by Al Lacy
“Mommy,” said Meggie, “you won’t go away again, will you?”
“Not without taking you with me, sweetheart. You’re going to Mommy’s new home in a nice place far away from here.”
Suddenly Meggie spotted her grandparents at the door. “Grandma! Grandpa!” she cried. “Mommy’s back, and she’s going to take me to her new home with her!”
Kathleen stood up but kept a firm hold on Meggie’s hand. It was going to be a long time before she was comfortable enough to let Meggie out of her sight. Slowly, she turned around to face the Stallworths.
She almost gasped when she saw them. They looked so different—wan, careworn, defeated. They watched her with hollow eyes.
John Stallworth took a step ahead of Maria and said, “Kathleen—” then choked up.
Maria’s trembling hands touched her mouth.
Kathleen waited as she held John’s gaze.
His face was deeply lined and haggard, the color of weathered stone. His shoulders slumped inside a gray suit that looked too big for him. He drew a ragged breath, glanced at Tom, then set tear-dimmed eyes on his daughter-in-law. “Kathleen,” he said hoarsely, “Maria and I…we did you wrong. We—”
He broke into sobs, his chest heaving as he attempted to control himself.
Maria moved up beside him and touched his arm. “Kathleen,” she said, “what John is trying to say is…we’re so sorry for what we did. We were wrong. Very wrong. We should have accepted you, no matter what side of town you came from. And we were wrong to take Meggie from you. We should have bought you and Meggie a house to live in, and given you the funds to have your lives together without financial worries.”
At this point, Marias streaming tears were dripping off her chin. She sucked in a breath and held it, trying to control her emotions.
“Kathleen,” John said, “Maria and I know that God has punished us for what we did to you and Meggie. We didn’t see that until your attorney was here and left, but all that has happened to us of late is Gods judgment on us. We’ve lost everything, and it’s our own fault. Whatever punishment you want your attorney to mete out, we deserve.”
Maria brushed tears from her cheeks. “What John and I need and want more than anything right now, Kathleen, is your forgiveness.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Stallworth,” Kathleen said, “this is my husband, Tom Harned. May we come inside and talk to you?”
“Of course,” said John. “Please…come in.”
When they entered the parlor, Meggie clung to her mother and sat between her and Tom. While the Stallworths sat facing them, Kathleen said to Meggie, “Honey, this wonderful man next to you is Mommy’s husband. He’s wanted to meet you for a long time.”
“Hello, Meggie,” Tom said. “Your mommy has told me so much about you, I feel like I already know you. I love your mommy very much, and I already love you very much, too.”
Meggie, awed by the tall handsome man, managed a smile. “I am happy to meet you, sir.”
Tom patted her hand. “We’ll get better acquainted later.”
Meggie smiled again and snuggled closer to her mother.
“Mr. and Mrs. Stallworth,” Tom said, “Kathleen and I don’t want you punished for what you did. All we want is to take Meggie home to Nevada with us. Kathleen is her mother, and they have a right to a life together.”
“We know that,” Maria said. “John and I wish we could reverse the calendar and give Kathleen and Meggie back lost time. Well miss our little granddaughter, but her place is with her mother. What we want to know, Kathleen, is…can you find it in your heart to forgive us? If not, we certainly won’t blame you.”
Kathleen patted Meggie’s arm and said, “You stay here, honey.” Then she stepped to the shaken couple and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Stallworth, if we had met like this yesterday, I would not be saying what I’m about to say. But last night, a transformation happened in my life. You mentioned God’s punishment a moment ago, Mr. Stallworth…as a guilty sinner, I had eternal punishment in store for me. But after years of fighting God and rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, last night I opened my heart to Him. My husband became a Christian a short time ago, and he led me to the Lord. Jesus’ blood washed my sins away. Because of this, God forgave me of all the wrong I had ever done Him.
