by Karen Ball
“I already have.”
She wasn’t surprised. Unfortunately, he was about to be. She turned to face him. “Fredrik, I can’t replace what’s been ruined here. I have enough to finish the work, but to redo it? To replace the fixtures and walls?” She shook her head. “I can’t do it.”
She waited for Fredrik’s reaction, his disappointment. But he just stood there.
Smiling.
“Fredrik, are you listening to me? Did you hear what I just said?”
“Your father, he was a special man.” She blinked. “Yes, he was.”
His aged eyes came to rest on her. “And he raised a special daughter. One with a heart of love.”
Apprehension skittered though her. He wasn’t making sense. Had this latest attack sent her beloved friend over the edge?
“But you know what I like best about you?”
She laid a hand on his arm. “Fredrik, come sit down. Maybe a nice drink of wat—”
“You’re just as eingeshparht as your father was.”
Eingeshparht? She knew she’d heard the word before, but couldn’t recall what it meant. “Fredrik …”
He held up a hand. “No, don’t deny it. You know it’s true. Getting your father to do anything he didn’t want to was like trying to get a donkey up a ladder.”
Ah. Eingeshparht. “Yes, you’re right. Daddy was stubborn. As stubborn as it gets sometimes.”
“And you.” His eyes were twinkling. “You share that side of him. And making you stop when you’re determined?” He shook his head. “I should sooner get water from a stone. But it’s good, this trait.”
Now she was almost smiling. “It is, huh?”
“Because I’ll tell you a secret. Me? I’m just as eingeshparht as your father. And as you.” He looped his arm in hers. “These schmegeges? They think they can stop God’s work?” He squeezed her arm. “They don’t know us. And they don’t know God.”
The sound of approaching footsteps drew Kyla’s attention. The elders walked toward them, necks craning as they looked first this way, then that, surveying the Blood Brotherhood’s handiwork. Fredrik opened his arms. “Welcome, my friends. Come, let us talk together.”
Without another word, Kyla fell into step with the elders as they all followed Fredrik into a room off the church office.
“I told you this was foolishness.”
Such anger. Kyla hadn’t expected that from these men. Anger and hopelessness.
Wayne slammed his fist on the table. “We should just give up and get it over with.”
“Maybe Wayne is right.” Steve leaned over his folded hands where they rested in front of him. “Miss Justice’s resources have been strained, her workers are weary. I don’t see how we can overcome this setback.”
The furrows in Don’s forehead deepened as he listened. “But does any of this mean God has released us from His call?”
His brother looked down at the pencil he’d been rolling between his fingers. An action Kyla recognized all too well as an attempt to release tension. “I don’t think it does.”
Kyla waited for Fredrik to jump in, but he just stood at the back of the room, expression serene. How could he stay so calm in the face of all this struggle? And how were these good men going to make the decision it seemed they had to make?
How could men like this abandon God’s call?
How can you? Do low funds and short deadlines change the fact that God called you to this?
The thought stiffened her spine. But how could she continue? Was she supposed to go in hock to make this work?
Has the call changed?
Frustration surged through her. Of course it hadn’t. But she couldn’t do this! Her men couldn’t do it. It was impossible. Fiscal suicide. Utterly cr—
“Crazy. That’s what this is. Crazy.”
Kyla started, and turned to Wayne, who seemed to be reading her troubled mind.
Wayne surveyed the men around the table. “Can any one of you give us a good reason for staying the course?”
Before anyone could respond, Willard laid his large hands on the table in front of him and pushed himself out of his chair. He stood there. Just … stood there.
One by one, the others fell silent. The stillness was jarring, and Willard let it continue for a good three or four minutes before he finally spoke. “I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.”
The words struck Kyla’s heart, colliding with her frustration. Lord, I know all this. But come on—
“Come, let us tell of the LORD’S greatness; let us exalt his name together.” Willard’s gaze swept those gathered in the room. When his eyes came to rest on Kyla, her chest tightened, the ache so deep she wanted to cry out.
When the old man turned his gentle gaze from her, she almost wept her relief.
“I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
No shadow of shame. Kyla closed her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been free of that shadow.
“Look, Willard, it’s all fine and good to quote Scripture”—Sheamus’s tone was as tight as Kyla’s chest—“but we’ve got a serious problem here. What are we going to do?”
Willard considered the man, then went on. “In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds”—he paused, letting his gaze touch each person—“and defends all who fear him.”
Willard laid his hand on Sheamus’s shoulder. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” He moved until he was behind his two sons, then laid his hands on their heads. “Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.”
“What we need is money.” Wayne’s words were a plea. “And a good deal of it. Where are we going to get that?”
