Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) (30 page)

"No, I guess you haven't." Kate tried to keep her voice neutral, even through the surprise she felt that he was talking at all, let alone mentioning the church.

"Is God really like a father?"

"Yes Joey, He is. The Bible describes Him that way many times, but you need to remember that there is a difference between an earthly father and a heavenly Father. We love our fathers here on earth but they're not perfect. God is."

Joey was quiet for a time, as was Kaitlin. She wondered if, in the past, she had done too much talking or if it was because he was faced away from her as they spoke.

"Do you really think God hears when you pray?"

"Yes, I do. The Bible says God hears us and I know He's answered my prayers all my life."

"You always get what you ask for?"

"No I don't. Sometimes God's answer is no."

Again the little boy dwelt on this in silence. Kate was praying with all her heart and knew that she had to ask this child about eternity before he left her.

"I know all about Christmas," Joey shared softly. "I know that Jesus was born. But a little baby shouldn't die for a person's sins so I don't understand what Jesus it was that did that."

Kate was again surprised, this time at his knowledge. "Were you always the size you are now, Joey, or were you once a baby?"

"I was a baby."

"But you didn't stay a baby and neither did Jesus. He grew to be a man and it was that man who died on the cross to save the world. The baby and the man are the same Person, God's only Son."

"Does it say that in the Bible?"

"Yes, it does. Would you like me to show you?"

He nodded and Kate made a few more cuts with her scissors, removed the sheet, brushed him off and retrieved her Bible. She opened to the book of Luke and began to explain.

"In Luke 2, Joey, Christ's birth is told. Do you remember the story?"

"With the angels."

"That's right. In verse 11 it says, 'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' And if you keep reading it says that the shepherds came to see Him."

Joey nodded and Kate went on. "Well, if you read even farther down to verse 41 and 42, it says that when Jesus was 12 He went into Jerusalem with His mother Mary and her husband Joseph. So you see right there He's already 12 years old.

"And there's more. The last verse in chapter 2 says 'Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.' Increased in stature means His body grew. The next chapters in Luke tell all about Jesus as a man, the miracles He performed and so much more. Then, if you turn all the way to chapter 23, it tells of Jesus Christ's death. How they nailed His hands and feet on the cross and how He died there for our sins. But Joey, He didn't stay dead. When the people who loved Him went back to His grave it was empty. He even appeared to some of them at their homes and on the road. Jesus is alive, Joey, and He's still alive today, saving all who believe in Him."

Joey's eyes had never left Kaitlin's face-even when she'd pointed at her Bible or read. He took a deep breath and stood. Kate's heart sank as he moved to the door and she exchanged a confused glance with Marcail.

But Joey stopped on the threshold. "Thank you for cutting my hair and thank you for explaining about Jesus. It's not what I thought it was. I gotta go."

Kate was left with those cryptic words and an anguished heart. How silly you are, Kaitlin, she said to herself. To think that the moment he heard the gospel he'd be jumping out of his seat to know Christ. It doesn't always happen that way and you know it.

Kate prayed and tried to reason with herself but it wasn't working. Tears were just beneath the surface and when Rigg showed up at the door, they overflowed.

He stood for a moment and watched the woman he loved sob into her hands and then he glanced at Marcail. She answered his unasked question.

"Joey was here and Katie witnessed to him and then he just walked out. He seemed so interested and then he thanked her for telling him and left."

Rigg went over and hunkered down beside Kate's chair. "It's all right Katie. You're forgetting the verses in 1 Corinthians 3, where it says that some plant the seeds and some water, but God gives the increase. You remember those."

"I know but I just thought-" Kate was choked up all over again and then felt terrible. "I have no business crying," she sobbed. "It's just my pride. I wanted to see it happen today. He's only been coming here for a week." Even as Kate reasoned with herself, she continued to cry. Rigg reached for her hand and looked to Marcail for help.

"Katie cries easier when she's tired."

"I do not," Kate denied, having heard the softly spoken words.

"She says that too," Marcail stated logically and Rigg's hand came up to rub at his upper lip. Kate, whose tears were abating, saw the movement and scowled at him. The fierce look was spoiled when she sniffed. Rigg grinned at her.

"I came down to see if you'd trim my hair. Sean didn't mention that I'd need an ark." Kate pulled her hand from his. With an indignant toss of her head she wiped her face on the handkerchief he offered her.

"Thank you," she said after a moment, and began to look truly embarrassed. Rigg was immediately sensitive.

"We'll keep praying, Kaitlin," he assured her softly and she thanked him with grateful eyes.

"Did you really want your hair trimmed?"

"If you would."

Kate nodded and Marcail came around to sit in front of Rigg so they could talk. Kate was quiet, her mind on Joey. She continued to pray as she cut Rigg's hair and an idea came to mind. She decided to keep it to herself for the moment; tonight they were headed out to the Taylors'that might be the time to mention her idea.

forty-six

That Saturday afternoon Kate and Marcail made their way to the mercantile. Kate hadn't worked that day and even though she enjoyed her day off, it felt a little strange to go into the store where she earned her living.

Kaitlin bought the needed spices for the fish dinner she would prepare at Taylors' Sunday evening. Then she and Marcail waited for Rigg and Sean to close the store so they could all go out together.

May's first comment when she saw the riders in the wagon was praise that both Rigg and Sean had been to the barber.

"Katie cut it," Rigg informed her and May looked at her, in surprise.

"I don't suppose you'd care to cut three more heads tonight?"

"Sure," Kate answered with a smile. "But only if they're willing."

"Oh, I can see to it that they're very willing," May joked. "I'll tell them that they won't get fed unless they agree to line up in front of your scissors right after supper."

