ladder against the wall and turned to pull her into his arms. “I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Her beautiful face filled with concern immediately and Nathan knew why. He’d done more than his share of grumbling over the past week. The plumber over-charged him for work at the condo, a tire blew out on his car on the trip back from town Wednesday night and—to top it all off—Kellie hadn’t been able to join him for that in-town romantic getaway he’d planned.
Not that he blamed her. With all of the excitement surrounding her father’s upcoming release she had been needed here, in Greenvine.
He turned to face her. “I was thinking about how blessed your dad is.” Nathan ran the back of his index finger along the edge of Kellie’s cheek. She responded by leaning into his chest as he continued, “He’s got some great friends.”
“Yes. They’re awesome.” She paused, then came alive with her next words, “Oh, speaking of friends—Frankie said to tell you that those new wheels you ordered are in. He said they look great. You’re really going to love them.”
“I can’t wait.” He had happily ordered them at Frankie’s suggestion, knowing they would dress up his vehicle.
“Speaking of Frankie, he and Julia are inside with the others. They just got here.”
“Great.” Nathan smiled and took her hand. They walked in the house arm in arm, then separated to greet the crowd. He couldn’t help but grin as he made the rounds from person to person. There was no lack of conversation—or love—in this room.
When his father-in-law arrived at last, the atmosphere changed immediately. Tears of joy sprang up in nearly every eye and his friends ushered him in like royalty. After he took his place on the sofa, Kenton looked over the room, his own eyes filled.
“It’s. . . it’s good to be home.”
Nathan felt Kellie’s hand tighten in his own.
“We’re happy to have you home, Daddy.” Kellie sat next to him and planted a tender kiss on his cheek. The sight of Kellie with her father warmed Nathan’s heart.
The room came alive once again as people made their way over to the sofa, one by one. They offered warm words, prayers, encouragement and even a laugh or two. Nathan watched it all from a careful distance—close enough to let Kellie know he wasn’t going anywhere, far enough away to give her the space she needed with her dad.
As the food began to flow, the people in the room filled plates, chatted merrily and ate with abandon. Nathan filled a plate with meatballs, some little sausages, cheese and crackers, and an assortment of fresh veggies with dip. He’d come back for dessert after.
On second thought. . . He reached to grab two peanut butter cookies and a piece of cheesecake while they were still there to grab. In this kind of crowd you could never tell if what you wanted would still be there when you got back.
Balancing the plate in one hand, Nathan popped a piece of cheese in his mouth.
Hal slapped him on the back, nearly sending the piece of cheese down his throat. “Getting enough to eat?”
Nathan nodded, then reached to pick up a paper cup from a stack on the table.
“Here, let me get that for you.” Hal took the cup in his hand. “What did you want in it?”
“Some of that punch would be good. I’m not in the mood for soda.” He took a bite from a meatball and watched as Hal filled his glass. This guy has a real servant’s heart. Then again. . . he looked around the room, they all do.
With the plate firmly gripped in his left hand, Nathan took hold of the cup of punch with his right. He swallowed down a big drink. “That’s good stuff.”
“My wife made it,” Hal confided, his voice a bit concealed. “I’ve had that same punch at over twenty parties this year alone.” He laughed so loud, his joy reverberated around the room. “I can’t stand the stuff, but she loves it.” He gave Nathan a knowing wink and his voice softened once again. “These women of ours. They’re good at what they do, aren’t they? And their hearts are as big as Texas.”
Nathan looked across the room at Kellie, who held Madison in her arms. “Yeah.”
Hal dove off into a conversation about goings-on at the church and Nathan found himself squarely in the middle of a debate over whether or not the Primer Timers should replace their worn chairs with new ones. He didn’t mind, really. In fact, he rather enjoyed the one-on-one time with Hal. Felt almost. . . natural.
At one point he shot another glance in Kellie’s direction. Her face was alight with joy as she bounced Madison up and down on her hip. It was a side of her he’d never seen before. She looked really. . . natural. In fact, nearly everything about Kellie felt natural here. She fit in here. She was at home here. And there was a glow about her, something he couldn’t quite place. Perhaps it was the joy of being in a place where so much love abounded.
His heart twisted with that revelation. Now that her father was doing better, perhaps he and Kellie could begin to talk about going home again. Hopefully, she would carry some of this joy with her.
