Orchard Hill Volume Three

by Kara Lynn Russell

  It was a short walk from the parsonage to the church, but even in the small space of time it took to get from one place to another, Patience’s agitation rose.

  Pansy was in her office. If she was working, surely Isaac was here, too. “Mrs. Parker, have you seen Pastor Isaac?”

  “No, dear,” the elderly lady replied. “He went to visit some of his family today, I believe. He was a bit too busy yesterday.”

  “Oh, of course.” What did she do now? Tears welled up in her eyes.

  “Patience Thiesen, whatever is the matter? You sit down now, and I’ll get you some water. You shouldn’t be rushing around in your condition.”

  Pansy bustled about, pulling up a chair, getting water and tissues.

  “I’ll have to talk to that husband of yours,” she grumbled as she helped Patience to settle herself. “Shouldn’t he be taking care of you?”

  “That’s just it, Mrs. Parker. I don’t know where he is.”

  Pansy paused. “You mean, the two of you aren’t together?”

  “Not exactly. I wanted to make sure of things, so I stayed at my parents’ last night. But then I heard he was in a fight and got hurt and my father sent him away when he came to the house and…” Patience had to pause for breath.

  Pansy was looking at her strangely. “So what did you decide? Do you want to be with Shaun?”

  “I think so, yes. I know we still have some problems to work through, but Mrs. Parker, I love him. I really, really love him. I-I have to find him and make sure he’s all right.” Patience lunged to her feet and started for the door. Her hand was on the knob when Pansy called, “wait.”

  Patience turned back. The older woman seemed to be wrestling with some inner question, but finally she said, “Shaun’s in the sanctuary.”

  Patience gasped. She said a hurried, “Thank you, Mrs. Parker,” and rushed out of the office, brushing past Misty Green who was just coming in. She crossed the gathering space to the doors that opened into the church’s sanctuary. The stillness brought her up short. She stepped in and closed the door behind her, letting the silence envelope her. She scanned the large room and found Shaun sitting in a pew near the front.

  His head was bowed as if in prayer, but otherwise he seemed relaxed, almost peaceful. The sunlight filtering in through the clerestory windows brought out the gold highlights in his hair and made it seem as if he were wearing a halo. Her breath caught in her throat. He was all right. And he’d come here with his problems.

  She walked quietly down the aisle of the church and put her hand on his shoulder. “Shaun?”

  He looked up, surprised. Then a huge smile lit up his face. “Patience.” He moved over so she could join him in the pew. “What are you doing here? Your father said…”

  “He lied, Shaun. I never said anything about leaving or about a divorce. Now, what happened with you and your father.”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “My mother has a friend who works at the hospital.”

  “So much for patient confidentiality.”

  “Don’t make jokes. What happened? Is your father all right?”

  Shaun looked puzzled. “What does my father have to do with me cutting my hand?”

  Had her mother’s source gotten things mixed up? “I thought the two of you got into a huge fight last night.”

  “Well, we had words,” Shaun admitted. “We both happened to be using the same gas pump at the same time. He ignored me, and that made me mad and I said a few things…”

  “And then?”

  Shaun drew in a deep breath and said in a voice so low Patience leaned closer to hear. “He said he never wanted to be a father.”

  Even knowing the situation between Shaun and his father, Patience was shocked. This must have been a terrible blow to Shaun. “I’m so sorry. What did you do?”

  He shrugged. “I went home.”

  He went home? That was it? “Weren’t you upset?”

  “Majorly. I was too restless to sit down. While I was pacing, I happened to pick up that picture you had of you and me and my folks at my graduation.”

  “So…”

  “So, I threw it. That was stupid, I know. When I was cleaning up the glass, I cut my hand and had to get some stitches.” He held up his bandaged hand to show her.

  “That’s it?” Relief made her dizzy and she was glad she was sitting.

  “That’s it. I’m sorry. I guess I’ll never get the best of my temper.”

  Couldn’t he see how far he’d come from where he was just months ago? Patience rushed to reassure him. “Shaun, everyone loses it sometimes. And after your father said that…well, I’d lose it, too.” And he could have done a lot more than throw a picture. He really had changed, she was sure now.

  “I was pretty depressed about it. But Isaac drove me home from the emergency room. We talked, and he reminded me that I have a heavenly father as well as an earthly one.”

  “So you’re all right?”

  “I don’t know. What did you decide about us?”

  Patience took a deep breath. This was her moment of truth. “I’m afraid.”

