The Stubborn Father
Read The Stubborn Father Online
Authors: Jean; Wanda E.; Brunstetter Brunstetter
© 2016 by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter
Print ISBN 978-1-63409-204-3
eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-63409-836-6
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-63409-837-3
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.
All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.
Cover design: Müllerhaus Publishing Arts Inc.,
www.mullerhaus.net
Cover photography: Richard Brunstetter III; RBIII Studios
Published by Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683,
www.shilohrunpress.com
Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.
Printed in the United States of America.
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Table of Contents
HAPTER
1
Charm, Ohio
T
hat son of mine can sure get under my skin,” Eustace grumbled, pacing the living-room floor. Never once had Joel apologized for the hurt he’d caused his family by leaving the Amish church. Even worse, he only came around whenever he wanted something and didn’t act interested in being part of their family. With the exception of Eustace’s eight-year-old grandson, Scott, Joel had hardly spoken to anyone during his visit here tonight. It would have been nice if Joel had actually stayed the night and the two of them could have visited like any normal father and son. But no, Joel let his temper get the best of him and stormed out the door.
Guess I can’t blame him, though. Joel was upset because I wouldn’t loan him twenty-five thousand dollars.
Eustace frowned.
It was a lot of money to ask for—an amount Joel would probably never pay back.
It wasn’t because Eustace didn’t have adequate funds in the bank—he had more than enough to loan Joel.
But if I’d given it to him, what would it teach my selfish son? He has
to learn responsibility sometime in his life. After all, he’s twenty-six years old.
Eustace stopped pacing and stared at his wife’s old rocking chair, empty and void without her. “This is your fault, Effie.” He pointed at the chair as if she were sitting there. “Our son has become ungrateful for everything we’ve done for him. You spoiled him rotten from the time he was born.”
Eustace stood by Effie’s chair, using his foot to get it rocking in motion. As the chair creaked back and forth, he could almost see his wife looking defiantly back at him. The more he thought about what Effie would have said if she were there, the more he had to admit she’d probably be right. After having three daughters, Eustace had been so excited to have a boy when Joel came along that he’d been a bit too permissive as well. He’d often looked the other way when Joel had done something he shouldn’t, and he’d given him things he probably didn’t need.
In some ways Joel reminded Eustace of himself. As a youngster he’d been full of energy, anxious to explore the world, and always looking to try new things.
But I was grounded in my faith.
Eustace sat down in Effie’s rocker, grasping the arms of the chair.
Well, at least in most things. I stayed true to my church and family. That’s more than Joel can say.
Eustace’s gaze came to rest on the Bible lying on the small table beside him. Effie’s Bible. When the children were all living at home, their mother would gather them around the rocking chair every evening while she read a passage of scripture out loud. Then after the children were grown and out on their own, she’d read to Eustace. Afterward, they would discuss the verses and how they applied to their life. Eustace missed those days. He missed everything about his dear wife and all they’d done together. He and Effie had been deeply in love, and he’d never grown tired of learning more about her.
Because Effie is gone doesn’t mean I should neglect Bible reading.
Eustace picked up her Bible and opened it to a section in the book of Luke she’d marked with a white ribbon. Holding the book made him feel closer to Effie. He noticed the page had several verses underlined—in fact, a whole passage about the prodigal son that started at verse 11 of chapter 15.
A lump formed in Eustace’s throat as he read the story. Joel was like the prodigal, only he had never come back repentant. His vision blurred, and his heart ached for his son.
He
needs to repent, Lord,
Eustace prayed.
Even if Joel never comes back to live as an Amish man, I hope he will find his way back to You. If there is anything I can do to help my son see the error of his ways, please show me how.
Wiping tears with his shirtsleeve, he murmured, “My job as Joel’s father is to help him get on the right path. Effie would agree with me wholeheartedly on that. My
kinner
are too important for me to look the other way. As long as there is breath in my body, I need to keep looking for a way.”
He sat staring at the Bible then closed his eyes for a while. Finally, an idea popped into his head. It might not be the right thing to do, and perhaps Joel would never change, but at least Eustace could find solace in making an attempt to bring Joel to the Lord. Rising from Effie’s chair, he turned off the gas lamp and made his way down the hall to get ready for bed.
Dover, Ohio
“Wh–where am I?” Joel moaned when someone’s cold fingers touched his forehead. “Kristi, is that you?” He was surprised when he opened his eyes long enough to see a middle-aged woman with short brown hair looking down at him.
What’s going on here?
“You’re in the hospital. Please lie still. I’m Karen, your nurse and I need to take your vitals now. Dr. Blake, your attending physician, doesn’t want you to try and get up yet.”
This couldn’t be true, even though Joel’s body hurt in places he didn’t know he had. A small attempt to shift his weight made every muscle scream out in pain. “Wh–what happened? How’d I get here?”
“You were in an accident and brought here to Union Hospital by ambulance.” Her touch was gentle as she lifted Joel’s arm and took his blood pressure.
“Oh, yeah, now I remember.” Joel squeezed his eyes shut as he attempted to block out the pain. “A crazy driver swerved into my lane and came straight at me. I’ll bet he was drunk.” Joel moaned, a little deeper this time. “How bad am I hurt? Was there much damage to my truck?”
“Your condition isn’t serious, but you do have a mild concussion, so we are keeping you overnight for observation. If you’re having a lot of pain, we can give you something to help. I’ll get in touch with the doctor and see what he will allow for the discomfort.” The nurse gently patted his arm. “Try to rest now. The doctor will be in to see you soon.”
“But what about my truck?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I imagine a tow truck was called, so your vehicle was probably taken to the impound yard.”
“Great.” Joel grunted in frustration, turning his head to the side. “Where’s my cell phone? I need to make a call.”
Speaking softly, the nurse replied, “When you were brought to this room, only your clothes and wallet were with you.”
“I have to call Kristi so I can let her know what’s happened. Maybe she can find my car, and my cell phone, too.”
“Is Kristi a relative?”
“No, she’s my girlfriend. I don’t have any family. At least none who care about me.” Joel couldn’t keep the bitterness from his tone. After the way he’d been treated at Dad’s tonight, he didn’t care if he ever saw any of his family again.
“There’s a telephone right here you can use to call your girlfriend.” She gestured to the phone near his bed.
A searing pain shot through Joel’s head as he shook it vigorously. “Her number is programmed into my cell phone, and I don’t have it memorized.”
“If she has a landline, we can look it up in the phone directory.”
Joel clenched his teeth, which also made his head hurt. “It’s a good idea, but Kristi only has a cell phone.” A sense of panic rose in his soul. He felt trapped here in the hospital with no cell phone, unable to get ahold of Kristi. Joel needed her now, more than ever.