White Chocolate Moments (35 page)

"That is encouraging. And you did stay calm. I noticed it several times:'

Gage had shifted so he could look into her eyes. With one hand, he took her hand in his. With the other, he brushed down her cheek and chin.

"Why are you distracted?"

"I think because my aunt is coming. She has a profound effect on me, and I haven't seen Austin yet. He's Quinn's brother. We don't have a great history. It's not as bad as Quinn's and mine, but pretty bad:'

"When do they come?"

"Tomorrow for the party, and then they leave on Sunday. Sam's

other house was bigger. There aren't as many places to hide here:' "You could come next door:' Gage invited, and Arcineh smiled. "We both know that would be a huge mistake:'

Gage studied her a moment before saying, "One of these days, Arcineh Bryant, I am going to kiss you for real:'

"Promises, promises:' she teased, and Gage's eyes narrowed a little.

"Only Sam arriving back here any moment is keeping it from happening right now:'

Arcineh didn't laugh or smile about that. She wanted to kiss him as well, and for a moment the tension and attraction between them grew.

They talked a little more, Gage still touching her face, but Sam returned just a few minutes later. They continued to watch television and each other, but the subject of kissing did not come up again.

308

"How do you handle your heart with Tiffany and Jeremy?" Arcineh asked Sam on Friday morning.

"I wondered how you were doing with that:' Sam said, having just prayed about it. "I remember one very important thing: They're 'died for.' I ask God to save and forgive them and work to trust Him concerning their lives:'

"Have there been opportunities to share?"

"Only once with Jeremy. He asked me about my church, but I could tell that he thought I was only growing generous in my old age to get into heaven:'

Arcineh laughed a little. His description was funny, and she needed a laugh. But after breakfast she headed back to her room to read her Bible. She didn't get very far before she began to pray, asking God for the very thing her grandfather had mentioned--to remind her that her family was "died for."

"Hi," Arcineh said, suddenly showing up in Gage's garage midmorning.

"Hi. What are you up to?"

"Oh, just getting out of the house. I was going to ask you to go for a walk when I saw your door up."

Gage stopped and smiled at her, but Arcineh didn't notice. She was too busy looking around, and then at the bike Gage was working

on.

"I didn't know you were big into cycling."

"Every chance I get. You?"

Arcineh smiled and slowly shook her head no.

"I would probably kill myself."

"I don't think so. We'll have to go as soon as the weather warms a bit more."

309

Arcineh didn't argue. She wanted to be with Gage no matter what. However, a small part of her mind did wonder how it would work. She hadn't ridden a bike since she was a child. She didn't even own a bike, but maybe she could ride one of Gage's.

"When does the family arrive?" he asked.

"Probably in a few hours:'

"Have you had to work to keep busy?"

"A little. I've been memorizing the books of the New Testament, and that's pretty time-consuming."

"I think I had to do that in Sunday school, maybe in the fifth grade:'

"If you were learning about God and the Bible as a child, why didn't you believe in Christ then?"

"We were told we were all good people. I have no memory of ever hearing that God's Son died for me personally and wanted some type of relationship with me, or that He's holy and my sin would separate me from Him forever. I thought I was a good person. My dad thought he was a good person, and so does my sister, so I'm not the only one who missed the truth."

"I've been under the false impression for a long time that a church is a church: Arcineh said.

"It can't be true. The church I grew up in is nothing like our church now."

"We meet with Pastor Simon this week, don't we?"

"For our questions, yes. Is Sam going with us?"

"As far as I know. It might depend on when the family leaves." Gage was about to say something else when he watched a large Lexus pull into Sam's driveway.

"I think your family is here Gage told Arcineh, who looked out and saw her Uncle Jeremy emerge from behind the wheel.

"I'd better go:' Arcineh said, her face becoming all at once guarded.

"Just a minute Gage said, wiping his hands on a clean rag and

310

catching her before she could get away. Without hesitation he put his arms around her.

"It's okay:' he said, holding her close, Arcineh's arms hugging him

right back. "I'll come over in a bit and see if you need rescuing:' "What will you do?" Arcineh put her head back to ask him. Gage could not resist. He kissed her, ever so softly, and then a

bit longer.

Arcineh could barely open her eyes to look at him again. "That works:' she said.

Gage couldn't stop his smile, or the temptation. He kissed her a third time, forcing himself to hold back so she could be on her way.

Arcineh didn't even remember to say goodbye. She floated all the way home.

Oh,
Father, please help me,
Arcineh prayed not an hour after Tiffany and the family arrived.
I don't know what to do with my aunt. She's so sharp with Quinn and so ready to advise me. I want to run away, and I know I can't.

"You all right?" Violet asked from behind Arcineh where she stood at the kitchen sink.

"I'm getting there:'

Violet came close. "Do you pray at times like this?"

Arcineh turned to look at her. "What made you ask that?"

"I was talking to Sam after you got back, and he said you'd made

a big decision and would probably tell me about it sometime"

"I want to tell you, but part of me doesn't have the words. I thought

I would understand a little more before I tried:'

"Try anyway," Violet said. "Start by telling me why you thought you needed this. You've always been a good girl:'

"It started when I knew that Sam had something I didn't have, and

311

I wanted so much to be with him. After that I began to see myself as God sees me:'

"When did you start to believe God was there?"

"When Sam was so changed. It came fast. I almost didn't have time to work it out, but something had gone on in his heart, and when he explained it to me, it was clear that God had been there all along:'

Violet looked thoughtful.

