For All Eternity by June Foster
With one momentary look around, JD took in all the shocked faces. His father frowned, probably questioning his decision … and Betty Ann's.
His mother gazed at him with compassion. She understood.
JD couldn't continue to stand at the front of the church with everyone gawking at him. "Thank you for coming. I assume the dinner at Jackson's is cancelled. I pray we have your understanding." Though he wanted to explain more and share his new faith with everyone, he couldn't yet. Mom and Dad deserved to learn of it in private. The journey down the aisle and out the door seemed forever.
The urge to break into a run down the sidewalk became overwhelming. The sooner he got in his truck, the better.
Ahead of him, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts drove out of the parking lot, Betty Ann in the backseat.
"JD."
He paused. The voice of the last person he thought he'd hear from right now, and the least likely to follow him.
"D. Hold up."
JD turned toward the church again.
His handsome young brother approached with a brisk pace no longer displaying his limp. With a shrewd grin, he looked up at JD. "It's for the best."
JD caught his breath. Where did the kid get that kind of wisdom?
Tannon hung his hand on JD's shoulder. "That day in the mountains when Joella rescued me … the way she talked about you. I think she's in love with you."
JD smiled and slapped Tannon's arm. "Hey, little brother, how old are you? You're pretty smart for twelve."
His brother's smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed. "I knew it was wrong … you and Betty Ann. When Joella brought you home from the hospital, I peeked at you from the hall. I saw the way you looked at her before she left."
"You don't even have a girlfriend yet." JD shook his head. "How do you know what it's like to fall in love?"
"I'm still young, but I know about love. I know how it feels to love somebody … like I love you. I didn't get to know you as a brother when you lived in our house. But I haven’t forgotten the times you made me feel special by dropping by just to see me, by taking me for a hamburger, or shooting hoops with me. That showed me how much you love me."
A tingle passed down JD's spine. Tannon's young, innocent face left JD unhinged. The words his brother spoke brought confidence in the midst of trouble. He grabbed the little guy and pulled him into his embrace. "Thank you for understanding and being there, buddy. You are my best man … in every sense of the word. I love you, bro."
JD held his brother tighter, grateful for this precious moment.
Tannon pulled back and slapped his shoulder. "Don't worry, D. It's going to be okay. Promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"That if you marry Joella, I can be your best man."
JD couldn't find the words. Emotion stole his voice again. Finally, he opened his mouth. "It's a promise."
*****
JD opened his eyes, and the dream of Joella receded from his mind. Even Tannon knew JD had fallen in love with her, but they had no future. He didn't deserve her. Not after the way he messed up her life. He'd allowed their relationship to grow and then abandoned her to propose to another woman.
He threw the covers back and stretched his arms. Yesterday had been one of the most stressful days of his life, yet he found peace he'd never experienced before. If he were to guess, God had provided Tannon's support and love as a gift. JD would never forget it.
He had some facts to face. If he permitted his heart to dictate, he'd run to Joella, begging her to begin again where they'd left off. He'd pursue her, and God willing, marry her. But how could he be so pompous to believe she'd want to forgive him? He'd destroyed her hopes—and his, that night at Smith Point. He'd severed the chord that bound them when he proposed to Betty Ann. No. As much as he loved and wanted to spend his life with Joella, it could never be.
He opened his eyes wide now. Though they didn't have a future, he wanted the chance to beg for forgiveness and tell her about his new relationship with the Lord. But would he ever get the opportunity?
Last night after he'd made a few difficult phone calls including one to Mom telling her he'd be over today, he'd read Dave's Bible until midnight. Even tried to pray. The notion had touched a place in his heart. He communicated with a different God than Exalted Father—like the day he'd prayed in the mountains when they'd searched for Tannon. But with one big difference. God wasn't some foreign deity anymore. He was JD's Savior.
He swung his legs around and sat on the side of the bed. The circle still remained around the date, September 15, on his wall calendar, the day he would've married Betty Ann.
