face. “I keep him updated on you.”
Shocked, Mariel stared at her grandmother. “You’ve kept in touch with my father?”
“Off and on,” Sadie said, her hands folded primly in her lap. “He came back around a few years ago. Didn’t want me to tell you, but I think you need to know. Your mother would be furious, of course, if she knew. But since she never bothers to question me on anything or even talk to me for that matter, I decided I’d keep this information to myself.”
“But why haven’t you ever told me?”
“I wanted to protect you, darling. I didn’t want to get your hopes up, only to let you down. Vincent loves you and knows all about your life, but I don’t think he’s ready for a reunion. Like I said, he’s weak. Maybe one day he’ll find the courage to seek you out. I’ve kept him informed, and beyond that, I haven’t interfered. But I’ve certainly prayed that he would seek you out and make amends for his past actions.”
Mariel understood what her grandmother meant. Sadie had never been one to mind other people’s business. Yet Mariel couldn’t help but be a bit hurt by this well-kept secret. All those years of wondering and worrying.
“Where is he?”
“He lives in Shreveport. Last I heard, he was workingfor one of the hospitals there, as a maintenance man. He never married, but he’s had lots of lady friends.”
“That figures.”
Mariel grew quiet, wondering what other secrets her family had hidden deep inside these old walls.
“I’m sorry I never told you,” Sadie said.
“Why are you telling me now?”
Sadie shrugged. “Well, you’re here for a while. He’s near…” Her voice trailed off. “I had to wait for the right time.”
Mariel went back to the window. “I’m not sure this is the right time. I’m so mixed-up, so out of sorts. I don’t know why I’m here, I don’t know if I want to go back to my job or Simon. I don’t think this is the time to have a confrontation with the father who abandoned me.”
Sadie came to stand beside her, both of them gazing down on the white-tufted lilies gleaming in the first light of the moon. “I didn’t suggest a confrontation, dear. I suggested a reunion.”
Mariel turned to face her petite grandmother. “Is this just one more of those loose ends you’re trying to tie up before you…go on to meet your Heavenly Father?”
“You could say that,” Sadie replied. “I’d like my house in order when I do move on to eternal salvation.”
“You ask a lot, do you know that?” Mariel said as she reached out to hug Sadie.
“I only ask what I know you can bear,” Sadie replied as she hugged Mariel tight. “And I ask it because I love you. And I know God loves you.”
“I love you, too,” Mariel said. “But, Granny, about God—I haven’t been as loyal about that as you’d probably like.”
Sadie chuckled. “Don’t tell me that, child. Tell the Father. You know where I stand. Maybe it’s time you take a stand of your own regarding that matter.”
Mariel let go of Sadie, then looked down on the lilies again, her heart searching for answers that wouldn’t come easily. Then she saw Heath leaning over a particularly tall stalk, his nose touching on the budding tips of a sweet-smelling blossom. The nurturer tending his field.
It was an image she took to bed with her that night.
That same image flowed through her dreams in a sweet song, a song that came singing softly from the beautiful petals of the lilies in the field. In her dream, Mariel could hear the song of the lilies.
But she woke to silence.
Chapter Eight
“N ow’s your chance,” Mariel said to Heath the next afternoon.
He lifted his brows in a questioning look. “My chance for what?”
“I’m going into Shreveport this afternoon, to talk to my uncles about having the family here for Easter. You’re welcome to come along.”
They’d been to church with Sadie. It was a perfect day for an afternoon excursion. The sun tinged the
Shocked, Mariel stared at her grandmother. “You’ve kept in touch with my father?”
“Off and on,” Sadie said, her hands folded primly in her lap. “He came back around a few years ago. Didn’t want me to tell you, but I think you need to know. Your mother would be furious, of course, if she knew. But since she never bothers to question me on anything or even talk to me for that matter, I decided I’d keep this information to myself.”
“But why haven’t you ever told me?”
“I wanted to protect you, darling. I didn’t want to get your hopes up, only to let you down. Vincent loves you and knows all about your life, but I don’t think he’s ready for a reunion. Like I said, he’s weak. Maybe one day he’ll find the courage to seek you out. I’ve kept him informed, and beyond that, I haven’t interfered. But I’ve certainly prayed that he would seek you out and make amends for his past actions.”
Mariel understood what her grandmother meant. Sadie had never been one to mind other people’s business. Yet Mariel couldn’t help but be a bit hurt by this well-kept secret. All those years of wondering and worrying.
“Where is he?”
“He lives in Shreveport. Last I heard, he was workingfor one of the hospitals there, as a maintenance man. He never married, but he’s had lots of lady friends.”
“That figures.”
Mariel grew quiet, wondering what other secrets her family had hidden deep inside these old walls.
“I’m sorry I never told you,” Sadie said.
“Why are you telling me now?”
Sadie shrugged. “Well, you’re here for a while. He’s near…” Her voice trailed off. “I had to wait for the right time.”
Mariel went back to the window. “I’m not sure this is the right time. I’m so mixed-up, so out of sorts. I don’t know why I’m here, I don’t know if I want to go back to my job or Simon. I don’t think this is the time to have a confrontation with the father who abandoned me.”
Sadie came to stand beside her, both of them gazing down on the white-tufted lilies gleaming in the first light of the moon. “I didn’t suggest a confrontation, dear. I suggested a reunion.”
Mariel turned to face her petite grandmother. “Is this just one more of those loose ends you’re trying to tie up before you…go on to meet your Heavenly Father?”
“You could say that,” Sadie replied. “I’d like my house in order when I do move on to eternal salvation.”
“You ask a lot, do you know that?” Mariel said as she reached out to hug Sadie.
“I only ask what I know you can bear,” Sadie replied as she hugged Mariel tight. “And I ask it because I love you. And I know God loves you.”
“I love you, too,” Mariel said. “But, Granny, about God—I haven’t been as loyal about that as you’d probably like.”
Sadie chuckled. “Don’t tell me that, child. Tell the Father. You know where I stand. Maybe it’s time you take a stand of your own regarding that matter.”
Mariel let go of Sadie, then looked down on the lilies again, her heart searching for answers that wouldn’t come easily. Then she saw Heath leaning over a particularly tall stalk, his nose touching on the budding tips of a sweet-smelling blossom. The nurturer tending his field.
It was an image she took to bed with her that night.
That same image flowed through her dreams in a sweet song, a song that came singing softly from the beautiful petals of the lilies in the field. In her dream, Mariel could hear the song of the lilies.
But she woke to silence.
Chapter Eight
“N ow’s your chance,” Mariel said to Heath the next afternoon.
He lifted his brows in a questioning look. “My chance for what?”
“I’m going into Shreveport this afternoon, to talk to my uncles about having the family here for Easter. You’re welcome to come along.”
They’d been to church with Sadie. It was a perfect day for an afternoon excursion. The sun tinged the
Similar Books
