Take Four (29 page)

“So…I turn my life around and then the whole world waits for me to fall?” This was part of the problem, right? The reason he hadn’t wanted anyone to think he was a Christian before.

“Maybe you step out of the spotlight for a while.” The light from the fire shone on Bailey’s face. “Sure…hang out in bars and clubs and you’re bound to be in the tabloids. But stay home on a Friday night and read your Bible, or go to church Sunday morning. Then see who wants to write about you.”

Brandon sat up straighter. She had a point. “I could try that.”

A slow breath slipped between Bailey’s lips and she looked at the flames for a minute. “I guess the bottom line is what’s in your heart.” Her eyes met his again. “How badly you want to change.”

The urgency from earlier returned in a rush. He didn’t care what the world thought or what he might have to give up. He didn’t want to go to sleep tonight without knowing he was safe. That he and God were right—for the first time since he’d left home. “I want it.” He stared at her, unblinking. “I want it more than my next breath.”

“Okay,” she breathed in sharp through her nose. “So you want to make a decision about living for Jesus? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes.” The smoke was still blowing the opposite direction, and the fresh wood was fully burning, warming the air between them. “I want that right now.”

Bailey didn’t hesitate. She reached out and took hold of his hands. “I’ll lead, okay? And if you agree with what I’m praying, then you pray it after me.”

Already Brandon felt the beginning of a release, like every wrong thing he’d done and every regrettable statement he’d uttered were gathering in one dark corner of his heart. He nodded. “Go ahead.”

Bailey’s prayer was as simple as it was beautiful. She prayed the way she talked, like holding a conversation with God was as natural as sitting by a bonfire on a cold, clear winter’s New Year’s eve night. She acknowledged she was a sinner, and she could never be good enough to deserve a place in heaven. Brandon reiterated that part of the prayer with emphasis. No question he was a sinner. That’s why he hadn’t been sleeping at night.

She went on to state that she believed Jesus was God’s Son, and that He had died for her. Brandon agreed fully, and he prayed as much. “Finally, Lord, I’d like to ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please, come into my heart so that I might be dead to myself and alive to you. I want to live for you, God. Only you.”

Something happened as Brandon opened his mouth to repeat that part of the prayer. Tears filled his eyes and caught in his voice. Because this was what he’d needed, what he’d wanted. It was the reason he was here, and Bailey was right. It was the reason he’d been drawn to take the role in
Unlocked
. God had planned this moment for him the whole time. And as he asked Jesus to be His Savior, as he asked Him to come into his heart and forgive him for his sins, he felt something he couldn’t remember ever feeling before.

Perfect light. The Light of the World was shining across the darkness in his heart, so that there were no hidden parts, nothing to be ashamed of. He was forgiven and whole, once and for always. When the prayer ended, Brandon released Bailey’s hands. He ran the back of his hands across his cheeks and sniffed. “I feel like…like my whole life has led up to this.”

“It has.” She laughed, and he saw that there were tears on her cheeks too. “You did it! You heard His voice and you ran to
Him.” Another ripple of laughter danced on the night air. “Isn’t that great?”

Brandon felt new and whole and younger than he had in years. But he wanted something more. “You told me about baptism, about how it’s part of giving your life to God.”

“It is.” She nodded. “You read about it with Katy and Dayne, right?”

“Right.” An intense compulsion was building in him, as strong as the one to give his life to the Lord. Only this time he didn’t need to talk about what he was feeling. “I want that, Bailey. Right now.” He stood and stared across the open field at the covered pool and adjacent covered hot tub. His eyes found hers again. “Your party doesn’t start for an hour. So why not now? That’s what they did in Acts. They made a decision to follow Jesus, and they got baptized.”

Bailey looked like she wanted to argue, but instead she stood and slipped her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I don’t know…I mean, the water in the pool is freezing.”

“What about the hot tub?”

“Maybe a little warmer. We used it a few days ago, but…”

“I don’t mind cold.” He grabbed a stick from the ground and poked at the fire, making sure no big wooden pieces were sticking out of the pit. Then he dropped the stick and took her hand. “Come on! Let’s go get your dad. He’ll do it.”