He picked up the Bible from his nightstand, trailed his fingers over the bumpy leather surface, and opened to a book that had caught his attention yesterday evening, Hosea. "You have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception because you have depended on your own strength." The hair on the back of his neck stood up. That's what he'd done … relied on his own ability and not God's.
Yesterday's almost wedding rehearsal had been a disaster. He could still see Mom and Dad looking at him. JD shuddered. His father might never speak to him again. He had to brace for that possibility.
Now Mrs. Robert's horrified stare burned in his memory. What could he say to Betty Ann's parents? Should he contact them?
What about Betty Ann? Though she called the wedding off first, he still owed her an explanation and an apology.
He knew what he had to do. A pad of paper and a pen lay in the kitchen drawer. He lumbered to the room and sank down at the table.
Conviction weighed on his shoulders. More than ever, he regretted taking advantage of Betty Ann. Warmth spread over his face. He had to ask her forgiveness.
He picked up the pen and spoke aloud as he wrote.
"Dear Betty Ann, I am so sorry for the things I did these last several months. I respect you, and yet I used you for my own purposes. We both know the Exalted Brethren tenets that teach the necessity of getting married, though that's no excuse. I've discovered marriage cannot be defined as a duty or obligation, but of a selfless love for another person. I had it all wrong.
"I enjoyed our times together—when I could forget about trying to make you want to like me enough to marry me. You're intelligent, pretty, and fun to be around. God loves, treasures, and values you.
"I know we'll both remember the mistake we made in allowing our relationship to go so far, but I pray for God's power to erase the unpleasant memories. I behaved like a self-centered, narrow-minded male bent on accomplishing his own agenda. I'll always be sorry for it."
The pen fell to the table as he covered his eyes. Though the letter painted an accurate picture, it was tough to acknowledge the truth. Regret ran deep in his soul. But God had made all the difference, a loving Father who would forgive him.
He grasped the pen again. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'll be grateful. JD."
He folded the paper and placed it in an envelope. Dear God, heal Betty Ann's heart after our near-fatal mistake and allow her to know You.
*****
A cold sweat worked over JD's body, and his pulse pounded as he trudged out his apartment door. He couldn't put off the inevitable. The task ahead weighted him down like the Scale of Balance always had. Dear God, help me. He had to face his parents.
The normalcy of heading to his Mom and Dad's for a visit and a meal should've eased his nervous stomach, but it didn't—not this time. How would he explain about the defunct wedding? Would he have to tell them he'd left EB? Of course, what other choice did he have? They'd figure it out soon enough anyway when he didn't come to services. Eventually, his parents would learn that he wasn’t the only child who’d forsaken the EB for a relationship with the One True God.
Maybe for the last time, JD drove up in front of the red brick house. His childhood home, his family, the wonderful meals Mom prepared, his roots—could all be lost to him now. Sorrow coiled through his heart. He loved his parents, yet he could never turn his back on faith
in Jesus. He lumbered up the walk and opened the front door with his key. Would Dad demand it back?
The aroma of baking bread met his nose. "Mom, it's me." His mother had probably worried all night. But she'd offered assurance that she sympathized with him. Understanding was the last thing he expected from Dad, though.
As always, her voice sounded from the direction of the kitchen. "JD, I'm in here."
Mom hovered over the counter chopping vegetables. Though the blood had drained from his body, he could only think of one thing. Get it over with. "Can we talk? Is Dad here?"
Courage ebbed away when Mom nodded her head. "In the garage, honey." She squeezed his hand. "JD, I know this has been hard on you. I love you." As usual, her attention stirred his emotions.
If he looked into her face any longer, he might lose his nerve or break down. He turned toward the garage. "Should I go get him? I'd like to talk to you both."
Mom touched his arm giving him a look he hadn't seen since boyhood when he stayed home from school with the measles. "I'll go."
She walked down the hall returning moments later. Dad followed her, a frown on his face.
