“He’s staying until tomorrow, and then we’re both going up to Portland for a few days so I can meet his family.”
“Oh,” she said, not doing a great job of hiding her disapproval. “Are you going because he’s making you, or because you want to?”
“I want to.”
“Okay, whatever,” she replied.
I was tempted to give up. “But I want to have some time with you before I go back to school. And not just for lunch or something. How about if we go up the coast, like for an overnight trip, just you and me? That way we can really talk and everything. Please? I really do miss you.”
“Are you sure you can be away from Jonathan that long?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve needed some uninterrupted time with him away from school to make sure this is real, you know? I haven’t been avoiding you, I’ve just needed that. But I can handle being away from him for a few days next week.”
“Where do you want to go?” she asked, sounding like she might take me up on it, and I knew I wanted to do this and have it be a good time, so I thought about where the best place would be.
“How about Sunset Bay?”
“Camping?”
“We could stay in a yurt. They have heat and electricity. Or if you’re not that adventurous we could stay in town and go out there during the day.”
“Yeah, I guess that sounds nice,” she admitted. “I need to get away for a few days. But if it’s cold, we’re staying inside the whole time. No hiking for hours and waiting for whales to swim by while we freeze our tootsies off!”
I laughed. “Okay, I promise.”
I told her I would take care of making the reservations and call her when I got back. I wasn’t planning on staying in Portland beyond Sunday, and I thought heading up there with Jodi on Tuesday and staying until Thursday would work fine.
I also decided to pray for Jodi, something I hadn’t done before. Praying was still a mystery to me, and I often felt like I didn’t know what to say. There were some things I had prayed about that had turned out well, but I wasn’t sure if that was a coincidence, or if asking had really made a difference.
But praying gave me peace, and I was able to leave with Jonathan the following day without feeling guilty about abandoning Jodi or stressed about meeting Jonathan’s family. I got a little nervous when we got close to Portland, but by the time we actually arrived at his house, I felt better, and I was excited about seeing Marissa. I had missed her, and seeing her when we got out of the car calmed my nerves to the point they didn’t exist anymore.
She hurried us inside because it was cold out and she only had on a thin sweater and some pajama bottoms that looked new. Linking her arm with mine, Marissa didn’t seem ashamed of reclaiming some of her territory as the other best friend I had made this fall, and she was the one who introduced me to her mom and dad, which Jonathan didn’t seem to mind, but after Marissa realized it, she laughed at herself.
“Sorry, Jonny. You probably had this all rehearsed!”
“Well, yes,” he admitted.
Mrs. Andrews laughed. She looked and acted very much like Marissa. Jonathan was standing behind me because we were still in the kitchen doorway. I was surprised by the small house. With Mr. Andrews being a doctor, I had been expecting something larger and fancier, but it was a modest home with simple furnishings, and the kitchen seemed especially small, but after getting to know Jonathan and Marissa, I wasn’t that surprised. Neither of them had ever acted like spoiled rich kids.
Jonathan put his arms around my waist and spoke to his mom and dad over my shoulder. “She’s with me,” he said.
Both of his parents had a similar look on their faces, and I felt very welcome as someone they had been waiting to meet for a long time. And it didn’t matter who I was or who I wasn’t. All that mattered was who I was to Jonathan.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews had already said it, but Marissa had interrupted before I’d had a chance to reply. I wanted to say something about how wonderful their kids had been to me--how much their friendship and kindness and genuine love had affected me, but I didn’t feel brave enough, so I kept the thoughts to myself and recalled them several times throughout the evening.
We had dinner, opened gifts, and went for a walk around the neighborhood to view everyone’s Christmas lights on the clear and cold night. We didn’t put up lights on our house because it sat back from the road and no one could to see them, and a lot of our neighbors didn’t either for the same reason, so it was a special treat for me to see so many homes lit up side-by-side.
Jonathan and I were walking behind the others, holding hands and making comments here and there. He stopped me for a moment to ask how I was doing and if I was glad I had come. I smiled because I didn’t have a single reason to say no.
“I’m having a great day.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’m not. I always have a nice time with you--wherever we are.”
Chapter Twenty
Before the evening came to an end, I discovered the house was larger than I thought. The front room, kitchen, and other areas of the main floor I had seen thus far were small, like they had been a part of the original house built during a particular time period. On our walk around the neighborhood, I had seen the same. Tudors and Cape Cod styles were the norm, and the main part of the house appeared to be mostly original with a few minor upgrades.
But there was a new addition at the back of the house I hadn’t seen yet, consisting of a family room, sun porch, and two downstairs bedrooms. One was Jonathan’s, and it was quite large with its own modern bathroom and a patio door that led to the backyard where a pool, hot tub, and barbecue area had been put in. And the yard itself was large, lit by outdoor lights, and lined with beautiful landscaping and brick pathways.
