A Walk In The Wilderness

by Nancy Hopper

  And he did pray! My, how he prayed over the girl! Caitlin was shocked by the depth and passion of his prayers for her. Others came and stood there with him, as time went by. It was awesome, and beautiful. Caitlin was in amazement and wonder at it.

  Before long, David took her hand and smiled at her. “Ready to go?” he asked gently.

  “Yes.” she agreed.

  He said goodnight to those around them, and led Caitlin out by the hand.

  Once they were in the limo, she felt strangely shy next to David. He continued to hold her hand. Things were different now. She could feel it. Barriers that had been there were gone, and yet there was a newness in the air that would take some adapting to. Every time she looked at David, his eyes were already on her, drinking in the glow on her face, with gladness and a deep intentness in his eyes.

  When they arrived back at the motel, David lost no time getting to his room. He returned with a lovely, white leather Bible in his hands. Caitlin looked up at him in surprise. “This is for you.” he said with gentle eyes.

  “Me?” she repeated slowly. She opened the Bible and found that in fact, her name was written inside the cover. Her eyes misted as she read the beautiful script written there:

  “To Caitlin Nicole. With all my love, David.” She looked up at him with puzzled eyes.

  “I’ve been waiting.” he advised with a wise, sideways look.

  She giggled despite herself. “David,” she objected. “You bought this for me, before? Knowing?” she asked incredulously.

  “Absolutely. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that you would one day soon be ready for this. And you see, I was right.”

  She sighed. “I can’t argue. Thank you, very much.” she said, choking back tears.

  David chuckled, and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you. You made me very, very happy tonight.” he told her.

  “Me?”

  “Yes, me.” he teased. “Now, you get some sleep. You’ve got a plane to catch tomorrow.”

  She nodded in docile agreement, and turned to walk away. His hands on her arm stopped her cold.

  “Caitlin, wait.” he whispered. He hugged her soundly and kissed her temple with a tenderness that brought tears to her eyes. “Sleep well, love.” he said gently.

  She smiled up at him, and nodded. He let her go.

  Caitlin was awake for many long hours, listening to David’s whispered prayers and recalling the remarkable night. She was enthralled to think of all that had happened, and how this night had possibly opened the door for her future. With David. He’d said he’d been waiting. And he’d called her ‘his woman’ when he was arguing with Will. Could it be? she wondered.

  David woke her up at ten with a kiss on the cheek. She stirred and then her eyes flew open as she saw David above her. “Hey, it’s just me.” he soothed her. “You need to get up and pack, sweetheart. Then it’s breakfast, and the airport.”

  She sighed. “Oh, my.”

  “I know. I don’t like it, either.” he agreed. “But I suppose it’s best, to keep you safe. Mother’s done without you longer than she likes already, I suspect.”

  “David,” she asked hesitantly, “What do I do, now?”

  He sat on the bed beside her, and smoothed her hair back from her face. “About what?” he asked lightly.

  “About Jesus. And praying. That kind of thing.”

  He smiled and let his eyes enjoy the sweetness of her face. “You just talk to Him, honey. He wants a relationship with you. Build it just as you would with me. Talk to Him, ask Him questions. Share the desires of your heart with Him. Pray when you feel you should, about the things that you feel are important. Ask him for solutions to every situation.”

  “Will He answer?” she asked incredulously.

  “He absolutely will answer you.” David assured her. “Read your Bible every day, and believe the words you see there. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it’s not true. You just have to remember that He doesn’t always think the way that you do. But His solutions and plans are always the best plans. We just don’t always recognize His hand, and so we think He isn’t answering prayer. If you take a big step back, you can often see that He is answering. Just in ways that we couldn’t see, would never have dreamed. Yet, looking back, you can see that His plan was the only real way to resolution.”

  “You really have a very deep faith, don’t you?”

  David shrugged and raised his eyebrows. “I wouldn’t be alive without Him. I am devoted, I don’t mind admitting it. He is everything to me.”

  She smiled. She began to understand some things about David a bit better.

