Who Brings Forth the Wind (Kensington Chronicles) (27 page)

my life."

Andrew's eyes closed again. "It's taken care of then. I was

certain that it was, but I needed some reassurance from you.

I'm not afraid to die now. I wish I could be here with you and

Drew for years to come, but my body is tired and I'm not afraid

to go. God will take care of both of you. I'm sure of that for the

first time."

"It might not be time, Papa." Stacy was so overcome with

emotion she could barely talk. "Just rest now. I'll be here."

The old man nodded and slept for nearly an hour. Stacy sat

in a chair right by his side, her heart so full she could hardly

move. Her grandfather had come to Christ! Her heart was

overflowing with thanksgiving. She wanted to shout and

dance.

He's Yours now, lord. I would love to have more time with

him, but even if tonight is the night, he's Your child and You've

given us both your peace. Stacy, whose throat was clogged

with tears, couldn't pray anymore. She sat trembling, half with

fatigue and half with joy, her heart too full to form thoughts.

Stacy had just began to doze when Andrew woke. He asked

Stacy to read to him. She chose the Twenty-third Psalm, a

psalm she'd read all her life, but one that had taken on new

meaning in the last three and a half years. She was now certain

it would be new to her grandfather as well.

She read and then prayed, andAndrew listened as best he

could The night moved on in such a manner--Andrew and

Stacy dozing for a time and then waking to share the Scriptures

again and again. Andrew said little through this, speaking

only once to thank her for showing him the way, to tell her of

his love and to ask her to tell Drew of his love also.

In her exhausted, emotional state, his words were almost

more than Stacy could bear but she praised God for hearing

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them since this was in fact Andrew's last night with her. He ft

asleep just before dawn, and this time he did not waken.

Stacy had no more than let Drew finish his breakfast

before she scooped him up and headed to the pond. She

sidestepped all of his questions concerning his grandfather

and didn't really start to talk to him until they were seated by

the big willow that sat at the edge of the water.

"Where are the poles?"

"We're not going to fish today, Drew. I need to talk with

you."

"We can't show Grandpapa our catch."

"No, we can't, but our having a talk is more important right

now." Stacy stopped then. Where to start? He was so little, but

she knew he had to be told. He was much too aware of

Andrew's movements to hope that he wouldn't notice or miss

him.

"I talked with Grandpapa last night, and he told me something

wonderful," Stacy began as Drew sat in her lap and

looked trustingly into her eyes. Her voice wobbled only

slightly, but she continued. "Grandpapa told me he loves Jesus.

Isn't that wonderful?"

"We love Jesus too. And God," Drew told her with big eyes.

"Yes, we do," Stacy said with a smile, knowing he did not

yet understand that God and Christ were one.

Stacy glanced up at the tree, wondering how she should

continue. She had to tell Drew that his Grandpapa was gone,

and she simply didn't know how.

"I think that fish is dead"

Stacy's head snapped down in surprise. She thought he'd

been watching her, but she now saw that his attention had

begun to wander. Stacy's own eyes drifted to the dead fish that

floated on the water, and suddenly she had the words.

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"How do you suppose that fish died?"

"I don't know," Drew answered, his eyes intent on the

=ady decomposing fish.

"Things do die, don't they, Drew?"

"Urn hmm. Mercy and I saw a dead mouse in the kitchen."

, "I remember that. Drew," Stacy called his name and

praited for him to turn to her, "people die too. Did you know

Ml?"

The small boy didn't answer, but only stared at her. The

^subject was new to him.

"Everything dies--mice, fish, and even people, but when

that happens we know that it's all a part of God's plan. He

gives life, and He says when it's time for someone or something

to die."

Stacy hesitated. Drew still watched her. Tears filled her

eyes when she said the next words. Drew had never seen his

mother cry.

"Grandpapa died this morning, Drew. His body was old

and tired, and God said it was time for Grandpapa to leave this

earth. Before he died though, he told me he loved Jesus, and

that's why I'm certain God took him to heaven to be with Him.

"He also told me that he loves you, but that he knows and

trusts that God is going to take care of you and me. We won't

have Grandpapa here with us anymore, Drew, but God is

going to take care of us."

It was not surprising that Drew had no questions. She

knew that much of what she said had been too old for him, but

she would just keep telling him and reassuring him until he

understood

Stacy had already thought out the aspect of Drew seeing

Grandpapa's body and decided she would not subject him to

that. The man he knew--the loving, alive, vibrant man--was

gone. She saw little or no point in showing Drew his cold,

white, earthly shell.

