I gave Laura a shove, and she sat up in bed with wide eyes. It's amazing how much more alert she is now that she's not taking those stupid sleeping pills. “What's up?”
“The president of Omega Records wants to talk to us.” I was already halfway through the door that adjoined Allie's family's room to ours. “Hey, AI. Get in here. Mr. Sallinger is on the phone.” I must admit to feeling nervous, worried that Omega could be upset by Laura's public confession to drug use last night. We hadn't warned anyone that she was going to do that. Who knew?
Soon we were all huddled around the phone receiver. “We're here,” I told his secretary.
After a brief pause, Mr. Sallinger came on the phone. “Good morning, girls. Sorry to get you up so early. Did you have a pretty late night last night?”
“We got back to the hotel around one-thirty,” I told him.
“Well, that was one great concert you girls participated in last night.”
I could see the relief washing over Laura's face. “Thanks, Mr. Sallinger,” I said. “Believe me, we were as touched as anyone.”
“You and everyone else who tuned in to watch the show.” He paused. “Laura, are you there?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, little lady, you had most of my family in tears last night. And I promise you that's not something that happens every day.”
“Thank you, sir, but that was God's doing,” said Laura in a husky voice.
“Yes, you've got that right. But I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how proud you made us all, Laura. All you girls have been absolutely terrific on this tour. And to thank you, Omega has decided to send you to New York City for a little shopping spree and sight-seeing. Does that sound good to you girls?”
Naturally we all squealed with delight.
“And since we know you're all eager to get home,” he continued. “We'll fly you back to save time. How does that sound?”
“It sounds great, Kr. Sallinger,” I said.
“Good. Now Eric will be in touch with your manager to go over all the details. You girls have a Kerry Christmas! And rest up during your break because, believe me, Omega's got some big plans for Redemption.”
We thanked him and hung up then jumped around hugging and screaming. Davie joined in with us, although I'm sure he had no idea why we were so happy and relieved.
“I'm assuming you'll be needing your chaper-one,” said Elise with a grin.
Allie went over and hugged her. “Of course, Kom.”
“Great, because I've always dreamed of shopping in New York City!”
We were checked out of that hotel and loaded onto the bus in a matter of minutes. Elise actually fixed us breakfast on the road. It was shortly afterward that Laura phoned her parents. Naturally, she was pretty worried about their reactions to last night's public confession. We tried not to eavesdrop as she talked to her mom in the privacy of the bedroom. But it was easy to tell that it wasn't going too well.
“My mom's pretty upset,” Laura told us when she finally emerged from the bedroom. “I guess she'd wanted me to keep quiet about the whole thing. But I told her that I've got to speak the truth the way I believe God is telling me.”
“That's right and true,” said Elise. “And as parents we should want that for our kids. Unfortunately, it's not always easy.”
“Yeah.” Laura slumped onto the couch.
“Don't worry,” I said as I sat beside her. “I've seen your mom get over stuff before. She's really good at springing back.”
Laura nodded. “I guess you're right.”
“Besides,” added Allie. “There's nothing you can do about that now. You'll have plenty of time to sort it all out when we get home.”
By noon, Rosy dropped us off at our ritzy hotel smack in the middle of the city. We were sad to tell her good-bye, but we knew she was eager to get home for Christmas since she'd promised to join her brother's family in Virginia. We threw our bags in our rooms, ate a quick lunch, and were soon parading our stuff through one of the best shopping districts in the world!
Mr. Sallinger wired each of us a special bonus to be used for Christmas shopping. Willy offered to take Davie so Elise could “be just one of the girls,” and the four of us set out to conquer Mew York, ibr what seemed like a whole a lot of money, we somehow managed to spend most of it! All in all, it was a whirlwind sort of day. But man, was it fun.
However, we didn't use all the money for presents. In the midst of our wild and crazy shopping day, Allie noticed a Salvation Array bell ringer in front of a swanky shoe store. She reached into her wallet, pulled out a pretty huge chunk of change, and dropped it into the locking iron pot.
The white-haired woman stopped ringing the bell for a moment as her eyes popped open wide. She studied Allie as if she'd come down from another planet. Then Laura and I, challenged by Allied sweet generosity, quickly followed suit and the poor bell-ringing woman nearly toppled over with shock.
“God bless you!” we all yelled.
The woman smiled big. “And God bless you too!”
“Oh, He has!” called out Laura.
Our arms filled with bags and boxes—I've never had such fabulous gifts for ray family and friends—we finally hailed a taxi and returned to our hotel. Amid ray purchases are sorae gold charm bracelets I found at Tiffany's of all places. Two are for Laura and Allie and one is for Caitlin. I got some music charms and a couple other things that I know Laura and Allie will love. But for Caitlin's I just got an angel. At first I wasn't even sure why I picked an angel. It's not that I think Caitlin's an angel exactly, and yet she was like God's messenger to me at a time when I really needed to know that He loved me. And I know that angels are messengers from God. So maybe she is sort of an angel. Anyway, it was cool getting gifts that feel really special.
We caught up with Willy by dinnertime. He'd spent most of the day getting our airline tickets and taking care of all the general managing details as well as hanging with Davie, who appeared to be happily exhausted since he literally fell asleep in his soup.
