A Trusting Heart

by Shannon Guymon

  “No problem, just hurry and throw on a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt. We’ve got ten minutes. No rush,” Trevor said as he stared at his watch grimly.

  Blaine was busy changing the time on his watch and didn’t seem to realize there was even a mix-up. Megan and Linette exchanged bleak expressions and then turned and ran into their rooms. Megan took the clip out of her hair, pulling off her clothes in seconds. She rummaged through her closet for her raggediest pair of jeans and pulled an old Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt out of her dresser drawer. She should have known. A guy’s idea of the perfect date had nothing to do with dressing up. What had she been thinking? She pulled on a pair of running shoes and grabbed a rubber band to pull her hair back into a pony tail. She glanced into her dresser mirror and frowned. What had taken two hours to create had been destroyed in under two minutes. This had better be worth it, she thought quickly.

  She joined Linette and the guys in the living room and was quickly hustled outside and practically pushed into the car. Trevor was driving and the way he was swerving in and out of traffic had her wondering if pretending to be a race car driver was part of this fantasy date. Megan shook her head in exasperation. Next date, she was planning.

  Fifteen minutes later they arrived at the mini-airport in Provo where a helicopter was waiting for them. Megan and Linette gaped at each other, not wanting to admit to their dates that both of them were afraid of flying. They were pulled inside quickly before they even had a chance to run for it. This was getting worse by the second. Megan kept her eyes closed the entire time, holding onto Trevor’s hand in a death grip and hiding her head in his shoulder. She thought she heard gagging sounds at one point, but didn’t dare peek to see if Linette was okay. She was on her own.

  As she felt the helicopter touch down, a huge sense of relief swept over her, making her supremely thankful to be alive. She opened her eyes cautiously and looked for Linette first. Her sister was alive but very green. Megan rubbed her arms briskly to get the circulation going again, and then followed Trevor off the helicopter. What in the world were they in for now?

  The pilot threw Blaine and Trevor two large, heavy-looking back packs and saluted before taking off again. Trevor and Blaine put the packs on and then smiled at their dates expectantly.

  “Isn’t this great?” Blaine asked Linette with a boyish grin. Linette turned around and threw up in a bush.

  After giving Linette a few minutes to recuperate, they were off. Megan focused on her surroundings and realized that they were practically on top of a mountain. Which mountain, she had no idea. She’d never been big on hiking. One look at Trevor’s exuberant face though, and she knew automatically that he was in his element.

  “Come on, girls. It’s just over this little ridge and then we’ll be there. Blaine didn’t think you’d want to hike the whole thing, so you can blame him for the helicopter ride. Just wait, you’ll love it.”

  Megan watched as Blaine and Trevor practically ran up the mountain. She took her sister’s hand in hers and pulled and dragged her two miles up and over the teeny little ridge. Trevor was really going to have to pay for this.

  “Megan, if I ever go out with Blaine again, please feel free to have my brain examined.”

  Megan sighed, knowing that it wasn’t just Blaine. All men had their ideas of what a perfect date was. Now, just to get through the night.

  “Come on, slow pokes! I thought you two were in shape. We’ve already got camp set up,” Blaine called to them.

  Megan looked for the nearest rock to throw. Camp? They’d set up camp? Surely they didn’t expect them to camp. Surely. Megan and Linette hobbled the last few yards to their “campsite.” A large blanket was thrown on the ground. Cute. Really cute.

  Blaine and Trevor had made a fire and were in the process of roasting hot dogs. Now it was her turn to throw up in the bushes. Linette couldn’t hold back a groan and the smile Megan gave Trevor wasn’t exactly the brightest, but they walked the rest of the way and sat down on the hard, rocky ground next to their dates.

  “Hot dogs. Yummy. Is there a beverage to go along with the main course?”

  Trevor grinned at Megan and threw her a canteen. Megan looked at it cautiously but undid the lid and took a swig. Yep, just as she thought. Water that tasted exactly like a canteen. Megan was actually really proud of Linette when she ate half of her hot dog. For someone fighting anorexia, that was huge. She could only manage half herself before chucking it into the bushes behind them. For dessert, they roasted marshmallows. Megan couldn’t help smiling at Trevor and Blaine. They were so proud of themselves, they could barely sit still.

