Far Country (51 page)

           
Gracie, who had finally given her seal of approval to Kelly and her Dad, walked
between the couple occasionally, then raced Fiona up the trail when she got
bored with all the grownup talk.

           
Kelly shook her head, grinning at Gracie’s boundless energy.  “She’s
exhausting me just watching her,” Kelly sighed.  “I remember doing the
same thing when I was a child. I wonder what happened.”

           
Steve shook his head. “I’m just glad she’s got Fiona. I know I can’t begin to
keep up with her.”

           
Kelly took Steve’s hand and the three couples made their way up the long
graveled incline that led to the top. Steve and Kelly were walking behind the
rest of the group, and Steve studied the others now, taking in the contentment
and peace of the moment.  The Grahams, of course, walked together with the
confidence of a couple who had shared a history and knew the strong bond of
trials, perseverance and loving commitment.  The strength of that
commitment circled them like a force field. Their love was comfortable to see.

           
But what brought a smile to his face was watching Deborah and Pete.  Even
if he hadn’t known them, there would be no mistaking the newness of their
love.  The air around them fairly vibrated with possibilities. 
Pete’s huge hand clasped Deborah’s much smaller one in a tight grip.  They
grinned at each other and giggled, sharing secret jokes, happy to be in each
other’s company.  Everything was new and as shiny as the diamond Pete had
given Deborah just a few weeks before.  And while they had yet to face
trials in their relationship, when trouble came Steve had no doubt that they
would be able to stand firm in the Lord, and the Lord would help them to stand
the test.

           
Steve was especially touched as he watched the quiet joy of Pete’s face. 
Pete had shared with Steve how he had accidentally shot and killed his little
brother when he was only a teenager. He had regretted the lost years that his
mistake had cost his entire family ever since, but because of it, Steve knew
that Pete would give everything he had to create a new family with Deborah.

           
And Deborah.  Steve smiled now as he watched the glow of happiness that
filled her sweet spirit. When she had come to Hanging Rock, she had viewed it
as fate that she and Steve were meant to be together.  Steve still
believed that God had put her in his life again for a reason, but not the
reason that Deborah had thought. God had used many people that summer to get
Steve’s attention.  Deborah had reopened the old wound and all the hurt
and anger had drained away at last, the moment he had heard that quiet Voice at
the base of the cliff.

           
Not long after, God had opened her eyes to really see Pete, patient and
overflowing with love for her. Watching them together now, it was obvious to
Steve that this was what God had intended all along.

           
Which left – him.  Steve glanced sideways at the girl who walked so
contentedly by his side today. 
Was
she the one God intended for
him?  They barely knew each other, and yet Kelly had held a place in his
heart from the first moment he had looked into her laughing green eyes. 

           
Kelly caught his glance and held it with a sweet smile.  The force of it
sent his heart ricocheting off of his rib cage once again.  Steve
swallowed hard and managed to smile back, he head still whirling with questions
and wordless hope.

           
Kelly must have glimpsed the uncertainty in his eyes.  She stopped and
drew him to her.  Stretching on tiptoe, her lips brushed his in a soft butterfly
kiss.  Steve smiled, feeling the tension drain away at her touch.

           
“Nice,” he murmured.  She looked up into his face, her eyes searching his.

           
“I’ve been praying, Steve,” she told him.  “About us.”

           
Uh oh
…a moment of panic surged through him.  He buried it with
sheer determination. “Any good news to share?” He managed to ask her after a
moment.

           
She grinned. “God is good!”

           
“All the time,” he agreed. “But was there anything a bit more – personal?”

           
“I think so,” she answered thoughtfully. 

           
Several moments passed as Steve waited anxiously for her to continue, but she
seemed to have left him and traveled to a distant place in her head.  They
had reached the base of the summit trail, and the rest of their party was
already well up the rocky path. He could hear Gracie calling impatiently for
them to catch up.  At last he broke the silence.  “So, are you going
to share your revelation?”

           
She smiled, startled back to the present time, and Steve was once again struck
by how pretty and genuine she was.

           
“You won’t laugh?” She asked him timidly.

           
“Not if it’s an answer to a prayer,” he answered, growing more and more
curious.

           
“Well,” she glanced up at him and then looked away.  “I had the strangest
impression…” her eyes flickered from his face to the ground between them in
apprehension of what Steve would think.

           
“Kelly, just say it, whatever it is,” Steve urged.

           
“Okay.” Kelly took a deep breath. “Steve, I have always felt a connection to
you, ever since the first time I saw you years ago, which makes no sense,
because you certainly gave me no reason to think you would ever respond to
me.  So now, well, I was worried that I was letting my heart run away with
me.  I was afraid maybe this wasn’t so much God’s will as my own wish
fulfillment!”

           
Kelly was blushing furiously in embarrassment, but Steve had to force himself
to refrain from a shout of joy at her confession.  He knew how hard it was
for her to put her hopes out there in the open like this – hadn’t he just been
struggling with similar thoughts?

           
“Well, anyway,” she plunged on, “I was praying last night and finally I just
lay there, listening for a change.  That’s when I heard it.”

           
“Heard what Kelly?” Steve asked, trying to squash his growing impatience with
how long it was taking her to tell him.

           
“A voice,” she said simply. “Very clear.  “It said: “Be at peace with
this. Don’t let the shadow of evil overwhelm you.  When the time comes,
don’t be afraid to take his hand and make the leap.”

           
They were silent a moment as Steve repeated the phrases in his head. His brow
creased “Take
my
hand and leap?” he repeated questioningly.

