The Waiting

by Carol James

  She was right. He rolled over onto his back and pulled his phone out. Lizzie. “It’s work.”

  She smiled. “Go ahead.”

  ~*~

  As he stood and walked a few feet away, her heart fluttered as if one of the hummingbirds at Mom’s feeders had taken residence in her chest. The phone call had been a blessing. This was the first time she’d ever been with a man and not cared about her commitment to purity. Giving in would have been easy if he’d asked. But he wouldn’t. And in that knowledge was security and trust. And joy.

  His conversation with Lizzie had moved from friendly give and take into a more serious tone. He was reporting on the player he’d scouted yesterday.

  She opened the notebook and flipped back through several of the lists. Suddenly a lightning bolt pierced her heart. He had every quality they’d discussed—even the silly ones—on the lists, except one. And for that one, she’d take another step farther into the ocean and trust God.

  She stood and carefully inched closer to the edge of the cliff. Suddenly the rock below her seemed to bend downward into the valley. She grasped on tightly to a tree to steady herself. The hummingbird inside her chest beat its wings wildly, trying to escape to freedom. Looking down at the notebook in her hand, she tossed it out. She didn’t need it anymore. The pages fluttered open like a hatchling’s first awkward attempts at testing its wings, and then, catching an updraft, it floated back and forth as it spiraled downward into the canyon below.

  Throwing it away this time was easier than the first time. As the notebook disappeared under the leafy canopy, the chains that had bound her for so many years fell away, and she was finally free. All these years of searching and waiting had come to an end, and God had brought her The One.

  She turned back.

  Sam stood, phone by his side, his face stony. “I have to go back to London.”

  Her prayer for more time wasn’t to be granted.

  19

  Katherine sat in an isolated booth in the back corner of The Perks. The soft jazz playing over the audio system was the perfect accompaniment to the laid-back atmosphere of the coffee shop. This was as ideal a setting as possible for this afternoon’s encounter. She’d deliberately chosen not to sit in an overstuffed chair in one of the casual groupings meant to promote conversation among the patrons. Today’s agenda deserved more privacy.

  She and Sam had spoken very little on the way home from Austin the other day. Lizzie’s phone call had changed everything. Of course, she’d known his stay in Crescent Bluff was temporary and every moment together meant his time to leave was one step closer. But those fewer than five minutes on the phone had stolen away the time their relationship needed, the time she’d asked from her Heavenly Father.

  Sam was sure he could get management to give him a few more weeks here, but whatever the decision, today’s conversation needed to happen. As her stomach churned, a part of her was ready to turn around and swim back to the safety of the boat. But she couldn’t, even if the waves were crashing up over her shoulders.

  She glanced at her phone. Clark was uncharacteristically late. Only by a few minutes, but ten minutes by Clark Standard Time was more like an hour for anyone else. She’d wait at least five more minutes before she called to check on him.

  She took a bite of the croissant she’d bought not because she was hungry, but because the bland pastry might help calm her stomach. As she sipped her iced coffee, the bell on the door chimed, and in he walked. Dressed in khakis and a buttery yellow polo shirt, he was a walking ad for an upscale men’s store. He certainly was handsome enough to have been a model.

  The perfect hair he had never liked for her to touch was so meticulously combed into place, it looked like a wig. No, not a wig exactly. If he’d had lighter hair he would have looked just like a male fashion doll. “Mr. Plastic” Cassie had called him, and she was right. Despite the seriousness of the next few minutes, the perfect nickname made Katherine grin as he turned her direction and waved. Hopefully, he’d think she was smiling because she was glad to see him, not because she was laughing at him—well, not really at him, but at Cassie’s comment. How had she never noticed that before?

  He ordered his coffee—black with two sugars—and made his way to her table. Her heartbeat intensified with each step he took, closing the distance between them. By the time he slipped into the seat across from her, the pounding was so intense she could hardly breathe.

  “Hi. Sorry I’m late.”

  She willed the shakiness out of her voice. “No problem. Thanks for agreeing to stop by on your way back from Austin.”

  He reached over and patted her hand. “Sure. I really wanted to see you, too.”

  She’d broken up with several guys before, after she’d compared them with The List, but this time was different. She loved Clark, but more like a brother, not enough to marry him. Not like Sam. “Another conference?”

  “No. Katherine, we need to talk.” He looked down into his mug and then back up. As he took a sip, his hand shook. He was more nervous than she was.

  She reached over and rested her hand on his forearm to try and calm him. “Clark, are you OK?”

  “No...yes. Yes. Katherine, I...”

  Since she’d first met him, he’d always known what to say. He was never at a loss for words.

  As he broke eye contact, he blew out softly. “This is so hard.” His gaze found hers again. “Katherine I met someone. Well, not exactly met. Re-met. An old college sweetheart of mine was at the conference the other day. We were both alone, so we decided to have dinner together that Friday night, just to catch up, you know, and well, we, uh, we discovered that, I mean it wasn’t my intention, but we...she...I...” His words trailed off.

  She’d never seen him like this—little-boy vulnerable.

  She gently squeezed his arm and smiled. “Sounds like she was, and is, a very special person in your life.”