Willard’s slow gait carried him to Wayne’s side, and he looked down at the man he must have known for longer than Kyla had been alive. “Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust. In. The. LORD”—each word infused with strength, with a power that stemmed from the man’s utter belief in them—“will lack no good thing.”
“What you’re saying has nothing to do with any of this.”
Now Fredrik stepped forward, that same calm smile on his features. “Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.”
Willard took up the call. “Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good.”
Fredrik’s eyes rested on Sheamus. “Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.”
This time it was Don who joined in. All hesitation, all doubt had fled. His voice was sure and strong. “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted”—Steve’s mouth lifted in a rueful smile as he took up the chorus—“He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Von stood and went to his father’s side. “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time”—they finished together, their combined voices ringing with such certainty that chills danced through Kyla—“For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!”
“Please, brothers, listen to reason.”
Kyla studied Wayne. He sounded almost desperate as he went on.
“Those thugs out there, they don’t care about what Scripture says. All they know is what they want, and that’s for us to fail. And you know as well as I that they’ll do whatever they think they must to make that happen.”
Willa
rd walked to the window and looked across the street to where the gang members had been gathering to watch each day’s work. “Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.” He turned back to face his friends, and his voice rang out in the room. “But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”
The promise resonated deep within Kyla, leaving her both shaken and heartened. Whatever these men decided, she knew what she had to do. Willard moved back to his chair. He lowered himself, age evident in the movements, and yet as Kyla watched him she didn’t see an old man. Rather, she saw a warrior. One who stood tall in the most fierce battle of all.
The battle to hold fast to faith.
Once again, silence reigned. But this time it wasn’t because the elders were frustrated. Kyla could see on their features that they were pondering the words they’d just heard—words from the heart and soul of one who’d struggled as they had, to trust, to hold to God’s call.
David was clearly a hero of the faith, and yet he’d fallen, time and again, to despair and fear. Oddly enough, Kyla found that comforting. But this man, this weak king chosen by God to placate a stubborn people, was considered God’s friend.
Which meant there was hope for her.
But Lord, how am I going to do this? If I had months, I could do it. But all we have left is weeks! How can I do all that needs to be done in that amount of time?
She waited, hoping for an answer. None was forthcoming.
What did stir, though, was a soul-deep certainty. One that, in the face of reality, made no sense. But Kyla knew it was right.
Knew it was God.
Drawing in a deep breath, she let that knowing fill her with purpose. Okay, Lord. I have no idea how I’m going to pull this off. But here goes. “Gentlemen, I believe my path is clear.”
Wayne looked up from his study of the tabletop. “What are you saying, Miss Justice?”
She stepped forward. “That God set me on this path, and until He—not the Blood Brotherhood, but God—directs me otherwise, I will continue.”
“How?”
She met Sheamus’s incredulous question with a shrug. “I have no idea. But you can count on this much. I’ll do everything I can to make it work.”
“What about the money?”
She turned to Wayne. “I’ll take care of it.”
“And the workers? You’ll need more than you have now to make up time.”
Sheamus was right, of course. She’d realized that. She just wasn’t sure how she was going to deal with it. Still, she forced a confidence she was far from feeling into her assurance. “I’ll take care of that, too.”
“No.”
Kyla’s head came up and she fixed Fredrik with a hard stare. “What?”
He inclined his head, eyes kind but firm. “No, bubele. You won’t take care of it. This is too much for you.” She started to protest, but his next words stopped her. “But for God?” He waved a hand. “Psheh! All of this? It’s nothing for God.” His gaze held hers. “So we seek Him together, yes?”
Kyla looked around the room, then gave a slow nod. “Yes.”
“Gut! Sit. We’ll take this to Him together and seek His guidance. His provision.”
Kyla did as her old friend asked, but even as she bowed her head, she knew. Prayer was fine, but it was going to take more than that to get this job done on time. It was going to take long hours of hard work. And while God would bless and guide them, He wasn’t going to step down from heaven to oversee what had to be done.
No, that little task rested squarely in one person’s lap.
Hers.
THIRTY-EIGHT
“We are sisters. We will always be sisters. Our differences may never go away,
but neither, for me, will our song.”
ELIZABETH FISHEL
“We have sworn loyalty to each other in the LORD’S name. The LORD is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.”
1 SAMUEL 20:42
Her eyes had to be deceiving her.
Annie Justice stared at her computer screen, reading the e-mail again. True, she’d read it at least four times now, but it still didn’t make sense.
An e-mail from Kyla that was not only long and detailed, but actually emotional? Annie glanced out her window, cocking her head to listen. It had to be coming. The trumpet sound heralding the end of the world. That was the only explanation. Kylie didn’t emote in person, let alone in e-mail!
What was going on with her sister?
