 
Eyes on the Unseen Prize

S.J. Thomason
Copyright © 2016 S.J. Thomason

Smashwords ISBN: 9781311154347

Amazon CreateSpace ISBN-13: 978-1535343336

ISBN-10: 1535343338

Title: Eyes on the Unseen Prize

First Edition

EBook Publisher and Distributor: Smashwords

Print Publisher and Distributor: Amazon CreateSpace

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version ® NIV ®

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc.

Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

* Version 1 License Notes

Thank you for purchasing this book. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others by any means for commercial or non-commercial purposes without permission of the author. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Names, characters and events depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination and are only fiction. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, alive or deceased, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or publisher.

DEDICATION

_This book is dedicated to my husband, sons, and extended family._

"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day" Proverbs 4:18 (NIV) _._

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see"

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV).

"And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith"

Hebrews 12: 1-2.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary"

2 Corinthians 4:18

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank my Reedsy editor, whose editing, outlines, and extensive knowledge helped me to take this book to another level. I also thank my cover designer, Melody Simmons. Finally, I thank the pastors of the Fishhawk Fellowship Church who inspired me to renew my faith in Christianity.
CONTENTS

Chapter 1: So Bobnoxious

Chapter 2: The Love Warriors

Chapter 3: Walk of Shame

Chapter 4: Good Fiction

Chapter 5: Choosing a Soulmate

Chapter 6: The Companion

Chapter 7: He's Like Flypaper on Steroids

Chapter 8: The Frog on the Rock

Chapter 9: St. Patrick's Day

Chapter 10: A Snake in the Garden

Chapter 11: Paved with Good Intentions

Chapter 12: Time for the Truth

Chapter 13: Oren, Sir Oren

Chapter 14: Grandfathers and Cuckoos

Chapter 15: All Babies Go to Heaven

Chapter 16: Reflections at the Pond

Chapter 17: Can I Tell You Something?

Chapter 18: The Unexpected Dad

Chapter 19: Christmas

Chapter 20: It's Never Too Late

Chapter 21: Why Me?

Chapter 22: Radiance in the White Sky

Eyes on the Unseen Prize

Chapter 1

So Bobnoxious

From the top of the mountain Piper surveyed the ski slope before her. A bitter chill stirred within her, which caused her to question her abilities in mastering the run. Black diamond expert slopes always caused some angst. Moguls? She hoped not, but something told her they were there. Black diamonds almost always had moguls. Her body shivered and her teeth chattered.

"Looks really steep, Nick. I didn't know Ruthie's Run was a black diamond. I was thinking we were going to start on an intermediate run instead, to warm up. Could be some moguls under that powder."

"Warm up? Piper, you crack me up. As if you won't shred it up like you always do."

Piper looked at Nick and smiled. His reassurance was comforting and his handsome features breathtaking. Tall and muscular with a dazzling smile that contrasted his dark hair and sun-kissed skin, he was perfect.

"Well, maybe," she said, "as long as we can steer clear of any moguls."

"We'll do that. C'mon. Follow me. How hard can it be?" Nick lunged forward with his poles to tackle the formidable run.

"How hard can it be?" Piper chuckled as she dug her poles into the ground and pushed herself forward to follow him, beginning their first of many ski runs that day. The slope was steep, but its thick powder covering helped her to maintain control, despite her accelerating speed. A rush of adrenaline pumped through her veins and reminded her of why she loved skiing so much. And watching Nick ski in perfect form ahead of her reminded her of why she loved Nick so much. It had been more than three years since they had started to date and she was as blissful as she had ever been. She followed his path down the middle of the slope, which was lined on both sides by what seemed like hundreds of snow-covered pine trees. The only sounds she could hear were the sounds of her skis cutting through the snow and the gentle whistles of the wind as it danced around the mountain.

"Loving it!" Nick hollered out.

"Definitely!"

Piper marveled at the way the sun shone against the snow on the ski slope in front of her in a parade of shimmering lights. She was in God's country, where the shadowy spirits had no place. The spirits hid from the morning sun's light, but they didn't hide from her. She could see them when they came out.

A few minutes passed before Nick slowed down and Piper caught up with him. They skied next to each other in parallel and flawless form. Faster and faster they traveled along before they came upon a part of the slope covered in moguls. Piper shuddered as they both skidded to a stop. The last time she skied over moguls, she broke her arm and ruined a vacation.

"Oh, man. How are we going to get through this? I hate moguls."

"Let's take it slowly, Piper. We'll crisscross the slope. Follow me."

Piper drew in a deep breath before following Nick across the slope in an almost horizontal direction. She was careful not to let her skis get caught between the bumps, but every so often they did. Her legs felt like spaghetti as they hopped over the bumps as if she had no muscles at all. Time dragged on and on.

"Whew," she sighed. "Glad that's over."

"Me too. I know how much you hate moguls. The lift is over there," he said as he pointed to the bottom of a short slope in front of them."

"Perfect." Standing in line would give her sore legs a little bit of relief.

When they reached the chairlift line, Piper hugged Nick. "If not for the moguls, that run would have been perfect. Totally exhilarating," she said, still catching her breath. Only a few people were ahead of them in the lift line, which formed at the bottom of three different ski runs. It wouldn't be long before they were back atop the mountain ready to tackle another run.

"Let's do a blue this time, Nick."

"Sounds like a plan."

Nick put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to kiss her. "Sorry if that surprised you. I just can't resist those gorgeous cherry-reds. Love you."

"Love you too, Nick. You're the best."

She relished the time she was spending alone with Nick, yet knew that they would be joined by the others at some point in the day, hopefully much later. Quite a few friends were also on the mountain for the same reason they were there, which was the wedding of Chase and Cherie.

A familiar voice lit up the slopes, yet not the voice she wanted to hear at that particular moment. "Yippee-i-yay! Living the dream, baby!"

She looked upwards and spotted a slender-looking man on a snowboard heading down the ski run next to Ruthie's Run. Though teetering in and out of control, he laughed like mad as he headed towards the lift line. Piper wondered whether he was drunk.

"No way. Bob's up," Nick said with a laugh.

"Great." Piper muttered. She was surprised he had risen so early, given his condition the night before when they had kicked him out of the bar. Feeling a little disappointed that her time with Nick was about to be infringed upon, she turned away from Bob and towards the chairlift. Maybe he would go his own way that day. Maybe he would bypass the lift and head to the bottom of the mountain. Maybe he didn't see them. Maybe he would realize she and Nick wanted time alone with each other.

"Want some hooch?" Bob asked as he slid next to them in the lift line and yanked a flask from a pocket in his puffy ski jacket. His cowboy hat was tattered and his jeans were covered in snow, suggesting he had been in a yard sale on the slopes a short while before.

"Nope. Too early for me," Nick said, "7:30 a.m., Florida time."

Piper glared at Bob.

"None for you pretty lady?"

"C'mon Bob, you know I'm not into drinking."

Bob swigged down some hooch and tucked the flask back into his pocket. "My first run this morning was epic. Love shredding freshies."

"Oh yeah, we loved it too. Took Ruthie's Run. Steep and sweet. Where's Flypaper?" Nick asked as he scanned the slopes.

"Don't know. He met a lovely lady in the bar last night. That's all I can say. Vintage Flypaper."

"Well, I'm sure we'll see him tonight at the Rowdy Rooster."

"Yeah," Bob said as he pulled out a can of chewing tobacco, pinched a dip, and tucked it into his upper lip. Now he had the appearance of a Simpson cartoon character. Nice.

"Can I ride up the triple with you guys?"

"Of course," Nick said as he nudged and winked at Piper.

Moments later the three ascended up the mountain on the triple chairlift. Piper was surprised to find Bob sitting between her and her man. So Bobnoxious.

***

The luscious scent of grilled burgers wafted through the mountain air that afternoon, beckoning skiers to stop by for lunch. Bob, Nick, and Piper answered that call as they stopped at its purveyor, which was a woodsy sort of restaurant midway down the mountain at the bottom of a ski run. Skiers of all ages were present at picnic tables on the outside deck as they enjoyed their little slice of paradise among friends and family. They further basked in the powerful rays of the afternoon sun, which had cast enough warmth for many to shed their ski jackets. A band nearby played Tom Petty's "American Girl" to the happy and boisterous crowd.

"Smells yummy," Piper said to Nick and Bob as they took off their skis and snowboard and dropped them into slots on the ski and board racks.

"Definitely," Nick said.

They walked in their clunky ski boots past the patrons on the deck and into the restaurant, soon finding their way to the cafeteria line.

"I'm going to get a couple of burgers," Nick announced.

"I'm going to get a broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl," Piper said.

"Think I'll have a liquid lunch," Bob added.

Piper rolled her eyes, though no one saw. She was careful to hide any negative opinions of Bob from Nick.

Chase and Cherie were sitting at a table by a window, so the threesome walked over to join them. Piper looked forward to getting to know Chase, her good friend's fiancé.

"Great seeing you guys. What time did you get out today?" Piper asked.

