Cam grinned. “Thanks. We’ll keep that in mind.”
An hour and a half later, following the final curtain call, Rachel stood on stage with her cast, holding a beautiful bouquet of coral roses her students had given her. “Thank you for coming tonight. The work of N.C.Y.T. would not be possible without the encouragement and support of our families and friends.” She smiled at the audience, then her gaze settled on Cam.
“I’d also like to thank the members of the Arts Center Cooperative who share space with us here. Cam, would you come up and join me?”
The cast and audience clapped as Cam hustled up the steps and met her at center stage, his blue eyes glowing with warmth and affection.
“We’d like to present you with a check toward the purchase of this building. A very generous donor matched our ticket sales tonight, bringing the total to $24,172.”
The audience and cast burst into applause.
“Thank you all so much for your generous support.” She beamed a smile at her father before turning back to the audience. “We hope this is the first of many productions Northcoast Christian Youth Theater will be able to bring you from this wonderful facility. And now I’d like to invite all the cast members and their families to join us for a celebration in the community room.”
Conversation and laughter filled the air as the cast and their families gathered to visit and share refreshments following the show. In one corner, Ross set up his computer and was already showing video footage he had shot during that evening’s performance. Several of the kids gathered around, laughing and joking with each other as they watched themselves singing and dancing across the screen.
Rachel gripped Cam’s hand a little tighter as Haley’s parents approached.
“Great job, Ms. Clark.” Gary Mitchell lifted his punch cup toward her, his gray eyes twinkling.
“Thank you. I’m really proud of Haley and all the kids.”
“Well, they couldn’t have done it without you and your staff.”
Gail Mitchell nodded, then she took her husband’s arm and they headed toward the refreshment table.
Cam grinned. “I’d say you’ve definitely won over this crowd.”
“You think so?” Rachel stepped closer, glad she could share this special celebration with Cam.
Kayla wove through the group, still dressed in her wig and costume. “Rachel, These are my parents, Shannon and Eric Norton.” A proud smile lit up her face as she introduced them. “And this is Rachel Clark, our director and Uncle Cam’s upstairs neighbor.”
Shannon reached to shake Rachel’s hand. “It’s great to finally meet you. Cam and Kayla have been talking about you nonstop.”
“Good to meet you, too. I’m so glad you were able to make it back for tonight’s performance. Kayla did a terrific job.”
“She’s quite a little songbird, isn’t she?” Eric put his arm around his daughter, and she smiled up at him. “Being in your program this summer has been a real blessing for Kayla. Thanks for making that possible.”
“My pleasure.”
Kayla leaned to the left and looked across the room. A smile broke over her face. “Come on. There’s someone else I want you to meet.” She hooked arms with her parents and took them to the circle of friends watching the video. Kayla introduced Ryan to them. He nodded and smiled at Shannon, then shook hands with Eric.
“Good. It’s their watch now,” Cam said.
Rachel chuckled.
He grinned at her and walked toward the side door.
“Where are we going?”
“Outside.”
“But what will the parents say if we disappear?”
He sent her a sly grin. “I don’t think they’ll notice, but if they do, they’ll probably say, ‘Way to go, Cam.’”
She laughed and gave him a playful nudge. “You’re terrible.”
“No, I just want a little time alone with you.”
Her stomach fluttered. “I suppose no one would mind if we step out for a few minutes.”
He pushed open the door, and hand in hand they walked across the newly planted sod toward a pretty wrought-iron bench that Paxton’s Garden Center had donated and installed last week.
Above the last rays of the fading sunset, a few bright stars twinkled overhead. Rachel pulled in a deep breath and let the peaceful surroundings settle her heart.
They sat on the bench. He scooted closer and placed his arm around her shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about us a lot lately.” All the teasing had disappeared from his voice. “And praying, too.”
Her heartbeat sped up. “Get any answers?”
“A few.” He turned to her and touched her cheek, his blue-eyed gaze intense. “I love you, Rachel, more than I ever thought possible.”
Her heart lifted, and a smile bloomed on her lips. “I love you, too. I have for a long time.”
That last statement seemed to catch him by surprise. “I never expected to love anyone again. Not because the love Marie and I shared was so great, but more because I felt like a failure at loving her.”
