Chad’s eyes grew into slits as he peered condescendingly at Tim, who was standing in the same spot, his mouth hanging open a bit.
“Hey, I’m sorry.” Chad huffed in an insincere tone then turned back to Rory. “So what’s gotten into you, man? What happened to the ad exec I used to know? What are you, some Jesus freak now?” Chad threw a pretend punch at Rory’s ribs.
“I’m working for my son’s new church, Kingdom Rising. He moved out here to Las Vegas and became a minister, and since I had won a ton of money out here in the casinos recently, I decided to stay and help him out and volunteer. I don’t really need to work anymore.”
Rory couldn’t help throw that last dig in, and watched with guilty pleasure as Chad’s face registered surprise and a hint of jealousy, which he tried to hide.
“By the way, it’s non-denominational and full of sinners of all nationalities, ages, races, shapes, and sizes. We can always hold more.” Rory felt like he was on a roll and couldn’t stop.
Chad now looked indignant. One of his friends in the group whom Rory didn’t know called out to rescue him, seeing his anger rising. “Hey, Chad, are you coming or what? We’re gonna leave without you.”
“I’m coming.” Chad didn’t bother to shake Rory’s hand as he turned to go. “Well, good luck with all that. See ya.”
Rory heard him turn to his buddy just as the door was closing behind them and say, “What a chump!”
Rory waited for them to disappear then walked over to the entrance, set his box on the floor, and joined Tim to pick up the torn pieces of paper. After they were done cleaning up, Rory gave Tim a hug and shook his hand.
“You did great keeping your cool,” he told the young man. “It was all I could do not to punch that guy in the mouth. I never did like that dude.”
When Tim looked at him quizzically, Rory explained. “I actually used to work with him at an advertising agency in Ohio called AdExecs. He was a punk then and is still a troublemaker today, it seems. Of course, I wasn’t much better myself back then.” Rory looked at his watch and saw it was after six. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift back to the church. It’s quitting time.”
After he dropped Tim off in the church parking lot, Rory went inside.
His son had entrusted him with one of three keys to the building. The other two went to Rick and the church’s maintenance director.
Rory was supposed to meet his son here at seven to grab a late dinner. Since he was early, he decided to take advantage of the quiet for a little while.
As he flipped on the light switch to the front vestibule, Rory marveled once again at how beautiful the church had turned out to be and how ironic it was that it had formerly been a seedy, rundown strip club.
Incandescent light flooded the cream-colored, high-ceilinged lobby, which opened to a side office. Rory went into the office, laid his box of brochures and keys on the desk, and went back into the foyer and through the stained wood doors that served as the entrance to the main chapel.
It was amazing what several coats of paint, some nice lighting, new carpeting and the installation of several rows of pews and an altar could do.
What had once been known as the dance floor of Shady’s topless bar was now the sanctuary of Kingdom Rising. The place had been gutted of its dance poles and long bars and neon signs. A beautiful chapel decorated in earth tones and wood accents with seating for about two hundred now filled the space, radiating serenity, warmth, and light.
Rory entered the church and sat in the back pew. He reflected back on how his life had twisted in a different direction ever since that Sunday morning one year ago in the Two Hearts Wedding Chapel.
Father and son had left the little chapel together that day and gone home to their apartment to talk over their plan into the late hours of the night.
Rory decided he would stay in Vegas to help Rick build Kingdom Rising. He ended up donating fifty thousand dollars of his gambling winnings to the fledgling church, which helped pay for rent, utilities, and other expenses to hold services at the Two Hearts Wedding Chapel until they could find a permanent place.
He also put his ad agency experience to work, promoting Kingdom Rising and its message of hope as well as a schedule of services through print advertising, publicity, pamphlets, internet ads, and social media. Soon the word spread, and the little chapel was overflowing.
Rory co-signed the bank loan to help Rick buy Shady’s and renovate it, and soon, his son was preaching from the beautiful church Rory stood in today.
He reminisced about the first day he and Rick had walked into the empty former nightclub, which reeked of stale beer, cigarettes, and sweat. Rick had stood right in the middle of the dark, dank room and smiled, then shouted, “Alleluia! Thank you Jesus!” It was like he had walked into a big Baptist church instead of a bankrupt strip joint.
That was about three months after Rory was saved and decided to stay in Vegas. “You’ve got to be kidding,” Rory had still said skeptically. “Surely you’re not going to buy this place?”
“It’s perfect!” Rick had exclaimed. “I can just envision what it will become.”
Rory was joyful in helping Rick follow his dream and achieve his mission, but he still felt a small empty ache inside.
He knew he was missing something, or rather … someone to share it with.
The morning after he had sat in the attorney’s office with Rick signing the loan papers for Kingdom Rising, Rory had felt an overwhelming urge to see Susan.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to search too far to find her. He found out she had gone back to work at the Las Vegas Police Department SVU.
