Lightning and Lace (15 page)

Travis nodded and reached for Zack. Several long moments passed while the boy sobbed and Travis held him.

“I never cried when Papa died,” he said.

“Then you go ahead and cry it all out now, Zack.”

“I’m sorry for all the mean things I’ve done.”

“I know, and God forgave you.”

“You can call me ‘son’ anytime you want to.”

“Thank you.”

“And I really do love Mama.”

“Perhaps you can tell her that very thing.”

“I will, and if she doesn’t listen, I’ll keep telling her until she does.”

“What’s the matter with Zack?” Lydia Anne said.

“Don’t you know, Lydia Anne? He got saved,” Michael Paul whispered.

When Zack no longer held a single tear, Travis suggested they make their way back home. The rain had soaked them through, and it was a good two miles to warm clothes and their mother’s arms. He hoped Mrs. Kahler and the others had found safety from the twister.

Lydia Anne wanted to walk. She said she was a big girl now. For a while, they named the things they were thankful for. Zack talked about his father, remembering the good times they’d shared together.

Travis saw Lydia Anne begin to lag behind, and he wordlessly lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck through his heavy beard. At that moment, Travis realized how much he needed these children and their mother. He desperately wanted all of them in his life, permanently. A miracle had to take place for that to happen. A beautiful woman like Bonnie Kahler could have any man she wanted, certainly not a down-and-out mountain man of a preacher who covered the truth with baggy clothes and a mass of hair. It was then that God showed Travis the reasons He had called him to Kahlerville.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for saving us today. It was another reminder of Your powerful love. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for our sins. Help me to daily take up the cross and follow You no matter where You lead. I don’t have to understand the whys of my life. I only have to live in loving obedience to You. Thank You for Zack’s decision. He needs strength and courage to turn from his past. Thank You for the many questions You’ve answered for me today. Show me the way, Lord. Show me how to help those around me. I pray for all those caught in the path of the twister. Lord Jesus, I love You with all of my heart. Teach me to be a man after Your own heart.

“Brother Travis?” Zack said.

“Yes.”

“How many do you suppose got hurt in the twister?”

“I hate to say. I hope none.”

“Why does God let some things happen to some people and not to others?” Zack said.

Travis gathered his thoughts. Zack’s question was as old as man-kind. “Sometimes God stretches out His hand and protects us from the storms of life, and sometimes He walks with us when the strong winds blow.”

“What did He do today?” Zack said.

Travis paused a moment. “I think He did both.”

“Mama’s safe, isn’t she?” Lydia Anne said.

Suddenly Zack took off in a run, and Michael Paul trailed close behind.

“Where are they going?” she said.

Travis couldn’t decide whether to call them back or pray Bonnie had taken shelter with all the others at the ranch. “They’re hurrying to tell your Mama we’re all right.”

Lydia Anne nestled against his chest. “Good. Brother Whitworth?”

“Yes.”

“I like your hair and beard. Reminds me of a bird’s nest.”

He chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“We have to hurry to Mama,” she said.

A weight settled on Travis’s chest. Bonnie had to be safe. She had to be.

Bonnie, Juanita, Thomas, and three ranch hands crawled out of the dark, damp storm cellar. Bonnie hated it there. Usually snakes slithered about, and today had been no exception. One of the ranch hands had killed a copperhead, but she hadn’t been nearly as frightened as in the past. Fear for her children took precedence. When she refused to take shelter just before the twister hit, Thomas had picked her up and carried her inside the storm cellar.

“I’ve got to search for the children and Brother Travis.” She glanced about at the downed trees and surveyed the damage. “And what about our own missing men?”

“I’ll find the children and the men.” Thomas touched her arm. “You stay here ’cause that’s where your family will look for you.”

“I have to do something. I’ll go insane waiting.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I screamed at you. You did the right thing. I thought I was doing wrong by making sure I was safe from the twister while the children and Brother Travis were out there . . . somewhere.”

He smiled sadly, then lifted his hat and combed his fingers through silver hair. “Given the same situation, I’d have gone looking for them, too. Pray now. That’s the best thing you can do for ’em.”

“Brother Travis is a smart man. I’m sure he found shelter.” Her thoughts left her with memories of past twisters and what happened to those caught in their path.

“I’ll hurry.” Thomas’s gaze swept to Juanita.

“I stay with her,” Juanita said. “No worry.”

The other two men saddled up and rode in different directions to search for missing men while Thomas disappeared down the path to the river where Brother Travis and the children had headed to go fishing. Bonnie heard the mention of the barn roof suffering damage, and a side of the bunkhouse lay in splintered wood. Later, when everyone was accounted for, she’d assess the damage. Right now, she needed to see her precious children unhurt. Brother Travis had promised to take care of them. He’d have found shelter. She had to believe it.

