by Nancy Hopper
But, it was so amazing to us that Tim could consider getting married, and simply never mention it to us. It just wasn't like him. I mean, he lives next door here, with us.”
“And then, he finally called from Los Angeles to tell me about Dana. After waiting all that time to hear from him, and then when he did call, he was so unwilling to give me even five minutes. It was just too much. My heart was breaking for my daughter, and it was the first time I'd really heard from my son. But, he said he had no time to talk to me. So I went to get Dana, and I brought her home. Now, I understand that he was trying desperately to secure his bank accounts and such, from Rick Snyder."
She sighed. "We finally decided that we couldn't just sit still and wait, anymore. We called Jerome's brother Paul, in Venezuela. He'd been on the campaign with Tim, before he left South America for Los Angeles. We didn't know what else to do.”
"Paul didn't know much more about things than we did, except to tell us that Timothy had been depressed and despondent enough that he wasn't sleeping, or eating. Paul had been very concerned about him. He said he'd sat up with Tim all night, the night that he'd called you, and you two had pretty much called it off. He said that Tim was ..." she shook her head. "That he was not sure Tim was going to get over it. Then, we knew that he simply wasn't thinking clearly enough to talk to us. We knew that we had to just love him, and wait for him to pull out of it. But it was very difficult. We have always been a close family."
"When he came home, he was a not the same man. He's been surly and moody, and quite distant. Though he wouldn’t say so, I think that he was angry with us for asking him to come home for Dana's sake. Maybe he was just so worried about her. I don't know.”
"But, we couldn't do anything with Dana, either. Tim was the only one with any answers for her. The morning after he arrived, Jerome tried to get him to talk about you. He told us a little. Then, he got Jerome to play the videotape of your broadcast in Los Angeles. Apparently, he'd never seen it. Watching his face was quite revealing. We began to understand the devastation that he'd been through.”
"We don't want to add to his burden, or force him to talk to us, but ... we surely would like to have our son back." She said. She forced back tears. “I am certain it will come, with time.”
Tasha was moved with compassion. She went and sat on the floor at Gloria's feet, and took her hand.
"And now, he comes here with me, and you've got just about a week to get ready for the wedding." She added with empathy. "Mrs. Rain, I think I can help, without tipping anyone's hand. I feel certain that Tim doesn't have a clue. I have to beg your forgiveness for my part in this, and ask you to forgive Tim, too. He's been through such a time, that I'm certain he just lost track of things.”
"He has told me so much about you, Mrs. Rain. I know that he loves you, and that you have his deepest love and respect. He would never do anything to hurt you, on purpose. I just don't think he realizes how much he's left you in the dark. Things happened very quickly. He's been in the battle of his life."
She smiled up at her future mother-in-law, and squeezed her hand. "Tonight, I am certain I can get him to talk about it. I'll just guide the conversation that way, and we can explain it all to you, bit by bit. I think that before we go too far, Tim will begin to realize how little he's told you. Your questions and the looks on your faces, should tell him. And I really think things will take care of themselves. He needs to realize. It's important."
Gloria took a deep breath, and squeezed Tasha's hand. "That would be lovely, dear. Thank you. You're very understanding."
Tasha smiled. "Look who's talking." She challenged. "You know, I'll bet you could use some help in the kitchen, with dinner."
Gloria smiled at her. "Perhaps a bit." She admitted. "I put the ribs in before we went to the airport, but it is about time to start the rest."
An hour later, they were sitting down to juicy beef ribs, oven browned potatoes with gravy, broccoli and salad. Gloria's home-made rolls were the crowning touch to a wonderful meal.
Tim insisted on having Tasha beside him. James and Dana took the other side of the table, leaving the ends for the parents.
It was a wonderful, relaxed time. Tasha could almost feel Tim's parents unbend, as they responded to she and James.
After dinner, James was coaxed into sitting down at the piano to play for them. He was truly very impressive. In addition to being gifted and accomplished, he was extremely creative.
