Was it possible for the same woman to break his heart twice? Apparently so—the pain in his chest a clear indication of that fact. And also of how much a fool he was. He thought she really loved him. He thought she’d changed from the young girl who’d run off with another man all those years ago. But what sort of person keeps a man from his own son? For ten years! And all her playing hard-to-get. Just crap. She’d only been reeling him in, baiting him for the kill.
Luring him into marriage for his money and status.
“Here’s the copy of your speech, Mr. Cain.” Mrs. Clipton laid the papers on his desk. “And there’s a Miss Rollins to see you.”
“I don’t know any Rollins.” He waved her away. “I don’t have time now. Have her make an appointment.”
“You’ll see me. And you’ll see me now.” The angry woman’s voice snapped his gaze up to see Leigh, Angel’s roommate.
“I’m sorry, Pastor Cain.” Mrs. Clipton gave him a frightened look. “I told her to wait at my desk.”
“It’s alright. You may go.”
The elderly woman scurried out.
He stared at Leigh, her long dark hair tumbling down her blouse to her capris. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“But I have much to say to you.”
“Nothing I want to hear, I’m sure. So, if you don’t mind…” He gestured toward the door. “I have work to do.”
“You’re the biggest idiot ever to walk the earth.” She approached his desk. “And God knows what she sees in you, but you will listen to me, Daniel Cain, and I’m not leaving until you do.”
Sitting back in his chair, Daniel released a sigh. “Did she send you?”
“No. She doesn’t know I’m here.” Leigh swung hair over her shoulder and gave him a look that would scare a drill sergeant. “Let me tell you a little story, Pastor. It’s about a young girl in love who argued with her boyfriend and who was desperate to make up, who waited patiently at a restaurant for him, only to find he’d sent his numb-brained friend to break up with her.”
Daniel huffed. “More lies.”
“Couldn’t even do it in person, could you?” She snorted.
“I didn’t—”
“I’m not done.” She held up a hand. “She intended to tell you that night that she was carrying your child, but your friend, Thomas, told her it would ruin you. That you’d be kicked out of seminary.”
Daniel snorted. “I’m sure the ten thousand helped ease her pain.”
Leigh jabbed her finger at him. “You’re dumber than you look, Dan. She never took any money. She didn’t want it. She wanted you. And you broke her heart.”
“That’s crap and you know it.” Daniel tossed down his pen, unwilling to let her lies penetrate his heart. “Thomas told me she wanted to end things. Told me she’d met someone else, and she only wanted to extort money from me for child support.” He shook his head. “Yet even after that, I called and called her. Stopped by her place multiple times. If she loved me so much, if she wanted me to know about the baby, why didn’t she answer my calls?”
Leigh leaned her knuckles on his desk. “Because she knew it would have ruined your career. And she loved you too much to do that.”
“So much that she ran into another man’s arms.”
Closing her eyes for a moment, Leigh shook her head. “There was never anyone else, you moron. There hasn’t been since you.”
Stunned, Daniel merely stared at her. Something…some part of what she said rang true deep inside him—rang true to the Angel he knew.
Leigh cocked her head. “It’s obvious your friend, this Thomas, lied to you and has been lying to you for years.”
Daniel squeezed the bridge of his nose, seeking the truth among so many lies. “I don’t believe it.” It wasn’t possible. Thomas was his best friend. He’d always been by Daniel’s side, sticking up for him, encouraging him, helping him with every aspect of the ministry. He would never do something like that. Would he? Yet…hadn’t Thomas always put Daniel’s career above everything else? He shot angry eyes at Leigh. “You expect me to believe you—where do you work, Walmart?—and a cocktail waitress over my own associate pastor?” He waved her away. “Get out.”
“Humph. Like I said, I have no idea what she sees in you. You treated her like dirt when she came to tell you about Isaac. Sure, she should have told you before. But she was terrified of losing him. After you broke her heart once, she needed to know she could trust you again. Especially with Isaac. Can you blame her?”
If what this crazed woman was saying was true, then no, he couldn’t. But that would mean that the one person he had trusted most in the world had done nothing but betray him for years.
“I knew I was wasting my time.” Shaking her head, Leigh started for the door. “Just do me one favor. If there’s an ounce of decency in you, if you ever loved Angelica and if you love your son, please don’t take Isaac away from her.” Then turning, she stormed from the room as quickly as she had come.
Leaving Daniel in a cyclone of confusion.
He sat there, staring into space, trying to sort through all the facts and feelings raging within him when Thomas poked his head in the door. “Got a minute?”
“Sure.” Daniel’s eyes followed him in like a lion on his prey.
“Great speech.” Thomas laid the copy Daniel had given him on his desk. “You’re going to wow them. What’s wrong?”
“You lied to me. Angel didn’t break up with me. She wanted to stay together. She wanted to tell me about the baby.”
A flicker of fear tumbled across his friend’s face. “Who told you that hogwash?”
“Doesn’t matter. Tell me the truth. What did you tell her at that restaurant?”
A slight tick registered at the corner of Thomas’ lips. “I told her what was best for you both.”
