On the other side of the door was a beautiful woman with dark hair and green eyes. Her face lit up in a smile as she saw Alyssa. “You must be Alyssa. Sandra has told me so much about you. I’m Callie,” she stuck out her hand, “and I’m so pleased to meet you.”
“Uh, same,” Alyssa stammered, shaking the outstretched hand, “though Aunt Sandra didn’t tell me much about you.”
“That’s Sandra for you.” Callie stepped into the living room and closed the door behind her. “I’m sure she has something planned. She always does. Called me up today and said you were coming and could use some sisters in Christ around you, so here I am.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Plus, I needed a break.”
Alyssa nodded though she had no idea what Callie was talking about. The only thing she was sure of was that her aunt had set this up, but she was not sure she’d feel comfortable telling a stranger about her issue.”
“Sandra, can I help?” Callie had reached the kitchen ahead of her and was already grabbing glasses down from a cupboard.
“Just with what you’re already doing. Here, Alyssa, take this to the table please.” Sandra handed her the bowl of salad and Alyssa carried it to the table set for three.
“Tea or water?” Callie asked, setting a jar of sun tea on the table.
“Tea is fine,” Alyssa responded watching Callie and her aunt interact. They must get together often because Callie seemed to know where everything was in the kitchen.
“Sit, sit,” Sandra said, wheeling over with the baked chicken in a dish on her lap. She set it on the table and motioned for Alyssa to sit.
Callie took the other chair, and the three women scooted up to the table. Sandra grabbed Alyssa’s left and Callie’s right hand in hers before bowing her head. “Lord, we are so thankful that Alyssa has come to visit. Be with us in this place and fill us with your wisdom as we tackle her problem. Bless this food and this company. In your name, Amen.”
“Amen,” Callie and Alyssa echoed, and the passing of the food began.
Alyssa hadn’t expected to feel comfortable sharing her information with Callie, but as the dinner progressed, she saw why the two were friends. Callie appeared easy to talk to, and as she shared some of her past with Alyssa, Alyssa realized she might have a good perspective on the situation.
By the time dinner was over and the women had retired to the living room with cups of tea, Callie felt like an old friend, and Alyssa found herself sharing the whole ordeal with them both.
“It sounds like you might care for him,” Sandra said as Alyssa finished.
“I care for Peyton,” she said taking a sip of her tea, “He is just... I don’t know what he is, besides frustrating.”
Callie and her aunt shared a glance, and Alyssa wondered what unsaid words passed between them.
“I know he made some mistakes, but we all have,” Sandra said. “Remember, we are all broken people and God can use us even broken as we are.”
“I get that Aunt Sandra, but he had a woman there. What if it means he hasn’t changed and he’ll just keep doing the same thing? I don’t want to get mixed up in that.”
“People can change. I did. Your mom did. Callie did. It just takes someone showing them the love of Jesus.” Her aunt looked down into her tea cup. “Darn. Empty. You two keep talking, I’m going to get a refill.”
Had she shown Max the love of Jesus? The image of their last fight flashed through her mind, and Alyssa cringed. That was definitely not Jesus’ love that day.
“I don’t want to contradict what Sandra says,” Callie’s voice brought Alyssa back into the present. “She’s probably the wisest woman I know, but I was with a man who couldn’t change or wouldn’t change. The thing is, if you do some soul searching, you’ll know. I was blind at first, but when I really looked inside, I realized Daniel would never change, or at least not for me. I think if you look inside, you’ll know whether this Max is capable of change or not.”
“Thanks, Callie. I’m glad Sandra invited you over tonight.”
“I am too,” Callie said, returning the smile.
Chapter 18
"Why are we here?” Peyton asked, as Max unhooked her from the car seat.
“Well, Alyssa and I are in a bit of a fight. I thought it would be nice if we gave her some space, so this is Helen’s church.”
Max had been unsure when Helen first suggested the idea of changing churches. What if Peyton hated it? But as they approached the small white church, Max felt a sense of peace.
Helen was at the door waiting for them. “You made it.” She gave Peyton a high five before turning to Max. “Come in. Let me introduce you around.”
The thought sent ice water through Max’s veins, but he followed her in anyway, Peyton’s hand clasped in his.
“This is Pastor Bill.”
Pastor Bill was an older man with grey at his temples. He wore a button-down shirt and some slacks but no tie, and he looked a little more relaxed than Max’s images of typical pastors.
“Pastor Bill, this is my friend Max and his daughter Peyton.” Helen made the introductions and then stepped back, smiling.
“Pleased to meet you, Max and you, Miss Peyton. I hope you enjoy the service.”
“Oh, I’m sure he will,” Helen jumped in before Max could speak. “I know we all do every week.” She grabbed Max’s arm and steered him to the right. “Let’s check Peyton in, and then you can escort an older woman to her seat.”
Max smiled as he looked down at her hand on his arm. It seemed that she was escorting him currently, and he knew she was quite capable of finding her seat herself, but he humored her. After dropping Peyton in the small Sunday school room, he led Helen back to the sanctuary, but she took over when he tried to snag a seat in the back row.
