Love's Promise_An Inspirational Romance

by T. K. Chapin

  “That Scripture we read about the talents really hit home for me.” He grabbed hold of his wheels and started for the house. “I need to make better use of my time. Honey-do’s is an easy way to start moving in the right direction.”

  “I’m surprised, but grateful to hear it.” I followed him into the house and started in on folding laundry in the living room. As I folded, my phone rang—it was Serenah.

  “Want to grab a coffee?” she asked. “I’ve got something I want to talk to you about. I’m available now if you are.”

  “Give me twenty and I’ll meet you at Dixie’s.”

  “Eh, how about you come to the Inn? I like my coffee here more, or we could do the church or Starbucks?”

  “I’ll come out to the Inn. I haven’t been there since our honeymoon.”

  “Oh, yeah! I remember you mentioning you two came here for that. So cute. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  Hanging up, I pondered what Serenah could be wanting to discuss.

  Chapter 40-Marie

  I LINGERED IN MY CAR in the driveway as I gazed upon the Inn. It looked just like it did over two decades ago when Winston and I spent our honeymoon there. In fact, the Inn and the lake was ultimately what brought us back to the Spokane area when Winston started WIN.

  After a moment of reminiscing, I got out of my car and headed toward the front door. As I walked down the steps to the door, I saw the same type of metal outdoor table that had been there when we visited. I remembered sharing breakfast on the porch out front, unable to keep our lips and hands off each other.

  Giving the door two good knocks, I stepped back and glanced at the water fountain right outside the nearby window not far from the door.

  “This place looks exactly the same!” I exclaimed when Serenah opened the door.

  “Yay! How fun is that?” she said, welcoming me inside.

  “Very!”

  We walked into the kitchen and I spotted Serenah’s little girl Emma eating cookies at a toddler sized table. When I knelt to eye level with her, she smiled at me.

  “You must be, Emma,” I said, crinkling my nose. “You’re such a cute little girl, aren’t you?”

  “Ma.” Her smile vanished and she reached out for her momma. Perhaps I’d been too forward. Serenah and I both laughed and she kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

  Leaning my back against the island counter, I arched an eyebrow and crossed my arms.

  “So, what’s up? What’d you want to talk about?”

  Serenah opened the fridge and swung a jug of milk out with one hand. The other held a sippy cup, and she set them both on the counter. “You want to join us tomorrow for our women’s Bible study? It’s the last one before Thanksgiving next week.”

  “Absolutely! What are you currently studying?”

  “Women in the Bible. It’s a fun group of gals and we all get together here at the Inn. I’ll be honest, we laugh a lot and not a huge amount actually gets accomplished, but it’s fellowship with other believers and we have a blast.”

  “Awesome. I’ll for sure be there.”

  “That’s great.” She filled the sippy cup with milk and handed it to Emma. “So that was neat Winston came to the dinner. He looked to have a decent time.”

  “Yeah, he had fun,” I said. “We read the Bible together last night. It started with me needing help with a Scripture and it turned into a miniature Bible study of sorts. It was heartwarming.” My gaze dropped to the floor as guilt washed through me. “It makes me feel so bad to have waited so long to come around to believing.”

  “Marie. We all come to Christ in His timing. If you would’ve faked it years ago it wouldn’t have been real like it is now for you.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Turning my gaze back to Emma, I thought of my son Greg. “I worry that I’m the reason our son Greg didn’t stick with the faith that we raised him with.”

  “I didn’t know you guys have a son.”

  I nodded, saddened as I thought of him. “I haven’t heard from him in months. He went to school three years ago in Florida and never came back home again. He graduated, and found a wife and settled down in Jacksonville to start their life. Only calling on occasion, Winston and I hardly hear a peep out of him. He rejected Winston’s beliefs and didn’t want to have anything to do with God after he moved out. I can’t help but question if I was part of that decision, you know?”

  “Pray for him and I will, too. God can bring him back to you guys. It might take a day, or a decade, but you have to trust in God.”

