by Peterson, Tracie; Davis, Mary; Hake, Kelly Eileen; Stengl, Jill; Warren, Susan May
“Well, what do you say?” Amos Osborne, Deer Ridge’s self-appointed mayor, questioned Tyler. “Will you pastor our community? I’m sure I speak for all the folks here in saying we’d be most honored to have you stay on. We might even be able to build a church in another year or so—that is, if we get another good year behind us.” Everyone nodded in unison and waited for the towering man to speak.
Tyler’s heart was touched, but his mind was on Amy. “I’ll pray about it,” he replied.
Just then Angie appeared at the door with a smile on her face. “Doc says Amy is half-starved and dehydrated. But she didn’t suffer much from the cold, and he says she ought to be just fine in a few days.”
Tyler reached out and gave Angie a hearty hug at the news.
“Whoa, preacher,” someone called. “You got the wrong sister!” Everyone laughed, and Tyler’s face reddened.
“Don’t worry,” Angie laughed. “I’ll pass that hug on to the right one.” With a wink, she turned and went back into the building.
Bit by bit, the crowd dispersed and regathered at the schoolhouse where the festivities for Christmas started anew. Once Tyler was certain Amy was out of any real danger, he agreed to return and preach the service he’d promised. The atmosphere was one of genuine love and happiness, with each and every person knowing just how far God’s protection and love had extended to them that Christmas.
The kids made clear that they considered the holiday theirs, and after their simple play about the shepherds seeking the Christ Child, they lined up to receive candy from the Smiths. Soon the entire affair burst into a full-fledged party, with sweets and goodies spread out on a lace tablecloth. Someone brought out a punch bowl and cups, and soon everyone was toasting the day and the man whom they hoped would stay to become one of Deer Ridge’s own.
Finally, Tyler led them in a closing prayer. “Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Son. We can’t begin to understand the sacrifice You made on our behalf, but we praise You for Your love.”
Several people murmured in agreement before Tyler could continue, “You’ve watched over this town in a most wondrous way this day—and in a very unique and special way You brought us all together. For a while, we forgot our differences and divisions. For a very precious time, we were able to stand here before You, knowing with surety that Your gift was given equally to us all. In that gift we are given hope, forgiveness, and eternal life. Thank You, Father. Amen.”
There were few dry eyes in the room when Tyler finished. Beyond a murmured thank-you or pat on the back, no one said a word to the young pastor as he left the school. They all knew where his heart was hurrying him.
Chapter 17
Amy restlessly pushed back her covers and started to sit up. She’d been in bed four days now; because of her mother’s continual care, she was very nearly herself again. In spite of this, however, no one seemed inclined to let her out of bed.
“Oh no, you don’t, young lady.” Her mother came into the room with a tray of food.
“I can’t just lie here eating all the time,” Amy protested. “I’ll get fat and lazy!”
“You could do with a little more meat on your bones.” Dora laughed. “As for lazy, that will be the day pigs fly.”
Amy giggled and sat back reluctantly against the pillows. “I truly feel fine, Ma.”
“I know.” Dora put the tray across her daughter’s lap. “You just let me pamper you a bit more. Soon enough, if I have that young preacher of yours figured out, you’ll be gone from this house and my care—so let me enjoy it while I can.”
Amy frowned slightly. Since the day after her rescue, she had not seen Tyler at all. She’d asked her father about him yesterday, but Charles had shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps Tyler needed to tend to business, he told her.
“You can just wipe that frown off your face,” Dora commanded good-naturedly. “Tyler will be back.”
“I hope so.” Amy’s voice lacked confidence. She glanced down at the tray on her lap; it held a bowl of beef stew, two biscuits, and a glass of milk. “Didn’t I just eat an hour ago?” she asked with a laugh.
“Just be quiet and eat.” Dora tucked the covers around her daughter. “I used Cora Peterson’s recipe for the stew. I seem to recall that was your favorite.”
Amy took a mouthful of the thick stew and nodded. “Mmm, it’s perfect.”