“I held a great hatred toward you people for what you did to Meggie and me, and my husband knows I was full of bitterness toward you. Yesterday afternoon I was rejoicing that you’ve lost everything. It made me feel good. Revenge was sweet. But I don’t feel that way anymore. Jesus changed me—He made me a new creature with a new heart. I no longer rejoice in what has happened to you, and I no longer want you to suffer for what you did.”
Tears welled up in Kathleen’s eyes. “Mr. and Mrs. Stallworth, the Lord forgave me for how I wronged Him; therefore I can forgive you for the way you wronged Meggie and me. And I do forgive you.”
Maria wrapped her arms around Kathleen and held her close as she sobbed the words, “Thank you! Oh, thank you!”
John put his arms around both women and wept.
When their tears had subsided somewhat, Tom said, “There’s something else Kathleen and I wish to discuss with you. And please be assured it is something good. Why don’t you sit down again?”
Everyone took their places, and Meggie snuggled close to her mother again.
Kathleen put a hand on Tom’s arm. “Before you get started, honey, you ought to tell John and Maria…and Meggie…about Caleb.”
“Oh, yes! I have a seven-year-old son named Caleb. My first wife died giving birth to a baby girl, who was stillborn. Caleb and Kathleen have become very close, and he’s looking forward to meeting his new little sister.”
“Me?” Meggie said.
Tom smiled at her. “Yes, you!”
“Caleb is my brother?”
“We’ll explain that to you later,” Tom said. “You’ll like him; Caleb is a very nice boy.”
Tom leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “John…Maria, did Mr. Bledsoe tell you about our business out in Nevada?”
“He said you’re into gold mining.”
“Right. God has blessed us marvelously. We own the Harned Lode, which is situated about twenty miles north of Virginia City. We’ve done exceptionally well with our first mine, and now we’ve opened a second one with a richer vein than the first.
“Kathleen and I talked it over last night, and we agreed that if your attitude was right today, we would write you a check for whatever amount it takes to salvage this mansion. And if we have the funds to put the Great Lakes Railroad Company back in business, we’ll write the company a check to do that.”
The Stallworths looked at each other as if they had been in separate dreams and ended up in the same one.
“Are you serious, Tom?”
“We are, John.”
“I…I can’t let you do this. There’s no way I’m going to accept money from you.”
“You can’t stop us,” Tom said. “Let’s work on the house first. What’s it going to take to keep you from losing it?”
John looked at Maria. “Can you believe what we’re hearing?”
“Only if I’m dreaming,” she replied.
“Well, you’re not dreaming,” Tom said, “but you’ll have to believe it anyhow.”
John covered his face with his hands. “I can’t let you do this.”
“Would it help you, John, if you and I went to some private place and talked figures?”
“Well, yes, it would.”
While the men were in the library, Maria asked Kathleen about her new life in the West. Kathleen was glad to give her every detail, especially about her new house in the country. Meggie listened intently, eager to hear about her new home.
After almost half an hour, the two men returned to the parlor. Kathleen looked up expectantly, and Tom smiled at her as he said, “All taken care of.”
“By all, do you mean their personal property and the company?”
“Yes’m.�
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“Wonderful!” Kathleen said.
“Wonderful!” Meggie echoed.
Maria shed new tears. “What can we do for you people?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Kathleen said. “Just go on and have a happy life.”
John put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Maria,” he said, “I told Tom that once the company is on its feet financially and making a profit again, we’ll pay him and Kathleen back.”
“Of course,” she said.
“But Tom said he’d like it better if we’d just pay it back in company stock. Tom doesn’t want anyone to know that it was him and Kathleen who bailed the company out of trouble. He wants them to be silent partners as far as the public is concerned.”
“I’m in full agreement,” Kathleen said.
Tom grinned. “Then it’s done. The Harneds are now considered potential stockholders in the Great Lakes Railroad Company.”
“Oh, this is the happiest day of my life!” Maria exclaimed.
“Now, one other thing,” Tom said.
