Promises of Love: A Contemporary Christian Romance

by Juliette Duncan

  Spencer climbed into the front seat, did his seat belt up and adjusted the controls before turning his head to the back. Blue eyes twinkled at her. "Strap yourself in, Zoe, we're just about ready for take-off."

  Ordering her heart to behave, Zoe nodded and fastened her belt before double checking Grandma's.

  "I'll try to make it as smooth as possible, but this runway's a bit bumpy," Spencer called out as he switched on the ignition.

  The noise of the engine made further conversation impossible. Zoe nodded again and gave him a smile before he turned his head to the front.

  As the plane began to move, Zoe looked out the tiny window and waved to Mum, Dad, Harrison and Peter. Whilst Mum and Dad had their arms around each other and Peter, Harrison stood alone. She bit her lip. Would they survive this unexpected turn of events?

  As the plane bounced along the runway before slowly lifting, Zoe gripped the sides of the small fold down seat and prayed they'd make it safely into the air.

  Spencer turned his head around briefly and grinned as they banked to the left. As their eyes met, Zoe once again ordered her heart to behave. She focused her attention on Grandma instead. Reaching out, Zoe squeezed Grandma's hand. Despite the hot day, her hand was icy. Zoe reached for a light blanket from the locker and placed it over Grandma, tucking it gently around her.

  "Better?" Smiling, Zoe brushed some wispy grey hair back off Grandma's face with the tips of her fingers.

  Grandma nodded, her lips trembling as she attempted a smile.

  A heavy weight settled in Harrison's stomach as the small plane carrying Zoe away from him slowly lifted above the tree line, growing smaller with every passing second. Yes, Zoe's Grandma needed urgent medical attention, but how could he feel comfortable with Zoe flying off with Spencer? He didn't trust the guy. He glanced at his watch. If he left now, he'd be back in Brisbane by early evening.

  Standing with Ruth and Kevin, Peter continued waving even when the plane was just a speck in the sky and the sound no more than a hum.

  Harrison gulped. He'd been so busy worrying about Zoe flying off with Spencer he hadn't considered how everyone else was feeling. Of course they'd be worried about Grandma. According to Zoe, there was every possibility she may not make it.

  "Grandma's sick. Zoe's making her better." Peter's voice was monotone as he rocked on his heels and repeated the phrase for the hundredth time.

  "Zoe will do her best, Peter." Kevin squeezed Peter's shoulder and then directed him towards the car. "Time to go now."

  "Can I go with Harrison?"

  Harrison was caught. He cleared his throat. "Actually, I was thinking I'd drive back to the city." He angled his head. "Would one of you like to come?"

  "I'll go with you." Peter's face lit up as he bounced on the spot.

  Harrison groaned. How was he going to get out of this?

  Kevin placed a steadying hand on Peter's shoulder. "No, Peter, we should let Mum go so she can be with Grandma."

  "Okay…" Peter hung his head, his bottom lip protruding.

  Harrison felt bad—he shouldn't have said anything in front of Peter. "You can drive back with me to the house if you like."

  Peter's expression immediately changed. "Can I drive?"

  Harrison laughed. "Not this time, I'm sorry."

  "That's all right. But can we go fast?"

  "Maybe." Harrison ruffled Peter's hair and followed him to the car.

  Within half an hour, Harrison and Ruth were on their way back to Brisbane.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Several times Zoe tried to talk with Spencer, but the drone of the plane's engine made it almost impossible to hear each other with her sitting in the back, so she settled in for the ride and stroked Grandma's hand, wiping her forehead and checking every few minutes that she was still breathing.

  Grandma's eyes fluttered open every now and then, but she mainly just sat there, her chest shuddering as she struggled for breath. As Zoe gazed at the sweet little old lady, she forced back tears while sending up prayers for her, hoping God would answer. She wasn't ready to lose Grandma just yet.

