by Tricia Goyer
A huge wave of relief settled over Charlotte. She really liked Kendall and had hoped that there would be reasonable explanations to her questions.
“In that case, I’d like to see her around more often. And if you want to date—”
“Date? I just broke up with Arielle not too long ago. I don’t think I’m ready to date.”
“You’re not?”
“No.” Sam shook his head. “Just because I like hanging around with Kendall doesn’t mean I want to date her. Or marry her. Or move along with her and her dad as they head out on their treasure-seeking adventures.”
Charlotte patted his arm and turned to walk toward the church. “Well, that’s good. I guess I was just jumping to a lot of conclusions. You’d think after all these years I’d stop getting carried away. Sometimes I wish this grandma thing were easier.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes I wish this ‘growing up and making your place in the world’ thing were easier too. It seems like God should just hand me a map, and then all I’d have to do is follow it.”
Charlotte waved to friends entering the building and then touched her grandson’s arm, slowing the pace.
“Sam, this is a little of what I’ve been dealing with lately.”
“What do you mean? You’re not planning to move away and start a new life, are you, Grandma?” Sam chuckled.
“No, although some days I’m tempted to consider it.” Charlotte smiled. “What I’m talking about is this little mystery I’ve been trying to solve. At first it was just something that piqued my interest. But then, as I realized it would continue to impact our family—and our family name—I became passionate about it. It became important for me to understand, to know the truth.”
“Yeah, I’ll say you were a little passionate about it. Those jeans I threw in the laundry room last week still aren’t washed, and you’ve been quick to turn over the kitchen to anyone who’s breathing.”
“Well, not quite. But I see your point.”
Sam pointed down to his dirty jeans, and Charlotte cringed.
“Okay, I’ll wash them tomorrow, but what I wanted to tell you is that when this whole thing began I didn’t know where to start. So I started with what I knew. The first thing I knew was that the money disappeared in my Granddaddy’s possession. It wasn’t clear if it was lost or stolen. And then I kept looking for clues. They came from unexpected places. Some I hunted down, and others—like those Czech letters—were just placed in my path like unexpected gifts. Then, believe it or not, it was Christopher who figured out the most important part—figured out they happened to be building the foundation when the money disappeared. An unexpected Sherlock Holmes, don’t you think?”
“Do you think that’s what I need to do? Look for clues in my life? And pay attention to wisdom from unexpected people?”
“Yes, and also take time to listen to yourself, your heart. What excites you? What do you feel passionate about? Where do the clues point?”
Sam ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it back from his face like he always did when he was deep in thought. “Grandma, are you saying that God lays out our life’s purpose in clues, and it’s our job to figure it out?”
“Not exactly. I don’t think he tries to trick us or make things difficult. Instead, I believe that as we move forward in the path already cleared, God shows us the next steps ahead.”
“I suppose that makes sense. I’ll have to think about that.”
“And pray about it.” Charlotte tucked her arm into his, and they strode together toward the church.
“Sure, Grandma,” Sam agreed awkwardly.
They walked for a half minute longer.
“It’s kind of crazy weird, you know.”
Charlotte glanced up at him. “What is?”
“We’ve just done something good here. Something really good. That’s crazy weird.”
Pastor Evans was standing inside the church door. “Charlotte, Sam, it’s great to see you.”
“Good to see you too, pastor.” Sam shook his hand.
Sam had turned to find a seat when the pastor’s voice halted his steps.
“But, Sam, there is one thing that still needs to be fixed. It’s that hole in the basement. I’ve been telling everyone it only took six swings to make that hole. You’ve got some arm there.”
“Yes sir.” Sam grinned. “Maybe my grandpa, Uncle Pete, and I will be here in the morning to fix it.”
“Thank you, Sam.” Pastor Evans winked. “Appreciate it.”
TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Charlotte stared in awe at the crowd filling the fellowship hall to capacity at the church’s open house. Emily, Lily, and Andrea were putting the finishing touches to their presentation at the front of the room. Christopher was putting the train together on the square table he and Bob had brought out from one of the Sunday school rooms.
Sam and Kendall were there too, posing for Rick Barnes with the mailbag in hand. Mr. Barnes turned, scanned the crowd, and locked eyes with Charlotte, motioning her forward. She felt heat rising to her cheeks as she strode to the front.
“Charlotte, can you jump into the photo, please?”
She sighed. “I knew you were going to ask that.”
She stood between Sam and Kendall, posing for a few photos, wrapping her arms around their shoulders as she did. And just when Charlotte was sure her face would crack in half from the smiling, Bob approached.
“Okay, Char, it’s about to start. Hannah is saving us seats in the third row.”
They found their seats, and Pastor Evans opened the evening with a prayer. Then he picked up the school bell, ringing it once. Its tone was strong and clear, echoing around the room, getting everyone’s attention.
The bell was louder than he expected, and Pastor Evans winced. Laughter filled the room and then died down.
“Wow! That works well. I might just use it at the start of Sunday morning services.”
More laughter.
“This evening we are going to let you explore our open house. Many of you have told me that you read about it in the article written by Christopher Slater. Christopher, come here.”
