Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) (2 page)

When Kaitlin's attention was once again drawn to the shore, she saw that the couple had stopped to face each other. Sure that she was about to be an unwilling witness to an embrace, Kaitlin turned quickly into the trees and walked toward home. As she went she prayed about the restlessness that again reared its head after seeing that couple.

The sun's position told her she was late for lunch and she knew she'd have to apologize. But she also knew she would not be scolded-not today that is. Today was much too special. This was her twentieth birthday!

two

"I don't think it's fair." The little girl spoke to her mother from a stool in the corner of the kitchen.

"It's very fair, Marcail, and you know it. I warned you this morning at breakfast that if you were too far away to hear me calling, then you're far enough away to be punished."

"But I came as soon as Sean told me to."

"I shouldn't have had to send your brother at all. If you had stayed where you were supposed to, you would have heard me calling."

"I'll bet Katie's been to the beach. Will she be punished for making lunch late?"

The attempt to divert Theresa Donovan's attention to Kaitlin didn't work and she sent her eight-year-old daughter a look that told her she had heard enough. Marcail lowered her eyes and sat quietly for her punishment, wondering as she did if someone would remember to call her for lunch.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Mother." Kaitlin spoke as she entered the kitchen and bent to kiss her mother's cheek.

"That's all right dear, but be sure to thank Sean, he set the table for you."

"What did Marc do?" Kaitlin wanted to know, as she looked at her sister in the corner.

"She can tell you if she wants."

Kaitlin's brows rose in question and her look was kind. Marcail cocked her head to one side and admitted in a small voice, "I was down at Loni's."

Kaitlin nodded. Loni was Marcail's best friend but her hut was on the beach and Marcail was not allowed to go there alone. Loni's mother was dead and her father was rarely home during the day. The lack of adult supervision had forced Theresa to decide that if Marcail and Loni wanted to play, it would-be at the Donovan home.

Theresa had watched the exchange between her daughters and smiled as she went back to work. Theresa's sweet spirit had given her very special relationships with her children. It wasn't any wonder that Marcail responded well to Katie, who was so much like Theresa.

Not that they were alike physically. In fact Katie's resemblance to her father was almost frightening. She was tall and full-figured with deep brown eyes that looked right to your soul with compassion and kindness. Her face, with its well-shaped nose and high cheekbones, would probably be considered beautiful were it not for her strong square jaw. It lent a look of stubbornness that her nature rarely exhibited.

Marcail's tiny frame on the other hand, was the physical image of her mother. But there the resemblance ended. Marcail's personality was very much like her father's. Theresa didn't have half the energy her husband possessed and never once would she have questioned someone in authority over her. Marcail had no such inhibitions and that, along with her questioning mind, was enough to wear Theresa to the bone.

Sean was already at the table when the food was carried in. At fourteen his appetite was voracious. He was already showing signs of having his father's large build. An inch taller than Kaitlin, people who didn't know them often mistook them for twins.

Theresa sat at the head of the table since she wasn't expecting her husband until evening, and looked at her children as they began to eat. As always she felt a little amazed at how, with their black hair and tanned complexions, they resembled the Hawaiian people to whom they ministered on the island.

"Mother, aren't you feeling well?" The question came from Kaitlin who had observed her mother's untouched plate.

"I'm fine dear. I'm just growing sentimental in my old age."

"You're not too old, Mother," Sean stated in his logical way.

"Thank you, Son." His mother's tone was dry.

"Will father be late tonight?" Marcail chimed in.

"The usual time, I think," Theresa answered, with a little sigh that-made- her children stare at her.

"Mother," Kaitlin's brow furrowed slightly, "have you lost weight?" Theresa became instantly alert.

"Am I looking poorly, Kate?" she evaded the question neatly.

"Oh, no, Mother, you always look lovely." Kaitlin smiled sincerely, even as she noticed her mother's face was flushed. Kaitlin was rewarded with her mother's beautiful smile.

three

The afternoon moved by quickly as friends came to visit and some baking was done. Kaitlin found herself wishing her father would come home a little early but it was not to be. By the time the supper hour neared, Kate was pacing like a caged animal.

"Katie, you're walking a hole in that floor mat."

"I know, Mother, but I thought Father would be here by now."

"He'll be here, Katie, he'll be here," Theresa said as she worked on her school lessons for next week. She and Kaitlin taught together in the mission school which was attended by both village and missionary children.

Kaitlin flopped onto -a stuffed pallet on the floor and tried not to think about her birthday supper and the gifts that would be presented in the Donovan tradition. But it was no use. Her eyes went again and again to the table already set for the meal, especially the lack of gifts next to her place.

After a thorough scrutiny of the table, her eyes swung to Sean. He usually teased her senseless about knowing what her gift was. This year he hadn't said a word.

Marcail was the next person to come under Kaitlin's regard, but she was looking at a book and not at her anxious older sister. Had Katie cared to look at her mother she would have found herself being studied quite intently.

She's a young 20, Theresa thought to herself. Not physically of course, but emotionally. Her world has been protected. Even when there was trouble in the mission, the children were never involved. She's never known hate or rejection.

