Another Dawn (24 page)

The next morning I awoke with the keen sense of what I needed to do. But it was going to be hard. And I hoped I wasn’t going to come out of it looking like a fool. Or, more of one than I already had.

I dropped Dylan off at preschool early to make certain I had time to do this. Then I made the half-hour drive to Santa Barbara, parked outside the small craftsman-style house, and walked up to the porch and knocked.

Steve answered almost immediately. “Hey.” He leaned against the doorframe and simply looked at me. I think he was trying to decide whether this was a friendly visit or the other kind.

“Hi,” I said. “There’s something I need to say to you.”

“Okay.” He held the door open wide and motioned for me to come inside.

I closed the door behind me and said, “You were right.” I stopped for a minute and took a breath trying to collect myself. “About a lot of things, really. But during all this I came to realize I had lost my trust in everything and everybody—except myself. Guess what? I found out I’m not always so perfect, either. I suppose what I’m trying to say is . . . you were right and I was wrong.” Why was this so hard to say?

He looked at me evenly for a couple of seconds, and I began to realize that he was about to send me packing. Then he burst out laughing. “You’re so cute when you’re apologizing.”

I didn’t back away from him, nor did I move toward him. I needed to keep my focus if I was going to get this all out. “It’s more than just apologizing. I’m going to learn to believe again. To have faith. Faith in God and faith in people.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Do you think you have a little bit more patience in there for me while I figure all this out?”

“I’ve been patiently waiting all this time for you to figure out that you needed to figure it out. I’m not going to abandon ship now.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “That’s what I like to hear.” He pulled me into his arms and touched his lips to mine. I decided I just might enjoy this process of learning to believe again.

“This place is immaculate. You run a tight ship.” Jaron Wadley ran his hand over the office doorframe as he made this proclamation.

“Thank you. We work very hard at it. Not just my family, but also the people who work here.” Jasmine nodded toward me as she said it.

And we
had
worked hard.
Very
hard. Over the course of the last forty-eight hours we had worked most of them, getting the Blue Paradise ready. We’d done well.

Jaron looked at me, then looked away. “I am sure that is true.” He nodded Jasmine toward the door. “Shall we go talk potential deal points over lunch?”

“We can do that right here.” Jasmine’s voice was firm. “I really don’t have time for lunch; I need to pick up my son soon.”

“I just thought . . .” He looked at me.

“Mr. Wadley, Grace has worked here for the last four and a half years. She runs this office and knows the particulars through and through. There’s nothing you can say that will surprise her.”

“Right.” He nodded. “I think we will likely be prepared to make an offer in the next few days. This piece of property is exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

My heart sank. I’d just done my job well enough to work myself right out of a job.

Jasmine nodded calmly, but I could see the excitement in her eyes. Finally, things were going to work out for her. “There is one particular point I think you need to be aware of before we consider moving forward with this deal.”

“What’s that?”

I looked at Jasmine, wondering the same thing. “Our employees are like family to us. We would insist on a contractual clause that they all be kept on.”

He shook his head. “We don’t do that. We usually like to move our own people in after we purchase a property.”

“Really? Oh, right, I knew that. I must have forgotten.” She shook her head and stared at the floor, which had to be somewhere above where my heart had fallen. “I must have forgotten all about that.” She sank into her desk chair and picked up the silver frame that held Collin’s picture. She stared at it for a full minute, then stood up and extended her hand. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Wadley. I’m sorry we weren’t able to do business together.”

His formerly neutral and controlled look melted. “Well, I . . . I’m sorry you feel that way.” He cleared his throat and seemed to regain his confidence. “I’m sorry we can’t do business together. You have my card. Call me if you change your mind.” He turned and walked from the room, and I think he fully expected her to be calling him soon. Truth be told, so did I.

After I heard the front door close behind him, I looked at Jasmine. “Why did you do that? You need to sell this place. You need to get Collin the treatment he needs.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Yes I do, but as someone I admire very much once said to me, ‘It seemed like the right thing to do.’ ” She walked from the room without further comment.

Jasmine held the phone to her ear with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. “Really?” She shook her head. “I see. All right, then. Thanks for calling.” She hung up, then dropped into her chair.

I was just packing up my things for the day, Steve beside me waiting to take me to dinner, but I knew I couldn’t leave her like this. I was guessing it was Collin’s caregiver on the phone. These calls were not uncommon and almost always bad. “What’s wrong?”

“I . . . don’t think anything is.” She kind of smiled, but still looked shaken. “That was my real estate agent.”

“What did she want?”

“Jaron Wadley called her. He’s prepared to agree to my conditions and is planning to make an offer by the end of the week.”

“Why?” I could remember the determined look on his face when he left that day two weeks ago. His way or no deal.

“Apparently there’s a rumor that someone else is getting ready to make an offer on the place. Jaron really wants it, and doesn’t want to risk a bidding war. Since guest reviews were consistently strong, he felt he could trust the people running it to keep on.”

“You’re kidding me.” Now I dropped into my own seat. “That’s terrific news.”

Jasmine shook her head. “I could still get Collin started in that program by the fall.”

“Is there someone else interested in buying the place?” I certainly hadn’t heard anything to that effect.

“Not that I’m aware of.”

We sat there and looked at each other in disbelief. Each afraid to believe that it might be true. How could this have happened?