James and Dana later decided to go to a movie, and so Tim and Tasha found themselves in the living room with his parents. Gloria smiled at Tasha as they all sat down together.
"Well, you two. Tell us all about your whirlwind romance, will you?"
Tim looked as though it was one of the last things he'd like to talk about, but Tasha pulled him to the couch, and cuddled under his arm.
"We'd be happy to." Tasha answered, smiling up at Tim. She took his other hand in hers, and held it. "I live in Salt Lake most of the year. I spend a lot of time on the ski slopes. Tim was there for a conference last year, and we happened to ride a ski lift together. Then, we ran into one another in the lodge, that afternoon. One thing led to another, and the next thing I knew, I was at a Christian conference, trying to figure out who this Timothy Rain was." She teased with a smile. Tim saw the pleading look in her eyes, and sighed. She clearly wanted to talk about it all again.
"There was nothing chance about it." Tim corrected her darkly. He looked at his parents. "When we were on the ski lift, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me. It was obvious that she wanted nothing to do with the Lord. She was completely determined to ignore us, once we told her why were in Salt Lake. Reuben was snapping at her heels with his evangelistic barometer going wild. I began to see that she was a prodigal who knew Him very well, but that she was deeply wounded, and frightened. I let her go when we got off the lift, because I had no choice. But I had no doubt that I'd see her again, somehow. He wanted her at that conference, and He had every intention of bringing her back to Himself."
"That afternoon, the guys and I went into the lodge when we got done skiing, and there she was. So, I went over and talked to her. I asked her to come to the conference."
Jerome shook his head. "How were you able to convince her that you weren't just looking for female companionship?" he asked incredulously.
Tim rolled his eyes. "I'm really not sure that I ever did." He admitted dryly. "It was immediately obvious that she spent a lot of time convincing men that she was not interested in male companionship. If the Holy Spirit hadn't helped me by telling me a couple of things about her, I don't think I would have gotten anywhere.”
"I think she was intrigued by my prophetic knowledge about her, and by my persistence. I'm not sure why she didn't call Security. She could have, and they would have made me leave her alone. She's everybody's sweetheart, up there."
Tasha blushed. He was right, she had been tempted to call Security, and they would have indeed made him leave her alone. She was an important patron of the resort.
"Instead, she found herself inviting me home for dinner. So, I got a home cooked meal, met her kids, and I showed up for the first night of the conference with Salt Lake's most beautiful, glamorous, sexy and eligible woman on my arm."
Tasha blushed, and Tim just laughed. "I was an extremely envied man." He told them with great satisfaction. “You wouldn't believe the ribbing I took from the guys, about her.”
"So, did God touch her that night?" Jerome asked with interest.
"No. He just let her look things over. He had some other things to accomplish, before He blasted her. And even though she tried to run, she kept coming back for more; and she kept inviting me home for dinner. Which was a real treat, let me tell you. Wait 'til you meet Lucinda. She is a true wizard in the kitchen.”
"We skied together a little bit, and sparred a whole lot. She was fighting the line, but the hook was very securely lodged in her jaw. We both realized, I think the first night, that it was possible we'd be
… quite attracted to one another; but we were still dancing around. A few nights in, He hit us both with fire like I've never experienced. It came and stripped us both bare. I began to see that we were both trying to run, but it was impossible. I was falling in love.”
He chuckled. "I was as scared as she was, but I knew better than to keep fighting. The following night, I finally got the green light to minister to her. I took Tom with me, and the Lord started reading her mail, big time.”
"We found out that she was not only a wounded prodigal, but that she had also been a pastor's wife. I was truly shocked by that one. I'd never in a million years have guessed that about her. Then, we got hit by a lightning bolt, and we all ended up on the floor. While we were laying there laughing, the Lord told both me and Tom that she was the one He intended for me."
Jerome's eyebrows went up. "I've never heard of anything quite like this."
"Neither had I, but I was extremely sure. I had been falling hard for this girl for the past few days. I couldn't believe it, couldn't understand it. But it didn't go away, and I couldn't get away. Neither could she, though she wanted no part of Him, or of me. So, I went after her, with all I had in me."