“Oh, no no no,” she said, pulling him forward. “The best seats are toward the front.”
“But I don’t want to sit up front.” His fear, though he’d never tell Helen, was that if he was up front, people would watch him and be able to tell that he was a faker and not a believer.
She ignored his protests and situated herself in the middle of the third aisle, patting the chair beside her. With a sigh, Max entered the row and took the seat. The music started shortly after, and Max was surprised by the upbeat music. He knew Helen was young for her age, but he hadn’t expected her to like this type of music. Three guitars, a drummer, a keyboard, and a piano made up the band along with four singers out front.
When the music ended, Pastor Bill took the stage and Max found himself drawn to the message. It was all about Jesus meeting you where you are. Though Max hadn’t considered religion much in his adult life, he remembered the few times his parents had taken him when he was young, and the message then was all about being perfect or going to Hell. It was one reason why he had avoided religion for so long, but here was a man saying he didn’t have to be perfect to have a relationship with Jesus because a relationship with Jesus would change him. He wondered how it would change him? He already felt different just having Peyton in his life.
The sermon was still bouncing around in his head as he and Helen walked down the hall to get Peyton.
“Max, Helen, look I drew us.” Peyton proudly waved a white paper with purple scribbles on it. “That’s me and there’s you, Helen, and there’s Alyssa.”
Max’s heart tightened at the mention of Alyssa’s name. Would she ever forgive him?
“Who is that up in the sky?” Helen pointed to the scribble near the top of the paper. “Is that Jesus?”
Peyton’s face fell. “No, that’s Mommy. She’s on her way to see Jesus.”
Max and Helen exchanged a glance before Max turned to Peyton. “Peyton, honey, your mom isn’t going to see Jesus yet. She’s just in New York.”
“No, she’s not.” Peyton shook her head. “Jesus told me last night he was taking her but not to be scared.”
Max wondered if Peyton was going crazy. Wouldn’t he have gotten a call if Sarah had passed? He p
ulled out his phone, expecting nothing, but the little green phone icon had a number one floating to the upper right. He clicked on it and the voicemail loaded.
“Hello, Maxwell Banks? This is Dr. Steven Youngblood with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. You are listed as a contact for Sarah Moore, and I need you to call me right away.”
Max lowered the phone before he heard the number, but he would listen to it again. Right now, his shock at Peyton’s knowledge was more than he could take.
“Why don’t I stop and grab some lunch and meet you at the house?” Helen suggested after seeing the look on Max’s face.
“Sure, that sounds fine.” He took Peyton’s hand and headed to the parking lot. The walk there was silent, but as soon as she was strapped in the car, he turned to her. “How did you know, Peyton? About your mom?”
“I told you; Jesus told me. He said he had to take my mommy for now, but that he’d send me another mommy soon. He said you’d take care of me and be my daddy from now on. You will, won’t you?” Her voice held no fear as she spoke about issues much bigger than herself.
“Of course I will, Peyton.” The words constricted his heart though. He didn’t know the first thing about being a dad permanently. He had failed miserably in his first few weeks, and without Alyssa, he didn’t know how he’d get through it.
Alyssa was at lunch with Sandra and Callie’s family when her phone rang. As she pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID, her heart filled with dread. With a New York area code, it was either Sarah or someone from the hospital, and she feared it was the latter as they had told her Sarah was too weak for phone calls when she had tried a few days ago.
“Hello?”
“Yes, can I speak with Alyssa Miller?”
The voice was masculine and the vice on her heart pulled tighter. “This is Alyssa.”
Sandra and Callie both stopped conversing and stared at Alyssa.
“Alyssa, this is Dr. Steven Youngblood. I was treating Sarah Moore—”
“Was? Is she?” Alyssa couldn’t bring herself to say the words, but she didn’t have to.
“I’m sorry, Alyssa, her cancer was too advanced, and she passed away this morning.”
Alyssa thought she had been prepared for this knowledge. After all, Sarah had been diagnosed nearly a year ago, and she had been at her appointment two months ago when the doctor told Sarah the cancer had progressed to a point that probably wasn’t treatable. Memorial Sloan had been a last-ditch effort, but Alyssa had still held on to hope that God would perform a miracle.
She dropped her head in her hands as words failed her. Peyton! The little girl popped in her mind amid her grief. “Does Peyton know?”
“We tried to reach Maxwell Banks, but I was forced to leave a message, and he hasn’t returned my call yet.”
Maxwell. Of course, she would have to talk to Maxwell again. They would have to plan the funeral, and she needed to make sure Peyton was okay. His very name still dredged up feelings in her heart, but she was no longer sure if they were feelings of attraction or anger.
“Thank you, Dr. Youngblood. Is there anything else we need to do?” Her voice sounded strained to her ears, and her throat was quickly constricting with tears.
“I just need an address to send her belongings and the name of the mortuary you would like her transferred to as I’m assuming you would like her buried there.”
Alyssa rattled off the information and managed to hang up the phone before the tears broke through the gates and flooded her cheeks.
“Alyssa, what’s wrong?” her aunt asked, taking her hand.
With no voice, all she could do was shake her head and let the tears fall. Callie passed Hope to JD and huddled next to her, wrapping her arm around Alyssa for support.
