by T. K. Chapin
“Sure.”
We walked down the church’s hallway to the kitchen. Walking in, I could smell the sweet aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee lingering in the air.
“This is our specialty coffee from the Inn. I’m hooked on it.” She poured herself a cup and then pulled a mug for me from the cupboard.
As she poured, I asked, “What’s the plan with all the clothing?”
“The winter clothes will be given to the children in the community that are in need. The rest will be sold at a thrift shop we’re opening up in Newport. The shop proceeds will go to helping the missionaries we have in the church. The first profits will fund the mission trip next month to Mexico.”
“I had no idea you guys were opening a thrift shop.”
Serenah’s gaze lifted. “We didn’t know either until a week ago, but it kind of just happened. Charlie’s buddy Oscar has been trying to sell his ice cream shop for years and hasn’t even had an offer. Jokingly, Charlie said he’d take it off his hands and Oscar jumped on it. I guess he is moving back east to be with his sick mother and needed the headache gone before he left …”
“Wow. That’s crazy.”
Nodding, she continued. “I think it’ll be good for the community as a whole. It’ll give some people a job, plus it’ll provide people an alternative to going into Spokane to Goodwill. We’ll play Christian music and set up some Christian literature in the store. It’ll be another way we can connect with people and spread the gospel of Jesus.”
“That’ll be wonderful.”
As we continued drinking coffee, my cell phone rang. It was Winston. I excused myself and stepped a few feet away. “Hello.”
“I’ll go,” Winston said, firmly.
“Go where?” I asked, confused. I had no idea what he was referring to.
“To the fundraising dinner at the church tomorrow.”
Breaking into a grin, I turned toward Serenah. “That’s great. I’m so pleased you’ll come to the dinner tomorrow, Winston! I’ll see you in a bit when I get home, unless there was something else?”
“No, that’s all.”
When I ended the call, Serenah and I both danced a jig in the kitchen, praising God.
Chapter 27-Winston
THE NEXT MORNING I WENT out the back door and headed to the shop where I was supposed to meet Jeremy for my workout. He was sitting in his car, parked in the gravel by the shop. As I rolled down the ramp, the sun was still working its way up. My favorite time in the day was dawn. I loved waking up before the sun. It made me feel I had a jump start on the day while the rest of the world was still sleeping.
“Good morning, sir,” he said, shutting his car door as he slipped his phone into his gym shorts’ pocket.
“Morning.”
I turned the lights on in the shop and wheeled over to the machine to work my lower back.
“Wait, let’s try something a little different today,” Jeremy said, walking to the blue mat, where he sat down.
“What is this?”
“We’re going to focus on your legs today.”
With a little help from Jeremy, I got onto the mat and sat on my butt with my legs straight out, propping myself up with my arms behind me.
“Try to move a toe.”
I tried—nothing. There was zero connection between my brain and my toes. Angrily, I gritted, “This is a waste of time. They won’t move.”
“Okay. Try to move your foot, then your leg … Work your way up until you can move something.”
Continuing with a few different exercises, nothing had changed since the first physical therapist visited me in the hospital. No progress, which was only a reminder that I’d probably never walk again. By the end I was furious.
“What are you trying to do here, Jeremy? Make me angry? Because you’re doing a great job at that if that’s the goal.”
“Not at all. Lay down on your stomach now.”
“You better be going somewhere with this …” I said, as I swung around and lay on my stomach.
Facing me, he put his arm up to arm wrestle.
I grinned.
“Boy, you don’t know who I am, do you?”
He laughed. “Try me.”
Latching hands with Jeremy, I grinned as he said, “Go.”
He couldn’t move my arm even an inch.
“This is what decades of hard work does for upper body strength,” I said. In a split second I slammed his hand down to the mat, securing victory.
We both laughed and shook hands.
“That right there is what I need to see every single day, Winston. Forget about what you can’t do with your legs and focus on what you can do with the rest of your body and mind.”
I nodded as the truth of his words sank in, resonating with my entire being. I needed to focus on what I could do, not on what I couldn’t. Maybe I wouldn’t walk again. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to do or be the same person I was in the past. I had to come to grips with that, and the deepest part of my soul knew it. The only problem was I had no idea how to go about it. There was still a part of me holding onto the hope of being the same Winston I was before. There was still a struggling part that would not let go.
Chapter 28-Marie
PULLING OUT ONE OF MY favorite dresses, a deep forest green sheath, lined with small rhinestones along the neck, I smiled while holding it against me. Just a few hours now and I’d be going to dinner with Winston. It wasn’t quite like one of the policemen balls we used to attend every year or the New Year’s Eve ball in the historic Davenport ballroom, but it was still dinner with my husband. To me it was a glimpse into the past, a glimpse at when things were perfect between my Winston and me. A time when his eyes reflected love every time he looked at me, a time in which he was gentle, loving and caring.
Earlier that day, I’d been on my way home from signing the employment separation papers at the firm when I’d prayed and asked God for a special favor. I didn’t have any idea if He would do it or not, but it didn’t hurt to ask. I had requested that God keep the night calm and lovely and to help bring the hunger for Him back into Winston’s heart. That He’d use the occasion to bring Winston back to faith in Him.
