Inspirational Christian Fiction Boxed Set: Embers and Ashes Series (Books 1 - 4)

by T. K. Chapin

  “This kid keeps trying to tell me God doesn’t exist… and he wants to argue all the time.”

  “I see… You’ll run into that from time to time on your walk with Christ.”

  “So… what verses should I tell him?”

  I slipped off the side of the ball and dropped my phone. Picking it back up, I moaned in pain.

  “What’s wrong?” Christopher asked.

  “I fell off this medicine ball in the workout room at work.”

  He laughed. “Why were you on it?”

  “Just doinking around while I talk to you. I’m fine. But back to that kid arguing with you… I’d just try to show him kindness and love.”

  “He’s a jerk, though,” Christopher replied.

  “Yeah. But you want to be different than the world. He wants to get a rise out of you. Just keep showing kindness to him. If he doesn’t believe in the Bible, verses won’t do much for him.”

  “Christopher!” Emily shouted from the background.

  “I gotta go. Mom’s calling for me out in the living room,” Christopher said, exasperated.

  Sensing his agitated tone, I said, “Be nice to your mom. She works hard to provide for you. And remember, you can call me anytime.”

  Hearing the smile in his voice, he replied, “Thanks, Uncle Kane.”

  “You’re welcome,” I replied before hanging up the phone. I couldn’t help myself from smiling as I wondered what God had in store for that kid.

  CHAPTER 19

  Arriving at Kristen’s house that Friday evening, I parked along the curb in front to pick her up for our dinner date. Looking in the mirror at the sweat beading on my forehead, I told myself that it’s the middle of August, so of course it’s going to be hot. And if a little warmth in a button up shirt is all I have to endure to look nice for Kristen, I’m okay with that. I got out of the car and headed up the path to the front door. I could see her through the living room window. She stood looking in a mirror that hung on the wall, and she looked stunning. She looked divine with the low lighting of a lamp playing off her skin.

  I knocked on the door, stood back, and held the bouquet of daisies behind my back. I had noticed on our trip that she had an air freshener in her car that was of the same flower. It was a hunch, but I suspected she probably liked them regardless.

  The door unlocked, and she opened it. My heart warmed at seeing her smile, and I handed the bouquet to her. She turned red and took a deep breath in to smell them. Smiling, she looked up at the flowers and said, “I love daisies!”

  “Good,” I replied with a grin.

  “Come on in. I just need to grab my necklace really quick, and then we can go.”

  “Alright,” I replied, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me.

  She set the flowers down on the island in the kitchen and headed down the hallway. Glancing through the sliding glass door off her kitchen, I could see through her yard and into the park. I put my hands in my pocket and thought back to that day Christopher and I had gone to play baseball. Just an uncle and his nephew tossing the ball around and enjoying the sunshine. If we hadn’t gone there, I might have never met Kristen. Wow.

  Coming back from the hallway, she asked, “What are you smiling about?”

  I nodded towards the sliding glass door. “If the power had not gone out that day we saw each other at the park… we might not have ever met each other.”

  She nodded. “It’s weird to think about… isn’t it?” She laughed. “I remember being so mad the power went out… but now, I’m glad it did,” she said. Handing me her necklace, she asked, “Could you?”

  I smiled as I took the necklace in my hands and brought it to her neck. As I put it on her, I said, “I can’t believe that was only a few weeks ago.”

  Looking up at me as she turned, she looked me in the eyes and placed one hand on my chest as she said, “I feel like I’ve known you forever, Kane.”

  I laughed a little out of embarrassment more than anything else. “C’mon…” I said.

  “Seriously. The way you were able to handle the thing with your brother… And all the miles we went to go see him. When I talk to you, I feel more connected to you than I’ve ever felt with another person. It's crazy...”

  I nodded in acknowledgment and smiled at her as I put my hands around her waist. I brought my hands up both sides of her and into her hair. Running my fingers through her flowing blonde hair, I leaned in and kissed her. Everything felt so right. So perfect. It was like we were meant for each other. Stopping ourselves before we let it get out of control, we pulled back from our embrace.

  “We should get going,” I said with a short nod.

  She smiled and went over to the flowers on the counter. “Let me get these daisies in a vase, and then we can leave.”

  “Okay,” I replied, walking into the living room.

  “Your text earlier said Emily was okay with Timothy having the money, but you didn’t say why,” she said as she removed the flowers from the packaging.

  “She knew it was my mother’s letter and succumbed to my mother’s desire to give him the money I guess. She wanted it, but she knew it was the right thing to do. I like to think it was God reaching through.” I smiled.

  Kristen turned on the faucet and began trimming the ends of the daisies. “That’s great! I think you’re right. She was pretty determined to contest it. I think Timothy will do the right thing.”

  “Me too,” I replied, smiling over at her as I saw her put the flowers in a vase. “I think it’s the first time she’s ever put faith in a person… I hope it works out.”

  Kristen set the vase on the counter and arranged the daisies so they looked pretty. Looking at them for a moment and then up at me, she smiled. “Reminds me of a sermon my father preached a couple weeks back. He focused the message on Jesus, but more specifically the faith everyone had put in Him at the time he walked the earth.”