Suddenly, Jasmine leaned forward on her desk. “You know what? Steve, I’m thinking this has your name all over it.”

“Who, me?” Steve looked just a little too innocent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, really?” I stood up next to him. “I’m saying you do. Now spill.”

“Well . . .” He grinned and rubbed his chin. “I did mention to someone last week that my group had been talking a lot about making an offer on this place. Of course, I didn’t mention that it had fallen through; I simply said we’d been talking about it. Who would have guessed that the person I mentioned this to happens to know Jaron Wadley?”

“
You
did.
You
knew it.”

“No comment.” He tried to keep a straight face but didn’t quite succeed.

Ring.

I picked up my handset, still grinning up at him. “Blue Pacific Inn. May I help you?”

“It’s me.” Jana’s voice was so low I could barely hear her, but my heart jumped with the sound of it. It had only been two weeks, but it seemed like forever since I’d last heard her.

“How’s Hannah?” I saw Steve and Jasmine exchange a quick glance; then they walked out of the office together without another word.

“The spots are almost gone. Still coughing, but she’s feeling better every day.”

“That’s what I’ve heard from Dad. I’m so glad.”

“Here’s the thing . . .” She waited a couple of heartbeats before she continued. “I know you made the decision you thought was best for your son.”

“Yes.”

“And, well, what I want to say is . . . when I thought Hannah might not make it . . . ” Her voice cracked and I knew she was taking deep breaths trying to keep herself from crying. “Well, I said and did some things—”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say another word. I understand.”

“I guess what I called to say is, Rob is thinking about coming to some conference in Los Angeles next month. He wants Hannah and me to come with him. I was thinking we might drive up the coast and spend a day or two with Dylan and you.”

“Really, Jana? I would love that so much. And I can’t tell you what it would mean to Dylan.”

“I can’t wait to see him again. That kid’s got quite the heart.”

“Yes, he does.”

“Well, do you think you might be able to set us up with a room somewhere? We were thinking a bed-and-breakfast on the coast. You know of anything like that?” Just the attempt at teasing brought up a well of happiness inside me.

“I know of a really great place called the Blue Pacific. There is a rumor they may soon be under new ownership, so you may find the place in a bit of transition when you arrive.”

“Really? Rob said that deal fell through.” Jana’s voice became serious. “What happened?”

What did happen?
I thought about it for a moment—about how many things had fallen into place for us—before I answered with the truth. “There was a hailstorm.”

“What are you talking about?”

I smiled. “It appears as though things are going to work out after all.”

“Okay, well, that’s terrific news, then, for all of you. So you can maybe reserve a room for us?”

“I’d say you can count on it.”

“All right. I guess we’ll see you next month.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

We hung up, and I stared out the window at the gorgeous Pacific coast. I knew that Jana and I had a long way to go before we would be back to our old relationship again. But I also knew we were moving in the right direction, and even if it were an all-night march and uphill battle, in the end it would be worth the fight.

Father in Heaven
—Thank you for continuing to bless me in my dream. You knew what this year would bring long before I knew I was going to write this book. I thank You for Your perfect plan.

Melanie and Caroline Cushman
—for giving me a reason to smile every single day

Ora Parrish
—your amazing strength and enthusiasm keep me going on the hardest days

Leah, Carl, Alisa, Lisa, Katy
—the coolest family ever

Gary and Carolyn, Kathleen, Brenna, Kristyn, Judy, and Denice
—for the love and support during the darkest year of my life

Carrie Padgett, Mike Berrier, Shawn Grady, and Julie Carobini
—you are so much more than writing buddies

Jim Rubart, John Olson, Jenn Doucette, and Katie Vorreiter
—my fellow Winklings

Lori Baur
—you’ve been a great support this year, marketing wise and otherwise

Dave Long
—thanks for pulling, pushing, and otherwise moving me in the right direction

Dr. Heather Hindo, Dr. Diane Brown, and Dr. Sara Stern
—for taking such good care of Melanie—and for patiently answering my questions about measles

1. How do you personally feel about vaccinations? How do you feel about people with the opposing viewpoint?
   
2. Do you believe a smoker should be held liable for tobacco-related diseases in non-smokers with whom they have close contact? Do you believe non-vaccinator parents should be held liable if their child passes on a preventable disease?
   
3. Where is the line between personal choice and corporate responsibility?
   
4. Can you think of a time in your life where you got a “do-over”? Did you apply what you had learned from past mistakes to do something differently?
   
5. Can you remember a time when someone, like Patti, reached out to help you, in spite of the fact that it was not in his / her best interest?
   
6. Is there a time in your past where, in retrospect, you see that a few hailstones were thrown on your behalf, but in the thick of the battle you were too busy to notice them?
   
7. What is the issue or topic you feel you need to learn to see the “other side” on? (Not to change your opinion but to gain a new perspective.)
   
8. Do you think Jana will ever be able to fully trust and forgive her sister?
   
9. Has your child or a child close to you ever unintentionally shown you something new about faith?
   

KATHRYN CUSHMAN is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy. After practicing as a pharmacist in Georgia, Tennessee, and California, she left her career to stay home with her daughters and has since pursued her dream of writing. Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, CA.

Books by
Kathryn Cushman

From Bethany House Publishers

A Promise to Remember

Waiting for Daybreak

Leaving Yesterday

Another Dawn