The Forgiving Hour

by Robin Lee Hatcher

  “I’m no expert on hockey, Mrs. Jennings. Olympic or otherwise.”

  There was a wicked twinkle in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. Just speak with authority, and they’ll think you know what you’re talking about. None of them do, that’s for certain.”

  Sara took hold of Dakota’s right hand with her left as they went into the house, both of them pausing long enough for her to kiss her mom on the cheek. Inside, they found the kitchen in familiar turmoil. Myrna and Fiona were rolling out piecrusts in the center of the table while Darlene tried to keep her twins, J.J. and Lizzie, from dumping the cat food into the pet’s water dish — but she was too late.

  Seeing Sara and Dakota, Darlene pointed a finger at them. “Listen to one who knows, you two. Don’t ever have kids!” Then she went chasing after the three-year-old troublemakers who were making a fast getaway up the stairs, giggles ringing in their wake.

  Dakota leaned over and whispered in Sara’s ear. “Does she know?”

  “Just hopeful,” she whispered in reply.

  “We’d better tell them before someone sees your ring.” He squeezed her hand.

  With her heart beating double time, the best Sara could do was nod.

  He gave her an encouraging grin and led her to the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Sara’s three brothers were still arguing with her father, their voices blending together in one loud crescendo.

  “Hello,” Dakota shouted above the ruckus.

  “Dakota!” Eli cried. “I’m sure glad you’re here. Come in and tell these blockheads a thing or two.”

  “Be glad to. But first I need to make an announcement.”

  Except for the sounds of little children at play upstairs and the low drone of the television, the house went instantly silent. Sara looked from the men in the living room to Darlene, who was standing midway up the staircase, to her mom, Fiona, and Myrna in the kitchen. No one smiled. No one moved.

  She could have cut the air with a knife.

  He placed his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve asked Sara to marry me, and she said yes.”

  Another moment or two of silence, and then the whoops and hollers began. Sara was pulled from Dakota’s embrace and passed from one person to the next, hugged and kissed by everyone. Her ring was ogled and admired and oohed over. Her mother shed a few tears, and so did Sara. She was dizzy by the time she found herself once again beside her fiancé. And from the expression on his face and the traces of lipstick on his cheeks, he’d been subjected to the same jubilant congratulations.

  “Have you decided on a date?” Fiona asked.

  “Not exactly.” He placed his arm around Sara again and looked down at her with an adoring gaze. “She’s still getting settled in at work, and my mother’ll be working in Seattle for another two or three months. But we’d both like to get married this summer.”

  She felt all soft inside, special, loved. A summer wedding. Golden sunshine. Emerald grass. Vibrant-colored flowers.

  “Fourth of July’s on a Saturday,” Josh piped up. “That way you’d have the whole country celebrating your anniversary with you every year.”

  “Good idea. That way I’d never forget our anniversary, would I?”

  “You’d better not forget it,” she warned with a mock frown.

  Her brothers groaned in unison.

  “Forgetting your anniversary has got to be one of the seven deadly sins,” Tim said. “Trust me on this. Been there. Done that. Darlene still hasn’t forgiven me. Have you, Dar?”

  “No way,” his wife answered. “I’m milking it for all it’s worth.”

  Dakota’s arm tightened. Sara looked up.

  “What do you think, sweetheart?” He grinned. “Is July fourth okay with you?”

  Sweetheart. She forgot the question, drowning as she was in the loving look in his eyes and the tenderness in his voice. I’m his sweetheart.

  “Is it, Sara?”

  “Is what?”

  “Is July fourth okay with you?”

  “You could have an outdoor wedding,” Myrna said. “It’s almost always nice on the Fourth of July. They do weddings in the rose garden at Julia Davis Park. It might not be too late to reserve it.”

  Eli stepped up beside Dakota and said in a stage whisper, “Giving up your independence on Independence Day. Man, will you ever be in for some ribbing.”

