Claim: A Novel of Colorado (The Homeward Trilogy) (30 page)

EPILOGUE

After they attended the trial of the Dolly Mae owners up in Buena Vista, Nic and his family—past and future—went up to St. Elmo. It took him several days, but eventually he tracked down Sinopa. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Sabine smile so broadly as when the two came into town, riding, side by side, that morning.

Now he awaited his bride. He glanced over to Moira and Daniel, who held hands, then to Odessa, Bryce, and the baby. He grinned as he spotted the horse’s nose, edging out from the trees.

Sinopa was in front, riding without use of a saddle, and Sabine rode sideways behind him, dressed in a fine ivory leather dress, heavily beaded at the yoke, her hair down about her shoulders. The parson shifted nervously beside Nic, obviously disapproving of the former schoolteacher in full Blackfeet regalia. “Say a negative word,” Nic hissed, “and you’ll regret it.”

The parson snorted, as if offended, but held his tongue. Any thought of him disappeared as Sabine drew closer. He moved forward, Everett right at his side, and waited for Sinopa to pull up on the horse’s reins. When he did, Nic reached up a hand. “Glad you’re here for this, brother.”

Sinopa dismounted, shook his hand and smiled back. “As am I. You understand the importance of this moment?”

“Sinopa,” Sabine said, trying to intervene.

Nic smiled. “It’s all right, Sabine.” He looked at Sinopa. “I will defend your sister with my own life. I will never harm her. I will love her with everything in me. She has a claim on my heart that I don’t ever want to disappear. Is that the understanding you seek?”

The brave studied him for a long moment, then nodded once.

The fat parson cleared his throat. The evening was drawing to a close, the sun now setting in the west, casting warm ruby light through the trees. Sinopa moved to the horse and then gently lowered Sabine to the ground. The small group climbed up through the trees on a narrow path, and Nic thought of all the steps he had taken, through so many countries, and all of them somehow seemed to lead here, to this place. A shiver ran down his back as he turned and took Sabine’s hands in his. It was holy, this union. This connection between them. How had he not known what love was like, all this time?

The parson opened up a book that looked impossibly small in his round hands, and began to read. Nic managed to respond when he was asked, but in all honesty, he did not hear much of what was said. It did not matter. His eyes were held by Sabine’s, as wisps of her brown hair fluttered in the mountain breeze. Her lips moved in response to the parson’s question, but all Nic could hear was the chattering of two birds and the wind in the trees, as if those sounds came out of her mouth instead. Behind her, the mountains were aglow, and she appeared as something out of his dreams.

Her dress was impossibly soft, the leather’s nap streaked where she had brushed it out after dismounting, and flowed over her womanly curves that somehow echoed the climb and fall of the mountains behind her.

The parson cleared his throat and Nic looked with some alarm at him. Had he missed something? “The ring,” he whispered.

Nic widened his eyes in surprise and searched his pocket for a moment before pulling out the silver band, with a long white pearl set in a delicate, scroll-like setting. “You are like a freshwater pearl to me, Sabine.” He shook his head. “You came out of nowhere. Surprised me with your beauty, inside and out. I found love when I found you, in the last place I would’ve expected it.”

She watched as he slipped the ring on her finger, then gazed up at him with shining eyes.

“You may kiss your bride,” the parson said, raising one hand in gesturing toward her, clearly irritated that Nic wasn’t paying close enough attention.

He moved closer and cradled her face in his hands. “Are you sure, Sabine?” he whispered.

“Never more so,” she said.

He kissed her, sweetly, slowly, thinking of the night ahead. Of running his hands through her hair. Of helping her out of the soft leather gown. And waking up together. Forever.

The parson, flustered, hurriedly pronounced them man and wife. But they ignored him, only looking into each other’s eyes. After a moment, Everett came over and wrapped an arm around each of them and looked up at them with a grin. Then Nic’s sisters came and hugged them, and Bryce and Daniel offered him handshakes and a kiss for the bride. Sinopa stood back, waiting, then approached to rest a hand on each of their shoulders. “It is done. You are one.”

“In so many ways,” Nic returned, looking back with wonder at his new wife. “Thank you for becoming my bride, Sabine. You have honored me.”

“As you have honored me,” she said.

“Do you think you both could do me the honor of some supper?” Everett asked. “I’m starving.”

Nic smiled. “Let’s go. I’m buying you all the finest meal in St. Elmo we can round up.”

“Then where?” Everett asked.

