Authors: Linda Goodnight
A Touch of Grace (24 page)
Gretchen gasped, hands fluttering to her surprised mouth “Ian. You didn’t warn me.”
“Wouldn’t be a surprise if I did.” He slipped to one knee. “I wanted to do this right, in front of the people I love most.” He glanced from Collin to his mother. “And those who love me most.”
For it was true. His mother loved him enough to want to protect him. His brother loved him enough to never give up on finding him.
His throat filled. Struggling to stay composed, he took Gretchen’s small hand in his. She trembled and he almost forgot the carefully prepared speech that he’d practiced all day.
“Gretchen, I love you. You know that. You also know I want to share my life with you.” He slid the simple diamond onto her finger. “I can’t promise you riches or perfection, but with God as our guide, I can promise to
love and cherish you all the days of my life. Will you marry me?”
She gently caressed the side of his face. “You know I will.”
Ian stood and pulled her up. The room around them had gone dead silent except for the sound of his mother’s sniffling. When he kissed her, everyone erupted into applause.
When the kiss ended he smiled tenderly into Gretchen’s eyes, and then turned to his brother. “Collin, would you be my best man?”
His brother’s face glowed with unspoken emotion. He stood and offered his hand. “I’d be honored.”
Then to Ian’s great joy Collin engulfed him in a brotherly hug.
During the next few minutes, a good kind of chaos reigned as they answered questions and made plans.
Suddenly in the midst of everything, Mia leaped from her chair and rushed to the television set. “Shh. Everybody hush.” She pushed the volume button. “It’s Collin and Ian.”
“Oh, my goodness.” Gretchen stopped admiring her ring. “That’s CNN.” She squealed. “Ian, CNN picked up our story.”
Sure enough, Gretchen’s sensitive portrayal played across the screen.
“A brother’s bond,” she said, her professional voice tender and ripe with feeling. “The undying love that kept Collin Grace searching for his younger brothers for more than twenty years.”
The piece moved on, sensitive but revealing and highly
emotional, including the sad fact that one brother, Drew, had died in a fire at age fifteen. The photojournalist had done a beautiful job of editing, fading from the old photo of the three of them to the men they were today.
Ian glanced at Collin, saw the hidden emotion. Tears ran down Mia’s face as she gripped her fiancé’s hand tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Even though he’d watched the film a dozen times with Gretchen, his own throat filled.
As the feature moved toward a conclusion the camera focused on a pair of masculine hands. Each held an identical ichthus.
Gretchen’s silky smooth voice said, “Separated as boys, reunited as men. Connected by one brother’s memory and the Christian symbol that each carried in his pocket. Coincidence? Or divine intervention?”
The camera lens slowly closed, spotlighting the Jesus fish until the picture faded to black and returned to the CNN anchor.
“What beautiful work, Gretchen,” Mia said, drying her eyes. She reached for the DVD Gretchen had given Collin. “We’ll treasure this forever.”
“So will I,” Gretchen said.
“So will we all.” Margot crossed the room and placed a hand on Collin’s shoulder. “I wish I would have known. I always wanted another son.”
Awash in emotions, Ian was relieved to hear the chirp of Gretchen’s cell phone. She glanced at the caller ID. “No escape from work.”
“Probably calling to congratulate you. It’s not every day you get national exposure.”
She pressed the phone to her ear.
“Are you serious?” Her eyes flashed to Ian. “That’s awesome. Did you get the number?” She motioned for a pen. Ian grabbed a pad and pencil from Mom’s end table. After scribbling something, Gretchen said, “You have no idea. Thanks.”
She ended the call but stood staring at the tiny phone, stunned by something.
“What’s up?” Ian asked.
“Someone who saw the CNN report called the station.” She looked from Ian to Collin. “You’re not going to believe this.”
She had their full attention now.
“What is it? What’s going on?” Ian saw the mix of concern and excitement on her face.
“I’m almost afraid to tell you. Afraid to get your hopes up. But this could be incredible news.”
The room pulsated with her tension. Whatever the caller had said must be good.
Finally, Gretchen took a deep breath and blurted, “According to the caller, your brother Drew may still be alive.”
Dear Reader,
This series, THE BROTHERS’ BOND, is truly a labor of love for me. Throughout scripture the Christian is commanded to care for the needy. Ian took this command to heart when he opened Isaiah House. When I began to study Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25, Ian’s life verses, I became convinced of my own lacking in this area. Orphan children especially are helpless without our compassion. The number of parentless children worldwide is staggering—in the multimillions. Here in America we have social orphans, like the Grace brothers in this series, estimated at more than half a million. It breaks my heart and moves me to action.
No one can help them all, but each of us can do something.
Thank you for reading
A Touch of Grace.
As always I enjoy hearing from readers and value your thoughts on my stories. You may contact me at www.lindagoodnight.com or at Linda Goodnight, c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.
Blessings to you,
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
- Ian’s shoe purchases are a symbol in the story. Why is he compelled to buy shoes? What kind of events precede each new purchase?
- Ian’s recurring nightmare is the key to the childhood he can’t remember. Do you believe that the subconscious mind tries to tell us things through dreams? Have you ever had a recurring dream? What does scripture say about dreams?
- Ian feels driven to help the needy, even to the point of exhaustion. Was his ministry a psychological need to rectify his childhood? Or a true calling from God in his life?
- Gretchen blames God for the abuse she experienced as a child. Was God responsible? Why or why not?
- What does Jesus say about religious leaders who distort scripture for their own purposes? Does this still happen today? Can you give examples?
- Ian tells Gretchen that she should study the Bible for herself. Is this important? Why? Have you ever studied scripture and discovered you had been wrongly taught?
- Ian is shocked to discover that he is adopted. Should adopted children be told? How do you feel about closed adoptions? Would you adopt a child if you thought the birth mother might come back and try to regain custody?
- Many children end up in foster care and many more languish in orphanages around the world. What is a Christian’s responsibility to orphans? See if you can find scripture references to support your answer. Are today’s churches following the call of Christ to the orphans?
- Ian made a decision to conceal Roger’s crime. Does he do the right thing? How would you have handled the situation?
- At the conclusion of the book, Gretchen asks if the brothers’ reunion is coincidence or divine intervention. Which do you think it is? Do you believe God intervenes this way in people’s lives?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8590-7
A TOUCH OF GRACE
Copyright © 2007 by Linda Goodnight
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
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The Brothers’ Bond