Fresh-Start Family

by Lisa Mondello

  “I slept a few hours, but I’ve been up since two o’clock. Brian and my father were so tuckered out last night that a bomb could have gone off in the yard and neither of them would have roused.”

  He stared at her for a few moments, just taking her in completely.

  Finally, she said, “Was there something you wanted to tell me?”

  “Yes.”

  Her shoulders slumped—just slightly, but enough for him to know she was bracing herself.

  “I wanted to tell you that you’re beautiful. I just wanted you to know that.”

  The smile she gave him transformed her whole face and made it impossible for Tag to breathe. She was beautiful, but he wondered how long it had been since she’d heard those words from someone.

  “Thank you,” she said, touching her cheek with her hand. “Is that really what you came here to say?”

  He gave her a crooked grin. “Yeah, pretty much. If you give me a few minutes, I can think of something else, too.”

  Jenna chuckled as she slowly moved toward him. “Sometimes I forget…” Her expression was a mixture of nervousness and resolve. “What’s that?”

  Taking a deep breath, as if she was searching for courage, she looked away and then back at him again. Even in the darkness, her eyes sought him out and her beauty stole his breath away.

  “I’m so many things to so many people. I get pulled in all kinds of directions. Dad needs me to help him out at the farm. My business needs my attention all the time and Brian… Not that I mind. I love my family.”

  “But?”

  “There are so many tasks in a day that need to be done that I forget that there is more to me than just a housekeeper, a business owner, a mother.”

  “You’re a woman,” he said.

  She nodded.

  “I’m not likely to forget that, Jenna. Ever.”

  “Then remind me.”

  She launched into his arms. He loved how she seemed to fit so well with him, how her warmth and compassion wrapped around him like a blanket. And the way she filled a void that had long left him empty.

  He kissed her sweet lips, lightly at first and then with more meaning, which filled his heart beyond measure.

  When he pulled away, he glanced down into her beautiful face. “I see it, Jenna. I see you.”

  “Do you?”

  Tag nodded. Brushing the hair back from her face, he searched her eyes. “How long do you think Brian will sleep?”

  “Long enough for you to hold me like this for a while.”

  “I like having you in my arms, Jenna.”

  He kissed her again, this time with feeling and determination his words couldn’t express.

  For a few moments they just held each other as the sky grew brighter with the morning light. Neither one of them spoke. It was as if everything they needed to say had been taken care of and now it was just them, watching the beauty of the morning become the day and enjoying just being with each other.

  Contentment was the only word that came to Tag’s mind. When was the last time he’d felt as good as he had these last twenty-four hours? He couldn’t remember.

  “Want to watch the sunrise with me?” he finally asked.

  Jenna chuckled. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”

  Her face was pressed against his chest as she looked across the field toward the brightening sky. He felt her words and her laughter reverberate through him.

  “I don’t mean like this. I mean from the air.”

  Pulling back, she glanced up at him. The sky had grown bright enough for him to finally see the excitement in her eyes. “Really?”

  “Let’s go.”

  Tom held her hand as Jenna ran behind him toward the landing strip. The morning chill made her shudder, something she hadn’t felt when she’d been in Tom’s arms. The fields looked as if there were a carpet of crystals spread out upon them, created by the morning dew.

  She giggled as she ran. Was this a dream? Lord, even in my wildest dreams I never expected this. It wasn’t a dream, her mind concluded. She wasn’t home in her room. She was on Tom’s farm and they were about to chase the sunrise, one of God’s greatest creations.

  They reached the plane, and he opened the door for her, helping her in as he always did. After securing the door, he performed his flight check. Even in his excitement, he didn’t rush. But Jenna saw the contentment filling his eyes as he glanced at her. She’d never seen him this way before. But she knew the feeling and felt it deep in her heart as well. And she’d chase it from one end of the sky to the next if it meant being with Tom.