Dear Lord, help me. JD's throat was so tight, he could no longer swallow. Like a gigantic Book of Wisdom crushed him between closed pages, he gasped for breath. His father's stern face struck more fear than he'd ever experienced before—like a kid who'd batted a ball, shattering the living room window.
If Mom hadn't grasped his arm, he might've slipped to the floor. "Let's go into the living room," she said.
Like a prisoner approaching execution, JD followed his father. Mom walked beside JD patting his arm. A minuscule ray of light punctured the menacing fright—God would not abandon him.
Dad propelled his finger toward the couch. "Sit down. Your mother said you wanted to talk. I can't imagine why that pretty little lady would walk out of the rehearsal. What did you do to her?"
Mom cast a disgruntled glance at her husband. "Dear, JD didn't do anything, I'm sure. You heard his explanation. They'd come to a mutual decision. Has it been that long since you courted me? Romance is complicated. Let's give him a chance to explain."
He could always count on mom, his advocate. "Thanks. Yes, it's like Mom said. Betty Ann told me she didn't love me, that she'd fooled herself into thinking she did. I didn't love her either."
Dad folded his hands over his chest. His red face changed back to tan. "Well, there are other women at church just as suitable. Pick yourself up and try again."
JD's heart raced. The time had come to reveal the truth. He filled his lungs. Yet, more than he needed air, he desired the peace that filled his soul. God was with him. "Dad, Mom, you have to know. I'm not going to look for an EB wife." He ran his fingers over the couch's cold leather.
Dad jumped up from his easy chair. "What? You were making such good progress. Don't give up now." He sank back down.
JD swallowed. "I'm not going to search for an EB wife because … because I no longer believe. I asked the Jesus of the Bible into my life." He gulped. "But, no matter what, I love you both very much, though my life's taken a one-eighty."
His father pressed his lips together into one straight white line. If his expression could launch an assault weapon, JD would be blown to bits. Dad jumped up again and marched toward him. "What did you just say? You can't mean it."
JD folded his hands in his lap, the calm within his soul amazing him. "I meant what I said about my new faith, but you've got to believe me. I care about you. I'm not asking you to change your religion, though I'd love to see it happen. I'm asking you to accept me and respect my decision."
Dad held his fists in tight balls. His face turned scarlet. "Are you asking me to say it's okay that my son has strayed from the religion of his childhood? Does this have anything to do with that Jezebel? I should have known the first time I saw you with her when Tannon got lost in the mountains."
"Please, let's leave Joella out of this. My decision was all my own. Yeah, I saw something in her life that made me hungry for more than Exalted Brethren, but she never encouraged me to go to her church or change my religion. This happened by the power of God."
A large dried arrangement sat on the coffee table. Dad swooped his hand across the vase and knocked it to the floor. Dried flowers flew in every direction. The container shattered sending glass over the hardwood floor. "Get out of here. You're no longer my son. Any man who is weak enough to allow a measly woman to control and interfere with his progress on the Scale of Balance doesn't deserve to be called my offspring." His father's face grew redder, and he pointed to the door. "I said get out." The same words he'd spoken to Joella.
JD's heart ached. He slowly rose from his seat on the couch and hung his head. So this is how it ended.
Maybe someday Dad would change his mind. JD took a few slow steps toward the door.
Mom slowly pushed up from the chair, an expression on her face he'd never seen before.
"Stop, JD." She grasped his arm, pulling him back. She faced her raging husband. "Rowlin, I've never stood up to you in our entire marriage. I've cooked for you, kept house for you, and bore your children. I've never complained about anything." Mom's voice broke.
She ran her hand along JD's arm. "But he is one of the offspring I gave you. Despite everything, he's still your son." Now she raised her voice. "You will not kick him out of this house. I don't care if you're opposed to his actions." She took a quick breath. "Rowlin, if you disown him, you'll have to disown me, Tannon, and Glorilyn. Do you understand me?"
