Brush of Wings

by Karen Kingsbury

  The idea of taking more time seemed to snap Lexy out of her obvious grief. She dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose. “No, thanks. I don’t need more time.” She took the pen and paperwork from the woman and with the baby cradled in her left arm, she began to sign the documents.

  Mary Catherine’s tears came like a flood. The picture of Lexy holding her baby with one hand and using the other to sign away the rights to her child was something she would hold on to always. The cost of this gift was more than Mary Catherine could comprehend.

  After she was finished, Lexy asked the woman from the adoption agency to give them some time. Mary Catherine and Marcus would sign papers later. The next few minutes were not part of the legal transfer of rights for the baby.

  They were more personal than that.

  When they were alone, Mary Catherine and Marcus came up alongside Lexy’s bed. Mary Catherine spoke first. “How do you feel?”

  “Sore.” Lexy winced. “But I’ve asked God to let me do this again. When I’m married. When I can be the mom I want to be.”

  Mary Catherine nodded. Marcus put his hand on Lexy’s shoulder. “We would always welcome you to visit him, Lexy. You know that.”

  “I do.” Lexy looked at her baby again. “But I don’t think that would be good for me or for him.” She turned her attention back to Marcus. “You understand, right?”

  Marcus nodded. “I do.”

  Lexy brought the baby close to her face. She kissed his cheek and then, fresh tears streaming down her face, she held him out to Mary Catherine. “Here.” She released a few quiet sobs. “He’s yours.”

  With all the love she could have possibly felt, Mary Catherine took the child into her arms and held him close to her heart. For the first time, she looked into his face and as she did he opened his eyes. “Hi, baby boy.” Mary Catherine held him closer to Marcus. “He’s perfect.”

  Marcus leaned in and kissed his cheek. He looked at Lexy. “He’s beautiful.”

  “I know.” She smiled, clearly proud. “He looks like me when I was born.”

  Lexy had already been discharged from the hospital. She had made it clear she didn’t want to stay any longer than she had to. Rhonda and Ollie Wayne would pick her up and take her back to their house.

  Then in a matter of days Lexy would move to Texas.

  Mary Catherine wasn’t sure what to say or do next. She wanted to give all her attention to Marcus and the baby. But that didn’t seem sensitive to Lexy. Most birth moms would allow a social worker or adoption agency representative to take their baby from their arms. In this case, Lexy wanted to hand him directly to Mary Catherine and Marcus.

  But this moment could only last so long.

  “You’re ready for Texas?” Marcus must’ve sensed that it was about time to leave.

  Lexy nodded. “I’ve been talking to my aunt and uncle every day. My mom and grandma are so happy for me.” Her eyes lit up. “I didn’t tell you! I think my mom and grandma might move to Texas, too. We all need a new start.” She hesitated, her voice softer. “My mom’s learning to read. She wants to finish high school. My uncle said he’d help her, too.”

  Mary Catherine reached for Lexy’s hand. “You said they have a strong church?”

  “They do.” Lexy smiled at Mary Catherine through watery eyes. “You saved my life. I mean it.” She looked to the baby. “And Sami saved his.”

  “The Lord saved us all.” Marcus’s eyes were damp, too. He looked from Mary Catherine to the baby, and back to Lexy. “None of us would be here otherwise.”

  Lexy took a fresh tissue from the box near her bed. “I do have one thing I wanted to ask you.” She sat up a little straighter, wincing at the pain. “I thought of a name for him. I can’t get it out of my head.” She looked nervous, like she wasn’t sure if she should say this next part. “You can name him what you want, of course. I just thought . . . maybe . . . This would mean a lot to me.”

  The idea of Lexy naming the baby wasn’t something they had talked about. But Mary Catherine was completely open to the idea. After all, she and Marcus hadn’t allowed themselves to think about names yet. Mary Catherine still had hold of Lexy’s hand. She nodded. “Tell us.”