  They had their last Paris breakfast at an outdoor cafe, and enjoyed it immensely. Caitlin was amazed to find David holding her hand across the table. His fingers caressed hers with a touch that lit her heart aflame, yet he said nothing. The look in his eyes put butterflies in her belly, yet he only smiled.

  Then, he purchased another two suitcases for her, and helped her pack. The many new clothes she’d bought still nearly choked her three suitcases. The limo came, and they were off to the airport. David had booked her on a commercial jet, as there was nothing private available for that day.

  “Be very careful back in England.” he instructed. “It’s a big airport, and I don’t want you alone. If James isn’t at the gate, you wait there with airline personnel until he comes. If he doesn’t come in thirty minutes’ time, you call Mum. Understood?” he asked carefully.

  “Understood.” she agreed.

  “All right.” he said gently. “I’ll call you when you should be home, so do me a favor and be there. It will help my nerves tremendously.”

  She laughed. “Stop it. David, you know I’ll be fine.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t doubt it, but I do still worry, with these recent events we’ve encountered. I want you safe.” he told her with a steady stare.

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.” she said, blushing.

  He waited until it was time to board, and then he hugged her soundly. “You take care. I’ll see you in a week or so.” he whispered.

  “I will. You take care too, David.” she insisted.

  “I will have nothing else to do.” he sighed. “Perhaps I’ll go to the leather shop for aggravation’s sake.” he teased.

  She smiled, and shook her head.

  “Give my love to Mother.” he urged.

  She nodded, and he dropped her hand. She smiled, turned, and walked to the plane. As she settled in the seat, she was feeling so bereft; she found tears smarting in her eyes. He’d still not kissed her.

  James was waiting patiently at the gate for her when she arrived at her destination. They hurried down to Baggage claim, and when he had her fscases in hand, they went out to the limo depot and stashed them in the Bentley. James was very polite, and kept his eyes averted despite Caitlin’s lovely appearance that day.

  Grace was in the rear seat, and took Caitlin’s hands with great excitement.

  “Oh, my dear!” she exclaimed. “It is so good to see you again! Tell me everything. I have missed you so desperately, and I did pray every day. Now, tell me all about you and David.” she urged.

  Caitlin laughed. “My goodness. Where do I start? I suppose, by cautioning you that there still is really nothing between David and I.” she warned.

  “No!” Grace objected. “How could he take you to Paris and not tumble?”

  Caitlin smiled grimly. “David is a very devout man. Surely you don’t think he’d be one to go tumbling, do you, Grace?”

  “Why not?” she pouted.

  Caitlin’s smile faded as she looked out the Bentley window.

  “What is it, dear?” Grace asked, noting the pale, pinched look on Caitlin’s face.

  “Nothing. Just thought I saw someone I know.” she mumbled. That was true enough for Grace’s purposes. Caitlin had just looked into the face of Skyler’s dear Connie.

  Caitlin was still unpacking when David called. Grace called her to the phone and she
took it with relief. “David?” she asked breathlessly.

  “Hello, darling. You made it home, I see.” he said with obvious relief.

  “David, she was at the airport! I saw her staring at us as we passed in the Bentley.”

  “Who, Cait?” David asked warily.

  “Connie. I’m sure it was Connie.” she shivered.

  David paused. “Did you see anyone following at any time?” he asked worriedly.

  “No.” she admitted.

  “Good. I’ll tell James to double security. Don’t be afraid, darling. Just stay near the house until I get home, will you?”

  “I will.” she agreed immediately.

  “That’s my girl.” he sighed. “Is everything else all right?”

  “Yes.” she said softly. “Except that I already miss you.”

  There was a short silence. “Do you, now?” he asked with a smile. “I miss you too, Cait. I’ve gotten awfully used to you being with me, again.”

  She smiled, but had to bite back tears. “Well, it’s only going to be a week, right?”

  “That is the plan.” David agreed. “Darling, let me talk to my mother. I’ve got to go on in a few.”