  “I haven’t ever thought about Jesus in that light. We have the cross and resurrection now, but they –the disciples and followers of Christ— were trusting in Him before the resurrection.”

  She nodded as she picked up her purse and came around the island to join me in the living room. “It was a pretty neat message. I sure love getting up there to Colville and getting to hear some of his preaching once in a while.”

  I smiled. Putting my arm out for her to grab, she latched on as I opened the door and led her out to my mother’s old car.

  Pulling out a chair from the table for Kristen, I caught her staring out the large bay windows that overlooked the falls and the Spokane River. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” I asked.

  She sat down and set her purse next to her chair as I rounded the table to sit across from her. “It is. I love the view of the falls,” she replied, smiling at me.

  I could stare into those eyes all night, I thought to myself before the waiter arrived, breaking my stare.

  “Good evening,” the waiter said, arriving at the table with menus. After handing us the menus, he flipped our elegant water glasses over and filled them each with ice water. “Tonight’s special is a pan-seared wild Alaskan salmon. Could I get you started with a few drinks?”

  “I’ll take a strawberry lemonade,” Kristen said as she looked at the menu.

  “I’ll just take a few slices of cucumber to go with my water please,” I said.

  “Very well,” he said, bowing as he left our table.

  “Jeez… this place is fancy, Kane,” Kristen said in a whisper across the table to me.

  “You’re a classy gal. I thought you’d like it,” I replied, grinning.

  She smiled as she looked at the menu.

  “When’s your vacation over?” I asked as I spotted the Char-Grilled Burger on the menu. Closing my menu, I folded my hands over the top. Incongruous choice, but I knew what I liked.

  She sighed. “Tomorrow…”

  “Yeah, I’m going back on Monday. I’m ready to hop back into the action.”

  She lo
oked up at me and asked, “They didn’t give you more time off?”

  “The Chief said I could take more time, but I don’t need it. I’ve grieved and made my peace. It’s time to start moving forward.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Krissy?” Tyson said out of nowhere.

  We both looked over to see Tyson coming over with a surprised look on his face. “Oh, jeez,” Kristen said as she put her hand to her forehead. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed to me as he approached.

  I smiled at her shaking my head to signal it was fine as we turned to greet Tyson.

  “Hi, Tyson,” Kristen said.

  “Hey.” He looked over at me and shook my hand. “I know you from somewhere… right?”

  “Yeah. The youth barbeque at your church. I had the Shelby…”

  “That’s right!” He exclaimed, pointing to me. “How are you doing?”

  “Good,” I replied shortly.

  He turned back to Kristen and said, “I have someone I want you to meet. Let me take you over there.”

  Kristen glanced over at me. I smiled, and tipped my chin as she got up to join him. They went across the restaurant back to his table. He had a woman with him at the table. Sweet, I thought to myself. He’s moving on from ‘Krissy.’ Turning, I looked out at the falls that were raging just outside the window below. Watching as I saw people walk across the top, I thought about my mother. She might have been gone now, but just like those falls, her soul would continue on.

  “Sorry about that,” Kristen said, sitting back down to our table.

  Looking at her, I shook my head, “No problem. He has someone new he’s infatuated with?”

  She nodded as she glanced back towards their table. “Cynthia. It’s one of the other youth group moms from another church… so that’s good.”

  “I agree,” I replied, relieved that it wasn’t just his sister or something.

  The waiter came back over to our table and took our orders. As he was leaving our table, Kristen asked, “How do you do it?”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Stay so calm… Like, about your mom and Tyson…”

  I shrugged. “What should I do? I just give it to God. I know He has a plan and everything will work out one way or another.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re right, but I’d be beside myself if my dad had died.”

  “Yeah…” Leaning in, I asked, “Where is your mom? I never hear you speak about her.”

  “She left my dad a long time ago when I was five. She didn’t like him being a preacher. She couldn’t handle it.”

  “Wow… I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay, really. I talk to her from time to time, but there isn’t a bond there. She lives up in Vermont.”

  “You ever see her?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “Not very often. I’ve been up there a few times over the years, but she’s pretty obsessed with her new husband and his boat.”

  “That’s rough… I guess that’s why we just have to rely on God and not other people.”

  “Easier said than done sometimes,” Kristen replied. “But yes, that’s what we should be doing.”

  I picked up my water and tossed a slice of cucumber in. “Yeah…” Taking a sip of the water, I set it back down. “Life’s too short to waste it on being upset. I don’t want to live that way. And I know my mother wouldn’t want me to live that way either.”

  “You didn’t freak out at all?”

  Recalling my drunken stupor with Roofus, I laughed.

  “What?” she asked, leaning in.

  “I did freak out when I first found out about my mom…” I adjusted in my seat. “I got drunk and took my mom’s dog for a walk up on a mountain.”

  She busted out laughing. Covering her mouth with a napkin to clean up the lemonade, she apologized. “I’m so sorry! That just sounded funny to me for some reason.”

  I grinned and looked out the window. “It was pretty funny.”

  “How’d that end up?” she asked.