She laid her hand over his heart. “I’m sure she didn’t think that, Cam.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve learned some important things since then.”
She looked up, thrilled he was sharing on such a deep level.
“I know now how important it is to treasure the one you love, to protect her and cherish her…and that’s what I intend to do.” He pulled her closer, into the circle of his arms. She laid her head on his chest and listened to the sound of his heart beating strong and sure. Then he lowered his lips to meet hers.
They shared a lingering kiss full of tender hope and sweet promises.
Finally he leaned back, but he was still just a whisper away.
Rachel smiled. “All my life I’ve been looking for a man I could trust and love, someone I could give my whole heart to.”
“So do you think you finally found him?” The teasing glint returned to his eyes.
She nodded and smiled, then kissed him again to make sure he knew her answer.
Dear Reader,
Thanks for traveling with me to Fairhaven, Washington, and spending time with Cam, Rachel, Ross, Chandra, Kayla and all the other characters in Seeking His Love. I hope you enjoyed the journey! Fairhaven is a real town, a section of Bellingham, Washington, and many of the locations and businesses I mentioned in the story can be found there. If you ever travel through northwestern Washington, I hope you will stop in and pay our friends in Fairhaven a visit.
The themes of forgiveness, honesty and families being reunited are all dear to my heart, and I hope as Rachel and Cam wrestled with them, you were prompted to think about those issues in your own life, as well.
I believe God placed the desire to seek love in everyone’s heart. He does this to draw us to Himself and to motivate us to build relationships with others. God longs to provide that love to you. His arms are always open. He is waiting for you to come to Him, pour out your sorrows and failures and receive His forgiveness and love. Jesus makes that all possible for us. What a wonderful Savior!
I would love to hear from you. You may e-mail me at [email protected] or visit my Web site, www.carrieturansky.com.
Until next time,
Carrie Turansky
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Rachel believed moving to a new town would help her leave her problems and mistakes behind. Was that a wise decision? Have you ever tried to distance yourself from problems by moving, changing jobs or leaving a relationship? How did that work for you?
Cam thought avoiding relationships with women and children would help him deal with the pain of losing his wife and son. Did that help him as he’d hoped? What are some more healthy ways to work through grief?
Rachel saw herself as a positive, cup-half-full type of person. Cam was more practical, cautious and logical. How did that affect the way they looked at events in this story? Would you say you are more like Rachel or Cam?
Rachel stru
ggled with the issue of honesty. She didn’t tell outright lies, but she withheld information, hoping people would see her in a different light. Was that wrong? What principles or guidelines do you use to determine the difference between truth and lies?
Cam struggled with regret for not valuing his family or protecting them at the time of the accident. Have you gotten caught up in work, church or other activities that take too much time away from your family? What are some ways you could show your family that you love and value them?
When Kayla first came to Fairhaven, she was upset about the possibility of losing her mother to cancer. How did she act out her fears? What helped her overcome them and deal with the unknown future?
After losing his wife and son in the accident, Cam pulled away from his Christian friends and did not attend church. Why did he make that decision? What did Cam finally discover when he returned to church?
Rachel didn’t have the love, encouragement and protection of her father as she grew up. How did this affect her? What influence did your father have on your life?
Even though Rachel longed for her father’s love, when she received his letter, she struggled with the decision to contact him. Why was that hard for her? What helped her make the decision to finally call her father?
Gail Mitchell and several other N.C.Y.T. parents jumped to the wrong conclusions about Rachel when they read the online newspaper article about her. Have you ever judged someone from reading an article or hearing gossip about them?
Kyle Saunders’s false accusations had a huge impact on Rachel and hurt many other people. Have you ever seen the way one person’s sin affects many people’s lives? How did Kyle’s decision to tell the truth affect Rachel’s situation?
Rachel, Chandra and the students involved in N.C.Y.T. formed a close bond by working together and performing the musical. Have you ever experienced that kind of bond by working closely with others on a project, performance, mission trip or other activity? Did that bond last?
How do you see the title tying in to the story? Whose love was Cam seeking and whose did he find? Whose love was Rachel seeking and whose did she find? Who has helped you on your search to find and enjoy more of God’s love?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6937-2
SEEKING HIS LOVE
Copyright © 2010 by Carrie Turansky
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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