Right Where I Belong

by Krista McGee

  “So is Zach as wonderful as he seems?” Lexi looked over to see that young man flirting with one of the VIP guests.

  Kara shrugged. “I didn’t really spend a lot of time with him. Paige Hanson and I had gotten to know each other a little during auditions, so I spent most of my free time with her.”

  Natalia remembered seeing the audition episode where Kara and the other girls played guest parts on Morgan’s Road. Addy told Natalia that Kara was sure that audition was her worst. Natalia wasn’t much of a judge of acting, but Kara seemed very natural in all the roles she played.

  “And with Chad.” Lexi winked.

  “Yes, with Chad.” Kara’s eyes darted to her handsome costar.

  “So how is it, working with the man you love every day?” Lexi leaned forward and batted her eyes.

  Kara blushed. “His parents don’t want us to get too serious yet. So the L word definitely isn’t in play. But it’s great. We have a Bible study every morning. My parents are even coming to that.”

  “That’s great.” Addy smiled.

  “I know. And they love the Beacons. The four of them will go out to lunch while we’re filming or hang out and just talk. My dad is the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time.”

  “Kara’s dad had a heart attack a few months ago,” Addy said. “The doctor recommended he retire and move down here so he could fully recover.”

  “He goes to physical therapy three times a week,” Kara said. “And he’s even starting to eat better. Dr. Kara is helping him out there.”

  “But back to Chad.” Lexi raised her eyebrows.

  “Chad is great.” Kara bit her lip. “I’ve never known anyone so caring. And fun. To get to work with him every day, doing something I love so much . . . it’s amazing.”

  “God loves to give good gifts to his children.” Addy smiled.

  “Yes, he does.”

  “Well, I’d like the good gift of Zach Stone.” Lexi watched as he made his way to yet another young woman.

  A network executive walked up to the foursome, accompanied by a distinguished-looking man in a suit and his equally distinguished-looking college-age son. “Kara, I’d like to introduce our senator, Gerald Perkins.”

  “You’re from Tampa, aren’t you?” Lexi looked down at the man—a good two inches shorter than herself.

  “I am.” The senator shook hands with all the girls. “And this is my son, James.”

  James smiled. “We enjoyed the show, Kara.”

  “Thank you. We enjoyed making it.”

  Natalia knew Kara meant that. What would it be like to get to do what she loved every day? But what do I love? The image of helping in the ESL program popped into her head. Right, like I could do that for a living. Mamà and Papa would yell at me for even suggesting it.

  “Where do you guys go to school?” James asked.

  “It’s a small Christian school,” Addy answered. “You’ve probably never heard of it.”

  “Actually I worked with a guy from a small Christian school this summer. Tampa Christian, I think.”

  “That’s our school!” Lexi grabbed James by the shoulders and shook him. “Who’d you work with?”

  “Brian Younger.”

  Natalia felt her face heat up. Even in Orlando, she couldn’t escape him.

  “He’s our pastor’s son.” Addy pulled Lexi off the senator’s son.

  “Great guy. We worked demolition together.” James snapped his fingers. “Actually, we worked for the Adams’s family. Their son goes to Tampa Christian too, I think.”

  “Spencer.” Lexi sighed.

  James grimaced. “Brian is by far the better man.”

  Addy and Lexi both looked at Natalia.

  James looked at Natalia. “Are you two . . . ?”

  “No.” Natalia wished she were anywhere but here.

  “He’s a great kid,” James said. “Hard worker, fun, mature.”

  “I don’t think this young woman wants you matchmaking, son,” the senator interrupted. Natalia closed her eyes in relief. “We just wanted to come by and let you know how proud we are of you guys. A show that’s funny and family friendly. That’s what I love to see. Keep up the good work.”

  The rest of the evening was a blur of introductions, rich food, and loud music. At midnight, the girls hugged Kara good-bye and headed back to Tampa.

