Relentless Pursuit: A Novel (Secrets of Roux River Bayou) (21 page)

“‘Love never fails.’”

Monsignor paused and then looked out across the congregation. “Love is quite simple, really, though we make it complex. Dominic didn’t. In his childlike way, he taught us what love looks like. ‘Don’t hit. Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Talk nice to each other. Don’t get even. Don’t be jealous. Share with everyone. Obey the rules. Don’t talk back. Give lots of hugs.’”

Monsignor seemed to have lost his voice for several agonizing seconds, and then continued. “Dominic’s life was an example for us all. I challenge us to remember this child’s innocent, cooperative spirit and apply those same simple principles to our everyday lives.

“As we mourn today, let us not forget that Dominic is not sad. No! He is enjoying his eternal reward in the presence of the God who made Him and who was not surprised by what we see as this child’s shocking and untimely death. God had a plan for Dominic Nicholas Corbin. That plan
was
fulfilled. The lost soul that put cyanide in chocolate pudding did not have the power of life and death. Our God reached down at that moment and lifted Domi into His arms and into the
forever and ever
that still awaits each of us who believe. Jesus Christ conquered sin and death. And because of Him, Dominic never tasted death—and now lives forever in glory.

“This knowledge does not eliminate our need to mourn Dominic’s passing. But hopefully it changes the way in which we mourn. For we do not mourn as those who have no hope. Though we don’t know when our individual chapter will end, we do know the ending of the bigger Story. And when the last page is turned, and the end comes, there will be no more weeping, no more pain, no more death. And we, who love and serve the Lord, will be reunited with Dominic and all those who have gone before us—never to be separated. Praise be to God.

“Let us pray. Father above, who knows firsthand the pain of losing a beloved Son, be with Josh and Margot and their entire family and all of us gathered here as we, in our human frailty, grieve the loss of this precious child. Help us not to forget for a moment that, because of Jesus Christ, death has no sting, and that Dominic is rejoicing with the angels. We leave him in Your tender care, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

“Amen,” Zoe whispered.

She took a fresh tissue out of her purse and wiped the tears off her cheeks and then blew her nose. What a beautiful thought to remember Domi as an example for adults. She’d never thought of him that way before.

Zoe couldn’t focus on the Mass, Monsignor Robidoux’s eulogy resounding over and over in her mind. For the first time, she could truly sense that God was in control and Domi’s life had a purpose. As long as she lived, she would never forget Domi’s example—so sweet and simple and pure. The way love was supposed to be.

Pierce took one of her tissues and dabbed his eyes. All Zoe wanted to do was to go home and hug her children.

Chapter 22

Zoe sat on the couch in her apartment, holding Grace in her arms, rocking her gently, thinking about Monsignor Robidoux’s eulogy.

“Are you sad, Mommy?” Grace reached up and touched her face.

“A little. I’m trying not to be. After all, Domi is with Jesus. What better place could he possibly be?”

“I’m sad he died.” Grace wrinkled her little nose. “Now Patty will be mean again.”

“Maybe it’s time
you
hugged Patty. She’s going to be sad that Domi’s gone. This would be a good time to make Patty your friend by being kind to her. I know Domi would be happy if you did.”

“
And
Jesus,” Grace added.

“Yes, especially Jesus.” Zoe tightened her embrace. “I’m glad you’re my little girl, Grace. You’re such a blessing, and I love you more than you can possibly imagine.”

“More than ice cream? And Tootsie Pops? And tea parties?”

“Oh, much more.”

“More than
Tucker
?” Grace’s voice was playful.

Zoe smiled and looked into Grace’s topaz eyes, her daughter’s elfin grin telling Zoe she already knew the answer. “As much as Tucker.”

“If I died, you would be
very
sad.”

“Of course I would be very sad.”
More like devastated.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we go downstairs and let Maddie stay with Tucker while he’s napping. You can sit with your uncles and watch them play checkers, and I’ll have Daddy make you an orchard smoothie.”

“Yay!” Grace clapped her hands.

Zoe told Maddie what she and Grace were doing, then took Grace by the hand and walked her downstairs to the dining room, which was only about half full—normal for three forty-five on a weekday afternoon.

Zoe turned loose of Grace’s hand, and Grace ran over to the table by the window and stood next to Hebert.

“Dere’s my
petite fille.
” Hebert put his arm around her. “Watch dis.” Hebert picked up his king and made three jumps, a fake look of surprise making his faded gray eyes wide and animated. “Well, looky dere, I win.” He threw his head back and laughed. “Tell us, Grace. Who da king of checkers?”

“Hebert!” Grace clapped her hands.