Brandon was pretty sure he’d always remember the look on Bailey’s father’s face as they opened the patio slider and Bailey announced that Brandon wanted to get baptized. But as surprised as he might’ve been, he paused for only a few seconds. Then he was on his feet, rolling up his sleeves.

Ten minutes later, with Bailey and her brothers and mother gathered around, Jim Flanigan and Brandon climbed into the hot tub. It was cold, but Brandon barely noticed. All that mattered was the commitment he was making to his Savior. Jesus had died
for him to have this second chance. Now he could climb in ice water if it meant living a life for God. Jim quoted a few Bible verses about baptism and making a public confession of faith.

Then he turned to Brandon and grinned. “I wasn’t expecting this tonight.” He put his hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “But I can’t think of any better way to bring in the New Year.”

With that he asked Brandon a series of questions. Whether Brandon understood his need for a Savior and if he truly wanted to accept Jesus’ gift of salvation. Brandon felt his heart practically bursting inside him. He wanted to pump his fist in the air with each positive answer. But instead he stayed focused, claiming each part of the process as his own.

Finally Jim came alongside him and put one hand on the back of Brandon’s head. “Brandon Paul, because of your public declaration of faith in Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…buried with Him in baptism,” Jim eased Brandon back into the water, until he was covered, and then eased him up out of it. “And raised with Him to new life.” He hugged Brandon hard and patted his back. “Congratulations.”

This time nothing could stop Brandon. He thrust his fist in the air and grinned at the starry night sky. There were no words necessary, because his soul was shouting for joy and the feeling was beyond anything he had ever felt in all his life. Better than his first big break in Hollywood and better than fame, better than being wanted at every party and for every big role. And suddenly the ache in his heart was gone and he realized something in a reckless abandon sort of a way.

He was free!

His past wrongs and bad choices, his pride and errant ways couldn’t touch him now. He hugged Bailey’s dad again and then hurried out of the hot tub and hugged her. She had tears in her eyes, and she made a few soft sounds that were more laugh than cry. “What a night!”

He pulled back and searched her face, the light in her eyes. “Best night of my life.” Then again he looked up, and in that moment he could practically feel the arms of God around him, hugging him, holding him close. He would live the rest of his days for this love, this certainty, and all because the Lord had brought him to this picture, to this family. He turned to Bailey again. Because He’d brought him to this very special girl.

“I’m not sure,” his teeth clattered together a little, “I’ve ever felt this good.” It was true. He wasn’t sure he could force the smile from his face.

“We’ll remember this New Year’s Eve forever,” Bailey’s dad stepped out of the hot tub, water dripping from his shorts. “Best decision you’ll ever make, Brandon.”

Her dad patted him on the arm, and beside him Bailey laughed. “As happy as you two look, you’re both about to freeze to death.” She ran off across the patio. “I’ll get the towels.”

Brandon watched her go. He had hoped to find love with Bailey Flanigan, and maybe there was time for that somewhere in the future. But that sort of love didn’t matter as much now. He had found something so much more. He had found faith and forgiveness and redemption—forever and always, and into eternity. He had been on the brink of death, toes over the edge of a chasm of destruction, without peace, without hope, without meaning. But here…here he had found much more than love.

He had found life.

F
RESH SNOW FELL ACROSS
B
LOOMINGTON
all afternoon on New Year’s Day, so Bailey had to wait until after ten o’clock the next morning before roads were clear enough to carry out her mission. That was okay. Bailey didn’t mind waiting. The plans she had for this day were all she could think about over the weekend. Even with Brandon’s amazing decision.

She had waited long enough to finally figure out what was happening with Cody Coleman. His actions made no sense at all. He was moving to Indianapolis to finish school? To take a coaching position an hour away from the one he already had? Most of all, there were the words he’d left her with Thanksgiving night: He wanted to protect her? He needed to move on?