Dora smiled at this announcement and turned to leave. “Now, if you need anything at all, just ring.” She nodded at the bell by Amy’s bedside.
“I promise.” Amy tried to give the stew her attention. When her mother had left the room, though, Amy sighed and pushed the tray back.
“Where are you, Tyler?” she whispered into the silent air. She didn’t want to eat or rest anymore. She wanted to talk to Tyler. She needed to hear his voice and know that everything was truly all right.
Boredom was her enemy, and Amy wanted nothing more than to be up and about. At least if she were back to her regular duties, Tyler’s absence wouldn’t be so noticeable.
After ten or fifteen minutes, her mother reappeared. She gave the tray a glance and frowned. “You haven’t eaten much of it.” She looked at Amy for a long moment, and then she surprised her daughter by going to the closet and pulling out a long flannel robe. “Here.” She handed Amy the robe and took the tray. “Put this on and I’ll let you sit at the window.”
Amy’s smile stretched nearly from ear to ear. This was the first time her mother had agreed to let her get up for any reason other than the absolute necessities. Hurriedly, in case her mother changed her mind, she thrust her arms through the robe’s sleeves.
Dora put the tray on the table by the window. “Now, seeing as how I’m being so nice to you, oblige me by eating a little more of this.” She went back to help Amy to her feet. “You promise to just sit here, now?” Dora settled Amy in the chair. “No big ideas about trying to get up on your feet?”
“Of course not.” Amy smiled.
Dora sniffed and looked at her daughter suspiciously. “You just mind what your mother says, girl.” Her voice was stern, but the corners of her mouth curved up.
A knock at the bedroom door made them both turn. Charles peeked his head inside with a grin. “I found someone wandering around the yard below, hoping to get a chance to talk with our Amy,” he teased. Pushing the door open wide, he revealed a grinning Tyler Andrews.
“Tyler!” Amy jumped to her feet.
“Sit back down!” Dora commanded. “You promised.”
Amy obediently did as she was told, but a slight pout on her lips told them all that she wasn’t happy about it.
“Now, if you promise,” her mother stressed the words, “to stay put, we’ll let Tyler visit you for a spell.”
Amy nodded and made the sign of an X over her heart. “Cross my heart,” she said solemnly.
Her parents and Tyler laughed. “I guess that’s the best we can hope for,” Charles said. “I’ll get you a chair, Tyler,” he added. “Be right back.”
Dora smiled and exited the room quietly. Meanwhile, Amy tried to keep herself from leaping across the room into Tyler’s arms.
“You shaved,” she said with a grin.
“I was told it was quite overdue.” Tyler returned her grin.
Charles entered the room with a kitchen chair, then just as quickly left. Tyler brought the chair to the table where Amy’s food still sat untouched.
“You’d best eat that.” He pointed to the stew.
“I’m not hungry,” Amy said softly.
Tyler frowned. “You’re still not feeling well?”
Amy made a face. “I feel fine. But Ma’s been feeding me every five minutes—or so it seems. All I’ve really wanted to do was get up and…” She stopped abruptly and looked deep into Tyler’s warm gaze.
“And?” Tyler prompted.
“And talk to you,” she admitted. “Where have you been? I was beginning to get worried that I’d have to saddle up and come looking for you.”
Tyler reached o
ut and took hold of Amy’s hand. He looked down at her fingers and then gave them a squeeze. “I’ll never be far from you. I promise.”
Amy felt warmth spread from her hand, up her arm, until it finally engulfed her whole body, leaving her trembling. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered. “I never even had a chance to thank you for all that you did. Pa told me you were the one who figured things out. He told me that without your devotion to the search, I’d most likely have died.”
Tyler said nothing. He knew the words were true, but they seemed unimportant just now. “I had to find you,” he whispered.
“Yes,” Amy said. A hint of amusement played at the corners of her mouth, but she made her voice carefully serious. “Mrs. Smith told me that she accidently told you about your Christmas gift. I suppose it was necessary to find me in order to be sure you got it.”
Tyler looked surprised at her words, almost taken back for a moment, and Amy laughed. “Don’t be so serious, Tyler. I was teasing.”