There was also a guest bedroom across from a full bath. Marissa’s room was upstairs along with his parents’, so I was able to have my own space, and after an eventful evening and being the center of attention more than I was used to, I knew I would welcome the solitude, although I wouldn’t have minded sharing with Marissa.
After Jonathan showed me where I would be sleeping, he asked if I wanted to stay up and watch a movie in the spacious family room, but I felt tired and asked if we could wait and do that tomorrow.
He gave me a hug. “Whatever you want.”
“I’m glad I came,” I said, truly meaning that and wanting him to know it. “Your family is wonderful, like I expected them to be.”
“Why were you expecting it?”
“Because you’re wonderful and so is your sister. Why would they be any different?”
“Well, they might be if they weren’t following God. I have some friends at school who aren’t from Christian families, and while they’re doing great and have hearts of gold, their families are pretty messed up.”
I could see that being the case with Jodi if she were to begin trusting God and following His light-filled paths but her family remained the way they were. And I knew I wanted it for her so badly, but I didn’t know if it would ever be. And seeing her family turning to Jesus seemed utterly impossible.
“Why do you think my family is so normal?” I asked for lack of a better word. “My mom and dad aren’t Christians or religious in any way, and yet they’re good people, you know?”
“They might not call themselves Christians, but I think they follow God’s ways. Following God doesn’t have to be about a particular religion or attending a certain kind of church.”
“Like how my mom believes my dad is in Heaven?”
“Yes, and the way she loves you and your siblings. The way she’s gone on with life without your dad. The way she helps others in need. The way she accepts people for who they are and treats everyone the same. Those are godly traits. The Bible says everyone who loves is born of God and knows God, and if there’s one way I would describe your mom and dad, I would say they are very loving people.”
&nb
sp; I knew that better than anyone, and I smiled. “Are you saying they know Joshua without even realizing it?”
Joshua was a name Jonathan sometimes used for Jesus. It was another way Jesus’ Aramaic name, Yeshua, could be translated, and sometimes Jonathan preferred it because it was a more common name--like one of his friends he knew in a very real way.
“That’s what I think,” he replied. “And I’m sure Joshua was close to both of them when your dad was suddenly gone.”
I could see that, and I knew He had been close to me during that time too, even if I didn’t know what to call Him.
Once I was in the bedroom, I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. It was a large bed with a cozy comforter and fluffy pillows, and I knew I could fall asleep easily, which was unusual for me in a strange place. I did spend some time thinking, however, and I prayed some too, but then I dozed off and didn’t wake up until morning.
I spent an equal amount of time with Jonathan’s family as we had to ourselves until the last day I was there. Jonathan took me for a drive after church on Sunday, and we went to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. The snow pack was deep enough for the ski resorts to be open, but neither of us had skied much so we rented some snow shoes to walk on a trail designated for that. It was beautiful and peaceful, but walking on snow took more effort than I was expecting, so we didn’t go too far and enjoyed the scenery and just being together more than anything.
We went back to the lodge for dinner, and on the drive back I asked Jonathan for some advice about spending some time with Jodi this week, asking him what he would say to one of his friends he wanted to share Jesus with. He said not to put too much pressure on myself to say just the right thing, or anything at all if the opportunity didn’t present itself.
“If I know Joshua like I think I do, I would bet He’s already at work in her heart, and the time you have with her will be another way He’s trying to reach her with His love--one way or another. Don’t stress about it. Just let it be whatever it is. Whenever I do that, I always see more going on than when I try to orchestrate every move myself.”
I appreciated that advice and kept it in mind when Jodi and I had everything packed into the car on Tuesday and were on our way. I didn’t have any idea what I was doing except spending a couple of days with my best friend, and that’s all it needed to be. I could leave the rest in God’s hands.
Jodi was quiet at first, but when we were halfway there she started talking more, and by the time we were unloading the car and taking our things into the yurt we had rented for two nights, she was mostly herself, and it reminded me of times she had gone camping with my family. Jodi had always seemed to enjoy getting away with us. Her family didn’t go on vacations together.
The yurt was a cross between and large tent and a cabin. It had beds, but we had to use our sleeping bags. It also had heat, electricity, and a small kitchen, but we had to bring our own food. It was the middle of the afternoon so we started by getting some snacks out and crashing for awhile. I was surprised when Jodi was the one to mention Jonathan first. I hadn’t said a word about him or any of my new friends at school, knowing it would be better if I made this about our friendship and Jodi’s life, rather than trying to bring any of my current circumstances into it. But Jodi was curious about why I hadn’t mentioned him.
“Do you miss Jonathan?”
“Yeah, I miss him.”
“I bet you would rather be doing this with him, huh?”
That thought had never occurred to me. “No. I want some time with you. Would you rather be here with someone else?”
“Yeah, right. Like who?”
I remembered her being at the restaurant with someone when Jonathan and I had first arrived in Bandon, but I decided not to mention that.
“Have you been seeing anyone lately?”
