Authors: Leigh Bale
Closing the door, the Colonel
started his car, speaking through the open window. “One of my men will bring you
to the NCIS office so you can give us a signed statement. I’ll see you there.”
Gravel smattered beneath his tires
as he drove away.
Mac turned and faced Toni. Before
she could say anything, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She didn’t
struggle. God had worked a miracle for them and this was a time to celebrate.
One thought pounded inside her brain.
Mac had not killed Eric.
As he drew back, she gazed at Mac’s
smiling face. She longed to tell him of the love in her heart, but she
couldn’t. Too many people needed her attention right now. Peace settled over
her. Her brother’s killers would get the justice they deserved. But she could
never share her life with Mac when he still resented the Lord. Even though she
loved Mac, she couldn’t be with him, and that hurt most of all.
Six days later, the doorbell rang.
Dressed in Capri’s and a short-sleeved shirt, Toni padded across the tiled
entryway in her bare feet. Morning sunlight streamed through the top window of
the oak door. Before she opened it, she pushed back the curtains and peered out
the window to see who was calling. Even though life had settled back into
normalcy, the past events had made her wary.
“Mac!”
She jerked open the front door. Mac
stood on the step holding a gift-wrapped package with an enormous white bow on
top.
Without an invitation, she wrapped
her arms around his tall frame and embraced him. Oh, how she’d missed him. He’d
returned to Thorne Mountain last week to be with his parents. She’d tucked into
work at the shoe store and spent time with Cara and Grams. Except for a static
phone call mid-week to say he’d gotten her tires repaired and would bring her
car to Vegas today, they hadn’t talked since. The thought of seeing Mac again had
filled Toni with both dread and a thrill of anticipation. The few days they’d
been apart felt more like centuries.
Now, she stared at the pink and
white paper on the gift he held, wondering what it was for.
“I’m so glad you’re here. Come in.”
She stepped to one side and allowed him to enter ahead of her. He walked inside
barely limping, missing his cane.
“Your leg’s getting better.” She
closed the door and led him into the living room.
“Yes, it is.” He glanced toward the
kitchen, looking a bit sheepish. “Can we talk in private for a few minutes?”
“Sure. Sit down.” She indicated the
sofa as the grandfather clock chimed ten o’clock. Its melodious peals filled
the air along with the sweet smell of brownies Grams was baking in the kitchen.
Instead of going off somewhere with her friends, Cara was helping Grams. Since
the kidnapping, she’d made some major changes in her life, preferring to stay
home more often.
Toni sat across from Mac and he set
his package on the coffee table in front of them. He leaned forward, resting
his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped. Stiff and nervous.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He smiled, his jaw firm. “Yes, but
I need to speak with you about something important.”
A thrill of excitement shot through
her, followed by a buzz of dread. During the past few days, she’d thought long
and hard about Mac. Her feelings hadn’t changed. She loved him deeply, but she
wanted a man who loved the Lord. Her faith wouldn’t allow her to settle for
anything less. She and Mac could never be more than friends. And that knowledge
left her feeling hollow inside.
“What do you want to talk about?”
Anxiety stiffened Toni’s spine. She steeled herself, wondering what he could
possibly want to say.
He gazed into her eyes. “Us.”
Her heart thudded. She hated the thought
of hurting him. “Mac, it’s too soon. We can’t….”
“I don’t think it’s soon enough. I
never stopped loving you, Toni. I was so foolish and worldly to push you away.
Now, I need to resolve something between us.” He reached out and lifted the
package, handing it to her. “This is for you.”
Toni took the gift, staring at it
like it might explode. She bit her bottom lip and gave him a rueful smile.
“It’s not a bomb, is it?”
Mac laughed. “Just open it. But be
careful. It’s fragile.”
Toni nodded. Without speaking, she
undid the bow and set it aside on the table. She freed one edge of tape from
the gift-wrap, then another and another. Slowly, she revealed a plain cardboard
box that offered no indication as to what might be inside.
She opened the top flaps of the box
and peeked inside. Seeing the contents, she pressed trembling fingers to her
mouth. No, it couldn’t be. For several moments, she did nothing but stare at
the object, unable to contain her own emotions.
