THE TRUE LOVE SERIES BOX SET: A Christian Romance

by Duncan, Juliette

  “She thought being at home with you would help. I’m sure she wouldn’t have done this on purpose.”

  “I hope not too. Thanks for letting me know about her job. I’ll let you know if anything changes. And please feel welcome to come whenever you can.”

  After hanging up, Tessa buried her face in Ben’s chest and let him hold her. Neither spoke for some time. How could Stephanie be lying in a hospital bed, possibly paralysed for life? Harder even to process was the possibility Stephanie may have tried to take her own life, the last thing Tessa had imagined Stephanie would do. The scripture she’d read earlier came to her mind, and she clung to the promise that God’s compassion would never fail, and that His faithfulness would see them through. Just right now, His faithfulness seemed to have eluded them.

  Chapter 23

  Before returning to the clinic, Tessa took a few days’ leave to visit Stephanie. A change of scenery would do her good, plus she desperately wanted to see her friend.

  Vanessa Trejo lived a three-hour drive north of Brisbane, on a hobby farm she and her husband had bought ten years earlier when they said they needed a ‘tree change’ from their overly busy city lives. Sadly, Roberto, Stephanie’s father, passed away after only two years of moving there. Roberto might have avoided his massive heart attack if he’d sought medical advice earlier. After the funeral, Stephanie’s mother decided to stay on and look after the farm on her own. “It’s only ten acres after all,” she’d said to the girls one weekend when they visited. Stephanie had encouraged her mother to return to the city, but Mrs. Trejo was determined to stay and run the farm on her own.

  Now, as Tessa steered her car through the winding roads of the lush, green Mary Valley, she considered the real benefits of living in a place as beautiful as this, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A place where you could slow down a little. A place where kids could grow up enjoying the freedom of country living. A lump formed in her throat. Would she ever have children of her own? The loss of her baby was still so fresh and real, and the very thought of it brought tears to her eyes. “Oh God, please heal my hurting heart. And please be with Steph and her mum. I don’t understand why all this has happened, but Lord I trust You to work it out. Thank You for this beautiful place. I pray that this time away will draw me closer to You.”

  The thought began to grow in her mind that maybe she and Ben and Jayden could move out here. She could easily get a job as a country vet, and it wasn’t that far to the nearest town where Ben would no doubt find a job. But would Jayden like living in the country? Away from all his friends, especially Neil? She sighed. Probably not. Maybe one day…

  Ten minutes later, Tessa pulled into the Trejo’s farm. A sign reading ‘Misty Morn’ hung on the wrought iron gates bordered on either side with rambling vines and overgrown bushes. Beyond the gates, a gravel driveway led to the cottage Stephanie’s parents had just finished renovating before Mr. Trejo suddenly passed away. Mrs. Trejo loved flowering plants; the front porch was a mass of colour. Baskets overflowing with soft pink petunias, red geraniums and brilliant blue salvias lined the edge of the bull-nosed verandah, while soft pink azaleas and white daisies nodded in the garden below.

  As she stepped out of the car and stretched, Tessa breathed in the fresh country air. Yes, she could live here.

  Mrs. Trejo ran down the steps and gave Tessa a big hug. “Thank you for coming.” She smiled at Tessa with moist eyes.

  “Thank you for having me.” Tessa smiled warmly at her friend’s mother. They chatted easily about the garden and the farm as Mrs. Trejo showed Tessa to her room and put the kettle on. Not until they were sitting on the verandah with a cup of tea and freshly baked scones with jam and cream made from the milk of Mrs. Trejo’s favourite cow, Mildred, did Tessa ask about Stephanie.

  “How is she?” Tessa drew in a slow breath as she carefully placed her cup back onto its saucer and lifted her eyes to meet Mrs. Trejo’s.

  Her eyes moistened again. “She’s on a lot of pain medication, and she’s still in traction, but the doctors believe she won’t walk again.” She could hardly speak as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

  Tessa gripped her hand. Words weren’t required.