"Around 10. We skied the back of the mountain and cut a lot of powder. Perfect conditions man," Chase said with a grin. He winked at Cherie, who smiled back at him. They looked sort of similar with their square jaws and dimples.

Piper and Nick put napkins on their laps and started to eat while Bob drank his beer.

"That's cool. We'll have to hit the mountain after lunch. We skied the front side of the mountain. Ruthie's Run, Jolly Monkey, and Whippersnapper. Perfect day, man. Just epic." Nick paused for about a minute before saying, "So lucky to be alive."

Piper nodded her head. _So true._

She turned her attention to Bob, who was picking something from his teeth. Hopefully someone else will ski with him after lunch. Flypaper, please come. Please.

Bobnoxious was nice enough, but he was cramping their style. He chugged down his beer, leaving a silly looking foam mustache above his upper lip. Charming.

"Hey, I've got a story for you," Bob said as he used his sleeve to wipe the beer foam from his upper lip. His attention was mainly focused on Nick and Chase.

"Of course you do, Bob. You always have a story," Chase said. "That's why we like you. Good for entertainment."

"So I got kicked out of the bar last night. What was its name? The Rowdy Rookie?"

"Rowdy Rooster," Nick responded.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it. I was hanging out with Flypaper, you know, Juan. He was attracting the ladies like flies, as always, and I was waiting to inflate the deflated ego of one of his rejects. That's when I spotted her. Betty. Sweet Betty. She was a red-headed spitfire of a beauty and she was half in the bag, just the way I like my ladies. So I decided to sing her a song. That's when all hell broke loose. I guess the bar owners didn't appreciate it when I jumped onto the stage and grabbed the singer's microphone."

"That was only part of it, Bob," Piper said, "It was _what you sang_ when you grabbed the microphone: Jimmy Buffett's "Why Don't We Get Drunk."

"Was that it? I was thinking I was singing church songs."

"Church songs? You don't go to church, do you Bob?" Piper asked. She could see Chase out of the corner of her eye shaking his head.

"Nope. I'm on vacation from church. I went all the time when I was in that Lutheran grade school so I've earned time off for good behavior. I even remember some of the hymns. I'll sing one for you. _"Holy, holy, holy."_ Then he stopped and laughed. "Can't remember the next line."

"You should come to our church sometime, the Fellowship Church. It's a little feel good for your soul," Nick said.

"Maybe I'll do that," Bob said before burping. "But right now, I'm ready for another beer. Anyone want one? I'm buying."

"Sure, I'll take one," Chase said. "Church talk makes me thirsty _and_ crazy. Let's talk about something _interesting_ instead. Bob, I'll bet you were hilarious on that stage. I'm bummed we left early."

"You know it Chase. Anyone else want a beer?" Bob stood up.

"I'll take one," Cherie said, "Thanks Bob!"

"I'm good for now," Nick said.

Piper smiled at Nick, proud of his resistance. She knew he liked to drink, but he didn't drink much around her, which she appreciated. Hopefully the week in Colorado would feature a sober Nick. For that matter, hopefully their lives would feature a sober Nick. Being a teetotaler, Piper didn't need to worry about her own sobriety.

Her focus shifted to Chase's comment about church talk making him crazy. She needed more information about that and about anything else that made Chase tick. Her duty was to make sure Cherie was making a good choice.

"We're so happy for you guys," Piper said to Cherie and Chase. "Can't wait for the wedding this weekend."

"It's going to be beautiful, right on the top floor of the Kensington Lodge with a panoramic view of the mountains," Cherie said.

"Yeah, her parents set us up," Chase added as he winked again at Cherie. "Cherie comes with perks, you know. We're heading down to Atlantis in the Bahamas after this for our honeymoon. Casinos, fishing, boating, beaches, lazy rivers. Paradise. I'll tell you what. It doesn't get much better than that."

In the background, Piper could hear Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" playing. Words about a rich daddy and a poor daddy resonated. She looked over at Chase and narrowed her eyes, wondering whether his love for Cherie was genuine.

"I'll tell you what Chase," Nick said. "I feel like we're in heaven right here in the mountains."

"Oh, me too," Piper added.

"Yeah. It's nice here too," Chase said. "Be right back." He stood up and headed towards the men's room, yet stopped short of its entrance when he caught his reflection in a mirror along the way. Piper watched him as he smiled at himself while running his hands through his thick, wavy blonde hair.

Hmm. Narcissist?

"You must be so happy, Cherie. You'll be the first of the bunch to marry, just as you always predicted."

"I'm very happy."

Piper looked at Nick and felt a little sad, wondering whether she and Nick would be the next ones to marry. It had been three years already. Three years!

"You guys make a good looking couple," Cherie said.

"Thanks! You and Chase look great together too," Piper responded, "like Swedish supermodels."

"Wow! Thanks for the compliment." She paused for a minute and added, "Oh. On the church thing. My parents are always evangelizing and talking about church, which sort of turns Chase off. We're not into church. I consider myself spiritual, not religious. And Chase doesn't believe in God, or anything like that. I guess I'd sort of like it if he did. Maybe he would be a little nicer to people. That's one of the things I'm hoping to change about him."

"I hope so too," Piper responded, feeling a sense of concern. The words "mean atheist" flashed across her mind.

Bob approached with three mugs of beer in his hands and placed them down on the tables. "Cheers," he said as he sat down and drew a long swig from one of the frosty mugs.

"Cheers," Cherie responded as she took a sip of her beer.

Piper watched Chase come out of the men's room. He was talking on his mobile phone in an animated way as he paced back and forth in front of the bathroom entrances. She wondered about the identity of the person on the other end of the line.

Could it be another woman? Hmm. He never had a hard time attracting women. She envisioned his yearbook pictures with the prom and homecoming queens. Big smiles and big hair. He had big hair back then too.

Piper spotted several dark shadows above Chase's head, which appeared to be hovering over him as he paced back and forth while talking on his phone. Within a few minutes, he headed down a hallway and out of everyone's sight. The dark shadowy forms disappeared with him. She tucked that memory into a crevice of her mind.
Chapter 2

The Love Warriors

Piper entered the Rowdy Rooster with Nick by her side just after 9 p.m. to look for their friends. She was a little tired after a long day on the slopes, but she figured she had a little more time before turning in. The bar was packed with patrons whose loud voices fought the band's music for attention. The Love Warriors were playing George Strait's "A Father's Love" as Nick and Piper strolled along. Piper hummed along as she strolled hand in hand with Nick.

Within moments, they found Flypaper and Bob sitting on bar stools next to a bar. Piper could not believe that Bob was still up, given that he had been drinking all day long and hadn't had any food at lunch. It was like he was waging a war on himself. Why? Hopefully he had eaten something at dinner.

"We missed you on the slopes Juan," Nick said.

"Yeah, but I'll be out there with you tomorrow. I enjoyed Peyton's company today," Flypaper said in his slightly detectable Hispanic accent.

"Where is she now?" Nick asked.

"On a plane heading back to Philly. We'll be in touch. She's a very classy lady," Flypaper said with a wink and a grin. "We had a special time together."

Very classy one-night stand? Indeed.

"That's cool," Nick said.

Piper knew why the ladies were so attracted to Flypaper Juan. He was handsome, muscular and macho, with neatly trimmed hair and a perfect posture and stride that exuded confidence. He was always dressed well; never a wrinkle or a stain. Plus he knew all of the right things to say. It was a shame that he was always on the hunt and probably always would be. No one would ever satisfy that man's needs. When he broke up with the women or stopped calling them, he always told Nick that "something was missing," never realizing that a woman could never provide that "something." He was missing God.

The band was singing the Allman Brothers' Ramblin' Man" in the background as Piper and Nick took their seats at the bar next to Juan and Bob. The Rowdy Rooster was a woodsy-looking bar. Old skis, tennis rackets, hockey sticks, and fishing poles covered the walls between at least ten big screen televisions, which were airing several sports games. There were three large circular bars and a good number of thick wooden high top tables and chairs. It was a favorite of the locals due to its drink specials, and a favorite of Piper and her friends due to its proximity to their hotel rooms. The bar was located on the first floor of the Kensington Lodge where they were all staying. At one end of the bar was a fireplace. Wall-sized windows overlooking the mountain were at the other. Piper looked about the crowd, hoping to find one of her girlfriends for some girl talk. Cherie's long honey-colored hair captured her attention.

"Nick, I'm going to go talk to Cherie."

"Okay."

She walked over to Cherie, who was sitting at a table by the fireplace, and pulled up a chair.

"Hey there. Great band."

"Yeah, I love this band."

"Where's Chase?"

"He should be back soon. I think he went to the bathroom. You look great tonight, Piper. Yellow is a good color for you; nice contrast to your complexion. And I love your bob hairstyle. It's very flattering. Nick is lucky to be dating you."

"Chase is lucky to be marrying _you_ , Cherie."

Cherie smiled. "I'm the lucky one. He's a sweetheart."

"Nick's a sweetheart too. So how did it all begin with you and Chase? What led to your first date?"

