A Mother's Gift (Love Inspired)

by James, Arlene

  You’re in control, Lord. Beth and I are doing what we can on the outside and we’ll trust that You’re working in Julia’s heart.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Don’t look at me like that. I came here to think. There’s nothing unusual about that.”

  But maybe, Julia thought when Belle barked at her—for the third time in less than a minute—there was something unusual about explaining herself to a dog. While perched on the branch of a tree. At seven o’clock in the morning.

  What was wrong with this picture?

  Julia glanced at her watch. Again. The first event would be starting in a little over an hour.

  Belle barked again.

  “Fine. You win.” Julia began to climb down, remembering the day that Nick had discovered her in the tree.

  The day he’d almost kissed her.

  Julia groaned.

  What was the point in running away if your troubled thoughts came along for the ride?

  She’d gone for a walk along the river, hoping the peaceful surroundings would make her feel, well, peaceful. Instead, as the minutes ticked by, Julia’s restlessness only increased.

  “I’m nervous, Julia,” Beth had confided while they finished packing the last of the equipment the night before. “Will you pray for me?”

  The question had scooped out a chunk of Julia’s heart. “Of course I will. You and Star will do great. All you have to remember is to have fun.”

  Now Julia imagined the announcer taking his place in the booth. The nervous energy of the horses shifting in the stalls. The organized chaos of the riders as they prepared for the first event.

  Beth was probably terrified.

  Julia closed her eyes.

  I know You’re with Beth, Lord. Remind her of that. Help her not to be afraid….

  I’m with you, too.

  The thought cut a shimmering path through the center of Julia’s prayer. Exposing her own doubts and fears. Revealing the truth. She wasn’t afraid of the stares or the whispers behind her back. She was afraid to trust her feelings for Nick. Afraid to risk her heart again.

  She hadn’t believed him when he’d told her the past didn’t matter. Hadn’t believed that someone could care about her after the mistakes she’d made….

  But if she could trust God to heal the past, couldn’t she trust Him with her future, too?

  I don’t deserve it, Lord. Nick said You make beautiful things out of the messes we make. I want to believe that You’ve been looking out for me. Loving me.

  The words tumbled through Julia’s mind as she took a shortcut through the woods that came out near the mailboxes.

  What greeted her was a large, hand-painted sign fastened to a tree at the end of Nick’s driveway.

  Second Chance Farm.

  The crooked letters were rose-petal pink.

  Julia laughed out loud. Lifted her face to the sky.

  “I believe you,” she said.

  Now she had to tell Nick the same thing.

  The rose ceremony.

  Julia’s feet turned to lead.

  How could she have forgotten the Blue Ribbon Rendezvous tradition? During the lunch break, the riders would stop in front of the outdoor bleachers, dismount and present mothers with a long-stemmed rose. The mothers would then take their place on the horses while their daughters or sons led them around the ring.

  You can do this, she told herself. For Beth and Nick.

  “Bethany Delaney from Second Chance Farm.”

  Julia heard the announcement and paused, wondering if Nick would be the one accepting the flower.

  Someone suddenly grabbed her hand and began to pull her through the crowd.

  “Nick!” Julia tried to dig in her heels. “What are you doing?”

  “Hurry up. Beth is waiting for you.”

  “Waiting for me? How did you know I’d be here?”

  “Where else would you be?” Nick grinned. “Beth has been praying. And so have I.”

  Before Julia could react to that startling bit of news, Nick’s hands framed her face and he kissed her.

  The scattered applause brought her back to reality and they broke apart. Nick didn’t look the least bit repentant.

  “Go on.” He nudged her forward. “It’s your turn.”

  Her turn.

  For the first time in a long time, Julia let herself believe it.

  She slipped through the fence and several of the mothers moved aside to make room for her.

  Julia’s heart almost burst when she saw Beth and Star crossing the ring toward her.

  Only it wasn’t Star she was leading.

  Julia’s fingers covered her mouth as the coal-black mare lifted her ears and nickered softly.

  Summer.

  But how could it be? Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes as Beth stopped in front of her and presented her with a long-stemmed rose.

  In a daze, Julia put her foot in the saddle and swung her leg over Summer’s back. By the time they exited the ring a few minutes later, she couldn’t see a thing.

  “Hey.” Nick was there, reaching for her. “I hope these are happy tears.”

  “How did you…Where?” Julia stumbled over the words.

  “It was all Beth’s idea but we had some help from an inside source.”

  Through her tears, Julia saw a blurred shape step closer.

  She blinked them away and saw a familiar face. “Mom?”

  Tara Windham nodded a little uncertainly but smiled when her gaze slid to Beth. “I got a call from a junior detective last week, asking if I knew how to find Summer. And then Nick came on the line and explained that you’d tried to find her a long time ago.” Her mother looked away. “After the accident, when you were in the hospital, you said you didn’t want any reminders of what had happened. I thought Summer would be one of them. I wasn’t trying to hurt you, Julia. I thought I was…helping. I thought Summer would be a constant reminder that you’d lost your dreams. Your passion.”

  Not lost, Julia thought. Buried beneath a layer of guilt. And it had taken Beth and Nick to help her find it again.

  “I didn’t think I deserved to own a horse,” Julia whispered, laying her head against Summer’s neck.

  “What you didn’t deserve was what happened that day.” She was stunned to see her mother’s eyes fill with tears. Was it possible Nick had been right when he’d suggested that her mother had been wrestling with her own guilt?

  “Your mother contacted some people and traced Summer to a family in Tennessee,” Nick explained. “They agreed to sell her after I explained the situation, but we had no idea how to get her here in time for the show.”

  “You brought her here?” Julia looked at her mother in amazement.