Then Willy announced that, compliments of Omega, we were being treated to a Broadway show. We couldn't believe it. Willy had already lined up a babysitter for Davie in case Elise wanted to go too, which she did, and we all dressed to the nines (whatever that is) and rode the hotel limo to the theater district.
Now talk about your dream day. It was spectacular! Tomorrow we fly out, first class, and should be home in time for dinner. Oh, what a life!
HEAVEN
God, You are so good
You fill life with such pleasures
it's hard to imagine heaven
much finer with its treasures
but then i pause to think
of exactly what i'll do
when i walk into heaven
all i'll want is You
i'll fall down at Your feet
and thank You for Your grace
i'll worship and adore You
and i'll gaze into Your face
i'll sing to You my praises
i'll give You all my love
and earth will be diminished
by Your glory that's above
cm
Twenty-One
Thursday, December 23
(HEADING HOME POR THE HOLIDAYS)
We actually sang 'Til Be Home for Christmas” as we waited in the never-ending security line at JFK Airport. A cappella, of course. But the weary holiday travelers cheered and applauded and even begged for more. So we sang a couple more Christmas carols, and before we knew it we were at the gate.
But as we were waiting for our flight, my cell phone rang. When I answered it, I was surprised to hear Josh's voice. And he sounded excited.
“Hey, what's up big brother?”
“You're not going to believe this!”
“What?” I couldn't tell by the tone of his voice whether it was good or bad, and I immediately became worried about my parents. “Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah. It's just tha
t this is so amazing I don't know where to begin.”
“You're getting married!” I shouted.
“Ho, no.” He laughed. “That's definitely not it.”
“All right then, you better tell me.”
“Well, you know we saw your concert the other night, which was, by the way, absolutely fantastic. Tell Laura that I've never been more proud of her. She's quite a girl.”
“Yeah.1. I winked at Laura who was balancing her carry-ons and holding on to Davie's hand while Allie and Elise searched the gift shop for the latest fashion magazines and goodies. “We think Laura's pretty special too. But is that why you're so excited?”
“Nooo. The thing is, Caleb called yesterday. I'd barely gotten home from school when I heard the phone ringing. I was totally shocked to hear his voice on the other end. Ifow, get this: Somehow our brother managed to tune in to a certain concert that was on TV on a certain night. Do you get what I'm saying, Chloe?”
“No way!” My heart started to pound with excitement. “He didn't!'”
“Yes, he did! Get this, he and some friends were just hanging, and apparently someone was channel surfing and had stopped to hear this cool-looking chick band that was really rockin' out. I think that's almost exactly how Caleb put it.”
“You are kidding!” Ky eyes were starting to fill up now.
“I know; I know. It's incredible. And then Caleb goes, 'Hey, I think that's my baby sister playing lead guitar.' Well, naturally his friends don't believe him. So he makes them leave it (? that gospel channel so he can prove to them—and himself—that it's really you. He admitted that he couldn't quite believe it either. He was amazed that you're all grown up.”
“Josh, I think I need to sit down,” I said, which was true. I was so dumbfounded that something this incredible could really happen. I collapsed onto a hard vinyl seat and just took in a deep breath. “Okay, continue.”
“So anyway, he and his buddies watched the whole concert, Ghloe. The WHOLE thing! Can you believe it?”
“No way!”
“Yeah. And the stuff that Laura and Isaiah shared actually touched Caleb. He said that he's known for some time that his life is a total mess, and he wants out but just isn't sure what to do next. Can you believe it? You girls actually managed to touch Caleb Killer's life.”
“I am totally stunned, Josh. It sounds too good to be true. So what's going to happen now? And where is Caleb living anyway? Can he come home for Christmas?”
“Slow down, little sister. Okay, first of all, he's living in Mason—”
“Mason? That's only an hour from home. I thought for sure he was far away like LA or New York or something.”
“I thought so too. And the parents said it's okay for Caleb to come home if he's serious about wanting to change.”
“Well, that's pretty hard to judge, isn't it?” The last thing I wanted to see was another repeat of my father jumping all over Caleb on Christmas Eve. Ugh, I'd rather be stuck in an airport somewhere than live through that again.
“Yeah, but I think I convinced them that the only way we can know is to welcome him home and talk to him. I also reminded them of the prodigal son story. I think that got to them a little.”
“So, he's really coming home then?”
“He'll be here tomorrow. He really wants to talk to you, Chloe.”
I swallowed hard. “I want to talk to him too, Josh.”
“I told him that. I told him that you'd been thinking about him a lot and praying for him. He thought that was pretty cool.”
So, now I'm sitting on the plane counting the minutes until we land. Josh is picking me up at the airport, and for some reason, I feel more eager than ever to see my family again—all of them!
PRAISE GOD!
You are amazing, God!
way cool, amazing!
sometimes it feels so
dark and hopeless
i feel like giving up
and then You burst forth
with a real live miracle
thank You! thank You! thank You!
praise You! praise You! praise You!
for what You're doing with Caleb
and for all Your grace and mercy
i place him in Your hands
Your amazing, loving hands
and i praise You! praise You! praise You!
amen!