Christopher’s cheeks flushed pink as he walked to the front of the room. He waved and smiled, and laughter and applause filled the room. Then he bowed and hurried back to his seat.
When the applause died down, Pastor Evans continued. “We decided that since there were so many fascinating items, we wouldn’t just put up one display but many. The whole church is open—even my office—although you’ll have to overlook the piles of stuff on my desk!
“In each room you’ll find a display. In some rooms, like the sanctuary, there will be a series of displays. Most of the items were found in our basement and closets and all the other places we tuck away things when we don’t know what to do with them. The ladies of our church found beauty in the hidden things. They put some order to it. And that order brings the history of our church alive. From the 1920s church cookbook in the kitchen to the 1970s flannel graphs in the Sunday school room.
“We also have a special presentation. In a few moments, members of the Stevenson family are going to share the history of a state, a railroad, a depot, a town, a church, and a family. I know you will enjoy it.
“Oh, yes, and I can’t sit down without saying one more thing. If you are here tonight and you don’t have a church home—a special community with which to worship God—we’d love to have you. We truly are a family that cares for each other—in the challenging times as well as the good.
“Now, please help me welcome Emily, Lily, and Andrea.”
Applause sounded from around the room accented by whoops and hollers coming from the back. Charlotte didn’t have to turn around to know it was Sam and Pete making all that noise. Those guys. She smiled.
The girls approached the front of the room, finding their places. Charlotte held her breath, waiting for Emily to start, hoping she wasn’t nervous, and praying she didn’t forget what she had to say.
Emily sm
iled and scanned the crowd, and Charlotte wondered when she’d gotten so grown up.
“Some early pioneers traveled to Nebraska in covered wagons. Even more came on trains. The first railroad was completed across the state in 1867. By 1880 there were 1,868 miles of track.”
For the next thirty minutes, Emily, Lily, and Andrea, and later Christopher, Sam, and Kendall, told the story of the “history mystery” that had been in the paper. It started with Christopher talking about the facts from the old newspapers, and then everyone jumped in with the clues that led them to discover the bag under the floorboards.
“This is the metal detector we used,” Kendall said with a smile. “I know what you’re thinking—maybe we should start going through the basements of more Bedford homes. Believe me, my dad and I have talked about it.”
Everyone laughed.
Kendall shuffled her slipper shoes on the faded carpet. “So if there are any takers, please get in touch with us. We love a good treasure hunt.”
Laughter again filled the room.
As they finished, applause erupted, and many stood to show their appreciation.
Then the school bell rang again, not once but three times. Everyone looked around, and Charlotte noticed it was Edna who now carried it. She fluttered to the front of the room holding some type of plaque.
“What you have heard and read from the Bedford Leader, of course, is that Elijah Coleman has been officially cleared of all wrongdoing. You may have also heard that the Bedford Community Church has benefited from the sale of historical documents and that all family members we have tracked down have received copies of the letters their ancestors wrote,” Edna said. “But what no one knows except me, Pastor Evans, and the library staff is that our new museum room at the library will be called the Elijah Coleman Room.”
Applause again filled the room, and this time Charlotte couldn’t keep the tears from tumbling down. A dozen sets of arms circled around her, and Charlotte didn’t know whose they were. It didn’t matter. This was her community, her church. And to her the embrace wasn’t just for her; it was for Elijah and Lavina too.
THE PEOPLE MOVED around the fellowship room, in and out to other parts of the church. Except for the weddings of a few of Bedford’s prominent citizens, Charlotte had never seen the place so packed. She made her way to the punch bowl, taking one step at a time. “Excuse me. Pardon me.”
Mary Louise Henner poured her a cup of punch but didn’t really see her as she was busy telling the clerk from the grocery store how she’d been there when they first came across Lavina’s journal.
Charlotte smiled to herself and took a step back, trying to figure out where to go next, when Dana approached with her mom, her dad, and Pete.
“The girls did a fantastic job, and the more I get to know this family, the more I just love you all,” said Dana’s mother. “In fact, I was talking with Pete and the name Elijah has really grown on me. It would be a great name for a son.”
Pete nodded, even though Charlotte could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t sold on the idea.
“Elijah? That sounds like the name of a sixty-year-old man, not a little boy,” Bob cut in.
“Here we go again,” Pete mumbled.
“Why, I think Elijah is a fine name for a boy,” Charlotte said.
Charlotte noticed Emily and the other girls across the room and realized she hadn’t congratulated them yet on a job well done. She turned to Dana and Pete. “Will you excuse me for a minute? I see some girls over there I want to congratulate.”
“Sure, Mom.”
Charlotte hurried over and noticed they were surrounded by some of their friends, including Ashley, who nearly bounced with excitement.
“It was even better than our presentation—and you didn’t even have food!”
Charlotte gave Emily a hug and then patted the shoulders of Andrea and Lily. “Great job. I couldn’t be prouder.”
“Thanks. I can’t wait to return to my school back in the Czech Republic. I am going to see if I can use this material in one of my classes there—two grades for only working once!”
