Orchard Hill Volume Three

by Kara Lynn Russell

  “Don’t forget about the community dinner. Volunteers should be at the church by three o’clock.”

  “Great. I’ll probably meet you there.”

  Patience sighed as she hung up the phone. She knew her parents loved her and wanted what they thought was best for her. But she wished they’d accept that she wasn’t interested in their vision of the perfect life.

  ****

  “Shaun, you’re doing a marvelous job in here,” said Misty Green.

  He turned from the cupboard he’d just installed in the church kitchen. “Thanks Misty. I’m glad I can help out.”

  “Help out? I think remodeling our kitchen is a bit more than helping out.”

  Shaun shrugged. It was one of the projects Isaac had given him in exchange for two months of room and board and counseling. He felt he was getting the better end of the deal.

  “Will it be ready before Thanksgiving? I’m in charge of the community dinner, you know.”

  “Sure. I’m almost done now.”

  “I don’t have your name down for the dinner. Can I sign you up for setup crew?”

  “Sure.” It wasn’t as if he had anything else to do that day. His father was hardly going to invite him over for turkey with all the trimmings, and his mother…well, he wasn’t ready to take her up on her invitation.

  “It will be wonderful not to have to battle with that old stove.”

  “Mr. Schmidt from Orchard Hill Appliances donated it. His daughter just got engaged, and I think he wants Pastor Isaac to do the ceremony.”

  Misty raised her eyebrows. “Really? With Isaac’s wedding schedule for next year, I’m not surprised he thinks he has to butter up the pastor. Now. I can count on you for setup, right?”

  “Sure.”

  “Be at the church by three o’clock.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Shaun was surprised at the grin that spread across Misty’s face. She looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. “Great. I’ll put you down on the list.”

  ****

  Shaun shifted uncomfortably in his chair. While he admitted his weekly counseling sessions with Isaac helped him, that didn’t mean they were easy for him.

  Isaac stared across his desk. “So you’ve been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at your mother’s and you’re going to…”

  “I’m not going. I’m already signed up to serve at the Community Dinner here.”

  “What time is your mother’s dinner?”

  “Five o’clock.”

  “We always have plenty of volunteers. You could back out and go to your mother’s.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  Isaac leaned back in his chair. “Why not?”

  Shaun gripped the wooden arms of his chair, willing himself to stay calm. “Why are you trying to convince me to go? Don’t you object to the fact that my mother, who is technically still married to my father, is living with another man?”

  “Of course I do, but we both know it isn’t that simple.”

  Shaun shrugged but didn’t say anything.

  “She doesn’t attend church, read the Bible or pray as far as you know. Your mother doesn’t have the support of a strong faith.”

  “I know,” he answered softly. “I know my dad was awful to her for years. She used to tell me he wasn’t always that way. When he lost his business, he changed. I don’t know. I don’t remember him being any way other than the way he is now.”

  “How would you describe your father?”

  Shaun took a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts. “I wouldn’t say he was ever abusive to us. But he wasn’t…affectionate in any way. He was extremely critical and…and cold, I guess.”

  When he paused, Isaac urged him to continue. Shaun slumped in his chair. It seemed as though they’d been over all this a million times.

  “Mom and I were really close. It was always us against him. When he was nasty and spiteful, we’d laugh it off together later. When I wanted to go somewhere or do something that he didn’t want me to, she covered for me. I covered for her a few times, too. I guess she probably lied to me about what she was really doing.”

  Isaac leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the desk. “So, are you angry at your mother for betraying your father, or for betraying you?”

  Shaun was stunned. He’d never thought of it that way.

  “After all, your father has been pretty awful to you, too, after your mother announced she was moving out.”

  That was true. Yet, he didn’t feel any anger toward his father, just indifference, or possibly relief at not having to deal with the bitter man any more.

  “I’ll have to think about that.”

  “And think about going to your mother’s for Thanksgiving.”

  A spurt of anger slipped past Shaun’s control and he growled at Isaac. “You aren’t like I thought pastors would be. Why are you so insistent I do this? She’s in the wrong. She’s living with one man and married to another. Shouldn’t she move out and admit she was wrong before I talk to her?”

  “Being a pastor doesn’t give me the right to pass judgment on anyone. There’s nothing you or I can do to make her behave the way we’d like. What’s important for you is that you forgive her.”

  Shaun felt his jaw drop and his eyes widen. “Me? Forgive her? Why should I do that?” The rising flood of emotions moved Shaun to get up and pace the small area of the office.

