concern. “To HEARTBEAT?”
“No, of course not. I’ve just been dealing with my fixation on the past. I know you understand, because you’ve been after me for a long time to make certain changes and do things differently. I’ve always held you up to Jack’s standards, just as I’ve always held myself up to them. But . . .” She fell silent for a moment and gathered her strength. “Jack is gone and time marches forward instead of marching in place. I want you to put those ideas of yours on paper. We’ll go over them together and see where they lead us. Are you game?”
Joe’s expression was one of relief and satisfaction. “What in the world brought about this change?”
Cara grew thoughtful. “Little things. Brianna would mention doing something or buying something, and I’d find myself wondering what Jack would want. She also says things about wishing she had a daddy,” Cara remembered in a wave of guilt. “Then there’s my childhood friend from Hays, Melissa Jordon.”
“Is she the one who wanted to write about HEARTBEAT?”
“Yes. Well, she got me to thinking. I mean, I listened to her talk about her life and where she’d gone with it in the last ten years. The last time we’d seen each other was at Jack’s funeral, and I realized how much I’d closed myself away from the rest of the world. So little has changed for me since his death. HEARTBEAT and Brianna have been my entire domain and nothing else has existed.”
Joe nodded. “And what about now?”
“Now we start fresh and new. I leave Jack with God and delegate my mourning period to the past.”
Joe crossed the room. “May I be the first to welcome you back.” He extended his arm and Cara surprised herself by getting up and hugging him.
“You’ve been a dear friend, Joe. You and Suzanne both have been so patient with me,” Cara said, mentioning Joe’s wife. “This ministry would have folded if I’d been left to my own devices. I’m glad God gave me the sense to bring you on board.”
Joe gave her a brotherly pat on the back. “I’m just glad you are ready to take a fresh look at your life.”
Cara’s gaze drifted down to the drawer where Jack’s image now resided. “I wonder why now, Joe? Why all of the sudden, after all this time?”
Joe held her at arm’s length. “Because now is the right time. My guess is there’s something important coming your way, and God is preparing you by taking care of old business first.”
“I suppose I can see the logic in that,” Cara admitted.
“Just don’t be surprised when things start to happen.”
For reasons beyond her understanding, Cara remembered the sense of foreboding she’d felt earlier. Maybe things were already starting to happen.
Nine
By Friday, Cara and Brianna had both exhausted themselves making new plans for their lives. With Brianna’s desire to move to an apartment with a pool, Cara had made some calls and had managed to secure a three-bedroom townhouse in a complex called Misty Glen.
She and Brianna had immediately set out arranging each of the townhouse rooms on graph paper. Cara had never seen Brianna happier, and it gave her cause to pay closer attention to the child’s emotional well-being. Cara could tell her daughter was thrilled at the new sense of purpose and direction in their lives. Years of mausoleum-like living had stifled her daughter’s imagination and free spirit, but planning for their new home seemed to open them both up to life again.
Checking on the sleeping child, Cara stood for several minutes and watched Brianna’s even breathing. Long hair wound its way around her angelic face and Cara reached out to smooth it back with a smile. Silently, she thanked God for giving her Brianna and for helping her to recognize her child’s needs before it was too late.
A ringing telephone drew Cara’s thoughts away from prayer. Who could be calling at this hour? she wondered, quickly closing Brianna’s door behind her. She reached the
“No, of course not. I’ve just been dealing with my fixation on the past. I know you understand, because you’ve been after me for a long time to make certain changes and do things differently. I’ve always held you up to Jack’s standards, just as I’ve always held myself up to them. But . . .” She fell silent for a moment and gathered her strength. “Jack is gone and time marches forward instead of marching in place. I want you to put those ideas of yours on paper. We’ll go over them together and see where they lead us. Are you game?”
Joe’s expression was one of relief and satisfaction. “What in the world brought about this change?”
Cara grew thoughtful. “Little things. Brianna would mention doing something or buying something, and I’d find myself wondering what Jack would want. She also says things about wishing she had a daddy,” Cara remembered in a wave of guilt. “Then there’s my childhood friend from Hays, Melissa Jordon.”
“Is she the one who wanted to write about HEARTBEAT?”
“Yes. Well, she got me to thinking. I mean, I listened to her talk about her life and where she’d gone with it in the last ten years. The last time we’d seen each other was at Jack’s funeral, and I realized how much I’d closed myself away from the rest of the world. So little has changed for me since his death. HEARTBEAT and Brianna have been my entire domain and nothing else has existed.”
Joe nodded. “And what about now?”
“Now we start fresh and new. I leave Jack with God and delegate my mourning period to the past.”
Joe crossed the room. “May I be the first to welcome you back.” He extended his arm and Cara surprised herself by getting up and hugging him.
“You’ve been a dear friend, Joe. You and Suzanne both have been so patient with me,” Cara said, mentioning Joe’s wife. “This ministry would have folded if I’d been left to my own devices. I’m glad God gave me the sense to bring you on board.”
Joe gave her a brotherly pat on the back. “I’m just glad you are ready to take a fresh look at your life.”
Cara’s gaze drifted down to the drawer where Jack’s image now resided. “I wonder why now, Joe? Why all of the sudden, after all this time?”
Joe held her at arm’s length. “Because now is the right time. My guess is there’s something important coming your way, and God is preparing you by taking care of old business first.”
“I suppose I can see the logic in that,” Cara admitted.
“Just don’t be surprised when things start to happen.”
For reasons beyond her understanding, Cara remembered the sense of foreboding she’d felt earlier. Maybe things were already starting to happen.
Nine
By Friday, Cara and Brianna had both exhausted themselves making new plans for their lives. With Brianna’s desire to move to an apartment with a pool, Cara had made some calls and had managed to secure a three-bedroom townhouse in a complex called Misty Glen.
She and Brianna had immediately set out arranging each of the townhouse rooms on graph paper. Cara had never seen Brianna happier, and it gave her cause to pay closer attention to the child’s emotional well-being. Cara could tell her daughter was thrilled at the new sense of purpose and direction in their lives. Years of mausoleum-like living had stifled her daughter’s imagination and free spirit, but planning for their new home seemed to open them both up to life again.
Checking on the sleeping child, Cara stood for several minutes and watched Brianna’s even breathing. Long hair wound its way around her angelic face and Cara reached out to smooth it back with a smile. Silently, she thanked God for giving her Brianna and for helping her to recognize her child’s needs before it was too late.
A ringing telephone drew Cara’s thoughts away from prayer. Who could be calling at this hour? she wondered, quickly closing Brianna’s door behind her. She reached the
Similar Books