"What have you thought about his change?" Arcineh asked.

Violet answered in a voice filled with wonder. "Sam has always been good to me, but a hard man. He liked his way, and even when I had vacation time, he expected me to leave things just so, so he was cared for. I never resented it--it was my job--but then he changed. I began to get days off every week, and when we moved here, he built my apartment over the garage, just the way I wanted it, every detail like I dreamed of.

"And then he gave me six weeks in Europe. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He planned it, and booked it, and even paid for Alice to join me. For a while I thought he was feeling his age and trying to get into heaven, but I don't think that's it. I think this change in him is real.

"And now you. You were always a little sweetheart, but there's been a peace about you in the last few weeks. I don't know what you went through while you were gone, but you've come to some type of peace about your life. I didn't see you get tense until your aunt showed up:'

"I love my aunt:' Arcineh said, "but I don't know how to respond to her. Things that used to be important to me are still important to her. I somehow thought she would have grown out of that!'

"So you pray for her?"

"Yes, I do:'

"And for me?"

Arcineh didn't answer until she put an arm around the older woman's shoulders.

312

"I don't understand all of this, Vi, but God has worked a miracle in my heart. I'm not alone anymore. Why would I want any less for you, the woman who's been my mother and loves me no matter what?"

"You're going to have me bawling:" Violet moved away and began to chop carrots.

"But you don't mind, do you?" Arcineh stuck around long enough to ask.

"No, I don't! Now get out of here. I have work to do."

If Arcineh had wanted something to get her mind off Tiffany, God had certainly provided.

Austin had done some growing up, as had Lexa. Their little boy was adorable, and although rather busy, a lot of fun to watch and play with. Arcineh snatched Megan as soon as Quinn arrived, and when Gage showed up he found her settled on the sofa, the baby cuddled close in her arms.

"She's changed a lot," he said, staring at the tiny face.

"She's so sweet:' Arcineh cooed, and got a smile in return.

"She's taken with you:' Gage said softly, "but then that's easy to understand:'

Arcineh smiled into his eyes, loving it when he said things like that.

Quinn, sitting across the room, was about to go and check on her daughter when she noticed the interchange. She thought that if those two didn't get married, it would be a shock Arcineh had looked tense from time to time, but she hadn't stopped smiling since Gage had walked in the door.

313

It was with no small amount of emotion that Sam hung his birthday gift from Arcineh. He didn't know when she had time to have it done, but she'd given him a studio portrait of herself. And now today, eleven years to the day since her parents had died, Sam got ready to hang it next to the picture of the three of them, the one they'd given him for his sixtieth birthday.

Sam stood for a long time and stared into his son's face. Did a father ever get over losing a child? He was sure not. And Isabella. She had not had much family, just some distant cousins. Sam still grieved her as well. They had been close. She had been sweet like Arcineh and had made his son the happiest of men.

Sam turned away, knowing that he could do nothing now. His regret was a waste of time. There were still Tiffany, Jeremy, and the next generations.

"Our earth is about 6000 years old:' Pastor Simon said, answering Arcineh's question on Sunday evening. "Time as we know it began in Genesis 1:1. When Genesis speaks of six days of creation:' he continued, turning to Gage now, "God means just that, six 24-hour days."

Simon answered the rest of their questions, taking all the time they needed. At last the two of them sat back, delighted with what they learned.

"How did it go with the family?" Simon asked Sam before the three of them could leave.

"Not bad. Austin and I had a chance to talk. He was surprised to see Quinn and Arcineh doing so well:'

"You didn't tell me that," Arcineh said.

"There wasn't time yesterday, and then it slipped my mind until just now. I'm 71, you know:' he teased his granddaughter.

314

Arcineh laughed, but as soon as they were in the car, she asked about Austin.

"I don't think there is any real hunger:' Sam was forced to admit. "But I was proud of you and Quinn and how you're doing:"

"Is that kind of pride all right?" Gage asked. He'd just been reading in Proverbs where it was clear that pride was a serious sin.

"I could be sinfully prideful of them, but I wasn't just now. I know that God has worked in their hearts, and that was my way of saying I'm pleased:'

"I didn't have talks with anyone Arcineh put in. "In fact I feel bad because I had to get away from Tiffany a few times." "She had a rough weekend:' Sam said.

"In what way?" Gage asked.

"She told me that she loves her grandchildren but doesn't want to be reminded that she's old enough to be a grandmother. She cried for a long time about it."

Arcineh felt terrible. She had spent time avoiding her and hadn't prayed as she should have. Her aunt was a selfish creature, but Arcineh had not been a whole lot different. Looking out for herself had come very easily.

As Gage drove them home, Arcineh curled up in the backseat and had a long talk with the Lord. There was so much she didn't know, but she was seeing new things all the time. She was thankful, but also very tired.

"I need to ask you something:' Arcineh said to Sam when she tracked him down in his bedroom. Gage had gone home, and it was just the two of them. She had been so thankful in the car, but now doubts had started to surface as old memories had come to mind.

"Go ahead:'

315

"Why was Quinn the favorite?"

"I think because she so reminded me of my failure as a parent. It wasn't obvious in Trevor. He found your mother and made a life for himself, but Tiffany married the first man who asked. I'll be honest and tell you that I've been flabbergasted over the years that the marriage lasted. I love and admire your Uncle Jeremy. He's had to learn to live with a lot.