  “Because it’s the only way you’ll regain peace and equilibrium in your life. Jesus was very clear on the importance of forgiveness.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know,” grumbled Shaun. “Seventy times seven and all that. We went over it in Bible study.”

  “And how is that going?” asked Isaac.

  “I’m learning a lot.” Shaun stopped in front of Isaac’s desk. “But I’m way behind everyone. Most of the people in my group have been reading the Bible since they were kids.”

  “Then they should be able to teach you a lot. Keep going.”

  “I will. Maybe this forgiveness thing would be easier if I’d learned all this when I was a kid.”

  “I doubt it. Forgiveness is always difficult, even when you understand why you’re supposed to do it. Your head knows what’s right, but your heart wants to hold on to that resentment.”

  Shaun nodded and sat again, his anger giving way to remorse. He wondered if these counseling sessions would count as a workout. Leaping about from emotion to emotion left him as drained as a two mile run would. “I wish I’d started going to church with Patience when she asked me to.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I did go a couple of times. I didn’t really understand what it was all about. And her parents were always with us. They didn’t like me. I guess they still don’t because even though I’m going to church here, they won’t talk to me.”

  There was a gentle knock on the door, and Pansy Parker, Isaac’s secretary, stuck her head in. “Your next appointment is here.”

  “Thank you, Pansy,” said Isaac as she closed the door again. As usual, they finished their session in prayer. Then Isaac said, “All right, Shaun, I’ll see you at the same time next week. I want you to think and pray about forgiveness until then.”

  As Shaun went out, he raised a hand in greeting to Riley O’Neil and Grace Randall. They must be Isaac’s next appointment. Pre-marriage counseling, no doubt. After Isaac had stirred up all of Shaun’s anger again, he didn’t feel sorry for him at all.

  ****

  Patience pulled into the church parking lot and turned off her car. Her heart was beating like a rabbit’s. She took a deep breath and placed her hands on her stomach. “All right, sweetie, we’re about to meet your grandma and grandpa. You’re going to be a big surprise to them. Let’s just hope it’s a happy one.”

  She just had to get through this dinner, and then she could call Shaun. The thought of soon seeing him made her heart race, both with anticipation and fear.

  What if he’d moved on and didn’t want to be m
arried to her anymore? What if he was so angry about the baby he wouldn’t talk to her? What if he didn’t want the baby?”

  Her emotions began to overwhelm her. She forced herself to stop following her current line of thought. She searched her mind for something else to concentrate on—a happier memory.

  What came to mind was the night her parents were out of town and she’d gotten ill. With the pain in her abdomen growing worse, she’d called a couple of friends, but neither was home. Finally, she’d called Shaun. She knew her parents wouldn’t approve, but she was feeling worse and worse and didn’t want to be alone.

  Shaun, who’d had his appendix removed when he was twelve, recognized her symptoms as appendicitis and insisted on taking her to the emergency room. She hadn’t wanted to go. If he took her to the emergency room, her parents would find out they’d been together and she’d have been in trouble.

  Shaun had picked her up off the sofa and taken her, and although at first she thought he was acting like a caveman, she’d been too sick to protest. Later, when the doctor told her she really did have appendicitis, she was grateful.

  Shaun sat by her bed and held her hand until they took her into surgery, and he was there when she woke up.

  That was when Patience realized that he loved her. Even though he’d told her he loved her for the first time on Prom night, she hadn’t believed him until that moment.

  That was what put a golden sheen on an otherwise terrible memory.

  One would think that her parents’ would have changed their attitude toward Shaun after he’d practically saved her life, but unfortunately it made no difference to them.

  Unable to think of another reason to linger, Patience slid out of the car. She pulled her bulky winter coat around her, disguising her condition, if only temporarily. With a deep breath and a whispered prayer, she entered the church.

  When she stepped into the large hall that was used for the Thanksgiving community dinner, she saw a number of people bustling about with tablecloths and dishes, silverware and centerpieces. For a moment, she stood unnoticed amidst the cheerful chaos. She and her mother spotted each other at the same moment. Her mother dropped a basket of silverware on the table she was setting and ran to greet her daughter.

  Patience braced herself for her mother’s enthusiastic hug. Initially, she had insisted on meeting her parents here because she thought they might make less of a scene over her in public rather than in private, but what if she was wrong. Everyone had stopped to stare at the mother-daughter reunion.

  As they embraced, Patience’s throat tightened with tears. In spite of the many differences of opinions they’d had over the last few years, she was happy to see her mother again.

  Taking a step back from Patience without releasing her, her mother yelled in the general direction of the kitchen. “Jerry, Patience is here,” and a few moments later her father was on the scene and both of her parents wrapped her in a tremendous hug. When they let go, all three had tears in their eyes.

