Becca’s dad hadn’t fared much better, and it had been Julia who had invited them to the little church she attended faithfully. Becca’s mom had recommitted her life to God, and her dad had started his own journey of faith. Together, they had prayed that God would one day bring their daughter back to them and restore their relationship.
Becca had cried, knowing that she’d waited too long to have that with her father. Her mother had held her close, and told her that she knew her father was waiting for her in heaven. She could see him again one day, but the choice was hers.
Becca had pondered those things all day long. That night, as she lay in bed, she’d talked to God for the first time ever. She’d expected to feel silly doing so, but something had happened in her small little bedroom. She hadn’t felt silly, and she’d had the strangest feeling that someone was actually listening to her ramblings.
She’d felt comforted, and as she’d drifted off to sleep, she’d felt peace. She couldn’t explain it, but she hadn’t known whom to ask so she’d called Gracie. Her friend had been thrilled to see her walking down this particular road. She’d made Gracie promise not to say anything, not even to Mason, and Gracie had promised, but refused to let her hang up until she’d prayed for her.
Heavenly Father, you know the hurts Becca has suffered. I ask that right now you would let her feel Your presence in her life. Let her know that You do care and are ready to carry her burdens for her. Let her feel Your love and I ask that You would continue to heal her from the inside out. Show her how much You want to be a part of her life. I ask that You would place people in her path to help show her the way to You.
In Your Holy Name we ask all these things.
Amen
Gracie’s prayer continued to roll around in Becca’s head, and then she’d heard Justin pray with Kaillar on the phone, using some of the same words with one exception. Justin had prayed that God would give Kaillar the right words, at the right time, to help her find her way. Instead of praying that God would send someone to help her, Justin was assuming Kaillar was that someone…
Becca blinked her eyes, suddenly realizing that the vehicle was no longer moving. She glanced around, and then turned to find Kaillar watching her. “Why are we stopped?”
He smirked and then quickly hid it, “So glad you noticed. We’ve been parked here for almost five minutes.”
“What?” Becca glanced around. Here was the side of the road. Here was actually nowhere. “Why did you pull over?”
Kaillar smiled, “Because you were completely zoned out on me. One minute you’re asking me if I really want to go hiking, and then you were off on some mental excursion that didn’t include me.”
“Sorry,” she dropped her eyes and sighed. Way to go there, Becca.
“So, I’m getting that you’d rather do something other than hike?” Kaillar asked with a smile.
Gathering her courage, she nodded, “Yes. If that’s okay with you.”
Kaillar smiled at her and nodded, “I don’t care what we do. I just want to spend some time alone with you.” He leaned across the console and kissed her lightly.
Becca bit her own lip when he drew away. “That’s what I want as well. I…” Words failed her as she struggled to tell him what was going on in her brain.
“Hold that thought. Why don’t I find us a spot to pull over by the beach, and we can get out and take a walk?” He lifted a hand to her cheek and searched her eyes, picking up on the nervous energy that was swirling around her.
Becca released the breath she’d been holding and nodded. “That sounds really good.”
“Great.” He started the car moving again, turning off at the first public beach sign they came to. Once parked, he slipped from the vehicle and then assisted her out.
They headed towards the sand, and Becca was relieved to see that this particular beach was almost deserted. Large rocks precluded it from being a safe surfing area, and the beach offered no amenities at all. She slipped her tennis shoes off, and tossed them near a piece of driftwood.
“Aren’t you afraid they won’t be there when you come back?” Kaillar asked, doing the same with his own shoes.
“There’s kind of an unspoken rule about the beaches in Hawaii. We don’t mess with other people’s things. That includes beach towels, surf boards, and shoes.”
Kaillar grinned at her, “Good to know.”
Chapter 17
Shoes taken care of, Kaillar grabbed her hand and they started walking, just shy of the water’s edge. “So, what’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours?”
Becca blushed, “That’s a loaded question.”
Kaillar grinned down at her, “Give it to me. I can handle it, I promise you.”
Becca glanced at him and then took a deep breath, “I heard you last night.” She hadn’t meant to say it quite like that, but…there it was.
Kaillar didn’t say anything for a while and then he asked, “You were eavesdropping on me?”
Becca shook her head, afraid he was upset with her. “No! I came inside to grab a sweater and I heard my name. Then I just couldn’t walk away. I heard you and your brother praying for me.”
Kaillar looked down at her and asked, “How did that make you feel?”
Becca looked at him and quit walking, “Really? You sound like Dr. Phil.”
Kaillar reviewed what he’d said and then chuckled, “Guess I did. But really, were you okay with what you heard?”
Becca nodded and started walking again, “Gracie kind of prayed the same type of thing with me a few mornings ago.”
“You called Gracie?” Kaillar asked, curiosity in his voice.
“My mom and I have been talking in the early mornings. About God and stuff. I tried it, and I felt…well, it was strange so I called Gracie. She told me I should talk to either you or my mom, but after last night…” She stopped walking again and looked up at him, “Did you mean what you said?’
