Through the Tears (Sandy Cove Series Book 2)

by Rosemary Hines

  One night at a worship gathering in the dorm, Ben found himself sitting next to a cute little redhead who introduced herself as Kelly McKinney. They chatted briefly before the worship songs began, and he enjoyed hearing her soft, melodic voice lifted heavenward as they sang together. When the evening drew to a close, several of his friends decided to go out for late night pizza. He casually asked Kelly if she’d like to join them and was pleasantly surprised when she said yes.

  It turned out Kelly was the roommate of one of the first acquaintances Ben made at the school. Shannon was glad to see them getting along so well, especially since she had already mentioned to Kelly she thought they would make a cute couple. But Ben wouldn’t find out about this until after he and Kelly started seriously dating a couple of months later.

  All memories of Trisha faded into shallow recollections once Ben and Kelly realized the depth of their feelings for each other. Wanting this relationship to last, he was careful to honor Kelly and try to put her before himself. She responded with an open heart, and they became engaged after dating for a semester.

  Chuckling to himself, he remembered how nervous he’d been to meet Kelly’s dad and ask for her hand in marriage. He knew it seemed a little corny and old-fashioned, but he wanted to do this right.

  Mr. McKinney, an articulate businessman who was also a devout Christian, appreciated Ben’s gesture and considered it a sign that his little girl would be cherished and protected by this gallant young man. Ben was elated when he extended his hand in acceptance to his future son-in-law.

  Kelly heard her husband’s chuckle, and she lifted her head from its resting place. “What are you laughing about?” she asked with a smile.

  “Oh, I was just remembering the day I asked your dad for your hand in marriage.”

  “You were so nervous,” she recalled, giggling a little herself. “But it was really sweet of you to do that. Not many guys have that kind of respect anymore,” she added.

  “I don’t know about that, but it sure was worth the effort,” he replied with a wink.

  “I’d have to agree with you, Pastor.”

  “Would you quit calling me that? It makes me nervous every time you say it.”

  “No, I will not quit calling you that. You need to get used to it, Pastor,” she added with special emphasis.

  He looked, feigning a scowl. “You don’t intimidate me,” she said with a stern look in return. “Fine, Miss Unintimidated, are you ready for some breakfast?” he chided.

  “As a matter of fact, I am. And a cup of coffee. I’m starting to get a headache from missing my caffeine fix this morning.”

  “I hear you. Me, too. There’s a McDonald’s two miles from here. I just saw a billboard for it.”

  “Sounds good,” Kelly replied. Within minutes, they were pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant.

  Ben found a booth near the door, where he could keep an eye on the truck while they devoured their meal. Kelly carefully removed the lid on her coffee to allow it to cool slightly before drinking. After stirring some creamer into it and blowing on the surface of the light brown liquid, she tentatively took a little sip. “Just right.” She smiled with satisfaction.

  “Set your coffee down for a second, kid,” he said affectionately to her. Then he took her hand in his, and they bowed their heads while he blessed the meal and asked for God’s safety on the remainder of their journey.

  It didn’t take long to finish their meal, and the two travelers were back on the road headed for Bridgeport.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The main lobby of the hospital was empty with the exception of one middle-aged man snoring softly in a corner seat with an open newspaper draped across his chest like a blanket. Ben and Kelly held hands as they approached the information desk.

  “Can I help you?” a kind-faced woman in her sixties asked the young couple.

  “We’re here to see the family of John Ackerman,” Ben explained.

  “Ackerman. One moment, please.” She typed the name into her computer. “He’s in the ICU,” she explained, pulling out a map and showing them the most direct route to that section of the hospital.

  “Thank you,” Kelly responded with a smile.

  Ben led her through the various corridors outlined on the map until they found themselves at the nurse’s station of the ICU. They were just about to ask for John’s room, when Steve spotted them from inside the cubicle.