“Take it out. It’s yours,” Mac
whispered.
Toni set the box on the table, then
reached inside with both hands and lifted out an elegant green vase. Scenes of
bluebirds and exotic pink flowers were etched along the delicate flutes.
Eric’s vase. The one Mac had picked
out for her in Baghdad.
A croaking gasp escaped Toni’s
throat. The vase looked perfect. No broken edges. Nothing to indicate it had
ever been knocked off the mantel of the fireplace.
“Is it new?” Toni asked.
“No, it’s the same vase, but I had
it restored.”
“But how did you repair it?” She
touched the fluted edge lightly with her fingertips, as if it might break
again.
“I took it to an antique shop that
specializes in fine repairs. They fixed it almost good as new.”
Emotion clogged her throat. His
thoughtfulness touched her deeply, making it harder to reject him. “It’s
beautiful, Mac. Thank you so much.”
He reached out and tilted the vase
so she could see inside. The white porcelain showed three thin seams where the
vase had been restored. “Notice the outside appears perfect. You can’t even
tell it was ever damaged. But inside, you can see where it was broken into
three parts.”
Toni lifted the vase, peering
closely at the spidery thin veins. “Yes, I see them.”
“The restorationist told me the
seams would be stronger than the rest of the vase. At first, I was displeased
with the job they did in repairing it,” Mac confessed. “I wanted it perfect
again. Nothing else would do. Then I realized the vase has more meaning because
we know what it’s been through. Like the vase, our lives were shattered by Eric’s
death and the evil men who tried to destroy us.”
Toni nodded, understanding
completely, unable to speak through her dry throat.
Mac reached out and took her hand.
“For me, this vase represents the Savior and His sacrifice for each of us. His
body was bruised and broken, His life shattered for us. His hands and feet were
permanently scarred. And yet, through the miracle of God’s love, those wounds
healed. They’re still visible, as a reminder of His great sacrifice for us, but
His body was restored. Death could not conquer Him.”
Mac brushed at his damp eyes. “The
cracks in the vase help me remember your brother and his sacrifice for our
country. We will see Eric again. I know this in my heart.”
A lump as big as Kansas settled in
Toni’s throat. She couldn’t swallow to save her life. A long swelling silence
followed, with only the sounds of her soft crying and the ticks of the clock.
So many unspoken words were said in those few moments. The communication of
broken hearts and contrite spirits longing for the healing love that only the
Savior’s Atonement could bring each of them.
“You’ve regained your faith,” she
murmured.
He nodded. “I never really lost it.
I was just angry and lost. But now, I’m found. I have you to thank for that.”
His words pierced her heart like a
point of steel. She looked up and saw Grams standing in the doorway, her arm
wrapped around Cara. The girl’s eyes dripped with tears and she sniffled.
They’d also heard Mac’s words.
Dressed in a simple T-shirt, Cara’s
bare toes peeked out from beneath the raw hem of her jeans. Gone was the black
nail polish, replaced by a creamy pink. Her normally spiked hair lay in soft
curls around her shoulders. In place of garish cosmetics, her clean face
gleamed with the freshness of youth.
She looked like a sweet, teenage
girl again.
Toni beckoned to Cara. The girl
didn’t hesitate before she padded across the thick carpet and joined her on the
sofa. As Toni wrapped her arms around her sister, she felt overwhelmed by
gratitude. She never would have believed it possible, but her family was safe.
God had wrought such a miracle in their lives.
“How would you feel about opening a
small realtor’s office in Clarkston in the near future?” Mac asked her.
Toni quirked her brows, still
hugging Cara. “I…I can’t. I have the shoe store here in Vegas to run.”
Hadn’t he told her he wanted to
open a doctor’s office in Clarkston after med school? But that was several
years away and had nothing to do with her.
“Ahum, let me make this easier for
you, Toni.” Grandma sat in the rocking chair, showing a wide smile. “I called
the president of Gorsheim’s Shoes several days ago. I’ve agreed to sell them
our store. We’ll make a tidy profit, but you’re now out of a job.”
Toni looked at Mac, startled. “But
how did this happen?”