  “I’m sorry Patience. I never meant to make you feel that way.”

  “No, I’m not afraid of you. I’m afraid of me. I…I don’t know how to be the person that you need.”

  Shaun covered both of her hands, clenched in her lap, with his good hand. “I think you know more than you think.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When I came home to that empty apartment and read the letter saying that you were leaving…well, I was devastated. There’s no other way to put it.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She’d let him down and she knew it. Could he really forgive her?

  “Don’t be sorry. You know that saying, ‘you never know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone?’”

  She nodded.

  “That describes me perfectly. I was content to wallow in my anger until it cost me the one person I held most dear.”

  “This isn’t making me feel any better.”

  “It should. You leaving was just what I needed to motivate me to get better. I lost you, Patience, but I found so much more. I found a friend in Isaac and in Joseph, I found myself again through his counseling and most of all, I found the faith that you’ve always had. I understand now.”

  Tears slipped from her eyes. “Then maybe I am glad I left.”

  “I wasn’t at first, but I am now. Patience…”

  “Yes?”

  “Will you please come back? I promise things will be different. Not perfect maybe, but better. I want to be a family with you and the baby more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

  His face, so earnest and pleading, brought a lump to her throat. She choked it down and said, “That’s what I want, too.”

  “Will you move back in with me? Because if you need more time…”

  “Yes, I’ll move in. I want to be with you again, Shaun.”

  “And we’ll work on the whole parent thing. I promise I’ll try to get along with your mom and dad. They can’t hate me forever, can they?”

  Wiping away her tears, Patience shook her head.

  “And there’s my Mom. I was thinking, maybe we could invite her to church or Bible study or something. I think…I think she would really like to meet Jesus.”

  “What about Todd? He told me they’re getting married, you know.”

  Shaun sighed. “I guess he can come, too.”

  Patience suppressed a smile at his obvious reluctance. “You can’t believe how happy I am to hear you say all of this. I really think you grew up while I was gone.”

  “Maybe. I think I finally got what Isaac was trying to tell me about forgiveness. It does free the soul. And to that end…”

  “Yes?”

  “I think I’ll even keep talking to my dad. You never know. He might come around some day.”

  Catching his gaze and holding it, Patience told him, “I am so proud of you, Shaun. Don’t ever think I
don’t understand how difficult this whole thing has been for you. You’ve gone through the fire and come out a better person. There’s never been a Thanksgiving when I’ve had so much to be thankful for. My heart is so full, I’m afraid it’s going to overflow.”

  “But I’m not finished yet.”

  “What else can there be?’

  He slid off the bench and knelt at her feet.

  “Shaun, what are you doing?”

  “I don’t know. I thought this was the way you were supposed to ask a girl to marry you.”

  “But we’re already married!”

  “I know, but I messed that all up.”

  “We messed it up,” Patience corrected him gently.

  “Whatever. This is like a do-over. I want to start fresh, and I want to do it with a wedding. A real one this time, in the church. As soon as possible.”

  Patience gasped. Had he figured out how much she felt she’d missed by not having a church wedding? But realistically… “You can’t be serious. I look like a whale.”

  From where he knelt, Shaun put his arms around her waist and rested his head on her stomach. “You couldn’t possibly look more beautiful to me.”

  She wanted to laugh. But she also wanted to cry. Patience found herself doing both. Then the baby kicked.

  “Ow!” exclaimed Shaun, lifting his head. “We’ve got a football player in there for sure.”

  Leaning down, Patience kissed him. “I love you Shaun.”

  “And I’m thankful for that.”

  TITLE

  Epilogue

  Misty watched Shaun and Patience leave the church, hand in hand. Pansy was watching, too.

  “That’s another match for me. We’re tied again.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Pansy conceded. “Although they were married to start with. Not much challenge in that.”

  “There was more than you think,” Misty argued. “And besides, you could have sent her away and prevented it. Why did you tell Patience where Shaun was?”

  “Were you eavesdropping?”

  “Maybe a little. Come on, why did you help me?”

  “It had nothing to do with you, Misty Green.”

  “Then why?”

  Pansy blew out her breath in exasperation. “You would have done the same thing. Those two are so in love it’s almost sickening. And besides…”

  “Yes?”

  “They are married, as I said. It would be a sin to try to keep them from each other.”

  “Why, Pansy, I believe you have a soft spot in that thing you call a heart, after all.”

  “Well, don’t get used to it.”

  “Somehow I don’t think I will. Are you going to try to get another match in yet this year?”

  “No. You were right. This is a silly contest. Let’s leave it at a tie.”

  “A tie is fine. Or we could…”

  “Now what crazy idea have you got in your head, Misty.”

  “Listen, you’re moving to Florida with Dad. I’m moving out of town with Perry. Before we go, why not collaborate on one great match.”

  “Hmmm. I’m listening.”

  “I’ve been trying to match up Pastor Isaac for a couple of years now.”

  “Oh, that man’s impossible when it comes to romance,” huffed Pansy. “I think he’s gun-shy.”

  “But he’d change his mind, if we could find him the right woman.”

  “That’s easy enough. I know who he’s had his eye on for some time now.”

  Misty’s jaw dropped. “You do? Has he told you?”

  Pansy rolled her eyes. “Of course not. But I can tell.”

  “Don’t keep me in suspense. Who is it?”

  Pansy looked around, as if she were about to divulge a state secret and feared spies would overhear. “It’s Joy.”

  Misty stared back at her in disbelief. “Joy? Our organist? But she’s…”

  “Hopelessly shy? Unbelievably tongue-tied? A walking mass of social anxiety? I know, but she’s the one. Stranger things have happened.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’ve seen the way he looks at her when he thinks no one can see him. I’m sure.”

  Misty could tell Pansy was intrigued by this idea. Isaac was a challenge, to be sure. And she’d never collaborated with anyone on a match before. It might, just might, be fun.

  Misty rested her chin on her hand. “Now how can we set them up?”

  “Leave it to me,” Pansy declared. “I’ve got a plan.”

  Finding

  Joy

  Prologue

  “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.”

  —Psalm 5:11 NIV

  “Are you sure this is going to work?” asked Misty.

  “Of course I’m sure,” Pansy snapped back. “I’ve been doing this since you were in diapers.”

  “Really? That long?”

  “Yes, really. I started making matches right after I was first married.” Pansy got a faraway look in her eyes. “My dear husband and I were so happy. I wanted to share that with everyone.”

  Misty stared at her in disbelief.

  “What? You don’t believe me?”

  “I’m just having a hard time picturing you trying to spread happiness.”

  Pansy took on a severe look. “I’ll have you know I’ve worked hard in my life to make others happy.”

  Misty opened her mouth, then, obviously thinking better of it, closed it again.

  The older woman pretended not to notice. “So when did you make your first match?”

  “When I was in high school.” Misty sighed. “I fixed up all my friends with the perfect dates for prom.”

  “And none for yourself?”

  “More like a dud for me. I think I knew right then and there that I was destined to match others, yet remain single myself.”

  “Not anymore. The wedding is in a few weeks.”

  That cheered Misty—and even Pansy looked happier.

  “Who would believe that you and I would be walking down the aisle together, Pansy?”

  “Not me. I never thought I’d marry again, period, never mind be marrying your father.”

  “While I marry your son at the same time?”

  They laughed. It was a bit difficult to believe that they’d spent so many years trying to outdo each other as the town’s matchmakers only to end up as family twice over.

  Misty was the first to recollect that they had business at hand. “The wedding’s only a few weeks away, and then we’ll both be gone.”

  Misty’s future husband had taken a new job in a different part of the state, and Pansy was moving to her future husband’s retirement home in Florida.

  “That means we only have a little time left to get Pastor Isaac settled. We have to get moving on this.”

  “I know, I know. It’s just that I’m not sure—”

  “Trust me,” Pansy interrupted. “Pastor Isaac has incredible radar where matchmakers are concerned. If he suspects we’re trying to match him up with Joy he’ll run the other way faster than you can say, ‘here comes the bride.’”

  “But your niece—”

  “Is the perfect candidate. Isaac doesn’t know her. She’s engaged, so she’s not at risk of losing her own heart, a definite possibility for someone else where Isaac’s concerned.”

  There was a reason Pastor Isaac had gotten so good at avoiding matchmaker’s traps.

  “But can she act?” asked Misty.

  “Certainly. This is a girl that’s got more than a little spunk. When I suggested it to her, she thought it would be a hoot.”

  “If you’re sure…”

  Pansy scowled. “Haven’t I already said that I am?”

  “Well, all right. I have too much to do to come up with something else anyway. Who knew closing a store would be this much work?” Misty lamented. She was the owner of the health food store The Green Scene, at least for a few more weeks. “When does Delilah get here?”

  “D
elia,” Pansy corrected her sharply. “As if I would have a niece named after someone like that.”