Dad's mouth gaped as he stared at her. He shook his head, slowly like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. "You, you're discarding our faith, too?"
"No, not our faith, but I will never abandon any of our children." She wheeled around to JD. "Son, you're always welcome in this home. One day your father will come to terms with your decision. I can't say I'm happy about you leaving our church, but I think your father will understand after today, I love you more than Exalted Brethren."
Mom narrowed her eyes toward Dad again. "Through the years, I've come to this realization but couldn't tell you until now."
"Hey, you guys. What's happening?" Tannon threw his backpack on the couch and strolled into the living room. "Hey, D. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, little brother." JD gave his bro a tap on the shoulder.
"I heard shouting. What's going on?" A furrow crossed his brow. "How did the vase get broken?"
Dad stomped past Tannon toward the garage. "Marion, I'll leave it to you to explain to your son." He slammed the hall door with a loud bang.
As if one of the shards of glass had pierced him, JD ached. He pulled his mother and brother into the circle of his arms. If he could protect them from Dad's fury for the rest of their lives, he would. "Mom, you don't know what it means having your love and support." He tightened his hold on Tannon. "Hey, buddy. I love you so much." JD held his mother and brother a moment longer. Though Dad might never change his mind, JD would never forget the warmth of this circle of love.
Chapter Thirty-One
Like any other day, JD pulled into the Ormond Building parking lot, got out, and clicked the locks on his truck. The familiarity of his routine eased his tense shoulders. But this wasn't merely another day. It should've been the second day of his honeymoon.
On the street that ran in front of the office, tires squealed. He jerked his head toward the sound.
A Ford Focus veered to the left barely avoiding impact with a Jeep's trunk. Burning rubber filled JD's nose.
He watched a moment mesmerized by the near miss. Why do people always follow so close?
Whew. Goose bumps pebbled his arm. The incident reminded him way too much of his own near miss with Betty Ann.
Though difficult, by Friday evening he'd called everyone they'd invited from the office and explained the wedding was off. Hopefully there would be no more questions today.
As he stepped out of the elevator, the receptionist gave him a bright smile. "Good morning, JD."<
br />
"Hello."
She lowered her voice. "This may not be the right time, but I wanted you to know I've been praying for you."
Praying for him? She had always impressed him with her gentle spirit. "I hate to admit it, but a couple of months ago, that wouldn't have meant anything to me, but now I can say with certainty, I need those prayers." JD scratched his neck. "Thank you."
She smiled and turned to her ringing phone.
JD traipsed past the employee's lounge without calling attention to himself. He unlocked the door and stared into the room he hadn’t expected to see again for another week. The neat desk, the accounting texts standing in straight rows on the bookshelves, his CPA license framed on the wall—everything exactly like he’d left it last Thursday. But now nothing was the same. So much had changed in the last three days.
He sank into the high-back leather chair. Concentrating on work today might be hard, but he had to try. Picking up a file folder from the wire organizer, he flipped through the first several items.
Words and numbers floated through his mind but none of them stuck. Ugh. He didn't think it would be this hard to focus.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. God had been so good to him, satisfying his hungry soul with His peace and love. Whatever the future held, JD could face it with the Lord's presence in his life.
His ringing cell brought him back, and he glanced at the caller ID. Good. Glorilyn. He wanted to talk to her. With all the confusion, he hadn't told her about Seventh Street Mission.
"Hey, JD."
"Hi, Sis. I'm glad you called. We need to catch up. There's so much— "
"I know. Last Friday I prayed for you the whole time." She took a breath. "I just wanted to say I'm here for you if you need me." The sincerity in her voice touched him. She'd become a different person since that night her car broke down. Lately, her eyes blazed with a light he'd never seen before.
"I want to tell you about something important that's happened to me. I suppose I put it off because I thought if you knew, you'd question why I continued with my plans to marry Betty Ann." He pushed the file in front of him a few inches away. "That day when you told me you'd found God's peace, I didn't want to hear it. But now … I need to thank you for praying. I gave my heart to the Lord since then, too."