  Two hours later, Tessa entered Stephanie’s hospital room. Stephanie’s eyes were closed, so she sat quietly on the chair beside her. Mrs. Trejo was talking with the nurse. Tessa took Stephanie’s hand and squeezed it. How had this happened? She inhaled slowly. “Steph, can you hear me?”

  Stephanie’s eyes blinked and slowly opened. “Tess…” Her voice was thin and raspy.

  “Don’t speak. It’s all right.”

  She closed her eyes.

  Tessa held her hand and gazed at her friend. Her heart was heavy, and she wondered what good could ever come of this. She sighed deeply. “God, I really don’t understand why this has happened, but I have to trust that Your grace will be sufficient. Please be with Steph, and heal not only her body, but heal her spirit and mind as well. May she draw on Your strength at this difficult time, and know Your peace in her heart despite the pain in her body.”

  Memories of another hospital bed came to Tessa’s mind as she sat holding Stephanie’s hand. Not that long ago she’d sat in a chair, not too dissimilar to the one she was sitting in now, holding Michael’s hand and praying for his quick recovery. She didn’t know why God hadn’t answered her prayers at the time, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t trust God to answer her prayers now. God had still been working in Michael’s life, even though it took longer than she’d hoped. She squeezed Stephanie’s hand.

  “God, I pray Stephanie handles this better than Michael did. Be her strength when she has none, give her hope when all seems hopeless, and every moment of every day, may she be aware of Your love for her. Bless my dear friend, Lord God, I ask in Jesus’ name.”

  As she sat there, Tessa thought about the brief reply to her email Michael had sent. He’d congratulated her on her marriage and wished her well, but he hadn’t mentioned how he was feeling. She wondered if she’d ever see him again, but somehow it didn’t worry her anymore. She hoped he’d meet someone special, someone he could enjoy life with, grow old with. No doubt if she ever bumped into Sabrina again, she’d hear what he was doing.

  Mrs. Trejo entered the room and took Stephanie’s other hand. Stephanie’s eyes fluttered and then remained opened for several seconds before closing again.

  “This is what’s she been like for days now.” Mrs. Trejo’s eyes held a deep sadness.

  “She’ll come round.” Tessa tried to encourage her. “What did the nurse have to say?”

  “They want to move her to a bigger hospital.” Mrs. Trejo sighed wearily. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with this one. They seem to have everything.”

  “I guess they just want to give her the best chance possible.” Tessa let out a small sigh. If it were her, she’d be doing everything she possibly could for her daughter.

  Mrs. Trejo nodded, but didn’t look convinced.

  “You’re worried about how you’ll manage, aren’t you?”

  She drew a breath. “It’s difficult to leave the farm for more than a day at a time, but I want to be with Stephanie.” She ran her hand over Stephanie’s brow and gazed lovingly at her.

  “I’m sure one of your neighbours could care for the animals if need be. It’ll work out, you’ll see. Try not worry about it.”

  She nodded again as tears welled in her eyes. Tessa couldn’t start to imagine what she was feeling, seeing her only child lying in a hospital bed like this, and being told it was unlikely she’d ever walk again.

  Tessa spent the next two days at the farm. They visited Stephanie twice a day and stayed with her for hours at a time. Stephanie slowly became more lucid, but whenever the pain became too much, she’d be given more drugs and she’d fall back into a deep sleep. Tessa hated seeing her like this, and was concerned about the amount of medication the doctors had prescribed.

  Mrs. Trejo agreed to have her moved to
the Spinal Unit at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, where she would receive expert care. The doctors were hopeful she might regain some movement in time. One of her neighbours agreed to care for her animals while she was with Stephanie, and she could stay with her sister in Brisbane as long as needed.

  With Stephanie in Brisbane, Tessa could easily visit as often as she wanted, and on the drive home the following day, she felt more at peace than she had since losing the baby.

  When she returned to the clinic after the week’s absence, Tessa determined to be more positive about her role. Maybe God had put her here for a reason, and she should embrace the opportunity to grow and learn, and not run away from it.

