by T. K. Chapin
“Yep. And Levi’s going to be playing his guitar!” I said enthusiastically. “He’s really good; he even went out to Nashville a while back.”
“I haven’t heard him play before,” Ally said. “Other than the warm up he was doing earlier today at the inn. I was pretty impressed, myself.”
“Yeah, he’s talented,” I replied.
“Is he purely a country singer?”
“Yeah, I’m surprised you didn’t hear him when you lived out there with them at Roy’s farm.”
“He played in the lower lofting shed when he did play… which wasn’t super often, I never went out and listened, though. With Jess being pregnant and then the kids coming, he probably didn’t have much time.”
“Yeah I’d imagine Jess wouldn’t be too thrilled if he was just off playing his guitar all the time,” I replied.
She nodded. “Should we head over and see what they need help with? I think everything is mostly done, but final touches might be needed.”
“Let’s go!” Sammy said darting for the door.
Glancing at my watch, I nodded. “We can head over there now. I’m sure they’d love the extra hands.”
Opening the front door, Sammy and Olivia went sprinting through the gravel towards the activity center, dodging patches of ice on their way. Ally and I, on the other hand, took a little slower pace. Looking over at my love in the moonlight, I smiled.
“What?” she asked. “What are you thinking about?”
“Just you and how beautiful you are tonight.”
“I love you, Dylan,” she said, smiling warmly.
Grabbing onto her hand, we shared the moonlit walk over to the activity center. I thought I loved her months ago, but with every passing day, our love for each other deepened. I was blessed beyond measure with a wonderful woman, and I thanked God every day that I had the faith to trust everything would work out for us.
On the walk over, I spotted a couple coming out of their RV. I couldn’t believe how packed out the Silverback was. The entire inn was booked out for the last two months for this event; that even included spots along the path from the road full of RV’s and campers in tents down by the lake. Mitch, the marketing guru that Lenny hired, made sure everyone had known about it throughout the entire Eastern side of the state. It was marketed as An Unforgettable Night under the Stars. Levi also made sure to let all the local venues he used to do gigs with know about the party going on, so the activity center was going to be hopping with people tonight.
All my doubts in Lenny’s capabilities were washed away over the months as I watched him grow my father’s inn to heights my dad only could dream of achieving. I came to grips with all the changes with time and the realization that my father’s one true wish for his inn was for people to come and stay.
We walked into the activity center and directly into the banquet hall. I was in awe at how elegant the event was. An oversized gold-colored chandelier hung high in the middle of the ceiling. Each table was covered in a white table cloth, and the centerpiece of each of the tables was a glass bowl filled with water and gold flakes. Floating on the top of the water was a candle. Turning my eyes upward to the ceiling, I could already see the stars through the skylights that sat on both sides of the chandelier. It was breathtaking at how clear the sky was. We got lucky on the clear forecast.
“Wow, this place really turned out amazing,” I said.
Nodding, Ally grabbed my hands and turned me to her. “You like it?” she asked.
“I love it. And I know my dad would have loved it, also.”
She sighed with a relief as she smiled and said, “Good. I was worried.”
“You shouldn’t worry, love,” I said, kissing her cheek.
Chris appeared suddenly over on the stage from the curtain and waved over at us to come over.
Walking over to the stage, I said, “This place looks great, Brother.”
He smiled at me and then over at Ally. “It was all your gal’s idea. I’m just the manager who bosses people around,” he said, followed by a laugh.
“You liking your promotion?” I asked.
“Loving it.” Lenny decided to make Chris the manager a week ago. Ever since Chris started in September, Lenny trained him on all the manager duties, so we all kind of saw the promotion coming his way.
I nodded. “It suits you. I think you’ll do an amazing job.” I looked again across the banquet hall.
“Glad you like it, Brother,” he said. “I got to keep moving, though. If you want to help, we need to open up the shared wall with the gymnasium and start setting up tables and chairs over there.” I nodded to him and then he hurried along and vanished as he went back beyond the curtain. Peeking his head back out, he said, “You look amazing by the way.”
“Thanks,” I replied.
“Not you dummy; Ally,” he laughed.
“Thank you, Chris,” she said with a smile. He nodded and went back behind the curtain.
“Did he just hit on you?” I asked, laughing a little as I turned and walked with Ally into the gym.
She laughed. “Ew! Ha. He’s like a brother to me since he started working here.”
I laughed and smiled. “I know, I was only joking.”
Coming into the gym, we found Olivia and Sammy running around in circles, chasing each other.
“I’m going to catch up to you first!” Olivia shouted.
“No, I’m going to catch you!” Sammy yelled.
“Kids are so easily amused,” I said as we came over to the shared wall between the banquet hall and the gym.
“Yeah, they really are,” she replied glancing over at them. We both bent at the knees and unlatched the wall from the floor. “I’m glad they are happy here.”
Sammy ran over to me as we were opening up the wall. “Dylan, you’re doing it wrong.”
“Your mom’s doing it wrong,” I replied.
