A Place Called Home (25 page)

Luke and Silas came in to find Grandma Em setting the table for breakfast and Christine stirring the cooked cereal with one hand and holding a Bible in the other, completely engrossed. Luke asked his grandmother what Christine was
doing, and he was not surprised at the answer, for he was learning that Christine did most things with a fierce sense of purpose.

Silas had stepped to the stove to pour a cup of coffee.

“Memorizing is hard work.”

“I think so, and it gets harder as you get older,” Silas replied. “I can't believe how fast the kids can learn those verses. Of course Julia is an exception—she can memorize today as well as she could when we were kids. She used to beat the pants off us boys. Maybe it was the Lord's way of making her extra-special. Being raised with three older brothers who were always a little faster and stronger has a way of discouraging a girl. Even when she stopped competing with us and began to grow up, we teased her for putting her hair up or wearing ribbons. Not until she turned 15 and fell so hard for Mac did we have any compassion.”

Luke came out to the kitchen, and he and Christine exchanged a smile before Christine turned back to Silas.

“Were you really compassionate toward her?”

“I don't think we ever said anything to her, but I sure remember the day after she told Mac she couldn't see him again. All the sparkle went out of her.”

Luke joined the conversation at this point. “She did her work and never complained, but when we teased her, there was no reaction. It went on like that for nearly a month before our father blew his stack.”

“That was a bad night,” Silas went on. “It was at the supper table. He really raked her over the coals. Told her to stop moping around and get back into the family or he'd find so much work for her to do that she'd have no time to pout.”

“Julia was already doing the work of a grown woman and had been since her mother died.” Grandma Em had come in and talked as she cracked eggs into a pan. “We all make mistakes, and I'm afraid that was one of Joseph Jr.'s worst.”

Breakfast preparation was finished in silence and the four sat around the table. Prayer was said and they began to eat before Luke continued the story.

“Julia came around after that. She would laugh and talk with us when we were around. But she also lost weight and spent more time alone than she ever had in her life. It was as if she decided on her own to take Dad's word and to work to forget Mac.”

Silas shook his head and took off where Luke had finished. “She never stopped working. Dad began to see that he'd been too harsh with her. Then she got sick. She was down to skin and bones and collapsed one day in the kitchen. Paul found her and came for us in the stable. She burned up with fever for three days. It was during this time that we found out just how painful it had been to tell Mac she couldn't see him.

“She kept saying, ‘I'm sorry, Mac, I had to obey my father. I don't think I'm too good for you. I love you, but I have to obey my father. Please, God, please save Mac and help him understand.' It never came out at one time, but she would cry and talk. Paul never left her side, and he heard most of it.

“Paul became Julia's champion. He told all of us, including our father, that we'd been unfair and that we owed her an apology and some help with the work around the house.

“He cried, didn't he, Luke? And he told the family that if things didn't change, he and Julia were going to move into town to Grandpa's. He was so upset after his speech that he wouldn't even speak with us.”

It was time to do the dishes or they would be late for church. As they worked, Luke finished the story.

“It took Julia some time to get back on her feet. While she convalesced, Silas did most of the housework and we helped. He became a very good cook, by the way. Anyhow, after Julia was up and about, we all apologized to her and promised to
help her with her work. We also began to pray daily as a family for Mac's salvation. Having us behind her turned Julia around. She became her old self, and it wasn't long afterward that Mac came to church. He began to eat Sunday dinner with us, and one day Paul led him to the Lord. Now, eight years of marriage later and two little boys down the road, it's just like Silas said—she can still memorize with the best of them.”

Christine was amazed at Julia's story. Julia had said that things had been hard, but she had never once hinted at the real pain she had experienced. These thoughts stayed with Christine until the four of them bundled into the wagon and headed for church.

The proximity of Luke on the rear seat with her drove away all thought of Julia as Christine reached between them to steady herself on the seat. Luke took her hand, holding it all the way to church.

He released her hand only after the wagon had stopped in the churchyard.

They had arrived in time for the service, and in the few minutes before it started Luke asked Christine about her memorizing.

“Gram tells me you're working on Psalm 121. How is it going?”

“Well, I just started last night. I read it and read it, then close my Bible and can't remember a thing.”

Luke laughed softly and Christine studied his face. He looked so tan against the crisp whiteness of his dress shirt. His hair was a little mussed from the wagon ride and a few stray locks fell on his forehead. His teeth and smile were beautiful. And those eyes! Sapphire! Christine looked away—how would she ever concentrate on the sermon?