After doing my hair and makeup, I put the dress on and approached the long mirror in my bedroom that sat next to the dresser. My face glowed when I looked into it, and I felt truly happy for the first time in a while. I hoped Winston, too, could find happiness in tonight’s dinner. Maybe it could lead to him going to church, or maybe lead to him wanting to go to his parents at Lake Stevens for Thanksgiving this year. The possibilities were endless what this night could bring for the future.
“Marie, I can’t go.” Winston’s words came from behind me. He sat in his chair at the doorway.
I felt my smile fade. “Why not?”
“I got called in to help with a job.”
Raising an eyebrow, I said, “What kind of job?”
Smiling, he wheeled through the doorway and drew closer. “Bruce needs me to go to a bar downtown for a client’s protection. It’s only for an hour or two.”
My stomach flipped. “A job, Winston? Really?”
He frowned. “What’s that mean?”
I held back my tears and leaned over, kissing his cheek as I ignored what I really wanted to say. “I hope you stay safe. Do you need a ride?”
“No, Bruce is picking me up. Thanks, though. I’m sorry about not going … By the way, you look beautiful, Marie.”
“Thanks. If the job is over by eight, have him drop you off at the church. I would love to see you there.”
“I will,” he said as he hurried to his closet to choose different clothes.
Winston going out on a gig didn’t make any sense. He was bound to a wheelchair. Sure, he could pull a trigger or talk to someone, but how could he really protect someone who was in danger? It didn’t make sense, but the look on his face told me not to question him further. Sometimes people, most importantly the people we love, have to learn on their own
and for themselves. This was such a time. Bowing my head and my will, I handed the situation over to God.
Returning to the mirror, I touched up my makeup before heading downstairs to grab the cake I had baked for the silent auction. Trying to push my sadness away, I focused on all the good that would come of the evening.
Chapter 29-Winston
AFTER GETTING DRESSED, I WAITED outside for Bruce. There was a chill in the air, and the clouds threatened snow at any moment. As Bruce finally rolled up the driveway, I made my way to the passenger side door of the van. He got out, said hello, and came to my side to grab my wheelchair and place it in the back of the van.
Lifting my body into the passenger seat was a bit more difficult than getting into the little car Marie and I owned. When I finally maneuvered myself in, Bruce said, “You ready?”
“I am.”
I wasn’t entirely confident about what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to try. Most of the jobs assigned to WIN really only involved talking anyway. Situations where people could be shot were unlikely. It was a risk we all understood when we signed up, but few ever experience it. Unfortunately, I’d been one of the few. Chances were slim, however, of my getting shot a second time.
This job I was going to do tonight was mild in nature. A small-time celebrity just needed a little peace of mind after being hit on by a creep who grabbed at her last weekend at the bar. We recommended she didn’t go at all, but she insisted. The price was right for WIN and an easy opportunity to re-introduce me to the world of being a bodyguard again after my accident.
After Bruce loaded my wheelchair in the van, we were off to Spokane. The van was dark red on the outside, all black on the interior. An alien bobble head sat on the dash, bobbing its head while holding up the universal ‘rock on’ hand gesture.
“How’s it going?” Bruce asked ten minutes into the drive.
“With what?”
His gaze shifted to my legs, then back to me before returning to the road.
“It’s … different.” Adjusting in my seat, I clenched my jaw and glared out the window. Bruce was a temporary manager for WIN I used as a backup in case anything ever happened to me. I never thought the day would come where he’d actually become the manager of my company. He was my brother Michael’s step-son and had lived in Tacoma up until he relocated to help manage WIN. I never regretted making that agreement with my brother until the day the accident happened. I didn’t realize his young twenty-year-old Bruce would be running things at WIN. The only reason I named Bruce as my manager was because of my brother Michael and how he had always been there for me growing up. I felt it was payment for what I owed him.
“Do you still dream like you’re walking, or do your dreams have you sitting in a wheelchair now?”
Growling under my breath, I stared a hole into the side of his head. His eyes connected to mine. “How about you just pay attention to the driving?” I grunted.
“Sorry.”
The rest of the ride into town was silent, which was fine by me.
Chapter 30-Marie
ARRIVING AT THE CHURCH, I parked and headed into the banquet hall that connected to the kitchen on the west side. As I walked in through the double doors I spotted Serenah shaking hands with another woman across the way, so I approached.
“Hi, Marie!” Serenah said gleefully as she turned her body towards the woman. “I’d like you to meet Charlotte. Charlotte—Marie.”
Shaking hands with Charlotte, I smiled and took in her beautiful yellow dress. Just then another woman approached and beaconed Serenah away.
“Woman of the hour,” I said.
Charlotte nodded. “She’s a people pleaser. Always serving and helping where she can.”
Just then a man came up beside Charlotte and wrapped his arm around her lower back. I spotted their wedding rings as they kissed. The way they behaved reminded me of how Winston and I were before the accident. It was the type of relationship I longed for once more. It was important to my wellbeing not to let circumstances hold me down or make me feel insecure, but it was difficult.
