by Delia Latham
A murmur of assent arose from the small crowd.
Pastor Merckle’s smile warmed Summer’s heart as his gaze touched on his parishioners. That he cared about them was clearly engraved in the lines of his face. “Verse twenty-seven. Let’s read. ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.’” He looked up, eyebrows raised. “OK, I get it. Let’s try another version. I love the King James, but sometimes it’s a little hazy as to meaning. How about this, from the NIV? ‘Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.’ Even I can understand that.”
The man clearly loved humor. Summer liked that. Her minister in Three Rivers was an older man, and she loved and appreciated him, but humor wasn’t a large part of his ministry.
“Ready for that story I promised? A man named Aesop told it first. Maybe you’ve heard of him? Pretty smart guy. Wrote a lot of little stories, all with a moral. He titled this one ‘The Belly and the Members.’” Picking up a small book, Pastor Merckle opened it to a bookmarked page. “It’s very short, so I’ll just read it to you.
“‘One fine day it occurred to the Members of the Body that they were doing all the work and the Belly was having all the food. So they held a meeting, and after a long discussion, decided to strike work till the Belly consented to take its proper share of the work. So for a day or two, the Hands refused to take the food, the Mouth refused to receive it, and the Teeth had no work to do. But after a day or two, the Members began to find that they themselves were not in a very active condition: The Hands could hardly move, and the Mouth was all parched and dry, while the Legs were unable to support the rest. So thus they found that even the Belly in its dull, quiet way, was doing necessary work for the Body, and that all must work together or the Body will go to pieces.’
“I suppose you all know where this is going, and that’s good. It means you’re attuned to and familiar with the Word.” He talked about how every part of the body needed every other part, physically and spiritually. Pastor Merckle put a new spin on an old subject, one her minister had used many times behind the pulpit in Three Rivers.
But, until today, Summer had only heard the words with her ears. Today she heard it with her heart, and shame sent hot tears down her face. In all the years she’d lived under Uncle Barry’s roof, it had never occurred to her to think of Deah as part of the body of Christ. No, her cousin wasn’t a practicing Christian, but still…God loved Deah and longed for her to know Him.
All of her cousin’s shenanigans throughout the years, her selfish personality traits and spoiled behavior…were they all Deah’s way of reaching out because she needed someone? Or because she needed to be needed?
Her mind replayed the events of the previous evening. Deah seemed more than just willing to take care of Miss Angie. She seemed eager to do it. Determined. Was that the girl’s soul-response to Miss Angie’s need? And Miss Angie’s obvious preference for Deah as caretaker? Everything seemed so clear now…like a puzzle that had been missing a piece. Summer jumped, her eyes widening, as the minister’s words interrupted her momentary reverie.
“I love jigsaw puzzles. I know, I know…that’s not a very exciting pastime, but there it is. Any of you like puzzles?”
Fascinated, Summer watched hands go up all across the congregation. Logan’s was one of them.
“So listen, if you’ve put together a puzzle or three, you’ve probably experienced how utterly frustrating it is when you buy a thousand-piece puzzle, only to discover after slaving at it for days, weeks—maybe even months—that the box only held nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces.” He waited out the answering wave of laughter and groans and then continued in a more sober tone.
“See folks, the body of Christ is like a puzzle. Each piece fits precisely, but only in its designated spot. Each of those pieces is crucial to the body, to making it whole and healthy. When one of us refuses to take the place God intends for us to fill, we leave a gap where we’re supposed to be. The body of Christ will never be complete without that person, because the body needs each and every member.
“Needy? Yes, we’re all needy people. We need God. We need each other. And we need to know that we fill an important role in the body of Christ…that we’re needed.”
Summer’s heart was so full it couldn’t contain any more. She accepted a tissue from Logan and offered a watery smile in return.
11
The couple in front of them turned around almost before the final amen, big smiles in place.
“Logan, who’s your guest?” The man, sporting a lopsided grin, pounded Logan’s shoulder. “Do we get to meet her?”