  Megan leaned over and whispered into Linette’s ear, “Do you get the feeling that we’re dating Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn?”

  Linette laughed softly, but shook her head. “You mean, two wannabes, right? I bet you the last time these two were this close to a mountain was at scout camp when they were sixteen.”

  Megan looked over to where Blaine and Trevor were studying some kind of animal print in the dirt and knew Linette was probably right. But they were in heaven, so she let them stay there.

  Watching the sunset made everything worth it. Even the hot dog. It was incredible. The oranges, blues, and purples went beyond visual sensation. Feeling nature surround you while seeing something not even Monet could get right was a priceless gift. Maybe Trevor hadn’t screwed up as bad as she had thought.

  The two couples laid down on the blankets, resting their heads on their hands as they counted the stars. Megan wasn’t even surprised when she heard Linette whisper to Blaine, “This is the best date I’ve ever been on.” Megan laughed out loud when she heard Blaine reply, “I know.”

  Megan looked over at Trevor and realized that this was the first time she had seen him totally and completely relaxed. He looked good. The sharp planes of his face had softened in the disappearing sunlight, and there was a faint smile on his face. Megan couldn’t help reaching over and whispering in his ear.

  “You win. It only took a few weeks, but I like you very, very much, Trevor.”

  Trevor raised one eyebrow suspiciously as he tore his eyes away from the sunset to gaze at Megan with his dark eyes. “‘Like’ is such a bland little word, isn’t it? Are you sure you wouldn’t want to change it to something a little more passionate?”

  Megan smiled, not saying a word, as she snuggled closer to Trevor on the blanket. He could wait.

  Twenty-Seven

  HURRY UP, LINETTE! WE’RE going to be late for church.”

  Megan yelled behind her as she walked outside to say hello to Marjorie. Her foot knocked into a box that had been shoved to the side of the door. Megan grinned, wondering what Trevor was up to now. He never quit. Megan tore the packing tape off the box and reached in and grabbed a book. Megan frowned as she opened the cover and one of her baby pictures fell out. This was not from Trevor. This was from her parents. They had dumped off all of her scrapbooks and baby pictures. They obviously had no use for them anymore. Megan felt her heart seize and almost quit. She dropped her head to rest on the book in her hands and felt the tears run down her wrists. Her parents had wanted to send her a message and this one was loud and clear. Megan hoped that Linette wouldn’t walk out and find their parent’s little surprise. Megan noticed a smaller box to the side and knew automatically they were her sister’s pictures. Her parents were nothing if not thorough. Megan hefted the boxes into the garage, deciding to deal with it after church. She didn’t want to upset Linette. She was doing so well with her counseling and her eating habits and Megan didn’t want to risk a relapse. Linette had gained five pounds. Five fabulous pounds that she wasn’t going to see her parents whittle away again.

  “What are you doing, Meg? Let’s go, I’m ready.”

  Megan pulled an old blanket over the boxes and then joined her sister on the sidewalk. The walk to church would help to cool down her emotions. What she really needed was a bucket of ice.

  Linette and Megan found a seat towards t
he back of the chapel and sat down just as the prelude music ended. Megan studied Linette carefully from the corner of her eyes. She knew from experience that Linette had very little in religious background, but Megan could sense that Linette was happy to be here. She was smiling and holding her scriptures on her lap, just ready to turn the pages as soon as someone announced a chapter and verse. Sometimes it took so little to kill a person’s spiritual hunger, and, at other times, it didn’t matter what one’s life was—nothing could kill that hunger. Linette was strong and, with the Spirit in her life, she would be on the right path. Now, just to make sure she was on the right one herself.