  Zoe wiped her eyes and glanced out the window at the wide open spaces below, brown as far as her eyes could see, the only green coming from the occasional groupings of trees and the very rare paddock where some optimistic farmer had planted some crops. Smoke from a number of bush fires drifted upwards in lazy spirals until they petered out, dissipating into the air. Rain, and lots of it, was so badly needed. When would God send it? The sermon that morning came to Zoe's mind. If the priest was correct, God may or may not send it sometime soon, but He would somehow still provide for the people who so desperately needed it. Zoe struggled to understand. Why wouldn't God send rain now when it was so obviously needed? She let out a sigh. God, please help me to understand Your ways.

  Shifting her gaze back to Grandma, Spencer's shapely arm muscles caught Zoe's attention. Against her better judgment, she allowed her eyes to linger on him, and a whole heap of memories flooded back. She was twelve when the Coleman's bought the property next to theirs. Her parents invited the whole family over for a barbecue to welcome them, and that was when she first lay eyes on Spencer Coleman. She still remembered it as if it were yesterday. It was one of those lazy Sunday afternoons when all the jobs were done and she and Peter were free to do whatever they wanted. The one caveat, she had to look after Peter. That wasn't so hard. She just bribed him with sweets she'd put aside for just that purpose. That afternoon, she and Peter had just come back from swimming in the dam when this big old Landcruiser bounced up the driveway, sending a cloud of brown dust into the blue sky.

  The car pulled up outside their house, and out jumped three kids—two girls and a boy. It was the boy who drew Zoe's attention. She'd never seen hair so blond nor eyes so blue. And when he grinned at her… Zoe smiled at the memory, her heart melted.

  After the introductions had been made, Zoe knew the name of the boy she'd fallen in love with. Spencer. The name rolled off her tongue. She tried not to stare at him. Mum placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "Zoe, why don't you show the children the stables? You could even go for a ride if you like. Dinner won't be for a while."

  Zoe couldn't believe her luck, even if the others were with them, it didn't matter. She was going to spend time with him.

  The butterflies in Zoe's stomach didn't settle the whole afternoon and evening, and she could barely tear her eyes away from him. She kept pinching herself that she, Zoe Taylor, quiet, shy and boring, was in the company of the best looking boy she'd ever met, and that he was actually talking with her, and seemed to find her interesting.

  Over the ensuing months and years, she and Spencer became best friends, and then boyfriend and girlfriend. On her sixteenth birthday, Spencer gave her a friendship ring and promised to love her forever. But then, less than a month later, she discovered him kissing Lisa. So much for his promise of love.

  Zoe drew a slow breath. The hurt of that betrayal had run deep for many years, but she'd forced herself to move on and had immersed herself initially in the church, and then when she moved to the city, in her studies and with her new friends. But then she met Harrison, and now he'd promised to love her forever. Zoe sighed. Would he keep that promise, or would he, like Spencer, also let her down? What was the glue that held a couple together and made their marriage last the distance?

  Grandma's words came flooding back to her. Zoe turned her head and looked at Grandma and smiled. She and Grandfather had been happily married for almost fifty years before he passed away. They knew the secret. They'd chosen wisely and put God first. Zoe's heart tightened. That was the problem…would Harrison decide to put God first, and if he didn't, would she be strong enough to let him go?

  Harrison rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. They'd only been on the road an hour… at least four to go. Beside him, Ruth stared out the window as the miles slipped by. He should be making an effort to talk to his future mother-in-law, but he
couldn't get Zoe out of his mind. As much as she'd assured him she had no feelings for Spencer, niggling doubts ate away at him, and all he wanted to do was get there as quickly as possible. The thought of her spending any time alone with Spencer made him anxious. At least she was in the back of the plane, but they'd be landing soon, and here he was, in the middle of nowhere. He let out a frustrated sigh. Nothing he could do about it other than keep driving. He'd call her as soon as they had mobile reception again. How could there still be black holes in the country where phones didn't work? Unbelievable!

  "Are you worried about Zoe?" Ruth shifted her gaze from the road and looked at him. Was it that obvious?

  Harrison tapped the steering wheel. "About her and Spencer, you mean?"

  Ruth nodded.

  Harrison took a deep breath. "A little."

  "You've got nothing to worry about, Harrison. Zoe loves you."