Time hadn’t made his actions or words any clearer, so now she would do what she should’ve done back then. She’d drive to his mother’s house and find out for herself why Cody had—once again—shut her out of his life. She would knock on the door and then ask to come in. And she and Cody’s mother would sit face-to-face and talk about what happened. Surely his mother would know why he was leaving, what had caused the change in his heart.

Bailey spent the morning catching up on her reading for advanced literature. She kept the radio on in the background, and when they announced that roads were clear, she quickly got dressed for the day. Now she pulled a dark wool coat over her pale blue turtleneck and grabbed her car keys. She found her
mom in the kitchen opening mail. A smile softened her face as Bailey walked up. “You look pretty.”

“Thanks.” She took a breath and felt her resolve double. “Today’s the day.”

Her mom didn’t have to ask. Bailey had shared last week that today she would probably head over to Cody’s mother’s house. “Will you call first?”

Bailey had wondered about that. This morning she’d even prayed about it. But she felt a peace about going over unannounced. She didn’t want a planned meeting, a prepared response from Mrs. Coleman. She wanted the truth, as honest and uncensored as possible. She smiled at her mom. “Not this time.” She shrugged. “Who knows, she might not even be home.”

“A snowy Sunday morning? unless she’s at church with Cody, she’s home.” Her mom stood and kissed her on the forehead. “Maybe after today you’ll have the answers you’re looking for.”

“Maybe.” Bailey smiled, but her heart felt heavy. So much time without a word from Cody had only served to make her miss him more. Even when she wanted to be angry at him for leaving.

In the next room, the boys were playing Wii Olympics again, and the cheery sound of their laughter filled the house. Ricky spotted her, and he bounded across the tile floor. “Hey,” he wrapped her in a bear hug. “Wanna build a snowman?”

“I’d love to.” She messed her fingers through his blond hair. “But not now. I have a meeting to get to.”

“Oh.” His face fell. He nodded toward his brothers. “Soon as BJ wins the Olympics we’re all going out. We’re making a snow fort and the tallest snowman ever. A Flanigan family record.”

“Hmmm.” Bailey could picture her brothers rolling the base of the snowman and struggling to get the midsection up onto it. One year they’d built a snowman ten feet high. He lasted a week after the snow melted. She angled her head, trying to curb Ricky’s
disappointment. “Maybe build your snow fort first, and then I can help you break the record when I get back home.”

“Yeah! Good idea!” Ricky was almost as tall as her now, something she wasn’t used to. But at least he was well. With Ricky’s heart trouble and his asthma, none of them ever took his health for granted. “That’s what we’ll do.” He gave her another quick hug and ran back to watch BJ win the Olympics.

Their mom smiled over the exchange. “I love those boys.”

“Me too.” Bailey grabbed her purse and kissed her mom on the cheek. “Pray for me.” She blew at a wisp of her bangs as she took a few steps toward the hallway that led to the garage. “I have a feeling I’ll need it.”

She headed to her car, pulled out of the garage and took the drive across town slowly. The roads were clear, plowed, and passable. But there were still sections of ice and packed snow. Fifteen minutes later she turned into Cody’s mother’s neighborhood. She’d been here just once before—years ago, when she and her mom had brought a book to Cody’s mom after his capture in Iraq.

Now she was using information from her family’s address book and her GPS system to navigate her way. Finally she pulled up in front of a small house, old and weathered. The yard was covered in snow, like the other houses on the block, but even from the road Bailey could see the paint was peeling on the porch rail. Bailey glanced at the driveway and saw it was still buried beneath eight or ten inches, and there were no tracks leading down from the single-car garage.

She hadn’t gone anywhere, that much was sure. And Cody mustn’t be in town. Otherwise certainly he would’ve been by to help shovel her drive. Bailey parked, turned off her engine, and climbed out. A chilling wind took her breath, and she pulled the collar of her wool coat up around her neck and face. Next door,
a man in his thirties was shoveling his driveway while two small children played nearby. He waved at her, and kept working.