"And?" Gloria asked pointedly.
"And nothing. She ignored me." Tim shrugged. "I retreated and left Salt Lake. Dumb move. I should have stayed there and battered her door down. I had a few weeks before I had to go on tour. But I left, thinking that time would be on my side.”
He closed his eyes. “I prayed like I'd never prayed before. I wrote her letters, sent her cards and flowers. She ignored everything I sent her. I had nothing but God's promise. I prophesied it, and it wasn't long before I wanted it, with all my heart. But when I got back from my tour, it seemed that I hadn't gained an inch. So, I had to go crawling back to Salt Lake, and force myself into her life again."
The parents looked distinctly upset, but they said nothing.
"I showed up in Salt Lake, only to find the house empty. Tasha was in Idaho, but their awesome housekeeper Lucinda, called Tasha's father. He was, thank God, on my side.”
"He got her back to Salt Lake, and I pushed her to the breaking point. She called my bluff, and did exactly what she thought would make me back off. And Pattie got it all on film." He said wryly.
Tasha developed pink spots in her cheeks, and looked at her hands, folded in her lap.
"I really didn't blame Tasha. She'd told me a hundred times she didn't want me around, and I kept pressing her. I really think she thought this poor nut would run like hell, if she came on to me. But she was wrong.”
"Still, I was out of her graces big time, and I didn't see any point in sticking around. I was making a mess of things. I decided I should leave, and she gave me a very cold acknowledgment that it was probably a great idea." Tim could see that Tasha was getting extremely uncomfortable, so he went on quickly.
"I got a call the very morning I left Salt Lake, telling me that a story was going to break. I had no idea of the magnitude, or that it was going to involve Tasha. I wasn't even worried about it at the time. I couldn't have imagined that Pattie had any information that could hurt Tasha. I figured I could handle anything Pattie could dish out. That was really stupid.”
"Tim, but when you did that broadcast from New York, you intimated that everything was fine between you two." Gloria said with bewilderment.
"Strangely enough, it was." He chuckled. "Pattie shook this girl to her toes. It was Pattie's very story that helped Tasha understand what I was up against, how much risk I'd taken, and how much I loved her. When I called her the morning the story broke, the door was open, so I got a flight to Salt Lake, post haste. I had less than an hour to catch the only flight that would get me there. She met me at the airport with a kiss, and all the barriers had simply disappeared. She even flew to New York with me that afternoon, and stood by me while I did the broadcast. And when I got on my plane to leave New York, I thought I had her, for good."
He grinned down at Tasha lazily. "But the battle wasn't over yet. When Pattie got hold of us the second time, she just about demolished the whole thing. Tasha couldn't take anymore, and I didn't blame her at all. Pattie was pretty smart to wait until I was in Brazil, to go for Tasha's jugular again."
"Thank God, you didn't give up." Tasha sighed. "Even though I was a fool, and broke up with you."
"I did try to give up, more than once. But the Lord wouldn't let me stop. I kept going back to Him, and He'd always give me some shred of hope or faith, to keep me fighting for our relationship.
"You know, if Tom hadn't given me that prophecy the second night of the conference, I don't know what might have happened." He admitted. He smiled at Tasha.
"That night when I called you from South America, and you told me to forget the whole thing – I hit rock bottom. If my Uncle Paul hadn't been there, I don't think I could have made it. I didn't have the heart to fight, anymore." He stopped talking, and collected himself.
"Then, the morning that the Deming Smith story broke, Tom sent me a copy of a tape with his crazy prophecy on it, and a note telling me the Lord had told him I had to have that tape; and listen to it, immediately.
“He included a picture someone gave him, of the three of us on the floor that night at the Cedars when the Lord told me you were the one. In fact, I think the picture was probably taken at just about the very moment that I knew you were the one. That just knocked me flat. I sat there listening to that tape, and staring at the picture for hours.”