  I nodded. “I know … It’s just so sad. We haven’t even met our new granddaughter Erin. She should be almost six months. He didn’t let us come for the birth, just told us about it over the phone. Then he didn’t even fly in when Winston almost died. It’s such a sad situation and one that Winston won’t even discuss.”

  Serenah took my hands into hers. “Let’s pray right now.”

  Chapter 41-Winston

  THE DOORBELL RANG AT QUARTER TO six that evening. Knowing it was Kirk and Jessica, I turned off my computer and wheeled out of my study to answer the door. “I got it,” I hollered to Marie, who was in the kitchen.

  The smell of the beef she was cooking made my mouth water.

  “Good evening,” I said, shaking Kirk’s hand. “Good to see you again, Jessica.”

  After exchanging hellos, I led them into the dining room.

  “That smells heavenly,” Jessica said, as she sat down at the table beside Kirk. “What is it?”

  “Awe, thank you,” Marie said, popping her head out from the kitchen. “It’s Beef and Broccoli, one of Winston’s favorites. Good to see you both. How are you?”

  “Fine,” they said in unison.

  Kirk’s eyes were on me. I felt like he was analyzing my every movement. After the way I behaved the other night at the club, I wasn’t too surprised. I knew it came from a place of concern. He cared about me, just like I cared about him and the others at WIN.

  “We still have a while until dinner is ready, maybe twenty minutes,” Marie said.

  “Can I do anything to help?” Jessica offered.

  “You can keep me company.”

  “I think I can manage that.” Jessica stood and went into the kitchen.

  “Let me show you something,” I said to Kirk. “It’s out in the shop.”

  “Marie, we’ll be back in a few,” I called. “Going to show Kirk something out in the shop.”

  “Okay, dear,” she said.

  When we entered the shop I showed him the setup for all my different workouts, including the pullups.

  He slid a hand over the pullup bar and said, “Nice. Now you won’t hurt yourself.” Letting it go, he turned to me and his smile fell away. Lowering his voice, he said, “Are you okay, Winston?”

  “Absolutely,” I replied curtly.

  “Nobody’s around, so you can be frank.”

  I had a measure of respect for Kirk that I didn’t have for the other guys at WIN. He had gone through some extremely difficult situations in his own life. He had first-hand experience in big life changes. Letting my guard down, I let out a sigh. “To be entirely truthful with you, Kirk, I’ve been struggling. As you could probably see the other night.”

  He nodded, and his eyes filled with compassion.

  Raising a hand, I said, “But I realized something after I exploded. The problem wasn’t with my legs or other people, it was me.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.” It was a struggle to open up to him, but I knew it was good for me, so I did. “Last night Marie asked for some help understanding a passage in the Bible and it was about how we’re not to waste time, our allotted time … I realized I’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

  “Sounds like the Lord’s working on you,” Kirk said, his voice chipper.

  My gaze fell to my legs. “These legs have been good to me for a long time, but they aren’t who I am. I think the Lord is trying to get me to see that, and I’ve finally b
egun to listen to him.”

  Jessica appeared in the doorway of the shop, interrupting our conversation.

  “Dinner’s ready.”

  Chapter 42-Marie

  SITTING DOWN TO THE TABLE, Winston handed me the small pot of green beans that was being passed around the table. After all our food was dished out, Kirk suggested we pray. Winston led.

  “Father we come to You tonight to partake in this meal. We ask that You bless the food to our bodies and bless the cook who prepared it. Thank You for the freedom to be able to fellowship with other believers and I ask You to bless our evening. Amen.”

  As we ate, we enjoyed pleasant conversation.

  Winston set his fork down half-way through the meal and wiped his mouth with his napkin. His gaze on Kirk, he said, “Marie mentioned something about you attending Dallas Theological Institute?”

  Kirk nodded and chewed.

  “How’s that going?”

  Finishing his bite, he replied, “I’m really enjoying it. I’m in Biblical studies, which I’m pumped about. Every time I read the Old Testament, a million or so questions swirl around my mind and I feel like this course work at DTI will address a lot of those questions.”

