hiding his face.
Anna scooped up Dorrie hoping to whisk her away before she saw Colby. But she was too late.
“Da-da,” Dorrie gurgled, adding a whole lot more that no one understood.
Anger—as unfamiliar as palm trees, as powerful as the fire that destroyed the buildings down the street—raged through Anna. Anger directed as much at herself as at Colby. She’d put Dorrie at risk. But he had no right to come back. Not even if God had changed him, something she wasn’t yet ready to believe.
Oh, Lord, forgive me. I rejoice that one of Yourlambs that was lost has been found. But why, God, did he have to come back here? Couldn’t he just as well start over in California or Alaska?
She handed Dorrie to Alex and he carried her back to his room. Rather than sit at the table with Colby and Father, she remained at the cupboard, staring out the window at the flames consuming the old lumber from the church, a cloud of gray smoke billowing upward, blotting out all but a blue edge of the sky. Colby’s presence had done the same for her, blotting out all but fragments of her normal peace of mind.
It was Saturday, one of her busiest days. The Sunday clothes had to be brushed and ironed; the shoes polished; and as Father insisted on observing a complete day of rest, every bit of food for Sunday prepared ahead of time. Normally she anticipated the coming day of rest with nothing much to do unless she counted caring for Dorrie and reading, neither of which constituted work in Anna’s mind. But today she scurried about almost resenting the extra work Sunday required. She could find no peace in her heart or satisfaction in her chores. She ached for a chance to sit quietly before the cross and take her concerns to God, knowing she would find both comfort and guidance.
Instead, each time she glanced out the window,she caught glimpses of Colby carrying more wood to the fire or standing back considering the building. She wished he would leave.
The idea cut through her. Not like he’d left before—far away and for many months. Just for the afternoon so she could enjoy a peaceful hour in the church.
Suddenly she realized she hadn’t seen him for some time. She went to the open window and listened but heard no sound of work from inside the church. Nothing.
“Alex, watch Dorrie. Don’t let her out of your sight. I’m going to run over to the church.” She couldn’t sit on a pew and meditate in front of the cross, but Father had given her the list of hymns a few days ago. She knew them all. Could play them with her eyes closed, but she’d go over them again. The music spoke to her soul as much as did prayer and Bible reading.
She tiptoed into the sanctuary and listened but didn’t see or hear Colby. She sat at the piano and was soon lost in the music as she sang the familiar hymns with real joy. She finished and sat with her eyes closed, rejoicing in the beauty of the words, letting the peace they gave her fill her soul.
The sound of one person clapping jolted her eyes open. Colby sat in the nearest pew. “That was excellent.”
“Thank you.” She felt no gratitude, only annoyance as she left the piano bench and stood facing him. “Where have you been?” How long have you been watching me?
He grinned. “Did you miss me?”
“No and don’t be facetious.”
“I can’t possibly be facetious seeing as I don’t even know what it means.”
“It means silly.”
He tipped his head and smiled.
She wanted to believe it was a teasing, insincere smile but something serious lay behind the blue glitter of his eyes. Something that reached for her heart. Something her heart welcomed. She slammed shut an iron-clad mental door.
“I meant it. I enjoy your playing and singing.”
He spoke in the present tense. Just like the days when he came to the church and listened as she practiced. Not until Rose died did she take over playing in the services. By then she knew the hymns by heart.
“I remember some of the church songs
Anna scooped up Dorrie hoping to whisk her away before she saw Colby. But she was too late.
“Da-da,” Dorrie gurgled, adding a whole lot more that no one understood.
Anger—as unfamiliar as palm trees, as powerful as the fire that destroyed the buildings down the street—raged through Anna. Anger directed as much at herself as at Colby. She’d put Dorrie at risk. But he had no right to come back. Not even if God had changed him, something she wasn’t yet ready to believe.
Oh, Lord, forgive me. I rejoice that one of Yourlambs that was lost has been found. But why, God, did he have to come back here? Couldn’t he just as well start over in California or Alaska?
She handed Dorrie to Alex and he carried her back to his room. Rather than sit at the table with Colby and Father, she remained at the cupboard, staring out the window at the flames consuming the old lumber from the church, a cloud of gray smoke billowing upward, blotting out all but a blue edge of the sky. Colby’s presence had done the same for her, blotting out all but fragments of her normal peace of mind.
It was Saturday, one of her busiest days. The Sunday clothes had to be brushed and ironed; the shoes polished; and as Father insisted on observing a complete day of rest, every bit of food for Sunday prepared ahead of time. Normally she anticipated the coming day of rest with nothing much to do unless she counted caring for Dorrie and reading, neither of which constituted work in Anna’s mind. But today she scurried about almost resenting the extra work Sunday required. She could find no peace in her heart or satisfaction in her chores. She ached for a chance to sit quietly before the cross and take her concerns to God, knowing she would find both comfort and guidance.
Instead, each time she glanced out the window,she caught glimpses of Colby carrying more wood to the fire or standing back considering the building. She wished he would leave.
The idea cut through her. Not like he’d left before—far away and for many months. Just for the afternoon so she could enjoy a peaceful hour in the church.
Suddenly she realized she hadn’t seen him for some time. She went to the open window and listened but heard no sound of work from inside the church. Nothing.
“Alex, watch Dorrie. Don’t let her out of your sight. I’m going to run over to the church.” She couldn’t sit on a pew and meditate in front of the cross, but Father had given her the list of hymns a few days ago. She knew them all. Could play them with her eyes closed, but she’d go over them again. The music spoke to her soul as much as did prayer and Bible reading.
She tiptoed into the sanctuary and listened but didn’t see or hear Colby. She sat at the piano and was soon lost in the music as she sang the familiar hymns with real joy. She finished and sat with her eyes closed, rejoicing in the beauty of the words, letting the peace they gave her fill her soul.
The sound of one person clapping jolted her eyes open. Colby sat in the nearest pew. “That was excellent.”
“Thank you.” She felt no gratitude, only annoyance as she left the piano bench and stood facing him. “Where have you been?” How long have you been watching me?
He grinned. “Did you miss me?”
“No and don’t be facetious.”
“I can’t possibly be facetious seeing as I don’t even know what it means.”
“It means silly.”
He tipped his head and smiled.
She wanted to believe it was a teasing, insincere smile but something serious lay behind the blue glitter of his eyes. Something that reached for her heart. Something her heart welcomed. She slammed shut an iron-clad mental door.
“I meant it. I enjoy your playing and singing.”
He spoke in the present tense. Just like the days when he came to the church and listened as she practiced. Not until Rose died did she take over playing in the services. By then she knew the hymns by heart.
“I remember some of the church songs
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