His mother gazed at him with compassion. She understood.
JD couldn't continue to stand at the front of the church with everyone gawking at him. "Thank you for coming. I assume the dinner at Jackson's is cancelled. I pray we have your understanding." Though he wanted to explain more and share his new faith with everyone, he couldn't yet. Mom and Dad deserved to learn of it in private. The journey down the aisle and out the door seemed forever.
The urge to break into a run down the sidewalk became overwhelming. The sooner he got in his truck, the better.
Ahead of him, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts drove out of the parking lot, Betty Ann in the backseat.
"JD."
He paused. The voice of the last person he thought he'd hear from right now, and the least likely to follow him.
"D. Hold up."
JD turned toward the church again.
His handsome young brother approached with a brisk pace no longer displaying his limp. With a shrewd grin, he looked up at JD. "It's for the best."
JD caught his breath. Where did the kid get that kind of wisdom?
Tannon hung his hand on JD's shoulder. "That day in the mountains when Joella rescued me … the way she talked about you. I think she's in love with you."
JD smiled and slapped Tannon's arm. "Hey, little brother, how old are you? You're pretty smart for twelve."
His brother's smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed. "I knew it was wrong … you and Betty Ann. When Joella brought you home from the hospital, I peeked at you from the hall. I saw the way you looked at her before she left."
"You don't even have a girlfriend yet." JD shook his head. "How do you know what it's like to fall in love?"
"I'm still young, but I know about love. I know how it feels to love somebody … like I love you. I didn't get to know you as a brother when you lived in our house. But I haven’t forgotten the times you made me feel special by dropping by just to see me, by taking me for a hamburger, or shooting hoops with me. That showed me how much you love me."
A tingle passed down JD's spine. Tannon's young, innocent face left JD unhinged. The words his brother spoke brought confidence in the midst of trouble. He grabbed the little guy and pulled him into his embrace. "Thank you for understanding and being there, buddy. You are my best man … in every sense of the word. I love you, bro."
JD held his brother tighter, grateful for this precious moment.
Tannon pulled back and slapped his shoulder. "Don't worry, D. It's going to be okay. Promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"That if you marry Joella, I can be your best man."
JD couldn't find the words. Emotion stole his voice again. Finally, he opened his mouth. "It's a promise."
*****
JD opened his eyes, and the dream of Joella receded from his mind. Even Tannon knew JD had fallen in love with her, but they had no future. He didn't deserve her. Not after the way he messed up her life. He'd allowed their relationship to grow and then abandoned her to propose to another woman.
He threw the covers back and stretched his arms. Yesterday had been one of the most stressful days of his life, yet he found peace he'd never experienced before. If he were to guess, God had provided Tannon's support and love as a gift. JD would never forget it.
He had some facts to face. If he permitted his heart to dictate, he'd run to Joella, begging her to begin again where they'd left off. He'd pursue her, and God willing, marry her. But how could he be so pompous to believe she'd want to forgive him? He'd destroyed her hopes—and his, that night at Smith Point. He'd severed the chord that bound them when he proposed to Betty Ann. No. As much as he loved and wanted to spend his life with Joella, it could never be.
He opened his eyes wide now. Though they didn't have a future, he wanted the chance to beg for forgiveness and tell her about his new relationship with the Lord. But would he ever get the opportunity?
Last night after he'd made a few difficult phone calls including one to Mom telling her he'd be over today, he'd read Dave's Bible until midnight. Even tried to pray. The notion had touched a place in his heart. He communicated with a different God than Exalted Father—like the day he'd prayed in the mountains when they'd searched for Tannon. But with one big difference. God wasn't some foreign deity anymore. He was JD's Savior.
He swung his legs around and sat on the side of the bed. The circle still remained around the date, September 15, on his wall calendar, the day he would've married Betty Ann.