  Winston nodded in agreement. “Leviticus is brutal to read.”

  “I know, right? With all the sacrifices and ordinances?”

  I had no idea what they were talking about. I was almost too shy to ask, but I felt curious so I spoke up. “Excuse my ignorance … What sacrifices? Ordinances?”

  Winston waved a hand in the air in front of him. “It’s intense, Marie. God set all these rules and regulations for the people of Israel.”

  “Yep, and special diet restrictions,” Kirk added.

  Winston continued. “The rules were put in place to set His people apart from everybody else. While other parts of the Bible have stories about kings, prophets, wisdom, and so on … This part of the Old Testament, in particular, is about rules and regulations. What animal to sacrifice and for what purpose, what the priests need to wear, and so on. It’s all a foretelling of what was to come.”

  “Oh, I see …”

  Jessica added, “It’s hard to read, but it’s beautiful to see Jesus in the midst of it all. The day of atonement requires a spotless lamb, just like our Savior who died for us.”

  “Does the Old Testament talk about Jesus?” I asked, curious to learn more.

  “Oh yeah! He’s prophesied throughout.” Kirk got excited as he continued. “Genesis 3 mentions that the heel will be bruised, but it’ll smash the serpent. Jesus was beat and bruised, but he squashed the devil. My favorite passage in the Old Testament about Jesus is the end of Isaiah 52 and into Isaiah 53, where it details everything about Christ and how He had to suffer.”

  Confusion invaded my thoughts. “How did so many Jews reject Him if He was spoken of so much in their own book?”

  “They only focused on the parts that spoke of Him being a powerful king, and they ignored the other parts.” Kirk picked his fork up and continued eating.

  “Before we come to Christ, we’re all guilty of rejecting Jesus, rejecting the truth,” I said. “I know I did. I spent so much of my life running from the truth.”

  “But you ended up coming to the truth,” Winston said, smiling as our eyes connected. “And that’s truly wonderful, Marie.”

  I liked this side of Winston that he was beginning to show more and more. God might not always answer prayers quickly, but this one was being answered and unfolding before my eyes. In my heart I praised God for the change I was seeing take place in my husband. He was on his way back to God. It took great self-control not to cry from happiness in that moment.

  Chapter 43-Winston

  SHUTTING THE DOOR AFTER KIRK and Jessica left, I turned around and wheeled into the living room to find Marie. My heart was full of joy from the evening and how pleasant the experience truly had been. As Marie sat down on the couch to read her Bible, I thought of Lake Stevens and my family.

  “Do you think they’ll have room for us?” I asked.

  Marie tilted her head. “Who?”

  “My parents at Thanksgiving.”

  Jumping up, she let her Bible fall to the couch and rushed to me and gave me a hug. Elated, her arms wrapped around me. I pulled her body into my lap to sit. Looking her in the eyes, I said, “I love you and I think you were right. We should go.”

  “I don’t know what has gotten into you lately, but I love it!” She leaned in and kissed me. Joy filled me to see her so happy.

  I still hadn’t fully accepted I might never walk again, but I knew I couldn’t waste my life waiting on something that might never come. My parents were old, beyond old really—in their mid-eighties now. If I missed Thanksgiving this year, I might not have another with them.

  “Honey?” Marie said, leaning back slightly.

  “Yeah?”

  “Should we call Greg? Maybe he wants to come this year.”

  My joyous heart yielded to the sharp emotional pain that sliced through me at the mention of our only child—Greg. He hadn’t been home in years, not since the day before he left for college. Wanting nothing to do with us, he set up a life of his own down in Florida after graduating college. It hurt when he didn’t come home for the holidays throughout his college years, and it hurt even more when he didn’t invite us to his wedding or for the birth of his baby girl, Erin. He hadn’t even flown in when I was hospitalized. The whole situation with Greg was gut wrenching, painful to dwell on for even a moment. Shaking my head, I said, “He doesn’t want anything to do with us, Marie.”