Still smiling, Cherie recounted their story. "It all started in an accounting class. Chase sat next to me one day and we talked about high school and our mutual friends. One thing led to another and over time our conversations became more personal. Then he asked me out. Our first date was incredible, very romantic. He picked me up with a dozen roses in hand and took me to a movie."

"Sounds romantic," Piper said.

"Yeah," she said as she shook her head. "It was. Most guys aren't romantic, but Chase loves the romance. He always brings roses. And he's just so handsome..."

"Well, that's wonderful."

Cherie shook her head in confirmation as she held her chin high, seeming proud of her accomplishment. She had succeeded in her goal of being the first of their friends to marry.

Piper looked away to survey the crowd while taking a gentle sip from her oversized glass of ice water. She could feel her friend's eyes upon her, waiting for an endorsement of a spectacular romance, but she resisted. Cherie was already on top of the world with everything that she had ever wanted. No need to confirm that.

A slight twinge of jealousy gnawed at her, which she mitigated by focusing on the first flaw in Chase she had discovered, his atheism. Then she focused on a second flaw, his mean streak. Cherie had indicated that he needed to be nicer. She recalled the way she saw him looking at himself in the mirror and the way he said that Cherie comes with perks.

So she's marrying a mean, narcissistic atheist who may be after her for her money.

"Okay, random question. I know your parents go to church. So why don't you? If you got Chase into a good church, you would definitely be able to change him into a believer."

"I don't think so. I know that you know we used to go to church when I was little, but I stopped going when my parents became Baptists when I was in college. Baptists seem too evangelical. Other Christian religions aren't any better for that matter. I read all the time about church leaders of all faiths who take advantage of their parishioners..."

"Cherie, if you found out there were jellyfish on a sliver of the beach, would you stop going to the beach altogether?"

"No, of course not," Cherie said, with a sigh and a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I see what you're saying, though. Even so, I won't be going to church. I'm spiritual, not religious. It's not like I don't believe in God. It's just that organized religion bothers me. I've been reading a lot of books lately about the Eastern faiths, which seem more enlightened. More advanced. I believe in Karma and reincarnation and a less _personal_ God. The Eastern faiths say that God is part of everything in the universe, part of all nature. And because God is a part of everything in the universe, we shouldn't attempt to distinguish between what's good in the universe and what's evil. It's all the same. Enlightenment can be reached when you understand that and when you lose yourself and become one with God and the universe."

"So, you subscribe to the notion that after you die, you might wake up _for no explained reason_ in the body of a cow?"

"I don't know about that."

"Well, that's what the Bhagavad-Gita says. It says when one dies in a mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom."

"Hmm. Well, I'm not ignorant, Piper. And that's a Hindu belief. I'm more of a Buddhist."

"Buddhists think the same way. They believe that all life is sacred and that people can be reincarnated into the animal world. That's why they're vegetarians. They don't want to eat Grandma."

"Well, I also believe that all life is sacred. And I don't think we can rule animal reincarnation out. What if you died and found yourself in the body of a cow?" Cherie asked.

"I'd jump from a bridge."

"Oh, that's nice. Suicidal cow."

"I'm not going to have to worry about that Cherie. Another Eastern belief implies that if the universe weren't present, God wouldn't be present, because God is the universe, not the creator of the universe. Is that what you believe?"

Cherie took a deep breath and paused as she sipped water from an oversized glass in front of her through a long straw. "I guess" she answered, while squirming in her seat.

Piper couldn't tell whether she was becoming annoyed or whether she wanted to continue the conversation. Or perhaps she wasn't quite sure of her position on the matter. Maybe she hadn't devoted much time to this particular study. Many people don't. She chewed on that thought for a few moments before determining that Cherie might be among a growing group of indifferent, apathetic, and incurious people who were neither passionate about theism or atheism or any of the answers to the big questions of life. She pictured Cherie with other members of this particular group as they attempted to find their way through a sea of darkness by shining flashlights on their feet.

But Cherie wasn't an indifferent type. She was caring. Piper recalled her appreciation for her old friend. Once when she had the flu, Cherie stopped by her house with a warm bowl of chicken soup. Another time when she was struggling with her Spanish lesson, Cherie tutored her. She was always doing things like that, always thinking of her friends and going the extra mile. She was a great person who didn't deserve to be marrying a mean, narcissistic atheist after her money.

The band played a few of its own songs, which helped to lighten Piper's somewhat solemn mood. One of the songs made her think that she needed to continue the conversation about God.

_Should I continue that conversation or let it go? That would make things easy. Let it go._ Something told her to let the atheism go. There's always time.

A few minutes later, the flat screen television to the right of Cherie caught Piper's attention. A hockey game had been playing, but now a news flash covered the screen. Piper read the following words as they scrolled by, " _California avalanche claims the lives of a father and his two sons while skiing_." A photograph of a mother, father, and three young boys was displayed over the words.

Piper considered the current state of the mother and remaining son. How sad. They probably thought they had plenty of time to do and say the things that they wanted to do and say too.

"Take a look at the screen, Cherie. Always bad news. Always sad news. Why do we so rarely hear good news? God bless that family."

"Gosh, that's horrible," Cherie said. "Thank God it was in California and not Colorado. Could have happened to us!"

Now Piper knew she had to say something, so she wasted no time before adding, "So, how are you going to change Chase's mind about the whole God thing? It's not easy to change people's minds. I'm not sure you're going into your marriage with goals you can achieve."

"Well, to be frank, Piper, it won't be easy. It will be about as easy as it is for you to get Nick to stop drinking. Remember how you always told me that you would never marry an alcoholic? You didn't want to marry a man like your uncle Sully. Well, just take a look at Nick up there at the bar with a beer in one hand and a shot in the other. Not exactly shying away from the sauce, is he? And I've seen him do that before. Fortunately for me, I don't worry too much about judging Chase's religious beliefs. Or whether he drinks too much. I don't like judging people."

"Ouch," Piper said. She wasn't sure what else to say, but turned her attention towards Nick to confirm whether what Cherie was saying was true. Old Uncle Sully reappeared in her mind, making her wince.

Alcoholic. Uncle Sully is definitely an alcoholic, but Nick? Hopefully he won't have too many. He doesn't overdo it that often. I'll bet those drinks in his hands will be his last.

"I hope I didn't offend you," Cherie added. "I didn't mean to be offensive. It's just that you're always judging people's faults. I figured if you're going to be focusing on Chase's atheism that you would also one day be focusing on Nick's alcoholism. Whether an atheist or an alcoholic, both are good guys. Maybe those are their only faults. No one is perfect. No one."

Piper thought of her tendency to judge others. The last thing she wanted to do was to judge others. She knew that judging was wrong.

Chase walked up and lit up a huge grin. "No one is perfect? No one except, of course, me. Just a picture of perfection."

"Yes, you are perfect honey," Cherie responded. "We were just talking about our romantic first date."

"That was a good time, for sure. Piper, in case you haven't heard, I'm more romantic than any of the Orange Bay High guys." He winked and added, "And I'm even more romantic than Nick."

"You're too much, Chase," Piper responded, feeling a little upset that Chase overheard the tail-end of their discussion.

"Too much? Too much of a lover," he added as he gave Cherie a generous hug and blurted, "Baby, I love you!"

"I love you too," she said, "ya' big hottie!"

Ugh. Piper turned away from them and towards the band to listen to Randy Travis' "Three Wooden Crosses." After a few refrains, Piper asked them, "What do you think of the band? I just love country music."

"Well. I'm not a big fan of redneck music," Chase answered as he pulled out his mobile phone. "And this song kind of creeps me out. I liked last night's band a lot better."

Piper watched him as he typed something on his phone and disconnected himself from the conversation.

"Geez, Chase," Cherie said. "Since when does a Florida native not like country music? I like it and I'm from Minnesota."

Chase didn't respond, as he was too busy texting something.

"So who are you texting anyway?" Cherie asked.

A long pause followed.

"Chase, who are you texting?" Cherie asked again in a louder voice than before.

"Huh? Oh, I'm just placing a couple of bets with Oren on a playoff game."

"Oren? I don't know Oren," Piper said. "Is he going to be at the wedding?"

"Nope. He's in D.C. lobbying for tobacco and firearms."

"Lobbying _for_ tobacco and firearms?"

"Suffice it to say he's unconventional," Chase said. "You need a certain moral flexibility when you hang out with Oren."

Piper raised her eyebrows. "Who would want to hang out with someone like that?"

"I've never met him either, Piper," Cherie added. "But from everything I've heard, he's a real piece of work."

"Yeah. That's fair. But he's fun. That's all that matters," Chase said. He downed the rest of the beer that was sitting in front of him and slammed the empty glass on the table. Then he signaled the server with a wave. "Ready to party! Whew! I guess I like _some_ country. I like party music. Hank Williams Jr. Toby Keith. David Allen Coe. Man, they're good. But the preachy stuff. I don't like that stuff at all. And some of the females are way too whiny and complain-y." He shook his head as he picked up his drink. "Anyone ready?"

"I'll just take a soda," Cherie responded.

"None for me," Piper said. "I'm going to head back over to Nick. He's sitting at the bar with Bob and Flypaper."