  Late that morning, a knock sounded on her office door and Harrison entered. “I don’t mean to bother you.” He stood awkwardly in front of her, and looked down at the ground. “I heard about your loss. I’m sorry.”

  Tessa’s eyes widened. It was the last thing she expected him to say.

  He lifted his gaze and looked uneasily at her. “I know I’ve caused you a few problems, but I actually think you’re doing a good job running this place.”

  “Thank you. On both accounts.” She gave him a warm smile. Was this an opportunity to speak to him about his mother? Her heart thumped at the thought of addressing the issue. God, I’ve already prayed about this, so please give me the words to say. She drew a slow breath.

  Harrison turned to leave.

  “Wait.” She gulped.

  He paused and turned to look at her.

  “I’ve… I’ve been meaning to tell you this for some time.” She paused. How would he take this? But it was no use worrying about it—she just needed to say it now the opportunity had arisen. She drew a steadying breath and went for it. “Your mother and I are good friends. We attend the same church and the same Bible study group.” She held her breath.

  Harrison stiffened. “You don’t know anything about our relationship.” His eyes narrowed.

  “You’re right, I don’t. But she did tell me how saddened she is you haven’t spoken in years.”

  “Did she put you up to this?” A vein in his neck bulged as he held her gaze.

  “Not all.” Tessa sighed. “It’s just that my best friend was in a really bad car accident recently, and it reminded me of how short life is. You never know when you might lose a family member or friend.”

  Harrison turned to leave.

  “Please listen to me. Your parents aren’t going to be around forever. You might not have next year or even next week to get things right with them.”

  “I don’t have anything to get right.”

  “Cutting them off, ignoring their phone calls, refusing to meet them, not sharing Christmas or birthdays…” She sucked in a breath and stopped herself. Had she said too much? Her voice softened. “Don’t you see anything wrong with that?”

  A moment of silence passed between them before Harrison gave a careless shrug. “I’ll give it some thought.”

  “Please do. For both your sakes.”

  He pursed his lips and without saying another word, spun on his heels and left her office.

  Chapter 24

  That evening, Jayden walked into the living room, head down and shoulders slumped. Tessa knew it was necessary, but she hated the times when Ben called a sit-down meeting with Jayden to discuss his falling grades and less than acceptable behaviour and attitude. She sat on the edge of the sofa beside Ben, clasping her hands over her knees.

  Jayden slouched in a seat opposite, arms folded and glaring at his dad. “What have I done wrong now?”

  Ben held up Jayden’s latest school report. “One B, two Cs, and the rest are Ds. How do you explain that?” Ben’s tone was measured and controlled, but could easily escalate at any moment.

  Jayden stared straight ahead, his eyes vacant. His foot bounced restlessly as if he’d rather be anywhere else other than here. He didn’t respond.

  “I’m still waiting for an answer.” Ben leaned forward.

  Jayden lowered his gaze until the hair hanging over his forehead covered his eyes. He shrugged carelessly. “I’m doing my best.”

  “You can’t be. You’ve always been a straight A student.” Ben let out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve a fair mind to ground you until you improve.”

  Tessa’s heart fell. Here we go again. She touched Ben’s arm lightly.

  Ben’s jaw clenched as he glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to Jayden. “Have you got anything to say for yourself? Look at me.”

  Jayden lifted his head slowly but only met his father’s gaze for a second before fixing it on the coffee table.

  Tessa sighed quietly. Her heart was breaking for Jayden. If only Ben would show more compassion. There’d been odd moments when they’d gotten on better, but not nearly enough, and it grieved her no end. Lord, please intervene in this situation. Please help Ben and Jayden talk with each other in a reasonable manner, without all this angst that’s not doing anyone any good.

  A minute passed, then two. Tension filled the air.

  Jayden finally lifted his gaze. His eyes had watered. “There is something, but it’s not to do with my grades. If I tell you, will you be angry?”

  Tessa held her breath.

  Ben pursed his lips. “Depends what it is.”

