“
Um.
. . not really.”
Julia’s face reflected her surprise. “Well, you’re a natural
at it.”
Kellie pondered her friend’s words. She’s never really
considered herself a natural at anything except numbers.
Wow. I hope that’s not my legacy. Won’t look very good on my
tombstone. “She was great with numbers.”
Kellie pushed aside the nagging thought and tried to stay
focused. As the children busied themselves, Julia whispered a few quiet words
on a subject that startled her a bit.
“I guess you’ve
heard.
. .”
“About?” Kellie looked over at her friend, puzzled.
Julia looked around to make sure they weren’t being
overheard. “The trouble.”
“Trouble?” Kellie immediately thought of the church and her
heart quickened. “No, I haven’t heard anything. What’s happened?”
Julia pursed her lips. “We just found out a couple of days
ago. Frankie’s dad is mayor now, did you know?”
Kellie’s mouth flew open. “I’ve been so focused on
everything else, I didn’t make the connection. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t be.” Julia shrugged. “It’s just that we hear a
lot of what’s going on with the city before some of the others.”
“The trouble has to do with
Greenvine
?”
Kellie set her mask down on the table so she could concentrate.
“Yes.” Julia drew in a deep breath. “It’s something pretty
big, too. I don’t really understand
all the
technical
lingo. Something about
arbitraged.
. .” She bit her
lip, clearly trying to remember the rest.
“Arbitraged bonds?” Kellie asked.
Julia shrugged. “I think that’s right. Sometime about a bad
investment.”
Kellie’s heart felt as if it would hit the floor. “Or a bad
investor
,”
she was quick to add. “Someone scammed the city leaders?”
“Pretty much.”
Julia turned her attention to one of the little girls who
needed help and Kellie pondered her friend’s words.
“Daddy.” She whispered the word, suddenly aware of the
truth. Her father had apparently put his trust—and ultimately the city’s
trust—into the hands of someone who’d proven him wrong. And he didn’t
even know it.
Kellie quickly put together a plan in her mind. She would
find out all of the who’s, what’s, when’s, etc. and would get to work. But she
would need help. She would
need.
. .
Nathan.
She would need Nathan. Where her knowledge ended, his began.
Together, they could work as a team to help
Greenvine
reclaim what it had lost. Together, they
could.
. .
She stopped herself in the very middle of the thought.
I
can’t do that to him. He’s overwhelmed with work already. He’s hardly got time
enough
for.
. .
She struggled with the next thought. He hadn’t had much time
for her lately, but she certainly couldn’t blame him for that. Not with the
house in such a state of disrepair and the drive back and forth to Houston.
And something else seemed to be missing from his life, as
well. His passion for God seemed to
be.
. .what was
the word?
Waning. She didn’t see
him reading his Bible much these days and it had been ages since they’d had one
of their famous “let’s talk about how we’re doing spiritually” conversations.
He always initiated those.
But not now.
Now he was just too busy. So how could she ask more of
him?
Kellie squirmed in her chair, thinking. In her heart, she
ached for Nathan. She missed him, maybe more than she had ever missed him back
in Houston. This was a different kind of missing, the kind that created a tight
grip around her heart and wouldn’t let go.
Lord, I have to give this situation over to
You
. I don’t know what else to do with it.
She and Nathan would get through this season, she felt sure.
She loved him with a passion that seemed to exceed any fears or frustrations.
Yes, her love had changed over the years. This was a different, more committed
kind of love—of the “in it for the long haul” variety.
Her relationship with Nathan was key.
On the other hand, she loved
Geenvine
and wanted to do what she could to help. She would try, at any rate. She would
make her father proud. And when he was back on his feet, he would get back to
work, doing what he loved best. Somehow, she would manage to do it all.
“Earth to Kellie.”
She looked up into Julia’s laughing eyes. “Hey.”
“Hey to you, too.” Her friend reached to pat her on the
back. “Thought we’d lost you there for a minute.”
“No, I’m still here.” Even as she spoke the words, Kellie
understood their depth. She was still here—in
Greenvine
.
And here, she wanted to stay.
***
Nathan sat at lunch with his boss in a crowded downtown
restaurant. All around him people hollered out conversations to one another
above the din of clinking silverware. Busboys loaded their trays and waiters
took orders. The whole place was abuzz with activity and he loved every bit of
it.
Mr. Abernathy looked
him in the eye. “Nathan, I’ve wanted to talk with you awhile now. I’m really
proud of the work you’ve accomplished at Seifert and Collins.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Nathan took a sip of tea and tried to relax. Something about these one-on-one
meetings with his boss still made him a little nervous.
“There’s just one
thing.
. .” the older man looked at him intently.
“Sir?”
“Well,” Mr. Abernathy
stared him
down
as he spoke, “you haven’t exactly been
yourself lately. You’re pretty distracted, to be honest.”
“Ah.” Nathan should’ve
been prepared for those words, but wasn’t. “I,
um.
.
.” No point in arguing the point, especially when it was true.
The older man gave him a sympathetic look. “I know you’ve
been through a lot in recent weeks. And I know you’re torn between two places
right now.”
“Yes Sir. But I’ve tried really hard not to let that
interfere with my work.”
“It’s not your work that’s suffering, necessarily,” Mr.
Abernathy explained. “I’m more concerned about your health.”
“My health?”
A looked of genuine concerned fill his boss’s eyes. “You
look worn out most of the time, and that really concerns me. Are you getting
enough sleep?”