The Stallworths looked at him attentively.
“Kathleen gave you her testimony of being saved, John and Maria. I would like to ask you one favor.”
“Name it,” John said.
“Would you two allow me a few minutes to show you from the Bible how to have your sins forgiven and know that you’re going to heaven?”
“Why, yes,” John said.
Maria nodded her agreement.
Tom hurried out to the buggy and brought in his Bible. Maria had an old one in a trunk upstairs, which John brought down.
The Harneds sat at the dining room table with the Stallworths, and with a Bible open in front of both of them, showed them the way of salvation.
Afterwards, Tom asked if they understood the gospel. Both said they did but that they needed to give it more thought.
Tom wrote down the chapters and verses they had discussed, closed his Bible, and said, “Tell you what, folks. Kathleen and I will be praying for you as you read these Scriptures again. But there’s something else that will help you.”
“What’s that?” John asked.
“Kathleen has a dear friend who lives no more than twenty minutes from you. Her name is Hennie O’Banion, and her husbands name is Seth. They’re fine Christians, and they go to a good Bible preaching church. If we asked them to come by, or if their pastor comes by to see you, would you go to the services and listen to the preaching?”
“Yes, we will,” John said.
“Gladly,” Maria said, nodding.
“Good.” Tom turned to his wife and new daughter. “Well, Kathleen and Meggie, we need to be going.” To the Stallworths he said, “We’ll be catching a train tomorrow to head back home. We sure want you to come to Nevada and visit us.”
John nodded. “When I can get the company rolling again, we’ll do it.”
Maria spoke up. “I assume you’re staying in a hotel?”
“Yes. Near the railroad station,” Kathleen replied.
“How about I fix supper for all of us this evening, and you can stay overnight here with us? We had to let our cook go, but I can still whip up a mean meal.”
“Fine with me,” Tom said, laughing.
“I’d love it,” said Kathleen. “We need to pack Meggie’s clothes anyhow.”
Hennie O’Banion looked at Kathleen, her eyes brimming with tears, and cried, “Oh, praise the Lord!” The two friends held each other, weeping joyfully for several minutes while Tom and Seth looked on.
When the emotion of the moment had subsided, Tom and Kathleen told the O’Banions about witnessing to the Stallworths, and that even though they had not opened their hearts to the Lord, they were open to the gospel.
“Well talk to the pastor and handle it in whatever way he suggests,” Seth said. “From what you’re telling us, with the Stallworths sitting under our pastors preaching, it won’t be long till they’ll be saved.”
“I believe it!” Kathleen said.
Tom rose to his feet. “Well, we have to keep moving.” Hennie looked longingly at Kathleen and said, “Let’s keep in touch.”
“Yes, letters. Lots of letters.”
“Well be coming back to Chicago on business periodically,” Tom advised them.
“Oh! That’ll be good,” Hennie said.
As they headed toward the door, Hennie held Kathleen’s hand, saying, “All these years of praying and witnessing to you has paid off, Kathleen. Praise the Lord.”
Kathleen turned and took hold of her friend’s hands. “Hennie, I can never thank you enough for witnessing to me so faithfully, and for praying that I would be saved. If you have other friends you’re witnessing to and praying for, never give up, Hennie. Let me be your example. Never give up!”
THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN UNDER A PURPLE and orange buttermilk sky as Tom and Kathleen Harned drove away from the hotel and headed for the lakeshore section of Chicago.
Kathleen sat close to Tom with a hand in the crook of his arm. “So tell me, darling, what do you think of my little Meggie?”
Tom smiled, shaking his head. “Some little gal, that one. It’s not going to take long for her to wrap me around her pinkie!”
“Captured your heart, didn’t she?”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“Poor little thing. Her life has been a rough one the last year and a half. First she lost her daddy. Then her mother disappeared, and all of a sudden she was living with her grandparents. Now her mother is back and has a new husband.”