“Off and on,” she replied.
“Off and on with a certain guy, or with different ones?”
She hesitated to answer, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go down this path, but I waited, fully expecting her to say, ‘Let’s not talk about guys,’ but she didn’t.
“A certain one. But, it’s complicated. I haven’t seen him much since the break started.”
“Why is it complicated?”
If I had known what her answer was going to be, I never would have asked.
“He’s married.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Married?” I didn’t know what else to say. Jodi had done some dumb things, but dating a married guy? What was she thinking?
“Forget it,” she said. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
I almost let it go, but I had to ask. “Is that the guy you were with at the restaurant?”
“Restaurant?”
“At The Lighthouse?”
She seemed to recall it then. “Oh, yeah, we were. How did you know?”
“I was there with Jonathan.”
“And you saw me?”
“Not until you were leaving. But I didn’t want to interrupt your date. I figured I’d see you later.”
“Yeah, that was him.”
“How did you meet?”
“He works at the college. He’s a math teacher there.”
“Yours?”
“No. I just met him in the cafeteria one day. I didn’t know he was married then.”
“Does he have kids?”
“No, but his wife is pregnant.”
“Jodi!”
“I know, I know. Spare me the lecture. I didn’t know that either until--”
“Until what?”
“Until after we’d been together a couple times.”
“And when you found out?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I know her or anything.”
I decided to let that one go. “Why haven’t you seen him much during break?”
“He lives in Coos Bay, and he’s not working right now, so it’s hard for him to get away. Plus they had plans for Christmas and everything. He said he’d call me when he could, but that’s only been once.”
I wanted to tell her how stupid she was being and to never see him again, but I didn’t feel like she would listen to me, so I dropped it. “Do you want to go for a short walk before we have dinner?” I asked instead. “It looks like it might be a nice sunset.”
“Yeah, sure,” she sighed. “I need some air.”
We walked down the path overlooking the water, and the sun was close to the horizon, peeking around the Cape Arago Lighthouse. I thought of Jonathan then and wished he was here to see it, but that would have to be for another time.
I linked my arm with Jodi’s and took a deep breath. “Isn’t it beautiful? I do miss the beach.”
She laughed. “I knew you would.”
I smiled. “But I would miss Jonathan more if I stayed,” I said boldly. And then more boldly I added, “I’m hoping for a guy like him for you.”
She didn’t respond immediately, but when she did, she sounded sincere. “What exactly do like about him?”
“Everything.”
“Okay, so what do you like best about him?”
I had to think about it, but the answer came to me. “He cares about me, genuinely.”
“How do you know?” Her interest was still sincere.
“He says it, he shows it, he’s constantly putting my needs before his own. I never feel neglected, or in the way, or anything except deeply loved and cared for.”
“Wow. He must be great in bed.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“You don’t know?”
“He believes in waiting for marriage. Isn’t that the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard?”
“Romantic? I don’t think so. Romantic is when he takes you to a beachside cottage for the night and has rose petals on the bed and champagne cooling on the night stand.”
“And then you find out he’s married in the morning?”
“Well, the night was good at least,” she said, sounding as though she re
ally enjoyed whenever that had happened.
“You can do better, Jodi. You’re so beautiful. Wait for the right guy who will marry you, not just have you as someone on the side.”
“Marriage is overrated. I never want to get married.”
I left it at that. I couldn’t form opinions for her. I couldn’t tell her how to live her life. I couldn’t define love for her. That was something she would have to discover for herself, and I prayed she would find it.
We went back and made a simple dinner, and our conversation turned to other people, the school side of college, and Jodi’s plans to get an apartment with Tess. I listened and shared things, but I found I didn’t have much to complain or worry about like I used to.
“Okay, what is it you’re not telling me?” Jodi finally said.
We were sitting on the small couch, eating the last of the chips and depleting our pop cans. I was starting to feel bloated from eating too much.
“Not telling you?”
“Your life is too perfect. No one’s life is that perfect. There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“There’s not,” I said calmly.
“Well, you’re different. You’re not even chewing me out like you should be.”
“Yeah, and what good would that do?” I laughed. “You never listen to me.”
She got up and didn’t argue with me. “Why did we come here? There’s nothing to do. I need a TV.”
“It’s good for the soul,” I said. “Enjoy the peace and quiet.”
“I can’t,” she whined.
“Oh, please. We’ve only been here for five hours.”
“You know I can’t sit still! Whose idea was this?”
I laughed. “Mine. But you were the one who was so mad we hadn’t had time together!”
“Okay, I learned my lesson. I’ll never be jealous of your time again.”
We both laughed, and I threw my rolled up socks at her I’d taken off. Jodi thought it was freezing in here, but it wasn’t. I had turned the heater up but removed my socks and sweater. I knew we were different in so many ways, and we always had been. But I loved her, and I was happy to be here, even if she was grumpy.
The Lighthouse Page 12