Tex, his navy sport coat hung on the back of his chair and his sleeves rolled up, took out his handkerchief and wiped his bald head. “I’m not quittin’ until I win one. Put the checkers on the board and prepare to be humbled.”

Zoe started to go into the kitchen and spotted Sax sitting at a table by himself, sipping an orchard smoothie. She took out her cell phone and dialed Pierce’s number.

“Yeah, babe. What’s up?”

“Would you make Grace an orchard smoothie?” Zoe said. “She’s sitting with the guys. Sax is here, and I’m going to go talk to him for a minute.”

“Sure. I’ll bring it out to her.”

Zoe went over to Sax’s table. “Nice to see you again. What do you think of the smoothie? It’s something Pierce recently added to the menu. Grace can’t get enough of them.”

Sax smiled, the light casting a yellow shade in his brown eyes. “I can see why. This is delicious. I’ve never tasted anything quite like it.”

“Glad you approve. So how much longer do you think you’ll be in town?”

“Not sure. A few days at least.” Sax stirred the smoothie with his straw. “Look, I apologize again for being insensitive last night. That was neither the time nor the place to get into my personal disappointment with God.”

“Don’t worry about it. I think everyone’s struggling on some level. It’s not easy coming to grips with the death of a child—and the fact that it was murder makes it a double whammy. Monsignor Robidoux, God bless him, gave a powerful eulogy.”

“What more could he say than the child’s ‘in a better place’?”

“That’s a given. This had to do with what an amazing example Domi was for the rest of us.”

“Now that’s a different slant,” Sax said. “How did he say a four-year-old victim of cyanide poisoning could be an example?”

“Do you mind if I sit with you a minute?” Zoe said. “I’d love to tell you what Monsignor said. It certainly changed the way I look at Domi’s death.”

Sax pulled out a chair. “Not at all.”

Zoe told Sax everything she could recall of Monsignor Robidoux’s eulogy, feeling energized as she repeated it. “Isn’t that a perfect way for us to remember Domi?”

“Yes, it is.” Sax glanced over at the table where the three old guys were doting on Grace. “He sounds like the perfect little boy from the perfect intact family.”

“I can’t help but hear the cynicism in your voice.”

Sax’s face turned bright pink. “I think it’s great that this child left such a positive impression on everyone. But I came from an abusive, dysfunctional family. And I honestly can’t relate to all that sweetness and light.”

“Neither can I,” Zoe said. “Not from my childhood, anyway. Maybe that’s why I’m determined to keep my children safe and happy and innocent as long as possible.”

“But then something like this comes along and forces your hand. So what did you say to Grace? You either had to lie—or tell her the brutal truth that would surely strip away some of that innocence.”

“I told Grace the truth. I didn’t dwell on how Domi died, but on the fact that he’s going to live with Jesus forever. And I told her all about Monsignor’s eulogy. She totally
got it.
Grace knew Domi was special.”

“It’s neat that he had loving parents. I honestly wonder if mine would have been more relieved than grieved, if I had died as a kid.”

“How can you say that?” She knew how. Hadn’t she felt that way too? “Were you a problem child?”

Sax shrugged. “I always thought I must be bad, and that’s why my dad hit me. But as I got older, I realized it was the whiskey that made him mean.”

“He was an alcoholic?”

“For as long as I can remember. I saw him drunk a lot more than I saw him sober. He wasn’t likeable in either state.”

“Well, my father was a drunk too,” Zoe said. “And he didn’t need a reason to abuse me or my brother—or my mom, for that matter.”

Sax arched his thick, bushy eyebrows. “Now
that I
can
relate to. I guess the cynicism you heard is coming from childhood issues that are still unresolved. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. Domi sounds like a great kid who had a life filled with happiness, however short it turned out to be. He was luckier than a lot of us.”

“I don’t really believe in luck. God is in control of my life. I see the good as blessings from Him.”

“Really?” Sax pursed his lips. “Then how do you see the bad?”

Emily sat with Chance on the white leather couch in his living room, sampling the finger food on her plate and watching Chance’s two extended families interacting.

Chance picked at what she had put on his plate and then set it aside.

“You have such nice relatives,” Emily said. “You’re really blessed.”

“I’d rather have my mom back.”

Emily looked at her plate. “I know you would. I’m so sorry. At least your parents’ siblings are really nice. Your cousins, too.”

“They’re all right. I don’t really know them that well. Truthfully, I wish they’d all leave. The whole day’s been overwhelming.”

“Now that the funeral and mausoleum services are behind you,” Emily said, “your family will go back home, and you’ll have space to grieve.”

“Not until Aunt Reba leaves. And that’s not going to happen until you two get through the list of things I’m supposed to deal with.”