  He gave her an appreciative smile, but did she mean it, or was she just being kind?

  As he changed down gears and swung out onto the other side of the road to overtake a slow cattle truck, the control panel of the car beeped and the temperature gauge flashed a warning. Harrison's shoulders slumped. The mechanic said he'd fixed the overheating problem. Sighing, he pulled back in behind the truck and slowed down.

  Ruth's eyebrows puckered. "What's the problem?"

  "Car's overheating. We'll need to stop and let it cool down. Sorry."

  "That's not good, especially out here."

  "No, it's not." He let out another sigh as the cattle truck disappeared into the distance. One solitary tree near the edge of the road offered a small amount of shade. Harrison slowed the car right down and parked under it. Turning the air-con off but leaving the engine running, he lifted the bonnet. In this heat, it'd take ages for it to cool down. Taking out his phone, he flipped it open. As expected, no reception. He peered back the way they'd come. Nothing. Not a car, not a truck, not a single building—just a long straight road that stretched as far as the eye could see. He peered the other way. The cattle truck was a mere blot in the distance. He should have flashed his lights and stopped it.

  "Think we'll be here for a while, sorry." He put both hands behind his head and leaned against the car.

  "It's okay, Harrison, I'm used to it. Somebody will come by soon." Ruth gave him a reassuring smile.

  Harrison raised a brow. Who was she kidding? "I'll check the coolant level shortly. I've got a bit of water I can put in."

  "We might need that for drinking."

  Ruth had a point—they could die out here without water. "How far's the next town?"

  "Half an hour?" She tilted her head.

  "Right, once it's cooled a little, I'll just use a small amount and then we'll take it slowly."

  She patted his shoulder and smiled. "You're in charge."

  That was the last thing he felt. He was a city boy, stranded on a deserted country road. A fish out of water couldn't have felt any less in charge than he did right now. And worse still… Zoe would be landing in Brisbane any time now, with Spencer, and it was highly unlikely that he and Ruth would make it back tonight.

  Zoe looked out the window as the plane began its descent. Smaller properties replaced the wide open plains, and eventually suburbs with houses butting up against each other, many with swimming pools in their backyards, filled her vision. The river snaked its way to the bay in the distance, but instead of heading towards the main Brisbane airport, Spencer banked to the right and approached the smaller airport to the south west of the city. He'd radioed ahead and had clearance to land. Zoe steeled herself for the landing. It was bad enough in a big plane, but in a little thing like this?

  She held her breath as the plane wobbled and bounced, and only released it when the plane taxied towards the waiting ambulance. They'd made it.

  The transfer to the ambulance was smooth, and within minutes, Paramedics were attending to Grandma. Zoe filled them in, and was congratulated on her swift action. "Getting her to hospital quickly was the best thing you could have done. We'll have her there within fifteen minutes."

  Gently brushing Grandma's wispy grey hair, Zoe leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "You're in good hands, Grandma. I'll be waiting for you at the hospital."

  Grandma's lips lifted slightly, and she tried to reach for Zoe's hand.

  "Save your energy, Grandma, it's okay." Zoe smiled at her. "I'll be praying for you." Zoe pushed back tears as she uttered another silent prayer.

  As the ambulance sped away, Zoe pulled out her phone to call a taxi.

  Spencer appeared beside her. "I'll come with you, Zoe. Just let me park the plane."

  "That's kind of you, Spencer, but there's no need. You've already done too much."

  "It's no problem, Zoe. I'd like to."

  Maybe he was trying to make up for the way he'd treated her. He didn't need to…she'd moved on, but as Zoe looked into Spencer's eye, it was just like yesterday, and they were still boyfriend and girlfriend. How easy it'd be to fall into his arms and let him kiss her. Her eyes widened. What was she thinking?

  "It really is okay, Spencer. I'll be fine." She forced a smile and told her heart once again to behave.

  "I insist. Besides, it'll give us a chance to catch up properly."

  What if I don't want to? Zoe raised a brow, but it appeared she had no choice. "Okay, but there's really no need."