  “Okay . . . so God is giving me a second chance in Texas. It was my uncle Garner’s idea. He felt like God was telling him and his wife and kids to take me in. So I could be part of their family. And they live in Dallas.” Lexy paused. She looked from Marcus back to Mary Catherine. “So the name Dallas Garner keeps coming to mind.” Lexy let her eyes fall to the baby once more. “Dallas Garner Dillinger.” She smiled through new tears. “Sounds like a president or something, right?”

  “Dallas Garner Dillinger.” Marcus said the name first. He looked at Mary Catherine. “I like it. I really do.”

  The name was beautiful. Mary Catherine looked into the face of her son and suddenly she was absolutely certain. “It’s the perfect name for him.”

  “That way . . . you can tell him about me. About how God rescued me out of LA to Dallas, Texas. And how He used my uncle Garner to change my life.”

  All three of them were in tears as the name settled into their hearts. “All right . . .” Lexy held up her arms. “Let’s say goodbye.”

  Still cradling baby Dallas in her arms, Mary Catherine leaned in and hugged Lexy. “We’ll always be here for you. If you ever need anything.” She pulled back enough to look into Lexy’s eyes. “Stay close to Jesus.”

  “I will.” Lexy’s voice was a choked whisper. But in her eyes Mary Catherine saw something she desperately needed to see.

  Certainty.

  Marcus prayed for them then, for Lexy and the future God had for her, and that one day she would have more children of her own. He prayed for himself and Mary Catherine, for their health and for a lifetime of raising Dallas Garner. And he prayed for God’s protection over all of them. Then Marcus hugged Lexy. “Thank you. For trusting us with him.”

  Lexy smiled through her tears. “He’s yours.” She took one final look at the baby. “Tell him how much I love him.” She could barely speak the words. “Will you do that?”

  “Of course.” Mary Catherine tried to see clearly through her tears. “We’ll tell him that and we’ll tell him about his name.”

  “Thanks.” Lexy nodded. She pressed the tissue to her face again. “Okay . . . you can go now. Please.”

  They said a final goodbye, and Mary Catherine, Marcus, and Dallas left the hospital room. They signed the paperwork in the hallway and on the elevator down they didn’t speak. Marcus kept his arm around her shoulders, the two of them staring in awe at the beautiful baby in their arms. “I love the name Dallas.” Mary Catherine looked into her husband’s eyes.

  “Me, too.” He kissed her lips just before the elevator door opened. “But I love you more.”

  “We’re a family.” Mary Catherine had no words to describe how she felt. The love exploding through her was something she couldn’t have understood until now. With their first baby cradled between them.

  In the lobby, they immediately found Sami and Tyler. The two of them stood as Mary Catherine and Marcus walked up with the baby. “Here he is.” Mary Catherine turned so her friends could see the child.

  Sami gasped. “He’s absolutely perfect.” She touched the baby’s cheek. “Look at his eyes. So handsome.”

  Tyler said something similar. Mary Catherine wasn’t sure exactly what. All she wanted was to be home with Marcus and Dallas, so she could try to believe what had just happened. The fact that she was a mother.

  They talked for a few minutes and then the Waynes joined them. The six of them talked for a few minutes, everyone marveling at baby Dallas Garner. Then the Waynes headed up to get Lexy. Tomorrow they would all get together and celebrate the arrival of the baby. Marcus’s parents would stop by also, and over the weekend Mary Catherine’s parents would arrive for a week.

  Mary Catherine was grateful for the support. She felt like she was floating on clouds as she waited in the lobby
for Marcus to pull up his truck. He brought the car seat inside and they buckled the baby in. Then—like something from a dream—Mary Catherine and Marcus climbed into the front seats and they drove off.

  A few miles from the hospital, Mary Catherine reached for Marcus’s hand. “Know what I’m thinking?”

  “That it feels like a dream?” Marcus grinned at her.

  “Yes.” Though Mary Catherine had been wiping away tears all morning, now her eyes were clear. “He’s our little boy. It’s more than I can take in. God is so great.”

