“I’m not sorry, Heather.”
She turned and gave him one last look before vanishing into the house.
Michael couldn’t rest his mind that night. He was overwhelmed with thoughts of Evelyn and Heather. Not to mention his fiancée Miss Wilson, who had been too busy traveling the world to stop by and visit him. The more he thought about marrying the woman, the heavier his heart felt, as if it were sucked into a pit of black tar. Did he really ever love her? Or was he forcing himself to get married so that Evelyn could have a mother? Cynthia had everything a man of his stature could want. She came from a prominent family, had plenty of money, was educated in various cultures, and carried herself like an aristocrat. But in spite of it all, he couldn’t get past the feeling she wasn’t the most compatible for him. Could there be anyone really compatible for him besides Carla? He shook his head as he forced the frustration from his lungs.
His thoughts returned to Heather. There was something special about the woman, and he couldn’t push her out of his mind. She had tenderness about her, a soft spirit that ebbed and flowed seamlessly with his like the waves on the shore. The woman had done nothing out of the ordinary but show her genuine care for others, and that was all it took to lure him in.
His thoughts drifted to Evelyn. She had to get better. There was no other option in his mind. His daughter was so young and alive, a fragile spirit about to announce its first declaration of womanhood upon the world. A smile formed on his lips as he remembered how excited she was when they arrived at the amusement park earlier that morning. It had been a fun filled day full of laughs, good food, and adventures. And the crowning moment was the feel of Heather’s lips against his.
For a brief second, he sensed her lips surrender to the urgency of his, and the sensation made his heart skip. But deep down, a part of him feared he had overstepped her boundaries. As much as his heart yearned to have a relationship with her, he knew the woman had goals for what she wanted out of life and the kind of Christian man she hoped God would bring her. He knew God was her foundation, the one person who was the object of his anger, the one he had turned his back on, and he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to surrender his hardened heart to the Almighty. He had tried taking her words of encouragement and prayer to heart, but he just couldn’t “believe” like he once had. It seemed easier to remain the prodigal son than to return home with bowed head to the Master.
He made his way into the house and walked up to his room. Michael vowed not to feel guilty for kissing her. It was natural, spontaneous, the perfect act during a passionate moment. Maybe he could have given her more warning, but he acted on what felt right at the moment. He sighed and turned out the light next to his bed. It had never occurred to him that during all of the emotional confusion, he hadn’t once thought about his late wife Carla, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad sign.
Heather sat on the edge of her bed, her forehead creased with wrinkles. She tried to make sense of what had happened with Michael, but her only comfort was trusting in scripture that preached about God having a plan for her life. A plan she wasn’t sure included Michael kissing her like he had. Heather knew she wouldn’t be honest with herself if she didn’t admit to fantasizing about what it would have been like being married to Michael. But the logical part of her knew there was no place for their passionate kiss in the garden.
Their kiss had been magical, and the warmth of his hands pressed against her cheeks took her breath away. She touched her fingers to her lips, recalling what it felt like to kiss him. She shook her head. As insane as it sounded, she was still set on removing him from her heart. While his spontaneous romance complicated matters, she was still determined to distance herself from him.
After washing her face, she made her way over to Evelyn’s room to check and see if she was okay. As she entered the room, she found the girl sleeping soundly with her blankets in a disheveled mess next to her. Heather tiptoed over to her bed and tucked her blankets around her.
Evelyn remained fast asleep as Heather tucked the blankets around her. Without a doubt, she knew the girl had thoroughly enjoyed herself today, and it was well deserved. The whole trip had been postponed for a month due to Heather’s recent concussion, and yet Evelyn had never once complained or acted selfishly. Heather quietly finished tidying up the room before journeying back to her own. Thoughts of Michael kept swirling around in her mind, and she needed time alone with God to ask him to erase Michael from her thoughts.
Dinner had been brought to her room, and Heather ate in silence as she wrestled with her emotions. The moon seemed extra bright that night as Heather wrested with God for what seemed like an eternity. When the blood had drained from her arms, she said Amen and let her bed consume her.
The next morning, Heather woke earlier than usual. Her mind seemed clear, free from the confusion clouding it the night before, and she knew the Holy Spirit had ministered to her. Since it was her day off, she decided to attend church and enjoy the beautiful, sunny day alone. She needed more time in the presence of God. There had been so much confusion and heated emotions all around the estate, and she needed the freedom to pray and focus, something going to church would bring her.
She walked along the long walkway, modeling a simple black and white dress that flowed down to her ankles, resting above her new black flats. Her short hair lay in a soft curl around her face, and she walked with her head in the air and a Bible clutched under her arm as she passed the Camilla bushes that lined the driveway. She continued around the bend, and that was when she ran into the gardener. Henry had beads of sweat glistening on his forehead as he finished digging a hole to plant some new bushes next to a tree. A feeling of embarrassment washed over Heather, especially after she had prematurely judged the man before she had a chance to get to know him. She decided the right thing to do was to be the first one to smooth over any ill feelings after their awkward meeting.
“Hello, Mr. Phillips.” Heather shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him.
