Plan

by Lyle, Linda;

  The Plan

  Linda Lyle

  Copyright

  © 1999 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher, Truly Yours, PO Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683.

  All of the characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental.

  one

  The snow fell in soft clusters onto the already saturated ground, but clumps of brown grass stuck out in odd intervals. Rachel used these like stepping stones, stretching from one clump of brown to another in a vain attempt to keep her new shoes clean. Despite of the mud, she hummed a little tune. There was nothing like snow to make even the worst day seem special.

  She left the mud and snow behind as she climbed the crumbling stairs. The sign proclaiming “Myerstown Community Center” hung lopsided and creaked in the wind. Rachel gave one last shiver as another blast bit through her wool coat. She had made a dash for the door that clanged shut behind her, the echo following her down the hall. She hurried as fast as she could with her heavy bag to Room 102, and as she feared, her students were already assembled.

  “Good morning. Sorry I’m late,” Rachel said between breaths.

  “Good morning,” said Mrs. Lee. “Why are you breathing so hard?”

  “I had to walk from the bus station.”

  “Why were you riding the bus? Where’s your car?” asked Mrs. Martinez.

  “It’s in the shop.”

  “In the shop,” Mrs. Sato said, forming the words carefully. “What does that mean?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m talking in slang again. That means my car isn’t working and I took it to a mechanic to be repaired.”

  Mrs. Sato’s eyes lit in understanding and a wave of “ahs” passed through the room. “So a shop is a place for repairing things, yes?”

  “That’s right,” Rachel said as she pulled book after book from her bag. It was like Mary Poppins’s magic carpetbag—there never seemed to be a bottom. “Let’s work on chapter three. We will begin with vocabulary pronunciation. Repeat after me. Valuable.” There was a general murmur of incoherent sounds. “One more time. Val-u-a-ble.” Rachel continued down the list, stopping and repeating when they struggled.

  They spent the next half hour doing substitution drills and sentence drills, using the new vocabulary. At the break, Rachel left them to their coffee and snacks and went down the hall to the office. Susan was not at her desk, so Rachel wound her way to the supply room at the back.

  “Susan… .” A squeal stopped her in midsentence.

  “You scared me half to death! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

  “I’m sorry I scared you, but I wasn’t sneaking. I walked across the room like any normal person.”

  “I’m going to put a bell around your neck, so I’ll know you’re coming.” Susan walked backed to her desk, one hand still over her heart. She sat down at her desk, took a deep breath, and then turned back. “Now. What did you want?”

  “I need some help. I’ve gotten a request to start a citizenship class, as well as another conversational English class.”

  “I know. I know. I’ve been beating the bushes for more teachers, but all I got was splinters. Everybody is busy, or doesn’t think they are qualified, or they just don’t care.”

  “Well, I’m busy and I teach and the only qualification is that I speak good English and care about people. As far as the last part, I can’t help you with that.” Rachel shrugged and sank into the chair across from Susan. “What are we going to do?”

  “The only option left is to pray,” Susan said.

  “That should have been our first priority.”

  “I know, but where are we going to find more teachers? Besides that, the stairs are crumbling, the leak is roofing…”

  “Wait a minute,” Rachel interrupted, “you mean the roof is leaking.”

  “No. There is definitely more leak than roof at this point.” They both laughed, but quickly sobered when they realized the truth in the statement. “We need a miracle.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll just have to pray for one,” Rachel said resolutely.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “I know God can do all things. You just have to have faith.”

  “Easier said than done,” Susan replied. “Speaking of faith, how’s your man?”

  “He’s not ‘my man’ and he’s as annoying as usual.” Rachel plucked imaginary fuzz off her skirt. She could feel the blood rushing to her face at just the mention of Kyle.

  “Likely story.” Susan smiled.

  Rachel knew that she couldn’t hide it from Susan, but she wasn’t going to admit it either. She felt like a fool as it was. She didn’t need any extra help from Susan. As soon as she felt recovered, she looked up at her friend, head cocked. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “Fine, fine, but let’s talk about somebody. You need to get out more. You’re not getting any younger.”

  “Here we go again. I’m not that old, and I don’t appreciate your acting like I am. Twenty-nine is not that old.”

  “I know, but at the rate you’re going you’ll never get married. You’ve got to quit waiting around for Kyle. You know he’s not interested. He’s made it clear in a hundred ways. Let me set you up with Jason. He’s a great guy.”

  “No thank you. I don’t need your help to get a date. Besides, I’ve seen what you drag up.”

  “That’s not fair. Tommy was a nice guy. You didn’t give him a chance.”

  “Sure, he’s a nice guy, but he’s not interested in church or anything that has to do with it. What would I do with a guy like that?” Rachel asked.

  “Go out and have a good time, instead of sitting at home alone every weekend.”

  “I happen to like a little quiet time. There’s nothing wrong with staying home on Friday or Saturday night. You’ve been watching too much TV.”

  “Come on, Rachel. Let me set you up with Jason. Give him a chance. You never know what might happen.”