Bailey breathed deep the warm air inside her coat.
Please, God, be with me…this won’t be easy.
As she trudged up the sidewalk, she was pierced by an unsettling thought. If Cody had moved to Indianapolis, who looked out for his mother? Throughout the holidays Bailey had been busy with parties and premieres, but what about reaching out to someone like Mrs. Coleman? Or maybe she was planning to move to Indianapolis too? Bailey squinted, against the glare from the snow, at the dark windows of the house. Who knew? Maybe she’d already moved.

Each step was an effort, so Bailey took her time. She wore boots, but still her feet were damp by the time she reached the front door.
Please, Lord…I know You’re here with me. Give me the words…
She knocked once, and then again louder. She waited, but all she could hear was the pounding of her heart. This time she rang the doorbell, but she didn’t hear it make a sound inside the house.

Again she knocked, still louder. She was waiting for a response, about to give up when she heard something behind her. The sound startled her, and she gasped lightly as she turned around. There, a few feet away and out of breath, was the neighbor from next door. He still had his shovel in his hand. “You looking for Cassie Coleman?”

“Yes.” Bailey noticed the man’s kids had stopped playing, and were now standing motionless, watching their father. “Is…is she home?”

“No.” The man’s brown eyes were kind. He bit his lip, clearly uncomfortable with whatever he was about to say. “She ain’t here. Been gone awhile now. A few months at least.”

What was this? Cody’s mom had moved too? That must be why Cody wanted to move to the city. “Indianapolis? Is that where she went?”

“No. Not that sorta move.” Again the man looked uneasy. He shifted in the snow and dug his shovel a few times into a nearby drift. “You a friend a’ hers?”

“Yes.” Bailey felt another wave of guilt at the way she so quickly identified herself as a friend. What had she ever done to help Cody’s mother or reach out to her? She swallowed, held out her gloved hand and shook his. “Bailey Flanigan. Nice to meet you.”

“Roger Denning. Been her neighbor for three years.”

“I’m actually a good friend of her son’s. I came to see about him.”

“Cody?” The man nodded. “Fine young man. I think his mama just about broke his heart.”

Broke his heart?
Bailey felt the blood begin to leave her face. “I’m sorry? I guess…I’m not sure I understand. It’s…it’s been a while since Cody and I have talked.”

“Oh.” The man’s face fell, and he stared at the snow around his boots. Finally he sighed and shook his head, glancing at the house and then back at Bailey. “She got herself back into drugs. Police took her away.” In the distance the man’s children began playing again, tossing snowballs at each other, and squealing with laughter. “She’s serving time in the city.” He motioned to his house. “My wife and I went by over the holidays. Paid her a visit. Saddest thing.”

Bailey’s heart was beating so hard she could barely hear the neighbor, hardly focus on what he was saying. Cody’s mother was in prison again? And he hadn’t told her? No wonder Cody was moving to Indianapolis. He wasn’t leaving his mother to fend for herself, he was following her, making sure he could be there for her. If she was in prison, then that’s what Cody meant…leaving so he could protect her reputation. Suddenly everything about his goodbye made sense. She blinked back tears and crossed her arms tightly around her waist. But there was no way to ward off the chill that had come over her. The man was going on, saying
something about Cody being an upstanding young man, and how a weekend hadn’t gone by when he wasn’t there for his mama.

“We seen him when we was up there.” A shadow fell over the man’s face. “He looks different. Like he’s walking around with a broken heart.”

The news hit Bailey like the coldest winter wind, one that cut straight through her soul. And suddenly, standing there in the snow, she was absolutely sure this was why Cody had walked out of her life. His mother was back in prison, and he couldn’t find a way to tell Bailey, let alone continue his life in Bloomington. Another thought hit her all at once, and the realization nearly dropped her to her knees.

How come she hadn’t gone after Cody until now?

The Cody she knew never would’ve walked out of her life without an explanation. But she’d been so caught up in her own life she hadn’t thought to come here, to find out what was wrong with him…until now.

Fine friend she was.

The man looked back at his kids and freed his shovel from the snow. “I can probably get the address of the prison. It’s the only women’s prison in the city.”