           
“I think it means…” She halted again, blushing more furiously than ever. 
Steve felt the love that had been growing in his heart overflow now as he
listened to her baring her own heart to him.

           
He grabbed both of her hands. “Kelly, I’ve felt the same way about you! Ever
since I saw you this fall, it has been in my heart that you are the one that
God has had in mind for me all along!  It’s a kind of strange way to word
it, but I think God is giving us his blessing!”

           
Kelly’s shoulders sagged in relief. “That’s what I thought too,” she whispered,
a relieved smile spreading across her face.

           
“So, do you want to?” Steve asked, his heart in his throat.

           
“Make the leap?” She asked uncertain.

           
“Yes, make the leap. Marry me!”

           
She flung herself into his arms. “Yes!” She shrieked happily. “Oh yes!” 
Kelly buried her head against his chest, and he could feel her warm tears
dampening his shirt. Steve wrapped his arms around her and for a few moments,
they didn’t even breathe, not wanting to disturb this perfect moment of joy.

           
But an instant later, a red body streaked past them and Gracie’s plaintive
voice echoing down the hillside. “Daddy!! Where are you?
Daaaddyyyyyyy
!”

           
Steve sighed and stepped back from Kelly.  “We’re here!” He called back to
Gracie. We’ll be there in just a minute or two!”  He laughed and put his
hand under her chin, lifting her tear streaked face to his so he could kiss her. 
You realize that you will be a stepmother,” he warned her.

           
Kelly laughed and hiccupped at the same time. “I’ll have to work on my wicked
self, I guess.”

           
“
Daaaaddddddyyyyyyy
!”

           
He sighed, and finally stepped back from Kelly. “Come on, We’ll never have any
peace until we reach the summit.” For the next ten minutes they climbed up the
steep incline, finally emerging to the windswept summit. Gracie was waiting
impatiently for them. 

           
“Walk me out to the edge, please?” She begged him. Steve scooped her up and
swung her around in his exuberance. He couldn’t remember ever being this
content with his life.  Gracie shrieked with giddiness and gripped Steve’s
hand tightly as they made their way further out onto the center of the huge
expanse of bare rock. Small winds buffeted them, but the clear blue sky and
crisp fall air was exhilarating.  Unconsciously Steve reached for Kelly’s
hand too, and the three of them made their way out on the great jutting nose of
the overhang.

           
 Steve felt good. Standing here was such a sense of freedom, he thought.
Almost as if he were a bird floating in the vast sky that surrounding them.
Gracie pulled him forward a few more steps and cautiously peered over the side.
Steve looked down too, and then it happened.

           
His stomach lurched at the sight of the distant ground below and his head swam
nauseatingly. Instinctively he staggered back to the safe ground in the center
of the rock. Sweat poured down his face and he
panted
desperately for air to fill his lungs and steady his frantic gasps.

           
Kelly quickly realized what was happening as soon as she felt his body tense
beside hers. She squeezed Steve's hand in understanding, then released it and
reached for Gracie’s hand. She pointed out the circling turkey vultures high
above them, and led her to another vantage point on the rock.  Gracie
followed Kelly willingly enough, but she soon looked back to see why Steve
wasn't coming with them.  

           
“What’s wrong with Daddy?” she asked craning her neck to see where he had
retreated to.

           
“Nothing, really,” Kelly reassured her.  “He stepped wrong and nearly
twisted his ankle. He’ll be okay in a few minutes, I think.”

           
She walked the little girl a bit further away from her father so she wouldn’t
see his face until Steve had a chance to regain his composure. Slowly they
walked around the rock and then back to the center, where a few brave trees
struggled to grow.  Soon, Steve rejoined them, pale but calm, and they
made their way back toward Deborah, Pete, and the Grahams, who were spreading
out some snacks and drinks on Kelly’s old picnic rock. Bored with the
slow-moving grownups, Gracie skipped ahead and began nibbling on some of the
crackers and apple slices Mrs. Graham offered her.

           
“Thanks,” Steve muttered, his voice cracked with shame at his weakness. “I’ve
been that way since I came back up here.”

           
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Kelly reassured him. “It’s understandable
after the accident.”

           
Steve gave a bark of laughter. “It may be understandable, but it’s a bit of a
problem when it comes to my job.” He looked at her and she could see that the
question had bothered him for some time.  “What if Pete or Chuck hadn’t
been there that night when Alyssa fell? I froze, Kelly. Chuck covered for me,
and Pete stepped in, but I couldn’t do my job.”

           
“Give it time,” she said comfortingly, squeezing his hand. “You’ll get your
confidence back.”

           
“I hope so,” he muttered, unconvinced.

           
“Small steps,” she encouraged. When Steve didn't reply, she gently turned him
back to face the edge of the promontory.  “Stand here and look around.”

           
Wearily, Steve did as she said. He shrugged. “Fine,” he said. “As long as
people fall into the center of the rock, it will be a piece of cake.”

           
Kelly rolled her eyes. “Do you trust me?” She asked

           
Steve smiled at her. “With my heart,” he confirmed.

           
“How about your body?” She challenged. “Close your eyes and let me lead you.”

           
Steve stuck his arms out like a sleepwalker. “Lead on,” he said.

           
As in blind man’s bluff, Kelly turned him around several times to confuse his
sense of direction.  Then she carefully walked him around, finally
positioning him with his back to the ledge.  “Open your eyes.” She
instructed him.

           
Steve looked straight ahead. The rock was solid in front of him. He smiled.
“This is good.”

           
“Okay, now slowly make a quarter turn.”  Steve did, and while the ground
in front of him was still solid, he was aware that he was standing near the edge.
He tensed.  “Relax,” Kelly said softly.