Someone to Trust

  Megan could only imagine how misplaced Nettie must have felt and her eyes filled with tears. Nettie reached over, placed a slightly calloused hand over hers, and said, “It’s all right, my dear. It has all worked out. After all that, I met a Christian young man, who I fell madly in love with. I came to know his Lord and Savior as my own. I gave my heart to both of them and we’ve been married forty-five years. God had a plan for my life. Though my earthly father left me, I discovered my Heavenly Father had not…and never would.”

  “I don’t understand. You don’t seem to be bitter at all about what he did to you. You don’t appear to hate your father…”

  “I’m not saying I’ve never struggled with those emotions and would be less than human if I hadn’t. But, the same forgiveness that Christ offered to me, He in turn helped me to offer to my father.”

  “How?” Megan asked, nonplussed.

  “God helped me to put aside my father’s desertion and forgive him. He enabled me to demonstrate that forgiveness by allowing him to move in with my family and me, in the later years of his life, when he needed it. I took care of him until he passed away.”

  Megan was speechless. She couldn’t believe Nettie could do such a selfless deed, that she could repay her father’s desertion with so much kindness. It all seemed to be too much. Words escaped her.

  After several hours of chatting, Megan realized how low the sun had become and how quickly the hours had passed. To say the afternoon was enlightening would be an understatement. She learned that everything is not always what it seemed. Though Nettie was the picture of peace and tranquility, hers was not a life untouched by tragedy or hardship. She had a lot to think about on the drive home.

  ****

  After arriving home, she looked to the sky as she walked into the house. The sun was beginning to make its final descent, casting lavender and pink hues across a darkening sky. Megan placed the potted plant Nettie had given her on the ledge of her back porch. She and Sir both stood back, examining the plant. Sir looked skeptically at it and then at Megan, and back at the plant again.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Megan declared aloud with hands on hips. “You’re thinking I’m going to kill it. Nettie assured me it’s a hardy plant, and if I follow her instructions, all will be well.”

  Sir looked doubtful, almost as if he was saying, I’ll believe it when I see it.

  Megan took a seat in the porch chair while Sir plopped down, placing his large head on her feet. She then tore open the sealed envelope Nettie had given her as she was leaving. She unfolded the lavender notepaper and read the neatly scrolled words penned by her new friend.

  Dear Megan,

  I’m writing this letter just prior to you arriving for our day together. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your time with me; I have truly been looking forward to our visit. Since speaking with you on the phone, I have been praying for you. We have known each other only casually from church , therefore, I was not sure how to pray. I simply asked God to help me do or say something today that would be a blessing to you. Not knowing anything about you, I can only assume He has a reason for the scripture I feel impressed to share with you. It has been a comfort to me and is found in the book of Psalms, Chapter 27 verse 10. It is truly a promise that has come to pass in my life.

  God loves you, Megan, and He wants you to find His truth and trust Him.

  Nettie.

  Megan stood up quickly and went indoors, returning moments later with a Bible. With a little difficulty, she located the scripture in Psalms and read aloud, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.”

  Tears sprang immediately to her eyes.

  How? How could Nettie have known?

  She didn’t know.

  She couldn’t have. Nettie stated in her letter she didn’t know why, but she needed to share the scripture with Megan.

  To believe it was mere coincidence that she drew this virtual stranger’s name from a basket, this stranger with an experience so similar to her own, was just foolish. Was God trying to get her to see His truth? The truth that He loved her, His son had died for her and He had never forsaken her. She, in her anger, had turned her back on Him. Yet, He directed her path to this precious woman to speak His love to her.

  She began to cry, as the realization of truth sank in. She had forsaken Him when her earthly father had forsaken her. However, He was waiting to take her up, in other words to take care of her, if she would let Him. All this searching, this path Pastor Dan had spoken of, had led her to the mountains, to Cindy, to Lee, to Nettie and back to Him.

  She bowed her head in remorse, whispering in a broken voice, “I’m sorry, Father. Please help me to accept Your forgiveness as Nettie has. Help me to forgive as well. I don’t want to be alone and I don’t want to be angry anymore. I’ve made a mess of my life without You. I need You. Help me to trust again.” It was a simple prayer; nonetheless, it received attention in heaven and she knew now that He would respond.

  It was almost as if Megan could feel arms being wrapped around her. Like a gentle breeze, she felt peace begin to flow over her wounded spirit. With that came something else, a feeling of belonging. She felt something she had not felt in a long, long time.

  The love of a father. Her Heavenly Father.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Megan was looking forward to her weekend. She and Lee had been talking the night before and came upon the fact they were both headed to Atlanta to see their mothers for the weekend. He had suggested they share the ride and she agreed.

