My Father's Gift (25 page)

“Oh, I more than like,” D’Cerner said dreamily.  “But you’re right.  I’ll behave until we get where we’re going.  I don’t suppose it would do any good to ask you where that might be?  I know we’re headed for Vermont, but where in Vermont is beyond me.”

“Vermont is all you need to know for now,” Cal said as he turned so she could wash his back.  “I promise you’ll love it.  And we’ll have two weeks to ourselves before we have to get down to the real work.”

“Did you have to mention work?” D’Cerner groaned as she got out of the shower.

“Yes, I did,” Cal said, as he playfully snapped his towel in her direction.  “There’s real work to be done and we’ve been chosen to do it.”

That thought sobered them for a moment and then they proceeded to finish dressing.  The moment they had finished, there was knock at the door and upon opening it, Cal moved aside for the bellhop to arrange the breakfast cart.  After tipping him, they wasted no time in devouring the croissants, sausage and fruit.  When they had both finished their second cup of coffee, they realized they needed to hurry if they were going to catch their flight.  Fortunately, all they needed to do was grab their coats and leave.

As they were leaving the hotel, D’Cerner was able to appreciate what Cal had arranged for them.  Looking around, she realized she had married a man with impeccable taste. He paid attention to every little detail.

“Would she be able to live up to his expectations of her?” she wondered to herself. “Only time would tell. Now, they had that in abundance.” 

This time, after Cal had paid the bill and summoned the limousine, he held the door open for her and held her close for the brief ride to the terminal where their plane was leaving.  D’Cerner thought to herself, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”  Little did she know that Cal was having similar thoughts at that very moment.

After getting their bags checked and being cleared through security, they took their seats in the first class section of the plane.  They both had time to think about how all of this had started and how they had almost missed their
Father’s
gift.  As the plane prepared for take-off, Mr. and Mrs. Recinoire reclined their seats, both ecstatically happy.  Instead of talking, they just held each other’s hand, both thinking abut their rocky past and their future that appeared to be incredibly blissful at the moment.

Chapter Thirty

When they arrived at the airport in Burlington, Vermont, they retrieved their luggage at the baggage claim and picked up a Cherokee jeep that Cal had rented.  Storing the luggage in the back, they climbed into the front seat.  Once Cal checked his map, he donned a pair of sunglasses and headed east on the highway.

D’Cerner was very curious by now and kept watching the signs as they drove along.  In New York, while they had a brief layover, Cal had casually suggested she change into a pair of jeans and a sweater and hiking boots.  She was about to protest saying she didn’t have those items, when he pulled a shopping bag from his carry-on.  She looked inside and saw blue jeans, a pull over sweater, and hiking boots.  She shook her head in amazement and went to the ladies room to change.  When she got back, he had also changed into more comfortable clothing.  She didn’t ask him why, because she knew he wouldn’t tell her, but now she could hardly wait to see what he had in store for her.

Fifty miles later, after passing a sign that said welcome to Bolton Valley, they drove up a winding hill into the woods and soon pulled into a clearing in which there stood a fantasy cottage.  It was built with its back against the mountain and each side of the cottage was surrounded with glass.  Cal parked the jeep while D’Cerner stared in amazement.  This was the most incredible cottage she had ever seen.  It stood above the ground on a platform with a staircase leading to the first floor.

Excited about seeing the inside, she ran ahead of Cal up the stairs and peered through the windows.  There in the front room was a huge earthen fireplace with a plush pile rug on the floor in front of it.  Directly in front of the rug was an old fashioned couch that was big enough to sleep on and an armchair that could hold them both.  When Cal tossed her the keys, she opened the door and explored the rest of the cottage.  The kitchen was huge and contained a wooden table and chairs in the middle of the floor, a modern stove and refrigerator and a window sill filled with drying herbs.  The next room she went into was the bedroom.  Here was another huge fireplace and a comfortable queen size bed covered with a patchwork quilt.  The oak wardrobe standing in the corner was old and scratched, but lent a certain flavor to the decor.  Just outside the bedroom was a bathroom that contained a claw-foot tub.  By the time she got back into the front room, Cal had brought their luggage in and was standing by the door waiting for her to speak.