  “In my lifetime, I’ve proposed to two women, and you were the second. I’m sorry I never told you about her. After college, when she refused to leave her career so I could pursue mine, we broke off the engagement. I thought I was over her and she was over me. I mean, it had been so many years.” He smiled and rested his hand on top of hers. “Katherine, I never would have proposed to you if I’d had any idea this would happen. I...”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Lauren.”

  “Lauren is a very blessed woman.”

  Relief softened his face. “Thanks. I want you to know my feelings for you were real.”

  “I know that. Mine for you were, too.”

  His smile was warm, sincere.

  Her heart had slowed, and the churning in her stomach had disappeared. “I’m really happy for you. You’ll make Lauren a wonderful husband. Have you set a date yet?”

  His face reddened, and he grinned sheepishly like a grade school boy who’d gotten caught passing notes. “No. Not specifically. We’re talking about the fall. October.”

  No sorrow, no regret. She really was happy for him. He deserved much more than she could have ever given him.

  “I want you to know that the job offer still stands if you’re interested. Just call me when you get back from your mission trip.”

  Dream job or not, when she’d left Dallas, her heart had known she’d not be going back. It had just taken several weeks for her mind to catch up. And now, with Sam in her life... “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m ready to try something new.”

  “Maybe with someone new?”

  Her face and neck were on fire. Her lips curved into a smile she couldn’t contain. “Maybe.”

  As he reached across the table and squeezed her hand, he winked. “With the water hose man?”

  ~*~

  Sam’s car was parked at the top of the circular driveway. He wasn’t supposed to be here for another hour, but that was OK. No, it was great. They’d have some time together before they had to be at Brad’s to finalize the plans for the soccer tournament next
week.

  Katherine could tell him she was free to go with him to London—whenever management wanted him back. He hadn’t asked her, but he would. A few months ago, she would have never made a decision as serious as this without weighing, reweighing, and re-reweighing her options. But only one option mattered. Being with Sam.

  Lizzie’s phone call would not be the end of their relationship, just like that fence blocking the path to the canyon hadn’t ended their walk. It had only caused them to pause before stepping into something glorious. They’d get past this minor hiccup in their relationship just as they’d carefully climbed over the fence. Great reward never came without great risk.

  She stepped through the kitchen door and looked into the empty family room. The lights were off, the TV dark. No soccer game as she’d imagined. She placed her purse on the kitchen island and made her way toward the back doors.

  The two men stood on the lower patio beside the rocking chairs where she’d first apologized to Sam for her behavior at the soccer fields and where he’d first demanded her penance. That seemed like years, not simply weeks, ago.

  She grasped the door knob as the men shook hands. But then she froze as Dad placed his hands on Sam’s shoulders and both men bowed their heads. Her heart quickened. They were praying. Praying. Or at least Dad was praying. Sam’s head was bowed and occasionally nodded in what must be agreement with Dad’s words. Dad had never prayed with any of the other men she’d dated—not even Clark. Or, at least, if they had she’d never seen them.

  Their heads raised, Dad pulled Sam into a brief fatherly hug, and then they turned toward the deck.

  As a wave of guilt seeped into her heart, she drew back into the darkness of the den so they couldn’t see her. She’d been intruding on what was obviously a private moment. Quickly, she stepped into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. As she opened the refrigerator, deep, musical, laughter tumbled into the room, and the two men she loved most in the world walked through the back door.

  “Hey, look who’s back. Hi, sweetie.”

  “Hi, Daddy.” Heat filled her cheeks. “Hi, Sam. You’re early.” If Dad hadn’t been there she would have pulled Sam into her arms.

  “Didn’t have much going on today, so your dad and I went to lunch. You know, some of that famous male bonding time over barbecue.”

  Another first. None of the other guys she’d dated had ever gone out with Dad—just the two of them. “That’s nice.”

  “Actually, Sam treated me to lunch.” Dad stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. “How was your meeting?”

  “Good. No, great.” An awkward silence replaced the polite conversation as she turned from Dad and plunged into Sam’s Caribbean eyes.

  Clearing his throat, Dad broke the silence. “Well, if you two young people will excuse me, I’ll head upstairs to the office and finish my sales report.” He offered his hand to Sam. “Thanks again, son.”

  “My pleasure, sir.”

  The stairs creaked as Dad padded up them.

  Sam closed the space between them and drew her into an embrace. “Come here, you.”

  Her body melted into him as his arms encircled her and his lips briefly, but firmly, met hers. As he rested his forehead on hers, little smile lines crinkled the corners of his eyes.

  Tears of relief welled up in hers.

  His eyebrows raised, and he drew away. “What is it, love? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Nothing, really. I’m just a bit emotional.”

  “Want to talk about it? Anything I can do to help?”

  A warm droplet trickled down her cheek. “I just met Clark at The Perks and officially broke up with him. Or he broke up with me. Actually, I guess we each broke up with the other.”

  He grasped both of her hands. “Rough?”

  “No. That’s just it. It turned out better than I could have ever anticipated. He was relieved. He’s begun dating an old girlfriend again and seems happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

  He cradled her face in his hands and kissed away the droplet that had escaped. “And you? What about you?”

