by Karen Baney
If Jesus did what Jack said and changed him—maybe He even changed Kyle—could He do something to help her? A tiny spark of hope lit within her soul. Maybe there was something more. Maybe, if she went to Matt’s small group she would find out.
She sighed and rubbed her hand across her eyes. She really didn’t want to think about this right now. She had work to do. Folding Jack’s letter, she stuffed it back in the envelope and closed the drawer.
Seeing her deployment reminder popup on her laptop, she returned her attention to work. At one, she started the deployment process, updating the code on the three servers at Global. When she went to validate the changes, she kept getting an error. The next hour and a half she worked until she figured out the issue and fixed it. Finally, everything validated.
Logging out, she flipped off the desk light. Then she went to bed and fell asleep quickly.
Niki shot upright. Her heart pounded from the sudden move from sleep to consciousness. Her clock read seven thirty. Sunday morning. The doorbell rang and she assumed that must have been what woke her. She really needed to disable that thing. She threw the covers back and pulled on a pair of shorts then ran down the hall.
She opened the door and frowned at the face that greeted her. Kyle.
“Couldn’t you call to make sure Marcy is around first or something?” she snapped as she got the key to let him in.
“Are you always grumpy in the morning?”
“I was up until three, okay?”
The sound of the garage door opening gave her an out. “Sounds like she’s home now. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed.”
She took two steps when Marcy bounded in from the garage.
“Oh, good, you’re up. Why don’t you have breakfast with us?” Marcy asked as she set a few grocery bags on the counter.
“No, thanks,” Niki said as she walked back to her room.
She jumped back in bed and pulled the covers around her neck. She closed her eyes.
The smell of bacon frying wafted down the hall, causing her stomach to growl. Great. Throwing the covers back, she dropped her feet over the edge. Maybe she could eat and then go back to bed afterwards.
Entering the kitchen, she pasted a smile on her face. “Changed my mind. Tell me you have coffee ready.”
Marcy smiled as Kyle pushed a full cup towards Niki, already the perfect shade of light tan.
“What, you have some kind of bet on how long it would take me to join you?”
“Nope. I just know you. Once you’re up, you’re up,” Marcy said.
“I’m sure you could have picked something other than bacon, too.”
“Since you’re up…” Kyle said. “Why don’t you come to church with us?”
She glared at him. She was tired and she barely agreed in her mind to go to Matt’s study. She wasn’t sure she was ready for something like church.
“I don’t know. I was up late. I was kinda hoping for more sleep.”
Marcy piped up. “Come on. It’ll be fine. Matt and Joe will be there besides me, Kyle, and Chad. You know all of us and we don’t bite.”
“Most of the time,” Kyle said under his breath.
Niki glared at him again. Jack’s words from his letter pressed against her subconscious. She pushed them back to a dark corner of her mind as she sipped her coffee.
As Kyle studied her, heat rose to her cheeks. The look on his face was… Pleading? That didn’t make sense. Why would he care if she went to church or not?
She took a long gulp of her coffee to avoid his stare. When she set her empty mug on the counter, she gave in.
“What does one wear to church?” she asked noticing that Kyle wore khaki shorts and a nice t-shirt. Marcy wore a cute top with capris.
“Whatever you would like,” Marcy said. “Breakfast should be ready in fifteen.”
Niki nodded and refilled her coffee. Taking her coffee cup with her, she walked into her closet. She grabbed her yellow sun dress and a pair of chunky sandals. Setting her mug on the counter, she rushed to get ready, deciding to finish her makeup and hair after breakfast.
Sun dress on and towel holding her wet hair back, she returned to the kitchen just as Marcy set out the breakfast.
“Smells good.” Nodding towards Kyle, she asked, “He always come over for breakfast and I just haven’t noticed?”
“Naw. I just thought I’d be nice to my big brother today. That and I figured we could carpool out to mom and dad’s since Chad will have to leave later.”
Niki pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead. She completely forgot she was supposed to go with them for lunch at the Jacobses today. Guess it was a good thing she was up and almost ready. She finished wolfing down breakfast so she could fix her hair and makeup.
Once she was ready, the three of them piled into Kyle’s truck.
When they pulled into the parking lot of the church, she swallowed back her fear. She couldn’t believe how big it was. There must be nearly a thousand cars in the parking lot. The cinderblock and stucco building was massive. Much bigger than she thought. Guess no one would even notice she didn’t belong here.
Kyle parked as close as he could get, which wasn’t close at all. She didn’t mind, even though it was another hot July day. Maybe she could get up the nerve she needed to really go through with this—not like she could back out now.
Marcy led them inside. As they walked into the sanctuary, Niki tried to look around without being conspicuous. The place looked more like a theater than what she pictured a church would look like. There was a huge stage in the front center of the room. A drum set, keyboard, and several guitars sat waiting to be played.
Marcy walked up a set of stairs and turned right into the fifth row from the bottom. She counted out seats and then picked one to sit in. Niki sat next to her. Kyle took the seat on Niki’s other side. She looked down and nervously fiddled with the program the man at the entrance handed her. She scanned its contents hoping to ease her nerves. Surely everyone could tell she was out of place.