“Dec, stop. You’ll embarrass her.” The dark-haired woman was lovely. She slapped playfully at her companion’s arm and stretched a hand toward Summer. “Don’t mind my husband. Sometimes he forgets he’s a grown-up. I’m Raine, and it’s so nice to meet you.”
Logan laughed and slipped a reassuring arm around Summer’s waist. “Raine, Dec…this is Summer Callihan. She and her cousin are staying at Paradise Pines.”
Dec shook Summer’s hand.
Raine squealed, bouncing up and down on her toes. “You’re Miss Angie’s guest? Oh, my goodness, isn’t she amazing? I just moved out. I spent the spring months there.” She sent an adoring glance toward Dec. “That’s how Dec and I met. He’s the ogre who owns the property adjacent to the lodge.”
“Hey, now…you can’t tell Summer a thing like that without giving her the whole story. You know, the one where you came storming onto my property shouting hallelujahs and causing considerable damage to my good friend, Grizz’s ear!”
“Oh, I suppose that’s true. We’ll find a time to do that.” Raine planted a loud, smacking kiss on her husband’s cheek.
“Nice to meet you both.” Summer found that her customary shyness didn’t have a place in this sanctuary with these people.
“I was hoping to give Summer a tour of Chrysalis.” Logan raised his eyebrows in a hopeful plea. “Any chance of that happening today?”
“Are you kidding?” A huge smile overtook Raine’s attractive features. She grabbed her purse and pointed toward the door. “I never miss a chance to show off the shelter. Is now soon enough?”
Moments later—after making their way through several more introductions, handshakes and warm welcomes, on the way to the side door leading out of the sanctuary—they stood in front of a long, narrow building a couple hundred yards behind the church. Over the door, an imposing sign featuring a gorgeous monarch butterfly welcomed them to Chrysalis.
Raine took them first into a large, warmly decorated room that clearly functioned as the heart of the shelter. Along with shelves holding board game boxes, movies and video games, a large-screen television monopolized the far, narrow end. A well-stocked bookshelf swallowed up one of the long walls. Summer ran a quick visual scan and found a literary menu from the classics to popular modern authors, in genres ranging from religion to romance to mystery and thriller.
A floor-to-ceiling fireplace dominated the opposite side of the room. Hanging above that focal point, a stunning painting caught Summer’s attention. Using the butterfly theme clearly prevalent in the shelter, the piece emitted something more than art. Summer reacted with quick, overwhelming emotion as the integral meaning of the shelter’s name became clear to her. “What a gorgeous piece! It—” Her eyes stung, and she cleared her throat of a lump that obstructed her voice. “It’s almost alive, isn’t it?”
Against a blue sky background, a single monarch danced in flight, an inch or so above a leafy branch. Just beneath the butterfly, an empty cocoon clung to the bark. While the painting clearly sought to highlight the beautiful, newly winged creature, a beam of sunlight lanced through the leaves and shone directly on the chrysalis, making it a dominant element, also.
Logan slipped an arm around her waist, drawing her against his side and speaking low into her ear. “I’m glad you like it.”
Her gaze flew to his and then back to the painting. Only then did
she notice, tucked into the bottom right corner—small and unobtrusive, as always—Logan’s signature. “Logan, it’s stunning! Why did I think you only did seascapes?”
“Probably because that’s the heart of my work. I love the sea…but I often cover other subjects as well. When this place opened, I wanted to contribute something memorable—something other than a simple monetary donation.” He shrugged off the magnitude of his gift. “This is what I came up with.”
Raine stepped in and slipped her arm through Summer’s. “I love it too. Someday I’ll tell you a story about the monarchs.” Her beautiful eyes widened, and she whirled toward Dec. “Is there anything to see at the grove this time of year?”
“I’m afraid not.” He offered a smile—one Summer was beginning to realize always had a certain lopsided quality. “Summer, you’ll have to come back this winter to see the show of wings.”
