The Someday List (14 page)

Gabe was confident that anything she said about him would
wow people. Who wasn't impressed with a heart surgeon?

But where was Troy these days, and did Rachelle still have
feelings for him? Gabe was more than curious, especially with
the way she had been acting lately.

True to her word, however, she had packed his bags for Uganda
before she left. He wanted to call and thank her, but then again,
he wanted her to reach out to him. She was punishing him, and
it wasn't right.

The phone rang and Gabe leapt to check caller ID. Instead of it
being Rachelle, it was his surgical partner, Lyle Stevens. He tried
to mask his disappointment.

"Hey man, what's up?" Stevens asked.

He was the coolest white guy Gabe knew. Gray had overtaken
his blonde hair, but Lyle Stevens exercised faithfully and was in
top shape, and he still carried himself with the confidence of a
man who knew his rugged good looks and piercing blue eyes
caused women to swoon.

Most of them didn't care so much about his intelligence, but
Gabe appreciated that Stevens was also the smartest guy he knew.
They had practiced together for six years and, at one point, had
joked about understanding each other better than either of them
understood their spouses.

That fact had once been a bragging point at parties, and until
recently, Gabe hadn't realized that it might have bothered Rachelle.
She never let on.

Stevens did an about-face four years ago. He and his wife,
Chrissa, left their stoic, traditional congregation for a nondenominational church that emphasized daily Bible study as central
to forming a deeper relationship with Christ. To Gabe, it had
sounded strange, and even cultish, but the longer Stevens attended,
the healthier and happier he seemed.

He and Chrissa eventually had determined, through prayer and
discussions with church leaders, that their life's purpose included
using their practical skills and sharing their faith with people in
Africa and other Third World countries. For the past three years,
they had traveled to Uganda to provide medical care and lead
Bible studies in the small towns surrounding Kampala, the nation's
capital. They lavished most of their attention on an orphanage run by a Ugandan minister and his wife, where children who called
the place home thrived.

This year, Stevens had recruited both Gabe and Veronica Hayes,
one of the nurses who assisted them during surgeries, to make the
trip. They would join Stevens and his wife and five others from
the church, and each of them had assigned tasks. While Gabe,
Stevens, and another doctor on the team would treat patients in
local hospitals and villages, Chrissa and the others would distribute special mosquito nets that helped prevent malaria. They also
would lead Bible studies for children and adults.

Gabe had never been too keen about the ministry aspect of the
mission trip, but he was determined to get Stevens off his back. If
he didn't go this year, he'd never hear the end of it.

Plus, he had realized in recent weeks what a great marketing
tool the trip had become. Along with a feature article in Houston's
daily newspaper, a local TV station had asked the mission team
to take along a camcorder and record spots that could be shared
with their viewers when they returned.

Gabe could take or leave the prayers and Scripture readings,
but he knew that was exactly what Stevens was calling about tonight.

"Nothing much is going on here;' he told Stevens. "Rachelle is
still visiting relatives in jubilant so I'm just hanging out. Whatcha
need?"

"I know you said Rachelle had you all packed; did she remember
to tuck a Bible in there somewhere?"

Gabe hadn't seen one, so he was pretty sure she hadn't. "Was
that on the list you gave me? Sorry, man. I doubt it:"

"You know I've got you covered;' Stevens said.

Gabe rolled his eyes. "Look man, I'm not trying to go over there
and become a lay priest. I do what I do, and I do it well. Heart stuff. Internal medicine. That's where I'm going to help. Bible talk-I'm
leaving that to you and Chrissa and the other folks."

Stevens chuckled. "You just be ready in the morning, four
a.m. sharp. We'll swoop by to pick you up. When you talk to
Rachelle, tell her I said hello and reassure her that I'll bring you
back safely."

Gabe had hung up and dialed Rachelle's cell again.

She didn't answer, and after the fifth ring, the voice mail picked
up. Hearing her recorded voice was reassuring, but he didn't leave
a message.

Was he losing her? The thought rattled him. He was Gabe
Covington. Couldn't happen ... could it?

The home phone rang once again, and he dashed to it, only to
be disappointed a second time by Lyle Stevens.

"Yeah, man? Why you ringing my phone off the hook?"

Stevens laughed. "What you gonna do about it? I forgot to ask
you to let me pray with you, this last night at home before our
trip, especially since Rachelle isn't there"

If she had been home, she still wouldn't have thought to pray
with him. Stevens knew that, but he was ever the gentleman.
Gabe sighed.

Stevens grew serious. "I know you aren't into this Christianity
thing, Gabe, but it's a huge part of why we do what we do in the
mission field. Let me pray with you, and for you, tonight. It can
seriously impact how well our mission trip goes and whether
we're able to help a significant number of people"

Gabe sucked his teeth and reclined on the chaise. He kept his
eyes open and stared at the ceiling. "Go ahead:"

Stevens asked God to protect them during their travels, to
allow the medical supplies they had shipped a few weeks earlier
to arrive on time, and for the hearts, minds, and souls of everyone they encountered to be open to the transforming power of Jesus.
Then, he specifically prayed for his friend.

"Father, bless brother Gabe for agreeing to go on this trip to
a foreign land to meet others' medical needs. Thank you in advance for guiding him when he renders a diagnosis and performs
surgeries. Give him wisdom as he leads and loves his family with
the same love that you show him:'

Gabe winced. Is that the problem? I'm a great doctor but I don't
know how to love my family?