Kaillar turned to face her, pulling her close enough that he could put his hands on her shoulders. He moved her hair back off her shoulders, and then nodded, watching her face carefully. “I did. I know that you have lots of concerns, and questions, but I’ve prayed about it and I think we belong together.”
Becca bit her bottom lip and then hazarded a look up at him, “What about the God thing?”
Kaillar pursed his lips for a minute and then sighed, “Yeah. God is a really important part of my life. If He wasn’t going to be part of yours as well, we would only have problems down the road.”
“I think…,” she broke off. Taking a breath, she tried again, “I think I’d like to learn more about Him, but quite frankly, I’m not sure I know how. Gracie would help me, but she’s not here.”
Kaillar smiled at her, “I’d be more than happy to help you. Let’s walk some more.” As they walked, Kaillar asked her questions about what she knew and didn’t know.
Becca’s version of God was as a gamekeeper. He put all the pieces on the board and then just sat back to watch and see what would happen. The God that Kaillar knew was so foreign to her. And yet sounded so perfect. She couldn’t imagine anyone having unconditional love. The concept boggled her mind.
“That’s where faith comes in. Take for instance surfing. Every surfer has faith when they go out on the water. The same holds true for skiers. We have faith that our equipment is going to work properly. We have faith that the laws of physics aren’t going to change. We have faith that we’ve properly trained and that we have prepared ourselves for the challenge ahead.”
“So, believing in God is having faith.”
Kaillar smiled at her, “Yes! Faith that He’s there and cares for us. Faith that no matter what, He will never leave us. Faith that He never gives us a challenge too big to handle.”
“But if that’s true, that God loves everyone, why does he allow all of these horrible things to happen. And I’m not just talking about Kevin. What about the starving children aroun
d the world? Or natural disasters? If He loved us, wouldn’t He stop those things from happening?”
Kaillar pulled her into his arms, resting his head on the top of her own, “Those questions have plagued man since the beginning of time. God never promised we’d have an easy life. There are challenges, but overcoming them makes us stronger people. Gives us insight into what others are facing. Helps prepare us for the next challenge we’ll face.”
Becca listened to his deep baritone voice, loving the image of a loving God he was creating in her mind. When he stopped talking, she pushed away from him and smiled, “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try. Gracie said there’s a class that meets at the church every week. She thought I might get some answers there.”
Kaillar smiled, “You will. Pastor Jeremy and his wife teach the class. It’s designed for people who are searching, just like you. Would you like me to call and let him know you’d like to attend?”
Becca nodded her head, “Yes. Uhm…well, uh…would you consider coming with me?”
Kaillar tapped her nose, “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away. I’d be honored to come with you. And when you’re ready, it will be my honor to pray with you.”
Becca snuggled back into his arms and sighed, “Thanks for agreeing to do that with me. And thanks for coming with me here. I know you didn’t have to…”
Kaillar nudged her head up again, “That’s where you’re wrong. I did have to come here with you, like I needed my next breath of air. You stole my heart up on that mountain.” He dipped his head and kissed her, drawing the moment out as long as possible.
“So, what shall we do now?” he asked, turning them back to where they’d left their shoes.
“I think maybe I’d like to go watch Kalino surf.”
Kaillar looked at her, “You know you don’t have to do that. Kalino and I discussed it, and he doesn’t want you to do anything that makes things worse.”
Becca nodded her head, “I know. But I think I need to do this.” She glanced up at him, and then wrapped her arm around his, “Besides, I’ll have you there with me.”
Kaillar nodded his head after searching her eyes for a long moment, “I will always be there for you, Becca. I want you to know.”
Becca laid her head against his shoulder, “I know.”
Chapter 18
Two days later, back in Colorado …
“I’m so tired of sitting,” Becca complained as they exited the terminal at the Denver International Airport. They had just flown back from Hawaii and she was more than ready to get home. She took a breath and then shook her head, “It’s cold here.”
“There’s Mason and Gracie,” Kaillar told her, waving to his brother and fiancé as they crossed the lanes of traffic.
Gracie was out of the car and hugging Becca before he knew it, and he watched in amusement as the two women hugged and cried on each other’s shoulders.
Mason rounded the vehicle and opened the trunk, “Is it always going to be like that with them?”
Kaillar nodded his head, “Yep. I think so. We’d better invest in boxes of tissues.”
Mason grinned, and tossed their suitcases into the trunk. “Ladies, I’m glad you all are happy to see one another, but you need to take this little bonding experience into the vehicle.”
The two girls broke apart and slipped into the backseat, talking a mile a minute as they tried to catch up on everything. Mason grinned at Kaillar as he pulled away from the terminal, “I now know why those fancy limos have a sliding glass partition in them.”
Kaillar looked over his shoulder at Becca, and grinned at the happy look on her face. Her mascara was smeared, and Gracie was handing her a mirror so she could try to repair the damage her tears had done. Again.
“I’m just glad we’re home. That’s a long flight.”