  They talked about the name Lexy had chosen. Dallas Garner. A name they already loved. Mary Catherine looked over her shoulder at the top of her son’s small head. “You know what I think?”

  “What?” Marcus hadn’t stopped smiling.

  “I think God’s going to use our little boy for something very special.”

  “Mmmm.” Marcus chuckled. “I agree, of course. But we sound like all new parents.”

  “I know, but I really mean it.” Mary Catherine couldn’t shake the feeling. “Like God has destined this child for great things.” She hesitated, looking back at her son again. “Maybe he’s going to change the world for God. You know?”

  “If the miracle of how we all got here is any indication, then I’m sure you’re right.” Marcus’s eyes were full of depth and emotion. He gave Mary Catherine a quick smile. “I’m sure God has very special plans for him.”

  “Exactly.” She looked straight ahead, still pondering everything that had happened today.

  They were a mile away from home when the song came on the radio.

  Francesca Battistelli’s song—“Hundred More Years.”

  Last time Mary Catherine had thought about this song she could only think of everything she would never have, the husband and children she would miss out on, the years she wouldn’t live. But this time . . .

  The words played out like an anthem.

  All those dreams and now they’re finally here . . .

  Every line spoke straight to Mary Catherine’s soul. She could’ve written the song herself. All this life still left to live and they can hardly wait . . .

  Marcus exchanged a look with her. Neither of them needed any words. The song said it all. The lyrics rang with hope about a bright and beautiful future and God smiling down on them.

  Again tears filled Mary Catherine’s eyes. But this time because the song was her life. She really did have everything she’d ever dreamed about. Everything she never dared ask for. The song told about the future looking beautiful and bright . . . and God smiling down on them.

  Mary Catherine sang the last lines quietly, like a prayer to God. “ ‘And they want to stay right here . . . make it last for a hundred more years.’ ”

  Yes, God had answered every one of her prayers. She was alive and her body felt whole and healthy and strong. Marcus wasn’t some far-off memory she needed to forget. He was her husband, her best friend. Her lover.

  And Mary Catherine really did have a feeling that amazing things lay ahead for all of them. There was no way to tell whether she’d get her heart transplant or if she and Marcus would ever have more children. It didn’t matter. Because they were a family. They had God and each other, and the greatest gift God could’ve given them.

  A baby boy named Dallas Garner.

  THE CELEBRATION COULDN’T BEGIN until Jag and the others arrived at the meeting. Jag was convinced it would be a time of rejoicing they would always remember. Orlon and the others were already inside. But first he and Aspyn, Beck and Ember gathered together outside the door of the meeting place.

  On what felt like holy ground.

  All of heaven knew about the victory that had taken place. Jag looked at his peers. “It’s a miracle. Really, it is.”

  Beck nodded. “How many times did we all feel like we were being led by the Holy Spirit?”

  “Constantly.” Ember looked at peace. “Failure was around every corner. And yet . . .”

  Aspyn smiled. “God prevailed.”

  “Yes.” Jag took a deep breath and looked at the other three. First Ember, then Aspyn. And finally Beck. “We were the exact angels for the job. Orlon had it right.” He hesitated. “But it was by prayer that we succeeded. The prayers of heaven and Earth.”

  The baby would be tended by guardian angels from this day on. That was the job of others. For now, the four of them could simply join the rest of the team and rejoice. They would spend the day thanking God for the victory. Their work had been nearly impossible at every turn. And there would be other jobs ahead, other Angels Walking adventures they would embark on. But for now they would enter the room together.

  The four of them.

  And they would hear the words they all longed to hear. Words they had longed to hear from the beginning.

  Well done, good and faithful servants.

  Mission accomplished.

  Dear Reader Friend,

  It’s never easy to wrap up a series. Angels Walking was no exception. As I finished the scenes with Marcus and Mary Catherine, Tyler and Sami, I kept writing slower and slower—not wanting to say goodbye.