“No…no, that’s okay. I’ll find it.” She walked carefully down the snowy steps. “Thanks for telling me. I…wouldn’t have known.”

“If you see her, tell her we’re praying for her.”

Again, Bailey felt the impact of her own selfishness. This would’ve been one of the hardest times in Cody’s life, and she hadn’t been there. The man waved once and returned to his work, and Bailey pushed back through the snow to her car. The bitter wind left her cheeks raw from the cold, but she barely noticed. She climbed into her car, drove around the corner out of sight, parked again, and hung her head.

The shock was wearing off, and the truth pressed in like
walls closing around her. Cody’s mother was in prison again and she hadn’t been there to help him go through it. Tears flooded her eyes and she gripped the steering wheel. Never mind that Cody hadn’t told her. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been making a movie, the subject of paparazzi gossip and photo spreads. Of course he had kept his pain to himself.

Bailey looked up and yanked her gloves off her hands. She grabbed her phone and dialed her mom’s cell. Suddenly she wanted to get there before another hour passed. It was Sunday after all. Cody might even be there if she hurried. Her mom answered on the last ring.

“Sorry.” She sounded out of breath. “I was helping your dad take down the tree.”

“Mom…” she struggled to speak above the sorrow welling inside her. “Mrs. Coleman is in prison again. She got back into drugs.”

Her mom seemed less shocked than Bailey. She sighed, and sadness filled her voice. “I was afraid that might happen. How’s Cody?”

“I haven’t seen him. Her neighbor told me.” Bailey could hardly wait to get on the road again. “I want to see her. Will you come with me, please?”

There was lots to do today at the Flanigan house. Her dad would help take down the tree, then the kids would take a break from the snow and pitch in, boxing up the decorations that filled the house each Christmas. Bailey planned to be a part of it after her talk with Mrs. Coleman. But now…. Her mom barely hesitated. “Come home, honey. I’ll be ready.”

Bailey let her mom drive. She’d found the women’s prison online and put the address into her mom’s GPS. She told her mom what the neighbor had said, how Cody seemed deeply hurt by the situation with his mom.

“He should’ve told us.” Her mom kept her eyes on the road,
but her tone was full of empathy for Cody. “We could’ve helped him. No one should have to go through that alone.”

“Exactly.” She was right. Cody never should’ve kept the situation a secret. But the guilt in Bailey’s heart was greater than before. She should’ve known something was wrong. She could’ve demanded he tell her, or she might’ve gone to his mother’s house sooner.

When they were on the freeway headed to the city, Bailey texted Cody.
Are you there?

She waited, staring at the snow-covered countryside in the distance.
Text me back, Cody. Come on…don’t do this to me.

“Anything?” Her mom glanced at her, hopeful.

“No.” She was grateful her mom was with her. If anyone understood her feelings for Cody, the impact this news had on her, it was her mom. “I think I’ll call him.”

She wasn’t sure what to say or how to act, but she had to hear his voice. She sent the call and waited. But after four rings his voice mail came on. She didn’t want to leave a message. If he wasn’t answering his phone, she’d wait and talk to him in person. If they had to drive through the whole city of Indianapolis to find him.

Her mom put a Brit Nicole CD into the changer, and skipped to a song they both loved. “Don’t Worry Now.” The music filled the car, and Bailey closed her eyes. She couldn’t worry about Cody or about how he would react when she saw him—if she would even find him at all. This trip wasn’t about Cody. It was about his mother. If nothing else came from the visit, Bailey wanted one thing clear from this point on.

She was sorry for not reaching out sooner.

But now…now she’d never let so much time go by without caring for the people in her life. And one of those people was Cody Coleman’s mother.

They reached the prison half an hour later, and as they pulled
into the parking lot, as they studied the gray brick compound and the razor wire surrounding the snowy yard, Bailey was filled with despair. How would it feel to have her mother living here? Serving a sentence for drugs? She couldn’t imagine how Cody must feel, or how he could possibly be handling this. It didn’t matter that he’d been through this before with his mother.