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must be difficult to slumber alone in a bed that had been shared with her husband for nearly fifty-five years.
    He thought of the grizzle-haired man who’d possessed a quick wit and slow temper. Rarely had Gramps ever raised his voice to anyone. He didn’t have to—his very presence demanded respect. He’d stood the test of time as a man of honor; Riley had never known him to go back on a promise or place blame where it didn’t firmly belong. Gramps had set a first-class example of what it meant to be a husband, father, grandfather and friend…as well as a true and faithful believer. Riley had been fortunate—truly blessed—to be the grandson of such a godly man.
    Remembering that, dwelling on it, brought home just how badly Riley had missed the mark in that department—especially when it came to Kaylee.
    Tonight she’d spilled her heart to him, and he saw the cost of her words in the tears that flooded her eyes, heard the echo of heartache in her anguished voice. How had he missed the fact that, in the weeks and months…the years following the accident, she’d been left so alone? He’d had Gran and Gramps…had always had them, even before he’d lost his mother. He’d spent the better part of his childhood running through the meadow, roaming the woods. His earliest memories included Gramps and Gran…their laughter and gentle guidance.
    His memories included Kaylee, as well. Friends practically since the first day they’d both stepped foot into Maple Ridge Elementary and settled into the kindergarten story circle side-by-side, they’d shared winter days and summer twilight. Over the years, their friendship had flourished into something rich and deep. He’d fallen in love with her…as deeply in love as a seventeen-year-old could tumble. Back then, before he lost his mother and then, later on, Gramps, he didn’t understand the depth of that emotion—the power. But, now, with time thieving his days and experience on his side, the gravity of his love for her—love that yesterday he was sure had evaporated like raindrops in a gust of wind—pierced and gripped like a vice.
    Wisdom…there was only one place to truly find what he sought. Moonlight spilled through the window, bathing Riley as he opened the drawer of the bedside table and withdrew the Bible Gramps had given him on his eighteenth birthday. It was still there, where he’d placed it when he left Maple Ridge for law school. He didn’t think he’d need it, figured he had all the answers to what he’d been through and what was coming. Now, he wondered how he could have ever been so foolish.
    Riley slipped onto the edge of the bed, taking the Book with him. Flipping open the cover, he reread the inscription Gramps had penned long before the Alzheimer’s claimed him. He brushed his fingers over the letters as he read the words.
    Dear Riley,
    The years have claimed your childhood and formed you into a man ready to sample all the world has to offer. Be selective and use care with those you encounter. Like actions, words can never truly be retracted. This world has its rules and laws, but remember that the only true laws that matter are those assigned from above and that the greatest reference book known to man is the Bible.
    In your life, you’ve experienced heartache beyond measure. The Lord never promised we would be without hurt and conflict, only that He would stand with us through the turmoil. Seek His strength and guidance in all you do.
    It pains me to know your heart is riddled with resentment and fury. Much as a glass weakened by fissures fails to retain water, your heart is powerless to accept and hold onto the immeasurable love that waits for you. True healing begins with forgiveness, son. Letting go allows us to hold on.
    Begin your journey with James 5:16…“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
    Know, Riley, that you