"Sounds good. We'll come over and chat with you guys in a little while," Cherie said.

Piper returned to her chair next to Nick at the bar and sat down. Bob and Flypaper were on Nick's other side and the music was holding their attention, so she put her hand around his waist and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Nick," she whispered, "Do you think that Chase is right for Cherie?"

"He's okay. Why? You don't?"

"I don't know. Something about him sort of creeps me out." Piper looked into Nick's deep sapphire eyes, waiting for a confirmation of her negative thoughts.

"The atheism? Obviously his beliefs aren't the same as ours."

"That or something else."

Piper scoured the files of her mind to identify recent times either she or Nick had had interactions with Chase. Chase's bachelor party in Key West came to her mind as more evidence of his potentially smarmy ways. She wondered what happened at his bachelor party and whether things got slimy. She looked over at the table where Cherie and Chase were sitting and wondered why she cared so much about them and their situation anyway. Was it about protecting Cherie, or was it something else? Was she jealous? Or was it the atheism?

Maybe the dark spirits were bothering her. She could still see them hovering over Chase like sharks circling around a bleeding body in the ocean, waiting to pounce on their prey. She knew that her friends couldn't see the demons. That unpleasant little piece of insight was something only she held. She also knew her friends would likely taunt her if she said anything about the demons. No one would believe her. That was the way her family always reacted. So she kept that information private.

"It's even more than the atheism," she said to Nick. "How was Key West? Did Chase hook up with anyone?"

"No, I don't think so. He got a little rowdy, but nothing out of the ordinary for a bachelor party."

"Hmm. Well that's good. You know. If nothing happened." She looked across the bar and noted Chase was leaving the table where he and Cherie were sitting once again.

Weird. Why can't he stay put? Who is this Oren character anyway? And how did Chase get caught up with a tobacco and firearm lobbyist? What kind of person lobbies for tobacco and firearms? Is he for real?

A few minutes later, Bob piped up. "Who wants another Buttery Slide? It's the smoothest, most delicious caramel-flavored shot you'll have in Colorado. Piper, I guarantee that if you try one, you'll like it. You like caramel?"

"Yeah, but no thanks," she responded.

"I'll take one," Nick answered, "but I'm buying this time."

"Thanks Nick," Flypaper piped in, "I'm game too."

Nick signaled the bartender and ordered three shots when he came over.

"Nick," Piper said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'll head up to the room. I'm feeling a little tired. I could use some good rest before getting back on the slopes tomorrow. My legs are a little sore."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"You don't have to. You're having a good time. I'll be in the room."

Piper secretly wished he would decide to come with her despite her words, but she also wanted him to have a good time. Hopefully Cherie wouldn't see the additional shot. She didn't want her friend to have any additional ammunition in her claim that he was an alcoholic.

"Love you Piper. I won't be long."

"Love you too, Nick."

Piper left the group and walked outside of the restaurant entrance to the elevator. When its doors opened, Chase came out.

"Hey there," he said. "Heading back to your room?"

"Yeah. I'm tired. I'll catch up with you guys in the morning."

"Have a good night, sweetie."

"Thanks Chase. You too."

Piper stepped onto the elevator and sighed. She wanted Nick to have a good time, but she also wanted to have a good time with Nick. He had already spent half of the day with Bob. That was enough. Now Bob was cluttering up his night. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. Maybe there would be a proposal. Then again, maybe there wouldn't be. Nick wasn't the type to steal attention from others during their special moments, and a proposal just before Chase and Cherie's wedding would do just that.

What a bummer. She knew they were soulmates from the day they started dating. Why hadn't he proposed yet? Why the delay?

"He must not love me as much as I love him," she whispered.

Tears filled her eyes as she stepped off of the elevator. _Think positive thoughts._ The ski runs were exhilarating, though sometimes a little challenging. Nick had so much confidence in her abilities. And he said he loved her. He said he loved her often, so why the wait? Why hadn't he moved to take the relationship to the next level?

A short while later, as she laid in the bed struggling to get to sleep, she reflected on her life with Nick. In high school he had pursued her with a passion, yet she had ignored him. Seemed too much of a ladies' man. Popular. Handsome. Smart. Everyone liked him. He and his best friend Tanner walked on water among many of the girls in the school. But not with Piper. She knew better and could resist him. She knew he was more into the hunt and the game than he was into her.

A few years later, when she heard his mom was struggling with cancer, she recalled the times when she had seen Nick with his mom. It was obvious that he loved her very much, and it was that love that made her want to call him to offer a few words of encouragement, though she knew cancer often claimed the lives of its victims. It had claimed the life of her mom when she was young, and her mom was a good woman. Cancer claims everyone; it doesn't discriminate.

Piper wept and then recalled her own brush with death when she met the man in the sports jacket. The man was sitting in the back of her car waiting for her outside of a popular restaurant. She didn't see him when she opened the door and sat down in the driver's seat. He had been waiting for her to get into the car, she surmised, and had hidden himself in the back seat. She still had a foot on the ground outside of the car as something was amiss. Glass was on the floor in front of the passenger seat next to her and she wondered how it had gotten there. She didn't see the shattered corner window at the time. His hand covered her face and lurched her head against the driver's seat before she could muster the strength to say something and to try to buy some time.

"Shut up," he scolded. "Stay quiet."

"What do you want?" Piper begged in an attempt to buy some time.

"Shut up!"

Pulling together every bit of strength she had, she freed herself from his grip and fled into the parking lot, screaming for attention. Some men ran over to help her and tried to calm her down as she freaked out in the middle of the parking lot.

"He's in my car! It's over there!"

She spotted a man walking on the sidewalk in front of the cars parked by hers at the edge of the parking lot. He had a handsome face and a trim body and was wearing a light-colored sports jacket and jeans.

"Help her," he called out, in an eerily familiar voice.

"That's him!" She screamed as she pointed at the man. "That's him!"

The man in the sports jacket ran and one of the men who had come to help Piper chased him. He didn't catch him though. The man in the sports jacket jumped into a silver Porsche and took off. Piper sketched his face into her mind.

The following morning she reported the incident to the police, yet nothing happened. No one knew who he was based on her description and she didn't have enough information to help the cops catch him. The report was filed away, she assumed, never to be consulted.

A few years later, she recounted the story to one of her girlfriends, who listened intently before announcing that she knew who the man was. The dark-haired man in the sports jacket who owned the silver Porsche was considered the black sheep of his wealthy Orange Bay family. David Miller was his name. Piper looked him up on the internet and found out he was considered a serial killer and that he was in prison for multiple rapes and murders. His mugshot matched her memories of her captor's face.

She called the police and reported the story again. After hearing the story recounted, the only question the cop asked was for a description of her height, weight, and appearance at the time of the crime.

"I'm not doubting your story," he said, "but you won't need to come into the station. He's locked away for life. You don't need to worry about him trying to come and find you."

Apparently, he had a penchant for attractive brunettes and all but one of his victims had a relatively slim, medium-height frame, similar to Piper's. Piper wished she could have done more to have stopped the crimes that occurred after her own, but took comfort in the fact that she had tried.

She thanked the force that had helped free her from evil. The fact she was spared from death made her think her life had a distinct purpose. She needed to find her purpose and her calling and live each day by treating people the way she would have treated them if that day were her last.

Her thoughts returned to Nick and her desire to marry him. She pictured herself standing in her wedding gown in the church next to Nick, who was in a tuxedo. The pastor was in front of them and they were just about to exchange vows.

"I do," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

When Piper woke up the next morning, Nick wasn't there. She had looked all about the room before making that dreadful conclusion. Then she sat down on the musty pull-out couch in the room and sighed, feeling a heavy heart and a worried mind.

Chapter 3

Walk of Shame

"Where is he?" Piper asked as she looked at the empty bed next to the one in which she had been sleeping. "Did he get completely drunk last night? Is he an alcoholic?" She asked the last question, despite the feeling that deep down, she knew the answer. Cherie's words about him being an alcoholic hadn't stopped whirling within her mind.

"I did say I would never marry an alcoholic. I promised myself I would never marry someone who couldn't control his impulses."

She pictured herself with a different Nick than the athletic, hard-working one with whom she had fallen in love. The other Nick was always slurring and stirring under the influence of the alcohol that had stolen his health and his livelihood. The other Nick was sluggish, angry, and tired. The other Nick was Uncle Sully, her mother's half-brother. She didn't want to marry someone like Uncle Sully. She intended to marry a healthy and sober Nick who had the energy to fulfill his mission in life.

"Could he still be out partying with Bob and Flypaper?"

She looked about the room once again and caught a glimpse of the clock on the nightstand, which indicated it was 6 a.m. It was unlikely he was still at the bar, or in any bar for that matter. He had never been out so late while in her presence. And that scared her. Her mind raced.

"Could he be in Bob's room? Could he have hooked up with someone else?"

Her thoughts raced as she thought of the other single women within the group of friends. Chase's sister Kat was beautiful. If he hooked up with her, Piper would never recover.

