by Vivi Holt
“I’ll pray about it. You can too, you know?”
His words sent a bolt of panic through her. Pray? She’d never prayed about anything in her life, and wouldn’t know where to start. Could you pray to a God you weren’t even sure existed? And what happened after that? “Um … okay. Thanks.”
He chuckled. “You look a little unsettled. You okay?”
She swallowed. “I’m fine. I just don’t know much about praying, that’s all.”
“It’s simple, really. You just talk to God. Nothing more to it than that.” He gave her a squeeze. “How about some breakfast?”
She nodded and sighed. “Breakfast would be wonderful. I’m so out of shape – I’m pretty sure I’ll be hurting in places I didn’t know I had by tomorrow.”
He laughed. “Well, I know a really great place. The pancakes are to die for.”
“Oh yeah, where is that?”
“My house.”
“That sounds perfect.” A feeling of well-being and warmth washed over Isabella. Baker made her feel so at ease, so cared for. She loved being with him. Now if only she could sort the whole God thing out.
10
23 December
Isabella’s foot tapped along to the music. The Christmas carol season was in full swing, and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” crooned throughout the plush offices of the Black, Leehman & Dodds law firm. She glanced out the windows beside her, saw the steam rising off the tarmac and ran a hand over her hair. She was grateful to be sitting in the air conditioning, at least for a little while.
“She’s ready for you, Miss Proctor.” The red-haired receptionist with the black-rimmed spectacles smiled, nodding toward Kim’s office. Isabella returned her smile and stood, smoothing her skirt over her legs.
Kim opened her office door and ushered Isabella in. “How are you, Issie? It’s good to see you. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you as well. I guess it was about time I came in to talk about Mum and Dad’s estate, huh?” Isabella took a seat in a plush armchair across from the desk.
Kim, dressed in a slate-gray pantsuit, sat behind her desk and crossed one slim leg over the other. “So have you decided what you’re going to do yet?”
“I think so, but I wanted to get your opinion. I’d like to keep the place, see if I can run the bee business. At least for now.” Just saying the words made her exhale with relief. She knew at that moment she wanted to stay in Heartstone. She couldn’t give up the farm – it had been her parents’ haven, their sanctuary. Selling it wouldn’t feel right. And she’d grown to love it even more in the past few weeks.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. I think it’s probably a good move, at least in the short term. It’d be months before you could sell it anyway, so you’d have to find a way to manage for a while. Have you run the numbers yet?”
Isabella nodded. “I think I can keep things going as they are for at least a few years, even if I don’t make a profit with the honey. I can live off the money from their other investments, then when the life insurance comes through, I can invest that as well.” Her eyes brimmed and she choked back a sob. If only they were still with her … she’d give it all away just to spend one more day with them. Even talking about the inheritance made her heart ache. It was why she’d put off coming to see Kim about the estate for so long.
Kim waited for her to compose herself. “You okay, Issie?”
“Yeah, fine. I just hate talking about it.”
“I know.”
“Did I tell you that Sam Hilton called me again?”
Kim shook her head and leaned forward in her chair, uncrossing her legs. “He did? What did he say?”
“He wanted to know if I’d made my decision. And he tried to pressure me into selling to him again.” Isabella shivered. “He gives me the creeps.”
Kim frowned. “You know, I seem to remember your dad telling me he’d received an offer on his land about a year ago. I didn’t mention it before – it slipped my mind – but I think it was from Sam.”
Isabella grimaced. “Really? Wow, he certainly is persistent.”
Kim leaned her elbows on the desk, her fingertips together. “So what did you tell him?”
“I told him no – sorry, but I’m staying put.”
As Isabella left Kim’s office, her phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled it out, checked who was calling and swiped the screen with her fingertip. “Merry Christmas, Meg.”
“Hey, girl.” Meg certainly sounded chipper. “Merry Christmas back at ya. Hey, what are you doing tonight?”
Isabella skipped across the street to where her car was parked. A large Christmas tree had been erected on top of the roundabout in the centre of town and hung with various decorations made by children from the local school. She paused to look at them, enjoying the festive colours and childish artistry, then squinted up into the afternoon sun, shielding her eyes with her hand. “Um … nothing much. In all honesty, I was planning on eating chocolate-covered popcorn and watching a Home Alone marathon.”
“I love those movies!” exclaimed Meg with a chuckle.
“Yeah, me too.”
“That sounds really fun, but how about you come over here for dinner instead?”
“Awww, that would be so nice. You’re such a thoughtful friend …”
“Well, full disclosure – Evie’s with her dad and I really don’t want to be alone so close to Christmas. Heck, we can even watch the Home Alone flicks if you want to.”
“It’s a date. I’ll come right over after I take care of chores back at the farm. Is that okay?”
“Sounds perfect,” said Meg with relief in her voice.
When Isabella arrived at Meg’s house that evening, she hefted the frozen cheesecake she’d picked up, adjusted her floral-print dress and headed to the front door. The house was decorated sparsely, with a gold wreath on the door and a worn-looking Santa perched on the front porch. A pair of tall red gumboots sat beside a pair of tiny pink ones.