Nathan sighed. “I’m trying. It’s just an adjustment. And the
drive.
. .” In truth, the drive was really wearing on
him. What had begun as a great opportunity to spend more time in prayer had
turned into a daily battle with his own internal
thoughts.
Many times he had all but pressed God out of the conversation altogether.
Without meaning to, of course.
“Have you given any thought to staying at your condominium a
few nights during the week?” Mr. Abernathy’s words brought Nathan back from his
ponderings.
“Yes. In fact, I plan to stay in town tonight. I’ve got too
much on my plate to drive home.”
“Home?” The word sounded more like an accusation.
Why did I say ‘home?’
I didn’t mean ‘home.’
I
meant ‘
Greenvine
.’
“Well,
Greenvine
is more of a home
away from home.” Nathan braved a smile, hoping to bring assurance. “It’s
certainly not the kind of home I’ve got planned for myself and my family.”
“Of course not.” Mr. Abernathy’s eyes narrowed. “I know
better than that. You fit right in here in the city. Always have.”
Nathan thought about those words as they finished their
lunch. He’d been born and raised in Houston, and had never planned to leave.
His parents were here. His job was here.
His home was here.
The following Sunday morning Nathan had a hard time waking
up. He’d spent the better part of the night tossing and turning. He couldn’t
seem to still his mind. Problems at work, coupled with his concerns over Hal’s
revelations during their fishing trip, kept his mind occupied
He glanced at the
clock several times during the night:
2:15, 4:36,
5:44
. Surely he must have rested
somewhere between those times, but he sure didn’t feel like it when the alarm
went off at 7:00. And then, there was that ever-present aggravation of birds
shrieking outside his window. There weren’t enough pillows in the world to
drown out that nuisance.
Kellie rolled out of
bed with her usual ease. She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and headed to
the bathroom to brush her teeth. He would join her in a minute. Right now, he
had more important things to take care of.
At 7:20, Kellie eased
him back away with her gentle words, “Getting up, sleepyhead?
I’ve already had my shower.” She leaned
down to kiss him on the forehead.
“Uh huh.” His head felt
heavy against the pillow. For some reason he just couldn’t seem to budge.
Just a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt.
She awoke him again at
7:55, a look of concern on her face. “Are you sick, Nathan?” This time she
didn’t sound quite as gentle.
He tried to focus on
her words, but couldn’t keep his eyes open long enough. “
I.
. . I’m fine.”
She stared at him with
a degree of concern registering in her eyes. “You never sleep this late. I’ve
already got my makeup on and breakfast is getting cold.”
“Okay.” He sat up
slowly then leaned back against the headboard. “I don’t know what’s wrong with
me.”
She gave him an
encouraging nod. “I’m sure you’ll be fine after your shower.”
Kellie padded off into
the kitchen and Nathan allowed the weight of his eyelids to pull them down,
down, down once more.
It seemed like just a
second more and Kellie shouted in his ear. “Nathan, what’s going on?” He wiped
the drool from the edge of his lip and shot a glance at the clock. 8:37. She
stood before him, fully dressed, purse slung over her shoulder, Bible in her
hand.
Clearly ready to leave.
And
clearly in a bad frame of mind.
“I, I’m coming.” He
swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. But how could he leave
when his head felt heavier than a bucket of lead?
“I don’t see the
point.” She pursed her lips and crossed her arms at her chest.
Nathan groaned. “Are
you mad at me?”
“Not mad.” Her eyes
reflected a strange sadness. “I know you’re tired.”
“It’s not just that,”
he tried to explain. “I couldn’t sleep at all last night. There’s just too much
going on in my head. And speaking of
which.
. .” he
rubbed his aching head, willing the dull ache to go away. “My head is killing
me.”
Kellie’s expression
softened and she let her arms fall to her side. “I’m sorry, Baby. Do you need
some Ibuprofen?”
He nodded and she went
to the medicine cabinet in search of the pills. When she returned to his
bedside with a glass of water in one hand and medicine in the other, he offered
up a smile. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“Wish I could do
more.” She glanced at her watch. “But I need to go. It’s getting late and I
don’t want to miss Sunday school. I’m supposed to be reporting on my dad’s
condition. He’s doing so much better, and I can’t wait to tell them.”
“I know, Kellie.” Nathan
stood to give her a kiss. “And I’m sorry I’m going to miss it. I wish I could
be there.”
She groaned at his apparent bad breath. “I’ll see you
afterwards,” she said. “But it’s going to be later than usual. We’ve got that
fund-raiser dinner for the
missions
trip the teens are
taking to Nicaragua this summer. I promised I’d help with the slave auction.
I’m handling the money part of it.”
“Man.” Nathan paused to think. “I forgot about that. I told
some kid I might buy his time. Maybe get him to come and do some work on our
yard.” How could he have forgotten, when his overgrown yard beckoned?
“That was Jerry Chandler,” she reminded him. “But I’ll
explain you’re not feeling well.” Kellie walked toward the bedroom door, then
turned back to look at him. “I could still arrange for him to come and work on
the yard next Saturday, if you like. Might cost a little more than we’d pay
otherwise, but it’s for a good cause.”
Good girl, Kellie. I knew I could count on you to take care
of that for me.
“That’s fine.
Whatever you think is best.”
“Okay.” She paused for one last story. “I should mention
that
I’ll
be at the Rehab from 2:00 until about 4:00
or so. If you want to join me—”