Caroline laughed. “No, of course not.”
“Okay, I’ll go next,” Abby said in a serious tone. “You probably think my highlight was when Paul didn’t die. And, naturally, that was a huge highlight. But my real highlight came before that, when I thought I was losing him, because it made me realize just how much I really do love him … and how much I need him … and how empty my life would be without him.” She sighed. “I actually told him that this morning.”
“That’s very cool,” Caroline told her.
“Now me,” Janie said. “I didn’t think I was going to tell anyone, but I know I can trust you guys.” Janie explained how her dad had been in the war, but because he never spoke of it, she’d always assumed he was embarrassed about it. “It turns out that he was a real war hero,” she said, “and he won some medals, including the Medal of Honor. But the reason it’s such a highlight is because, as I was reading old letters and things, I realized how much both my parents had been through. I began to understand why they were the way they were. It was like solving a mystery. I realized that it wasn’t really my fault that my parents had some problems—it’s just that they’d been broken by the things that happened during the war. And I could forgive them.” Janie sighed. “That felt so good.”
“That’s awesome,” Marley told her. “Now I guess it’s my turn.” She took in a deep breath. “Well, I was in bed one night—when we still didn’t know if Paul was going to make it or not—and I started thinking about my own mortality. And for some reason it really got to me, and I felt really alone. So … I decided to talk to God.”
“And?” Caroline asked eagerly.
“And …” Marley shrugged, then grinned. “The conversation continues.”
“Group hug,” Abby proclaimed as she stretched out her arms. All four of them huddled into one big embrace. “I need you Lindas so much,” Abby told them. “I never could’ve survived this week without you guys.”
“Same back at you,” Caroline added as they all stepped away, some of them wiping their eyes.
“I really do believe that God’s the one who brought us back together,” Marley said.
“And God’s the one who will keep us together,” Abby added.
“And I am so thankful.” Janie reached for their hands, and the four of them continued walking down the beach, hand in hand, not so different from how they used to walk down the beach more than forty years before … and hopefully for decades more.
… a little more …
When a delightful concert comes to an end,
the orchestra might offer an encore.
When a fine meal comes to an end,
it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.
When a great story comes to an end,
we think you may want to linger.
And so, we offer ...
AfterWords—just a little something more after you
have finished a David C. Cook novel.
We invite you to stay awhile in the story.
Thanks for reading!
Turn the page for ...
• Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions
1. Examine the conflicting values that affect Caroline’s decision to care for her declining mother at home. How do these conflicts play out in real-life situations that you know of?
2. How would Caroline’s experience during this season of her life be different if she allowed Mitch, Adam, or Brent to “rescue” her from her feelings of loneliness or helplessness? How is the support that the Four Lindas offer her different from the support she might find in a romantic relationship?
3. What is it about domestic pets that seems to change our perspective for the better?
4. Why was it important for Abby to have her bed-and-breakfast project? What’s your opinion of how she went about it? What would you have recommended she do differently, if anything?
5. Why does Marley feel she can only paint when angry? How does this early opinion of her creative process compare to the work she does at the end of the novel, when she is feeling peaceful? How would you explain the difference between these experiences?
6. The prospect of Paul’s mortality nudges Marley toward God and Abby toward Paul. Why does it sometimes take an imminent loss to prompt such changes of attitude?
7. Marley feels insecure about her design sense in comparison to Janie’s; Abby feels insecure because Paul is typically unsupportive of her interests. What are some of the other insecurities the Four Lindas face? Is insecurity a constant in life, regardless of age, or is it something one can overcome once and for all? Explain.
8. Janie comes to a new understanding of her upbringing and her parents’ behavior. Her discoveries make her sympathetic rather than bitter toward them. Why? What is the point of her forgiving them even though they are dead?
9. The Four Lindas are quick to help each other when trouble presents itself. Describe a time when a friend came alongside you and helped you lift a burden. How did their support change the nature of your trouble?
10. What are the sacrifices each of the Four Lindas must make in this story? What are the rewards they experience as a result?
www.DavidCCookFiction.Blogspot.com
www.davidccook.com
www.melodycarlson.com
Hometown Ties Page 28