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s snowing really hard at the tunnel. I don’t know that we’re getting back to Silver Springs tonight. They’ve already got the chain law in effect for big trucks, and are advising all non-essential traffic to make other travel plans.”
Becca slid forward, “We can stay at my place for one night. Gracie can sleep with me, and you and Mason can take the couch and the second bedroom.” She turned back and asked Gracie, “When are the movers coming?”
“Two days from now. They already dropped off some boxes. If we spent the rest of the afternoon, we could probably get most of your stuff packed up.”
Becca turned back to the front with a questioning look directed towards Kaillar. “Will that work?”
Kaillar smiled at her, “That will work just fine. Why don’t we stop and grab some lunch, and then we can get started?”
Mason nodded and headed towards the foothills. Becca lived in a small suburb on the outskirts of Denver, in a two bedroom apartment. She’d been planning to turn the second bedroom into an office and workroom, but now she wasn’t even planning on staying in Denver.
“So, Sarah’s okay with everything?” Becca asked.
Gracie nodded, “She’s so excited that you and your mom are going to take over her place. When is your mom coming?”
Becca smiled at her, “Well, she closes on the resort Friday. Julia, my mom’s longtime friend is going to come with her. I want to be able to focus on my photography and this way, mom won’t have to manage the guests by herself.”
“That’s a great idea. Sarah already has her stuff packed for her move to Vail. She and Stan are flying to Las Vegas next week to get married.”
“That’s quick,” Becca commented, causing both Mason and Kaillar to laugh. “Why is that so funny?”
“Stan and Sarah have been dating, long distance, for almost seven months. With his schedule at the hospital in Vail, and her commitment to the motel and boarding house, they’ve only been able to see each other a few times each month.”
“That’s hard. How do you keep a relationship going long distance like that?” Becca asked.
“You have to truly love the other person. But I agree,” Gracie told her, “That would be the hard way to have a relationship.”
Becca thought for a moment, and then she brightened, “What if we put together a small celebration for when they return from Vegas? We could use the common room at the motel and invite some of Dr. Geske’s friends from Vail.”
“Becca, that’s a great idea,” Mason told her, directing the vehicle into the drive-thru of a popular burger joint.
“I’m sure both Stan and Sarah would appreciate that,” Kaillar told her with a proud smile on his face.
Mason pulled up to the order spot and then asked, “What does everyone want?”
After receiving their food, Mason drove them straight to Becca’s apartment. They ate amidst talk about Hawai’i, and Kaillar spent most of his time talking about surfing. “Becca’s friend is really good and I think I’ve convinced him to fly out here after the holidays and try his hand at snowboarding.”
“Kalino is looking forward to it,” Becca told him. “He texted me to find out what kind of arrangements he needs to make for lodging. I told him I’d talk with you and not to worry about it.”
Kaillar nodded, “Yeah. He can room at the lodge, or even down at the motel. Next time you talk to him, remind him that we’ll need his flight schedule so that someone can meet him at the airport.”
“Why don’t I just give you his cell phone number and you and he can work out the details?” Becca asked.
Kaillar chuckled and handed her his phone. “That sounds fine.”
They split up after that, the girls taking the kitchen, and the boys heading towards the hall closet and living room. Their focus was to deconstruct the electronics and pack them correctly into the moving boxes.
Gracie and Becca made short work of the kitchen cabinets, and then they headed for the bathroom and linen closet. As they were working, Gracie asked questions about Becca’s time on the Island, and Becca found herself completely op
ening up. About everything.
“Kaillar was really supportive through everything.”
“Meaning what?” Gracie asked.
Becca put the towels she was holding in her hands into a box, and then she told Gracie about their walk along the beach. “He spoke to Pastor Jeremy. There’s a class meeting Sunday afternoon he thought might be a good fit for me.”
“Are you nervous?” Gracie asked, remembering how nervous and unsure of herself Gracie had been.
“A bit, but not about meeting new people. I just don’t want to let Kaillar down. Or myself.”
Gracie stopped what she was doing and asked, “How do you think you’re going to let anyone down?”
Becca shrugged, “I don’t really know. But if this doesn’t work..”
“This? You mean a relationship with God? That’s what you think might not work?”
Becca nodded, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Gracie burst out laughing, “Oh Becca. You don’t have to worry about it not working out when it comes to God. He wants to have a relationship with you so badly. Did you and Kaillar talk about how it all works?”
Becca shook her head, and Gracie repeated the gesture. “Men. Leave them to do one thing right. Come with me and let’s take a small break.” She pulled her back out to the living room, and sat them both down on the couch.
Gracie began to tell her about the price that had already been paid for her. At one point, Mason and Kaillar started to come into the living room, but after seeing the two women sitting on the couch, their heads bent close together, and an open Bible sitting on Gracie’s equipment, they had retreated to the bedrooms to begin packing up the contents of the closets.
“She’s going to be fine,” Mason told his brother. “You know that, right?”
Kaillar nodded his head, “I hope so. I really do.”
Chapter 19
One week later, back in Silver Springs…
Three Brothers Lodge - The Complete Series Box Set Page 27