***
Kellie didn’t know when she’d ever had a better night. As she looked around the now-messy room, her heart swelled with joy. In one night, everything she had hoped and prayed for this past month had finally come to pass. Her father had returned home. Nathan was able to be here, relaxed and well rested. He’d visited with everyone in the room, from young to old. And she. . .
She felt a sense of anticipation, as if some private door to the world had opened up just for her. She couldn’t quite figure out why. In years past, she might have attributed this feeling to something going on at work, but this time things felt different. This time her wants and wishes had changed. Substantially.
Occasionally she would catch Nathan’s eye from across the room. He seemed more himself tonight—certainly more so than last Sunday morning. Something had happened that day—she suspected exhaustion had driven him to a point of frustration. But his countenance had certainly improved by mid-day. And now, nearly a week later, he seemed a new man. Reformed.
She watched as he popped a cookie into his mouth, and then chatted with Frankie at length. They were surely discussing his car—all of the latest gadgets and gizmos he hoped to add to it for better performance. Or perhaps they had slipped off into a conversation about the city’s financial woes. She hoped not. Why ruin a perfectly good night?
On the other hand, she had hoped Nathan would take an interest in the town’s plight, hadn’t she? With his brilliant mind at work, they might stand a chance at turning things around.
Kellie looked at the men with a more discerning eye. Frankie had a broad smile on his face.
“Having a good time?”
Kellie turned as she heard her mother’s voice. “Mmm-hmm. I’m just so glad Daddy’s home. I know you are too.”
Her mother’s eyes filled with tears. “I am. To be honest, I’m a little nervous, though. I hope I can take care of him.”
“You’ll have a nurse stopping by every day, right?”
Her mother sighed. “Yes. She’ll be a big help. But he’s taking so much medicine and he’ll have to be driven back and forth to physical therapy every day. It’s just a lot. I hope I’m up to it.”
For the first time, Kellie noticed the extent of the weariness in her mother’s eyes. She reached out and touched her arm as she said, “I’ll be here with you, Mom. I’m not going anywhere. You won’t have to go through this by yourself, I promise.”
Her mother nodded and her short gray curls bobbed up and down a bit. “I appreciate that, Honey. I don’t know how I could have made it through any of this without you. I’ve thanked God every day for sending you back. And I know your father has, too.”
“I wouldn’t have done anything differently.” She embraced her mother, then gestured to Nathan. “And it looks like he’s really starting to fit in.”
&nb
sp; “I’ve spent a lot of time praying about that. Her mother’s brow wrinkled. “He’s been so patient with all of us. But I’d imagine he’ll be happy to get back home again before long.”
Home. For the first time in awhile, Kellie thought about her life in Houston and cringed. Lord, please don’t send us back just yet. Give me a few more weeks—just a little more time here.
She looked up as Julia’s familiar laughter rang out across the room. Little Madison made a face as she bit into a large dill pickle. Everyone nearby watched her with broad smiles.
“That little girl is a doll,” Kellie said.
“She is,” her mother acknowledged. “And Julia is such a great mom.”
Kellie grew silent and allowed her thoughts to roam as her mother moved on to talk to a friend. The desire for a child had come on Kellie gradually since arriving in Greenvine. What was it about this place that made her think she could settle down—give up everything she had worked and planned for—and live a simple, uncomplicated life?
She found herself almost envying Julia and Frankie. True, they didn’t have much in the way of financial things, but they clearly shared a love and faith in their future. In some ways, they seemed better prepared to face the days ahead than she and Nathan were, though they had certainly given it their best effort.
Kellie continued to watch Madison from a distance. She felt the familiar pangs of desire, but pressed them down. It simply didn’t make any sense to dream about such things. Not yet, anyway. Everything in God’s time.
Oh, how she wished she knew more about His timeframe!
Kellie startled as Nathan slipped an arm around her waist. “You’re mighty quiet tonight,” he whispered.
“Am I?” She turned to face him with a smile. “I don’t mean to be. Just so happy.”
“Me too.” He pressed kisses onto her forehead and she melted into his embrace with a happy sigh.
“I love you Nathan.”
“I love you too.”
She pushed back the lump in her throat. “I’m so grateful to you. I don’t know how I can ever thank you for giving me this season with my dad.”