He Answered My Prayers – Part 4

Good morning!

It's still dark here right now. There's a faint light in the east, but things are hushed except for one bird twittering in the stillness. It's chilly. Only 46º at the moment, but I think it's supposed to be in the low 70s today.

This week has had it's ups and downs. Something I thought was finished turns out to be not finished. But I did get a few other projects done that have been needing to be finished. I was able to get together with one of my heart sisters for a few hours. That was nice. I now have a violin song to work on for Thanksgiving. A few others at church were going to play and asked if I wanted to join. (We've played several things together.) I also worked on my website and blog posts. 

Oh, the sky is getting really pretty. On the horizon the sky is a rosy orange, and above that it's a faint salmon color before it melts into blue and purple. The trees are dark silhouettes before the color. So pretty!

Here is the final part of this story. I hope you enjoy it.

He Answered My Prayers

Part 4

    Somewhat to her surprise, Lacey found it enjoyable having someone helping her in the kitchen. It kept her mind occupied. Garrett could make his coffee and fry his eggs for his toast in the mornings, but that was the limit of his kitchen activity. Charlie mixed ingredients, washed dishes, sampled cookies, and talked now and then about life, or asked questions about the cookies they were making.
    When the kitchen table and the dining room table were both filled with the five different kinds of cookies, the dishes washed, and the kitchen back to its spick–and–span order, Lacey suddenly felt tired. “Now it’s time to go to bed.”
    Charlie gave a light laugh, glanced at the clock, and kissed his aunt’s cheek. “Going to bed at four-thirty in the morning after an early breakfast of cookies. I think I’m going to enjoy this visit. Goodnight, Aunt Lacey. Thanks for letting me stay up and help.” He turned off the kitchen light.

*

    When Lacey rose later, she was shocked to find it nearly nine. She never slept that late. Not even if she was sick. Quickly she dressed and made her bed. The house was quiet, but the morning sun shone in the window when she opened her curtains. The rain and clouds were gone.
    “I wonder if Charlie is still sleeping. Garrett is gone off to work, I’m sure, though I do hope he had sense enough to take more than cookies for his lunch! Cookies! How could I have left them out so long? They’ll all dry out.” Rushing from her bedroom, she stopped in the dining room and frowned. The table was empty. Had she just imagined getting up and baking all those cookies? Had she simply dreamed that Charlie had helped her?
    “Good morning, Auntie.” Charlie came up behind her and gave her a gentle hug. “If you’re looking for the cookies, Uncle Garrett and I put them away. We filled the three cookie jars and then found some old empty tins. Don’t worry, I washed and dried them carefully before putting cookies in them. We did eat a few.”
    “Did Garrett take more than cookies for his lunch?”
    The abrupt question seemed to startle Charlie for a moment, but he replied, “Yes, I heated soup up for him and he filled his thermos. Took a couple rolls and some cookies too.”
    “Good.” She walked to the kitchen. “Did you eat breakfast? Something besides cookies?”
    Charlie laughed. “Yes, ma’am. I ate toast and eggs with Uncle Garrett. If you’ll just let me run upstairs and put my Bible away, I’ll come cook an omelette or fry some eggs for you, if you want.”
    Miss Lacey turned her head quickly, only then noticing the Bible her nephew held in his hand. “Go ahead. I usually have toast and oatmeal, but since it is so late . . .” Her voice trailed off.

*

    “Aunt Lacey,” Charlie stood leaning against the door into the kitchen while his aunt hung a fresh towel and took off her apron. “Won’t you go for a walk with me? The sun is shining and it’s not really cold. Come on, let’s go see what that path is like.” His smile was bright and coaxing.
    Miss Lacey, feeling the need to get out of the house too, gave in quickly.
    Charlie was delighted, and soon the two arrived at the much wondered over path. The hard packed trail wound around through the pine and elm, oak, maple, and walnut trees, past scarlet sumac, a few late black-eyed susans, and other plants Lacey couldn’t name. For a while Charlie chatted about the sights and how much he thought he would enjoy his stay, but when no reply came, he gradually fell silent, and they strolled together for several minutes without a word.
    Seeing a bench up ahead, Miss Lacey walked over and sank down, not caring if it was still damp from the rain. A squirrel chattered from a nearby walnut tree, and a bluejay scolded from an oak. There were no other hikers to be seen or heard. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves of the trees.
    “Do you believe the Bible is true?” Miss Lacey asked suddenly.
    Charlie blinked but answered quickly. “Yes, Aunt Lacey, I know it is.”
    Pulling her light coat a little closer though she wasn’t cold, Lacey remarked softly, “So does Garrett. And Jenny.” She went on as though talking to herself. “I know all the stories. I’ve heard what Jesus did on the cross, but I’ve never believed. I’ve never wanted to believe. I wanted to do things on my own.” Absently she picked up a red and orange leave that had fallen into her lap. “I was going to go to college, get married, and live in the city. I didn’t need a crutch.”
    “Jesus isn’t a crutch, Auntie,” Charlie said softly.
    “No,” Miss Lacey agreed in almost a whisper. “He isn’t a crutch, and religion isn’t just something you do on Sundays. It’s a brother living everyday with his sister, bearing with her and still loving her when she’s moody and grumpy. It’s an old friend who used to scoff about it all telling you that Jesus has forgiven you. It’s a nephew not being ashamed of the Lord before his old aunt and uncle, and–” Tears had begun to trickle down her thin cheeks. “Charlie, I know the story of Jesus, but tell it to me again, because I want to believe.”

*

    After supper that evening, Miss Lacey sat in an easy chair in the living room and watched the flames in the fireplace. Garrett sat in his favorite rocking chair and toasted his slippers before the fire while Charlie relaxed on the couch.
    “Garrett,” Miss Lacey said at last, breaking the quiet of the room, “I wish you would bring out your Bible and read a bit.”
    The rocking chair stopped moving and Garrett looked at his sister.
    “I really mean it, because–well, because today I let myself believe. I fought against Jesus Christ for years. You know that, Garrett, but God didn’t let me go. He–”
    Garret rose and crossed the room. “He answered my prayers, Lacey,” he whispered in a choked voice as he stooped and kissed her cheek. “He answered them.”

Did this end the way you thought it would?

Did you see the sunrise this morning?

How was your week?