He picked up the Bible from his nightstand, trailed his fingers over the bumpy leather surface, and opened to a book that had caught his attention yesterday evening, Hosea. "You have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception because you have depended on your own strength." The hair on the back of his neck stood up. That's what he'd done … relied on his own ability and not God's.
Yesterday's almost wedding rehearsal had been a disaster. He could still see Mom and Dad looking at him. JD shuddered. His father might never speak to him again. He had to brace for that possibility.
Now Mrs. Robert's horrified stare burned in his memory. What could he say to Betty Ann's parents? Should he contact them?
What about Betty Ann? Though she called the wedding off first, he still owed her an explanation and an apology.
He knew what he had to do. A pad of paper and a pen lay in the kitchen drawer. He lumbered to the room and sank down at the table.
Conviction weighed on his shoulders. More than ever, he regretted taking advantage of Betty Ann. Warmth spread over his face. He had to ask her forgiveness.
He picked up the pen and spoke aloud as he wrote.
"Dear Betty Ann, I am so sorry for the things I did these last several months. I respect you, and yet I used you for my own purposes. We both know the Exalted Brethren tenets that teach the necessity of getting married, though that's no excuse. I've discovered marriage cannot be defined as a duty or obligation, but of a selfless love for another person. I had it all wrong.
"I enjoyed our times together—when I could forget about trying to make you want to like me enough to marry me. You're intelligent, pretty, and fun to be around. God loves, treasures, and values you.
"I know we'll both remember the mistake we made in allowing our relationship to go so far, but I pray for God's power to erase the unpleasant memories. I behaved like a self-centered, narrow-minded male bent on accomplishing his own agenda. I'll always be sorry for it."
The pen fell to the table as he covered his eyes. Though the letter painted an accurate picture, it was tough to acknowledge the truth. Regret ran deep in his soul. But God had made all the difference, a loving Father who would forgive him.
He grasped the pen again. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'll be grateful. JD."
He folded the paper and placed it in an envelope. Dear God, heal Betty Ann's heart after our near-fatal mistake and allow her to know You.
*****
A cold sweat worked over JD's body, and his pulse pounded as he trudged out his apartment door. He couldn't put off the inevitable. The task ahead weighted him down like the Scale of Balance always had. Dear God, help me. He had to face his parents.
The normalcy of heading to his Mom and Dad's for a visit and a meal should've eased his nervous stomach, but it didn't—not this time. How would he explain about the defunct wedding? Would he have to tell them he'd left EB? Of course, what other choice did he have? They'd figure it out soon enough anyway when he didn't come to services. Eventually, his parents would learn that he wasn’t the only child who’d forsaken the EB for a relationship with the One True God.
Maybe for the last time, JD drove up in front of the red brick house. His childhood home, his family, the wonderful meals Mom prepared, his roots—could all be lost to him now. Sorrow coiled through his heart. He loved his parents, yet he could never turn his back on faith
The aroma of baking bread met his nose. "Mom, it's me." His mother had probably worried all night. But she'd offered assurance that she sympathized with him. Understanding was the last thing he expected from Dad, though.
As always, her voice sounded from the direction of the kitchen. "JD, I'm in here."
Mom hovered over the counter chopping vegetables. Though the blood had drained from his body, he could only think of one thing. Get it over with. "Can we talk? Is Dad here?"
Courage ebbed away when Mom nodded her head. "In the garage, honey." She squeezed his hand. "JD, I know this has been hard on you. I love you." As usual, her attention stirred his emotions.
If he looked into her face any longer, he might lose his nerve or break down. He turned toward the garage. "Should I go get him? I'd like to talk to you both."
Mom touched his arm giving him a look he hadn't seen since boyhood when he stayed home from school with the measles. "I'll go."
She walked down the hall returning moments later. Dad followed her, a frown on his face.