“We’ll do as much as we can without bothering you,” Emily said. “We’re supposed to pick up the death certificates tomorrow. We’ll need them to close accounts and cancel credit cards.”

“I can’t deal with any of that.” Chance squeezed her hand. “But I’m glad you’re willing to help. I know it’s important. I just don’t have the presence of mind to think that hard.”

“Of course you don’t. That’s why you have us.”

“How long do you think Aunt Reba’s going to stay?”

Emily shrugged. “As long as it takes. But I’m thinking we can accomplish an awful lot in a short period of time. In fact, I called Zoe and asked her to change my schedule. I don’t go in until Saturday at three. That’ll give me almost three full days to help Reba.”

Chance turned to her. “Really? That was awfully nice of you.”

“I felt it was necessary.”

“That’s a chunk out of your college money.”

“A small chunk.” Emily smiled. “Helping you is more important right now.”
Though Vanessa will be all over me.

Chance kissed her cheek. “You’re an amazing friend, Emily. I would never have made it through today without you.”

“Sure you would’ve. Your family was holding you up.”

He lowered his voice and whispered in her ear. “But it’s you who gave me the strength to stand.”

Emily felt tingly all over, as much from his breath brushing her ear as his words. “You serious?”

“Absolutely. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

Emily heard footsteps moving in their direction and sat up straight.

“Chance, we’ve got to head back,” said his uncle Frank. “I have a meeting in the morning.”

Chance stood and bear-hugged his uncle. “Thanks for being here.”

“Look, I know you’ve got a rough road ahead. Promise me you’ll call if there’s anything your aunt Marie and I can do for you.”

“I will,” Chance said.

Aunt Marie hugged him and seemed too emotional to say anything.

“It was nice to have met you, Emily,” Uncle Frank said.

One by one, family members and friends of his parents came up to Chance, expressed their deepest sympathy and support, acknowledged Emily—and then left. A few minutes later, only Aunt Reba remained in the house with them. She was out in the kitchen.

“I should go see if I can help her,” Emily said. “There’s a lot of food left over, and we need to store it properly so you can have it again when you’re hungry.”

She started to get up, and Chance held her hand. “Don’t go. Aunt Reba wanted to control the kitchen. Let her.”

“I feel like I’m being rude.”

“She’s in hog heaven out there. It’s her private domain.”

“Aren’t you being a little hard on her?” Emily said. “The woman just lost her sister, and yet she’s doing everything she can to help
you.
”

“I told you I don’t want her here. It’s just a matter of time before she gets overbearing.”

“I’m sure that’s not her intent.”

Chance arched his eyebrows. “Believe me, she can’t help herself.”

Emily stayed with Chance, feeling guilty about leaving Aunt Reba to clean up the kitchen, and wondering how this young man who had won her heart could be so unsympathetic and selfish. Then again, he was an only child with no concept of sibling ties. How could he understand that his aunt Reba was suffering too?

Zoe sat for a moment, staring at Sax, wondering how to answer such a poignant question.

“I’m not being facetious.” Sax folded his arms on the table and leaned forward on his elbows. “I’d really like to know how you look at all the bad things that happen. I get it that Christians thank God for all the blessings. But what do you say to Him about all the heartache?”

“First of all,” Zoe said, “it’s a privilege that He’s even invited us to approach Him and talk about the heartache. Being a Christian is all about a relationship with Him. But that doesn’t mean we’re on the same page. Or that I’m ever going to understand the mind of God. I heard someone say that our trying to understand God’s thinking is like an ant trying to understand the Internet. There’s just no way we can comprehend the big picture of how it all fits together. We mourn our losses, but there really is a reason for them. God’s in control. We just need to trust Him.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” Sax said. “If you give God the credit for the blessings, don’t you give Him the blame for the bad things?”

“Blame is the wrong word,” Zoe said. “He allows everything that happens in my life—for reasons I may never know. But I thank Him and love Him and praise Him in the midst of hard times, knowing that He’s right there with me and will use it for my good.”

“What basis do you have for that?” Sax’s eyebrows came together.

Did she really want to try to explain something this deep to an unbeliever? How could she not when he had asked outright?

“Sax, I believe the Bible’s the Word of God. It’s what we believers have to go by. And in the book of Romans, chapter eight, verse twenty-eight, we’re told that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. In other words, He uses everything for our good, one way or another. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy. But there’s always a takeaway that serves to bring us closer to Him, if we let it. You look surprised.”

“I am. Most Christians back off the discussion about now. You actually had an answer.” He took a sip of the smoothie. “So you believe good will come out of this boy’s death?”