Rory had told Rick where he was going, and asked his help in selecting an outfit. Rick suggested he wear something casual yet stylish, like new jeans and a white button down shirt.
He had decided to surprise her, hoping beyond hope that she would be there.
It was mid-morning on an early November Tuesday. Rory stopped at a florist along the way and picked up a half-dozen white roses. He would have bought her a dozen red roses, but after talking to the florist, realized that might look too presumptuous and overwhelming.
Walking up to the police station entrance, Rory hesitated on the steps just outside the door, flowers in his trembling hands, his heart beating like a frantic drum.
He had never felt so anxious, so panicked in his entire life, including the time on the cruise ship in the storm and as a prisoner in the submarine submerged hundreds of feet in the deep with no way out.
What if she’s not here? Or worse yet, what if she is, and she refuses to see me or talk to me? What if she laughs at me, yells at me, throws the flowers in the trash?
Rory summoned his courage and said a prayer. God, please keep her heart open, if it’s Your Will. He took a deep breath and entered the station.
She was sitting at her desk, her chin resting in her cupped hand, staring down at some paperwork, and didn’t see him walk in.
Carlos, who was standing chatting with another officer on the opposite side of the room, did see him, however, and his mouth dropped open. Rory held his finger to his lips, silencing his old Condo partner, who smiled and glanced toward Susan but didn’t say a word.
Rory slowly, quietly walked up to her desk, and was only two feet away when she sensed a presence and looked up. Shock registered in her big brown eyes as she sat up straight and just stared at him.
He brought the flowers, which he had been holding behind his back, out in front of him and held them forward across the desk with a sheepish grin.
She took the flowers and smiled, and Rory felt his crazy heart melt inside him.
“You were right, by the way,” he said bashfully.
She didn’t say a word, but Rory saw the question in her eyes.
“I decided to stay here in Vegas.” He paused to see her reaction, and his heart sang when the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and a mischievous “I told you so” gleam lit up her eyes.
“I guess my s
on Rick needed my help, and I couldn’t say no.” He grinned slyly. “Turns out maybe I can be useful, and the folks here aren’t so bad after all.”
Susan stood up and crossed her arms indignantly, a frown on her face, and Rory felt flustered and confused. Uh-oh, he thought, here it comes. She didn’t get that I was joking.
“You’ve been here three months and you haven’t called me?” Susan raised her voice, but her tone seemed only mildly perturbed, and Rory felt relief sweep through him.
She cares where I’ve been and that I haven’t called her!
“I’m sorry, I didn’t … uh … I wasn’t sure where … or how you felt and ….” He let his words trail off, uncertain how to finish.
She smiled and Rory exhaled with relief. “That’s okay, I’m sorry too. I didn’t exactly end things well with you either.” She looked down at the flowers she was still holding. “These are beautiful. Thank you, Rory.”
Hearing her say his name was the most wonderful sound in the world, and he wanted to cry from the happiness that filled him.
And in an instant, the past was seemingly forgotten as she put the flowers down, came around the desk and put her arms around him, hugging him tight.
Rory hugged her back, shutting his eyes, drinking in her familiar sweet scent, forgetting everything else around them, and feeling like the luckiest man in the world just to hold her for this moment. Then he looked into her eyes, which sparkled with joy, and kissed her.
Carlos loudly cleared his throat, reminding them he and the other officer were still in the room. “We’re still here! Go get a room.”
“Shut up, you!” Rory shot back, noticing Susan blush. They broke from their embrace, but he didn’t mind that it was an awkward moment. She had hugged him and kissed him back, and all was right with the world.
Shortly after Rory’s reunion with Susan and Carlos, he received a very special piece of mail. It was an envelope addressed to him from the office of the President of the United States. Inside, on the president’s official stationery, was a formal letter of commendation for his heroic efforts on the FBI Las Vegas Operation and an invitation, embossed with the presidential seal, to a ceremony in his honor to award him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The ceremony was to take place in two months on January 6, celebrating the six-month anniversary of the day when the nuclear bomb was diffused and the ISM leaders were arrested and brought into captivity.
Rory was among fifteen people involved with Operation No Dice to be awarded with the Medal of Freedom that evening in the East Room of the White House. President Tower took the podium to address the crowd, and one by one, the inductees were called by name to receive the nation’s highest civilian award. They included Mayor Stanley Cooper, FBI Chief Rodney Steele, Special Agent Mark Glover, Las Vegas Police Sheriff Ned Thomas, former Sheriff John Dade, Sergeant Carlos Fuentes, SVU Lieutenant Susan McAfree, and Rory Justice.
“On behalf of myself, my husband, Paul, and the entire nation, I welcome you all to the White House.” President Tower addressed the assembly of press corps members, inductees, friends, and family. “We set aside this time to celebrate people who have made America wiser, stronger, safer, and freer. This medal is the highest honor bestowed on individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States.