  Natalia tried to stay awake for Addy, but her eyelids refused to obey. Thankfully, Lexi was in the front seat and was especially chatty. Natalia gave in to fatigue, her thoughts drifting back to James Perkins’s praise of Brian. Too tired to fight off the thoughts, Natalia allowed herself to agree with the senator’s son. Brian was great . . .

  Chapter 37

  Brian sat back as Natalia patiently explained the words on the handout. Tonight’s ESL class was focused on shopping vocabulary, and Brian had asked Natalia to lead, knowing she would be a much better teacher on that subject than he would.

  “Many of these words are similar to our own.”

  Brian resisted the urge to close his eyes and listen to Natalia speak. Her accent was intoxicating. Combined with her exotic good looks and incredible personality, she was irresistible.

  But I have to resist. The whole school had been in shock when word spread that Natalia Lopez had rejected Spencer Adams’s invitation to homecoming. She’s made it clear dating is out. God, why can’t you make it clear to me too? Being around her all the time is harder than working demolition ever was.

  Natalia flipped through a PowerPoint presentation she had put together. Photos of different stores, with a variety of items, filled each screen. Below each picture was the word in English. She finished a tour of Target by walking through the toy aisle.

  Smart thinking. Several of the students had children. This particular vocabulary would be quite helpful.

  Confirming that suspicion, hands went up.

  “What is the word for rompecabezas?” Victor asked.

  Natalia thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. Brian?”

  “Rompa-what?” Brian snapped out of his daydreams.

  “Rompecabezas. It’s like a picture that’s broken into pieces that you have to fit together.”

  “Puzzle?”

  Natalia’s eyes closed. “Yes, of course. Puzzle.”

  The class tried to say that word—the overload of consonants difficult for Spanish speakers.

  Several more hands went up, and Natalia easily identified the words for skateboard, coloring book, and action figure.

  When class ended, several of the students thanked her for the lesson, feeling ready to begin early Christmas shopping now that they knew the words for the items on their children’s wish lists.

  “You are a good teacher.” Brian shut the door as Victor, the last of the students, exited.

  She turned off the computer. “I was lucky to have been educated in Spanish and English.”

  “Yes, but knowing a subject doesn’t always mean someone can teach it. You, my friend, have a gift.”

  Natalia looked at Brian, her green eyes dancing. “I do love this.”

  “You’ll be a great teacher someday.”

  Her eyes darkened. “My parents wouldn’t like that at all.”

  “Why?” Brian straightened. “Teaching is a noble profession.”

  “Yes, but my parents expect me to go into a lucrative profession.”

  He laughed. “Teaching definitely doesn’t pay well.”

  “Exactly.”

  “But do you think God wants you to be a teacher?”

  “I think God wants me to obey my parents and not waste the thousands of dollars they have invested in my education.”

  The edge to Natalia’s voice silenced any further arguments Brian wanted to make.

  “I’m sorry.” Natalia walked close to Brian, her vanilla-scented perfume enveloping him. “I have been thinking about this a lot. My parents expect me to go to an Ivy League school and become a successful businesswoman.”

  “But that doesn’t
appeal to you.” Brian was grateful for parents who always encouraged him to follow God’s path for his life. “Have you prayed about it?”

  “I’ve prayed for peace to obey my parents.” Natalia stepped away, and Brian resisted the urge to pull her close to him.

  “God has a plan for your life. If that plan is different from your parents’ plan, you need to follow God’s.”

  Natalia smiled. Brian felt his heart lighten.

  “Your mom said the same thing.”

  Brian had forgotten about his mother’s earlier struggles. She made her choice to follow God long before Brian was born. “Her dad hated that she married my dad.”

  “But it was obviously the right thing to do.”

  “Obviously.”

  Natalia sat in one of the green cloth chairs. “But they’d be so angry. And what about my testimony? Wouldn’t I lose my parents’ respect if I disobeyed them?”

  Brian pulled up a chair to sit across from her. He could see the struggle on her face and prayed for wisdom to know how to help her. “It comes back to God. Are you more willing to refuse his plans for you or your parents’?”

