Hope Springs (4 page)

“Oh, you do not. You were about to ask a question as I snapped. Looks cute and inquisitive to me.”

Becca opened the next. “Ah, the one on the boulder where I'm smiling and looking to the side? I
like
that.”

“That's my favorite,” Patti said. “That wind-in-the-hair shows your personality, looks like you're having fun.”

A woman took the aisle seat in her row. Becca lowered her volume. “What about this serious-looking one? I like it, but . . .” She stared at it. “Not sure what it says.”

“Says, ‘I'm a Bible teacher, a serious one.'” Patti said it in a serious voice.

Becca laughed.

“This is a full flight to Raleigh-Durham,” the flight attendant announced. “Please take the first available seat so we can push back and get on our way.”

Becca moved her bag from the middle and put it under the seat in front of her. “How will I narrow this down?” She kept clicking through. “You've managed to make me look half decent in more than a few of these.” She smiled. “You really
are
good.”

In the blink of an eye, it seemed, Becca's life had kicked into another gear. In a matter of weeks she'd be taking the stage with Worth & Purpose, and her redesigned blog was about to go live. Suddenly she needed professional photos for marketing materials and the blog banner, and she didn't want to use the boring studio picture she'd taken more than three years ago.

Becca had known Patti for years. They'd served together on a local not-for-profit board in St. Louis, and she'd heard Patti had a reputation for capturing beautiful, natural shots. These photos were even better than she'd hoped.

“Okay,” Becca said, “so if I send you my choices right after Christmas—not trying to rush you or anything—” She knew Patti would have to enhance the lighting and anything else her photographer's eye deemed necessary.

“Don't be silly. You didn't brave the wind and cold trying to look cute out there for nothing. I know you need these ASAP, so soon as you know which ones you want, I'm on it.”

“Really?” Becca was smiling. “You're a gem, Patti. Okay—”

Her phone beeped, and she looked at it. “Hey, Patti, that's my agent. I'll call you . . . Okay.” She clicked to take the call. “Nick, hi, I'm about to take off. Hope you've got good news.”

“Would a two-book contract fall under ‘good news'?” His voice brimmed with excitement. “They loved our proposal.”

“Get out of here!” She was whispering, but the enthusiasm was unmistakable. “Two-book contract? Did they
say
they loved it, or are
you
saying they loved it?”

“Talked to the main editor who handles Worth & Purpose's speakers, and those were her words—‘I love it.' ”

“Get out of here!”

“All electronics need to be powered off at this time . . .”

Becca bowed her head behind the seat. “We've got so much to talk about! I have to tell you about the planning meeting today with Worth & Purpose too.”

“Call me when you can, even if it's Christmas. I never take off.”

“You're the one who made
me
a workaholic. You're a bad influence.” She saw the flight attendant coming toward her. “Okay, gotta go.”

Becca powered off her phone and iPad, tucked them into her bag, and sank into her seat—then came forward suddenly again. She'd forgotten to call Todd.
Ugh
.

Things were already a tad strained between them. News of his dad's death had rocked him, and he'd wanted the family to drive to Hope Springs the next day. Any other time Becca would've done all she could to be there for him. She knew how close he'd been to his father. But the timing couldn't have been worse.

Patti had squeezed Becca into her schedule on short notice, and she needed those pictures right away. And the meeting in Nashville was easily the most exciting event of her life—spending the morning with some of the heaviest hitters in women's ministry, talking through her ideas for the conference. The speaking team had already had their planning meeting a month ago, but one of the speakers had to bow out due to pregnancy complications requiring bed rest. They'd contacted Becca three weeks ago and invited her to come on board. Given the upcoming holidays, she had the option of meeting in person or, if time didn't permit, by conference call. She'd jumped at the chance to meet at their offices and had been giddy ever since—until her father-in-law's death . . . and the funeral planned for the same day as her meeting.

Todd had thought it an easy matter. “Can't you contact Worth & Purpose to see if they'll reschedule?” he asked. But Becca chafed. She was the new kid on the block. How would it look if she asked the leadership team to switch gears at the last minute? Plus—and she knew it deep down—she didn't
want
to reschedule. So she asked if the funeral could be set for the afternoon. That way, she could make it after her meeting.

Still, she'd missed the wake the night before. And every day she'd spoken to him, something in his voice let her know that her presence the entire week had been missed. She felt bad that she wasn't with him in Hope Springs. Actually, she felt bad that she'd been enjoying her week. But now she had meant to switch focus, turn all of her attention to Todd, beginning with a call to let him know her flight was on time and she'd definitely be there. How could she have forgotten?

Becca sighed as the plane took off after a long taxi down the runway. She let her eyes close, and her mind couldn't help but drift back to the morning she'd had. She'd been praying and working toward this level of platform for what seemed like the longest time. And it was finally here. As the plane taxied and took off, she thanked God for opening doors that only He could've opened.

“Excuse me for eavesdropping.”

Becca opened her eyes again. It was the woman sitting next to her.

“I heard you mention Worth & Purpose. Do you work for them? I went to the conference in Huntsville last year and loved it.”

“Oh, I'm actually one of the speakers for the upcoming year.” Becca wondered if the excitement of being affiliated with Worth & Purpose would ever get old.