"Or maybe he got hurt. Maybe he's in the hospital. Maybe something bad happened to him." Piper panicked as she fumbled around the room, looking for her mobile phone. Her mind was too cluttered with dark thoughts to be able to recall where she had left it the night before. When she found it charging in the bathroom, she dialed Nick's number. Her heart pounded as the phone rang. It rang twice. Three times.

"Hullo," a deep and somewhat gritty voice answered.

"Nick? Is that you?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat.

Piper heard rustling sounds and grunts and felt relieved and angry, all at once.

"Nick, where are you? Why didn't you come back to the room? It's 6 in the morning."

A long pause followed before he answered, "Uh, I'm in a hallway. By room 234. Must be on the second floor of a lodge."

"What are you doing in a hallway? Did you pass out?" Piper could feel anger boiling up inside of her and a sense of disgust. "Did you get hammered last night?" She thought Nick had the power to control himself. What an embarrassment. Hopefully Cherie wouldn't hear about this.

"Piper, I'm up. I'm walking back. Give me a few minutes. I think I'm in a different lodge. I'm so sorry. Not sure how I got here."

"Okay, Nick. I'll be waiting."

"I promise to make it up to you, Piper. I love you. I'm sorry. Walk of shame right now. Walk of shame."

Piper paced around the room, wondering when the door would open. A sea of emotions flooded her mind. On one hand, she didn't want to jeopardize their relationship by being too harsh in its relatively early stage. On the other, she didn't want this to happen again. She sat down on the couch again and crumbled as she tried to develop an appropriate response.

"Can't believe how much we paid for this room; this couch must be from the eighties."

The room was expensive and the only way for her to afford the week-long trip to Colorado was to split the costs with Nick by sharing a room, which she felt a little guilty about. Fortunately, the room had two queen beds, helping to minimize the temptation. They needed to wait until the wedding night. She was a good Christian girl.

She got up and found a wool blanket in the closet, so she covered the couch before sitting back down and reflecting on her relationship with Nick. Nick had said he could control himself, and she believed him. Hopefully he was right. She didn't want to marry someone like Uncle Sully. That would be the worst life ever for her. She glanced over at the nightstand to check the clock again. Forty minutes had passed.

Maybe she could use the time by doing something useful. She got up and cracked the window open to let in a little bit of fresh air. That inspired her to do a few yoga stretches before heading into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day. Once finished, she put on a bathrobe and sat down on the couch. Its brutal odor could not be overcome by the fresh mountain air flowing in through the window.

The door opened.

"I'm back." Nick threw his ski jacket on the bed and plunked down next to her on the couch. He was wearing the same blue jeans and striped sweater she had left him in the night before, yet something new appeared. Something crusty and brownish was all over his sweater. _Vomit. How gross. Tired and disheveled and messy_. His dark hair, which was always well-coiffed, was swishing all over his head.

"Oh. Hi. What happened to you?"

"Man, I'm not sure. We started off with a couple of drinks. Buttery Slides and beers. Then we went to another bar just up the road. We ate some brownies. Chocolate brownies...with caramel. I think."

"Brownies? Pot brownies? Geez, Nick. We talked about those on the airplane here. Cherie told me that ever since Colorado legalized pot, the hospital wards have been cluttered with people who made crazy decisions and overdosed and died. Little kids are even trying them, which is very scary. It messes with their brains. Scrambles their ability to think, permanently." She paused. "C'mon honey, you're better than that."

"I know what you're saying. I didn't taste any pot, though. I don't think I had any pot brownies. I think they were just plain brownies. But even so, I still blew it with the drinks. Just wasn't thinking last night. What a mistake!"

Nick threw his arms up into the air as he stood up and paced about the room. "I'm feeling about as sharp as a bowling ball right now." He shook his head.

After a few minutes, tears filled his eyes. "I love you so much, Piper. I am so sorry I've disappointed you. Please forgive me."

Piper stared at him for a few moments before she decided not to belabor the point. _Everyone makes mistakes._ She even made mistakes, especially when tempted to judge others' mistakes.

"I love you, Nick, and of course I forgive you. You know, I don't have a problem when you drink in moderation. But you're prone to excess. It's hard for you to stop after one or two drinks. Might want to reevaluate the importance of alcohol in your life. Just saying."

"Things will be different from now on, Piper. Promise. In fact, I'll make you a deal. I promise you that if we get married one day, I'll give up the sauce for good. How about that?"

"That would be amazing." Piper smiled at him and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "So, you think you're up for skiing today?"

"Of course! But I'll need to take a shower and get some food in me before we hit the slopes. Are you up for breakfast? I see some greasy grub in my future. And tomato juice. Lots of tomato juice."

"Sure, but let's go somewhere off the beaten path."

"Piper, don't worry. Bob won't be in the picture today. It's all about you and me. What do you think of heading over to Coppertop Mountain after breakfast? It's only twenty minutes away by shuttle bus."

"Sounds perfect."

***

While riding up the chairlift with Nick, Piper thought of his many good qualities. He was loving, appreciative, and humble. He had loved his mother and had shown her great respect, which to her was a sign of the way he would treat a future wife. He wasn't perfect in some ways, but neither was she. He was a keeper. No one is perfect. She looked over at her man, who now had a much better appearance than the one he had earlier that morning. Walk of shame. A humbling walk of shame.

Cherie's accusation about Nick being an alcoholic then entered her mind and she struggled with ways to handle such thoughts.

She's wrong about that. He's not an alcoholic. That's too strong of an accusation.

She paused as she reconciled conflicting thoughts. Even if he is, I'll stick with him. He'll never get like Uncle Sully. And at least he's not a mean atheist.

Her thoughts turned to Chase and the way he had addressed her as "sweetie" and spoke of how he was more romantic than Nick. She wondered about his intentions. Either he was hitting on her or he was a narcissist. Either way, no one would accuse him of being a nice guy or a humble man. She chuckled over her clever use of the word "accuse" in her thoughts.

The words "mean atheist" again flashed across her mind. He needed to change for the sake of her friend, Cherie. But what would make him want to change? His life was quite perfect and he was handsome, popular, and athletic. His fiancé was beautiful, sweet, and from a wealthy family. What more could they want? They had been blessed with a lavish wedding in Colorado, a honeymoon in the Bahamas, and a lifetime in sunny Florida. These issues burned in her mind.

"Nick, I've been thinking about Chase and Cherie. You know, when you compare them with people who are suffering all over the world, it's quite unfair. Why were they given so many blessings? They should be using those blessings to help others, like we do. We volunteer at the Collins Foster Home and help those less fortunate. Clearly, Jesus must be happier with what we're doing on this earth than what they're doing. I don't think they do anything to help others." Piper felt proud of herself for how she was using her own blessings.

"You should try not to judge them. Makes you come across as being self-righteous."

A vision of an actor playing Jesus in a movie came into her mind. He was holding a wooden plank as He asked the crowd in front of Him why they spend their time judging others, ignoring the planks in their own eyes. It made her shudder.

"You're right, Nick. Why do I do that? Is it that I'm jealous?"

"You have no need to be jealous of them, Piper. Your life is going very well too."

The lift arrived at the top of the slope and Nick and Piper popped themselves out of their chair and skied over to the top of an intermediate run. As they arrived, Piper scanned the mountain, which was canvassed by a blanket of glistening snow and dotted by clusters of snow-covered pine trees. Wrapped around the mountain was the deep blue sky, whose wispy cirrus clouds whirled and swirled high into the heavens.

"This looks like a perfect way for us to make this the perfect day," Nick said as he adjusted his goggles and hopped up and down on his skis to warm up.

"It's just beautiful out here. I'm ready for some shredding!" Piper started down the slope, feeling the crisp breeze of a new Colorado morning coupled with the warmth of her love for Nick, who was skiing just behind her.

***

After a long day of skiing, Piper and Nick enjoyed a candle-lit dinner in a cozy hickory-style steakhouse a few blocks from their lodge. Once finished, they bundled themselves up in their ski jackets and gloves and got ready to brave the chilly night. Piper slipped a Peruvian ski hat on her head as she followed Nick through the door and out into the parking lot. His thick mane of hair was all that kept his head warm. Within moments, they were strolling hand in hand along a sidewalk on their way towards the lodge.

"Great dinner. That steak was amazing," Nick said.

"I agree. Delicious."

"Should we stop anywhere, or do you want to head straight back to the lodge?"

"I'm thinking we should head back and get cozy by the fireplace." She put her hand on his shoulder as she said, "I enjoyed the time alone with you today, Nick."

"I always enjoy being with you. Much healthier than hanging around Bob and Flypaper. That's for sure." He turned towards her and put his arms around her as he gave her a passionate kiss. Then he looked into her eyes and said, "I love you Piper McCoy. Always have. Ever since I met you so many years ago. Thank you for being my girl."

"I love you too, Nick." Piper felt butterflies dancing in her stomach and her heart throbbing. She was more in love with Nick than ever.

"I hear that diamonds are a girl's best friend. Do you like diamonds?"

Piper gasped. "Well, sure. Of course I like diamonds."

"Round, square, oval, marquis?"