  After getting Sir dropped off and settled with Cindy, Megan was sitting in her vehicle with her hands on the wheel, ready to back out of the drive. Cindy reached in and tapped Megan. “Not so fast, my friend, what’s up?”

  Her lovely eyes held Megan’s with a searching gaze. “You seem…different. More relaxed and…”

  Megan smiled softly. “An enormous change has taken place in me.”

  “A…spiritual change?”

  “One that only comes from accepting a relationship with Jesus.”

  “Oh, Meg!” Cindy exclaimed jubilantly, reaching through the vehicle window to grasp her friend in a hug. “I’ve been praying for so long.”

  “I know, Cindy, and I appreciate it so much. God truly placed you in my life and directed my steps here so I could meet other people who would impact my life and help me to discover the truth.”

  “Does Lee know?”

  Megan shook her head. She was still shy about revealing private things about herself. However, she knew that as a disciple of Christ one of the first things she should do was share her conversion.

  “He’ll be thrilled. He’s been praying for you, too.”

  “How do you know?” Megan quizzed.

  “He and my husband are best friends, silly, and Alan says he mentions you often.”

  As a blush permeated her cheeks, Megan was at a loss for words.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve told Lee you love him either?”

  Leave it to Cindy to always go straight to the heart of a matter. Megan opened her mouth to deny it, only to immediately close it when no words formed. Once more, she opened it to speak, but promptly closed it again. There was no denying it, especially to Cindy. Cindy gave her a face-splitting grin and patted her on the arm. No words were necessary.

  Megan was shaking as she pulled out of the drive. She had the drive back to her cabin to meet Lee to get herself composed again.

  ****

  The trip with Lee to Atlanta was more than enjoyable. Lee had purchased a new saxophone CD and it filled the car with soft music as they passed the miles with conversation. They were not far into the trip, when Lee reached over and took her hand. Her fingers remained intertwined with his until they reached their destination. Occasionally, Lee would take his thumb and make soft circular motions on the inside of her palm. The touch of his rough thumb on her softer skin sent small shivers up her arm and down her spine. How could such a simple gesture
give her that kind of reaction?

  As they got closer to Atlanta, Lee shared some of the plans for the weekend with his mom. Megan joined in, and while quietly listing the things she was going to do, she slipped in, “I’m going to the cemetery to visit my father’s grave.”

  Lee briefly took his eyes off the road, glancing at her in surprise. By her own previous admissions, she had not been to the cemetery since her father’s funeral.

  “Does this mean you’ve finally forgiven him?” he inquired, gently.

  “It means…with the Lord’s help, I’m trying,” she whispered, honestly.

  Lee squeezed her small hand, asking, “Megan?”

  She knew the question he wasn’t forming and simply whispered, “Yes.”

  Yes, she had accepted the relationship God offered through His son Jesus. She had reconciled with her Heavenly Father.

  Lee released a joyous and loud “Wahoo!” so startling Megan she nearly jumped out of her skin. His evident pleasure delighted her and she couldn’t help chuckling at his response. He joined her and they were both laughing when they crossed into Atlanta city limits.

  Megan grew quiet as they crossed into the heart of the city. Atlanta held many shadows of her past. Shadows she had managed to avoid the last two years. Some of which she would face this weekend; others she hoped desperately to continue to avoid.

  When they arrived at Helen McCormick’s home, her pleasure at seeing her daughter again was evident. When she greeted the twosome at the door, she threw her arms around her daughter, with a cry of joy, and held her close for several minutes.

  Lee unobtrusively set the two overnight bags on the tiled foyer floor, while quietly observing the two women. It would be obvious to anyone they were very close and were related. With the exception of Helen’s darker hair, she was an older version of Megan and just as lovely. In fact, she looked more like Megan’s older sister, than her mother.

  Releasing Megan, Helen turned to Lee with an extended hand. “I’m Helen McCormick, forgive me for being so rude. It’s been a few months since I’ve been to Laurel Ridge to see my girl.”

  “No apology needed. I’m Lee Grainger.” Lee’s large hand swallowed Helen’s as he gave her a wide smile.

  “I was going to make introductions, Mom, if you’d given me the chance,” Megan teased Helen.

  “Lee, would you like to come in and have some tea? Or dessert perhaps?” Helen invited.

  “Actually, I’d love to, but I’m afraid my mother is expecting me and she isn’t very patient,” he said, grinning to remove any insult to his mother.

  “Oh, of course, you should never keep a mother waiting, you know.” She turned to Megan and said, “I’ll just carry these bags to your room, while you see Lee off.” With that, she departed, leaving Megan alone with Lee in the foyer.

  “Thanks for allowing me to ride down with you.” Megan broke the silence.

  “The pleasure was all mine. I enjoy spending time with you, Megan,” he said in a low voice, his heart quickening.