I excused myself and made my way to an empty table, where I sat down and laid my purse on the floor.
My gaze started on the far western wall and took in all the decorations. The banquet hall was decorated with large amounts of white streamers and white balloons, and some of the décor had hints of silver. Each table held a candle centerpiece. All the teenagers serving that night were dressed in tuxes and ballroom style gowns. Tables along the side of the room were full of appetizers and finger foods. Spotting the bacon wrapped shrimp on one of the tables, I thought of Winston. He would have loved this if he was here.
Winston on a job tonight had my heart racing every moment I thought of it. It was hard enough to think about the danger he might face when he could use his legs, but it was a whole other issue to imagine him dealing with the same matters while wheelchair bound. He needed someone to help keep him safe. How could he be expected to protect others?
Chapter 31-Winston
ARRIVING AT THE NIGHTCLUB, I IMMEDIATELY questioned the situation. There was no line outside, and the bouncer you’d expect to see standing at the entrance wasn’t there either.
Bruce parked the van across the street from the club and then turned to me. “I’m going to go in with you for a few minutes. Make sure everything is legit.”
I tipped my chin toward the front door. “Good plan. Things seem … off.”
He chuckled.
“Is this funny?”
“No. I laugh sometimes when I’m nervous.”
Taken aback, I tilted my head. “This is stressful or nerve-racking for you?”
“Forget it, Winston.” He got out and shut the door behind him.
Things were becoming stranger by the moment. Shifting my body to the end of the seat, I opened the door and waited for my wheelchair.
When Bruce arrived with the chair, I lowered myself into it. Once I was securely sitting, I backed up and rolled to the dip in the curb where I could cross the street. Bruce walked next to me to the club. Approaching the door of the club, I felt increasingly concerned, and my sense that something was off reached its peak. As I reached for the door handle, Bruce stopped me.
“I wasn’t entirely honest with you about this job tonight.”
Peering up at him, my eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”
He smiled and grabbed the door.
Chapter 32-Marie
WHEN CHELSEA FOUND ME AT a table alone, she promptly pulled up a chair and sat down. She was bubbling with happiness. Her excitement exceeded that of the youth that were there helping with the dinner. Her hair was all dolled up, and by the looks of it she probably had it professionally done earlier that day. She honestly didn’t need it, though, since her beauty shone through all the makeup and hairspray.
“I’m so happy you came out to support us!” she said, patting my leg.
Mirroring her smile, I said, “It’s great you all are going on the mission to Mexico. It’s selfless. You seem pretty excited for the trip.”
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” Her gaze glided across the room, landing on Serenah. “We’ve all been excited for it. It’s going to be a blessing to help the needy down there.”
“I bet your parents are proud.” Glancing around the room, I asked, “Where are they? I’d love to meet the people responsible for raising such a nice woman.”
Her eyes dipped and her shoulders slumped, as if weighed down by the question. Her smile disappeared. In a quiet and soft tone, she said, “They’re worried about me not being safe down there. They haven’t been very supportive of me going and don’t support the project.”
My heart broke at seeing her disappointment, and I touched her shoulder. “They care about you, that’s all. I’ll never forget when our eldest son Greg went off to college in Florida. Winston and I were both heartbroken to see him leave. We were sad he didn’t want to attend one of the colleges in Washington he w
as accepted into, but it was because we loved him and would miss him, not because we didn’t support him.”
“But I’m just going for a few weeks. This isn’t college. You’d think that my going to a local college would’ve been enough, but it wasn’t. I can’t live in a bubble my whole life.”
“They just worry, dear.”
“I’m an adult, they don’t need to worry!”
“Oh, honey. Parents will always worry about their kids no matter how old they are.”
The weight on her shoulders seemed to lift at my words. She noticed a boy on the other side of the banquet hall a moment later. He appeared to be searching for someone. “That’s Jonathan. He’s going on the trip next month with us … I think he’s looking for me.”
Seeing the twinkle in her eye and the smile that returned to her lips, I asked, “You like him?”
She shrugged. “We kind of like each other, but he’s trying to just focus on God right now.”
“You never know where God might lead him,” I said with a wink. The boy shoved his fingers through his hair and looked stressed. “You’d better go to him, he looks to be searching for you.”
She glanced at him and then back at me. “Enjoy your dinner. Thanks again for coming.”
Chapter 33-Winston
“SURPRISE!” A CROWD OF PEOPLE yelled as the lights in the club came on all at once. The entire crew from WIN, plus a slew of clients surrounded me holding cake, balloons, and presents.
Grabbing my chest, I squeezed my eyes shut and faked a heart attack, playing a cruel joke on them while I tried to process what was going on.
“Winston?” Bruce asked. He placed a hand on my shoulder and knelt down beside my wheelchair.
“Surprise!” I said, opening my eyes and relaxing.
Everyone laughed, and Bruce slugged me in the shoulder and grinned.
“Not cool, man,” Bruce said.
Classic rock kicked on and someone took the cake to a table and began slicing it onto paper plates.