“Yes! Do that.” Raine grinned. “In the meantime, I have plenty of photos to show you. It really is a fantastic display of nature. Of course, I could be a bit over-enthusiastic, considering Dec and I experienced one of the most romantic moments of our courtship there in the butterfly grove.”
Dec cast a pleading gaze toward Logan. “How ’bout you and I step outside and wait? We’ve both seen the shelter more than once, and I’m afraid this conversation could turn into one of those ‘boy-was-my-face-red’ moments.”
The men hurried outside.
Laughing, Raine led Summer toward a door leading into a hallway. “I do want to tell you about my favorite memory of the grove, but it can wait for another day. We need to clear this room. The kids will be having lunch in a little while, and they’ll be in here setting up the tables any moment now.”
Only then did Summer notice the delicious smells wafting through the place and that she was suddenly hungry.
Raine showed her only one of the ten rooms. “They all look pretty much the same,” she explained. “But this one is empty right now, so we won’t be intruding on anyone’s private quarters.”
The medium-sized space held two beds, two small chests for clothing and personal items, and a shared closet. Nothing fancy, but even empty, the room exuded welcome. Bright rugs beside each bed lent softness and warmth, while cheerfully colored posters with inspirational quotes and bits of wisdom hung on the walls.
Raine shared a quick recap of how Chrysalis came to be. “It’s still very new,” she explained. “I came here in January, and we didn’t really get this place up and running until mid-March. It happened quickly after we made up our minds to do it, but it was a huge undertaking, and continues to be a big job.”
“I’m sure it is. But it’s fulfilling, isn’t it?” Summer smiled at the other woman. “I see complete contentment in those beautiful eyes of yours.”
“Aww, thank you!” Raine pulled her into a quick hug. “You’re right. Working with these teens completely turned my life around. I’ve never been so happy.”
“It shows.”
“Well, I gotta be honest.” Raine shot her a mischievous smile. “A lot of that has to do with being married to the sweetest, kindest, most amazing man in the world. Dec Keller is the love of my life. Speaking of whom, if I know my new hubby, he’s starving and can’t wait for us to get out of here and have lunch. Oh!” She clapped her hands like an excited child. “You and Logan should join us! We’ll treat you to the best barbecue on the coast.”
Summer lifted one shoulder. “We’ll need to check with Logan. Lunch actually sounds great—I’m hungry!—but I don’t want to stay away from the lodge too long. Miss Angie hurt her ankle last night, and I’m worried about her.”
“Oh, no! We’ll all go visit her after lunch. But if I know Miss Angie, she’ll be fine. There’s just something…special…about that lady. You know?”
Summer nodded in complete agreement. She couldn’t think of a better word to describe Miss Angie.
The two men waited outside the door. The moment Raine and Summer appeared, they launched into loud, blustering claims of starvation. Within moments, the four of them were packed into Logan’s vehicle and headed to West Village, home of ”the best barbecue on the coast.”
****
Logan looked up from their table at Barbecue Haven. Standing, he waved at a man just inside the door. “Hey! Brady! Over here.”
Pastor Merckle wound his way through the crowd to join them. “So this is where you all disappeared to. I might have known.”
Laughter greeted the minister’s teasing statement, but he held up a finger. “You three broke a rule, you know. You whisked away our visitor this morning before I had a chance to say hello.”
Logan grinned. “You can blame me for that. I wanted her to see Chrysalis.”
“And me.” Raine tapped at her lips with a napkin and shrugged. “Given the slightest invitation, I hurried her over there. You know I can’t turn down any opportunity to show off our butterfly baby.”
Brady laughed. “Well, I suppose I must forgive, seeing as how you’re all so excited about the shelter. However…I still want to meet Logan’s guest.” He turned and stretched a hand across the table to Summer. “In case you didn’t pick up on it back there at the church, I’m Brady Merckle, and these folks have a habit of calling me ‘pastor.’” His comical grin set off a round of good-natured laughter. “It was a pleasure having you in service this morning.”