  “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.” Susan made a face and threw a paper wad across the desk. Rachel caught it and threw it right back. “I’ll let God do the picking. I trust His judgment.”

  “Thanks for your support,” Susan said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll remember that the next time you come crying to me for advice.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m so worried.” Rachel got up and moved toward the door.

  “Well, you don’t have to leave. I was only joking.”

  “I know, but break time is over. Back to the trenches.”

  By the time class was finished, Rachel felt like an almost empty coffeepot, drained and cloudy. She gathered up her papers, stuck them in the already overflowing bag, and heaved it onto her thin shoulder. Just as she swung it into place, a lock of her hair fell underneath the strap, giving her hair a good yank. She muttered as she struggled to free her hair from the weight, but she finally had to yank it loose. Dark strands of hair fell and attached themselves to her white sweater. As she plucked the hairs from her sweater, she noticed something shining in the light. She held it to the light, thinking it was a fiber from her sweater.

  “Oh, no! It can’t be!” she moaned. She ran to the mirror and looked again. Sure enough, she was holding her first gray hair in her hand. Not just gray. It was silver and shiny. Her face fell as Susan’s words rang in her ears.

  You’re not getting any younger. You’re not getting any younger. You’re not getting any younger…

  “Stop it,” Rachel squealed, stomping her feet.

  “What?�
�� Susan called from the hall.

  “Nothing. I was talking to myself.”

  “Great. The first thing to go is the mind. I was right. You’re well on your way over that hill.” Susan smiled as she said it, but the words stung.

  “Gee, thanks. With a friend like you who needs enemies?” The words came out a little sharper than she intended, so Rachel smiled to soften the blow. Susan only made a silly face and stuck out her tongue before continuing down the hall.

  Rachel grabbed her bag and strode out into the crisp air, but the snow didn’t lift her spirits this time. That silver hair had made more of an impact than she was willing to face right then. She tried to put it out of her mind as she headed toward the university. The bus ride was crowded and stifling. By the time she got off in front of Bowden Hall, she was ready for the stiff breeze. Each time she climbed the steps, she was struck by the inequality of it all. Here was this architectural masterpiece with its spacious halls and polished wood floors while across town the community center was quickly falling into decay. Both buildings were built before the turn of the century. Why was this one chosen to flourish and the other to crumble slowly into pieces? She shook her head at the injustice. Entering the building, she made her way to the third floor. It seemed she was destined to work on the third floor of buildings with no elevators. This one did have an elevator, but it was so small that she got claustrophobic every time she went near it. She would rather climb the three flights and be free to move, than ride in that deathtrap. She topped the last stair, gasping for breath, right outside Dr. Harris’s office. He stuck his head out, a dark wave of hair falling across his forehead.

  “Are you all right?” he asked. She held up her hands as she caught her breath. He smoothed the lock back into place with slender fingers. Watching his hands, Rachel was surprised that there was no ring. He seemed like the type to settle down. Someone so handsome and intelligent should have his pick of women. The touch of gray at his temples only added to his charm. She shook off the thought. It was really none of her business anyway. She took a deep breath before she answered him.

  “I’m fine, Dr. Harris. I’m just out of shape. These stairs will kill you,” she said with a half laugh, half gasp.

  “Why don’t you take the elevator?”

  “I like breathing.”

  “Obviously.” They both laughed. “Where are you off to today?”

  “English 101, otherwise known as Freshman Torture.”

  He chuckled. “I never heard it put exactly that way, but that’s pretty good.”

  “I guess I’d better move along while I’m still able. I’ll see you around, Dr. Harris.”

  “By the way, you don’t have to call me Dr. Harris anymore. You’re an instructor, too, now. Why don’t you call me Randy?”

  “It’s a hard habit to break.” It was true. There was probably only a few years difference in their ages, but it was hard to imagine calling him by his first name. She moved the bag onto her hip. “I’d better get going or I’ll be late.” She waved and walked on down the hall. Ten minutes later she was deep into her review of basic grammar and Dr. Harris was not even a memory.

  two

  Randall Harris watched until Rachel turned the corner. With a sigh he turned back to the papers he was grading, but he couldn’t concentrate. He was beginning to wonder if he was losing it. Spending his days daydreaming about her could get him into trouble. It was a bit of a quandary. Here he was a nice, single professor surrounded by nice, single young women. The only problem was they were all his students. He was only five years older than some of his students, yet it was career suicide to date any one of them. Rachel, on the other hand, was not a student anymore, but they were still separated by that teacher/student relationship, a self-imposed distance. In trying to protect himself, he had separated himself from the one woman who really interested him.

  When he went home that night, she followed him home in his thoughts. He put his hand on his head and rested his elbows on his desk. Looking around his cluttered living room, he felt the emptiness. In the midst of all the junk he had accumulated in the last ten years, he felt as if the room were bare. “God, I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. “I’m so lonely right now.” He had made a habit of taking his troubles to the Lord years ago, but tonight it seemed his prayer was hitting the ceiling and bouncing back like an echo. “I know You said that You are all we need, but You also saw Adam’s need for a mate. That’s why You sent Eve. Why should I be any different?” He raked his hands through his hair and rested his head on the desk. Tears burned his eyes, but refused to be shed. He was a grown man, and men didn’t cry.