Lily didn’t look quite so excited. “Yeah, I suppose we did okay.” Charlotte noticed she was eyeing someone across the room. Peeking over her shoulder, Charlotte saw Allison Cunningham and her mother, and instantly Charlotte knew what Lily was waiting for—their approval, their praise. It was clear that even if everyone in this building were to congratulate and tell Lily it was the best thing ever, she wouldn’t believe it until she heard it from her mom and grandma.
Charlotte stood there for a moment, wondering if she should butt in and head over there to urge the two women to talk to Lily. Thankfully, she didn’t have to, because as Andrea launched into a story about her own school, Allison and Grandma M approached.
Grandma M opened her arms wide. “Girls, that was wonderful. That was—”
“Perfect?” Lily bit her lip.
“Yes, perfect.”
Lily’s face brightened. “Yes! Success again.” She punched the air, but even though she was being playful, Charlotte could see the relief was deeply felt.
“Oh, we weren’t wanting to be perfect,” Emily quickly added. “We are just glad we were able to tell a story that matters.”
“I agree.” Andrea nodded. “But we did a super job.”
They chatted for a minute about the turnout of the crowd, and Charlotte did her best to mingle. Once the crowd thinned, Charlotte finally had the chance to walk around the church, taking in the displays in each room. She smiled at the large display in the foyer. Someone had taken Maxie’s photo of her wedding reception and blown it up to poster size. Even though the faces were grainy and slightly blurry, their smiles were clear, and their eyes were full of joy and hope. On the display board next to the photo, someone had written a caption in beautiful script:
Perseverance, endurance, and willingness to withstand hardships were among the characteristics possessed by early settlers. Their trials only made them more caring and kinder. Neighborliness became the outstanding virtue.
Charlotte heard footsteps approaching. She turned and noticed Dana hurrying toward her.
“There you are. Are you busy? I hope not because there’s something I want to show you. It’s in the sanctuary.”
As they walked in, Pete was waiting at the top of the aisle and Charlotte got a glimpse of what it would be like just a little over a month from now.
“You haven’t seen this yet, have you?” Pete asked, pointing to the display near the altar.
Charlotte sucked in a breath as she saw the wedding dress. It was simple, made of white satin—discolored because of its age—and trimmed with fine lace.
“It belonged to Anita’s great-aunt, Peggy. She lent it to the church to use. Isn’t it lovely?”
“Yes.” Charlotte approached but didn’t touch it. She thought of the young woman in her letters and tried to imagine the excitement in her gaze as she put on the dress, knowing Gregory was waiting for her at the end of the aisle.
“But that’s not the best part. There’s a picture. I hope you don’t mind, but I found it in the back of Lavina’s Bible that day when Christopher and I were going over all the clues. I told him not to tell you about it, and he promised he wouldn’t.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“I’m so glad, because I wanted to do something with Elijah and Lavina’s wedding picture.”
“Wedding picture?” Charlotte leaned closer. “I have a copy of their engagement picture somewhere, but I don’t remember ever seeing her wedding picture.”
“That’s because it’s been in the church basement all this time. Hidden in the Bible, just waiting to be found.”
“Among other things,” Pete added.
Charlotte looked closer. It showed the young couple side by side. Elijah had dark hair and a boyish face. He wore a dark suit and sat casually with one leg partly crossed over the other and his hands relaxing on his lap. But it was Lavina who caused Charlotte to gig
gle. She wore a simple Victorian gown with a high collar. Her white-gloved hands were crossed on her lap, but the best part was the look on her face. She was looking down slightly, peering up at the camera under long eyelashes. And her smile! It was soft and playful. With one glance Charlotte knew Lavina was someone she would have loved to meet. The look was sweet, innocent, and excited, and she had a gaze full of adventure.
“This picture …” Charlotte was at a loss for words.
“Perfect, isn’t it? That is why we decided to put it on our wedding program—in addition to our photo. Here’s a proof. What do you think?”
“Together Forever: A Heritage of Love,” the program read, with Elijah and Lavina’s picture on the front.
Then, when Charlotte opened it she saw a photo of Pete and Dana in their everyday clothes, copying the pose.
“Isn’t it great? Emily took the photo with her camera. And the best part—it was Pete’s idea.” Dana squeezed Charlotte’s arm.
“Who knew? Who would have guessed?” Charlotte gazed at her son and noticed his bright eyes and wide smile.
“Who would have guessed is right,” Dana said. “Then again, he comes from good roots.” She sighed. “A vine of faith and family that will live on for generations.”
About the Author
Tricia Goyer is the author of eight novels, six nonfiction books, and one children’s book. She was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Writer of the Year in 2003. In 2005, her book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion and her novel Night Song won American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year for Long Historical Romance. In 2006, her novel Dawn of a Thousand Nights also won Book of the Year for Long Historical. Tricia has written more than three hundred articles for national publications and hundreds of Bible study notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia lives with her husband and three kids in Montana, where she homeschools, leads children’s church, and mentors teenage mothers.
A Note from the Editors