  “All right.” she agreed tearfully. “Take care, David.”

  “You too, love.” he said gently.

  She called Grace to the phone, and went to her room to let the tears flow. Oh, when he called her ‘darling’, or ‘love’, how it tore her up. She was longing for it to mean more than sweet words. She was longing to be his own darling, his own love. She could hardly stand the endearments. Yet, she’d have been crushed not to hear them, no matter what the circumstances.

  Grace smiled grimly when Caitlin reappeared downstairs. “David wants the security doubled. Can you imagine? That street rat won’t get in here.” Grace assured Caitlin angrily.

  Caitlin laughed. “God help her if she does. I imagine she’d get a bit more than she bargained on, wouldn’t she?”

  “She would, indeed.” Grace huffed. “Now, David tells me that you made many splendid purchases in Paris. You must show them all to me.” she insisted

  “All right.” Caitlin said with a smile. “Come up, and see. I do have something for you, anyway.”

  “For me? Let’s get a move on, then.” Grace urged. Caitlin laughed and followed her up the stairs.

  Tears came to Grace’s eyes when she opened the glass figurine that Caitlin had bought for her. It was lovely cobalt glass in the likeness of a songbird, and very well made. “My dear. It’s lovely. I shall always treasure this.” she assured Caitlin. There was also a perfume atomizer and a trinket box to match.

  Grace was astounded at the clothes that Caitlin had to show her. “David bought you these?” she asked incredulously.

  “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Caitlin giggled.

  “Indeed.” Grace agreed.

  “And he bought me these, though I picked them out.” Caitlin added, pulling the leather dresses and boots out of her case.

  “No.” Grace gasped, her eyes wide. “What did he say about these?”

  Caitlin’s eyebrows went up. “Well, Grace. David is a bit touchy about leather, actually. Apparently, it pushes his buttons. Makes him a bit snappy and boorish.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Grace asked incredulously. “My David?”

  “Indeed. He finally explained that it causes him to have to deal with feelings that he doesn’t dare indulge himself in. He knows he turns into a bear, but he can’t seem to help himself.”

  Grace gave her a look that made her quail inside. Then she threw back her head and simply howled. She laughed, and laughed. “Oh, my.” she gasped. “That’s choice. He actually said this to you?”

  “He did.” Caitlin confirmed.

  “Oh, my. You’ve got him by the throat then, Caitlin. You know, I had a feeling that night when I saw you in the leather pants, that it would undo him. The look on his face was priceless. I don’t wonder that it made him cross! Oh, how splendid!”

  Caitlin grinned and shook her head, laughing helplessly with Grace.

  The next morning, she found Grace reading the paper and drinking a cup. “Good morning, dear. How are you?” Grace asked, putting up her cheek for a kiss.

  “Fine.” She answered with a sigh. “A little bit tired, actually.”

  “So what is your prognosis for romance after this trip, my dear?”

  Caitlin looked into the sparkling but very serious eyes that she’d learned to love so dearly.

  “Well, Grace, that’s hard to say. David has been very cautious on that score. There were times that he said or did things that made me wonder if you weren’t right. I almost thought once that he was going to kiss me, but we were interrupted. And he never did. The cagey man, I don’t know what to think of him. I think that he’s attracted to me, but he just doesn’t ever let me know for sure what to expect.”

  “Will you tell me how you feel about David?” she asked pointedly.

  Caitlin looked at Grace, and blushed. “Do you really want me to say? Grace, perhaps it would be better if I don’t. I mean, if David doesn’t care for me, it would be better, the less I’ve said.” She tumbled the words out hurriedly.

  Grace chuckled and patted her hand. “Darling, do you think I don’t already know?” she asked kindly.

  “You do?” Caitlin asked warily.

  “Of course I do. And I don’t think for a minute that this story won’t have a very happy ending.”

  “Really?” Caitlin sighed. She put her head in her hand and looked up at Grace. “I don’t know what to think.” she admitted.

  “You do love David, don’t you?” Grace asked gently.