“Has to be confusing for her,” Tom said. “We really should try to explain to her why you’ve been away so long and have finally returned. At least in terms a five-year-old could understand—so she’ll know you weren’t staying away because you wanted to.”
“Yes, but we have to be very careful not to put John and Maria in a bad light in Meggie’s mind. I want her to love and respect them.”
After dinner and chatting around the table for a while, Kathleen explained to John and Maria that she and Tom needed some time alone with Meggie before her bedtime. They took Meggie to the guest room where they would spend the night and sat the child down.
Tom let Kathleen do most of the talking. She explained to Meggie in as simple terms as possible why she had gone away, and that her marriage to Tom had made it possible for her to come back.
Meggie’s innocent little-girl heart took it all in, and when Kathleen said, “So you see, honey, you’ve got a new daddy and big brother in your life,” the child looked at Tom and said, “I’m your little girl, then?”
“That’s right, Meggie. Do you know what adoption means?”
“Huh-uh.”
“Well, that means that when I adopt you, you’ll really be my little girl because you’ll have my last name like my boy Caleb does.”
“Hmm?”
“Let me say it like this. Your daddy’s name was Peter, wasn’t it?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What was his last name?”
“Stallworth.”
“Okay. My last name is Harned. And your mommy’s last name is Harned because we got married. Do you understand?”
“She’s Mrs. Harned?”
“Right. Now, what’s your last name?”
“Stallworth.”
“And that’s because your daddy’s name was Stallworth. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All right. Now, what’s my last name?”
“Harned.”
“Very good. If I adopt you, I’ll be your new daddy. So what will your last name be then?”
Meggie pursed her lips, looked at the floor, then said, “Harned!”
“Right!” Tom picked her up and held her close. “Is it all right with you if I adopt you?”
“Yes!” Meggie said, giving him a sunny smile.
“Good! And the best way for me to know that you mean it is you’ll give me a big hug and a kiss!”
Kathleen was elated when she watched her da
ughter hug Toms neck hard and plant a kiss on his cheek.
When Tom put her down, she looked up at him and said, “Should I call you Daddy yet?”
“You can do that starting right now, sweetheart.”
“Okay. Daddy?”
“What, honey?”
“Will my new brother like me?”
“Oh, yes! He’ll like you, all right. I’m sure he’ll love you, too.”
“Will he play with me?”
“He sure will.”
“That’s good! I never have any children to play with.”
When Kathleen took Meggie to her own room and put her in bed, she told her all about the long train ride to her new home.
Before Meggie fell asleep in her mother’s arms, her last words were to thank her mommy for coming back.
At Chicago’s railroad station the next morning, John and Maria said a tearful good-bye to Meggie, taking turns picking her up and holding her close.
After embracing Kathleen for the final time, John said, “Maria and I couldn’t have lived with ourselves if you hadn’t forgiven us.”
Kathleen kissed his cheek. “Just keep in mind that even more importantly, Jesus wants to forgive you of all your sins.”
“I will,” he said, wiping moisture from his eyes.
“I love you, dear,” said Maria, folding Kathleen in her arms.
“And I love you.”
A tone of regret laced Maria’s voice as she said, “This is the way it should have been all along.”
“That’s all past now,” Kathleen said. “No more living in the past. No more regrets. Only a bright future ahead.”
John and Maria hugged Tom and thanked him for his generosity.
“Kathleen and I will be back for the stockholders’ meetings,” he said with a smile. “Four times a year, right?”
“Right,” said John.
“Then you’ll get to see Kathleen and Meggie often, as well as Caleb and me. The whole family will come!”
“We’ll look forward to it,” John said, a broad smile on his face.
“Me, too!” Maria said, planting a kiss on Toms cheek.
The Stallworths watched Tom, Kathleen, and Meggie board the train and take a seat next to a window on the platform side. They continued to gaze after the departing passenger car, tears of joy and humility coursing down their cheeks, until the train chugged down the track and disappeared around the bend.