  “Really?” she breathed, sounding almost as giddy as a schoolgirl.

  “So much so that I’d like you to agree to go to dinner with me Sunday evening before we leave for home. If you have no other plans, that is?”

  Without hesitation, she agreed, “I’d love it. What time?”

  “I’ll pick you up here at 5:30. The place I want to take you is on the way out of Atlanta so we can just leave straight from there, if that’s okay with you?”

  “Perfect,” she said, with an illuminating smile.

  Lee inhaled deeply; when she smiled at him like that, he couldn’t think straight.

  “Okay then, I’ll see you at 5:30 on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, enjoy your time with your mom.”

  “You, too,” Megan responded.

  Lee turned to go, but before he opened the door, he pivoted back toward Megan. Opening his arms wide, he didn’t have to say a word. She walked into his inviting arms and they closed tightly around her pulling her into his large frame. Heat radiated from him seeming to take on an energy that in turn coursed through her.

  “I know it’s only for a couple of days, but I’m going to miss you,” he whispered into her hair.

  She turned her face up toward him, her amber eyes glowing as she whispered huskily, “And I’m going to miss you.”

  Lee’s eyes held hers in a magnetic stare for a few seconds before his head slowly descended and his mouth covered hers. Moments passed as his legs became unsteady and his mind fuzzy. Lee ended the kiss, cleared his throat and gently put her away from him.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” he said, leaning forward and tenderly kissing her on the forehead. “I really do need to go now but I will be thinking about you.”

  “Bye,” Megan whispered weakly.

  It took every ounce of strength he had to turn and head out to his car. Everything inside him wanted to run back, capture her in his arms and kiss her again and again. He knew now wasn’t the time and didn’t want to threaten the progress they were making.

  Oh, but I can wish. He turned back to see her standing in the doorframe watching him as he settled in the car. As he drove away, he looked in the rearview mirror to see her still standing there.

  ****

  When Megan walked into the kitchen, her mother took one look at her daughter’s face and released a knowing, “Oh my…”

  Her comment was lost on a bemused Megan.

  “What, Mom?”

  “Never mind, dear; I’ve taken your suitcases up to your room. Let’s get your clothes unpacked.”

  Later that night, mother and daughter sat up, catching up on lost time. They sat on Helen’s bed talking, much the same way they had since Megan was a little girl.

  Megan shared her meeting with Nettie, her mother listening intently as she retold the details of the woman’s life. Helen’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears as Megan talked.

  “She seems to be a remarkable lady,” Helen surmised, accurately. “I’d love to meet her.”

  “She is and you will.”

  “What about this young man of yours? Is he responsible for the change in you?”

  “Partially, but he’s not really my young man,” Megan answered, truthfully.

  “Anyone watching the way he looks at you would disagree,” Helen contradicted.

  Megan wanted to explain to her mother what, or more accurately who, was responsible for the change in her. She wanted to tell her about the truth she’d discovered but she simply didn’t know how. Her mother had not attended church since Ray abandoned them, feeling pretty much the same way about God as Megan had.

  Megan snapped back to attention when her mother said, “Well, judging by the way Lee Grainger looked at you, it’s only a matter of time until he is your young man.”

  “Mom!” Megan’s cheeks flushed with warmth.

  “Honey, it is so good to see you relaxed, without that tense haunted look in your eyes. I haven’t seen you this way since…” She broke off in midstream.

  Megan was suddenly filled with shame. She’d never been able to tell her mother the reason behind the tense, haunted look. Trevor Raines. How could she? Her mother would have been so disappointed in her. Yet, it had been very difficult to keep the secret, especially since it was the first, and only, thing she had kept from her mother, adding to the guilt she carried.

  All Helen knew was Megan’s relationship with Trevor ceased abruptly. Though her anguish was apparent, Megan never offered her mother an explanation. Respecting her daughter’s privacy, Helen did not pry.

  After a few moments of silence with each woman lost in her own thoughts, Megan redirected the conversation, learning some interesting details about her mother’s life. As Helen spoke, Megan detected the same lilt as she had heard on recent phone conversations.

  To Megan’s surprise, she discovered her mother, who had rarely dated a man after Ray’s death, was dating a gentleman five years her senior. She and Ben Cartier had been seei
ng one another exclusively for the last six months.

  “Ben’s wife died three years ago,” Helen explained. “I met him through a mutual friend who had recommended me as an honest and knowledgeable real estate agent when Ben decided to buy a smaller home.”

  Her mother paused for a few moments as if weighing what she wanted to say. “We liked each other immediately and continued enjoying one another’s company long after all real estate transactions were complete. I hesitated telling you about Ben in the beginning, because I believed it was a temporary situation.”