But she has the Lord, and there's nothing more I would ask for her. Oh, Father in heaven, Theresa's thoughts turned to prayer, please keep her close to you. I trust You to give only what she can take. Please help her believe that too. Her world will be changing so quickly over the next weeks, please help her to keep her hand in Yours.

"It's Father!" Marcail bounced up a moment later, the first to hear his feet on the path. Patrick Sean Donovan II was greeted with the usual enthusiasm his family afforded him.

"Every man should come home to this kind of love." It was his customary statement but hearing it often never erased the smiles from the faces of his wife and children.

'Are you hungry, Father?" Kaitlin asked anxiously.

"Not really. I think I'll have my evening swim before we eat." Kate, so excited over her birthday, missed the twinkle in his eye. Her face fell with disappointment, but she didn't complain. Grumbling, and rightly so, was not allowed.

"Father is teasing you, Kate," her mother spoke softly to her daughter and then louder to her mate, "For shame, Father. If you could have seen this girl pace around in anticipation all afternoon you would not torment her."

'Anticipation of what?" Father asked with his eyes wide. Katie smiled, seeing that he was not done with her.

"I'm not sure myself," Katie teased back. "Since I see no packages at my place."

"Well, we'll have to see what we can do about that. Happy Birthday, Kaitlin." This time his smile held no teasing and the embrace he gave her warmed her to the depths of her soul. He released her to wash quickly for supper and in a few minutes they were seated around the table.

In the Donovan birthday fashion, gifts were opened before supper. Sean and Marcail were as excited as Kaitlin when father smiled at all of them and began to speak.

"We don't have anything for you to open, Kaitlin."

"What Father means, is that there was no way to wrap your gift. But we hope you'll be pleased," Theresa quickly added with a smile.

"Now, in the past," Father went on, "the gift would have been strictly your own and the choice to share it would have been yours. But this year we are asking you to share your gift with all of us." He stopped a moment, meeting the confused glances of his son and younger daughter before looking back at an equally confused birthday girl.

"I've booked passage on the Pacific Flyer. We all leave for San Francisco in a month!"

It took a full minute for this statement to sink in and then questions poured in a torrent from the three young Donovans.

"You mean California?"

"Will we see Aunt Maureen?"

"How big is the ship?"

"How long will we be gone?"

"How long does it take to get there?"

"Can I have a new dress?"

"What of the mission and school?"

"Can I invite Loni?"

Father's hands were in the air in an effort to gain some quiet. His voice was full of laughter as he spoke.

"Hold on, everyone, hold on. I'll explain everything to you as we eat."

Father thanked God for the food and the twenty years with Kaitlin. As dishes were passed he explained the plans for his family.

"As you know, Katie, you were only five years old when we came to the islands and we haven't been back to California since. Your mother and I both feel that it's time.

"I've written to Aunt Maureen and she's expecting us. I haven't chosen an actual date to return here to the islands, but I imagine we'll be at your Aunt's for six to eight weeks.

"Now, back to your questions. We'll see if we can't come up with new dresses for each of you girls and maybe a shirt for Sean." Father took a moment to inspect his son's hair and clothing. "On second thought, maybe you should just get something from my clothes. Theresa, when did he get so big?"

Sean smiled at the compliment from his father and then Kate asked, "What of the mission and the school?"

"Things are in good shape right now, Katie, and even if they weren't, it's time for us to have a break. Your brother and sister have never been off this island. I also think the other missionaries are overly dependent on us sometimes. We won't be gone for too long, and it will be good for them to see they can do very well in our absence.

"There are at least three men who can fill in for services. Things at the school are a little trickier because both you and your mother will be gone, but I've talked it over with everyone and I'm sure they'll work it out.

"You children were never aware of it, but this is not the first time we've made plans to leave Hawaii." Father saw that his words were a shock. "But in the past God has always closed the door on our plans, and your mother and I have accepted that. This time I feel very certain that, even if something unexpected arises, God's leading is for us to sail to the states."

"Can Loni go with us?"

Father's eyes became very tender as he looked at his youngest daughter, so like his beloved Theresa in appearance. He slid his chair back and held his arms out to her. Marcail settled in his lap and then looked up at him. He kissed her brow.

"You wouldn't want us to leave you here when we sail, would you Marcail?"

'No."

"Well, it's the same for Loni. We wouldn't want to take her away from her family. Think how lonely she would be for them." The little girl looked thoughtful and then asked if they could take Loni's whole family. Father smiled but answered with a definite no.

"Marcail, you need to finish your supper dear," her mother reminded her. "Tomorrow are Sunday services and I want you in bed on time. Kaitlin, Sean, please try to eat. I know you're excited but we're not leaving for a month and..." Theresa stopped talking when she saw that her children were hundreds of miles away. Husband and wife exchanged a smile.

"And you thought she might be disappointed about not having something to open," Patrick whispered to Theresa, who gave him an exaggerated sigh and then chuckled.

"You were right, Patrick, as always, you were right."