“Well now, this is a nice surprise.” He peered at her from under his hat and spit on the ground beside him.
“Where ya headed off to, lookin’ all dolled up and fancy?” He dusted his hands on his pants and took a step toward her.
“Church. Service is going to start soon, but I felt it would be nice to stop and say hello.” Affording him a faint smile, she nodded her head before continuing the other way.
“Ma’am, I wanted to see if maybe you can answer me a question first?” His voice had a serious tone, causing Heather to stop mid stride.
“Sure, what is it?”
“Miss Linda, is she seeing anyone? I mean, that you know of?” His lips were pursed tightly together, and Heather could tell by his facial expression the man had reason to be concerned. She hesitated for a moment before answering.
“You know what? I’m not sure Mr. Phillips, perhaps you should ask her.” Heather pulled her lips into a cordial smile. “I’m sorry, but I must be going, or I’ll be late to service, have a good day.”
She continued strolling down to the church, curious about why Mr. Phillips would ask such a random question. Heather couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something strange about him, darkness in his voice that sent chills down her spine. She began to worry about Linda and decided she needed to inform her friend about Mr. Phillips question and express her concern about Linda’s safety. For now, she needed to focus on church. Even though Heather sensed something evil about the gardener, she couldn’t prove he was dangerous, and the warning could wait.
She rounded the next street and saw the familiar white church she had passed when first visiting Crystal Cove. The pastor greeted her at the door with a smile and a hug as he motioned for her to come in.
“Good morning, Heather and welcome. How are you today?”
“I’m doing fine, Pastor Avery.”
He wrapped his warm hands around hers. “I’m glad you’re able toattend our church’s final series.”<
br />
“I want you to know I’m very sad your church is closing.” Heather gave the pastor a sympathetic look.
“I am too, Heather. Crystal Cove Chapel will be closing by the end of this month. We’ve lost the rights to the church.” He lowered his head as he spoke, and she could hear a subtle sigh escape his lips. “I guess there were some issues with the land and some easements on it when I bought it. The city says half of our land belongs to Crystal Cove and not me. I own the back section, but the lines cut right through the sanctuary. Since the city owns the land beneath sixty-five percent of the building, they can push me out.” She could tell that it was extremely difficult for him to even speak the words.
“I’ve always loved it here ever since I moved in. This church has made a huge impact on the community, and I’m sad to see it go.”
“I think it’s ridiculous that the city can just kick you out. Why can’t they offer you alternative space?” The words blurted out of her mouth.
“They did offer to let me use one of the new suites they’re building.”
“New suites?” Heather furrowed her brows.
“They’re turning the church into some fancy shopping center just for the residents of the Cove.” He poured her a cup of coffee. “I just can’t do it, Heather. A small suite won’t hold all of the congregation in there. We’d be turning people away from our services. I’d just as soon move to another place than see that happen.”
Heather could imagine the revenue that would bring in; it was always about money with businesses, but how could anyone push Pastor Avery out?
“I’m so sorry, Pastor Avery. I can’t imagine what that must be like for you. This place seems like such a special sanctuary. A special place for someone to connect with God. And now it’ll be gone. That isn’t fair.” She leaned forward and patted Pastor Avery on the shoulder.
“Even though the situation looks bleak, I have faith in our Lord that He’ll provide another suitable place for us to move into, Miss Parks.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
“Even though they’ve told you that they’re taking it, why can’t you still hold services until they actually start construction? Have they already given you a start date?”
“Well, Mr. Robbins was here Friday, and he told me all the legal paperwork would be completed this week, and the new buyer would take possession of the property after that.” Pastor Avery scratched the top of his head. “I just don’t get Mr. Robbins.”
“How’s that?”
“It seems like he’s feeling some remorse about the whole transaction, but he told me there’s nothing further he can do to stop what he’s already put into motion. He also mentioned that if it hadn’t been for someone in City Hall snooping around and digging through old documents, the sale would have been postponed for a while.” Pastor Avery relaxed his arms to his sides as he lowered his head and stared at the floor. There was a long pause as he sat in thought. “I had a hard time preparing for service today because I knew this would be one of my last few sermons before everything shuts down.”
Heather watched him swallow with an effort. She had heard the pastor’s words, but all she could think about was Michael’s involvement in the transaction. The thought crushed her. He had known how much she had adored this church and how much her faith had meant to her. And all he cared about was the money. This seemed to contradict the Michael she had come to know, but maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought. Hadn’t he told her that he had closed a big deal the other day? Her heart ached at the thought. How could she trust a man who served mammon instead of the self-sacrificing God she served? Heather shook her head in disapproval. No, what they experienced wasn’t true love. An unequally yoked attraction of the flesh, an attraction that was doomed to failure.
Heather stood at attention. “I’m going to try and see what’s really going on, Pastor Avery. And I promise I’ll do my best to save Crystal Cove Chapel.” She spoke with a determination and fierceness that even surprised her.
“Now, Miss Parks; don’t go and get into any trouble over this. I’m sure the Lord will reveal his purpose for all of this in due time. We just need to keep praying and seeking His plan for this place.” Pastor Avery stood to escort her to the door.