"Why do you ask?" Piper grinned the biggest grin ever as she stared into his eyes.

He kissed her again and winked. "Just curious."

"I like round diamonds. No more than a carat. Bigger ones are too showy for me."

"Good to know," he said, just before they resumed their stroll.

Piper was elated. Maybe he would be popping the big question soon. She was ready to marry him, have kids with him, and live out their lives. Five kids. She wanted five kids, so they needed to be married soon. She wasn't getting any younger.

Moving into his house in downtown Orange Bay would happen first. Then she would give the whole house a good cleaning. The windows needed washing, the floors needed scrubbing, and the furniture needed dusting. Nick wasn't one to clean much and the house had become a little untidy since the passing of his mom. She pictured herself planting colorful flowers and Hibiscus bushes around the front porch and filling the planters with impatiens and carnations.

Her mom came to mind and she envisioned her in the kitchen in her apron cooking meals for the family. She always made the most scrumptious meals in all sorts of international flavors, from rump roasts to burritos, curried chicken and tuna casseroles. The meals were always followed by warm chocolate chip cookies, apple pies, or velvety chocolate brownies. Her mom was an excellent cook and she missed her more than anything, but she knew she was in heaven watching over her. Her mom had lived a good Christian life.

They walked another block holding hands before Nick opened up again. "Do you think you could grow old with a wretch like me?"

"Are you kidding? Wretch? I'd love to grow old with you. You're the most handsome man I've ever seen in my life, and you're as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside."

"Piper, I love you."

"I love you too."

She would need to select a bridal gown, flowers, centerpiece arrangements, table settings, and other decorations. Together, she and Nick would develop a guest list and determine the table assignments. They would also need to meet with the pastor to discuss their plans.

Her thoughts placed her in the offices of the church, sitting next to Nick and discussing their wedding plans with the pastor. She recalled the first time she saw the pastor when Nick took her to the Fellowship Church a few years before. The church wasn't one of those auditorium or gymnasium-style churches one often encounters in the southern region of the United States, but a rather cozy one. The strong messages delivered by the pastor every week had inspired hundreds to squeeze into its doors so they could "come, grow, serve, and go." It was a little slice of heaven.

Piper turned her attention back to the slice of heaven she was enjoying in Colorado. She wondered where and when Nick would be popping the question. Hopefully soon. Very soon.
Chapter 4

Good Fiction

Early the next morning, Piper stood next to Nick inside of a gondola as it headed up the ski slope. Everyone had arrived in Colorado, and within that gondola, Piper and Nick's favorite people were present. She looked over at Flypaper, who stood in a very chummy way next to Chase's sister Kat making small talk. He appeared to be slightly shorter than she, but that didn't deter him. Or her. She seemed interested in the things he had to say. Kat was a beautiful woman with ethereal features that could qualify her as a model, which made her somewhat intimidating. Maybe Flypaper had met his match. Piper tuned into their conversation.

"So, are you still dating Charles?"

"No. We broke up about six months ago."

"Are you dating anyone else?"

"No, not right now."

"What a coincidence," he responded boldly. "Neither am I."

Piper watched his Cheshire cat smile light up as he inched himself even closer to Kat. She was glad that one of the best looking single women in the group had an interest in Flypaper, as then she didn't need to worry about her developing an interest in Nick.

"Piper, are you up for a challenge?" Nick asked, "Do you want to try Rambo? I hear it's steep, but lots of fun."

"Why not? I'm warmed up now."

"That's my girl," Nick said as he put his helmet on. Piper put her helmet on too. The gondola was about to reach its destination on the top of the mountain and it was chilly outside.

Bob looked at Betty and said, "Do you want to give the Rambo a go?"

"Sure," she responded with a smile. He then offered her some hooch from his flask, but she declined.

Piper watched her as she pulled a bota bag out from under her ski jacket and said, "Cheers."

"Man, you're cool! I'm so pumped I found the napkin with your number on it. Thought I lost it. You're my dream girl," Bob said as he toasted her with his flask. He and Betty then popped the caps from their containers and guzzled and gulped the fire water inside, which lit the flaming curls that were bursting about Betty's head, barely contained by her headband.

"Are you in for some fun?" Flypaper asked Kat.

"You kidding?" She winked. With a sly smile, she grabbed her helmet and put it on, covering her short, sassy blonde hair. "I'm always in for some fun. I'm in it to win it, babe."

"So am I!"

Flypaper was starting to appear successful in his quest. Maybe she wouldn't be a challenge for him after all. Maybe she would be his next ex-girlfriend. Too bad for her. And him. No one ever served him the humble pie he needed.

"Cherie and I are going to take the Chute. We'll catch up with you guys either at the lift or at Happy Hour," Chase said.

Cherie didn't ski as well as the others in the group and would likely fare better on the Chute, which was less steep. It was nice Chase didn't try to force her onto Rambo. Maybe he had some good qualities after all.

They departed the gondola and assembled their skis and snowboards. Piper watched Chase as he pulled his sister aside and away from Flypaper. She could hear his words.

"Watch out for Juan. We call him Flypaper for a reason you need to know. He has scored with many women since high school, Kat. _Many_."

"I can handle it, Chase. Just having fun."

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. And don't sleep with him!"

"You should know me better than _that_ , Chase."

The friends split up and Piper's group headed to Rambo. Nick was first, followed by Piper and then the rest. The slope seemed a bit steep and somewhat slippery, so she skied with more caution than usual, taking time to cut her skis into the little powder she could find. The weather was a few degrees warmer than it had been the day before and the sweeping sapphire sky was devoid of any clouds, which translated into a dearth of fresh powder and much ice. Piper hoped for some overnight snow. Ice was no skier's friend.

From across the slope, she could hear Flypaper singing as he sped down the slope on a snowboard. " _Shredding up the ski slope, I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough. Ripping up the ski slope, I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough."_

He and Kat carved their way down the left side of the slope with ease, while Piper and Nick carved up the right. They lost Bob and Betty somewhere along the way, yet weren't concerned for their welfare. Probably just lost them to another hooch break.

***

At the end of the day, Piper put her arm around Nick, who was seated next to Chase and facing the band at a high top table near the fireplace of the Rowdy Rooster. The Love Warriors were playing country music again and the songs they had selected were infused with Christian messages and themes. She appreciated that. Chase got up to do his signature stroll around the bar with his cell phone, leaving Piper to again wonder about the person on the other end of the line. Oren again?

Piper looked over at Cherie and was reminded of an important question that she wanted to ask her. Again. She had tried to ask the question before but was interrupted by Chase. It was around 8 p.m. and she was starting to feel tired, but she had waited for this opportunity all day. She didn't know why she felt such a burning desire to impact the belief systems of Chase and Cherie. The desire to impact their other friends wasn't burning in her heart nearly as much. It was as if she had been called to say something. Or maybe it was the constant presence of the dark spirits. She didn't know for sure.

"Cherie, can we talk about God again?"

"Sure, I'm game. Always open to opinions."

"Well, I've been thinking about your Eastern beliefs," she said. "Christians believe that God made the universe, similar to the way a builder builds a home. The home wouldn't here without the builder, but the builder would be present without the home. And since scientists have found that the universe was created about 13.8 billion years ago by a big bang, and that it has been expanding ever since, we know that 13.8 years ago something or someone set it in motion and started that expansion. Matter and energy don't go into motion without a force. And that great force is the creator of the universe, God."

"I guess that makes sense," Cherie said.

Nick looked at Cherie with a great sense of seriousness. His deep eyes penetrated hers, gripping every bit of her attention. It was clear that he was trying to take control of the situation, and trying to shift her opinion on the matter to that which he had embraced.

"Christians distinguish between good and evil too," Nick added, "because if you don't distinguish between good and evil, you're saying that God is both good and evil. You're saying that God is a part of all cruelty, murder, slums, cancer, leprosy, and war. That's not God. Not our God. That's Satan. The Christian God is very personal and only good. He's an active loving God, not a passive part of nature. He is the Creator, not the creation." Nick paused. "So, what do you think of Jesus?"

Cherie answered, "Jesus was a prophet. A great moral teacher."

"Yeah, I figured that was your opinion. That's the default opinion. Muslims believe that too, but many even go further by denying that Jesus died on the cross. Most Muslims think God took Jesus into heaven before the crucifixion and some guy who looked just like Him was beaten and crucified in His place," Nick said as he shook his head.

"Really? Some random guy?" Cherie asked.

"Not really random. I'm sure they think the guy looked like Jesus and that God sent him," Nick said.

"Like an innocent guy wouldn't say something about not being Jesus when he met Pontius Pilate. Like he'd keep his silence while being whipped and crucified." Piper added.

Nick shook his head. "Even the Jewish Sanhedrin acknowledged that Jesus died on the cross. By believing that He wasn't crucified, Muslims deny the resurrection, which denies the foundation of Christianity. Makes me wonder about the inspiration of their faith."

Piper studied Cherie, noting that Nick was still holding every bit of her attention. She appreciated that. Figuring he could hold the attention of just about anyone he met with his convincing evangelism, Piper considered herself lucky to be by his side. He did a much better job of articulating their position than she did alone.