He looked over at her, “No she isn’t.”
I laughed.
“You are supposed to be pulling up and out,” Sammy said as he grabbed onto the wall. I stepped out of the way and he got it moving.
“I guess I don’t do this much,” I said.
“We had to do it for a basketball thing.”
“I see, well thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied. After he finished opening the wall, he went back to his sister, who was going into the closet to grab a ball to play with.
As Ally and I walked over to the closets in the banquet hall to get tables, she asked, “Do you know what Lenny needs to announce tonight?”
“No clue, he didn’t tell you?” I asked surprised.
“Nope. He likes to wait to announce things in a big way. Remember? We had that barbeque down by the lake for that announcement about the activity center a few months ago.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right.”
“There have been talks about putting in a new boat launch down by the dock this coming spring, you know, once it warms up and all. We’ve had some complaints about how the cement ramp is crumbling and falling apart.”
“Yeah, that thing has been falling apart for as long as I can remember. I remember someone’s trailer tipping over years ago because they hit that corner that’s sticking out on the left side.”
Ally shook her head, “That’s terrible. We need that fixed for sure.”
Retrieving the folding tables and chairs from the closet, we hauled them over to the gym and set everything up. While we were finishing up with the tablecloths and centerpieces, Levi showed up.
Coming up behind me, he put his hand on my shoulder. “You like it?” he asked, looking around the room.
“I do, it’s amazing.”
“You think Frank would have liked it?”
“I know he would have loved it. You going to keep the guests entertained tonight?”
“I’ll try,” Levi replied with a grin. “I haven’t played much since the kiddos were born… but I’ve been trying to practice since I found out abou
t this gig.”
Nodding, I replied, “I’m sure you’ll do great.”
Levi looked over at the stage. “I better go get set up. I’ll see you around.”
After dinner, while I was sitting at Ally and my table, I watched her at a table nearby as she was speaking with one of the guests who was staying at the inn. She was smiling that unforgettable smile that I had fallen in love with. I had grown to adore her in every facet of our lives. She was undeniably the most wonderful person I had ever met.
Levi’s song ended and then he began playing a slow country song. And so, I went over and retrieved Ally from her conversation. I offered her my hand and said, “May I steal you away for this dance?”
She smiled up at me and placed her hand in mine. “Yes,” she replied.
Walking out to the front of the stage, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I placed my hands around her waist, and we began to dance. Seeing Sammy ask one of the girls over at the children’s table to dance, I smiled and laughed a little.
“What is it?” Ally asked, looking at me.
“Sammy just asked a girl to dance,” I replied smiling.
She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “He’s such a stud.”
“He is,” I agreed.
Sammy brought his little friend near us and began dancing with her. He looked at how Ally and I were dancing and mimicked it.
Ally rested her head on my shoulder and said, “I love you so much, Dylan.”
“I love you too, Ally,” I said with a smile.
As the song came to an end, Lenny got up on the stage and took the microphone. “Good evening, everybody. I want to make an announcement. Could I have Chris and Dylan come up here?”
I looked at Ally and kissed her on the cheek as she went back to our table and I went up on stage. Looking across the packed out rooms, I couldn’t spot Chris anywhere.
“Where is Chris?” Lenny asked, covering the microphone.
“I don’t know,” I replied shrugging.
Speaking back into the microphone, Lenny said, “Chris… Where’d you run off to?”
Everyone looked around for him. Coming into the banquet hall from the door in the back, he raised his hand as he made his way through the crowd.
“There he is!” Lenny said, pointing to him. “Get up here, buddy.”
Chris made his way up on stage and stood next to me. Lenny began talking about how long the Silverback Inn had been around and the generations of our family that have had it. Chris leaned into my ear and said, “Mom’s here.”
“What? Why?” I asked.
Before Chris could answer, Lenny said, “Today I am relinquishing control of all operations over to Dylan and Chris.”
The crowd began clapping loudly and I couldn’t hear anything that Chris was trying to say into my ear. I felt overwhelming happiness that the inn was being handed over to us, but I worried what our mother was doing here.
Leaning over to Lenny’s ear, I asked, “Why?”
He covered the microphone, “It was in your Father’s will to give it over to you boys on this date, regardless of your behavior. He must have just had faith you two would figure out life.”
Smiling, my heart swelled with love. The whole crowd of people began clapping again. Turning back to them, I spotted my mother in the back, heading for the exit. My heart pounded as I rushed off the stage and wove through the crowd, trying to catch her before it was too late.
Making it outside, I hurried through the snow-covered gravel and up to her. “Aubrey!”
She stopped in her tracks and turned around to me. Her eyes were swollen red and tears were streaming down her face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, approaching her. “I thought you didn’t care about Chris and me, but you being here shows something different.”
“The truth is, I never stopped thinking of you two or loving you. I just thought when you came to see me that it would be easier for you two if I said those mean things... But I was wrong for lying.”