  “You never know if you don’t ask. It can’t hurt to try. Maybe something has changed.”

  My jaw clenched. “Actually, trying does hurt when it’s met with rejection from our son.”

  Adjusting myself in my chair, Marie got up off my lap. My good mood plummeted. I said, “I’m going to my study to work on a few financial documents I need to do for WIN.”

  “Okay,” she said gently. Knowing her like I did after years of marriage, I wanted to give her comfort, because I knew she was hurting as well, and I didn’t want to make her pain worse.

  “I assure you, I’m not upset with you, Marie. You know how I feel about Greg—it’s nothing but pain.”

  She nodded in agreement. Seeing her eyes fill with sorrow, my heart splintered.

  I pulled her in for a kiss on the lips. Brushing her hair back with a hand, I gazed deeply into her eyes. “I love you, Marie. Don’t you worry about our son. He’ll find his way back some day. I just don’t think Thanksgiving this year is the time.”

  Chapter 44-Marie

  SWINGING BY THE INN THE next day to pick up the women’s Bible study guide I had forgotten yesterday, I found a very overwhelmed and stressed Serenah on the other side of the door. Emma was on her hip, her hair a mess, and some sort of partially digested food smudged her sweater. Serenah held onto the door handle as if it was a life preserver.

  “Sorry, I forgot to take the study guide with me when I was here yesterday.”

  Pressing her hand against her forehead, she squeezed her eyes shut for a second. “Oh, yes! You called this morning about that. I found it on the couch. Come on in.” Following Serenah into the foyer, I shut the door behind me. As I stepped into the living room, I saw toys strewn out across the floor.

  “I’m so sorry the place is a mess. Emma was up half the night from a strange leg pain and then couldn’t get back to sleep.” Serenah’s voice seemed weak, strained. Grabbing the study guide off the end table beside the couch, she turned and handed it to me. Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled loudly. “I gotta somehow get dressed and over to the thrift store in thirty minutes to sign for the shelves coming in today. The company is being super picky and only I can sign for them. Charlie already offered and they said no.”

  “I am so sorry! That’s crazy! Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, eager to help in any way I could. My heart went out to her.

  “No, that’s okay.
I’m just feeling a little off today. I’m one of those people who needs sleep to function.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, tilting my head as I surveyed the room. “I could stay with Emma.”

  Tapping her chin for a moment, she said, “Okay, maybe I’ll take you up on the offer. Could you watch her while I hop in the shower? Then I’ll run to Newport quick.”

  “I’d love to.”

  Serenah looked as if she might cry as she came closer with Emma still on her hip. Wrapping her arms around me, she said into my ear, “You’re such a doll.”

  “That’s Jesus, not me,” I said with a wink, as we released.

  She let out a laugh and handed Emma over to me. “I’ll hurry!”

  Once Serenah scurried to her private quarters off the kitchen, I sat Emma on the couch beside me. I grabbed some of the blocks lying on the carpet and set them in front of her. She didn’t seem amused. Seeing the singing glow worm on the floor, I reached for it and pulled the cord. Emma finally lit with a smile and took it into her hands. Patting her head, I said, “You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

  Thinking of Greg again, I texted him asking him to give me a call.

  Within moments, he called, and my heart started beating frantically.

  Chapter 45-Winston

  SWEAT POURING OFF MY FACE, I released the dumbbells, letting them hit the floor with a thud. Jeremy had pushed me hard that morning during the workout and I felt it throughout every part of my body.

  Patting my shoulder, he said, “Good job today.”

  Wheeling over to the boom box, I hit the power button and worked to catch my breath. Able to breathe again, I turned to him. “I’m going out of town tomorrow for Thanksgiving and won’t be back until the following Saturday.”

  “That works,” Jeremy responded. “I’m going out of town, too, down to Phoenix to be with family.” We headed out of the shop and he continued talking as he shut the shop door. “You have kids?”

  I said over my shoulder, “Not really.”