Mrs. Nolan had started the piano prelude, and Luke quickly leaned over to Christine. “I worked in Psalm 121 when I was
a kid. I could use a refresher course. Why don't we work on it together?”

Christine's look was uncertain and Luke misinterpreted it. “If you'd rather not…”

“No, it's not that…” Christine was not allowed to explain because Pastor Nolan had stepped to the front.

The sermon was on fear—specifically, the giving over of fear to God. Christine and Grandma Em had talked on this subject several times, and Pastor Nolan confirmed much of what she had said. “When we start to feel that some fear will overwhelm us, we should immediately pray and keep praying until we've given that fear to God and can rest in Him,” Grandma Em had said.

Luke seemed restless, Christine thought, but then maybe she had imagined it.

Pastor Nolan ended his sermon by suggesting some good verses to refer to when fears assailed. Joshua 1:9: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee wherever thou goest.” Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Hebrews 13:6: “We may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'” Isaiah 41:10: “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

The service closed with the congregation standing and reading the 23rd Psalm. Christine noticed that Luke recited it from memory. Christine was discouraged as she left church. There was so much to learn. With this on her mind, Christine failed to notice Luke's rather quiet demeanor on the way home.

Luke thought much about the sermon on the wagon ride home. He felt very convicted about not giving his fears to God. It was fear, plain and simple, that kept Luke from telling Christine about the burned man at the hotel—fear that she would panic and go back to Spooner, and he would lose her forever.

These thoughts rode him hard, even as they arrived back at Grandma Em's and went in for Sunday dinner.

“There's my girl.” Susanne spoke tenderly to her infant daughter as she transferred her to Christine's arms. “Fed and dry, Christine, you're getting Eliza at her best.”

Christine laughed softly. “I never would have believed how much fun it could be to be chased out of the kitchen. I put up a fight, but Julia was adamant. I'll have to thank her.”

The two women were in Grandma Em's room. Sue buttoned her blouse as Christine gently rocked the baby. The usually quiet Sue surprised Christine when she broke the silence with a question.

“Should we be asking God to give you a baby, Christine?”

Christine's look was so startled that Sue laughed.

“Don't you think I should start with a husband?” Christine finally asked.

“Do you have anyone in mind?” When Christine didn't answer the question, Sue went on. “If you don't, I do.”

“I rather thought you might. Does he happen to be the spitting image of your husband?”

Susanne smiled, not at all sheepish about being so transparent. “It is a nice face to wake up to every day.” When Christine blushed, Sue went on softly. “If Luke lets you get away, Christine, I may never speak to him again.”

A few minutes later there was a soft knock on the door and Mark entered. He joined his wife on the edge of the bed and smiled at the sight of Elizabeth on Christine's shoulder.

“I was just asking Christine if we needed to ask God for a baby for her.”

“Don't you think she should start with a husband?”

“Who should start with a husband?” Christine could hardly believe her ears. How could a man of his size move so quietly?

Luke stood patiently awaiting an answer. When none came, he approached the rocking chair and knelt down next to Christine and Elizabeth. Christine watched him look at the baby before turning his attention to her. “She's too fair to be…yours.” Luke stopped just short of saying ours, and Christine didn't miss the pause.

“I would take her anyhow.” Christine spoke quickly, hoping to direct Luke's attention back to his niece, but to no avail—his eyes were still searching her face.

Christine was glad of Sue's interruption just then. She took the baby and put her in the basket by the bed. All four adults quietly left the room. Mark and Sue led the way down the stairs. When it was Christine's turn to follow, she held back, causing Luke to stop behind her.

Turning, she asked, “Luke, is anything bothering you?”

“Tell her, Luke,” an inner voice prompted. “Tell her about the man at the hotel.” But when he spoke, it was only “No.”

Christine smiled at him, thinking again that she had imagined his restlessness at church.

The day sped by with good food and fellowship. Christine was moved away from the kitchen every time she headed that way, even for the most innocent of reasons.

By the time Luke said goodbye, with the time drawing near for the horses to be fed, Christine had completely forgotten that she had thought something was wrong. Luke had been happy and charming all afternoon. They had worked together on Christine's memory verses. Laughing away her earlier hesitation that stemmed from a fear of not being able to memorize all eight verses, Luke said they would take as much time to memorize together as they needed.

Twice he had held her hand, once at the dinner table and again after she had read Emily a story. Christine climbed into bed that night with a glow about her as she remembered the way Emily had fallen asleep in her lap and the way Luke had reached for her hand and held it between them. She marveled again at the way he made her feel little and protected with the mere act of placing her hand in his.

With these happy thoughts Christine fell asleep, praising God for love, happiness, and Luke Cameron.