And at that moment, Daniel knew the truth. Pushing back his chair, he stood, resisting the urge to circle the desk and pummel his friend. “You lied to me! All these years.” Betrayal ravaged through his gut.
As if sensing danger, Thomas backed away. “And if I hadn’t, if you had met her later that night and she told you about the baby, you wouldn’t be in this grand office right now, would you? You wouldn’t have a church at all, let alone a mega-one. And you certainly wouldn’t be invited to D.C. to speak at the annual prayer breakfast or to Belgium to participate in the World Religions conference.”
No, Daniel would have married Angel. He would have married her and helped raised their son. But he would have been expelled from seminary. And with no other skills or money, he would have most likely ended up working on the docks like his father.
A loser.
Still, that was his choice. And it had been taken from him. “I thought you were my friend.”
“I am, don’t you see?” Thomas gave him a pleading look. “The greatest friend anyone could have. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you.”
“I’m not so sure.” For the first time, he saw his friend in a different light—a greedy, power-hungry light—and it disgusted him.
“You robbed me of ten years with my son…eleven years with the woman I love. How could you do that to me?”
“I’m sorry, Daniel. I really am.” Thomas sank to a chair and dropped his head in his hands.
And for the first time, Daniel heard remorse in his voice.
He looked up, his eyes pleading. “Listen, let’s go to D.C. tomorrow. Give your speech, and then we’ll sort through this when we get back, ’kay? This is too important to screw up now. Especially over Smokes.”
He spit her name out like it was a blasphemous word.
Daniel wanted to scream, he wanted to yell obscenities at his friend and punch him in the gut. He wanted to run to Angel and take her in his arms. But D.C. stood in his way. He hadn’t come this far to give it all up. No, he would concentrate on the trip, give the speech of his life, and when he got home, he’d deal with Thomas.
But more importantly, he would go to Angel an
d beg her forgiveness.
Chapter 29
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV)
A salty breeze wisped over Angelica’s face, caressing strands of hair and tickling her nose. Behind her eyelids, a red hue shoved away the darkness of the night. But she wasn’t ready to open her eyes yet. She wanted to savor the astonishing euphoria that was expanding in her soul, a restlessness, an excitement… an incredible joy. So different from the torment she’d endured during her long, sleepless night.
For some reason, even though she’d been trying to keep her distance from Daniel, his rejection had cut deeper this time than it had twelve years ago, marring her soul with bottomless trenches of pain. She’d cried out to God in the long, lonely hours, seeking His comfort.
And found it in His sweet presence.
His words of encouragement, of love, even in the midst of her tears, had smoothed the sharp edges of her agony. He had a plan. A good one. And He would never leave her. He would never leave Isaac. Even if she lost him to Daniel and he became immersed in apostasy, God would not forsake her son.
All things were working together for good to those who loved the Father. She knew that and kept repeating it whenever fear for Isaac rose within her. Whenever fear for how she would find a job and provide food began to scrape away her faith, she clung to that truth in Romans 8. And peace returned.
But her heart still ached for Daniel. She’d tried to call him several times, but he was ignoring her. Whether he followed through with his threats for custody or not, she wanted him to know how sorry she was for lying to him, for denying him the pleasure of knowing Isaac all these years.
An odd ray of red sunshine drifted over her eyelids, yet again, as God’s breeze stroked her cheek. She opened her eyes, turning her weary head to the window. White cotton curtains waved at her, dancing vibrantly in the strange light. A chorus reached her ears. Outside her window, dozens of birds sang in such crisp harmony they put human orchestras to shame.
Tossing off her covers, she swept her feet over the side of the bed, rubbed her eyes, and made her way to the window. Moving aside the curtains, she knelt and crossed her arms on the sill, staring out onto the most brilliant sunrise she’d ever seen. Ribbons of crimson and gold curled across the horizon as if they were wrapping a beautiful blue present. And in the middle, a bow of golden sunlight rose like a king ascending to his throne.
Her spirit leapt inside her. Really leapt. So strong, she felt it in her body. “What is going on, Father?” she whispered.
A blast of wind swept down the street, lifting tree limbs and palm fronds and swirling garbage to the sky, as if everything was praising the Creator. Even the trash. She chuckled, and shifted her gaze back to the ocean, such a gorgeous shade of deep royal blue, made even more beautiful by the golden crowns cast atop each wave by the rising sun.
Cars clogged the street below, horns honked. Music sounded from somewhere down the strip. A baby cried. But Angelica barely heard it all. A peaceful bliss settled on her, as if she were detached from reality…a part of this world, yet drifting farther from it with every passing second.
Despite her broken heart and uncertain future, a mad rush of joy consumed her, and she began laughing uncontrollably. What a grand morning!
She spent the next hour praising her Father before rising to get the kids ready for school.
Oddly, Leigh was sensing something too. She’d awakened with a rare joy and an overwhelming excitement—so much so, she couldn’t concentrate on anything and kept smiling for no apparent reason. The children were equally jovial, and Angelica wondered whether she should check the news, even though she didn’t trust it. Maybe something weird was happening in the atmosphere.