“I won’t get into trouble. I just want to ask a few questions, that’s all.”
After the sermon was finished, Heather bid the pastor good-bye and headed home.
How could he do something like this and not even say a word? He had never mentioned it, and she felt betrayed. She walked the length of the front circular driveway which held a beautiful white marble fountain, but she couldn’t admire its fanciful design. All she could do was think about the soon to be homeless pastor. Where would he go, and what would he do?
The midday sun beat down on her head as she made her way around to the side door that led directly into the kitchen. As she stepped inside, the aroma of fresh coffee greeted her nose, and she saw Michael with a serious expression as he stood by the refrigerator with a mug in his hand.
“You’re up bright and early this morning.” He took a quick sip from his mug.
“I went to early church this morning, but there’s something I need to talk to you about. I went to church today, and Pastor Avery was telling me—”
Michael cut her off. “I’ll talk to you about Avery later. Right now, we have a bigger problem.” He gestured toward the breakfast table. “Please, have a seat.”
Chapter 7
Heather took a seat across from him. “Yes, we do Michael; there was a man, and he ...”
“Evelyn is sick.”
Heather could see the devastation on his face and the worried look in his eyes. “How long?”
“I’m not sure ... I went to take her breakfast, and when I woke her, she was running a fever and covered in sweat.”
With those words, Heather rushed upstairs toward Evelyn’s room with Michael following closely behind. With a gentle knock, she pushed the door open and grabbed the temporal thermometer before situating herself on the edge of the girl’s bed.”
“I didn’t know what to do, so I went looking for you. Linda is gone this week helping watch the Bradbury kids while their parents are gone.” He raked his hand through his hair.
Heather passed the instrument across Evelyn’s forehead before glancing at the display to examine the results. “Ninety-nine degrees.”
“Is that high?” Heather watched the muscles in Michael’s jaw clench tightly together.
“Well, it’s not usually considered a high fever, but—”
“It’s high with her weak immune system,” Michael cut her off.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Heather replied as she placed her hand on his arm. She gave him a reassuring smile before stripping the blankets from Evelyn’s bed.
“I'm going to get her medication. Can you change her into something cooler?” Michael's voice wavered with concern.
“Absolutely.” Without hesitation, she gently shook the girl’s arm. “Evelyn, it’s Heather. How are you feeling, sweetie?”
She hurried over to a dresser and began searching for something cooler for Evelyn to wear as the girl slowly stirred. “I don’t feel good, Heather.” Evelyn’s eyes remained closed.
Even in her weakened condition, Evelyn stubbornly insisted on changing her clothes by herself. She tried to remove her top as Heather rummaged through the dresser. But she only peeled it halfway off before a heavy sigh escaped her lips, and she gave up, her arms awkwardly tangled in the sleeves. As Heather returned to her bed with a new set of pajamas, Evelyn could see moisture glistening around the nurse’s eyes.
“Oh, sweetie, let me help you.” Heather gently freed Evelyn from the tangled mess and had just finished dressing the girl when Michael returned.
“What can I do to help, Miss Parks?” Michael looked at her with helpless eyes. “I mean, if there's anything ... anything at all.” Heather stopped and looked at him. She knew he needed something to distract his worries.
<
br /> “Grab me the basin under the sink and fill it with cool water. Then grab me a clean rag. We’ll try to cool her off that way.”
Michael shook his head and raced out of the room to get what she had requested. Evelyn’s body began to shiver uncontrollably, and Heather knew her fever was rising.
Mr. Robbins kept the basin steady as he barged into the room and hurried over to Evelyn’s bed. He set the tub down near the foot of the bed, and the two went to work dabbing her face and body with the cool water. After several minutes, they sat next to Evelyn with anxious anticipation before repeating the routine several more times until her body stopped shivering.
After an hour had passed, Evelyn’s fever began to break, and the exhausted pair decided to take a break and eat lunch. Michael went downstairs and asked Miss Jamie to prepare a quick meal for them and set it in the hall outside Evelyn’s room when she was done. He didn’t want to be far from Evelyn and figured it would be the perfect solution to satisfy their pangs of hunger while they relaxed and shared what was on their minds.
Heather had found out about the sale of the chapel, and he knew she would be grilling him with questions. A year ago, he had felt very strongly about removing the church. But after meeting Heather, his perspective changed, and he began having second thoughts about the sale. She had shown him the importance of it and what it meant for people in the community, and now he wasn’t sure he had the heart to follow through with the transaction. But too many wheels had been set into motion, and he wasn’t sure he could do anything to stop the sale.
He showered quickly and put on a pair of shorts and a plain T-shirt. He searched through the storage room and found a folding wood table that would hold their food. He set it up in the foyer and sat in the large wingchair as he waited patiently for Heather. His mind raced with answers, answers to questions he knew she would ask. Michael didn’t want anything to place a wedge into their growing relationship, and he had hoped she wouldn’t find out about the sale of the chapel. But now the pastor had let the cat of the bag, and the strength of their friendship was about to be tested.
Shadows in the Night Page 5