They took a long walk before going back to Morgan. In

that time Drew did not mention his great-grandfather. Not

until he was going down for a nap did he say he wanted to see

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him. Stacy had to remind him that the old man was gone aiw

Drew cried because he wanted his grandfather and didn'i

understand why his mother would keep him away.j

Stacy allowed him his tears and lay next to him long after'

he slept. Stacy's own tears finally came. Not a torrent, because'

her wonder and joy over Andrew's salvation was too wonder

ftil for it to be a time of complete sadness. She joined Drew in

his nap while she was still praising God for His saving love

GrtWtfoGw

the mourners around the grave were few. Andrew Daniels

was an old man, and many of his friends had passed on

before him. The bishop was present, but Stacy had asked Noel

to officiate the ceremony. He did a wonderful job, and Stacy

nearly broke down several times as Noel honored and praised

God for His love and mercy. That, as well as the way Drew's

little hand clung to her own, made her aware of just how

vulnerable Drew was right now. She felt him tremble at times.

She knew that this had little to do with the actual death,

because he did not fully understand the word, but his world

had been turned upside down with the "disappearance" of his

great-grandfather, as well as the appearance of strangers in

the forms of Roddy and Lucinda.

They were positively taken with the child, but he was still

feeling a bit overwhelmed with the events of the last days to

get overly close to them. They wisely did not push their

attention on him, but Lucinda broke down on several occasions

over what she exclaimed was the most precious child in

all the world. Such actions were unusual for her, but Stacy

believed it had much to do with the passing of her brother.

Everyone gathered back at Morgan when the funeral service

was over. The staff was visibly upset, but all rallied and

prepared a large meal for the mourners. Stacy acted as hostess,

seeing to it that all were comfortable. It never occurred to

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her to have someone else take over. Lucinda would have \ the logical choice, but she was too distraught to do mu

anything.

At one point, when there was a lull in the activities, a

and Elena found themselves alone. They embraced wanna

"Did Noel tell you about Papa's decision?" Stacy askeaj

"Yes." Elena's eyes were glowing.

"Oh, Elena." Stacy's voice was awed, her own eyes wi

with wonder and joy. "I've been selling my Lord short. I neve

dreamed He would save Papa so near the end, but He did

already miss him so much, but God has given me such a pe;

that I can hardly--"

Stacy had to stop. Sometimes words weren't necessai

between close friends; this was such a time. Elena huggecrf

Stacy again before they finally made themselves comfortablel

and really began to talk.

"Roddy and Lucinda have already talked to me about

coming back to London with them."

Elena nodded. "Roddy spoke with Noel. What are you-going

to do?"

"I'm not sure yet. The thought of leaving you is dreadful,

but what if this is God's way of repairing my marriage? I know

that Tanner is never going to come here; he's had over three

years to prove that. Maybe if I was back in London, he'd want

to see me."

"And that's what you want?" There was no censure in

Elena's tone, only caring.

"As frightened as I am of Tanner, I would like my marriage

back. I would desperately love for Drew to know his own

papa. When Lucinda mentioned our coming to live with them,

she also offered to get us a place of our own if we preferred

that, so I know we'll be taken care of. I just don't want to do

anything that's going to be harmful to Drew. Tanner can be so

hard, and the London gossips can be ruthless."

"You could always give it a try," Elena told her.

"What do you mean?"

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a mean that Noel, the children, and I are going to move

i to Morgan just as we all decided, but Noel would never

I of our place. It's not very big, so if things don't work out

. and Drew in London, you can move back here, either

p organ or our house."

"Oh, Elena" was all Stacy said. Such a thought had never

red to her. For weeks now she'd prayed about some way

pj^en a door between her and Tanner, and now this might be

^She knew she was going to have to be the one to reach out,

I although her faith was small concerning the outcome, she

3 willing to try.

The image of Tanner's angry face, as he'd been in the

onservatory and then at Winslow the day he'd sent her away,

lashed through her mind. The fear she felt took her breath

/ay.

"Stacy, what is it?" Elena had watched her pale.

"I was thinking of Tanner. He still has the power to terrify

me, but I've got to do this, Elena. I don't know how I'll be when

we're finally face-to-face, but I've got to try to save my marriage."

"It's going to be all right, Stacy." Elena's voice was soothing.

"I've already gotten a letter off to Sunny about Andrew's

death, knowing you would be too upset to write. You've had

lots of contact with her in the last few years, and I know she'll

be there for you if you return,

"I certainly can't predict what Tanner will say, but knowing

that Sunny will be there, a sister in Christ, comforts me

over your leaving,"

"In all the uproar, I'd forgotten about Sunny and Brandon,"