The first to sit quietly for her hair-cutting skills was Nate. She could see that he was not against the idea, but neither was he jumping for joy.

Once May and Bill had taken care of the dishes, they joined the family on the front porch. When Nate headed in for his bath, Gil took his place. His hair was very thick and lay nicely when cut. He told Kate he liked his a little longer in the front and she was careful to do as he asked.

Kaitlin felt like she was cutting the same head of hair twice when Jeff sat in the chair; it was so like Gil's. Thick and medium brown in color, it had just enough wave to make it a dream to cut and shape.

"Have you always cut Sean's hair, Katie?" May wanted to know.

"No," she answered softly as she finished with Jeff. "Mother usually cut Sean's and Father's hair. She showed me what to do but I can't say as I've had much experience."

"You've had some practice though," Sean commented from his place on the edge of the porch. Kate laughed and Sean explained.

"Mother first showed Katie when she was 17. She was pretty proud of her new skill and decided to practice on Marc and me. Well, my hair had been cut just a few weeks before but she badgered me into sitting for her. I looked like a skinned rabbit when she was done." Everyone laughed, including Kaitlin who was sweeping the porch.

"What happened to Marc?" Rigg asked. All three of the Donovans laughed and then Kate answered.

"I didn't have to coax Marcail-she wanted her hair cut. I thought it would be so simple to just brush it out and cut straight across the bottom-only I didn't cut so straight. I kept getting one side shorter and then I'd have to cut the other side to make it even. We figured that I'd cut about a foot before I knew I had to stop."

'A foot?" Rigg was incredulous and reached over to touch Marcail's hair. He turned her until her back was to Kaitlin. "So it was up to here?" Rigg's hand was almost to Marcail's neck.

"Marc's hair wasn't as long as it is right now. I had her hair above her shoulders."

"What did your parents say?"

"Mother was very understanding but Father wanted to punish me. Mother talked with him; she felt I had tried my best and that I'd probably learned my lesson."

"Mother was always understanding," Sean said quietly. "Remember my boat?" Kate and Marcail both nodded.

"When I was nine my dream was to have a boat. I was going to paddle around the island with a friend and prove to my parents I could take care of myself.

"My friend and I worked hard on that boat, all in secret. The day before we were to set off, two younger boys found our hiding place and took the boat quite a ways offshore. They nearly drowned when the boat capsized in the rough surf.

"I was punished but not as severely as Father wanted. Again, Mother said I'd learned my lesson. She was right."

"I never learned my lesson," Marcail admitted, and her siblings laughed at her.

"What Marcail is trying to say is that she was punished regularly. I'm afraid Loni was not always a good influence on Marc." Kate smiled at her sister before she went on, "along with the fact that Loni's mother is dead, so there was very little adult supervision at their house. But I think even Marc would admit that Mother was always fair."

"She was," Marcail said in a small voice as a tear slid down her cheek. Kate beckoned and Marcail moved away from Rigg and into her arms. Kate talked as she held her sister close.

"I remember when Sean was born. Mother had been so sure it was another girl and they hadn't settled on any boys' names. 'You're kidding me!' Father said when he found out. He actually went and checked under the blanket before he believed that they'd actually had a boy." Kate chuckled and went on.

"And then the name! Father was sure that Mother wanted to name the baby after her father and Mother was sure that Father wanted to name Sean after him and his father. It was a mess. But Mother was adamant and so Sean is Patrick Sean the third.

"Father only agreed, if Mother would name the next little boy after her father. And lo and behold it was a girl! So Marcail is named after her maternal grandmother."

"Remember the surprise party for Father's thirty-fifth birthday?" Sean said with a laugh. "It was a fiasco. Everything that could go wrong, did!"

"You see," Kaitlin picked up the story, "Mother's and Father's birthdays are only two days apart. That year Father's was on Friday and Mother's on Sunday. The logical day to celebrate was Saturday and our parents decided to have surprise parties for each other on the same day. We knew about all the plans but we couldn't say a word. The other family that was helping us plan stayed quiet and made it a dual celebration.

"I remember when we all walked down to the beach to the big luau. Everyone yelled surprise and Mother turned to Father and said, 'You don't look surprised.' And he said, 'Why should I be, I planned all of this.' I've never seen my parents laugh so hard."

The last word was said on a sob and Kate buried her face against Marcail's hair. Her body shook and Sean went to join his sisters. They sat huddled together crying and talking in soft Hawaiian. The Taylors stayed on the porch, not intruding, but showing concern with their presence.

Rigg thanked God for their emotional display. He knew from talking to Sean that with their busy schedules and uncertain future, this family hadn't taken time to discuss their mother's death-at least not since arriving in town.

"I can't believe she's really gone. I mean, I know that we'll see her again but I want to see her now." The words were Sean's and Kaitlin felt Marcail shudder against her. She didn't want to stifle their grief but it did no good to concentrate solely on their mother's absence.

'At least we know we will see her." Kate's voice was choked as she tried to stop crying. "And she's not suffering anymore like she did with the tuberculosis. I read that it could have gone on for years. God was merciful to take her so quickly."

Kate's words, after a time, had the desired effect and the children's conversation turned to their father-how he was and when they would see him again. The tears eventually stopped and Kate prayed aloud for their Father. She asked God to deliver their letters to him safely and to let them hear soon how he was doing.

The evening was growing long and Kate sent Marcail to have her bath. Rigg and Sean were getting ready to leave when Kate turned to May and Bill with a question.

"I really appreciate the way you let us come every weekend and how at home you make us feel. But this is still your house so don't be afraid to say no to the question I want to ask you."