  Natalia closed her eyes. “Why do they have to be different? It isn’t fair.”

  “If your parents gave you a green light to do anything you wanted, what would it be?”

  She looked around the room. “This. I’d want to keep doing this. I’d love to go to a Bible college so I could learn more, to help people know him better.”

  Brian watched Natalia’s eyes light up as she talked. Brian leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “There’s a verse in Psalms that says, ‘Delight yourself also in the LORD, and he shall give you the desires of your heart.”

  “So God will give me what I want?”

  Brian shook his head. “Dad says that verse means that when we are really seeking God, he’ll put his desires in our hearts. He makes us want to do what he wants us to do.”

  Natalia’s eyebrows furrowed. “But what I want to do is go to a Bible college.”

  “And you’re seeking God, right?”

  Natalia bit her lip. “I’m trying to.”

  “So that desire is from God. So is the desire to teach. God put those desires in your heart.”

  “But my parents . . .”

  “Trust God with your parents. But obey his voice.”

  Natalia put her head in her hands. “This is so hard.”

  The door opened and Juanita, a beautiful Ecuadorian woman in her midthirties, stepped quietly into the room.

  “Señorita Natalia.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “I had to come back, to tell you thank you. Tomorrow I interview for a job. At Target. You help me. Now I know more words. I can get job, help people. Buy Christmas presents for my daughters. All thanks to you.”

  Natalia returned the woman’s hug. Juanita wiped tears from her eyes as she left the room. Natalia had tears of her own streaming down her cheeks.

  “You okay?”

  She turned away from Brian and composed herself. “Yes, I’ve just never . . .”

  “You’re making a difference.” He handed her a tissue. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

  Natalia turned to Brian, her green eyes bright from tears unshed. “It does.”

  She looked so vulnerable, so helpless. Brian reached out for her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Natalia rested her head on his chest and gave into the tears. Brian knew she wasn’t just crying over Juanita’s words. These tears were for her family, for Maureen, for all the different directions she was being pulled in. He also knew this felt so right. Too right. The only girls he’d ever hugged were his mom and sisters.

  This is definitely not the same. Brian’s heart raced and his mind went places he knew it shouldn’t. I’m just a shoulder to cry on. That’s it. Natalia probably doesn’t see me any differently than my sisters do.

  Brian pushed those thoughts from his mind and rubbed Natalia’s slender back with his hands. Her tears were slowing and, unfortunately, she pulled away. Her face was red. Was she blushing? Embarrassed?

  “I’m sorry.” Natalia grabbed her purse and rifled through it. “I’m just . . .”

  “Natalia.” Brian touched her shoulder. “You don’t need to feel guilty for struggling.”

  Her smile was slow, but Brian could see hope breaking through her despair.

  The door opened again. This time Pastor Mike stepped into the room. “You guys done? I’m ready to go home.”

  Natalia straightened and picked up the last of the night’s snacks. “We were just heading out.”

  Brian’s heart sank. I was just starting to break through. Thanks, Mike.

  “I’m ready.” Natalia looked up at Brian.

  Any hope he had of just feeling friendship was gone. He needed to stop lying to himself. He was falling for this girl and falling hard.

  Chapter 38

  I’ve been trying to stay out of my sister’s hair. But I think I need to step in.” Carol sat across from Natalia at a picnic table outside the school cafeteria. She had taken the day off and, after dropping her girls in their classes, came and asked if Natalia could miss part of first period.

  “I’m so glad you feel that way.” Natalia had tried to encourage Maureen to speak to her sister, but that woman refused, barely even speaking to Carol when they saw each other at church. “I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow. Maureen will be all alone for a week.”

  Carol shook her head. “I shouldn’t have waited so long. It’s just that . . .”

  Maureen and Carol’s relationship was strained. Maureen resented Carol’s “perfect” life. “Maureen thinks you’re waiting to tell her you were right about her marrying my father.”

  “I would never say that to her. She’s grieving. I don’t need to make life harder for her. I want to help her. I just don’t know how.” Carol shrugged. “Maureen was always the strong one, always in charge. She knew what she wanted and she made it happen.”