Tyler shook his head and smiled sheepishly. “I guess it’s going to take me a while to get used to the idea that you’re really here with me safe and sound—and even a little obnoxious. I was so afraid I’d lost you.”
Amy smiled, but her eyes misted at the expression she saw on his face. “But I’m all right now, thanks to you and Pa and everyone else. God watched over me. Even when I gave up hope, He stood fast and provided for my rescue. I won’t spend the rest of my life having you look at me that way.” Her voice was firm.
Tyler pulled his hand away. “Look at you what way?”
“Like I’m about to disappear into thin air. Or”—she lowered her voice to a whisper—“die.”
Tyler considered her words for a moment. “I know you’re right. I have to learn to trust your safety to God. But you did disappear into thin air—and you came awfully close to dying. Gallagher would have left you there in that soddy if we hadn’t interfered. I don’t think you could have survived much longer.” He shook his head, his eyes dark.
“I know.” Amy reached to take back Tyler’s hand. “After what happened to your wife, I can understand how you must feel. But we are all in God’s hands. And you must let go of your worry. I want to get on with my life. I want to make plans.”
Tyler’s face relaxed, and after a moment his mouth curved into a smile. “What? Beyond today?” he teased.
“Yes.” She looked up at him. “You were right. It’s easy to take one day at time when you have no one to plan for a future with. Now that I have you, I find my head just bursting with plans. But I don’t think it can be all bad to make plans. Even Proverbs says that we can make our plans, counting on God to direct our path. I’ll still try to live one day at a time. I don’t want to miss even one of the wonderful blessings God has given me in the here and now. But while I’m doing that, I’m also going to look forward to the days to come. Just so long as our plans for the future are grounded in God’s Word.”
“Then maybe you’ll need this.” Tyler pulled his well-worn Bible from his coat pocket. He handed the book to Amy and watched as she gently ran her fingers across the cover. “Merry Christmas.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Amy looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I can’t take your Bible.” She blinked the tears away and saw now the amusement in Tyler’s eyes.
“Well, you’re right,” he said. “I won’t be able to get along without that Bible very well. That’s why I have a confession to make.”
“Oh? And what might that be?” Amy’s voice was suspicious.
“The Bible is just a part of your Christmas gift.”
“And what might the rest of my gift be?” Amy leaned forward.
Tyler shrugged, then held out his arms. “Me. It’s a package deal. To get the Bible, you have to take me, too. We kind of go together.”
“I see.” Amy hugged the Bible to her.
“Will you marry me, Amy Carmichael?” Tyler’s voice was serious now.
“Of course I will.” Amy breathed out a heavy sigh. “I was beginning to wonder how I was going to propose to you, what with you taking so long to ask that particular question. All this talk about Bibles.”
Tyler laughed and got to his feet. He started to pull Amy up into his arms, and then suddenly he stopped and pushed her back down. “I forgot. You promised your ma you’d sit.”
Amy frowned, but Tyler quickly remedied the situation by pulling his chair close to hers. Leaning over, he pulled her against him with one hand and lifted her face with the other. “I love you, Amy.” He lowered his mouth to hers, his lips both gentle and firm.
Amy melted against him. She felt her heart nearly burst with love. When he pulled his lips away at last, she opened her eyes slowly and met his amused stare.
“When?” she whispered.
“I beg your pardon?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but his golden hair beckoned her fingers, and she reached up to push back a strand before she answered. “You know very well what I mean, Tyler Andrews.” She pursed her lips primly. “When can we get married, Parson?”
Tyler grinned. “I’ll have to check my schedule and see when I can fit you in. Pastoring is a mighty big responsibility, you know. It might be a spell before I can get back to these parts and…”
Amy jerked away from his arms. “Don’t tease me, Tyler Andrews. If I have to, I’ll hitch up the team and drive us to Hays myself.” She sighed and then added firmly, “I’ve never been pushy about anything in my life—until now. But I’m beginning to think Angie may have been right all along. She sees a thing she wants and goes right after it. Well, now I intend to do the same.”