Dear Lord, help me. JD's throat was so tight, he could no longer swallow. Like a gigantic Book of Wisdom crushed him between closed pages, he gasped for breath. His father's stern face struck more fear than he'd ever experienced before—like a kid who'd batted a ball, shattering the living room window.
If Mom hadn't grasped his arm, he might've slipped to the floor. "Let's go into the living room," she said.
Like a prisoner approaching execution, JD followed his father. Mom walked beside JD patting his arm. A minuscule ray of light punctured the menacing fright—God would not abandon him.
Dad propelled his finger toward the couch. "Sit down. Your mother said you wanted to talk. I can't imagine why that pretty little lady would walk out of the rehearsal. What did you do to her?"
Mom cast a disgruntled glance at her husband. "Dear, JD didn't do anything, I'm sure. You heard his explanation. They'd come to a mutual decision. Has it been that long since you courted me? Romance is complicated. Let's give him a chance to explain."
He could always count on mom, his advocate. "Thanks. Yes, it's like Mom said. Betty Ann told me she didn't love me, that she'd fooled herself into thinking she did. I didn't love her either."
Dad folded his hands over his chest. His red face changed back to tan. "Well, there are other women at church just as suitable. Pick yourself up and try again."
JD's heart raced. The time had come to reveal the truth. He filled his lungs. Yet, more than he needed air, he desired the peace that filled his soul. God was with him. "Dad, Mom, you have to know. I'm not going to look for an EB wife." He ran his fingers over the couch's cold leather.
Dad jumped up from his easy chair. "What? You were making such good progress. Don't give up now." He sank back down.
JD swallowed. "I'm not going to search for an EB wife because … because I no longer believe. I asked the Jesus of the Bible into my life." He gulped. "But, no matter what, I love you both very much, though my life's taken a one-eighty."
His father pressed his lips together into one straight white line. If his expression could launch an assault weapon, JD would be blown to bits. Dad jumped up again and marched toward him. "What did you just say? You can't mean it."
JD folded his hands in his lap, the calm within his soul amazing him. "I meant what I said about my new faith, but you've got to believe me. I care about you. I'm not asking you to change your religion, though I'd love to see it happen. I'm asking you to accept me and respect my decision."
Dad held his fists in tight balls. His face turned scarlet. "Are you asking me to say it's okay that my son has strayed from the religion of his childhood? Does this have anything to do with that Jezebel? I should have known the first time I saw you with her when Tannon got lost in the mountains."
"Please, let's leave Joella out of this. My decision was all my own. Yeah, I saw something in her life that made me hungry for more than Exalted Brethren, but she never encouraged me to go to her church or change my religion. This happened by the power of God."
A large dried arrangement sat on the coffee table. Dad swooped his hand across the vase and knocked it to the floor. Dried flowers flew in every direction. The container shattered sending glass over the hardwood floor. "Get out of here. You're no longer my son. Any man who is weak enough to allow a measly woman to control and interfere with his progress on the Scale of Balance doesn't deserve to be called my offspring." His father's face grew redder, and he pointed to the door. "I said get out." The same words he'd spoken to Joella.
JD's heart ached. He slowly rose from his seat on the couch and hung his head. So this is how it ended.
Maybe someday Dad would change his mind. JD took a few slow steps toward the door.
Mom slowly pushed up from the chair, an expression on her face he'd never seen before.
"Stop, JD." She grasped his arm, pulling him back. She faced her raging husband. "Rowlin, I've never stood up to you in our entire marriage. I've cooked for you, kept house for you, and bore your children. I've never complained about anything." Mom's voice broke.
She ran her hand along JD's arm. "But he is one of the offspring I gave you. Despite everything, he's still your son." Now she raised her voice. "You will not kick him out of this house. I don't care if you're opposed to his actions." She took a quick breath. "Rowlin, if you disown him, you'll have to disown me, Tannon, and Glorilyn. Do you understand me?"
Dad's mouth gaped as he stared at her. He shook his head, slowly like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. "You, you're discarding our faith, too?"