  Caitlin looked at her with miserable eyes. Tears came when she saw compassion in Grace’s eyes. “Oh, God. Yes, I do. So much that I can hardly stand it! But Grace, I promise you. If he doesn’t want me, I’ll get out of the way. It is the only right thing to do.”

  Grace chuckled. “Honey, he wants you. Never fear. He’ll get around to it. He will never be led, or pushed, but he will come 'round to it, sweetheart.”

  Caitlin gave her a bittersweet smile. “You know, I did accept Jesus while I was there. I think that perhaps he’s been waiting for that.”

  “Did you? Indeed, it will no doubt play a part. David would want that in his mate, I'm sure. To endure the demands of his calling, and be able to understand how he feels … yes. It does make perfect sense. In order to understand and share his life successfully, David would likely feel that his chosen one would need to share his passion for God. So that the two of you could be as one in heart and desire, with one focus, and peace in your hearts. Caitlin, you are wise, my dear.”

  Caitlin smiled. “Well, perhaps now there’s hope. Oh, Grace. I don’t know how or when I fell in love with him. It just happened, and by the time I realized, it was far too late to back up. There are just some things that you can’t undo.”

  “When did you know?” Grace asked gently.

  “I really knew when he was home last, and he sat at the piano playing. I just began to realize that my heart was in deep waters. I tried to pull it back, but there was nothing on the end of the line. You know? My heart was long gone before I realized it.”

  Grace laughed. “I do have an idea. But there was no kiss goodbye, you say?”

  Caitlin sighed heavily. “There has been no kiss at all. Oh, Grace. He drives me simply wild.”

  Grace chuckled, and patted her hand comfortingly. “Look on the bright side, Caitlin. When he does finally do something, it will be decisive. That’s how David is. He’s been watching you carefully for some time now, waiting. He wants to know that he will not fail. I know my son. You can take this to the bank.” she said lightly.

  Caitlin laughed. “Well. Thank you for the encouragement. I do hope you’re right.”

  “Oh, I am. David has been carefully setting the stage for success. He’d never want to gamble when he intends to win the prize.”

  Caitlin’s eyebrows went up. “Yo
u make him sound almost sinister.” she accused lightly.

  “No. I just know him. And I’ve seen what’s in his eyes for you.”

  Caitlin looked at Grace, hoping beyond hope that she was right. Oh, could it be true? “You really think that he … loves me?”

  Grace smiled. “I do. Be patient with him. He’s never been in love before.”

  That surprised Cait. “He hasn’t?”

  Grace pursed her lips and shook her head slowly. “Never. There have been a few infatuations of course, but nothing serious.”

  “Wow.” Caitlin murmured. “But how many years has he served God?”

  “He began when he was fourteen.” Grace supplied. “He had a time between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five when we were concerned, here and there. But God has had a plan for David’s life, and David has always come back to it. We are grateful.”

  Caitlin nodded. It was a lot of information to think about.

  The days passed quietly after Caitlin came home. She spent them swimming and riding, reading the Bible in her room, and praying. She began to feel a genuine difference in her life because of the prayer.

  She had begun spending more time riding, with the warm weather coming on. The stable was very nice, and David kept some splendid horses. Grace told her that James’ wife Jana would help her choose a mount and find the tack that she would need. When she wandered out there one morning, she found a young woman with brown hair and eyes, cleaning stalls. Caitlin recalled seeing her before, cleaning the big house.

  “Hello. I’m Jana. You must be Caitlin.” The woman greeted her.

  “Yes. Nice to meet you.”

  “David warned me that you’d be coming along. He says you’re a good rider. How do you like your mount?”

  “Well, nothing too sedate. But I don’t want to be fighting for control all the time, either.”

  Jana smiled. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, you might check out Constantine down on the end. Also there’s Delilah, the Palomino, and Jimms, the black gelding, there. What are you into? Jumping, pleasure riding, or what?”

  “Well, I’ll probably just hack a bit, before I get too exuberant. It’s been a few years since I rode, actually.”