Nick continued, "And Jews are still waiting for their Prophet Zechariah's prediction to come true, that their King would come to them, humble and lowly, riding on a donkey. Who uses that mode of transportation anymore?" Nick paused. "Beyond that, the prophet Isaiah so clearly predicted Jesus' coming in his 53rd chapter that Jewish rabbis exclude that passage from their list of regular synagogue readings from the Tenach, which is in our Old Testament. They also exclude other passages referring to the Messiah, the Virgin Mary, and the betrayal of Jesus by Judas for 30 shekel coins."

"How did you find that out?" Piper asked.

"The Jews for Jesus website. I joined their group."

"Don't stop now. I'm listening. You're on a roll," Cherie responded with a grin; her eyes still connected with Nick's.

"Jesus was much more than a prophet. It says in many passages of the New Testament that He was and is the Son of God. He _said_ He's the Son of God and He _forgave_ people for their sins _against others_. He said that no one gets to the Father except through Him. A great moral teacher doesn't forgive people like that and call Himself the way, the truth, and the life. To call Him merely a great moral teacher while knowing that He said He is the Son of God is really saying that He was just a crazy man. A mad man. A liar. As C.S. Lewis put it, He would be the equivalent of a poached egg. Do you think Jesus was on the level of a poached egg?"

"You have an interesting way of putting things Nick. And I have a great respect for Jesus. I'll bet my parents would make the same argument _if_ I gave them the chance. But I still think that the church leaders wrote those passages about Jesus to attract more followers."

Nick continued, "I might have thought that way too, until I read the Bible and the works of the non-biblical Roman historians. After Jesus was buried, His eleven remaining apostles hid out in their homes, afraid they would meet the same demise that He had met. They feared for their lives and questioned their beliefs in the man they had followed. Then Jesus appeared to them very much alive. That's the key. Had He not appeared to them after He was crucified, they would never have done what they did for Him. They were burned, stoned, clubbed, beheaded, and crucified, all while enthusiastically preaching His word."

"Yeah, that's what they wrote," Cherie said.

"Okay. Let's look at it this way. Imagine that you're one of those writers. Imagine that you're a church leader in early Christian times trying to rev up your congregation after Jesus' passing. You've decided that you need to craft an amazing story about the most glorious event that you're claiming occurred in Jesus' life: His resurrection and the discovery of His empty tomb. Who should make that discovery, in this novel you're contriving? Peter the rock? John the loved one? Matthew the reformed tax collector? Certainly, the person who discovers the open tomb should be one of the male apostles. Someone with credibility. Someone people respect. You need people to _believe_ this story you're _crafting._ But instead of writing something you know would influence and motivate the people, you do the unthinkable. You choose a woman, Mary Magdalene, who was cursed by multiple demons at an earlier point in her life, along with other women, to make the most important discovery in the Bible. Of course, you realize that by choosing her, people will doubt your story. Your story will have no merit in the male-dominated world of Jesus' time. Women were second class citizens then. They were treated similarly to the way some are treated in parts of the Arab world today, where they are prevented from getting an education and required to wear Niqabs and Burkas that cover their bodies from head to toe. In Saudi Arabia, women still aren't allowed to drive cars, and in many Muslim countries in the region, being stoned for adultery still happens. Would you choose women of such status?"

"Never thought about that," Cherie said.

"And to your point on whether the church leaders wrote those passages for influence, think about this. For the first 300 years of Christianity, Christians were imprisoned and killed for simply being Christians under a variety of Roman rulers. Nero was one of the worst. About thirty years after Jesus' resurrection, Nero blamed Christians for burning Rome and used that as justification for outlawing Christianity. He entertained himself by feeding Christians to hungry dogs and crucifying them and setting their bodies aflame. The only way to save themselves from such persecutions was to make a pagan sacrifice and deny Jesus. Thousands instead chose to endure brutal deaths, keeping their eyes on the unseen prize, heaven. The apostles and the five hundred people who saw Jesus alive after His death must have been _very convincing_ to those early Christian martyrs who gave their lives for the cause. It wasn't until the Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision of a cross in 312 A.D. and converted to Christianity that the doors were opened to Christians to worship legally."

"Hmm. Well, Muslims die for their faith too."

"But their inspiration is different. The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call believers to war, or jihad, against nonbelievers. And ever since Muhammad died in 632 A.D., they have been going to war, motivated both by their religion and to acquire land. Early Muslims were warriors and conquerors, not peace-keepers and the conquered, as the early Christians were. The Muslim religion was used as a tool to gain power. Jesus warned against war when He said that 'those who live by the sword will die by the sword' in the Book of Matthew. Think about it. Why would a God who loves all of His children tell some of them that a surefire way to get to Him is to murder those who don't yet believe in Him? Don't you think that God would rather give His children who don't believe in Him more time on earth to seek and find Him?"

"Nick, you've given me a lot to think about," she said softly as she nodded her head. "But I still can't help but think that the Bible and the story of Jesus is either a beautiful story, or a tool for control. Religion has controlled people for centuries and leaders use religion to quell the masses. Look at all of the awful things happening around the world because of religion."

"Cherie, if the story of Jesus were crafted for control, then one would need to prove the early church leaders were gleaning power by controlling the masses with the story. Instead, the early church leaders had no legitimacy. They were hunted and killed for their beliefs instead of deriving some sort of earthly physical benefit from believing. They had no power. No glory. No churches. Moreover, the people who followed the early Christian leaders weren't being controlled. In fact, the governing leaders determined that the early Christians were out of control. That's why they imprisoned, beat, and killed them. They feared the Christians would rile the masses away from their means of control, which at the time were Paganism and Roman laws."

"But in later years, the church gained power and Christians murdered Jews during the religious crusades," Cherie said.

"That's true, but that shouldn't discount the first 300 years of Christianity, when no Christians had power and still risked their lives for the cause. I'm not saying that the church never had control and has never used its power to influence people. The church has had much power since legalized and sometimes that power has been used in the wrong ways. But in the early years, the church didn't have power. Christians had to practice in secret. So discounting the legitimacy of Jesus' story by saying that people created the story for control doesn't make sense."

Cherie sighed. "I don't know why they don't talk about this kind of stuff in the church. More people would believe."

Chase strolled up and took his seat next to Cherie. "What stuff?"

"Christianity," Nick answered.

"Oh. Ugh. Feel free to stop talking," Chase said as he shook his head. He looked at Nick in a cocky way and said, "You know, babies are atheists. They have to be taught religion. We would all be atheists if parents didn't teach their kids about religion."

"C'mon Chase," Nick smirked. "Humans are also taught to read and write. Should we stop that too?"

"No, that stuff is important."

The band leader took the microphone and announced they would be singing their last song of the night, Tim McGraw's "Live like You Were Dying."

Love Warriors. Piper turned to Nick and whispered, "Great work, my love. Very convincing."

"Thanks Piper."

Bob and Betty strolled into the bar around 9:30 p.m. and made their way to the high top table where the others were sitting. "Hey guys," he said as he grabbed two bar stools from a nearby table and sat down, offering the second chair to Betty. She sat down next to him and made herself comfortable.

"Was wondering when you would show up," Chase said.

Bob then tucked some chewing tobacco into his bottom lip and asked, "So, anyone up for a shot?" He signaled the server with a wave of his hand.

How annoying. No one needs shots. Piper looked around the table and was pleased to see everyone had ignored the question. Well, almost everyone. Betty wanted a shot. Must have a hollow leg. Definitely Bob's soulmate.

"I got news for you guys. I'm in love. Today I fell in love with this lovely lady," Bob said as he put his arm around Betty and pulled her closer to him. "She can hang with the guys, man. She's just like us!" He smiled as he shook his head in affirmation, exposing a small piece of chewing tobacco stuck between two teeth.

Betty put her arm around Bob and grinned in a somewhat awkward way. It was clear the two had been drinking all day long as her eyes were hanging at half-mast. Not a pretty scene.

"That's cool. Finally, a girl for you. A girl!" Chase mocked.

"Oh Chase. C'mon. Be nice," Cherie said.

Piper felt the urge to say something, yet resisted. Chase's comment was demeaning, though, and it added to her negative feelings about him. Bob wasn't a bad guy. Sure, he was a drunk, but he never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He didn't deserve that one in front of his new girlfriend. She looked back over at Betty who was still wearing a messy sort of smile. Her hair was disheveled and her eye makeup was smeared under her eyes. Probably didn't even hear the insult, Piper figured, as she was in her own little world.

"You're a good guy, Bob," Nick added. "It's good to see you've met your match. I know you have been very selective in your travels."

Piper smiled. Nick always knew the right thing to say, even if not completely truthful.

Bob ignored the comments and reverted to slope talk. "Well, we lost you guys on Rambo. We found a path through the trees and onto an even better slope. It was amazing. Epic. You'll want to try it tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Nick said. "We'll try it out. Was it steep? Moguls?"

"No moguls but definitely steep," Bob said.

"Cool," Piper said.

"Blue or black?" Chase asked.