Bernice shrugged. “I realized life
was too short to keep living in the past. We have to move forward. It’s time we
got out of the shoe business while we’re still ahead.”
Toni shook her head, more than
confused. “But in order for me to open a realty office in Clarkston, I would
need to move there. And why would I do that unless…?”
Mac came to his feet, his eyes
glowing with warmth. “I’ve got one more thing I want to ask, Toni. I guess it’s
only fitting that your family is here with you.”
He sank down on one knee. Toni’s heartbeat
tripled as he took her hand in his. He dug into his pocket and withdrew a black
velvet case. Opening it, he held a ring out to Toni. The diamond winked at her.
“Will you marry me?”
She tried to speak, but words
weren’t enough for what she wanted to say. It hadn’t been easy. In fact,
there’d been so much pain. But God had brought them through it all.
Overcome by the love flowing
through her, Toni nodded. “I love you, Mac. I love you so much. Of course I’ll
marry you.”
She found herself wrapped in his
strong arms. In the background, she heard Cara’s happy giggles as the girl
clapped her hands together.
Tears of joy ran down Grams’
powdered cheeks. “We’re going to have a wedding after all. How wonderful.”
Toni brushed her eyes on her sleeve
before Grams and Cara joined her and Mac in a four-way hug. No more words were
needed as they huddled together.
A family. Forever.
Toni thought about the comparison
Mac had made between the Atonement and her vase. On the outside, she and her
family seemed whole. Fully restored from their horrible ordeal. On the inside,
each of their scars were still visible. And yet, what she and Mac had suffered
together with Cara and Grams now united them in a stronger family unit.
The miracle of God’s redeeming love
had healed their broken hearts. Their faith had healed their broken trust.
THE END
*****
My son is a sergeant in the U.S.
Marine Corps. Like all mothers who have a child in the military, I watch the
evening news carefully and often fret and pray over the well being of my son
and his family.
Every once in awhile, I hear that a
member of our military has been killed via friendly fire. My heart goes out to
the people and their families impacted by such a tragic occurrence. And I can’t
help wondering how they all cope with such heartbreak. How do they forgive and
forget and go on with their lives? Perhaps they can forgive, but I doubt they
can ever forget.
In BROKEN TRUST, the hero and
heroine are struggling with just such a situation. Though the story has a happy
ending, I know not all people are so fortunate. But I also know the Atonement
of Christ can heal any carelessness, inadequacy and bitterness in our lives.
The healing power of the Atonement is not just for you and me, but for all
people throughout the world, past and present.
I hope you enjoyed reading BROKEN
TRUST and I invite you to visit my website at www.LeighBale.com to learn more
about my books.
May you find peace in the Lord’s
words!
Leigh Bale
*****
Discover
other titles by Leigh Bale at Amazon.com
Visit Leigh Bale’s website
at www.LeighBale.com
*****
Excerpt from Healing the Forest Ranger, available May 2013
They didn’t know she was watching.
Lyndsy Warner crouched low behind an outcropping of rock. Prickles of
excitement dotted her arms. She held her breath, hoping the wild horses
wouldn’t catch her scent and bolt. At least not yet.
Overhead, a hawk spiraled through
the azure sky. The late April weather had been unseasonably warm. Tufts of
green grass and red paintbrush trembled as the breeze whispered past, carrying
the earthy smell of dust and sage.
Letting her camera hang limp from
the strap around her neck, Lyn reached up to remove the bronze shield pinned
above the right front pocket of her forest ranger’s shirt. A glint from the
afternoon sun might give her presence away to the mustangs in the valley below.
After tucking the badge into her
pants pocket, Lyn reached for the camera again. Holding it up to her eyes, she
adjusted the focus and studied the herd through the lens. Five mustangs, led by
a handsome buckskin stallion. The stud’s black mane and tail stood out against
his golden coat. The band included three mares and a black foal with a white
tail and mane. Not really black, but almost. With just a bit of white on her
hind left foot and on her right under flank and in her mane and tail. Not a
true pinto, either. Very unique coloring and absolutely stunning. The filly’s
spindly legs looked long and strong, a foreshadowing of the beautiful mare
she’d become. Wild and free.