A long snout pushed at her hands where they rested on the keyboard. “Kodi, knock it off. I’m busy.”
The snout landed in her lap this time.
“Kodi, come on.”
The black shepherd pulled back and circled next to Annie’s chair, wagging her head back and forth to show her displeasure. “Arrowww-row!”
Annie gave up. She hit the power button on the monitor and stood, grabbing Kodi’s Frisbee as she walked out of her studio. Kodi danced along beside her, all delight now that she’d gotten her way.
Sending the Frisbee flying, Annie kept walking as Kodi raced after the disk.
“Hey, hon!” Jed waved at her from the doorway of her house. “Are you okay?”
Annie smiled. Amazing. He could read her so easily. “Not really, but how did you know?”
“Simple.” He nodded toward the yard. “Kodi just made a great catch and you didn’t even notice.”
She came to stand beside him, leaning against him. “I got an e-mail that bothered me, that’s all.”
“About your sister.”
“From her, actually.”
His brows arched. “She wrote you a real e-mail. Not just one or two words added to a forward?”
“Right again.”
“Look, why don’t you give her a call? You’ve been wanting to for days now. It’s time to just do it, even if she gets on your case for being worried about her again.”
He was right. She wouldn’t be happy until she talked with Kyla herself. She went up on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks.”
Jed tugged at a short strand of hair. “Any time.”
It only took her a few seconds to dig her phone out and punch the speed dial. It barely rang twice before Kyla picked up.
“Annot, if you’re calling to ask if I’m all right, just do us both a favor and don’t.”
Well. There was a happy greeting. “Hello to you too.” Annie walked back outside, watching Jed, who’d taken over throwing the Frisbee for the inexhaustible Kodi.
The moment’s silence told Annie she’d made her point. As did Kyla’s apologetic tone. “You’re right, and I’m a grouch.”
Annie chuckled. “Agreed on both counts. Now tell me, what’s happening with you?”
“Well, at least you didn’t ask if I’m doing okay.”
“Hey, I can learn.”
“Hmm. As for what’s happening here …”
Annie straightened. Her sister really didn’t sound right. “Kylie?”
A heavy sigh drifted through the phone. “I don’t know. Things have just gotten so … complicated.”
Annie waited, and was glad she did. Because it was as if her normally reticent big sister had an emotional dam break. “We were making such great progress, you know? I told you about that last week?”
“Right—”
“And than wham! It’s like God is delighting in putting obstacles in my path. And now, even with this disaster, we’re supposed to move forward. I’m supposed to just keep on going, pushing myself and my workers to meet an absolutely impossible deadline—”
“Kylie.”
“—with not enough men or supplies—”
“Kyla, hang on—”
“—or funds. It’s insane!”
“Kyla!”
“What!”
Annie let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. “You’ve lost me, Kylie. What obstacles? And what h
appened to your funds? I thought you had plenty for the job.”
“We had visitors last night.”
Annie didn’t like the sound of that. Any more than she liked what Kyla went on to tell her. But it was what Kyla didn’t say as much as what she did say that put Annie on alert.
Clearly, something was going on. Something beyond what Kyla was telling her.
“Anyway, I have an impossible amount of stuff to do in an impossibly short amount of time.”
Annie knew better than to question, but she couldn’t help herself. “You have to do it all?”
“No one else here can do it.”
“But isn’t there someone who can help—”
“Annot, please. I don’t have the energy to argue with you. Just trust me on this. Now, I’ve got to go. I have I don’t know how many more phone calls to make before I go for the day. I’ll talk to you later.”
Annie’s good-bye was still perched on her tongue when the dial tone sounded in her ear. She stared at the receiver for a moment, then hit the Off button to disconnect the call.
“Problems with Kyla?”
Annie let her fingers trail along the receiver as she turned to face Jed. This call to her sister ended as almost all of them had over the last few weeks. With Kyla just a tad too vague, and Annie a tad too unsettled. “No … maybe.” She tried to shrug her anxiety off. “I don’t know.”
“And that’s bothering you.”
She plopped down on the couch next to Jed. “Yes.” No point in denying it. He could read her emotions better than anyone. “You know, Rafe and I have been friends for a long time.” She managed a smile. “Kyla even said it was too bad he wasn’t a couple of years older.”
“Why?”
“So he could be my boyfriend. I informed her it would take more than a couple of years. When you’re seventeen, five years is forever. You know what Kyla said to me?”
He slid his arm behind her, letting his fingers massage the back of her neck. “Something terribly logical, I’m sure.”
Annie turned on her seat, facing him. “No, that’s just it. She said, ‘Love doesn’t see age. It sees the heart.’ ”
Jed’s mouth dropped.