by Woods, Emily
Her eyes closed briefly. “I see.” For a moment, she said nothing. “I am very sorry, Jacob, but I think we should not go on the picnic this Sunday. I do not think it would be wise to spend time together.”
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. “You judge me because I don't believe the same things as you? That doesn't seem fair. Okay, so I don't pray or go to church, but I'm still a good person. I could be an even better person for you.”
She shook her head. “No one is good, not you, not me, not even the saints. Without Jesus, no one can get to Heaven.”
“But I've never hurt anyone,” he argued. “I help out whenever someone needs it. I treat people fairly and am honest in everything I do.”
“It is not enough. Humans cannot do enough to be right with God. Jacob, I do not wish to argue with you about this, but my decision is final. I am sorry.”
Without another word, she turned and began to walk quickly in the direction they'd come. Jacob watched her go with a mix of frustration, anger, and disappointment. Part of him wanted to chase after her and continue to defend himself, but she seemed determined not to hear him out, so he let her go.
Returning to the barn, he began to vigorously clean out the already clean stalls and forked hay into each one with more force than was necessary. Alex and Cole must have read his mood because they didn't question him about his conversation with Rosa. Instead, they only talked about things related to the ranch.
After it was clear that everything was ready, the three of them left, Cole to his own house and Alex and Jacob to the house they would be sharing. It technically belonged to Alex, but he graciously called it “their” house.
“I'll pay you rent,” Jacob told him on the way. “It's only fair.”
“Oh, I don't care about that,” Alex replied. “If you do the cooking, I'll be happy.”
A bark of laughter shot out of Jacob. “What in the world makes you think I can cook? I went from my mother's house to my brother's, where Amanda does the cooking. I can fry the odd thing, but that's about it.”
Alex gave him a look of dismay. “And here was me thinking that an old bachelor such as yourself would know his way around the kitchen.”
“Old, am I? Thanks a lot.”
There was no malice in the exchange, but the issue did present a challenge.
“I guess I'd better propose to Christina sooner than later,” Alex joked. “I was looking for a sign from God about the timing. Maybe this is it.”
Jacob might have laughed at this even a few hours before, but the topic of God was a sore spot for him now.
“I don't know about that,” he groused. “Who's to say there even is such a thing?”
They had arrived at the house, but Alex didn't dismount immediately. “Are you saying you don't believe in signs or in God?”
Jacob didn't want to talk anymore, so he merely shrugged. “Nothing is sure in this life, is it? You’re here one day, and then next, you can be dead with some mysterious illness or your horse throws you and you break your neck.”
Slowly, Alex slid off his horse. “Well, that's a cheery thought. Remind me not to let you speak at the wedding.”
His jocular mood had its intended effect, and Jacob nearly gave him a grin. “Yeah, better not.” But then the grin disappeared. “I guess I'd better get started on my house. Don't want to be here with a couple of newlyweds.”
The way he nearly spat out the last word caused a frown to appear on Alex's face, but wisely, the younger man said nothing.
“So, Valerie sent over some bread and soup yesterday, and the pantry's full of things. I guess between the two of us, we can sort out something to eat.”
Although he'd been inside the house several times to move in his bed and a few other furnishings, walking in this time felt different. He had permanently moved out of his brother's house and was going to start living on his own, well, with Alex, but even that situation wouldn't be for long.
Jacob was on his own now and, as it would seem, indefinitely.
* * *
Initially, Rosa had walked away from Jacob as quickly as possible, not wanting to talk anymore in case she started crying and even possibly relenting in her view. He'd made some good points, but not good enough. There wasn't anything in the world he could say that would make her change her mind, but seeing him lean against the tree, looking so vulnerable, she wanted to.
“Why?” she whispered to her Heavenly Father as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Why did you bring me here? For this? Haven't I had enough heartache? I've trusted You for everything, but I feel so alone now.”
Perhaps that was what God had for her. In that moment, there didn't seem to be any other prospect. Even though she'd accepted the offer from George to show her around, she would make sure that her sister or the children accompanied them so that he wouldn't mistake the outing for anything serious. It occurred to her that she'd had the arrangement with Jacob, but in her mind, that was only to protect her reputation, not because she worried that he would get the wrong idea. She'd hoped that he would understand she had feelings for him and even believed he returned those.
Now, there would be nothing. She could not even take one step with a man who so clearly didn't share her faith. He believed he was a self-made man and gave no credit to God for his blessings. Neither did he realize who Jesus was and what He had sacrificed for all people.
“Help him understand, God,” she prayed as more tears chased the first one. “Whatever it takes, bring him to You.”
She knew that was a dangerous prayer, but she couldn't stop herself from praying it. Although she would bury the thought of having Jacob as her part of her future, a small part of her would cling to the hope that he would discover what she already knew. Without Jesus, life was empty and desperate. To put hope in anything else was foolish. No one and nothing else could ever satisfy.
“Whatever it takes,” she repeated. “Help him find You.”