Juanita wrapped her arms around Bonnie’s waist. “We must pray everyone all right.”

Bonnie nodded. “Seems like my every breath is a prayer.”

“Sí. Mine, too.” Juanita blinked and turned her head.

“I wonder about other ranches. And what if the twister struck Kahlerville?”

“One thing at a time,” Juanita said. “Our family, our friends first.”

Bonnie forced a smile and gazed into Juanita’s face. “You and Thomas have something very special. Hold on to it, and never let it go.”

“We didn’t think anyone knew.”

“You may have hid it from the ranch hands, but I saw that special sparkle in yours and Thomas’s eyes a long time ago.”

Juanita flushed. “How sweet of you to be thinking of us now.”

Bonnie sucked in a breath to keep from crying. “I have to. I can’t bear to think of anything happening to my children . . . or anyone else, for that matter.”

Bonnie couldn’t utter another word. She’d prayed for Ben, and he filled a cold grave. Maybe that’s why she despised the storm cellar. No, God, please don’t let me bury one of my children, too.

Bonnie sat in the grass and watched the wagon path to the river. Many things needed to be done, but she refused to budge until she could reach out and touch her children. She pulled her knees up to her chest and held Juanita’s hand beside her.

“You’ve been with me since Ben built this house,” she said.

“We’re amigas.”

“Yes, we are.”

“Zack was a baby,” Juanita said. “Not even crawling yet.”

Bonnie remembered moving into the new home. Ben had carried her inside while she held Zack. They’d laughed and talked about the future.

“I want eight children,” she’d told him that day. “And all of them must look like their papa.”

He’d kissed her soundly and declared his love.

A tear slipped from her eye. Had she truly told him enough times how very much she loved him?

“Michael Paul was my best baby,” Bonnie said to Juanita. “Remember how he slept through the night when he was only four months old?”

“Lydia Anne’s good too.”

“Oh, Ben spoiled her rotten, but she’s a sweet little girl now.” She tilted her head and remembered when each child had learned to walk, their first words, and how she had begged Ben for more children until she learned the truth about his horrible cough.

“Ben was a fine man,” Juanita said.

“I was thinking the same thing. I wish I’d been stronger and not leaned on him like he was my father instead of my husband.” She shrugged and squeezed Juanita’s hand.

“Brother Travis is a fine man.”

“Yes, he is.” Bonnie wondered if Juanita meant to comment on anything more.

“I like him much.”

“So do I.”

“I know.”

Before Bonnie could deliberate Juanita’s remark any further, she saw a figure running in the distance. A lump took root in her throat.

“Oh, my.” She scrambled to her feet, catching her shoe on the hem of her skirt, and grabbing onto Juanita to keep from falling. Was she seeing things, or was her Zack running toward her? Her heart pounded so that it hurt. Emotion slammed into her chest. He’s running to me!

Zack waved and called her name.

She lifted her skirts and rushed toward him. Tears fell unchecked, nearly blinding her. Several feet behind him ran Michael Paul.

Zack seemed to fly to her, then stopped abruptly. “I was afraid something might have happened to you.”

She shook her head, her hands itching to hold him. “I feared the same for you, all of you.”

“We’re all fine. The Lord used Brother Travis to save us from the twister.” He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Mama, for all the trouble I’ve caused—hurting you, being mean. I want to be a good son and help you with Michael Paul, Lydia Anne, and the ranch. Papa would have wanted that, and I’ve let everyone down. Mostly God.”

“I forgave you when it happened. We’ve had terrible grief, son.”

“But it’s no excuse for the things I’ve done.”

“Or the things I’ve done. But we have the future.”

“I believe that, Mama. I got saved when the twister whirled around us. Asked Jesus to live inside me.”

All the emotion simmering since the sky turned green burst forth as though a dam filled with love broke inside her. She held out her arms to her precious son, and he fell into her embrace. Each was crying and holding on to the other.

Bonnie had no idea how much time had passed, but when she looked up, Michael Paul stood before her, as well as Brother Travis, who was holding Lydia Anne.

“Thank you.” She smiled into his face as she opened her arms for her other children. Staring into the kind face of the man who seemed to have an endless supply of love, she realized her feelings for him had begun to change into something that frightened her.

“We were in a miracle,” Lydia Anne said.

Bonnie kissed her while the little girl still rested in Travis’s arms. “Don’t you mean a twister?”