“How did you know,” she asked breathlessly.

“I listen.  You once mentioned that you had always wanted to stay in a cabin in the woods in the mountains of Vermont.  Fortunately, I knew someone in the military, a former commanding officer who owned some property in Bolton Valley. With a little effort, I was able to locate him and got his permission to use this cottage.  He said he would stock the refrigerator and the woodpile for us.  You check the refrigerator and I’ll check the woodpile.”

Cal went out a side door and sure enough, there was enough wood to last them for a month.  D’Cerner checked the refrigerator and found all of the staples they would need for a good while.  When Cal came back in, she hugged him

“Thank you!”

“Do you really like it?” he asked anxiously.  It’s a little rustic and there are some wild animals around.  That’s why the cabin stands on a platform.”

“I love it.  Didn’t I just say thanks,” she teased.

“Well, if you really love it, can you manage to show me a little gratitude?” he said holding her, his eyes clearly communicating his desire.

“If it’s gratitude you want, then it’s gratitude you’ll get,” she laughed and pulled his head down to kiss him.

*****

For the next nine days, they talked and walked, and made love and talked some more.  They were trying to make up for time lost to them in their ignorance.

Their first day in the cabin was spent unpacking clothes and arranging them in the oak wardrobe.  Then they decided to explore the area immediately surrounding the cabin since it was getting dark.  They didn’t want to get lost.  After walking through the woods on a well-trod path, they discovered a small pond with fish and were determined that one day, they would go fishing.  They returned to the cabin and made dinner, sharing the responsibilities.  Cal made a salad and peeled potatoes while D’Cerner seasoned two nice sized New York strip steaks.  While they waited for the steaks and potatoes to cook, they found a jazz station on the radio and listened to the music.  After dinner, Cal washed the dishes and D’Cerner dried.  When everything was put away, Cal started a fire in the bedroom fireplace, while D’Cerner changed for bed.  Seeing the flames licking at the wood, ignited D’Cerner’s romantic streak and she could hardly wait for Cal to come out of the bathroom.  This time before they went to bed, they knelt and prayed together, mindful that their happiness was not because of them, but because of the One who loved them. 

Everyday, they found something different and unique to do from hiking three miles into the mountains, to fishing in the pond they had discovered their first day, to driving into town for dinner.  Once they even decided to go to the local theater and watched a thrilling espionage movie.  Nothing they did was boring.  They spent long hours sitting on the platform balcony, discussing their childhoods, schools, families, and their hopes for the future.  They enjoyed waking up with the sun in their faces and racing for the bathroom.  The made breakfast together, took long leisurely afternoon naps, and read side by side in front of the fireplace in the armchair.  Their evenings always ended in front of the fireplace on the rug.

One of the many discussions they shared resulted in a pact between the two of them to never allow anyone to create doubt or distrust between them again.  They had both forgiven their former pastors for their misguided plot, but it reminded them that everyone was vulnerable and subject to falling prey to temptation.  They wanted to make sure that it didn’t happen again, at least not to them. 

It was amazing how a few relaxing days and love-filled nights could totally change attitudes, minds and hearts for the better.  D’Cerner had never dreamed she could be so compliant to another man, but she was learning to listen, to hear, and to be silent when words were not needed.  She didn’t like the thought of being submissive, but she knew that there was very little that Cal could ask of her that she would not agree to do.  She understood that even if he made mistakes, they would only be made if he thought the decision would make their lives better. 

And having a better life was exactly what Cal wanted for both of them.  He found himself more amiable than he would have thought possible.  D’Cerner’s playfulness had helped him to stretch himself and he became much more affectionate, even publicly when he thought no one was watching them.  He knew that there would be many times he might forget about this time, but he was equally sure that D’Cerner would always remind him.  He loved the way she cajoled and enticed him out of different moods or into a specific mood whenever she wanted.  The fact that they both wanted to pastor, and to be an example to others was just the icing on the cake, as far as he was concerned. 