When the tears finally tapered, Alyssa told them about Sarah.
“Oh, Alyssa, I’m so sorry,” Sandra said. “First your mother and now this. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling but remember that God can ease your burden. And so can talking to other believers. Don’t shut this grief in.”
“I have to get back. The doctor hadn’t been able to reach Max. I don’t even know if he knows or if he plans to keep Peyton.”
“Would you like me to come with you?” Callie offered after shooting a quick glance at her husband.
Alyssa attempted a small smile. Callie had quickly become a friend in the short time she’d known her, but this was her battle. “No, I’ll be fine, but thank you.”
“We’ll be here for you whenever you need us,” Callie said, squeezing her arm.
After she was packed, Alyssa hit the road, playing over and over the words she would say when she saw Maxwell again.
Chapter 19
"I don’t know what I’m going to do, Helen.” Max dropped his head into his hands. Peyton was napping, and Helen had stayed to listen to his fears.
“You’ll do what we all do. You’ll pick yourself up and become a great father. You’re already getting better.”
She placed a cup of tea in front of him, eliciting a small smile. He had come to enjoy these chats with her over tea.
“But what if I mess up?”
“You will, but we all do.” She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. “You apologize and you try to do better the next time. Peyton will understand, and believe me, she’d rather stay with you than be put into a house she doesn’t know. Plus, you have something else on your side. You have the money to be able to take care of her and provide her with anything she might need.”
Max took a sip of tea as he stared at the wise woman. If nothing else, he’d done something right to have her in his corner. “Thanks Helen, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“What about the rest of your family, Max?” Helen asked. “You never talk about them, but it might be time to introduce Peyton to them.”
Max sighed. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that. My parents live here in the city, but we haven’t spent time together in years, not since my brother moved to Scotland and they became believers. I was fresh out of college and thought I knew everything, you know?”
Helen nodded and motioned for him to continue.
“Anyway, they tried to push Jesus on me, probably hoping to save at least one of their wayward sons, but all it did was push me away. Then I met Justin and he introduced me to the party lifestyle. I thought it was filling the void in my life, but boy was I wrong. Needless to say, my lifestyle drove an even bigger wedge between us.”
“You know my strength doesn’t come from myself, right?” She took a sip of her tea and looked at him over the rim of the cup as if measuring his reaction. “It comes from my friends, my family, and trusting God to help me handle anything I can’t.”
“How long have you been a believer?” Max couldn’t believe he was even asking the question, but the combination of the sermon, Peyton’s dream, and Sarah’s death had all been working in his head.
“Since I was ten. Of course, it was much easier then.” She laughed wistfully, and her eyes glazed over as if she was remembering some fond memory. “I strayed for a time in college when I was trying to figure out my own way, but God saved me when I was at my lowest, and when I stopped fighting him and started listening, my life got simpler. Not easier, mind you. Following Jesus doesn’t always mean an easy life, but simpler, and I knew he’d always be there for me.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for all that,” Max said, twirling the cup around, “but could you tell me how in case I get there?”
“Of course.” Helen smiled and began to lay out the simple steps to accept Jesus into his heart.
Alyssa inhaled deeply as she parked in front of the palatial house. Was she sure she wanted to do this? After all, it had only been a day since she left in anger. Somehow, she felt less angry now. The loss of Sarah had put things into perspective and whatever happened between her and Max, she needed to be around for Peyton.
She was surprised when Helen opened the door.
“Hi, Helen, I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“Nor I to see you.” She smiled and stepped outside, closing the door slightly behind her after sneaking a glance down the hallway. “However, I am glad you’re here. I needed to speak with you.”
“If it’s about Sarah, I already know.”
“It isn’t. It’s about Max.”
Alyssa held up her hand. “Helen, I don’t—”
“No, you’re going to listen to me,” Helen said, cutting her off. “Then you can make up your own mind with what I have to tell you.”
Shocked by Helen’s firm tone, Alyssa closed her mouth and nodded for her to continue.
“Thank you. Now, I know Max has a history, but he did not sleep with that woman who was here Saturday. I was here when he brought her home Friday night. He put her up in the guest room for the night. He tried to take her to her home, but she had passed out before he got her address. He was put in a bad situation, and he tried to do the right thing.”
“Do you trust him?” Alyssa asked, her voice quiet.
“I’ve never seen a man make such a drastic change in such a short time, but I see the way he looks at Peyton and the way he looks at you, and I do trust him. He’s been a wreck since you left Tuesday and even more yesterday at the thought of losing you. He will never be perfect, but his heart is open and he’s asking questions about Jesus. I’m going to keep encouraging him, and it would help if you did too, but I’ll leave that up to you. He’s in the living room.”
With that, Helen opened the door for her and waved goodbye as Alyssa stepped in.
“Alyssa?” Max’s face registered his surprise as she entered the living room. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see if you knew about Sarah. Dr. Youngblood said he couldn’t reach you and had to leave a message. Does Peyton know?”
“She does. In fact, she knew before we got the call. She had a dream,” he added, as her eyes widened in confusion.
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