“Then, Dana called and told me there had been a third story, and the Lord gave me immediate release to go to L.A., and He told me he was all through letting the press knock you around. I saw His fist closing around us and the entire situation. He told me that if I would rise up and press in one more time, everything would be taken care of. And to think … once again, if Pattie had left well enough alone, we might yet be apart. It was her going on television that flushed you out and made you go public."
"I hope He takes care of Deming Smith." Tasha said uncertainly. "I'm very surprised that he's taken it all so quietly. The Deming Smith that I used to know would be giving someone a run for their money, right now." She puzzled.
"Maybe he knows this was bound to happen someday." Tim suggested. "Don't borrow trouble, honey."
"Tasha, what did make you go on television, if you had already told Timothy it was over?" Gloria asked worriedly.
Tasha shrugged. "I could see that they were going to ruin Tim's ministry, whether I ran and hid, or not. I saw Pattie Danniels on Norm Nielsen's show; and she just made me so angry that I picked up the phone, and gave him a piece of my mind. He asked me to come on the show and set the record straight, and I told him I'd be happy to. None of what happened was Tim's fault, and I was bound and determined that the world would know it before I got finished. Besides, I missed Tim. I was beginning to believe that maybe, after all, he was right. I was beginning to really need him."
Tim laughed, and dropped his head back against the wall behind him. "Bless Pattie, she tried so hard, and all she managed to do, was give me the breaks I needed to win Tasha’s heart. But, I’ll admit I was darn worried when I got to the television station, and walked in to find Rick Snyder kissing you. I just stood there in shock. Helene warned me that she thought he might have come on to you. Luckily, I was obedient to the Holy Spirit; and just waited and watched. You'll never know how relieved I was when you began to struggle, and finally decked him."
"Oh, my. Tasha, did he really ask you to run away with him?" Gloria asked incredulously.
"He certainly did." Tasha assured her darkly.
"And when I saw her response, I knew the battle was over. I knew she was mine." Tim laughed. "And the rest, Thank God, was easy. Pattie fell into my trap at the airport, and repented in front of the whole world. Tasha finally said she'd marry me, and we came out smelling like roses."
"Then, you went back to Salt Lake together from L.A.?" Jerome asked uncertainly.
"Yep." Tim confirmed. �
�I was worried about what the press might do to her if they found her alone; and besides, I didn't want to let her out of my sight, with everything so volatile.”
"And then, you called to tell us you were getting married. And we asked you to come home." Jerome pieced things together thoughtfully.
"Yep. I thought at the time that it would kill me, but Tasha made me leave. She was smart enough to know that she didn't have a chance with Dana, unless I came home first and worked through the mess Rick had made. But I decided that the next time I went to Salt Lake, I wasn't coming home without her."
Tasha smiled up at him. "And a more tenacious man, I have never met."
"That's quite a story, you two." Jerome whistled.
"It wasn't much fun to live through. I have a suspicion that it'll be worth it, though." Tim chuckled.
"It certainly sounds different coming from you two, than it did from Pattie Danniels." Gloria sighed.
Tim gave his mother a perplexed look. "What do you mean?" he asked darkly.
Gloria looked at him lovingly. "Just that I'm relieved to hear the whole truth from you directly, son. I'm very happy for you. And I’m glad to know for certain that you didn’t do anything you’d have to regret."
Tim stared at her thoughtfully, and then closed his eyes. "Just when did you find out about Tasha?" he asked tiredly.
Jerome knew that Gloria couldn't say anything. "Well, son, I'd have to say it was when Pattie Danniels did her first story."
Tim shook his head, and looked out the window. "I didn't tell you anything, did I?" he asked quietly. "Not when I met her, not when the first story hit, not when I did my broadcast, not before I left for South America. Not much, even, before I went back to Salt Lake to bring her home. And you never said a thing. I can't believe I was so insensitive. I can't tell you how sorry I am." He said brokenly. His eyes were filled with shame and pain. “I didn't know if we'd ever et together, when I left the conference, and all the time after...”