“No,” he thought to himself, “it would be a long time before he could forget their time together in the mountains of Bolton Valley.

D’Cerner was having such a great time she didn’t want it to end and hated the thought of leaving, but she knew that sooner or later they would have to pack and leave.  Little did she know they would have to leave sooner than they had planned.

On their tenth evening in the cabin, Cal’s cell phone rang.  D’Cerner and Cal were standing out on the platform watching the sun go down, something they loved to do while drinking hot chocolate.  Cal went inside to answer it and when he returned his mood had changed.

“We have to leave in the morning, the pastors council wants to meet with us now.”

“I thought they were giving us two weeks,” she responded slowly, expecting bad news.

“They did.  Our two weeks are just about up.   This will give us a chance to clarify what happened on the cruise.  I know Pastor Thomas said she’ll retract her statements about us, but we can’t count on that.  Even if people believed that we were compromised, we’re married now and surely that has to account for something.  There will also be questions regarding our ability to pastor a new church.  More than likely, they’ll be general enough—standard questions about statements of faith, marriage counseling, the importance of family, church support and responsible leadership.  There may also be some specific questions because of the area where the church is located.    I want to get home to go over the information I was able to get about the community before we left.  You’ll need to see it, too.  The church they intend for us to pastor is not in a large city where everything is convenient, but in a rural area.  You need to be sure that you’re willing to give up living in the city for at least the next three years.  This is a commitment that we can’t make lightly.  It means leaving our homes and our children and we need to make decisions about both before we give them an answer.  Are you up to the challenge?” he asked holding her tight.

“I’m sure I can be, but do we need to discuss it on our last night here?” she said wistfully.  “I want to savor this moment for a little while longer.”

“I know, but we need to be practical.  Let’s pack and then I promise you, the rest of the night is yours to do as you please.”

Reluctantly D’Cerner agreed and they went back inside to pack, missing the end of the sunset.  When they had finished packing, Cal went out to the woodpile and brought in fresh wood and started a fire in the front room.  They made popcorn over the open fire and drank more hot chocolate, falling asleep together on the big sofa.

The next morning, after cleaning out the fireplace and making sure that everything was locked up they called their kids to make sure that food was at Cal’s house upon their return.  Looking back at the last few days with fondness and cherishing the memory of their time here, they left their fantasy cabin, and headed back to the airport at Burlington to reality.  Both were silent, almost saddened as the honeymoon came to a close.  Leaving the jeep she had so easily become accustomed to at the airport, almost made her cry.  But once they got on the plane, they left the past behind them, but sealed their memories in a special place in their hearts, to deal with their new future. The pages of a new chapter unfolded before them.

*****

Since they had already decided they were going to be living in Cal’s house alone for awhile, it made sense they would do so until they would have to leave and the children had decided for themselves they would all stay at D’Cerner’s house to give them some additional time alone.  When they arrived at Cal’s house, he wasted no time in going to his study and pulled out several files which apparently contained the information about the community where they would be moving, if they were chosen to pastor.  He sat in a chair poring over the files, leaving D’Cerner to her own devices. 

D’Cerner contented herself with getting acquainted with the house and unpacking their clothes.  She walked through and made a mental note of every room and where he kept things.  She wasn’t surprised at all to note that the house was exceptionally organized and neat.  Finishing her grand tour with the kitchen, she washed some lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced onions and boiled some eggs for a salad.

When she had finished preparing a light dinner for the two of them, she called Cal from his study and reminded him he had been poring over files for almost two hours and he needed to stop and eat.   He almost seemed to resent the interruption, but then realized that his life was not his own any more and they were both going to have to make some adjustments—some would be easier than others.  They ate in near silence, both thinking about the next day when they would appear before the pastors’ council.  After he had helped with the dishes, he suggested she join him in his study to discuss their strategy.  They spent the next three hours poring over information and reviewing the incident on the cruise.