Summer’s shy smile tugged at Logan’s heart as she accepted Brady’s handshake. “I enjoyed your message, Pastor Merckle.”
The minister’s lips twisted comically. “Can we just make it ‘Brady,’ at least when we’re not at church?”
Summer’s eyes went wide, and Logan decided now was probably a good time to do the proper honors. Maybe he could save Summer a bit of discomfort.
“Brady, this lovely lady is Summer Callihan. She’s Miss Angie’s new guest, all the way from Three Rivers.”
“I may have been in Three Rivers before.” Brady’s brows knit. “That little place over close to Visalia?”
“Yes, that’s it.” Summer seemed surprised. “We’re to the east and maybe a little above Woodlake.”
“Right. I spoke in a little church there once, years ago. Pastor’s name was…” He tapped his fingers on the table, staring off into the distance, his eyes narrowed. “Vaughn, I believe. Dennis? Darrell? Something with a D.”
“Dale Vaughn. That’s my pastor!” Summer shook her head. “But you must have been there before I moved to Three Rivers. I would’ve remembered you.”
“It was a good many years ago.”
Logan heaved a silent sigh. He’d hoped Brady might divulge a little of his past in that conversation, but it hadn’t happened.
The man never seemed to want to talk about himself, especially if it involved the years before he bought his little place in Cambria.
Oh, well. The pastor was entitled to his privacy. Logan trusted and respected him for the life he watched Brady live. His past might be a dark void forever, but as long as he kept being the man and the minister he was now, Logan didn’t really need to know more. He’d learned a lot from the guy, and they’d become good friends over the years.
“Go on and get your food, but then you should join us, Brady. We just got here too.”
“Thank you, I’d like that. Be right back.” He hurried off to order.
Logan returned to his seat next to Summer.
The next hour rushed by in a whirl of good food and fellowship. Summer’s quiet participation in the conversation warmed Logan’s heart. He wasn’t ready to take her home yet, but soon she laid a hesitant hand on his arm.
“I’m sorry to bring such a wonderful time to an end, but I’m really concerned about Miss Angie. Would you mind…?”
“Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot!” Raine jumped up and started gathering dirty napkins and plastic trays. “Dec and I are going too. Logan, if you’ll just drop us off at the church to get our car, we’ll be right behind you and Summer.”
“Actually, I’
m headed out to the lodge myself.” Brady rose, and everyone else joined him. “Do you think it will overwhelm her if we all go at the same time?”
Summer shook her head. “I don’t think so. Miss Angie will almost certainly enjoy the fellowship. Maybe you could read a verse or two of scripture and recap her on your message this morning, Brady. I know her less than any of you, but from what I’ve seen, Miss Angie loves the Word of God more than anything else. I can’t believe how much of it she’s committed to memory. She’s always quoting one scripture or another.”
“So true,” Raine said as they all pushed through the front doors and headed for their vehicles. “I love that about her. She’s always got a scripture that’s absolutely fitting for every situation.”
Brady chuckled. “The lady puts me to shame. I thought I knew the Bible pretty well until I met her. She can quote circles around me any day of the week.”
Logan waved to the pastor as Summer, Dec, and Raine piled into his car. “See you at the lodge?”
“Right behind you.”
In moments, they were at the church, where Dec and Raine, in their own vehicle, followed Logan out of the parking lot.
“They’re all wonderful people.” Summer smiled. “I feel as if I’ve known them forever.”
“Well, who knows?” Logan winked and took her hand—he simply couldn’t sit that close to her and not make contact. “Maybe you will know them forever.”
One can only hope.
12
Summer’s heart hammered with thunderous force while she waited for Miss Angie’s door to be answered. She liked these people—the Kellers, Brady Merckle and, of course, Logan—and past experience had taught her to never allow her cousin around anyone who mattered to her.
Deah seemed to take great delight in embarrassing Summer, horrifying her friends…and ultimately making them choose to stay away.