  Natalia thought how different Maureen was from that description. “The divorce has changed her.”

  “But not forever.” Carol’s eyes shone. “God doesn’t want her to be defined by this.”

  Natalia thought of the times she had begged Maureen to seek help, to forgive, move on. “I don’t know how to help her.”

  Tears fell down Carol’s cheeks and she held Natalia’s hand. “You should never have been put in the position where you felt that was your job. I’m so sorry, Natalia.”

  Natalia looked down at the wooden table, fighting her own tears. “She won’t go to a counselor.”

  “Maybe not.” Carol smiled. “But she can go and have fun. Get away. I’ll talk to Jack. While you’re gone to Costa Rica, we can go on a girls’ weekend. Reconnect. Relax.” Carol’s smile broadened. “Maureen needs to be reminded that life goes on, and she needs to enjoy it.”

  “I don’t know if she’ll agree to that.”

  “Then I’ll kidnap her.” Carol laughed.

  “What?”

  “I’ll just grab her and throw her in the car. We’ll go to the beach, have a spa day. We used to do that all the time before she moved to Spain.” Carol folded her arms, lost in thought. “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before now.”

  Natalia prayed God would use this to help bring Maureen out of her depression. The knowledge that someone else was helping work toward that end was a relief to Natalia’s struggling soul.

  The bell rang and Natalia, not wanting to miss Bible class, hugged Carol and made her way out of the courtyard.

  “Natalia.” Spencer walked toward her. “Ready for Bible?”

  “My favorite class of the day.”

  He raised his eyebrows at her. “You’re probably wondering why I was coming from the main office.”

  She chose not to offend the young man by stating no, that thought hadn’t crossed her mind.

  “I was called out of first hour because the school is putting together a promotional video, and they wanted to interview me for it.” Spencer�
�s smile spoke volumes. “I guess they think I’ll be a good face for the school.”

  “That’s quite an honor.”

  He laughed. “Well, I guess there’s not a lot to choose from. I mean, who else would they pick? Acne-faced Derek Harris? Or Brian the Friendly Ghost?”

  Natalia’s face heated at Spencer’s tone. “Brian is one of the nicest, most selfless guys on this campus. He’d be a wonderful choice to represent the school.”

  Spencer raised his hands in surrender. “I was just kidding. Brian’s a nice guy. It’s just that . . .”

  “You’re better looking?”

  “You think?” Spencer laughed.

  What happened to the nice guy who struggles with his parents just like I struggle with mine? “I think I don’t want to be late for Bible class.” She walked into the senior hallway.

  Spencer walked right behind her. His overpowering cologne made Natalia’s eyes burn. “You can keep running, Natalia, but I’ll catch you eventually.”

  “What?” Natalia spun around.

  “Come on.” His grin never wavered. “Everyone expects us to date. We might as well give them what they want.”

  “I don’t date.” Can this guy not take no for an answer?

  “Okay, so let’s not date. Let’s just hang out and have some fun.” Spencer shrugged. “It’s our senior year. You need some better memories than sitting at home with your stepmom and helping translate Spanish at church.”

  The bell rang as Natalia opened her mouth to respond to his ludicrous remarks.

  “We’ll talk later.” Spencer slid into his desk and winked at Natalia.

  She caught Brian’s gaze as it went from her to a very smug Spencer. She hated the sadness she saw there, hated that Spencer’s confident air led Brian to believe there was something between Spencer and her.

  Pastor Brian opened his Bible and all thoughts of boys were gone. Today they were starting their discussion of worldviews. Natalia had read several chapters ahead in their textbook and was thrilled at what she learned.

  “How we view the world affects everything we do.” Pastor Brian flipped on the projector and revealed the first slide of his PowerPoint. Two huge pairs of glasses were side by side. One pair looked like a Bible with rims and earpieces. The other pair was made from a globe. “Do we view life through the perspective of God’s Word? Or do we see it from the world’s perspective?”