  “There’s Ben and Kelly,” he said to Michelle, who was sitting at her father’s bedside. “I’ll be right back.”

  Michelle smiled. She leaned over her father. His eyes were closed, so she did not know if he was awake or asleep. “Our friends are here, Daddy,” she told him softly. “We’ll probably go out for a while, but Mom and Grandma should be back any minute.”

  Michelle’s grandfather had come down with some kind of stomach virus, which her grandmother insisted was food poisoning from all the fast food they had been eating lately. He was spending the day resting at the motel, while Sheila and Joan kept each other company.

  Michelle could see no visible response from her dad, but she was convinced he heard every word she said. She leaned over and kissed him and was just standing to her feet when Steve returned with Ben and Kelly in tow.

  “Hi, Ben,” Michelle said, as she extended her arms to give him a hug. “You must be Kelly,” she added reaching her hand out to clasp Kelly’s.

  Kelly returned her handshake and smile. “I’ve heard so much about you two,” she said. “I’m glad to finally get to meet you.”

  “How’s your dad doing?” Ben asked, glancing first over at John and then back to Michelle.

  “He’s doing great,” she replied enthusiastically. She believed it was crucial to maintain an upbeat, optimistic attitude around her father. He needed to know he was doing great, even though he had such a long way yet to go.

  Then she turned to see him just beginning to open his eyes. The noise in the cubicle had stirred him, and he winced as if in pain.

  “You woke up, Daddy,” she said cheerfully. He gave no response except the subtle shifting of his eyes as he searched for his daughter’s face in the crowd. Moving closer to the bed, she leaned directly over him. “Steve’s friend Ben and his wife Kelly are here. They stopped on their way to Sandy Cove. They’re moving there to start a new church.”

  As John studied his daughter’s face he appeared to be trying to process what she was saying. He kept his eyes intently focused on her as if she were his only bridge back to life and reality.

  The doctor had explained his current existence as a blur of dreams and sounds, but John seemed increasingly aware he could not move and desperately frustrated by his inability to talk or respond to her other than nodding his head.

  Steve suggested perhaps John was being over-stimulated by everyone crowding into the cubicle. “Maybe we should wait outside,” he said softly to Ben and Kelly. They nodded and followed him quietly out of the door and into the adjoining ICU lobby.

  Feeling torn, Michelle didn’t know what to do. She hated to leave her father alone now that he was obviously awake, but she had intended to spend the afternoon and evening with Steve, Ben, and Kelly. Her entire social life for the past few weeks had revolved around the ICU, her mother, grandparents, and nurses. She craved a time away from the whole hospital scene and an opportunity to reconnect with her husband in a social setting.

  John winced again and peered intensely into her eyes.

  “Daddy,” Michelle began, “I need to leave for a little while. Will you be okay? Mom and Grandma should be back anytime now.”

  Gazing at her, as if willing himself to answer, he slowly rallied all his energy and nodded yes.

  Her face relaxed with relief, and she smiled and leaned over to kiss him. “I love you,” she said, looking him directly in the eye as she cupped his face in her hands. “I won’t be gone long. Promise. And Mom will be here soon.”

  John closed his eyes again, and Michelle turned to leav
e. Walking out of the cubicle, she did not see the tear slide down his cheek.

  Clark Christianson sat at his meticulously organized desk, rereading the briefs on John Ackerman’s case. Ever since he first began practicing law fifteen years ago, Clark loved to represent the underdog. No matter how bleak the case might look, if he was convinced his client was being maligned, he would work night and day with a passion in order to prove his case and win.

  This Ackerman situation was so similar to the case he had won six months ago that it was uncanny. The frame-up was nearly identical, and the charges were verbatim. Something was fishy. He could smell a link between the cases. Though his intellect told him he was probably crazy, his gut told him there was something there. Something very real. He was determined to weed it out.