The door opened even before she’d had a chance to knock. “I heard you pull up!” gushed Meg, hurrying her inside. “Come on in – so glad you’re here!” She took the cheesecake and set it on the counter. “Now can I get you something to drink?”
“What are you having?” asked Isabella, sitting on a barstool.
“Soda with lime.”
“Perfect.” Isabella set her elbows on the counter and leaned her chin on her hands. “What’s in the oven? It smells divine.”
Meg filled a glass with ice, set a slice of lime on top, then filled it with soda water. “Here you go. I’m baking homemade pizzas in honour of the movie marathon.”
“Oh, good idea.”
“The popcorn’s almost ready, so go on into the lounge room and get comfy. I’ll be right there.” Meg opened the microwave and pulled out a bag of popcorn, batting it back and forth between her hands before setting it on the counter to cool.
Isabella wandered into the lounge, carrying her drink in both hands. She found a coaster, then slouched into a worn brown leather loveseat. Meg soon followed with the popcorn in a bowl, sat next to Isabella and set the bowl on the coffee table in front of them. She reached for the remote and flicked on the television set.
“How often does Evie stay with her dad?” asked Isabella as Meg flipped through the channels.
Meg glanced at Isabella. “Every second weekend and every Monday night.”
“How does that work for you?”
“It’s fine. It gives me a break – being a single mum is hard work. I miss her, of course, but I’m pretty used to it now. And regardless of what happened between us, I know Chris is a great dad and she loves being with him. So I always try to make sure they get plenty of time together.”
Isabella pursed her lips. “You two are the healthiest divorced couple I think I’ve ever met.”
“Yeah, well, we try. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve finally come to a place where we respect each other. And we both love Evie enough to make it
work. But how about you – how are things going with the gorgeous Pastor Pritchard?” Meg chuckled and set the remote down as the opening credits of the movie appeared on the screen.
Isabella’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Gorgeous?”
“C’mon, you know he is. Every single young woman in the church, if not all of Heartstone, wants a date with the man. Then you waltz into town, and next thing we know he’s head over heels for you. Typical Issie.” She rolled her eyes dramatically and grinned.
“I had no idea …” Isabella squirmed, reaching for a handful of popcorn. “I hope I haven’t stepped on any toes. But you know, I’m not sure what’s really happening between us. Honestly, I doubt it will amount to anything.” She fixed her eyes on the telly as she munched.
Meg spun about to face her with arched eyebrows. “What? I’ve seen the two of you together – you’re smitten with him, he’s smitten with you. So what’s the problem?”
Isabella chewed slowly, swallowed. “You know what the problem is. He’s a pastor. I don’t even know if I believe there’s a God – I mean, I’ve been an atheist my whole life and now … okay, tell me – how did you make up your mind? I mean, what made you believe in God and the Bible and all that?” She reached for another handful of popcorn.
Meg paused and took a sip of soda. “Well, you know I became a Christian after the divorce. But I probably didn’t tell you how, did I?”
Isabella shook her head.
“Well, actually I was sick. I didn’t tell many people, because I didn’t know how to process it. I’d just had Evie, just gotten the divorce, then I found a lump in my breast. I went to the doctor and they did some tests and told me it was cancer. It all happened so quickly.”
“What?!” Isabella sputtered. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know. I guess I found it hard to say the words. I was terrified Evie would grow up without knowing me, without a mother. It haunted me.”
Isabella’s eyes welled with tears and she leaned forward to take Meg’s hand between hers.
Meg drew a long, slow breath, then continued. “So one day – actually the day before my surgery – I found myself at Baker’s church. I was shopping, then I just wandered in and sat down in a pew. When Baker came out to talk to me, I burst into tears. He prayed for me and I felt this peace fill me – I don’t know how else to explain it, but my whole body tingled all over, it felt amazing. When I went home that afternoon, I felt as though I could deal with anything that came along. The fear was gone and I just knew everything would be okay.”
Isabella put a hand over her heart and felt a tear roll down her cheek. A sob threatened, but she resisted it. “And then …?”
“I went to the hospital the next day for surgery. Chris took Evie, and my parents came with me. I had my final scans prior to the surgery … and the doctor walked into my room with the most puzzled expression on her face. She said she couldn’t find any evidence of a growth in my breast – it was gone. She couldn’t explain it. They tested my blood and the numbers were in the healthy range – there was no cancer in my system.”
Isabella gasped, her mouth dropping open. “You were fine?”
Meg laughed and her eyes shone. “Yeah. I’d felt something happen when Baker prayed for me, and now I know what – God healed me. I went home from the hospital, pulled out the old Bible I got when I was a teenager and read it cover to cover – I barely stopped to eat meals. I was so excited, overwhelmed, grateful, happy … and it never stopped. I still feel it – the joy, the peace, the love. It’s still with me. He’s still with me.” She wiped away a tear with the back of one hand and squeezed Isabella’s hand with the other.
Isabella felt her own tears overflow, and sobs wracked her tired body. She couldn’t hold them back any longer and she didn’t want to. God was real. Everything Baker had spoken to her about, all the things her mother had written in her journals … it was all real. And suddenly it made sense to her in a way it never had before. It was as though her eyes were opened to the truth.