“Relax,” Kyle whispered in her ear. “No one here will bite you or anything.”
She half-smiled through very strained lips.
“Kyle,” someone greeted as they sat next to him. When the man leaned forward, she recognized Matt.
“Niki,” Matt said, reaching his hand across Kyle to shake her hand. “So good to see you.”
“Hi,” was all she managed as she released his hand. Her nerves were getting the best of her.
“I’m glad you like loud music,” he said with an encouraging smile. “Our band plays pretty loud.”
Matt took his seat between Kyle and Joe as the music started. Niki caught movement from her left and looked over just in time to see Chad take the seat on the other side of Marcy. At least she knew some people here.
The lead singer greeted the gathering then led them in a song. When Marcy and Kyle stood, she jumped to her feet. The words were up on the screen, but she didn’t know the song and wasn’t quite brave enough to try singing along. She listened to Kyle’s booming baritone voice on her right and Marcy’s sweet soprano on her left. They both sounded really good. She followed along reading the words about God’s grace—whatever that was—and his love.
After two more songs, they all sat down. Then a man came out, identifying himself as the pastor. He spoke about a passage in the Bible that talked about a son who asked his father for his inheritance. Then he left home and began partying and spending the inheritance extravagantly. When he ran out of money and was destitute—eating pig slop for his meal—he decided to return to his father and ask for his forgiveness. When he came back, his father welcomed him with open arms and threw him a party. The pastor said that the father in the story represented God and the son represented those who rebelled against him.
Niki had a hard time listening to the story. She could imagine her father would have totally disowned her if she had done something like that.
She thought of Kyle again. Sh
e didn’t really know his story—not all of it. She heard a few bits and pieces of what Marcy shared over the years. She knew he had been wild during his years in the Air Force and she knew he was different now.
The slow burn of anger rose in her heart. Kyle had been so horrible to her in school. Would God really welcome such a jerk into his house and throw a party for him? That didn’t make sense. Kyle didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.
She barely noticed the rest of the service. Her mind was spinning.
Jack said Jesus changed him. He found what he was looking for. Yet no matter how she turned it over and analyzed it, she couldn’t understand what that had to do with the story the pastor told. She hoped to get answers by going to church. Instead she only had more questions.
She reached up and rubbed her temples. Her head hurt from the lack of sleep and now from the confusion whirling in her mind. She didn’t even realize the last song was over until Marcy nudged her. She scurried to catch up with Kyle who was already exiting the row.
Once out of the sanctuary, Matt, Joe, Kyle, Chad, and Marcy seemed to be content to chat in the lobby for awhile. Niki could only think of one thing—leaving. She felt so out of place and her brain churned with one question after another. She needed escape.
Finally, Kyle and Marcy decided it was time to leave. She followed behind wordlessly as Marcy chatted on about how great the message was. At one point she even compared Kyle to the prodigal son from the story. Funny that she had the same thought. He agreed he had been, but didn’t elaborate on it. From what Niki gathered, it was as if Kyle’s mistakes and the pain he inflicted on others was wiped clean.
That wasn’t fair. How could his mistakes be forgotten, but the hurt that she still felt—inflicted by him in high school—stayed with her? She had been the victim. How was that right?
Kyle glanced at Niki’s reflection in the rearview mirror. The scowl that settled onto her face after the church service hadn’t left. Something that was said or done triggered something in her. He wondered what it was.
Be ready.
For what? What did he need to be ready for?
A strange feeling settled over him. He knew what God was asking. But he wasn’t ready. He couldn’t do it. Not today. Not on the anniversary of the crash.
Please, don’t ask me to do this. He pleaded.
You asked me to change her heart. This is the only way.
He coughed to mask the well of emotion stirring inside. He never expected God would call on him to help her find her way. It was overwhelming. Frightening.
Give me strength.
Chapter 24
Niki stewed for the entire hour drive out to Luke Air Force Base, where the Jacobses lived.
When Kyle pulled his truck into their driveway, Brenda and Rick rushed out to greet them—much like the father in the story from church. She braced herself. Brenda was a hugger. Well, so was Rick.
“Niki,” Brenda said engulfing her in a huge hug. “It is so good to see you. It’s been ages since you’ve been out. We’ve missed you.”
Rick hugged her next, as Brenda moved on to her own children. “You look great,” Rick said. “Come in out of this heat.”
“Colonel,” she greeted him.
“You know you can call me Rick.”
Niki smiled. “Of course, but it’s so much more fun this way.” Her mood lightened some. “How are your pilots?”
“Green as always. I’m just starting to train them on the F22 Raptors. Nice bird.”
“Marcy, honey, when is Chad getting here?” Brenda asked as they all took seats in the great room.
“He’s probably a half hour behind us. They ended up having enough volunteers with the youth, so he took off early.”
“Oh, Rick, you need to get the grill going then,” Brenda suggested.
Kyle followed his dad outside as Brenda went into the kitchen.