“Wow, really?” The woman looked more closely at Becca. “I'm honored to meet you.”

Becca smiled. “I'm honored to meet you too. I'm Becca Dillon, by the way.”

“A bunch of us from church are road-tripping again to Huntsville to see you guys in about a month. Will you be there?”

“That's actually the first gathering of the new season. I won't be speaking at that one, but I'll be there.”

“Well, I'll be praying for you.”

“That means a lot. Thank you.” Becca extended her hand. “And tell me your name.”

“Name's Judy.” The woman shook Becca's hand.

“Thank you so much, Judy. I appreciate your prayers.”

Becca sank into her seat again. She'd gotten up early to fly to the meeting and would have loved to catch up on sleep, but there was way too much swirling in her mind. She reached down and pulled a notepad out of her bag. They loved her proposal! She was so excited she wanted to work on the first chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR

Y
ou know what, Lindell? You're not allowed to drive anywhere else, ever again.”

Stephanie looked out the window of the rental car as Lindell parallel parked, her gaze toward the white-steepled church up the street with all the people heading inside. “I really can't believe this. We should've been in Hope Springs two hours ago.”

“I didn't get us
that
lost.” Lindell shifted into park and turned off the engine.

Stephanie blank-stared him. “Wow.”

Lindell opened his door and Stephanie followed, taking quick strides along the sidewalk that paralleled the long line of cars along the street.

“I didn't even want to come to the funeral.” Stephanie stared ahead. “But if I'm gonna come, could I not be wearing jeans? This is so embarrassing.”

“Babe, I told you we could've changed at the house. Wouldn't have mattered if we were ten minutes late.”

They'd gone by Grandma Geri's house first. Only a teenage cousin was there, who was babysitting the smaller kids. She'd given them directions to the church.

She held up a hand. “Lindell, I just . . . can't. You have no idea.”

It's not a big deal, Stephanie. Let it go and be nice. It's not like Lindell got lost on purpose
.

Stephanie huffed.
Lord, You don't let me get away with anything anymore. Can't I enjoy a good attitude for a few minutes
?

And why was God in cahoots with her sister? The voice in her head always sounded exactly like Cyd's.

She peeked at Lindell as they neared the church. “Sorry.”

He moved his head closer. “Did you say something?”

She cleared her throat. “I said . . . sorry . . . for getting so upset.”

Lindell put an arm around her. “It's all right, babe. I was frustrated too.”

There was a line outside the church. They walked up and took their place behind an older couple.

Seconds later she heard, “Stephanie! Is that you?”

Stephanie saw someone farther up in line looking back at her. “Janelle? And Libby!”

Her cousins got out of line—along with a guy she didn't know—and came back and joined them. She gave them both big hugs.

“Look at you, Stephanie,” Libby said. “You look good! Love your hair. So thick and pretty.”

“Thanks, girl, but I'm about to get the fly short cut like you. That is
fresh
.”

She spied Lindell's raised eyebrows over that idea.

“You and Janelle look good too,” she said. “Amazing how much you still look the same.”

“So do you,” Libby said.

Stephanie swatted away the comment. “No need to be kind. I didn't have to wear Spanx last time you saw me.”

They laughed and turned to Lindell.

“And this is my husband, Lindell.”

Lindell hugged them. “I met your parents at our wedding. It's nice to meet you two finally.”

“I was sorry I couldn't come,” Libby said. She turned to the guy next to her. “And this is Al. Al, Stephanie and Lindell.”

“So what took you so long to get here?” Janelle said as they huddled together in line. “I was afraid you'd gotten lost.”

Stephanie brought her gaze over to Lindell.

“Uh,” Lindell said. “I thought I could wing it without the map—”

“Even though I specifically
got
a map at the airport . . .”

Quiet, Stephanie
.

Hmph
.

Lindell was still explaining. “—and somehow got on the wrong ramp and didn't realize we were headed west.”

“Ooh.” Janelle cringed. “Sorry to hear that.”

Stephanie so wanted to add to the story, like how she tried to tell him he was going the wrong way. She chewed her tongue instead.

“Pastor Jim sure was special.” Libby cast her eyes about the crowd. “Not too often everybody comes together like this.”

“So Calvary is where Jim pastored, right?” Stephanie asked.

“Right,” Janelle said. “And his father was the pastor here before him.”

“But . . .” Stephanie did a double take of the surroundings. “This isn't the church we went to when I visited, the one our parents grew up in.”

Libby pointed down the street. “That would be New Jerusalem, couple blocks down.”

“Got it,” Stephanie said. “New Jerusalem is the black church; Calvary's the white church.”

“And that's exactly how it stays,” Janelle said. “Until there's a funeral. Then things turn multiethnic.”

They moved up near the entryway, and Stephanie could see that the service had already started. A handful of ushers were moving about, trying to find room for each waiting group. The pews were almost filled.

Libby was turned sideways, able to see who was coming. She suddenly got a look in her eye and turned to Janelle. “Flash from the past.”

Janelle looked at her. “Who?”

Libby nodded toward the back of the line. “Kory.”

Stephanie had no idea who Kory was, but from the look on Janelle's face, Steph knew she'd find out soon.