  He made a note on his day planner to have his secretary pull all the files on Harrison Brady. He’d go over them tomorrow night after he got home and see what he could uncover. This was one of the few consolations of being recently divorced. No one leaned over his shoulder nagging him to put his work away in the evenings. Now he found himself happily packing a full briefcase before he left his office each day.

  “Guess you were right, Susan,” he admitted to the air, as he thought about his ex-wife. “Law really is my first love.”

  He clicked open his burgundy cowhide briefcase and tossed John Ackerman’s file inside. After adjusting the combination lock to protect from possible tampering, he walked out of his office and into the night air.

  Phil moaned from the bed, struggling to sit up. “You sound like you’re dying,” his wife, Joan observed.

  “Come get me, Lord,” he responded.

  Joan sighed and shook her head as she glanced at Sheila. “These fast food places will kill us all eventually,” she remarked.

  Sheila just smiled, knowing it was pointless to argue with her mother’s theories.

  “Take this medicine, Phil,” Joan urged as she held the small cup of creamy liquid. “It’ll calm your cramping.”

  “I’ll try,” he muttered under his breath, clearly fighting waves of nausea. He managed to force down the chalky mixture and then fell back down against the pillow.

  “We brought you some soda, too. I’ll just leave an open can on the bedside table,” Joan instructed. “Try to sip a little at a time. We don’t want you getting dehydrated.”

  “Okay,” he said, too weak to argue. He closed his eyes, with an expression of forced relaxation, willing the pain and nausea to subside. Joan adjusted his blankets, and then she and Sheila quietly crept out of the room to head back over to the hospital.

  “I hope whatever Dad has is not contagious,” Sheila said, thinking about her husband in the ICU.

  “Don’t be silly, Sheila. It’s food poisoning. I’ve seen this before when your father sneaks out to those greasy hamburger joints. I’m telling you, they don’t know how to cook in those places.”

  “Whatever you say, Mom,” Sheila replied. She knew their stay in Bridgeport was taking a toll on her elderly parents, and she didn’t want to create any more stress by getting into a debate with her mother. Still, she was glad they had strict rules about hand washing before entering the cubicles in the ICU. She wanted every possible precaution taken to protect her husband and speed his recovery.

  Michelle, Steve, Ben, and Kelly were enjoying a stroll through downtown Bridgeport. The air was crisp and clear, and the streets were lined with a wide variety of interesting shops and restaurants.

  At first they walked hand-in-hand with their spouses, but within a half hour, Ben and Steve were deep in a theological discussion, and Michelle and Kelly were enjoying slipping into the crafty tourist shops. They seemed to be hitting it off really well. Kelly was such an easygoing person and a great conversationalist. She knew how to draw Michelle out of the shell that usually encased her when she was around people she didn’t know.

  “What do you think?” she asked with a wink as they spotted their fourth antique store. Michelle smiled and nodded an affirmative.

  Abandoning the men without a word, they detoured into the shop. Kelly was trying on a velvet hat with a feather plume when she spotted an aging basset hound watching her from beside the counter, his tail gently thumping on the floor when she made eye contact.

  Putting the hat aside, she smiled at the owner and asked, “What’s his name?”

  “Archie,” she replied with a smile.

  Kelly held out her hand so he could sniff it before she slowly reached up and patted him on the head. His tail picked up speed, pounding the wood floor with fervor.

  “Michelle, would you go outside and get Ben for a second?” she asked. “I want him to see this cutie-pie.”

  She found Steve and Ben perched on one of the park benches placed strategically along the main street. They both looked up at her. “Ben is wanted inside,” she said, tipping her head toward the open door.

  “Uh, oh,” Ben moaned. “I hope this won’t empty my wallet.” Steve smiled. “Good luck, buddy.”

  Michelle swatted him playfully on the arm. “This isn’t about money,” she chided. “Kelly just wants Ben to see the owner’s dog.”

  Ben’s smiled, patting Steve on the knee as he rose from the bench. “Come on, pal. Let’s go,” he said.