  Sara hadn’t taken her gaze from Dakota. He wore a secret smile, a smile that was for her and her alone. She felt it right down to her toes.

  “For Pete’s sake, Sara!” Tim exclaimed. “Give the guy an answer. Tell him the fourth is okay.”

  “The fourth is okay.”

  His grin reminded her of the proverbial cat who’d swallowed the canary.

  And then, right in front of her entire family, he said, “I love you, Sara, and I’ll love you till the day I die.”

  And he kissed her.

  She hardly heard the renewed howls and whoops from her brothers. Only the feel of his mouth on hers and the rapid beating of her heart seemed real.

  Kevin stared out of his living room window at the lights of the city. Beethoven played on the stereo. Bob — an ugly mutt of a dog, complete with a missing ear and a bobbed tail, that had adopted him two years before — lay on the floor next to the recliner.

  I like Claire, Lord.

  In those first years after Irene died, Kevin hadn’t conceived of ever marrying again. When his wife was in the hospital that last time, her kidney failing, she’d told him he should marry again one day. She didn’t want him to be alone.

  “It would be a great compliment to me,” she’d said, “if you would.”

  He hadn’t understood what she’d meant at the time. But later, he did. They’d been happy. Despite never having children, they’d had a full and joyous marriage. To marry again would be to say he’d been happy as her husband.

  He got up from the recliner and walked to the plate glass window. Streamers of white lights flowed along freeways and streets, some drivers making their way home from the city, other drivers coming into the city for events of various kinds.

  It had been a long time since he’d felt this emptiness in his home. He’d been satisfied living here with Bob for company. He enjoyed the work he did. He was active in his church. His life was full of interesting people and new challenges.

  But I want more.

  He’d thought about Claire often while he was out of town. More than he’d expected he would.

  Delight yourself in the Lord, the psalmist had written, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

  Kevin had believed those words all of his life. And he did delight in God, with his whole being. What he didn’t know was whether or not Claire was a desire of his heart. He thought she might be. He thought he might want to be more than her friend; he thought she might feel the same. He wanted to find out for certain.

  And yet something seemed to be holding him back.

  “Why, Lord?” he whispered. “What is it You’re trying to tell me?”

  Dakota leaned against the stall door and watched as Sara brushed the big reddish-brown horse.

  “Rusty won me plenty of trophies and ribbons,” she said without looking at Dakota. “Didn’t you, boy?”

  The two of them had slipped out to the barn to escape the continuing celebration going on inside the house. While an icy winter wind caused the door to rattle, here in the barn it was warm and cozy.

  “Rusty’s twenty years old now,” Sara continued as she stroked the white blaze on the animal’s face. “Hard to believe. He was still young when I was competing.” She turned toward the gate. “We should go riding sometime.”

  “Riding? You mean, on a horse?”

  She laughed. “Don’t look so scared, Mr. Conway.”

  “I’m more of a cold-steel kinda guy. You know. Motorcycles. Cars. Airplanes, even.”

  “You’ll need to learn how to ride before the kids get old enough. We’ll want to take the whole family on trail rides up a
bove Idaho City.”

  “Hey, I think we’ve got a little time. Don’t rush me.”

  She gave the horse one final pat on the neck before walking over to the stall door. She stopped opposite Dakota. “Four kids. Two dogs. Maybe a cat. At least three horses.”

  “A Jeep and a minivan. A ski boat. A dirt bike.”

  “A house in the country, two stories with a wraparound porch.”

  “A family room with a big-screen TV.”

  “A queen-size bed and a heavy down quilt in the winter.”

  He leaned toward her, lowering his voice. “A king-size bed, but me to keep you warm.”

  “Deal,” she whispered.

  “Deal.” He kissed her.

  He really was the luckiest man on earth.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Claire checked the kitchen clock. Six-thirty. She looked at her watch. Six-thirty-two.

  Where is he?

  She almost wished Dakota hadn’t called her from Yakima.

