Ella was crying softly, she pulled my head against her and kissed the top of my head.
“I’m so glad you feel like that honey. It’s been a long road, for both of us, but……” She looked down at the chubby little boy grinning at us and smiled, “It’s been worth it!”
“Yes it has!”
Ella heard the car door close and then the front door opened. She glanced at the clock. It was a little past 2 A.M. She slipped out of bed in the darkness and went to the cradle, bending down she scooped up the warm little bundle of joy and made her way to the door just as a soft knock sounded.
She opened the door and passed off the little guy, who was still asleep to Deshavi. Even in his sleep he recognized and smelled mommy. His little mouth opened and he started nuzzling around anxiously, as Deshavi softly giggled. She turned away to the spare bedroom. Ella smacked Trent on the butt, as he passed by and he gave her a cheeky grin and a kiss on the forehead before he too disappeared into the spare bedroom.
Ella closed the door and slipped back under the covers and I let my hand move suggestively over onto her. She turned her head to me and said teasingly, “Is there something I can do for you secret agent man?”
“Quite a lot actually. How do you feel about going undercover?”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Oh it is, it starts something like this.” I said.
Ella giggled, as I pulled the covers up over our heads.
In the morning I found Deshavi sitting on the back porch gazing contentedly out at the sea, as she rocked Caleb Jr.
“Not going to Sunday service this morning?” I asked.
She looked up and smiled at me, “No, I think we’ll just take the morning slow and catch the evening service. Are you guys going?”
“No there’s something I want…… something I need to do today. Something I’ve put off for a very long time. We’ll be gone overnight so if you don’t mind lock the place up when you go.”
She nodded.
I stepped forward and set a check down in her lap.
She picked it up and stared at it for a moment, but then held it back out to me, “I don’t want the money anymore. I have everything I could ever ask for or need.”
I nodded, “I’m glad you see it that way, but all the same the money is yours now fair and square.” I said folding her hand around the check.
Trent came walking up and Deshavi handed the check to him. He studied it for a moment, but before he could say anything Deshavi said, “I already tried.”
Trent nodded and looked up at me, “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome.”
I turned to go when Trent spoke up, “Mom says you’re going on a trip today.”
I nodded.
Trent tossed something jingly at me and I caught it. It was the keys of his Mustang. I looked up questioningly at him.
“A warrior should always have a fine horse to ride.” He said simply.
I lifted the keys slightly, “Thank you.”
Ella slid into the Mustang and I closed her door before getting in on my side. She was looking at me with curiosity, “So where are we going?”
Emotion gripped me, as I engaged the car and took off a little more speedily than perhaps I should have.
“What’s wrong Caleb?” Ella asked, gripping at my arm in a concerned fashion.
“I need to do something that I’ve put off doing for a very long time and I don’t want to do it alone!”
“Caleb honey I’m always here for you!”
“I know that.” I said gripping her hand briefly before I had to shift.
Her fingers brushed at my long hair and I received one hundred percent of her attention, as I drove south and it helped, but it wasn’t enough. Tears started falling and I was afraid to look at her.
“Oh honey what’s the matter?”
I just shook my head negatively and kept trying to focus on driving so that I didn’t wreck us. The car was a real pleasure to drive, but the pleasurable experience was lost to me at the moment, as my past played out over and over on the backs of my eyelids.
I drove for hours and Ella didn’t ask any more questions, she just did her best to be there for me. She knew what it was though that bothered me, when I pulled through the gates into the manicured lawns, where thousands upon thousands of white crosses dotted the landscape.
I’d never been here, but I knew where to go.
I shut the car off and got out feeling like an old man suddenly. Blindly I started for Ella’s door, but she was already out beside me. I gripped her hand desperately and together we headed out across the sea of white crosses.
I found the place, as if my feet had been inexplicably drawn to it. I stared at the little white cross that read, Boaz Longtree.
Overcome with grief I sunk to my knees on the cool grass.
“Hello son. It’s been a long time. I know that what’s important about you isn’t buried here, but is in a far better place than this. Still I thought it would be good to come.”
Ella’s head rested against my shoulder and I let my cheek rest against her head.
“I’m so proud of you son. I don’t think I ever got enough chances to tell you how much I thought of and admired the man that you were. You should see the fine woman your daughter has become. She’s come through hell, but she’s still able for the journey and she has a man you’d be proud of, to share the rest of the journey with. I’m proud of her and I know you would be to.”
My hands shaking I pulled a picture from my pocket, which I laid at the base of the cross. The picture was of Caleb Jr.
“Look what God has wrought son! Our blood will go on, as there is a new little warrior to carry on where you left off and where I will soon enough. Life goes on doesn’t it. You don’t have to worry about how he’ll be raised son. He’s in good hands. He has a good father to mentor him, a mother that lavishes him with love, and a grandmother that simply adores him.” I said squeezing Ella’s hand.
Ella pulled a flower from her hair and laid it beside the picture, “Thank you for your service.”
Guy S. Stanton, III
A few things about me
I live in the country. It’s the best place to be I’m
thinking. I share my life with my beautiful wife, Beth,
my three children and one cat named Herman.
When I’m not lost in a daydream the most likely
place you’ll find me at is flower gardening
or at the movie theatre. I use to think I was strong, but
now I freely admit that I’m weak. My new reality is
okay because Jesus Christ has me covered.
It’s better that way trust me!
Agent out of Time (The Agents for Good) Page 18