Twenty-Two
Friday, December 24
(FAMILY REUNION)
When I got home last night, I could tell my parents were on edge about Caleb's out-of-the-blue visit. But at the same time, I sensed an unexpected hopefulness in both of them. And I guess I began to realize that they're not really the enemies here. They've been hurting as much, maybe even more, than I. Mow I don't know why that never occurred to me before. “Maybe I'm actually growing up.
Anyway, Caleb had told Josh that he'd be here in time for dinner tonight. And my parents decided that it might be best just to have a quiet evening with the five of us. So they've put off the larger gathering of family and friends until tomorrow. I think that was wise.
So Caleb finally shows up around five. It's already fairly dark Outside, and I'm steadily checking out the kitchen window until I finally see what looks like an old beater car pulling up in front of the house. Then a scrawny-looking character, who I'm sure must be my older brother, reaches into the backseat and emerges with a cardboard box. Is that his laundry? I can tell by the way he walks that he's nervous, so I decide not to announce to everyone that he's here. Instead, I slip out the door and go to meet him, waving from the sidewalk.
“Hey, Chloe,” he says with the same sweet smile that I would recognize anywhere. Never mind that his cheeks look slightly hollow and his skin is pale, although it could be the streetlight.
“Hey, Caleb.” I run forward now and grab him into a hug, slightly crunching his cardboard box. Then I step back, suddenly self-conscious. “Sorry. Did I mess up your box?”
He laughs. “Mah, it's okay.” Then he reaches out and roughs up my hair. “Cool hair.”
I smile. “Thanks.” I notice that his dark brown hair is long and matted and looks like it hasn't been washed in a while. “Going for dreadlocks?”
He laughs and pats his head. “Yeah, something low maintenance.”
“I hear ya.”
“Man, you've really grown up, Chloe girl.” He nods with approval. “You're a good-looking young woman.”
I laugh. “Ifot everyone would agree with you.”
“I'll bet Mom had a cow when you got those piercings.”
I take him by the arm and lead him toward the house. “I think I've probably contributed a lot of gray hairs to both our poor parents.” Then in a lowered voice I say, “Although -Mom gets hers colored now.”
“Nah. I'ra sure I can take credit for any gray hair in this family. I've really been a mess.”
“Hey, we've all messed up, Caleb. You heard my friends on TV the other night. Even when you mess up, there's still hope.”
We're on the porch now, and he looks down at me with those puppy dog brown eyes. “You really think so?”
“I know so.”
He shakes his head. “Kan, you're quite a girl, Chloe.”
Now I can't say it was all smooth sailing last night, but I could tell my parents were doing their best to be civilized. And I know that sorae of Caleb's answers were disturbing to them. His choice of lifestyle is, shall I say, slightly unconventional compared to theirs.
Basically, he lives with a group of people who work when they feel like it. Some are creative sorts, like Caleb, who enjoys creating things out of wood, and others I assume are just slackers who pass their time trying to figure out ways to get high. Now, these are just the deductions I made based on Caleb's comments, and I could be completely wrong. It seems Caleb has had a variety of jobs over the years, from washing dishes to pumping gas to things he said he'd rather not talk about. I can only imagine. But my take on him is that he's burnt-out and tired and very, very sad. I think he's ready
for help.
“So, where do you go from here, Caleb?” Dad asks as we're finishing up dinner. “Any plans?”
Caleb just shrugs. “Good meal, Mom.”
My mom smiles. “Thanks.”
“I'm not trying to pressure you,” my dad continues. “I'm just curious.”
“You know, Dad,” begins Josh, “It might be premature to ask Caleb about his future right now. Sometimes you just have to figure out the day in front of you.”
Caleb nods. “Yeah, that's kinda how I feel.”
“So, Caleb,” continues Josh. “Do you feel as though you'd like to be clean today?”
Caleb seems to seriously consider this. “You know, thatfs not a question I want to answer lightly. And I don't want to give an answer just because I know thatfs what you're hoping to hear. But the truth is, I'm sick of my life. And even though it seems impossible—since I've tried before—I'd still like to change.”
My dad brightens. “So, do you want to go back to school?”
Caleb holds up his hands. “I don't know about that.”
“See,” said Josh. “I think that's moving too far ahead again, Dad.”
My dad frowns now. “But if you want to change your life, shouldn't you plan for your future? What better way to change than to go back to school?”
“I think there's a better way,”I say quietly. “I think Caleb needs to surrender his life to God first.”
“I agree,” says Josh in a firm but gentle voice.
“Man, this is really something,” Caleb says with a funny grin. “When did this family get so doggoned religious?”
“We used to take you kids to church.” Mom's voice is slightly defensive.
“That's right,” says Dad. “In fact, your mother and I met in a church youth group back in high school.”
“NO way,” I say. Ky parents have never exactly struck me as the church youth group types.
“It's the truth,” continues my mom with a slightly guilty expression. “I used to consider myself a strong Christian. Sort of like you, Chloe.”
“Seriously?” This comes from Josh, and I can tell he's as confused as I am.
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