“That was last Christmas,” Meg continued. “I call it my Christmas miracle. And I thank God every day that I get to hold my little girl and laugh and run and enjoy my life, because I know if it wasn’t for Him, I might not be here at all.” Meg rubbed her eyes with her free hand and sniffled. She got up to fetch a box of tissues and wiped her nose, than passed the box to Isabella.
Isabella took a handful, blew her nose loudly, and with a sigh lifted her eyes to meet Meg’s. “God is real.”
Meg nodded slowly.
“So what do I do to know Him?”
Meg sat beside her again and took Isabella’s hands in hers. “Just ask Him into your heart, tell Him you’re giving Him your life, and ask Him to forgive you.”
Isabella prayed, and felt a rush of heat fill her body. Overcome by love, peace and belonging, she laid back on the couch, tears pouring down her cheeks, her body heaving with sobs. Meg continued to pray for her, and soon the sobs turned to laughter. She laughed until her sides ached, and Meg laughed along with her.
Afterward, they settled on the couch to watch the rest of the movie, but Isabella couldn’t calm the rush of thoughts through her head – God was real, she’d felt Him, met Him. That knowledge changed everything.
Baker jerked awake. Something had woken him. He was on the couch, having fallen asleep watching football again – he had a bad habit of doing that. After a long week of work and taking care of the girls, he was always so tired. So when he settled in to watch a World Cup qualifier, he rarely made it to halftime before sleep overtook him.
There was a loud rapping on the front door. He shook the sleep from his head and tried to focus his attention on the noise. He stood unsteadily, swaying as he made his way across the spacious living room. The twinkle of lights that adorned the Christmas tree and the glare of the widescreen television cast the only light to see by. He rubbed his eyes and pulled the front door open.
Isabella stood there in the darkness, dressed in shorts and a white T-shirt, her hair pulled into a ponytail. “I’m so sorry – did I wake you?” she asked, glancing awkwardly at her watch.
“It’s fine … I fell asleep in front of the telly. Come on in.”
She stepped inside and he switched on the foyer light. When he did, he noticed her eyes were reddened, her gaze flitting wildly about. He grasped her arms in concern. “Hey, are you okay?”
She grinned and hiccupped. “Yes, I’m fine. I just … I have something I want to tell you.”
He led her to the living room. “Well, come and sit down. I’ll get you something to drink – what would you like, water, hot chocolate, wine? I’ve got everything …”
She sat on the couch. “Um … water would be great, thanks.”
He hurried to the kitchen and filled a tall glass with ice and water. He was worried about her – she’d been crying. Something was up and he was anxious to get back to find out what it was.
After she took a gulp of the water, he sat across from her. “So what’s going on?” He took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
She laughed and wiped her eyes with her free hand. “I’m fine. In fact, I’m wonderful. I know it’s late and I’m sorry for disturbing you … but I just had to come and tell you … I met God tonight. He’s real and I met Him and I just thought you’d want to know.” Her cheeks flushed red.
His heart skipped a beat. “Really?”
She nodded, a wide grin plastered across her face.
He jumped up, put his hands beneath her arms, yanked her to her feet and pulled her close. As their gaze met, he felt a pulse of joy go through him. He kissed her, tasting the salty sweetness of her tears on her lips as her body melded with his.
11
25 December
Baker’s deep voice resounded through the chapel. It was Christmas morning, and he was preaching the Christmas story.
Isabella was ashamed to realize it was the first time she’d actually heard all of it. All her life she thought she’d
known what it was about: baby Jesus born in a stable, shepherds, wise men, a donkey or two, whatever. But now, hearing the whole thing for the first time after having stayed up late the previous night reading as much of the Bible as she could before sleep overtook her, she felt as though she’d been awakened. Awakened to a truth that had been hidden from her all her life.
Every word Baker spoke shook her and caused tears to form in the corners of her eyes. She wanted to know more, longed to spend every moment she could finding out about and talking to this God she’d just met.
Baker caught her eye and smiled as he preached, sending a shiver of joy running through her. His girls sat in front of her, quietly colouring in their seats. She’d dreaded this day for weeks, but now it was here it didn’t feel anything like she’d expected. She wasn’t alone, wasn’t pathetic or depressed. And now that she’d met the God her parents had loved before they died, she felt as though she had a new connection to them. She understood them better than ever, especially after poring through her mother’s journals and her father’s notes. And she knew now that she’d see them again one day.
The congregation stood to sing the final song, and Isabella stood with them. Her voice rang out loud in their midst. For the first time in her life, she truly felt part of something, as though she belonged. Tears ran down her cheeks, prompted by a poignant happiness and deep joy.
After the service was over, she drove to Baker’s house and parked in the drive beside Meg’s car. The summer sun beat down on her as she walked to the open front door, the smell of roasted turkey and fresh seafood wafting out to greet her. She stepped inside, heard the chatter of voices in the kitchen and headed toward the noise. “Hello?” she called down the hallway.