“We thank all of them for the gifts they have given to us: outstanding displays of human courage, indomitable spirit, and selfless bravery that have benefitted thousands, if not millions of Americans.”
President Tower briefly introduced each of the recipients before they received their awards. The applause was loudest when the last recipient took the stage—Rafik Jabar.
“Mr. Jabar risked his life and those of his family members to do the right thing and report findings that paved the way for our FBI team and police force to find the nuclear weapon planted by the Islamic State Mafia in Las Vegas,” the president noted. “He looked beyond the borders of race and religion to see what makes American citizens of integrity the same: the desire to do good and not evil.”
These last remarks were met with a standing ovation.
A black-tie dinner at the American History Museum followed the White House ceremony. Rory had invited his mom and his son Rick to attend with him but made sure he sat next to Susan, who was dressed in an elegant royal blue sheath that set off the fiery ringlets that cascaded on her shoulders.
Susan was accompanied at the dinner by Theresa Brindle, Claudette Brown, and Isabel Ramirez. It warmed Rory’s heart to see them there and to realize how thoughtful Susan was to invite them.
As everyone was chatting after dinner, Rory noticed Rick talking with Ahmed Jabar and his sister Amber, and felt a mix of emotions course through him.
Flashes popped and Rory briefly thought how attractive a couple Rick and the beautiful Amber would have made had his son not been … but then life is life, and we all have a destiny ordained by God to discover and fulfill, Rory mused, dismissing the what-ifs from his mind. Pride suddenly enveloped him as the father of this extraordinary young man. How sad it would be to limit our potential and purpose in life to what society, or our parents for that matter, deem appropriate.
Rory sat as the dusk fell and the only light in the church was the soft amber glow of the sconces on either side of the altar. While the temperatures remained fairly constant in Vegas, the night still came early in October.
He reminisced about how he came to stay for over a year now in a place he originally despised and vowed never to step foot in again, and how he came to be here in the first place. He recalled the letter from his father, and the visits his dad had made in his dreams.
Rory suddenly had an epiphany: he hadn’t experienced one of those dreams since he had made the decision to stay here. He smiled to himself. Even though his dad hadn’t appeared recently, Rory still talked to him occasionally, usually right here in church.
Sometimes he could see his dad smiling down at him.
You won, Rory said now to his dad, smiling to himself, looking up toward the church’s vaulted ceiling. And I won.
Rory put his hand in his pants pocket and pulled out the small ring box. He opened it, gazing for the hundredth time at the gold band with the round, half-carat diamond set perfectly in it. It sparkled even in the dim lighting.
I hope she likes it, Rory told his dad. I hope she says yes.
Rory was planning to pop the question the following evening. He and Susan had a dinner date at an out-of-the-way little Italian café they had come to love. This time he was planning to give her two dozen red roses.
They had been seeing each other since he had surprised her that morning at the police station.
He was sure she loved him. She had told him so. And he was committed to her, to marrying her, to living here in Las Vegas with her, come what may.
The irony wasn’t lost on Rory—getting married in Las Vegas. If anyone had told him a year ago that he’d be marrying a woman he met in Vegas, a cop no less, right here in Sin City, he’d have laughed out loud and said the notion was insane.
I guess God can seem a little crazy like that if you let Him steer the ship, Rory thought. If I had done things my way, I’d be sitting in my little apartment in Ohio in my own small world, dying a little each day from boredom and loneliness. And that would truly be insanity.
Just then, he heard his son enter the big front door of the church and saw Rick walking up the aisle toward him.
“Sorry I’m late, Dad.” Rick sat down next to Rory. “But I’ve got great news. We just got the loan approved for our second church on the south end of the Strip. It’s time for you to step up marketing efforts again. And when we fill that one, we’ll build another, and ….”
“So I guess I have some job security now?” Rory teased his son. “Will I ever get to retire, though?”
“Probably not, but then, why would you want to?”
“Can I at least take a week off soon?”
&nb
sp; “Well, I guess that will be okay as long as you come back. You’re not thinking about going on another cruise are you?”
“Nah. But I may need time off for my honeymoon.” Rory watched Rick’s expression, waiting for his words to register.
Rick looked at him with surprise.
Rory pulled out the ring box again and opened it.
“Dad, that’s fantastic!” Rick grinned then hugged him.
“There’s just one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not sure whether to ask you to be my best man or our minister.” Rory smiled.
“I would be honored to do either,” Rick said, tears in his eyes.
“Thanks, Rick, for everything.”
Father and son stood and headed out for dinner, Rick leading the way.
Rory stopped and turned back to face the sanctuary. “Thank you, Dad,” he whispered. “Oh yeah, and thank you too, God.”
The Runaway Prophet Page 23