However, nothing unusual was being reported, except one story that struck her. Several countries had just attacked Israel—Iran, Turkey, Libya, and Russia among them. The screen was filled with tanks, troops, jets, and explosions. Angelica sank to the couch beside Isaac, who was eating his cereal, and called Leigh to her side.
“I think this is Gog-Magog.”
“What’s Gog-Magog?” Leigh asked, chomping on a piece of toast.
“Ezekiel 38.” Angelica ran for the Bible in her room and quickly returned, flipping to the right page. She read the passage to Leigh and then pointed at the screen.
Leigh dropped to the couch and set her half-eaten toast on the table. “Holy cow,” was all she said.
Despite the horrors displayed on the TV screen, Angelica could not bring herself to worry. Instead, she flipped it off, looked at Leigh, and out of an understanding borne from being roommates for so many years, they both decided to forgo work and school and take the boys to the beach. It seemed that kind of day.
Of course, Isaac and Joel were ecstatic. The instant their feet hit the sand, they tore off to make a castle near the water, while Angelica and Leigh found a spot for their towels.
Only a pink line remained on the horizon now, but the sky was a brilliant blue—almost turquoise, like the color around tropical islands. And the clouds. Their edges sparkled as if they were braided with diamonds. Angelica turned to Leigh and found her staring as well.
“Have you ever seen a sky like this?” Leigh finally asked.
Angelica shook her head. “I can’t stop looking at it, it’s so beautiful.”
“Yet only a few other people seem to notice,” Leigh commented, glancing across the beach. “Most are just doing their thing.”
Weird. Though it was early, families with young children and a few teens who should be in school were scoping out the best spots to park their stuff.
“Something’s up, isn’t it?” Leigh eased a strand of hair behind her ear. “Something important. Spiritual.” She glanced at Angelica.
“I have no idea, but I feel it too.” She smiled at her friend. “I’m so glad I have you to share God with now.”
“Me too.” Planting her hands behind her, Leigh stretched out her legs and gazed over the glassy sea, her expression as peaceful as the waves lapping on shore.
But Angelica was restless. A sudden urge forced her to her feet, so strong, she had no choice but to obey. “I’ve got to go see Daniel.”
Leigh nodded and smiled. “Then go.”
♦♦♦
Angelica mounted the steps to Fort Lauderdale Church of Grace wearing her jeans with the holes at the knees, a T-shirt, her hair a mess, and not a lick of makeup. She couldn’t help but smile at the difference from when she’d ascended these same steps to speak with Daniel nearly three months ago. Had it been that long? So much had happened.
She had called his admin and found out he was leaving for a flight to D.C. at 9:00, and since he wouldn’t see her, she hoped to run into him as he walked out to his limo.
Just as she had done once before.
Only this time, she had more than a message that was delivered reluctantly and without care. She had an appeal, a desperate appeal, that came from her heart. It had nothing to do with her. None of this had ever had anything to do with her, she realized, for the message was the same. But this time, she meant it. She wanted him to hear it and respond to it more than anything.
Sunshine warmed her face, and she drew in a deep breath, a breath of hope and life and anticipation. Above her, swaths of golden light spanned the blue sky. So strange, yet so beautiful. One more step and she saw the limo idling to her left, a man in a suit standing by the passenger door. Another step up and the front doors of the church opened and out rushed Daniel and Thomas, two bodyguards in tow.
Daniel was clean-shaven, his hair neatly combed, and an expensive suit hung perfectly over his muscular frame. His gold cuff links and jeweled tie clip shimmered in the sunlight. But that was a
ll that shimmered. A deep sorrow clung to him as he stared down at the white stone steps. Thomas was silent beside him. One of the bodyguards headed her way.
Taking another step, she halted as Thomas looked up and uttered a curse. “Do we have to get a restraining order to keep you away?” he growled as he approached. “Escort this woman to her car,” he ordered the bodyguard.
Before the guard could touch her, she peered around him. “Daniel, I just need a word. Please.”
His eyes, shadowed and red-rimmed, landed on hers and instantly came to life.
The guard grabbed her arm.
“It’s okay,” Daniel finally said. “Step away.”
Releasing her, the man took a step back, eyeing her as if she intended to blow herself up and all of them with her.
Daniel approached, tentatively at first, but then he smiled. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It is?” Shocked, Angelica gripped his outreached hands. “The last time—”
He drew her into an embrace. “Never mind about that. I know the truth now, and I’m so sorry.”
She melted against him, longing to stay in his arms forever. Tears blurred her vision, and she backed away, not wanting to stain his nice suit. “Me too. I shouldn’t have kept Isaac from you. I’m sorry.”
He brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “We were both tricked.” He glanced back at Thomas, who looked as though he’d just swallowed a grenade.
“We have to go, Daniel.” Thomas urged. “We’ll miss our plane.”
Feeling the pressure of time, Angelica said a silent prayer. “Remember what we talked about? The wedding, the groom, and the bride who made herself ready? Remember the—”
“Yes, of course. But, listen.” He squeezed her hands. “I have so much to tell you. So much time to make up to you. But, I’ve got to go. We’ll talk when I get back. Promise.”
“Come with me, Daniel. Don’t go to D.C.,” she blurted out.
When Angels Cry Page 26