  Yes, what about her? “I’m in love with a soccer player.”

  ~*~

  Katherine was grateful for the breeze provided by the overhead fan as she sat on Megan and Brad Thompson’s patio.

  Megan stepped through the sliding glass doors, a pitcher of iced tea in her hand. Tall and with a flowing mane of blond curls, she barely looked six months pregnant, much less nine.

  Katherine had seen her before at some of Cassie’s games and had spoken briefly with her, but they’d never really talked much before tonight. Katherine really liked her, and had she planned to stay in Crescent Bluff, the two would assuredly become close friends. It was a shame that wouldn’t happen, though, because Katherine wasn’t staying here. She was moving to London. The decision was made. Sam just didn’t know it yet.

  Megan filled Katherine’s glass and then nodded her head toward the backyard where Brad and Sam stood hunched over the grill, keeping their eyes on dinner. “It’s good to see those two together again. It makes me think of our early college days when they were inseparable. But then their lives went opposite directions. Sam followed his soccer dream, and Brad did an about-face and began studying for the ministry.”

  “Yes, I have to say, in high school I would never have predicted Brad’s life would follow the course it has.” The transformation was almost unbelievable.

  “When I met him our freshman year, he was in a bad place. On the verge of flunking out and close to losing his soccer scholarship because he was too busy partying to study. His coach hired me as his tutor, and as illogical as it sounds, after the first session I knew Brad was the one. Oh, he was definitely a work in progress. He was dissatisfied and searching, but I could see his tender heart.”

  Dissatisfied. Searching. Tenderhearted. Those words pretty much summed up Sam’s current state.

  Megan had been willing to take a chance on her work in progress, and now she was married to a wonderful, godly man.

  “Were you ever worried? At first, I mean.”

  “Worried’s not the best word. Wary, perhaps. Certainly cautious until I got to know him well.”

  Cautious. Maybe Katherine needed to be more cautious. Lately, when it came to Sam, she had almost forgotten such a state could exist. But she had spent her life being cautious, and now, for once, she was following her heart.

  “We sat down at one of the tables in the library that first night, and by the end of the session an illogical peace filled me. It was as if I could see the direction his life would take, and I wanted to go with him.”

  Brad and Sam stepped onto the patio, and Brad set a plate of grilled burgers on the table. “Thanks, again for agreeing to take over the team mother duties, Katherine. You’ve really helped take some pressure off Megan.”

  “Yes,” Megan said. “When none of the other moms volunteered, Brad asked me to step in and help. But there’s no way I could have done it as well as you have.” She gently rubbed the top of her belly. “Especially now. I just can’t tolerate the heat. And if I’m on my feet too much, I develop elephant ankles. But not for much longer.”

  “Yeah, that little girl has to stay in there for two more weeks—just until the Monday after the tournament.” Brad bent down and spoke directly to Megan’s tummy. “Hear that, sweet Olivia? Be a good girl, and obey your daddy.”

  Sam slipped into the chair beside Katherine.

  Megan laughed. “I hope she listens to Daddy.”

  Sam reached over under the table, grasped Katherine’s hand, and entwined his fingers with hers. As he smiled and winked, her mind read his. Maybe one day this would be them.

  Katherine looked back toward the table.

  Brad grinned at her.

  She had become the center of attention. As embarrassment burned her cheeks, Megan’s eyes twinkled. “So, Katherine, how did you do it? How did you tame the wild beast?”

  “Yeah, a lot of women have tried,
and all have failed,” Brad chuckled.

  “All right, guys. Cut it out. We’ve been out of college for a long time.” Sam squeezed her hand. “Besides, priorities change.”

  Brad smiled at Sam. “Yeah, they do. And I’m glad you’ve finally realized that.”

  20

  Sam’s arm was warm on Katherine’s shoulder as they walked away from the flower kiosk toward the mall food court to get something to drink. They had an hour to kill until the girls’ bouquets would be ready.

  Katherine placed her arm around his waist, closed the space between them, and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Great job, Coach Sam.”

  “Great job yourself, Team Mom Katherine. I think the girls will like the flowers you picked out. A splendid idea, Katy Beth.”

  “I can’t take the credit. My mom used to do that at the end of every season. I think she always wanted a ballerina daughter, and when Cassie took up soccer, Mom knew giving her a bouquet after the final game of the season was as close as she’d get to a ballet recital. Then it grew into a team tradition...” Emptiness choked off her final words. She missed her Mom much.

  His lips brushed the top of her head. “It’s OK, love.”

  She turned her face upward to place a quick kiss on his cheek. Lines creased his forehead as his eyebrows knit together. “Is everything OK?”

  Even his smile didn’t completely erase the furrows in his forehead. “I’ve got a bit of a headache from being out in the sun today. That’s all. I forgot my sunglasses at Ginny’s.”

  “C’mon.” She grasped his hand and led him toward the grouping of loveseats that faced the fountain in the center of the food court. She particularly chose the one that was set back in an alcove flanked on three sides by banks of foliage—mostly palms and those other variegated spiky plants. What was it her mother called them? Oh, yes, Chinese evergreens.

  “Would you like something to drink?”