Chapter 15
Five men waited on the train platform the next Friday. Along with Alex, Cole, and Jacob, Thomas and John had agreed to come and help bring the horses to their new home.
“Thanks for your help,” Alex said to the two other men. “We don't really know what to expect. I just hope the horses aren't too green.”
The purchase of the animals had come through a third party, someone that none of them knew. It had been set up through Martin Graham, who had a reputation for being honest, but they only knew the original owner by name.
After less than an hour, the train was visible in the distance. Jacob felt his stomach swirling with anticipation. The other men had other resources to fall back on, but if this venture didn't work out, he would have almost nothing.
Finally, the train pulled up, and they were directed to the rear where the horses were transported. The five of them waited for the car to be opened and were immediately greeted by the high-pitched whinny of horses in distress.
“What's the matter with them?” Jacob asked tightly.
“It could just be the unfamiliar sight,” John stated, trying to reassure him. “Don't borrow trouble.”
However, even after the horses were led off the train, it was clear to all of them that there was something wrong.
“This one is sweating,” Thomas informed them, trying to soothe the mahogany-colored horse. “And that one's pawing at the ground.”
The five of them drew back as yet another fell to the ground and started rolling around. John kept hold of the horse's reins and gently forced the horse into a standing position.
“Colic,” Thomas announced. “Three out of the five definitely have it.”
Jacob knew what colic was. Triple Range had lost several horses to it in the not so distant past.
“No,” he whispered. Were they going to lose half their stock before they even got them home? “Can you do anything?”
Thomas's face was grave. “It depends on the cause,” he said evenly. “If it's just stress, that's curable, but if it's from m
oldy feed or impaction in the intestine, that's harder.” He handed the reins of the horse to Cole and bent down to retrieve the stethoscope from his bag. “Hold them still, and I'll examine them.”
Cole led the two horses that didn't seem to be affected away from the others while John, Alex, and Jacob held the three agitated ones.
After examining the horses, Thomas seemed slightly optimistic. “It sounds as though the digestion of these two is normal, and there's no bloating. Their vitals are high, but again, that could just be from stress. I don't want to exhaust them with the long trip back to the ranch, so let's see if there's room at the stable in town.”
Jimmy, the owner of the nearest stable, was reluctant to rent them space given the appearance of the sick horses, but John managed to convince him with a bit of financial incentive. Jimmy took it, mostly because business was not exactly booming at the moment.
Once they had the horses in the stalls, Thomas recommended grooming, but no feed.
“I can't be sure it's due to stress, so better not to chance it.” He gave them some other tips for calming the horses down, such as a light massage, but even after an hour, two of them still seemed stressed. The other was a bit more relaxed, but not enough to satisfy Thomas.
“I think we need to pray,” John declared. “These are God's creatures, and He knows what's wrong with them. Also, He knows what this business means to you all.”
Alex, Cole, and Thomas nodded, but Jacob was resistant.
“If God cared about the animals, He wouldn't have let them get sick in the first place. If He cares about us, why do we have to go through this?”
John and Thomas gave him quizzical looks, but Alex and Cole didn't react. They already had a good idea of how Jacob felt on spiritual matters.
“Being loved by God doesn't mean having a life without problems,” Thomas told him somberly. “We live in an imperfect world. Difficult things are going to happen.”
“That seems like a flimsy excuse,” Jacob retorted angrily. “It's what Christians say when things go wrong.”
John put a hand on the Jacob's shoulder. “I understand more than you can imagine,” he said quietly. “But this is a chance to see God's hand at work.”
“And if the horses die? What does that say about God's hand?” He couldn't stop the scowl from appearing on his face, even though he knew he was being disrespectful to the older man.
John didn't flinch, not even when Jacob jerked away from his hand. “That's a possibility, and we might not ever know the purpose. It's not always easy to trust God, but it's always right. Now, we're going to pray for these horses. You can stay here or not. It's up to you.”
His respect for the others won out over his own aggravation, and he stood by while each man said a prayer, thanking God for His blessings, for the arrival of the horses, and for their own lives. They all asked God for healing for the horses. Thomas prayed that God would give him wisdom to do whatever needed doing.
By the time they were finished, Jacob felt raw with emotion. That Cole and Alex prayed was natural, but for John and Thomas to plead with God on his behalf moved him more than he could have imagined.
“Thank you,” he said gruffly when they were done. “I know I've been difficult, but if you knew my story...”
No one criticized him.
“We all have something,” Thomas assured him. “Not one man here has been left untouched by tragedy or sin.”
“But in the end,” John continued, “we have to figure out if we're going to do it alone or trust God. Not everything has gone my way in life, and even after I decided to turn my life over to God, I spent many years alone. I thought it was my lot, but then Elise came alone. She's been a great blessing, she and my kids.”
“I wish I could just turn it on,” Jacob admitted. “I envy your strong faith, but I... I just don't feel it.”
“No man can convince another.” Cole continued to groom to fidgety horse. “I know that full well. I would just say to keep your heart and mind open and let God do His work. No one ever got to God on his own.”