  Looking back at her, I said, “I fell into a ravine and fell asleep. Cole found me.”

  “Oh jeez,” she replied, shaking her head.

  I nodded. “Cole showed me the truth about God that next morning when I woke up. He told me it was my faith in God that was going to get me through the struggle… not the worldly vices.”

  “Yep,” she replied with a short nod. “I had a crisis of faith when Blake’s father bailed on us.”

  I leaned in and took a sip of my water. “Go on.”

  She shook her head. “That’s okay…”

  “Come on, Kristen. Why not?”

  “It’s embarrassing.”

  I shook my head. “My sister told you everything about my past and I just told you about the drunken dog walk.”

  She laughed, and said, “Okay.” Taking a sip of her lemonade, she set it down and scooted closer to the table and leaned in. “After everything fell apart, I went out with my friend Elly that same night. We went to this weird rave party thing downtown and shots were flowing. I ended up drunk and face first in my dad’s front yard.”

  “Oh, wow! Really?” I replied.

  “Yeah… And the worst part was the entire church was there the next day to surprise him in the morning with a gift basket! I was mortified!”

  I began to laugh trying hard not to show it.

  She laughed too. “It’s not funny!”

  “How’d you move on past that and establish a relationship with your dad?” I asked.

  “Well, once he learned of my ended relationship, he had me and Blake move in up there. I had to live by all the same rules I had when I was a kid.”

  “Bet that was fun,” I said sarcastically.

  “No! I loathed it. But I didn’t have any choice in the matter. Blake’s dad peaced out of state and vanished, and I was stuck with a $2,000 monthly house payment and a kid to pay for.”

  “You didn’t have a job?” I asked.

  She shook her head as she took another sip of her drink. “No. He didn’t want me working at all.”

  “Do you like working now?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t mind not working, honestly. But I kind of ended up in a really bad spot by not having a job in that situation. But it worked out. Living at my dad’s got me back into church and I found a job at a diner up there in Colville.”

  “Which one?” I asked.

  “Lucy’s,” she replied.

  “Oh, we used to go there all the time. My mom loved their eggs benedict breakfast.”

  Kristen nodded. “That’s the best one. What was your mom’s name again?”

  “Marilynn.”

  “Oh. I don’t think I waited on her… or at least don’t remember doing so.”

  “Really? She was in there all the time. She went by Mary sometimes?” I replied.

  “No...” Kristen’s eyes widened.

  “What?”

  “She went by Mary?”

  “Yeah, wait… do you remember her?”

  Kristen reached down into her purse and pulled out a coin. Handing it to me with a trembling hand, she said, “She gave me that coin after we had a few different conversations about God. She said it was her good luck charm and a reminder that God and her son she lost at war, were always with her. I didn’t want to take it, but she insisted. She helped me through my struggles I was having with my faith. I always keep it with me. Do you recognize it? Was it Kyle’s?”

  Looking at the coin, my eyes widened. It was the coin. A military navy coin that she bought in San Diego on her trip to see Kyle graduate. One side read: Navy, United States of America and on the other side: This we’ll defend. Joshua 1: 9 Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Looking up at her, I asked with watery eyes, “Yes… When did she give you this?”

  “About three years ago or so…?”

  It was after Kyle died. My mom gave this coin away? And had given it to
Kristen? “Wow…” I replied, relaxing back in my seat as I stared at it.

  Kristen wiped away a tear from her eye as she shook her head. “She was the most gentle spirit I have ever met in my life, Kane.” She sniffled and looked me in the eyes as she continued. “It was a difficult time because I felt so alone, like Blake’s dad took all of me and just left the ashes from the fire he caused in our family’s life. The one thing she told me that stuck out the most was the fact that God is an artist, and he can use our ashes to shape us into beautiful works of art. She said I was a work of art and, I needed to let God mold me in His image. I have let Him rule my life ever since then. She really moved me.” Wiping away another tear, she said, “I’m sorry.”

  “No…” I said, reaching across the table to touch her hands. “I’m happy you met her. And she helped you.” I was amazed at how much my mother had helped Kristen. I could not help but marvel at God’s timing. My mom had no idea how much Kristen would mean to me one day, but God did. My eyes watered thinking about how much God loved me.

  Thinking about the fact that Kristen was at the funeral, I wondered how she didn’t see a picture anywhere. “How did you not realize it was her at the funeral?”

  Kristen shrugged. “I guess I was just busy in the kitchen. I was trying to give you your space. I swear I had no idea…”

  I picked up the coin on the table and looked at it again, shaking my head.

  “You can have it,” she said.

  “No,” I replied, handing it back to her across the table. “Keep it. She gave it to you.”

  She smiled. Taking the coin back, she put it into her purse. As I waited for the food to come, I looked back out the window at the falls and thought about my mother. It warmed my heart to know she had met Kristen before and that they shared a bond together. My mother had helped her in a crucial part of her life and I never knew about it. My mind began to wonder how many other people were out there like Kristen that she helped. Strangers, who just happened to cross her path and she showed them Jesus. She was inspiring me, even beyond the grave.

  CHAPTER 20