The notion left him uneasy. But when he surveyed the expensive furnishings and accent pieces in his bedroom, and recalled
all that he provided for his family, he didn't believe it could
be true. Everything that caught his eye disproved that flash of
doubt.

When Stevens said "Amen," Gabe quickly said goodbye. He
jumped up and headed to the bathroom.

Nothing else to do-so I might as well turn in early, he decided.

After a shower and a slice of cold pizza, Gabe turned on the
TV and straddled the bed. He surfed until he landed on a sports
channel and settled back on his pillow. Usually he enjoyed having
the room and the remote to himself. Tonight, however, he felt
awkward lying in this expansive space alone, with nothing but the
shadows created by the moonlight to keep him company.

He was dozing off when his cell phone rang.

It was nurse Veronica.

"Hi, Gabe, babe. All packed for tomorrow?" she asked in a
sultry drawl. "Ready for our trip?"

What did she want? "I'm ready. Stevens has made sure of
that."

"So you got prayed over too;' she said and laughed. "He and his wife are so cute. Surviving this God stuff is going to be the
most interesting part of the trip."

Gabe agreed. That and making sure he had a family to come
back to. He sat up in bed and pointed the remote at the flat screen
TV to turn it off. He reached for the cordless phone on the nightstand.

"Veronica, I'll see you in the morning. I need to call Rachelle."

achelle couldn't go home.

She picked up Gabe's message around ten p.m.,
asking if she could somehow make it home in time to see him
off to Uganda.

"If I've pushed you away, I'll do better;' he said. "Call me, Rachelle"

If anything, the voice mail message made her angry. When she
had settled Yasmin into bed and checked on Indigo, she went into
the kitchen and called him back. He answered promptly, but she
didn't allow him to speak.

"Gabe, I got your message, but I can't come home. Aunt Irene
dislocated her hip in a car accident today and I need to be here
for the family. She's having surgery tomorrow."

She didn't tell him that Aunt Irene had been charged with
drunk driving or that the accident had left a young boy with a
broken leg and arm.

Gabe tried to interject, but she didn't let him.

"Have a safe trip to Uganda. Don't forget to call Tate and Taryn
and leave them a message at Mom's and Dad's, if you haven't already talked to them. And about your desire to work things out
... we'll see, Gabe."

Rachelle sighed and felt the wave rushing toward her again.
Where was all of this resentment coming from?

"I can't believe you aren't going to be here for me," Gabe said.

Rachelle frowned. "You sound like a little boy, pouting over
a missing toy. I'm not there to occupy you, the kids aren't home,
and even Helen isn't around. You don't have anybody to cater to
you at the moment, so you're feeling neglected. Well, too bad.
Call me when you get back from Uganda and let's see how sincere
you are then.

"In the meantime? Can you please ask Lyle and Chrissa to pray
for Aunt Irene and for Jillian?" Rachelle asked. "I know they won't
just give lip service; they'll actually follow through. Have a good
night, Gabe. Be safe"

"Good night, Rachelle. I'll see you when I get back. Take care
of yourself and ... ;" Gabe sounded contrite, "come home?"

She hung up without responding. This attitude would earn
her an ugly nickname in some circles, but right now she could
care less.

Gabe was finally paying her some attention, and for the first
time she could recall, she didn't want to be bothered.

Rachelle rose from the table and filled the kettle on the stovetop
with fresh water. Some people couldn't live without their coffee;
tea was her thing. She always had at least two cups in the morning
and two before going to bed.

It had been an emotional day, and she wasn't the least bit sleepy.
Hopefully she could make some progress on her Top Ten List, or
at least move past number one.

Why is this bothering me so much?

She asked herself that question for the hundredth time as she
poured honey into her tea and stirred it with a teaspoon. Was it
because Jillian had made the request and she wanted to honor it? She thought so at first, but in just the past few days, she realized
that answer might be too simple.

Jillian had merely opened her eyes to all that she was missing,
despite the trappings of wealth and privilege. If she could focus
enough to decide what mattered most, maybe she would be able
to stop floating through life at everyone else's whim.

The baby steps she had taken so far felt good, but what use
was it to push the envelope if she had no road map? Every day
she was better appreciating the fragility of life; she didn't feel
invincible anymore.

If she didn't do something about it soon, the things she might
someday desire would have passed her by.

he phone rang nonstop the next morning, with everyone
from Aunt Irene's fellow retired schoolteacher friends
to Uncle Charles's boss calling to check on her.

Rachelle had forgotten how quickly news spread in a close-knit
community. She fielded as many calls as she could before deciding
to change the voice mail message.

"Thank you for calling the Burns family. We appreciate your
thoughts and prayers for Irene. She is undergoing surgery soon
and is expected to fully recuperate. We will update this message
as soon as there is more news. In the meantime, please keep the
family in your prayers. Thanks and God bless:"

Rachelle felt a bit hypocritical recording such a faith-filled
message when she barely knew how to pray. She took the ease
at which the words rolled off her tongue as proof that she wasn't
the only one who could turn holy when the situation called for
it. Yet if the need arose, could she have effectively prayed with or
for Aunt Irene? She wasn't so sure.