  “We’ve really missed you,” her dad said, his voice rough with emotion.

  Her mother began tugging her coat off. “You’re going to get overheated in this, dear. Let’s hang it up and we can all get to work...”

  The coat hung from her mother’s hands, and her mouth dropped open. Her father looked between them, puzzled, until her mother whispered, “Jerry, our daughter is pregnant.”

  ****

  It was Thanksgiving, and Shaun still didn’t know what to do about his mother’s invitation. He understood Isaac’s point about forgiveness, but he didn’t think he could do it yet. “Better not to go, than to go and blow up at her,” he told himself as he crossed the church parking lot on his way to set up for the community dinner.

  Then he saw the car, and the breath was knocked out of him. There was no mistaking that car. He’d changed the oil in it and made minor repairs to it too many times to not recognize the battered green compact that Patience’s parents had bought her as a graduation gift.

  His heart surged with happiness. He sucked in a breath and ran for the door of the church. Patience had come back. He hurried through the building to the fellowship hall where all the activity was. He skidded to a stop as his gaze met hers.

  Her father and mother turned as one, their stares angry, accusatory. They said a few words to Patience and walked away,

  Suddenly, he was unsure of himself. What if she hadn’t come back for him at all? What if she’d only come back to tell him it was over?

  He couldn’t believe how beautiful she was, with her long blonde hair hanging loose and that sweet smile lighting up her face as she walked toward him. She couldn’t be here to tell him she wanted a divorce if she smiled at him like that, could she? Then his gaze dropped and...

  He tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Patience, his wife was...going to have a baby. His baby. He was going to be a father. And she hadn’t told him.

  A wave of confusion, hurt, betrayal, fear broke over him. A slow burning sensation he knew well surged, pulsing in his temples—anger.

  Patience stopped, and her eyes filled with tears. The look on her face made him hesitate. He driven her away with his ungovernable temper. If he lost it now, she’d run again. He knew he didn’t want that.

  But he knew he couldn’t contain his anger either. If he stayed, he would explode. So he turned around and left.

  He passed Isaac on his way out. Standing in the doorway, he’d surely seen the whole incident. Shaun avoided the pastor’s gaze and brushed past him.

  TITLE

  Orchard Hill: volume three

  Chapter 4

  Patience had never felt so alone, so abandoned, in her life. Since they’d started dating, she’d always been able to depend on Shaun.

  “Patience, it’s good to have you back.”

  Dimly, she registered that Pastor Isaac was talking to her, but she didn’t answer. “Why don’t you step into my office for a minute and we’ll catch up.” He took her arm and drew her away from the curious, pitying gazes of everyone around her. As they left the hall, Patience absently heard the clink of dishes and silverware that meant the volunteers had returned to setting tables.

  Isaac escorted her to a chair and then went back to close the door.

  “Th-thank you for h-helping me make a graceful exit.”

  He thrust a box of tissues into her hands, and she pulled one out to dab at her eyes.

  “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but leaving is actually a step forward for Shaun in dealing with his anger.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He recognized that he was losing control of his emotions and left before his behavior became inappropriate.”

  “Pastor Isaac, did Shaun really live with you for a while? Has he really started going to church?”

  “Yes, to both questions. He’s trying very hard to get himself together. He really wants you back.”

  “You mean he did.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “Before he found out about the baby.”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions before you talk to Shaun. You threw a pretty big surprise at him, you know.”

  Patience allowed her shoulders to slump. “I know. I made a horrible mistake. I wanted to tell him, but...”

  Holding up a hand, Isaac stopped her. “You don’t have to explain to me.”

  A knock on the door interrupted them.

  Patience moaned. “That’s my parents, I’m sure.”

  “Do you want to talk to them?”

  She shook her head.

  “I’ll take care of it.” Isaac rose and went to the door, opening it just a few inches. After a short whispered exchange, he closed it again.

  “I told them you were resting.”

  “Thank you.”

  “If you’d really like to rest, you can stretch out on the sofa here. I should get back to the dinner setup.”

  “What about Shaun?”

  “He’ll come back when he’s ready. Believe me; you won’t be a
ble to keep him away then.”

  “Really?” She felt so pathetic, begging for assurance like this.

  But Isaac’s smile was full of understanding. “Yes, really. Do you think you’ll be in here long?”

  “I’d like to hide in here all afternoon, but I’m afraid my bladder won’t allow that. Then my mother will ambush me in the ladies’ room.”

  He laughed. “Yes, she is one determined woman. I’ll try to keep her busy.”