  “Jesus cried.”

  What?

  “Jesus cried.”

  The tears came then, a release of the emotions pent up inside. The tears opened the barriers and allowed God’s calming presence to wrap him in a cloak of love. He dried his eyes and bowed his head once more.

  “Now what, Lord?”

  “Wait on me. Hear my Word.”

  He picked up his Bible and it fell open to Proverbs 19:21. “There are many devices in a man’s heart; never-theless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” He looked down at the footnote, which read, “Devices means plans.”

  “Lord, I know you have a plan for my life. Is Rachel a part of that plan? Or is that just wishful thinking?”

  There was no answer, only a hush. He waited a few more moments, but sensed that the Spirit had finished speaking for now. He went to bed only to toss and turn, finally drifting off to a vision of Rachel holding a baby that looked curiously like him.

  ❧

  Rachel spent the evening staring at the back of Kyle’s head. She tried to memorize every line and feature. From his sandy brown hair and green eyes to his crooked smile, he was perfect. It took everything she had not to sigh out loud. He kept his back turned to her during the whole service and muttered a goodbye as he headed for the opposite side of the room as fast as his long legs would carry him. She watched him until he disappeared through the side door.

  “Could you be a little more obvious?”

  “What? Oh, hey, Susan.”

  “Well it’s great to see you too. How was your day? It was great. How about you?” Susan said, carrying on a conversation with herself.

  “Sorry,” Rachel said.

  “Yeah, right,” Susan said, cocking her head sideways. “I really believe it.”

  Rachel threw a playful punch. “If I didn’t know you any better, I would think you were jealous.”

  “Jealous of what? A make-believe romance? Hardly.”

  “No need to rub it in.”

  “Just forget him. There are lots of great guys out there who are dying to go out with you.”

  “Yeah right. They’re knocking down my door. That’s why I haven’t had a date in five years.”

  “Whose fault is that?” Susan asked, hands on hips.

  “What do you mean?”

  “What do I mean? I mean that no guy is going to ask you out while you’re following Kyle around like a puppy dog, especially not Kyle.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know for such a smart girl, you sure don’t know much,” Susan quipped. “I mean that if you want to catch Kyle, you’re going to have to play hard to get. Stop sitting near him and talking to him. Let him come to you.”

  “What if he doesn’t?” Rachel’s voice betrayed her uncertainty.

  “Then you move on.” Susan put an arm around her shoulders. “You can’t go on waiting for something that may never happen. Give him lots of space and widen your horizons. Go out with Jason.”

  Rachel groaned. “Not Jason again. He is so totally not my type.”

  “Well then, somebody. Anybody,” Susan said, throwing her hands up in the air. “You never know. It might wake Kyle up to what he’s missing.”

  Rachel thought it over—it might just do that. But she hated the thought of using someone else to get Kyle to notice her. She would just play hard
to get. If someone else asked her out…well, there was no reason she couldn’t say yes. After all, she wasn’t exactly committed to Kyle. She thought it over. Who would she go out with? Her acquaintances were pretty limited. She spent most of her time either at the community center or at the university. Just then Dr. Harris’s face flashed across her mind, but was quickly extinguished. Like he would ever ask her out.

  “Are you sleepwalking? I asked if you were ready to go,” Susan called.

  “I’m coming.”

  Rachel thought all night and most of the rest of the week about what Susan had said. It made sense. Men liked what they couldn’t have. She made a decision that night to put a plan into action. Sunday she would sit across the church from Kyle, and she wouldn’t talk to him. She would pretend she couldn’t see him at all. It was going to take all the self-control she possessed and more. This was going to take more than she had. But she was determined. The decision made, she rolled over and tried to get to sleep. Pushing images of Kyle out of her mind, she drifted off to sleep, but just before dawn Randall Harris crept into her dreams and then vanished with the sunrise.

  three

  The next morning dawned bright and blue without a trace of snow. Alabama weather could really throw a person. A couple of days ago she was trudging through the snow and today she was tempted to wear a T-shirt and shorts. It was definitely spring. Rachel skipped across the quad in high spirits. Susan’s suggestion had given her a spark of hope—something she hadn’t had in a long time. She still wasn’t sure how to pull it off, but she was working on it. She just had to keep her eyes open for any opportunity to put the plan into action. With a smile and a whistle she bounded up the stairs to her classroom.

  ❧

  Randy watched her pass. Her smile literally took his breath away. It took several seconds to slow down the thumping of his heart. Many times when she had been in his class he had found it hard to concentrate on the lecture when she smiled that smile. He opened and closed his pen ten times and then began to beat a rhythm on his desk. His roaming eyes fell on a flyer that had been buried under a pile of papers. Pulling it from the stack, he ignored the avalanche that slid onto the floor. Here was the answer to his dilemma. All he had to do was catch her on her way out of class. This would be the place to start.