  People ask me why I wrote the Angels Walking series, and the answer has stayed the same. These books allowed me to peel back the layers of a very real spiritual dimension and give us all a fictional glimpse at what’s going on behind the scenes—not just in the lives of my characters.

  But in your life and in mine.

  Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for in doing so some of you have entertained angels without knowing it.” That tells me that on occasion someone has given me a word of encouragement or helped with a rescue or prayed with our family when my father was suffering his heart attack in 2007—and just possibly that person was actually an angel.

  Your letters throughout this series have encouraged me. While you’ve enjoyed the story line, most of you have taken away more than an entertaining diversion. Rather, you have closed the cover of the book and realized just how much God loves you. How He would send angels on your behalf for any number of reasons. But mostly because He loves you.

  Of course the angels in this series are fictional.

  But angels are very real. Have you interacted with an angel? None of us will ever know for sure, but maybe reading the Angels Walking series has helped you take a closer look at your own life. Sometimes when we look for the fingerprints of God at work in our stories, we’re more likely to see Him.

  More likely to experience a deeper faith.

  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this series, and how you’ve seen God at work in your life. Stop by my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! I’m there all the time! Also, visit my website—KarenKingsbury.com—for announcements about upcoming books and movies. And sign up for my newsletter and weekly blog. One more way I can encourage you to stay the course!

  God is on your side.

  Love you all!

  Karen Kingsbury

  Reading Group Guide

  Brush of Wings

  Questions for you and your group to help you take a deeper look at Brush of Wings.

  1. Mary Catherine was afraid of hurting Marcus. What impact did that have on her life?

  2. Have you ever adjusted your life because of fear? Explain the situation.

  3. Tyler took Sami back to her grandparents’ house to propose to her. Why was that such a special idea for the two of them? Talk about a sentimental marriage proposal—either yours or someone you know.

  4. Why was Africa so important to Mary Catherine, especially in relation to her fading health?

  5. When has something been as important to you as Africa was to Mary Catherine? Explain.

  6. Ember was a significant help to Mary Catherine, and yet she was an angel. Talk about a time you or someone you know may have interacted with an angel.

  7. Which angel was your favorite—Jag, Beck, Aspyn, or Ember? Why?

  8. What did you like most about Mary Catherine in Brush of Wings? Give some e
xamples.

  9. Why did Mary Catherine change her mind about falling in love with Marcus? What was the tipping point?

  10. Mary Catherine was on the verge of death when she had her heart surgery, but she was given another chance to live. Talk about a situation like that in your life or in the life of someone you know.

  11. Do you believe in miracles? If so, tell about one you or someone you know witnessed.

  12. What was your favorite part of the double wedding of Marcus and Mary Catherine, and Tyler and Sami?

  13. Why were Tyler, Sami, Mary Catherine, and Marcus, along with Lexy, all so important to seeing the successful completion of the Angels Walking mission?

  14. Were you surprised by the fact that Lexy’s baby was Dallas Garner? Why or why not?

  15. What is God doing in your life right now? How has the Angels Walking series helped you to see beyond the black-and-white details of life to the spiritual?

  One Chance Foundation

  THE KINGSBURY FAMILY IS passionate about seeing orphans all over the world brought home to their forever families. As a result, Karen created a charitable group called the One Chance Foundation.

  This foundation was inspired by the memory of her father, Ted C. Kingsbury. Ted always said, “Life is not a dress rehearsal. We have one chance to love, one chance to truly live!”

  Karen often tells her reader friends that they have “one chance to write the story of their lives!”™ Now, with Karen’s One Chance Foundation, readers can join her in the belief that all of us have one chance to make a difference in the lives of orphans.

  In the Bible, James 1:27 says that people with pure and genuine religion care for orphans. The One Chance Foundation was created with that truth in mind.

  If you are interested in giving to Karen’s One Chance Foundation and having your dedication printed in one of Karen’s upcoming novels, visit www.KarenKingsbury.com. Below are dedications from some of Karen’s reader friends who have contributed to the One Chance Foundation: