I will go with you, Joan.
She marveled at the closeness of God. It filled her spirit to the point that she wondered if she could even contain it. Rising to her feet, she could almost hear the soft slapping of Jesus’ sandals beside her as she made her way to the shed. Her hand froze for a minute on the handle. Then she said, “I’m going in, Phil,” and she turned the knob.
In the middle of the floor, a large box stared at her. Scrawled across it, in familiar handwriting, were the words “Do not open until Christmas.” On top of the box was an envelope with her name in Phil’s cursive. Her hand shook as she pulled out the letter inside. Carefully unfolding it, she sank into the chair at his desk and began to read.
My darling Jo,
By the time you read this, I will be gone. But it is important for you to know that my heart is knit with yours forever. And if it is possible for me to be part of that great cloud of witnesses from Hebrews 12 cheering you on to your own finish line, you’d better believe I will be in the very front row with my hands lifted in the air and my voice proclaiming your victory in the final stretch of the race.
Through all the years we’ve been together, it has been my greatest privilege to be your husband. I’ve cherished every moment God has given me in that calling. Although you had to share me with a congregation, please know that being by your side was always my favorite place.
As I write this, I’m getting more and more eager to see Jesus. It’s exciting to know that it will be soon. But I want to tell you that leaving you is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I’ve spent many hours out here fervently praying for your protection and asking God to guide your future.
Sheila and the kids have told me how much they’d like you to move near them when I’m gone. I know it will be hard for you to leave this home. We’ve got a lifetime of memories here. It’s been a good life, too. Watching our daughter grow up, get married, and have her own family. So many happy times, as well as a few sad ones that reminded us to cling to each other and God.
I hope you’ll seriously consider moving, Jo. I think it would be good for you to be near family. It’s a blessing to have that opportunity. Don’t worry about the memories. They don’t live in this house. They live in our hearts.
Since I won’t be here for Christmas, I wanted to put a little something together for you and the kids. You know the rules. No peeking and no opening before the actual day. Trent helped me quite a bit with this project, so you should thank him when you get a chance. He’s a good kid, Jo. He promised he’d help you out, so I hope you’ll call on him if you need a hand.
And keep an eye on old Thumper for me. I’m glad you’ll have him standing guard here over the property. But if you move up to Sandy Cove, I hope you’ll think about giving him to Caleb. That boy really loves our old dog. And maybe you can get one of those kittens you were always trying to talk me into.
All right, my dear. I’m done with my rambling. I’ll be watching for you on the other side.
All my love,
Phil
Joan clutched the letter to her chest and cried once again. Tears of gratitude for one more communication from her husband, tears of relief for his continued guidance in her moving decision, and tears of mourning for a man she could no longer hold in her arms.
She leaned over and gave the box a nudge. It wasn’t very heavy, in spite of its large size. “I wonder what could be in here?” she said to the walls of the shed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sheila called a few days later. “Mom, I’ve found a really cute apartment in a senior complex called Shoreline Manor. It’s near my house.”
Now that Joan felt Phil’s support and encouragement for the move, she wanted to hear all about it. “Tell me everything, dear. Have you been inside?”
“Yes. I went yesterday afternoon. I would have called last night, but Rick and I had tickets for a concert, and it was pretty late by the time we got home.”
“Okay, well I’m glad you’ve seen the inside. What’s it like?” Joan said, reaching over and stroking Thumper, who was pressing against her.
“The grounds are beautiful, Mom. Lots of flowerbeds and walkways with large pines and a few mature maple trees. They even have a vegetable garden that the residents maintain and harvest.”
“Sounds really nice. Your father would have loved the vegetable garden idea,” she added. Thumper nudged her again. “What about dogs? Are they allowed in the apartments?”
There was a pause at the other end. “Well, yes and no. They do allow dogs, but only breeds under 25 pounds, so I’m afraid Thumper wouldn’t qualify.”
Joan could feel the dog’s cold nose prodding her hand to pet him. She looked lovingly down at him and then recalled the words in Phil’s letter—‘I hope you’ll think about giving him to Caleb’. “You know, Sheila, I’ve actually been considering asking Michelle if it would be alright to give Thumper to Caleb. He’s taken to this old guy so well, and Thumper seems more like a pup around him.”
“Really? I think that would be a great idea, Mom. Caleb would love to have a dog, and he still talks about the time Thumper stayed with them when you were here for Dad’s memorial.”
“Okay, maybe that will work out well. So, do you have a brochure or something you can send me about this apartment complex?” Joan’s heart wrestled within, pulling her in two directions. Fear of change and loss left part of her clinging to home, but another part was beginning to get excited about a new place near her family.
“Yes, and it even has a DVD in the handout that you can watch on your television to see a little movie tour. I’ll put it in the mail today,” she promised. “Call me after you get a chance to look at everything. If you like what you see, I’ll have them hold a spot for you and will come down to help you pack.”
“Okay, dear.” Joan paused for a moment and wondered if she should tell Sheila about her discovery in the shed. But the timing didn’t seem right. She decided to wait until her daughter arrived to help her pack. It will be better to share the surprise with her in person.
After Sheila hung up the phone, she felt a wave of peace and gratitude wash over her. Mom sounds much more upbeat about the move. I wonder what changed her mind. She flipped through the brochure for Shoreline Manor and read the section about pricing and leases.
I’d better get over there today and see about having them hold an apartment. Maybe Rick will go with me.
She picked up the phone again and called Rick’s number. Voicemail. She left a brief message explaining the reason for her call and asking him to call back. Then she remembered he’d said something about a faculty meeting at the university later in the day that might run into dinnertime. She glanced at the clock. Half past four.
Maybe I’d better just go by myself, she thought. As she was gathering her purse, keys, and sweater, the phone rang.
“Hi, Mom,” Michelle’s voice said. “What are you up to?”
“I was just about to head over to Shoreline Manor.”
“What’s that?”
“Didn’t I tell you about it on Sunday?”
“Oh, yeah. The senior apartment complex by the beach.”
“Yeah. That’s it.”
“Did you talk to Grandma about it?”
“I did. We just got off the phone. She sounded interested, and I told her I’d go see if I could have them hold a unit for her.”
“Can I come along?” Michelle asked.
Sheila was pleasantly surprised. “Sure! But do you have time? I mean it’s getting close to dinner.”
“No problem. Steve said he’d pick up Chinese on his way home. Madison’s doing homework and Caleb is watching television, so I’m sure I can go with you for a little bit.”
“The kids will be okay alone?”
“Yeah. We’ve started leaving them for short time periods. Madison’s almost thirteen, you know.”
Sheila sighed. “I can hardly believe it. But yes, your dad and I used to leave you and Tim home alone when you were
her age.”
“So do you want to swing by here and pick me up?”
“Sure. I’m just about to leave. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
As they toured the grounds, Michelle tried to imagine her grandmother living at Shoreline Manor. Surveying the grounds, her mind traveled back in time to a collection of treasured memories of her grandparents and their home. She could see Grandpa Phil sitting beside her on the top step of the front porch as Grandma Joan called to them from the kitchen.
“Come try this apple pie,” her voice beckoned from the past.
Michelle remembered watching her mother on the porch swing, Michelle’s baby brother in her arms as they gently swung back and forth.
Grandma and Grandpa’s house was always a place of adventure and family fun. Over the years, a variety of dogs had come and gone, but there was always one following Grandpa around the property or running after a ball or Frisbee.
And she could still feel the warmth of the summer sun and the delicious smells that wafted out the kitchen window.
Yep. It was one of her very favorite spots in the world.
Even after Michelle was grown and had kids of her own, she still loved going to Mariposa and spending time at their home. There was something so very peaceful about the place.
As she looked around Shoreline Manor, she had to admit it was pretty peaceful there, too. But in a different way. A hushed, quiet kind of peacefulness that lacked the hominess of her grandparents’ spread.
“Do you think Grandma will feel at home here?” she asked her mother.
“I sure hope so, honey. She needs to be near family now, and no matter how much I try to convince her to move in with me, she will not even consider it,” Sheila replied, adding, “Let’s go look inside one of the apartments.” She pointed to a building off to the right. “I think the one on the ground floor over there would be the best location.”
They walked along the paved path, winding through sprawling emerald lawns and beautiful flowerbeds. Everything looked perfectly manicured. But to Michelle, it seemed almost too perfect. There was something about the dirt and rocky flowerbeds of her grandparents place that spoke of God, not man. The one consolation was the sound of the nearby surf that Michelle knew her grandmother would love.
As they met up with the woman who would be showing them the apartment, Michelle tried to keep an upbeat attitude. “Beautiful grounds,” she said to the woman with a smile.
“We try to keep it well groomed,” the woman replied. “But the residents’ favorite patch is the vegetable garden around back. And, of course, many residents keep their own potted and hanging plants on their patios.”
“I’d love to see the vegetable garden,” Michelle said, her spirits picking up as she imagined her grandmother poking around in a garden again.
The woman smiled warmly. “Yes, we’ll be sure to go over there after you two take a look at the apartment.” She fingered the keys on her key ring until she found the correct one for the front door. After she unlocked the bolt, she opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for Michelle and her mother to enter.
The smell of new carpet and paint filled Michelle’s nostrils.
“Here, let me open some windows,” their guide said, as if reading Michelle’s thoughts. “They just finished preparing this unit for new occupancy,” she added cheerfully.
As she drew back the curtains and opened the windows, the sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean rushed into the living room. “Now that’s better,” she said to Michelle and her mother.
Sheila walked over and looked out the window. “Come and see the view,” she said.
Michelle joined her, and they gazed out over the lawn and then to the sea. Off in the distance, they could see the lighthouse perched on a rocky jetty with the park beside it.
“It’s a beautiful location,” Michelle agreed.
“I wouldn’t mind living here myself,” her mother added with a smile.
“Would you like to see the rest of the rooms?” their tour guide asked.
“Definitely,” Michelle replied.