  “The Jeep’s running great, Mom,” he’d said, “and I’m making good time. Should be to your place around five-thirty, five-forty-five. My cell phone battery’s dead or I’d call you when I hit town. Don’t worry. I’ll get there just fine.”

  Don’t worry. Easy for him to say.

  She walked into her bedroom where the window overlooked the parking lot. No sign of the blue Jeep. Turning, she glanced at the clock radio. It was three minutes faster than her wristwatch.

  What if there’d been an accident? What if he’d run out of gas somewhere? What if—

  He’s a grown man, not a little boy. He’d call if he had trouble. Being anxious won’t get him here one minute sooner.

  Claire returned to the living room where she sat on the sofa and turned on the television, hoping she would find something to engage her mind until her son arrived. She didn’t. She picked up a magazine and started flipping through it until she saw something that looked interesting. She read for a few minutes, then realized she hadn’t a clue what she’d been reading. Tossing the magazine aside, she rose and went to the bedroom again. Still no sign of Dakota’s Jeep.

  She wished that Kevin were with her. He had a wonderful way of putting everything into perspective, of calming her fears, of reminding her to lean on the Lord. But he wasn’t with her, nor had she expected him to be.

  Something had changed between them during the past month. It seemed he’d erected some sort of invisible but impenetrable barrier. He’d continued to be there for her in many ways, and he seemed to genuinely care. He was always generous with his time, always willing to answer her questions.

  And yet the barrier remained; the message was unmistakable. Kevin didn’t want more from her than friendship.

  She blinked away unwanted tears, angry with herself for shedding even a couple. She shouldn’t be so disappointed. It wasn’t as if she needed or wanted a man in her life. She’d done just fine as a single woman. She had a good job, dear and trusted friends, and a wonderful son. She didn’t need anything — or anyone — more than that. Besides, in a couple more months, her work in Seattle would be done, and she would go home to Boise. Home where she belonged.

  She heard the Jeep a split second before it came into view. Her heartbeat quickened with anticipation. He’s here! She raced out of her condo and down to the parking lot.

  “Dakota!” she shouted as her feet hit the sidewalk.

  Standing at the rear of his Jeep, he turned when he heard her. “Mom!”

  A moment later, he caught her in a bear hug, lifting her feet right off the ground. He kissed her soundly on the cheek before he set her down. Then he stepped back and studied her with his eyes.

  “Wow! Seattle must agree with you. You look terrific.”

  “So do you. Did you find your way here without any trouble? I was getting worried.”

  “There was an accident on the freeway that slowed traffic to a crawl. Guess I should’ve found a phone, huh?” Looping his arm through hers, he drew her back to his Jeep where he removed his duffel bag from the back compartment. “Want me to take you out to dinner?”

  “No, I’ve got a casserole ready. I’ll just need to pop it into the microwave to warm it up.”

  “You made a casserole? You mean from … scratch?”

  She poked him in the ribs. “Don’t you tease me about it, Dakota. I haven’t forgotten how to cook. I just don’t do it often.”

  “Often?” He grinned that lopsided grin of his. “Define often”

  “Remember who you’re talking to, buster.”

  “The woman who made my dinner?”

  “The mother who can still tan her son’s hide if she’s a mind to.”

  “Oh, right.” In one smooth movement, he dropped his duffel and swept her feet off the ground. “Just try it.”

  They both laughed.

  After a moment, he set her down, and she took him up to her condo. When they were inside, he paused in the center of the living room and looked around.

  “Gee, Mom, this is nice.” He tipped his head back and sniffed the air. “Smells good too. Let’s see. Green peppers. Onions. Tomatoes. My favorite, right? You’re the best.”

  “Thanks. Feelings reciprocated.” She motioned for him to follow while still basking in the glow of his compliment. “Come on. I’ll show you where to put your things. You can freshen up while I get the food ready.” She took him to the small guest room, then pointed out the bathroom and the linen closet. “Take your time, honey. You’ve had a long drive. We can eat whenever you’re ready.”

  “Thanks.” He tossed his duffel onto the twin bed. “It won’t take me long.”