  “Okay, okay,” he replied, draping his arm over Michelle’s shoulder as they strolled inside.

  After the appropriate small talk with the owner and lavishing affection on Archie, they managed to peel Kelly away and continue their stroll through town. As they walked on Michelle commented, “If you thought Archie was cute, you should see the babies at the hospital and the cute baby stuff in the gift shop.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Kelly replied.

  By now it was almost 5:30, the streetlights were coming on, and Steve was starving. “Anyone else ready for dinner?” he asked casually.

  “Thought you’d never ask,” Ben replied.

  The girls agreed they could eat anytime, so the four of them began looking for an inviting place to dine. A couple of blocks from what they now fondly referred to as “Archie’s Antique Store,” they found a rib joint with a live banjo player and the delicious smell of barbecued ribs wafting out to the sidewalk.

  “Let’s go.” Steve pointed, and the four of them scooted inside.

  The place was packed, but Ben spotted a cozy, rounded booth up against the far wall. The rest of the party trailed him and slipped across the shiny red seats, retrieving the menus propped up between the tall salt and pepper shakers.

  A young waitress appeared and introduced herself as Shawna, asking with a sweet smile, “Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?”

  Steve glanced around the table. Everyone nodded in readiness. They placed unanimous orders of barbecued ribs with mashed potatoes and salad, even agreeing on their drinks -- tall, frosty root beers.

  “Well this is sure a compatible group,” Steve observed aloud. He was really pleased Michelle and Kelly were getting along so well. The Johnson’s’ move to Sandy Cove could be a great blessing for Michelle and him.

  The evening passed quickly as they enjoyed their food and the pleasant conversation. Ben and Steve set aside their discussions about scriptures, and they all talked about Sandy Cove. Now that Michelle had been gone for a while, she realized she was getting attached to that beach community and their cozy home. She gave Kelly a description of the local shops and told her about her hopes to finish college at Pacific Northwest University.

  “I was hoping to get started there in the fall, but I didn’t make the application deadline” she explained. “Maybe spring semester, depending on how everything else goes,” she added.

  “Teaching is a great calling,” Kelly responded with obvious admiration. “I’ve never really been very career-oriented. Guess I always just wanted to have a family and be a mom.” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

  It made Michelle feel special to have Kelly express such high regard for her career choice. She was really beginning
to feel a kinship with Ben’s wife and hoped they would spend a lot of time together once she was able to return to Sandy Cove. And who knew? Maybe if she and Steve decided to start a family soon, they might both be having kids at about the same time.

  The motel was within walking distance, and they all agreed the exercise would do them good after stuffing themselves with ribs. A chill in the air nipped at Michelle, and she wished she had brought along an extra jacket or sweatshirt, but once they got moving, she warmed up a little.

  As they neared the hospital, she wondered if she should go back in to see her dad. Then she remembered she and Kelly had talked about going by the gift shop. Although Steve and Ben were both beat, they agreed to indulge their wives in this one last venture of the day.

  Michelle steered them to the back corner where the baby section was set up. Designer sleepers, blankets, and booties were carefully displayed, along with photo frames, footprint kits, bottles and nursing supplies.

  Kelly immediately reached for one of the sleepers with tiny yellow ducks printed over the soft white background. The feet had appliquéd duck feet across the top and a matching cap sported a duck’s bill and eyes.

  “Aren’t they precious?” Michelle asked.

  “Makes you want to have a baby just so you can dress him in one of these outfits,” Kelly replied. Turning to Michelle, she added, “Can’t you just imagine having one of your own?”

  Michelle nodded silently, her gaze traveling to Steve’s face.

  “We’d better get them out of here,” Ben said to Steve with a wink.

  “I’m with you. This could get out of hand. Come on, Michelle. Let’s head over to the motel.”

  She sighed. “Okay. I’d like to stop by and check on my dad before we leave.”