  During the sacrament, Megan thought about the quote Trevor had read to her. Was it possible to be the exception when it came to forgiveness? Did Heavenly Father really expect her to forgive her mom and dad, especially after the stunt they pulled just that morning? Megan shook her head in frustration, but as she took the bread in her hand, she knew she wasn’t the exception. No one was. When the deacons passed the water, she hesitated, but she drank hoping it would give her the strength to even make an attempt.

  Megan sat back and decided to really listen to the talks today, not zone them out as she sometimes did when she had a lot on her mind. She’d rather think of anything besides her problems. There was no point in depressing herself. She smiled as Sister Lyman made her way to the stand. She was at least seventy, but she was a ball of fire. If there was anyone who needed help in the ward, she was the first one in line with a casserole or card. Megan had always felt very comfortable around her. Almost loved. She would do her best to listen to every word that came out of her mouth.

  “Brothers and sisters, the bishop has asked that I speak to you today on forgiveness.”

  Megan’s mouth fell open. This couldn’t be a coincidence. She didn’t believe in them.

  Heavenly Father was really trying to make his point. Megan rubbed her hands over her face and reminded herself to listen. If Heavenly Father had gone to all this trouble for her, then she’d better do her part and be open to it. Who knew? Maybe Sister Lyman would give the other side of forgiveness, if there was one. Or was that called bitterness? Maybe she would be let off the hook? Megan frowned, knowing she was grabbing at straws, but wishing with all her heart that she didn’t have to deal with this.

  “From Dennis Rasmussen’s book, The Lord’s Question, we read, ‘Evil multiplies by the response it seeks to provoke, and when I return evil for evil, I engender corruption myself. The chain of evil is broken for good when a pure and loving heart absorbs a hurt and forbears to hurt in return . . . . Deep within every child of God, the Light of Christ resides, guiding, comforting, purifying the heart that turns to him.’ ”

  Megan reached over to Linette and said something about using the ladies room, and left as fast as she could. She walked outside and leaned against a maple tree that was at least a hundred years old and let her breath out. Why was this happening to her? Why would God give her a task when he knew it was impossible? What good could come of her failure to accomplish this? Megan closed her eyes tightly and prayed. She prayed for the desire to forgive. She didn’t pray to forgive; she settled for just the wanting of it. As she pleaded with Heavenly Father, right there in front of the church, the funniest thing started to happen to her. She started to feel good. No, it was happy. She started to feel happy. Megan ended her prayer and knew that Heavenly Father, in his own way, had just given her a hug. He had leaned down from heaven and wrapped his arms around her, making all the bad feelings go away, if only for a moment. Just to show her that he could. It really was possible.

  Megan walked back inside the church, flicking the tears from her cheeks and smiling in relief. Heavenly Father hadn’t given her an impossible task. It was just a simple task. A decision. It was up to her, yes or no. As she passed a picture of Jesus kneeling in Gethsemane, she knew her answer was yes. She would do it for Him.

  Twenty-Eight

  MEGAN WOKE UP THE next morning, more energized and excited than she had been in years. She had a mission. Megan had floor time that morning, but what she needed to do would only take a few minutes. Just enough time to conquer the world, and make it over to the jewelers to pick out a ring for Trevor. She had prayed about it the night before and whether Trevor was being serious or not, she and the Lord had decided, he was the man for her.

  She couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of having black, curly-haired children and chuckled at the image of Cora being the world’s greatest grandmother. And Trevor. She tried to think of the exact moment she had fallen in love with him and decided it had to have been in high school, when she had seen him walk from the seminary building to their high school. That had been the day she had fought with her parents over signing up for seminary. What was that saying? Good things come to those who wait. Well, she had waited long enough and Trevor was very good.

  Megan outfloated Linette that morning, making her sister giggle and point her finger at her.

  “Shouldn’t you be giggling your way to school?” Megan asked.

  Linette grabbed her books and opened the door before retorting, “Don’t you think you should be seeing other people? Aren’t you going a little fast, Meg? I wouldn’t want you to get hurt or anything.”

  Megan groaned and then laughed anyway. “That bad, huh? Okay, I’ll do the dishes tonight to make up for being such a typical older sister.”