“Easier?” My jaw clenched in anger. “We thought you were dead, but it turned out, according to what you told us, you weren’t dead but you just didn’t want us… how’s that for easier?”
Shaking her head, she said, “I know it doesn’t make much sense, Dylan, but I didn’t know how to forgive myself for what I put you boys through when you were younger. You being in my life again would mean I had to be reminded of that every time I saw you.”
Lowering my head, I took a deep breath. “You’re a Christian, Mother, you should know that God forgives us of what we do wrong.”
“You’re right, He does. But that doesn’t mean we can forgive ourselves as easily.”
“Why’d you come here? What is it you wanted to accomplish?” I asked.
“You two are my boys and I want you in my life… I want to spend the rest of my life making right all my wrongs.”
“It’s going to be hard, Mom.”
“I know that, and I’m ready.” She came up to me and hugged me as she cried. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, Son, but leaving you two behind the way I did was the biggest one of them all.”
I felt angry with her and I wanted to hate her so badly in that moment, but instead I was overwhelmed with forgiveness and love for the woman. It was God and his Holy Spirit within me, helping me, coaching me, making me stronger; enabling me for the impossible.
As I hugged her, I glanced over my shoulder back at the activity center. I knew I needed to get back in there. “I need to get back.”
“Okay,” she replied wiping her eyes.
“Where are you staying?”
“The Four Seasons in downtown Spokane,” she replied.
I nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”
Heading back inside to the party, Ally was just inside the door waiting for me. “Was that her?” she asked softly placing a hand on my arm.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Are you okay?” she asked as we walked back towards the banquet hall.
“I am… I’m a little upset, but I’m okay.” Putting my hand around her waist, we went back into the party and joined in on the celebration.
As the party wound down, Chris came over to my table with Elly and sat down. “Hey, could we talk?” he asked.
I nodded and stood up. We headed over to the dessert table and I began pouring myself a cup of punch.
“Are you going to say anything?” Chris asked, watching me pour my cup.
“What is there to say? I assume she said the same thing to you… I’m still trying to process it all. It’s hard.”
“Dylan,” Chris said, putting his hand on my wrist to stop me.
“What?”
“You have taught me to give people chances time and time again. You showed me by example with Dad… You did it with Ally… You even did it with me. What I’m trying to say is, I can see worry in your eyes about Mom, but I think we need to let her into our lives and our hearts.”
Nodding, I said, “You’re right, Chris. We need to give her this shot… even if it can end badly… we need to give her a chance. I wanted to hate her so bad when I was talking to her, but God wouldn’t let me do it.”
Chris smiled and hugged me. “You’re a good man of God, Dylan. I only hope one day I can be as great as you.”
“Oh, come on Chris, you know me better than anyone. You’ve seen me lose my temper and mess up. I’m not perfect.”
“Yes I have seen you be imperfect, but you always return to God and your faith, Dylan. You’ve been an inspiration to not only me, but every life you come into contact with.”
“Thanks,” I replied.
Building a relationship with our mother wasn’t going to be an easy feat, but with God on our side, we’d be able to do it. Our childhood was robbed of a mother, but that didn’t mean we could hold back forgiveness from her and give her a second chance. God gave us a second chance on Calvary’s cross and giving our mother a second chance was the right thing to do.
CHAPTER 20
November 14, 2066
The following years after that night, my mother worked endlessly to build a relationship with my brother and me. And while she was never able to give us what we lost from our childhood, she did give everything she could up until her death over a decade later. We even went back to Lincoln City a few times to visit our half-siblings. And while our mother is gone now, much like the majority of the people I loved and cared about from my youth, I can’t help but to smile, thinking back to that night that was so long ago. I was proud of the woman who my mother had become through her own faith and walk with God. His love, mercy and grace were the only reasons why Chris and I were able to repair our relationship with her.
As I sit here on the back balcony of the cabin Ally and I lived in, I smile as I think about how my mother and she are probably both up in heaven talking with my dad. Interrupting my thoughts, Sammy, who goes by Samuel now, came outside from the cabin.
“Did you remember the party was at six?” he asked. “Everyone is already at the Banquet Hall, just waiting on you.”
“Is it that time already?” I asked, looking at my watch. I began to stand up, but my strength failed me and Sammy rushed over to help me get my footing. “Thank you,” I said to him, grabbing onto his hand. “Did your wife make it from Portland in time?”
“Yes,” he replied, smiling. “She wrapped up her meeting early with the board and had already packed her bag this morning at home.”
“Good,” I said firmly as I grabbed my cane from next to the rocking chair.
Walking across the parking lot of the Silverback, I marveled at how time had changed the Silverback. The gravel had been since replaced with pavement and the office building was torn down and rebuilt farther away from the lake, which provided more room for additional cabins.
It had changed far more dramatically over the last forty years than ever before, but I embraced every change along the way, as it was for the better of the inn. I still thank God daily that Lenny took over the inn when he did, for if Lenny didn’t take over like he did back then, I don’t think the Silverback would be anything other than a memory to this day.