  Jenna avoided her father’s face as she walked through the door midmorning, even though she knew she hadn’t done a thing to be ashamed of or to confess to. She was a grown woman, and her father had all but booted her out of the house last night while they were on the porch. It just had taken her a bit longer to realize he’d been right.

  “Did you get chocolate milk, Mom?” Brian said, bustling up beside her.

  She gave him a quick squeeze. “What, sweetie?”

  “Grandpa said you’d probably gone to the store. I thought maybe while you were there you might want to get some chocolate milk.”

  Brian’s smile was heartbreaking. Not only because she hadn’t come back with the goody he seemed to be waiting for, but because of the reason she’d returned later than she’d expected in the first place. Brian would have loved to watch the sunrise from the plane. Jenna couldn’t ever remember seeing anything so beautiful in her life. But if her relationship with Tom really was going where it seemed to be, then maybe there’d be other chances.

  She saw the grin that seemed to be pulling at her father’s cheeks and realized that he was trying his best to hold back. What a turnaround from her younger days, she thought as she pulled the half-filled coffeepot from the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup.

  “Ah, no, I didn’t get a chance to go to the store, after all.”

  Lying was something she’d promised herself she’d never do with Brian, but that didn’t mean he needed a full explanation. She’d just leave it at that.

  “Why don’t you get dressed and then help your grandfather with these dishes?” she added. “I need to take a quick shower before we can go to church.”

  “Is Tom coming, Mom?” Clearly, yesterday had been enough to wipe away the friction between them.

  “I don’t think so, honey. He’s got a lot of work to catch up on.”

  That was enough to satisfy Brian, to her relief. As she listened to Brian’s heavy feet on the stair treads as he bound upstairs, she gave her father a look.

  “Chocolate milk?” she said.

  “He came up with that on his own. I just suggested that you could have gone to the store.”

  “Tom stopped by around five, and we watched the sun rise. That’s all.”

  “I wasn’t asking for an explanation. I know you’ve got a good head on your shoulders and you’re a good Christian woman.” He gave her a quick squeeze. “Must have been a nice sunrise. You’re all flushed.”

  She laughed. “You’re impossible. I need to get ready for church.”

  As she climbed the stairs, she realized things had changed. The whole feel of her life seemed to have shifted this morning as she sat next to Tom in the plane, watching the sun peek its glow over the horizon. He was a man who could make her happy. She was sure of it now—just as she was certain that she could do the same for him. But there still was the nagging doubt. Could she count on him to stay?

  What started this morning could very well mean their lives would become worlds apart if Tom decided to return to service again.

  It had been a long time since Tag had stepped foot inside a church.

  He sat in the parking lot of the church and watched the cars come in and park. It had been a long time since he’d gone to church and he was eager to be in the Lord’s house again. Resisting the urge to check his watch, he wondered if Jenna and Brian weren’t coming today. Jenna had been exhaus
ted after their flight this morning. He’d managed an hour of sleep before getting ready for church, but she had Brian and it was doubtful he’d let her rest.

  He could always go inside alone. Sighing, he pushed the truck door open and stepped out into the sunshine. A smile lit his face when he heard Brian’s squeal of delight.

  “Hi, Tom!” The sound of feet on the ground barreling toward him grew louder until Brian launched himself into Tag’s arms.

  “Hey, Scout. You’re going to wrinkle your church clothes.”

  “It’s already a done deal,” Jenna said. “He’s been fidgeting for the last half hour. And we’re going to be forced to sit in the back of the church—again—because he couldn’t keep his hands off the piglets while I was getting ready.”

  “We’ll sit together.” The surprised look on her face told Tag she was pleased. “I figured after yesterday people will be talking. There’s no sense pretending the rumors are untrue.”

  She smiled and looped her arm through his. “That sounds nice.”