  Linette poked her head back into the door with a grin on her face. “It feels good, doesn’t it?”

  Megan nodded her head in complete agreement. Being in love was the best feeling in the world.

  Twenty-Nine

  TREVOR HUNG UP THE phone and turned slowly around in his sleek black leather chair to stare out the window of his makeshift office. He was having a brand new office complex built in Lehi, overlooking the golf course at Thanksgiving Point. But, until then, he was making do in a small, cramped office building in Sandy.

  He got up from his desk and leaned his head against the cool window pane. How could the spirit be so wrong? It was happening to him all over again. Why did he insist on having relationships with women who only wanted to use him for his money? He tried not to think about Saturday night and how she had seemed so open to him. And from the way she had kissed him, he would have sworn she meant it. Trevor reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the small black box he had been carrying around for weeks as a good luck charm and opened it up. Megan was right; he should stick to cubic zirconium rings. He took the diamond out and felt his heart rip in two. He wished the emeralds didn’t remind him so strongly of Megan’s eyes. As far as he was concerned, his grandmother’s ring should have stayed where it belonged: on his grandmother’s hand. He turned and made a perfect three point shot into the waste paper basket and couldn’t help thinking how beautifully it sparkled as it arced downward towards the remains of his lunch. He hoped the custodian would be by soon. He didn’t want the reminder of his naivete anywhere near him. The nearest landfill would be the most suitable place for his innocence.

  * * *

  Megan smiled with delight as she left the jeweler’s store with a gold wedding band in her purse. It was simple, but she knew it would suit Trevor perfectly. A wide band of gold was all he would need to know that he was hers. She had used up the rest of her commission check to pay for it. She laughed, making people turn and stare at her, as she wondered how Trevor was going to respond to having the tables turned on him. How would he react? He’d better jump up and shout yes, otherwise she would feel very silly. But from the way he had been acting, she knew he would be delighted with her. Now all she had to do was plan the scene. Where should it happen? She wanted it to be memorable so her grandkids would have something to sigh over. But where? And then the thought came to her. What better place to propose than at the temple? Now all she had to do was get him there. She knew he was busy, so she’d have to come up with a surefire way of getting his interest. Maybe a little mind game would do the trick. Megan pulled out her incredibly h
andy cell phone and the piece of paper that had Trevor’s secret phone number on it. She giggled to herself helplessly as she dialed the number.

  “Hello?”

  “Trevor, it’s Megan. Meet me at 742 North 900 East in American Fork, in one hour sharp. We have to talk.”

  Megan hung up the phone, not waiting for a reply. She’d bet her next mortgage payment he was fifteen minutes early. Megan ran to her car, already planning what her wedding announcements would say. Poor Trevor. Was he in for a shock!

  Thirty

  TREVOR PUT HIS CELL phone down on the desk and ran his hands through his hair. What was she trying to pull? She had sounded so cold, as if she were mad at him. Then it dawned at him. This was her breakup scene. She had most likely planned it the moment she had heard he was a millionaire at the reunion. Should he let her have her moment or should he leave her hanging? What would she do if he just never showed up? Or he could pull one over on her and break up with her before she even opened her mouth. But that would be so juvenile and he was very curious as to what her reason for dumping him would be. This would be his only chance to confront her. She had the guts to take two hundred thousand dollars of his money and transfer it straight into Carlisle and Beckstead Inc.’s bank account. He wanted to know if she had the guts to admit to him what she had done. Trevor took one last look at Megan’s high school picture which he’d had blown up and put in a sterling silver frame. He grabbed the picture off his desk and laid it gently on top of the diamond ring. Trevor walked quickly out the door. He didn’t want to be late.

  * * *

  Megan paced up and down the walkway, glancing at her Timex every few seconds. She couldn’t believe he was late. It was a good thing she hadn’t seriously bet her mortgage payment—she would be in huge trouble. How was she going to explain to her grandkids that their grandfather had been obnoxiously late to his own proposal? Megan’s shoulders slumped in relief as she saw his car pull into the parking lot.