She shook her head, and her pigtails flew. “No, Mama. Trees fell down around us and everything, but Jesus and Brother Travis kept us safe. Isn’t that right, Brother Travis?” Lydia Anne peered up at him.

“It was all Jesus,” Brother Travis said. “I was too scared to do anything but pray.” He smiled at Zack. “Have you told your mama the good news?”

“Yes, sir,” Zack said. “I told her I was living for Jesus now, and I was sorry.” He shrugged. “Guess I’m the prodigal son.”

Bonnie swallowed to keep from crying.

“Is everyone else safe?” Brother Travis said.

Reality shook Bonnie hard. “Two of my men are missing. Thomas and two of the others are looking for them.”

“I saw Thomas along the road,” Travis said.

“They were out looking for stray cattle. I didn’t see how wide the twister’s path was to know if they escaped.”

“Wide,” Brother Travis said. “But if we found shelter, then perhaps your men did, too.”

“Looks like the bunkhouse is in bad shape,” Zack said. “Brother Travis, you and me—I mean you and I—may have a little work to do.”

“We could do that.” Lines etched Brother Travis’s face. Later she’d ask him what happened during the twister, but for now, it was enough to know that her children were safe and unharmed.

Juanita pointed toward the southwest. “Riders come.”

Shortly thereafter, Thomas brought in Zack and Travis’s missing horses. Behind Thomas, a man was thrown across another horse. Travis hurried toward them. After entrusting the children to Juanita’s care, Bonnie quickly followed.

“Don’t come any closer, Miss Bonnie,” Thomas said. “It’s Roy, and he didn’t make it.”

She gasped. “Are you sure? We can fetch Grant.”

“It’s no use,” Brother Travis said.

She took another step. They could be wrong. Roy could be unconscious.

“I don’t want you to see him,” Brother Travis said. “He’s not recognizable.”

She covered her mouth. Roy dead! “I don’t think he had any family from around here. His parents were slaves from Mississippi.” She peered into Thomas’s face. “Do you know of anyone we can contact?”

“Roy never talked of family. I’ll wrap him in a blanket and take him into town to the undertaker. Should I take up a collection for the burial?”

“I’ll take care of it, and I want to put up a nice gravestone for him at the cemetery,” Bonnie said. “If anyone objects, then we’ll bury him here on the ranch.”

“I should ride along,” Brother Travis said.

“No need as long as you can give me a time for the funeral,” Thomas said.

“Tomorrow afternoon at one,” Brother Travis said. “I hope he’s the only one.”

“Haven’t found Lance yet,” Thomas said.

“The twister moved south, away from town, unless it changed directions,” Brother Travis said.

“Once Lance is found, I can send a few of the hands to check on neighboring folks.” Thomas turned his attention to Bonnie. “Is that all right?”

“Of course, and if anyone is in need, send them here.” Bonnie stared up into Thomas’s face. What if he’d been taken? What if her brothers were no longer there to raise their families? What if Mama and the reverend had been caught in the twister’s path? What if all that she held dear had been seized and destroyed by the twister’s power?

You could go on, Bonnie. I’m with you.

She understood what the voice meant. He’d spoken to her continually since she’d destroyed the bottle of wine. Not only was she an Andrews, but more importantly, she was a child of God. She’d take each day as it came—the good and the ugly, the moments of strength and the times when her very lifeblood seemed to be drained from her soul.

God had plans for her and all those around her. Life would be better because of her son’s decision. She could feel it. Zack now knew the source of the courage to face each day and the challenges of growing up without a father. Michael Paul had made that decision shortly after Ben died, and she saw a spiritual awakening in Lydia Anne. Soon all of her children would have their names written in the Book of Life.

The enormity of the day touched her. Her children had been spared while Roy had died. Lance was missing, and she prayed for him. He and a sweet young lady in Kahlerville planned to marry in the spring. They loved the Lord, and Bonnie wanted a rich life for them.

Lord, I thank You for what you did for me today, and I pray for safety for those who are missing.

“Bonnie?”

She focused on Brother Travis.

“I’ve been talking to you, but you seemed a million miles away. Are you all right?”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. We have things to do, gentlemen. Other folks may need us. I’m ready to take on the rest of the day. Thomas, let me know how many more folks will be needing dinner tonight or a place to sleep.”

“As strange as it sounds, Lydia Anne and I found a big string of fish,” Brother Travis said. “And we found some of the remains of the wagon on the walk back.”

His gaze caught hers, and she saw something she’d not seen in a man for a long time. Her earlier realization surfaced. She shivered pleasantly, then she relaxed. One more matter for the good Lord to take care of.