"No, not our faith, but I will never abandon any of our children." She wheeled around to JD. "Son, you're always welcome in this home. One day your father will come to terms with your decision. I can't say I'm happy about you leaving our church, but I think your father will understand after today, I love you more than Exalted Brethren."
Mom narrowed her eyes toward Dad again. "Through the years, I've come to this realization but couldn't tell you until now."
"Hey, you guys. What's happening?" Tannon threw his backpack on the couch and strolled into the living room. "Hey, D. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, little brother." JD gave his bro a tap on the shoulder.
"I heard shouting. What's going on?" A furrow crossed his brow. "How did the vase get broken?"
Dad stomped past Tannon toward the garage. "Marion, I'll leave it to you to explain to your son." He slammed the hall door with a loud bang.
As if one of the shards of glass had pierced him, JD ached. He pulled his mother and brother into the circle of his arms. If he could protect them from Dad's fury for the rest of their lives, he would. "Mom, you don't know what it means having your love and support." He tightened his hold on Tannon. "Hey, buddy. I love you so much." JD held his mother and brother a moment longer. Though Dad might never change his mind, JD would never forget the warmth of this circle of love.
Chapter Thirty-One
Like any other day, JD pulled into the Ormond Building parking lot, got out, and clicked the locks on his truck. The familiarity of his routine eased his tense shoulders. But this wasn't merely another day. It should've been the second day of his honeymoon.
On the street that ran in front of the office, tires squealed. He jerked his head toward the sound.
A Ford Focus veered to the left barely avoiding impact with a Jeep's trunk. Burning rubber filled JD's nose.
He watched a moment mesmerized by the near miss. Why do people always follow so close?
Whew. Goose bumps pebbled his arm. The incident reminded him way too much of his own near miss with Betty Ann.
Though difficult, by Friday evening he'd called everyone they'd invited from the office and explained the wedding was off. Hopefully there would be no more questions today.
As he stepped out of the elevator, the receptionist gave him a bright smile. "Good morning, JD."<
"Hello."
She lowered her voice. "This may not be the right time, but I wanted you to know I've been praying for you."
Praying for him? She had always impressed him with her gentle spirit. "I hate to admit it, but a couple of months ago, that wouldn't have meant anything to me, but now I can say with certainty, I need those prayers." JD scratched his neck. "Thank you."
She smiled and turned to her ringing phone.
JD traipsed past the employee's lounge without calling attention to himself. He unlocked the door and stared into the room he hadn’t expected to see again for another week. The neat desk, the accounting texts standing in straight rows on the bookshelves, his CPA license framed on the wall—everything exactly like he’d left it last Thursday. But now nothing was the same. So much had changed in the last three days.
He sank into the high-back leather chair. Concentrating on work today might be hard, but he had to try. Picking up a file folder from the wire organizer, he flipped through the first several items.
Words and numbers floated through his mind but none of them stuck. Ugh. He didn't think it would be this hard to focus.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. God had been so good to him, satisfying his hungry soul with His peace and love. Whatever the future held, JD could face it with the Lord's presence in his life.
His ringing cell brought him back, and he glanced at the caller ID. Good. Glorilyn. He wanted to talk to her. With all the confusion, he hadn't told her about Seventh Street Mission.
"Hey, JD."
"Hi, Sis. I'm glad you called. We need to catch up. There's so much— "
"I know. Last Friday I prayed for you the whole time." She took a breath. "I just wanted to say I'm here for you if you need me." The sincerity in her voice touched him. She'd become a different person since that night her car broke down. Lately, her eyes blazed with a light he'd never seen before.
"I want to tell you about something important that's happened to me. I suppose I put it off because I thought if you knew, you'd question why I continued with my plans to marry Betty Ann." He pushed the file in front of him a few inches away. "That day when you told me you'd found God's peace, I didn't want to hear it. But now … I need to thank you for praying. I gave my heart to the Lord since then, too."