  Brian continued to fidget through the service, ignoring Jenna’s hushed scolding to sit quiet, but no one seemed to mind. At least, no one seemed outwardly annoyed. When Crystal was a baby, Tag and Nancy had always taken her to church together when he was on leave. She’d make noise and look up at the lights or church beams.

  During one particular service, when Crystal was particularly vocal, the pastor stopped the service and commented that the sound of children talking in church was just proof that they were talking to the Lord. Their voices were pure, and their words understood by God.

  As the memory became clearer, Tag was struck by how it didn’t pain him to remember. Maybe there was hope that one day the good memories he had would come to the surface without the pain they used to bring.

  Tag found the service surprisingly inspiring, particularly when the pastor mentioned the verse John 12:46, which echoed what Tag was feeling so well.

  I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

  He’d been in darkness for a very long time, long before he’d come back from Afghanistan and discovered his family was gone. It was only by coming here to Chesterfield, by knowing Jenna and, after her example, opening his heart that he returned to the Lord and saw that guiding love.

  He made a mental note to seek the pastor out after church to thank him again for changing the game for Brian at the festival, and to tell him how much he’d enjoyed the service.

  Coffee and pastry were served in the rectory after the service. He followed Jenna and Brian to the hall with the others.

  “This is Brian’s favorite part of church, I’m sorry to say,” Jenna said to the pastor.

  “He’s here. That’s what counts.” Pastor Robbins turned to Tag. “That was quite the idea you had for the wheelbarrow baseball game yesterday. It was a hit. A lot of people who don’t normally participate joined in and enjoyed it a lot. We’ll have to make it a tradition.”

  Tag glanced around the room and saw that Brian was out of earshot over at the buffet table, deciding between a piece of chocolate cake and a brownie. “It made Brian happy. He was really disappointed about not being able to play.”

  “All the kids play,” a woman, who introduced herself as Carol, said as she came up to where he was standing with Jenna and the pastor. “If they want to, that is.”

  “Brian has an unusual condition,” Jenna explained. “His only kidney is really fragile, and too much exercise without proper hydration is really dangerous. The doctor advised us against him playing because we knew he’d overexert himself just being at the festival. We didn’t want to tax his body too much.”

  Carol nodded. “I didn’t realize his condition was that serious. I’m a nurse at the clinic two days a week. I haven’t had a chance to meet you and Brian until now, but the doctor did mention we have a patient in town with kidney disease and to be on the alert should he come in. Is that Brian?”

  “Unfortunately, yes,” said Jenna.

  “Is he a candidate for a kidney transplant?” Carol asked.

  Jenna shook her head. “Not yet. They don’t consider his condition urgent enough. Truthfully, I don’t want him to get to the point of being so sick that he’d have to be moved higher on the donor list, either.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Carol said. “But family members donate kidneys for transplant all the time, making it easier on the recipient.”

  “If I could, I’d give him one of my kidneys right now so he could play like that all the time,” Jenna said.

  “Why can’t you?” the pastor asked.

  “Aside from the fact that Brian would have to be a little older to accept an adult kidney, my blood type and skin type are wrong for transplant. He’s going to have to wait for a donor, when the time comes. Until then, it’s dialysis in Valentine a few times a week.”

  The serious look on Carol’s face concerned Tag. He knew of Brian’s illness, but he didn’t understand just how serious it really was.

  “It’s really too bad we don’t have the funds to get a dialysis machine for the clinic,” said Carol. “But there is only so much money to go around and so much this small town needs given that we don’t have a full-scale medical facility close by. I just hate to think this little guy will need to do dialysis until he can get a transplant. That’s a long haul a couple of times every week for both of you.”

  “How much does a dialysis machine cost?” Pastor Robbins asked.

  Carol thought a second. “It depends. Obviously, a new unit would be much more expensive than a used or refurbished one. And they do have home dialysis machines now, but again, they’re very expensive. And with a child, a doctor would want to monitor Brian. Refurbished dialysis equipment can easily be several thousand dollars, depending on its age. A newer one would be three or four times that cost. And then you’d need a trained technician. Like I said, the clinic just doesn’t have enough money to invest with only one person in the community needing dialysis.”