  “I was told that, and I quote, ‘time is of the essence.’” Tara winked at Beth, who grinned.

  “Are you surprised?” Beth hopped back and forth from one foot to the other, unable to contain her excitement. “I wanted to tell you last night but Dad said it would be better if we surprised you today when I gave you the rose.”

  “But how did you know I’d be here?”

  “I prayed that you would talk to God about it,” Beth said simply.

  Nick reached for her hand, as if he knew that she needed something to hold on to.

  She’d listened to her heart. Listened to God. And He’d brought her here.

  “I’m…” Julia choked on a laugh as Summer nudged her arm, as if seeking some attention of her own. “I still can’t believe you found her. Why did you find her?”

  Beth rolled her eyes, as if she couldn’t believe Julia had to ask.

  “Because we love you, silly.”

  Julia glanced at Nick, almost afraid to witness his response to Beth’s announcement.

  “She’s right. As always.” Nick pulled Julia into his arms. Whispered in her ear. “We love you, silly.”

  Epilogue

  “I can’t see a thing!” Julia laughed, putting her fingers to the handkerchief Beth t
ied around her eyes.

  “That’s the point.” Beth giggled.

  “No peeking, either, or you’ll ruin the surprise.” Nick’s hand rested on the small of her back as he guided her across the kitchen and out the door.

  “Another one? I thought the camera was my anniversary gift.” Nick had tucked it in the corner of the tray, beside a tiny bouquet of wild violets, when he’d served her breakfast in bed that morning.

  It was hard to believe that a year ago she and Nick had exchanged their wedding vows under the apple tree at Second Chance Farm.

  “That was from Dad,” Beth said. “This one is from me and Grandma.”

  “Oh, oh.” Julia grinned. “Then it has to be something pink.”

  “The bow is pink,” Nick said under his breath. “Careful. Here’s the step.”

  Her heart stirred at the protective note in his voice. “Are you worried I’ll fall over?” she teased.

  “You are a little…off balance.”

  She couldn’t argue with him there. Being seven months pregnant did tend to change a woman’s center of gravity.

  “Stop!” Beth gave the command and Julia tugged off the blindfold.

  It took a moment for her to realize there was another horse in the pasture. The hollow-faced gelding had a choppy mane and a short, broomstick tail but his halter sported a cotton candy–pink bow.

  “Your mom dropped him off an hour ago. She’s in the barn getting another stall ready.”

  Julia smiled. Tara had come back to Clear Springs for the wedding and surprised them all with her decision to stay. She’d claimed there was no point in the brick house standing empty after the Delaney family had unanimously voted to take up residence in the old house across the field, but Tara’s bluster hadn’t fooled anyone. Beth had completely won over her adopted grandmother. And since her return, Tara had become as guilty as the rest of them of rescuing animals and transplanting them to the farm.

  “So what do think, Mrs. Delaney?” Nick murmured in her ear. “Is there room for one more?”

  Julia looked up at him. “Always, Mr. Delaney. Always.”

  “Do you like him, Mom?” Beth asked eagerly. “I named him Ranger.”

  “Ranger is absolutely beautiful.” Or he would be, Julia thought, with some love and attention.

  She felt the warmth of Nick’s arms around her and smiled.

  It was good to know there was plenty of both at Second Chance Farm.

  Dear Reader,

  I finally realized my dream of living in the country six years ago—and I haven’t regretted it for a moment. Like Nick and his daughter, Beth, lots of space meant lots of room for animals!

  Writing this book was fun because it gave me an opportunity to relieve those “horse crazy” years with our daughters. It was definitely a bonding time—we had some of our best conversations while mucking out stalls!

  Whether you are a mother or a daughter (or both!) my prayer is that somehow God touched your heart through the pages of this book.

  Blessings,

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  Dreaming of a Family

  Dixie dreamed of a handsome man who rescued her son from a fallen tree. Later, the tree fell, and she met the man! God often spoke through dreams in biblical times, but does He ever speak to or guide us in that manner now?

  Dixie felt great guilt because of her husband’s death. Yet Dixie could not seem to break free of her guilt. Why do you think this was? What could she have done to lessen her guilt?

  Psalms 126:5 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” How does this relate to Joel’s situation? To Dixie’s? Have you experienced an instance in your life that proves this verse?

  When she first realizes that Joel is blind, she treats him rather rudely. Why do you think this is? What would you have done in the same situation?

  When Samuel hurts himself with the saw, Dixie saves her father’s life by calling 911 and getting the paramedics to the house fast. How would you have reacted in such a situation? Are there ways to stay cool under pressure in order to save a loved one?

  Though she was falling in love with Joel, Dixie still had deep feelings for her late husband. Have you or someone you know had to learn to let go of your late loved one and go on with your life? Did you have a hard time moving forward? Discuss.

  The Mommy Wish

  What caused Julia to keep her distance from people?

  Both Nick and Julia experienced the grief that came from losing something dear to them. How did it change the way they viewed God? How did that have an impact on the way they saw the future?

  The simple but real faith that Nick and Beth live out begins to soften Julia’s heart. Has anyone impacted your life in a similar way? What were the circumstances?

  Guilt can prevent us from letting go of the past. How was this true in Julia’s life? What changed her?

  It was Beth’s idea to show Julia how they felt about her. What are some ways you’ve shown love to a friend or family member?

  Beth named their place Second Chance Farm. How was this significant? Was there a time in your life when you received a second chance? What was it?

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-5263-3

  A MOTHER’S GIFT

  Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.

  The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:

  DREAMING OF A FAMILY

  Copyright © 2010 by Deborah Rather

  THE MOMMY WISH

  Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn Springer

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.

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