Niki stayed seated, looking around the small home. She had been here for Christmas last year, so it wasn’t her first visit. The house pretty much looked the same, except there was no tree in the corner next to the TV and the décor had a definite Tuscan feel. The large table just off the kitchen was already set with nice china. That’s how Brenda liked her family meals, always making them a special affair.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Marcy said.
“I’m just tired.” Niki deflected. She just wanted to get through this meal so she could get home and sort out her thoughts.
“What did you think of church?”
“Niki, you went to church this morning?” Brenda asked, joining the conversation while stirring this or that on the stove.
“Yes, I did. It was different. The music was pretty good.” What did one say about a church service anyway?
The guys came in from the heat long enough to down some water and pick up the chicken waiting to be grilled.
“I know I should know this already, but is this the first time you’ve met Chad?” Niki asked directing her comment to Brenda.
“Oh, no. Marcy has brought him by several times. He’s such a good young man.”
Marcy dramatically blew out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you like him, Mom, because he’s going to be your son-in-law.”
Brenda and Niki both stared at Marcy as she held out her left hand. A lovely marquis cut diamond reflected the light.
Niki’s heart sank. This was it. She was losing her friend.
Brenda squealed in delight and rushed around the island counter to hug Marcy. Kissing her on the cheek, she said, “I’m so proud of you, honey. He’s a really good man and I would be pleased to call him son.”
Rick and Kyle returned from outside carrying the cooked chicken. Spying his wife and daughter in an embrace, Rick asked, “What’s going on here?”
The doorbell rang. Being the closest, Niki opened it, letting Chad in.
“Daddy, Chad and I are getting married.”
Rick’s face went from shock to understanding. Then he smiled the most lovingly happy smile Niki had ever witnessed. He pulled his daughter close. “I think you picked a good one, honey.”
As everyone passed around the congratulations, hugging Chad and Marcy both, Niki plopped into a chair at the table. She was happy for Marcy, but couldn’t shake the feeling things were about to change forever.
Marcy took a seat next to her as Brenda loaded up the table with serving dishes. “Congratulations, Marcy,” Niki said, giving her a hug. “I’m so glad I gave him your number.”
Marcy laughed. “Me, too.”
Rick took a seat at the head of the table, while Kyle sat across from Niki and Chad across from Marcy. Once Brenda took a seat at the foot of the table, Rick offered up a prayer. When he concluded, dishes started being passed around the table.
Niki concentrated on dishing up her plate while the others talked more about Marcy and Chad’s engagement and ensuing wedding. Apparently he proposed in Flagstaff last weekend and they were keeping it a secret until today.
As she started eating the delicious grilled chicken before her, Brenda pulled her into the conversation. “So, Niki, Marcy tells us you and Kyle work together. Was it a surprise to see him after all these years?”
She almost choked on the bite she was chewing, but recovered before anyone noticed. “It was definitely that.”
“When is the last time you saw Kyle?” Brenda asked.
She looked up from her plate and eyed Kyle warily. “High school.”
“Really? Are you sure? I thought he made it home for Christmas at least once since then,” Brenda said.
“I’m sure I would have remembered that.”
When there was a lull in the conversation, she finally got the courage to ask the question brewing in her heart. “So, Kyle, tell me how is it that you were such a jerk in high school and now you seem so… Different.”
“Niki!” Brenda shouted over silverware dropping. Gaping mouths shut as Niki glanced around the table.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Kyle said silencing his m
other’s soon-to-be scolding. “It’s a fair question. Especially since I was such a jerk,” he said. His gaze locked with Niki’s on the last word. “I’m sure it must be confusing to think someone is one way, only to find out they might be something different now.”
She kept eye contact with Kyle, challenging him to answer her question.
“The simple answer is that I found Jesus.”
“And, exactly how did you do that?” She shot back. She didn’t want some blanket pacifist answer. She wanted the full story.
Kyle laid his fork down next to his plate.
Rick spoke up. “This is not dinner time conversation.”
“Dad, aren’t we supposed to be ready at all times to share our story?” Kyle asked. At his father’s nod, he continued, “Then, I think Niki needs to hear it.”
The air filled with tension as Kyle told his story.
“You’re right. I was a jerk in high school. I was even a jerk in college and in the Air Force. I didn’t care how my actions affected others. I just wanted as much attention as I could get, regardless of who I hurt along the way. And sometimes I was a jerk because I thought making others look bad was fun.
“Then, about a year ago, I was piloting a helicopter for a recovery mission in Iraq. The team with me was one I worked with on many missions. They were a dedicated group and did whatever it took to rescue as many people as they could. They had no qualms about putting their lives on the line to save another.
“The recovery zone was rugged territory, deep in the northern mountains. The injured fighter pilot was stuck on the edge of an embankment that rose into a steep cliff. It was a tricky situation, but I knew I could do it—after all, I trained for this sort of thing.
“At first things were going pretty well. I had the helicopter in position, holding it steady. The team dropped the line. Then they zipped down to lend aid.
“Before they had the injured pilot in the basket, I noticed the helicopter drifting. I checked my controls and it looked like it was holding steady. But, I knew it wasn’t. I could see by the angle of the cliff in relation to the corner of the cockpit window. It had changed, I was sure of it.