  “That leaves us with a lot of travel time and praying for a donor for when the time comes.” Jenna sighed.

  “Anyone with the same blood type and tissue type can be a donor?” Tag asked.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Carol said. “As I said, a lot of family members will get tested when a family member needs a donor, and then the doctors will wait for the recipient to be old enough to accept the donor organ if he or she is too young. As long as Brian’s condition does not worsen as he grows, there’s no reason a donor kidney can’t be found ahead of time for when the time is right. Why wait if you can plan ahead?”

  “Then I’ll get tested,” Tag said.

  Jenna’s eyes filled with tears. “Really? You’d do that?”

  “Why not? The Lord gave me two kidneys and I really need only one. There’s no reason not to share. It’ll be easier on everyone if a donor can be found ahead of time instead of waiting until it becomes an emergency. Brian will be stronger and able to handle the surgery better.” Tag took in a deep breath. “Crystal’s organs were donated, and so were Nancy’s. Someone out there is alive because of their gifts.”

  “We could hold a donor drive at the clinic,” Carol said. “My husband and I got tested and are on the bone marrow registry. You know, a lot of people want to help others but just don’t know how they can.”

  “That’s a good place to start. I’m willing to get tested as well,” the pastor said. “Even if a match doesn’t come up for Brian, we can still hold a fundraiser at the same time to raise money for the clinic to buy a dialysis machine. That way Brian can have his treatments here in Chesterfield and you don’t have to make that long trip a couple of times a week.”

  Tears clung to Jenna’s eyes. “This is overwhelming.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. If we can make things a little easier, why not give it a try?” Carol said. “I’ll get the okay from the clinic, and maybe we can set up something for next weekend. We’ll get the word out quickly
.”

  Jenna couldn’t believe the generosity of the people around her. She’d grown up in Chesterfield. She knew exactly what kind hearts most of the people in the community had. When she’d first moved back to Chesterfield, she hadn’t felt the need to let people know about Brian’s condition. She now realized that had been a mistake. For too long, she’d felt the burden of carrying her fears almost entirely alone, and now with the generosity of the community, she was reminded that she really didn’t have to.

  Tag had been right. She had a hard time asking for help. She’d forgotten that Chesterfield was a community where you didn’t need to ask. People just opened their hearts.

  He’d just finished printing the last of the flyers on his home computer when Tag heard a knock on his door. His heart swelled immediately. Jenna had said she’d stop by to pick up the flyers so she and Brian could start putting them up after Brian got home from school. “The door’s unlocked!” he called out.

  “What are the flyers for? Having a garage sale?”

  Tag didn’t even have to turn. The smile on his face was immediate as he saw his cousin Wolf’s face through the screen door.

  “I take it Oma wasn’t satisfied with our conversation?”

  Wolf gave him a grin. “Did you really think she would be?”

  “I guess not.”

  Wolf laughed. “You should have seen her. She all but put me on the plane. You know how determined she can be. And I wasn’t about to argue with her.”

  “Only because you know you would have lost.” Tag opened the screen door and welcomed his cousin inside. “It’s good to see you, Wolf. I didn’t even hear you drive up.”

  “Then you’re getting soft since you left the military. But you’re looking good. Better, anyway.”

  Tag gave a slight shrug. “Getting there.”

  They exchanged a brief hug before Wolf dropped his overnight bag on the floor and walked into the kitchen. Tag was glad to see that his cousin knew there was no question about whether he was welcome in Tag’s home. They were kin, and it didn’t matter where they were in the world; it was a bond that assumed unspoken privileges.

  “Your parents send their love,” Wolf said quietly. “Your dad wanted to come, but your mom said they shouldn’t push you. She’ll only come if you invite her. But you didn’t hear that from me.”