They went into the kitchen next. Although it wasn’t anything like her grandmother’s old oak cabinetry and tile counters, the crisp white woodwork and sandy colored granite looked very inviting and beachy. Michelle particularly liked the glass front cabinet doors that flanked the window. “Grandma’s dishes will look nice in these,” she commented, noticing her mother’s smile in response.
Next the woman opened a door that led into a pantry.
“Wow, I was thinking that was a door into a garage,” Michelle said. “That’s quite a big pantry for an apartment.”
“There are no attached garages,” the woman replied. “I hope that won’t be a problem.”
“No problem at all,” Sheila replied. “Mom doesn’t have a car.”
Leaving the kitchen, they toured through the dining area, the two bedrooms, the master bath, and the guest bathroom. Everything was spotless. Each bedroom had a sliding glass door leading out to a small patio, and a larger patio off the living area looked out to the ocean. Although the patios were empty, Michelle noticed how cute others in the building looked with their porch furniture, gliders, and planters.
Maybe Grandma will be happy here after all, she thought. Then she turned and asked, “Can we see the vegetable garden now?”
Her mother laughed. “You really seem interested in that.”
“I just think it would be fun for Grandma since she’s always had her own garden.”
“Yes, but remember that Grandpa did much of the work in those gardens,” her mother added.
After locking up the apartment, they headed out to see the rest of the grounds as well as the vegetable patch. When they got to it, Michelle was surprised to see how large it was. There were several residents working the garden—pulling weeds, planting seeds, and hoeing the ground.
Their guide introduced them to each person by name. Michelle was impressed with the family friendliness between the woman and the folks working in the garden. They bantered back and forth a bit about the progress of the vegetables, and Michelle noticed the woman asked each resident something about his or her family as well.
“These folks mean the world to me,” she told Michelle and her mother as they moved along on their tour. “We’re all ‘family’ here,” she added.
Soon they were heading into the office, where Sheila would get more details on the lease of the apartment.
“Mom, would you mind if I went back to the vegetable garden to chat with some of the residents who are working out there?” Michelle asked.
Her mother smiled. “Not at all. Go right ahead. I’ll call your cell phone when I’m ready to leave.”
Michelle took a shortcut across the property and was glad to see that a couple of people were still out in the garden. She overheard two of them discussing their tomato crops. “Take some of these back to your apartment,” one man offered as he handed a couple of his ripe tomatoes to a woman weeding nearby.
“Thanks, Hank,” she said with a nod as she stood and took them from him. After placing them in her basket, she brushed the dirt from her hands, and told him goodbye. “Coming with me, Millie?” she asked another woman nearby, who had her own basket full of vegetables.
“Yes, indeed,” her friend replied.
As soon as the two women had left, Hank turned to her and offered her a tomato. “Would you like one, young lady?”
She smiled and accepted his offer. “It looks delicious.”
He grinned and nodded. “A good crop this year. So what brings you here to Shoreline Manor?”
“We’re looking at an apartment for my grandmother. She may be moving here from California,” she began, and then added, “My grandfather passed away not too long ago.”
Hank nodded again. “I’m sorry to hear that. Lost my own Helen six months ago. We’d been married for sixty-two years.” His voice dropped, as did his smile.
Michelle tried to imagine
what it would be like to be married to Steve that long and then be alone. “I’m sure you must miss her very much,” she offered.
“Yup. But I know I’ll see her again someday,” he said, gazing off toward the ocean and nodding to himself. Then he cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Michelle. “So tell me about your grandmother.”
“Okay. Her name is Joan. She’s a wonderful person, and she was very supportive of my grandfather’s ministry as a pastor. She’s pretty spry and a little opinionated. And she’s a great cook,” she added with a grin.
“So, you say she’s going to be moving here?” he asked.
“I think so. It’ll be hard for her to leave the home where she and my grandfather lived for most of their lives. But we all feel it’s important for her to be near family now. She hurt her back not too long ago, and we were all so far away that she ended up in the hospital alone overnight before my mom could get down there.”
He nodded. “It’s a big adjustment to move at our age, but I’ve got to say that the people here are really friendly. I mean not just the people who work here, but the residents, too. That helps.”
“I’ll bet,” she replied. “Hey, thanks for talking to me. And for the tomato,” she added, holding it up with a smile.
“My pleasure. I’ll keep an eye out for your grandmother,” he said. “Maybe I can help her get a patch of her own going here,” he added as he gestured to a plot of dirt next to his tomato vine.
“That would be great. I’m sure she’d love the help,” Michelle told him. And for the first time, she thought just maybe her grandmother would be okay in this new place.
After dropping Michelle off at home and putting a Shoreline Manor brochure in the mail to her mother down in Mariposa, Sheila went home and fixed herself some tea. Putting her feet up on the coffee table and sipping the cinnamon flavored brew, she looked through all the paperwork once again.
It was tough trying to imagine her mother living there. But it was just as tough to think of her on her own down in that big old house with all that property to maintain.
From the Heart (Sandy Cove Series Book 5) Page 5