  She grabbed his hand and gave him an angry stare. Her heart rate increased. Enough was enough. She wasn’t going to let him ruin this opportunity. She shifted her gaze to Jayden and leaned forward. “We won’t be angry, Jayden. Whatever you tell us, we’re a family, and we’ll find a way through it. Won’t we, Ben?” The glance she gave him left no room for him to disagree.

  Jayden’s gaze flickered between the two of them. Tessa didn’t dare look at Ben again, but she could feel the tension in his body. More seconds passed.

  Ben blew out a long breath. “Yes, Tessa’s right.” His voice had softened. “We’re a family, and we’ll work through it together. Whatever it is.”

  Jayden wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’ve been dumped from the Rubgy team. I won’t be playing any more this season.”

  “Oh Jayden. I’m so sorry.” Tessa moved to the couch beside him and placed her arm around his shoulder. “It’s not the end of the world. It’s okay.”

  He blinked and sat still, his head hanging.

  Ben rubbed his temple. “I’m sorry, but I’m not surprised after seeing your game the other week.” His forehead puckered. “But I don’t understand why you’re suddenly failing at everything. First your grades, and now your sport.” He paused, settling his gaze on Jayden. “What’s next?”

  “I knew you’d be angry.” Tears ran down Jayden’s cheeks as he pushed Tessa’s arm away and jumped up. “It’s obvious I can’t do anything right.” He knocked a chair over and ran upstairs to his room.

  Ben ran after him. “I didn’t mean it like that.” The door slammed in his face.

  Tessa had followed Ben up the stairs and grabbed his hand. “Leave him,.” Her heart thumped. “Let him cool down for a while.”

  Ben turned around and ran his hands through his hair. Tessa’s heart went out to him. He looked so distraught. She held her arms out and stepped closer, drawing him close.

  He leaned his head on hers. “I always get it wrong. I’m no good at this.” His voice was broken.

  “It’s okay. He’ll calm down and then we can talk again. Let’s go back downstairs.” She took his hand.

  He let out a deep breath as he followed her down. “What if he’s on drugs or something like that?” He paused mid-stair. “What else would have caused such a big change?”

  Tessa turned to face him. “I don’t know, but we can try to find out. His teachers might have some insight when you meet with them next week.”

  “You’re right. We need to get to the bottom of it. Something’s happened, and I don’t like it.”

  When they reached the kitchen, Tessa filled the kettle and turned it on. “By the way, did you know Jayden doesn’t love ru
gby as much as rowing or tennis?”

  Ben angled his head. “What do you mean? He’s never said anything to me about that.”

  “He told me when we were at the dog park a while ago. He was playing because he thought you’d be disappointed if he didn’t.” She took two mugs out of the drawer and chuckled. They weren’t in orderly rows anymore.

  “He should have told me he didn’t want to play.” Ben raked his hand through his hair. “I’ll go and talk with him about it.”

  Tessa lifted her eyes and met his gaze. “Not yet. It might be best to let him cool off some more first.” She placed a teabag into each mug and filled them with boiling water before carrying them to the sofa.

  Ben took a mug from her. “I’m sorry for getting angry. I just don’t know what to do with him.”

  The drawn expression on his face concerned her, and she leaned in to him and squeezed his hand. “He’ll be fine. He’s just going through a rough patch at the moment. I’m sure he’ll come through it.”

  Ben rubbed the back of his neck. “I hope you’re right.” He kissed the top of her head. “Maybe we should take a holiday and get away from everything for a while.”

  Tessa’s eyes lit up as she straightened. “That’s a great idea. Let’s do it!”

  After a few days of discussion, they made the decision to take two weeks off over the next school break and go skiing in Queenstown, New Zealand. Tessa had always wanted to learn how to ski and Ben had always wanted to visit Queenstown, so it was a win-win for them both. Jayden also brightened when he was told about the trip. He brightened even further when he was allowed to invite Neil as well—a kind of birthday present since he’d be celebrating his fifteenth birthday just before they left. He promised to try harder at school, and apologised for letting his grades go. His teachers had also been concerned about his falling grades, but had no explanation for the sudden change. Tessa convinced Ben to lay off him a while.