The Way of Grace (Miller's Creek Novels) (56 page)

A smile touched her face
. “
After my experience today, I think I actually get that. It’s only when I recognize the depth of my depravity that I also recognize my need for a Savior and can fully accept His gift of grace.
But
the hardest part is co
ming to grips with my sinfulness
.
I belonged to Him and
still went the wrong way.”

The old man gave his head a shake, his eyes bright beneath his white bushy eyebrows.
“Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more
, Gracie
. God doesn’t change. His grace is—and always has been—enough. Not just for your sin, but for the sin of the entire world throughout history.”

Guilt continued to
prick
her insides. “Then why can’t I forgive myself?”

Jake nodded, one corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “That’s the tough part, isn’t it? Part of the reason lies with the enemy of our sou
ls. Satan wants to keep us
in a position of guilt.
He’ll keep reminding you—and use other
s
to remind you—but one day
you
’ll
reach the point
where
your understanding of God’s love and
grace is greater than the
guilt
the accuser
lays on your shoulders. T
he only way to get
to that plac
e is to remind
yourself
that
Christ
has already
paid t
he price
.”

Her throat so engorged
with tears
she could ba
rely speak
, Grace peered
into Jake
’s kind eyes
. “I’m like Jonah.
I let my
anger,
vindictiveness
, and my selfishness
become an excuse
to not
do what God wanted me to do—t
o forgive,
to
extend mercy, and
to
seek reconciliation.
”

“That’s always been His plan.”
The
gracious
old man
released a soft sigh and
stood to refill his coffee cup. “We’re all like Jonah
to a certain extent
. To forgive really is divine. It doesn’t come
so
easy to us humans, even when we’ve been the recipients of it on a far greater level than we’ll ever realize.” He took a sip, shuffled back her way, and eased his frail frame
o
nto the worn
-out
chair
, t
he scent of his
coffee preceding him
. “But the real question you should be asking is what are you going to do now?”

What indeed? The question c
onsumed her thoughts.
Lord, help me
know and do what
You
want.
H
er cell phone vibrated
and buzzed from within her purse. When she reached to silence it,
the number caught her attention. Consuela.

With apologies to her hosts, Graci
e
stepped outside
under an ancient live oak
to take the call
.

Consuela’s tearful voice pleaded with her. “Oh, Grace, we
need you. Elena is not doing well
. Can you please come
quic
k
ly
?”

What are you going to do now?
Jake’s question
resounded once more in her head, and she brought a trembling hand to her lips.
While p
art of her longed to
linger
i
n the shade of the vine God
provided
as a temporary respite
,
deep down she knew she couldn’
t stay. Her place was in Miller’s Creek
. O
f all people, Elena Delgado needed her help
.

She whispered her one-word answer into the phone.
God ha
d lavishly bestowed His grace and
forgiveness on her. How cou
ld she do less
?

Graci
e turned and moved back inside, Jake and
Julia
’s gazes
locking with
hers as
she entered. “L
ooks like I’m
headed
back
to Miller’s Creek
.”

23

D
r. Stevens stared at him.
Hard.
“I mean it, Matt. You need to take it easy for at least a couple of weeks.”

“I’ll make sure he stays away from all types of amplification.” Andy grinned as he spoke the words
early Sunday afternoon
.

An unstoppable laugh
gurg
led in
Matt’s throat. It wasn’t just
his brother
’s joke
that brought it on, but j
oy
in
knowing at last he could
see Gracie
and make sure she was safe
.
He
rose from the
hospital
bed
and stretched a hand
toward
his new friend
. “Thanks
for everything
, Doc
.”

The
white-coated
man
clasped his hand
with both of his own
.
“
M
y pleasure
, Matt
.
If you ever get knocked in the head again, you know where to find me.”
He waved
as he
left
the room.

Matt
hoisted
the duffle bag
to his shoulder and
glanced
at
his brother
.
“Ready
?”

“You better believe it.”
Andy held up his car keys
as proof
and jangled them, already headed toward the door.
“
R
eady to see my wife and kids.”