“Home,” Nic said, looking at his wife and Everett, then on to his sisters and their men.

But in that moment, surrounded by the people he loved most, under the gaze of the God who’d claimed him from the start, he knew that somehow, he was already there.

… a little more …

When a delightful concert comes to an end,

the orchestra might offer an encore.

When a fine meal comes to an end,

it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.

When a great story comes to an end,

we think you may want to linger.

And so, we offer ...

AfterWords—
just a little something more after you

have finished a David C. Cook novel.

We invite you to stay awhile in the story.

Thanks for reading!

Turn the page for ...

• Discussion Questions

• An Interview with Lisa T. Bergren

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. It takes Nic a long time to come around to God’s way of thinking. What do you think were the most important factors for him?

2. Moira suffers from scars, outward and inward. Which do you think are worse? Why?

3. Moira and Nic are both drawn to their old ways and places where they once found comfort. Have you ever done the same? Discuss why we’re drawn to our old ways, even if we know a new way is better.

4. How were Moira and Nic’s “prodigal stories” different? And how were they the same?

5. Wealth comes and goes in this series. Both prodigals (Nic and Moira) spend all they inherit, then gain it back in two very different (and sometimes excruciating!) ways. Discuss this factor in their lives—and how it impacts you in your life too.

6. What do you think was the pivotal change moment for Nic?

7. What is it about Sabine that helps Nic get over the threshold to happiness and love?

8. What role did Everett play in doing the same?

9. What was the most moving scene in this book for you? Why?

10. Do you believe that God is calling each of us “home”? What does that look like? Is it internal or external?

CHAT WITH THE AUTHOR

Q: How did it feel to wrap up this series?

A: Very gratifying. These characters have gone through so much, I was eager to see them through to a sense of peace. I got all teary with Nic and Moira in several scenes, which is always a good thing. If I’m moved, hopefully my readers will be too. But then, these days, I cry during commercials and
Extreme Home Makeover
. I swear that by the time I’m sixty, I’ll just have to be tucking a handkerchief in my bra like my granny used to.…

Q: Odessa and Bryce really take a backseat in this novel. Why did you not write more about them?

A: In my first draft, they actually had a stronger presence in the first third of the book. But their scenes felt flat against all that was happening for Moira and Nic. I decided that in my mind, they were really on a good track now—that the focus really had to be on getting my two prodigals back home. And I think there was more than enough to take in between those two troublemakers, don’t you? Odessa and Bryce are present—just more of the “supporting cast members” at this point. And Odessa became my personification of “home” for both Nic and Moira, so I thought it appropriate that she was a bit more in the background.…

Q: What motivated you to write about prodigals?

A: I think we’re all prodigals, in some fashion. After college, I had my own prodigal experience, during which I was actually bartending on Sundays instead of doing anything that my God would be proud of. I grew deeply depressed, had a come-to-Jesus experience, and left for the Holy Land. Literally. I went from bartending to Jerusalem, to visit my cousin who was studying the life journeys of Paul. After a few weeks in Israel and Egypt, I returned home—physically and spiritually. And went to work in an industry that had helped call me home—Christian music and books.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m about to dive into a teen time-travel series, which will take me back to a time period I love—medieval Italy. Or perhaps Renaissance Italy. I haven’t quite decided on the year. But I was moved by the passion I saw among teen girls reading the
Twilight
series, and since I have a teen and tween, I wanted to write something for them. I long for them to read about heroines they can emulate—and heroes that would die trying to save them (not battling against the desire to
take
their lives as the vampire heroes do in
Twilight
). So this River of Time series is my attempt to cover those bases.

Q: What about on the home front?

A: We’re currently considering a year away as a family. We’re passionate about travel and after I finish the River of Time series, I’m scheduled to begin a series based on characters taking the Grand Tour of Europe. We’re wondering if we should take our own Grand Tour … we’ll see! Lots of unanswered questions on that front, but we’re leaning pretty hard in that direction. It’s exciting to dream about, even if it never comes to fruition.

Q: Anything else you want to say to readers? Where can they find out more about you?

A: The best places are my Web sites: www.LisaTawnBergren.com and www.TheWorldIsCalling.com. I really appreciate my readers and love to hear from them. They can email me at [email protected]. I also have eNewsletters on both sites that people can subscribe to, that will give you the lowdown each month. Lastly, I’m on Facebook and Twitter as @LisaTBergren and @TheWorldCalls. Connect with me via any of those portals—I’ll look forward to it!