  She phoned for a taxi, and by the time it arrived, Spencer had parked the plane and had done the necessary paperwork. As they climbed into the back of the taxi, all Zoe could think of was what Harrison would say if he saw her now.

  Half an hour later, Harrison carefully eased the cap off the radiator. Steam escaped, but the cap didn't blow. The level wasn't as low as he expected. He poured the water slowly, grateful for having had an old car in his student days that overheated all the time. If he hadn't, he most likely would have poured all the water in at once, possibly cracking the head. Zoe would be impressed he knew that. He smiled to himself. He could just see the look on her face.

  "All okay, Harrison?" Ruth stood beside him, arms crossed, a hopeful expression on her face.

  "Think so. Fingers crossed we make it to the next town." He replaced the radiator cap and closed the bonnet.

  Harrison kept one eye on the temperature gauge as he eased the car back onto the road and inched it towards the next town. The temperature climbed slowly. He crossed his fingers they'd make it without the need to stop again. But would they find a mechanic to look at it on a Sunday afternoon out here? Unlikely.

  Almost an hour later, twice as long as it would normally take, a signpost indicated they were entering the township of "Arlington", population fifty-three. Harrison shook his head. Fat chance of finding a mechanic.

  As the car crawled into town, his fears were confirmed. Joe's Mechanical Repairs was closed and empty. The only place open was the pub, where a number of cars, mainly pick-ups with an assortment of farm equipment in the back, and big SUV's, were parked out front. None of them looked anything like his tiny sports car. Loud music spilled out of the bar area, and a mangy dog cocked his leg on a pole. Harrison winced. It definitely wasn't a place he'd normally frequent.

  He let out a sigh. There was no option. Pulling up beside a white LandCruiser, he flipped open his phone.

  "Reception?" Ruth asked.

  He nodded. "One bar. I'll call Roadside Assistance."

  "Doubt they'll come this far. The mechanic's probably inside."

  Harrison closed his phone. Entering a noisy country bar wasn't his activity of choice, but he'd do it. "Okay, I'll go in. Happy to wait here?"

  "I'll sit in the shade."

  "I'll be as quick as I can."

  Harrison took a deep breath before entering the "Arlington Hotel". The old building was in good shape considering its location and age. At least the paint wasn't peeling off, and at first glance, it seemed relatively clean. He stepped inside and peered into the public bar on the right. Three men, all wearing shorts and sl
eeveless shirts, perched on bar stools, chatting to each other. Each had a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. One of them must have just told a joke, as they all let out a raucous laugh at the same time.

  Harrison hesitated, not really wanting to intrude, and was about to walk on when one of them called out.

  "Come and join us, son. We won't bite." The man was missing a bottom tooth and his skin was so sun wizened it looked like the skin of a crocodile, but his smile seemed genuine.

  "Thanks." Harrison stepped towards the group. "But I was really just looking for the mechanic. Is he around?"

  "That would be me." The toothless man put his drink down and held out his hand. "Joe Jenkins. What can I do for you?"

  Harrison grimaced, but shook the man's hand anyway. "My car's overheating. Harrison's the name."

  Raising his eyebrows, Joe chuckled. "Not unusual on a day like today. It's hot enough to fry an egg in the shade." He stubbed out his cigarette and skulled the remainder of his beer. "Come on then, sonny, let's take a look." He placed a hand on Harrison's shoulder, and walked with him outside.

  "Snazzy car."

  "Thanks." Right now, it'd be better if it wasn't quite so snazzy.

  "Lift the bonnet."

  Harrison opened the car door and pulled the lever.

  Joe lifted the bonnet and took a quick look. "Needs to cool down before I check it properly, but seems fixable. I can look at it first thing in the morning."

  Harrison's shoulders slumped. Not what he wanted to hear. "Any chance you could look at it today?"

  "Nuh mate, don't work on Sunday's. You and your missus will have to stay the night, unless you want to risk breaking down in the middle of nowhere."

  Harrison laughed. "I don't have a "missus" yet. I'm travelling with my fiancée's mother."

  Joe's face crinkled as Ruth joined them. "Ruth! What a sight for sore eyes. Fancy seeing you here."