T
he
y strode down the hallway, and they reached the
elevator
, it
opened
and they stepped inside
. As the doors slid close
d
,
the events of the past week
marched through Matt’s thoughts
. “I really appreciate all you’ve done for me,
bro
.
D
on’t
know how I w
ould’ve made it
through
this
without you.”

“No
prob
, but
I’m pretty sure you
’d have busted outta this joint
a
couple of days ago had I not been here.”

The elevator opened into a parking garage, with the Z parked a few steps away.
“I’m pretty sure you’re right.”
Matt deposited his duff
l
e
bag
in the back and climbed in
.

After starting the car
,
Andy
adjust
ed the rearview mirror and backed ou
t
.
“I’ve b
een meaning to ask how
your
call to
Gracie
went
the other night
.
”

“
It didn’t.”
Matt’
s voice
flat lined
.
“
I got
hold of her dad, but
he said Jason found her a job in
Bellview
.
Think we could swing through
there
on our way to Miller’s Creek?”
The
incredulity that cover
ed
Andy’s features
might have
been funny under different circumstances
.
“
Please, Andy.
I know you’re ready to see Trish and the kids, but I
have
to make sure
sh
e
’s okay
.”

Andy
gave his head an exasperated shake and pulled into the far right lane for the upcoming turn that would take them through
Bellview
. “
I wouldn’t do this for just anybody, you know.”

Later that day,
after yet another failed attempt at finding her,
Matt
climbed back
into the car at
Bellview
Burger & Fries
Drive-In and slammed the door behind him.
He ran a hand across his mouth.
No one
he’d spoken to had even heard of
Grace
Soldano
.
Had she disappeared? Had Jason rigged the job to get her out of Miller’s Creek and then done away with her?

His fear escalated. A burning sensation moved from his stomach to his throat and dumped a sour taste in his mouth.

To his right, the driver’s side door opened, and
Andy folded himself into
the seat
, his eyes full of compassion
.
“Sorry, Matt. I know you’re
disappointed.”

He cou
ldn’t
speak. Couldn’t
find words to express what he was feeling.

Andy peered out the front window, searching the clouds. “Looks like quite a storm we have rolling in. We’d better
hightail
it back to Miller’s Creek before it hits. Forecast is calling for ice and lots of it.”

As they left the
dusty streets of the
town behind, Matt stared out the window
at the gathering clouds
.
God,
You
know how much she means to me. Please let me find her.
They passed a quaint and picturesque country church
, just the kind of place that would appeal to Gracie
.
“Stop!”

Andy braked hard and stee
red to the shoulder. “What
?”

“Turn around. We have to go back.”

His brother sighed.
“Matt, we looked all over
Bellview
alre
ad
y and with this front pushing though
—”

“G
o back to that little church we just passed.”

“Why?”

Matt
made eye contact with Andy
, praying he’d understand.
“I know this sounds crazy, but her name is on that church. I have to look there.”

Andy sent a ‘you-
gotta
-be-out-of-your-mind’ glare, but
pulled a U and
head
ed
back to the church.

As they pulled into the grass-co
vered parking lot, an elderly couple walked
hand in hand toward them from a small house behind the church.
Matt
opened
the car
door and stood behind
it
, the wind beginning to blow strong from the north, whipping through the
brown leaves still clinging to
the trees
.

“Can we help you, son?”
The old man’s white hair practically glowed
from a shaft of
afternoon light
on the western horizon
.

For some reason, the word ‘son’
sent peace
spiraling in
and around him.
Matt nodded
and stepped
to where they stood
. “I think you can. Do you
, by any chance,
know Gracie
Soldano
?”

At the mention of her name, the man and woman shared a smile before the man spoke again.
“W
e know her.
Had
l
unch with her just a while ago.”

Relief washed over him, and he offered up a silent prayer of thanks.

“
You must be Matt.”
The woman’s
voice held
natural friendliness mixed with more than a little curiosity
.