Tyler’s raucous laughter filled the air, bringing Charles and Dora to the doorway.
“What’s going on?” Charles gave Tyler and Amy an amused look.
“Your daughter,” Tyler said, still laughing, “is threatening to to hitch up the team and drive us to Hays so we can get married. I was just picturing the sight in my mind. Barely off her death bed, clad in her nightgown, hair all wild and crazy behind her”—he paused, and Amy turned crimson at his description—“and she’s going to drive us to Hays.”
“It’s always the quiet ones who’ll surprise you,” Charles advised Tyler. With an arm around his wife, Charles added, “And I speak from experience.”
Tyler laughed all the more at that, and even Dora couldn’t help but join in. Soon, Amy gave up trying to be serious and chuckled in spite of herself. With Tyler Andrews for a husband, she had no doubt she would always have laughter in her house.
From that moment on, Tyler and Amy spent many hours together planning and preparing for their wedding. Tyler shared with her his prayerful consideration of the town’s offer to become the full-time pastor, and Amy rejoiced when he decided to accept the job. She’d happily follow him anywhere, she knew in her heart, but she loved Deer Ridge and her family, and she was glad to stay close to all that she cared about.
She soon learned that Tyler’s absence during her recovery had included a trip to Hays, where he had managed to find another preacher who would not only take over Tyler’s circuit, but also returned to Deer Ridge with him. With the other preacher officiating, the wedding was to take place on New Year’s Day. Amy couldn’t imagine a better way to start the new year.
When the day came at last, she stood proudly beside the huge man. The drawn, nervous look on his face almost made her giggle, but her own nerves weren’t much more settled than Tyler’s appeared to be. She listened carefully to the words spoken by the circuit rider, and then she repeated her vows. Without a doubt in her heart, she promised to love, honor, and obey this man she loved so much.
Tyler’s voice was firm and grave as he repeated the same vows. When he took her hand and placed a small gold band on her finger, tears of joy and wonder slid down Amy’s cheeks.
Then the ceremony was over. Tyler pulled her into his arms, kissing her in front of the entire community. With a loud voice, he declared to one and all that they were join
ed in God’s sight and in love.
The community cheered heartily as the ceremony concluded. They congratulated the young couple until Amy thought her hand would be permanently numb from shaking the hands of so many people.
Charles and Dora came to greet their children, and Amy smiled radiantly when they called her Mrs. Andrews. Angie in her wedding finery, a new gown of blue taffeta that had come from Hays, danced rings around everyone. The entire community was convinced that she’d be the next to marry. The only question was which one of her many suitors Angie would finally settle on.
“We’re mighty glad to see you up and around, Miss Amy,” Jeremy Smith said when his turn came to congratulate the newlyweds. He turned then to Tyler and broke into a broad grin. “And we’re mighty happy, Preacher, to know we’ll get to hear your preaching every week and not just once a month.”
Tyler pulled Amy close. She lifted her face to see the look of pride and joy in her husband’s eyes. “Deer Ridge will be a good place to call home,” he replied, looking down into Amy’s face. “A right fine place to plan a future.”
Amy smiled. “You mean a future beyond today?” she whispered.
The joke was lost on Jeremy, but Tyler smiled as he looked down at Amy and nodded. “You can count on it, Mrs. Andrews.” He gave her a wink. “I’m planning on spending a good long time with you beyond today. A whole lifetime, in fact.”
MYLES FROM ANYWHERE
by Jill Strengl
Dedication
With love to Tom, Annie, Jimmy, and Peter Stengl.
I thank God for each of you every day. Every mother should be so blessed!
Thank you again to Paula Pruden Macha and Pamela Griffin—
two living proofs that long-distance friendship is possible. Love you both!
Prologue
CHILD PRODIGY MISSING. STATEWIDE SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR MYLES VAN HUYSEN, MUSICAL STAR, read the headlines of the August 21 edition of the city paper. A passerby stepped on the newspaper where it lay crumpled beside the tent door, and a breeze lifted the top page, sending it drifting across the midway.