Even though Jacob didn't have a life-altering transformation that very minute, a strange peace settled around his heart. “I think maybe for now, it's enough that you all believe. Maybe I can lean on you.”
The one horse that had been showing signs of settling down now appeared completely normal. Thomas examined her again and nodded. “I think she's good. Now we just have to keep praying for these other two.”
The five of them spent the night at the stable, taking turns talking to and grooming the two horses that were still agitated. By morning, another one seemed to have taken a turn for the better, leaving just one sick.
Thomas inspected the last one again, and shook his head. “I don't like the sounds of things in there, or rather, the lack of sound. Seems to me that this one has some kind of blockage.”
“Is there nothing you can do?” Jacob asked, his voice cracking with emotion. However, that was more from fatigue than anything else. He didn't feel quite as desperate as before now that two of the three seemed to have recovered.
“I know some vets have had success with operations, but I don't have the facilities to do that. We just have to keep praying that it resolves on its own. We can walk him around a bit and try Epsom salts to move things along, but it's not hopeful.”
Despite the warning, Jacob felt a spark of hope. “I'll visit the chemist,” he said. “Don't give up on our horse just yet.”
He waited for the chemist to open and immediately purchased a large packet of Epsom salts. Thomas administered them as often as he dared, and eventually, the horse seemed to enjoy some relief.
“We're still not in the clear,” he declared before the others could celebrate. “And, by the way, I, uh, can't believe I didn't notice this before, but you might not even want this horse.”
Jacob and his partners looked at Thomas in surprise. “Why not?” they asked, practically in unison.
Thomas gave them a watery smile. “We didn't realize it earlier because of all the commotion, but this horse is a gelding.”
All the men expressed disbelief, but it was easily verified.
“How could they do that to us?” Cole uttered angrily. “They knew we wanted these horses for breeding.”
“Maybe it was an honest mistake,” Alex suggested. “In any case, we'll send a telegram to the seller and tell him that he needs to exchange this one.”
Jacob was stroking the muzzle of the recovering horse, a peaceful look on his face.
“Let's hear his side of it for sure, but I think I don't want to send this one back. He's endured enough. We can order another male from Mister Graham if he gives us a fair price, or we'll get one from someone else, but this is going to be my horse if he makes it.”
The horse in question was the one Jacob had been attending all night and he felt a connection to the animal. Even if it would put him in debt, he was willing to take the loss. His own horse was getting on in age and showing signs of wanting to be put out to pasture. He'd gotten a good ten years out of the horse, but suspected he was closer to twenty-five now.
“Are you sure, Jacob?” Cole asked. “He might not fully recover.”
Jacob gave him a confident smile. “He's going to be fine. I can feel it.”
And he was right.
* * *
It didn't happen in a moment or strike him like a bolt of lightning, but Jacob began to feel surer of God's presence as morning approached. It started from the moment his friends had begun praying, and the assurance continued. Now, as the sun rose and the horses stood peacefully in the stalls, a huge feeling overwhelmed his heart.
“I don't know what it is,” he confessed to John. “It's not like anything I know.”
John grinned and slapped him on the back. “I'd wager that's the Spirit working on your heart. Might be taking a little longer since it's so hard.”
A smile began pulling the corners of his mouth as he considered the assessment. “Might be,” he
agreed good-naturedly. “If this is just the start, I can't wait to see what the end will be.”
“Ah, there's no such thing. We're never finished. God keeps working on us until we're ready for glory.”
The others had left with the horse that had made a full recovery while John and Jacob stayed with the other two, both men willing to wait until it was certain that they were well enough to make the two-hour journey back to the ranch.
“I wonder if I'm far along enough to...” He let the sentence trail off as he remembered who he was talking to. It might be distasteful to talk to John about his sister-in-law.
“To what? Court Rosa?”
Jacob pulled back in surprise and then laughed. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yep, I'm afraid it is, for both of you. She came home the other day after talking to you, looking so down in the mouth that I couldn't help but ask what happened. She told us the whole story, and the three of us started praying for you from that moment.”
An odd tingling sensation traveled down his arms and legs. “You've been...praying for me? Even after all I said?”
John nodded. “God's used to people resisting Him. They've been doing it since the beginning of time, you know. Now, what I can't wait to see is the look on Rosa's face when she finds out that God answered our prayers so quick.”
It was Jacob's great hope that Rosa would believe his heart had changed, not for her, but because God was revealing Himself.
“Maybe we don't tell her right away,” he murmured, stroking the muzzle of the recovering horse. When he tried to think of a name for him, one popped into his head like the flash of a lightning bolt. He decided to name him Miracle. He remembered thinking that it would take a miracle to make him change his mind, and that was exactly what this horse was, but he still didn’t feel ready to see Rosa. “I need some time to figure things out without...thinking about that side of things.”
John nodded thoughtfully. “That's wise. Any time you want to talk, let me know, but you've got two good guys on that ranch with you. They might be young, but their hearts are right with God.”