  Claire left him there and returned to the kitchen. She put the casserole she’d baked earlier into the microwave, pulled a tossed salad and two kinds of dressing out of the refrigerator, and placed sliced sourdough bread into a cloth-lined basket. Next she poured ice water into the glasses on the table and lit the tapers in the cut-glass candleholders. In the living room, she put an instrumental CD into the compact disc player and pressed Play, setting the volume low. They had so much to talk about.

  It was going to be wonderful to share with her son all that had happened. She’d anticipated this evening for many weeks. Ever since she’d come to the Lord.

  “Anything I can help you with?” Dakota asked as he emerged from the hallway.

  She smiled, feeling a rush of pleasure at the sight of him. What a blessing to have Dakota for a son. God was indeed good.

  “No,” she answered. “Just make yourself at home. I’ll have everything on the table in a jiffy.” She hurried back to the kitchen. “So what’s new with you?” she asked in a raised voice. “I feel like I’ve been away from Boise for a couple of years instead of a couple of months.”

  “I sorta feel that way too. I’ve got plenty to tell you.”

  The microwave beeped. Claire took the casserole out and carried it to the table.

  “Will you ask the blessing, Dakota?”

  He grinned. “I’d love to.” He pulled out a chair for her, and after she was seated, he sat opposite her. In unison, they bowed their heads in prayer.

  There was nothing fancy about his prayer over the meal, only a genuine thankfulness for all that God had provided. The sentiment echoed the feelings in Claire’s heart.

  “In Jesus’ name, amen,” he finished.

  “Amen,” she added softly.

  In a heartbeat, Dakota reached for the casserole and helped himself to a giant-size portion. “I didn’t know how hungry I was till now,” he said when he looked up and found her watching.

  “Hmm.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Seems to me you were always this hungry. Two hollow legs.”

  “I’m just a growing boy.”

  “Good grief! I certainly hope not. Six-four is plenty tall enough unless you plan to start playing pro basketball.”

  Their good-humored banter, interspersed with more serious topics, continued as they ate their dinner. They talked about the work Claire was doing in S
eattle and all the new sights she had seen. They talked about Dakota’s job and his chance for promotion. They talked about her church and Bible studies.

  Nearly an hour later, Dakota pushed his dessert plate away from him. “Mom, I’ve got something else to tell you. Something important.”

  His tone of voice told her this was more than just “something.”

  “I’ve met somebody.”

  “Somebody?” she echoed, but she knew what he meant. She could see what he was feeling in his eyes. Dakota was in love.

  “Her name’s Sara.” He smiled. “She’s really special.”

  “You wouldn’t care for someone who wasn’t.”

  “I love her, Mom, and you’re gonna love her just as much as I do.”

  “Of course I will.” She returned his smile.

  He leaned forward. “I’ve asked her to marry me.”

  She hadn’t been prepared for that. She was glad he’d found someone special. She wasn’t sorry he’d fallen in love. But marriage?

  “How long have you known her?”

  “Two months.” He chuckled. “I told her if I weren’t so shy I’d have asked her sooner. We met the day you left for Seattle. Remember how I told you at the airport that God would bring the right girl into my life at the right time? I didn’t know how prophetic that was going to prove to be.”

  “Just how did the two of you meet?” She couldn’t keep a note of suspicion out of her voice.

  “I ran into her parents and brothers right after you got on the plane. They go to my church. They were at the airport to meet Sara. She’d just flown in from Denver.” His grin broadened. “I had it bad from that moment on.”

  “Oh, Dakota, don’t you think you should —”

  “It wasn’t easy, convincing her to go out on a date with me. Sara’s a little older than I am. Seven years to be exact. She thought it should matter — to me and to others — but I convinced her it didn’t.” He paused a moment before adding, “She’s made me the happiest guy in the world by accepting my proposal.”

  She was ashamed of herself for not responding better. It didn’t take an Einstein to see how happy he was, how very much in love.