"Double black diamond I'm sure. We tore it up!" Bob said.

"Double black? C'mon Bob. No way," Chase scolded.

"Well, maybe not double black. Or black. Maybe blue. Or sort of teal," Bob said.

"Just keeping it real, buddy," Chase said.

"I got your real," Bob replied before belting out an extended burp.

"Impressive. Very impressive, Bob. You always have the perfect way to express yourself. Hey, has anyone seen my sister tonight? Or Flypaper?"

"Nope," Nick said.

Bob chuckled before gulping down a swig of beer from his mug. Then he spit some of his chew into an empty water bottle and said, "We saw them earlier at the Wooden Nickel. Lost 'em after that. Looked really chummy together, Chase. _Really_ chummy. Wink wink. Nudge nudge."

Chase shook his head. "Disgusting."

Piper could barely contain her laughter. Watching Chase get angry about his sister's romantic pursuits was sort of fun.

***

Nick darted ahead of Piper as they approached the breakfast café the next morning to grab the door and open it for her.

"My lady."

"Thank you, Nick," she said. "I'll bet Chase doesn't open doors like that for Cherie. He may bring flowers, but you're the true gentleman."

"No need to compare me with Chase, my lady. We can both be gentlemen."

The savory scent of fried bacon penetrated her senses as she and Nick walked up to the hostess at the front desk. Tables made of pine filled the window-less room, along with ferns, moose-heads, and padded wooden chairs.

"Table for two," Nick said.

"Follow me," the hostess replied as she led them past throngs of fellow patrons to a table by the all-you-can-eat breakfast bar. "Your server will be right with you. Feel free to get a plate at the breakfast bar, if that's what you want."

"Thanks," Piper said.

The restaurant was populated with skiers and snowboarders who would be hitting the slopes after the chairlifts opened at 9 a.m. Piper and Nick were lucky to have gotten a table at that busy time.

They filled their plates with fruit, bacon, and eggs, before returning to their table to eat. Piper observed a young family of Texans seated at the table next to them. Or so she assumed to be Texans. Cowboy ski hats were by their sides and she heard Southern drawls and a few hearty laughs. They had Texas-sized passions for life. Texans had a way of making Piper smile.

She spotted Flypaper heading towards them, wearing his ski overalls, clunky ski boots, and a thick aquamarine-colored sweater. He wore a big grin.

"What a perfect coincidence! Can I join you?" He asked.

"Of course," Nick responded. Piper wondered where Kat was and whether Flypaper's mission had been successful. She found Chase's protectiveness of his sister to be amusing.

"We missed you last night," she said.

"Yeah, I went with Kat to the Wooden Nickle for a few mango margaritas. She's quite a lady. Could be a keeper. I don't think I've ever met anyone like her. Liked the Wooden Nickle too. Great music. Good atmosphere. Dancing. We should all hit the Wooden Nickle tonight or tomorrow for something a little different. I'm getting a little tired of the Rooster."

"That works for me," Nick said.

"Me too," Piper added. She wondered where Kat was now, given the fact Flypaper was interested in her. She took a few more bites of her food before she asked, "So, where's Kat today?"

"Probably getting ready to hit the slopes. I texted her when I got up, but she hasn't answered yet. Maybe still sleeping. Don't know."

Wow. Finally a challenge!

"Do you want to hit the slopes with us after breakfast?" Nick asked.

"That sounds good. But I don't want to steal your special moments with Piper. Let me know when you want me to take off. I can always snowboard solo."

***

The question was asked a few hours later while Piper was sitting next to Nick and across from Chase and Flypaper at an outside picnic table at the Lionshead restaurant, which was mid-way up the mountain off the Chute ski run. Chase probably had waited for the perfect moment to ask the question, which was when Cherie wasn't by his side. She had gone into the restaurant to use the ladies' room.

"So, what's with the Bible thumping? Cherie liked whatever you said to her about God."

"Really, that's excellent!" Nick responded.

"No, not excellent," Chase added, in a voice slightly louder than a whisper. "I hardly want a Bible-thumping wife or Bible-thumping kids. C'mon guys. What are you doing to me? I'm already taking a risk with her Baptist parents."

"Yeah, I know her mom. She's on the advisory board of the Collins Foster Home. Nice lady," Piper said.

"I know her too. You're marrying into a good family Chase. So, what's your problem with the Bible?" Nick asked.

"Oh, I don't know," he answered sarcastically. "Maybe just the fact it's over 2,000 years old and is _way_ outdated. It's not at all relevant today."

Chase's nostrils were flared. The topic was obviously one that ignited his anger. Given the importance of the topic, however, she persisted. "Someone said you don't believe in God. Is that true?"

"God?" Chase said in a low tone while looking at the door of the Lionshead, perhaps checking to see if Cherie was on her way back to the table. "God is a cliché. Just a cliché to make us feel good. The gods have been making us feel good for centuries. Odin, Vishnu, Mishra, Zeus, Thor...who am I missing?"

"Jesus. You're missing Jesus," Piper answered.

"Oh, yeah, and I also missed Allah, the Muslim God. Muslims, Christians, and Jews all believe in one god. The same god. Right?" Chase said.

"No. Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, with the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, while Jews believe Jesus was a false Messiah. The Christian Father called Jesus His Son. He didn't call Him a prophet. His Son fulfilled the prophecies of those who were prophets, like Isaiah and Zechariah."

"Well, I have to admit the Bible is good fiction," Chase responded.

"Chase, I'm surprised you don't believe in God," Flypaper said as he shook his head. "That's sad."

"Are you religious, Juan?" Piper asked, feeling a genuine sense of surprise.

"I wouldn't say religious, but I believe in Jesus. My family's Catholic. They call me the Chreaster cuz I only go to church on Christmas and Easter."

"That's funny. Chreaster. Never heard that one before," Chase said.

"Yeah, I should probably go more. I guess. Maybe I will, when I get old and have nothing left to live for. Right now, I'm living the dream, baby!" Flypaper chuckled.

Nick smiled. "We're all living the dream. Look around this place, man. All you see are mountains, blankets of snow, pine trees, and blue skies."

"So true," Flypaper responded. "It's beautiful here."

Piper slowly stirred her broccoli cheese soup as she gazed over at Chase, wondering how he had become so adversarial towards God. Had something bad happened to him, causing him to turn away from God? He attacked his hamburger with the passion of a hungry homeless man, making her think he was in a rush to finish his lunch and get away from the conversation. The shadowy forms circled over him, as if waiting to pounce.

A couple of minutes passed in an uncomfortable silence before Piper mustered up the courage to say something more. Something told her she shouldn't let it go. That little voice in the back of her mind was giving her advice again.

"So, why don't you believe?"

"Piper, I don't like debates with theists. I need to keep my sanity."

"I'm not debating you, Chase. Just asking a question."

"Well, put it this way. If there were a god, I'd still have my dad. It's that simple. What happened to him would have never happened. And I was just ten when it did."

"What happened?"

"He was murdered. Robbed, beaten, and shot by some dirt bag who had escaped from prison. And he was the best dad in the world. He always said that he 'walked in the way of the Lord.' What did the Lord do for him? To top it off, my mom married a total fool after he died." Chase's eyes welled up and he quickly brushed off the tears.

"Why do horrible things always happen to good people? Why not evil people?"

"Oh gosh," Piper said. "I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I lost my mom to cancer. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. At least I can rest assured knowing she's in heaven."

"How do you know that?" He stammered. "How do you know she's in heaven?"

"Because I believe."

Chase looked at her as he took a long sip of his soda. "Why would you believe in a god who took your mom away at an early age?"

"Because I know my mom served her purpose. And I know that one day I'll be reunited with her after I serve my purpose."

"Of course you'll be reunited. Reunited in pine boxes in a grave yard," Chase said. "Sorry to say that. The truth hurts. We'll all be in pine boxes one day, or cremated. That's what your god has in store for us. Some god."

Cherie returned and took her place at the table next to Chase.

"Chase," Nick started, "would you be willing to forgive your dad's murderer?

"Hell no! Are you crazy?"

"Wow, tough question Nick," Cherie said with her eyebrows raised.

"Chase," Nick continued, "would you be willing to take a bullet for the guy who killed your dad?

"What the..." Chase mouthed profanities as he banged his hands on the table. "What the..." he blurted, yet still couldn't complete the question. He gagged and coughed, eventually propelling the soda from the inside of his mouth onto the table top in front of him. After taking another sip of soda, he looked Nick in the eyes and sneered, "What the hell kind of an asinine question is that? Are you seriously asking me if I'd take a bullet for my dad's murderer? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how much pain I've suffered?" Chase shook his head as if to shake off the thought of the question.

"Honey, calm down," Cherie said while rubbing his back. "It's just a question."

"Yes, I'm seriously asking you that."

"Man, you're out of your mind. Of course I wouldn't take a bullet for that scumbag! I hope that he rots in hell."

"So you believe in hell?"

"It's an expression, Nick."

"Well, that's what Jesus did. He willingly accepted to be murdered on the cross for the sins of others, including the scumbags of the earth."

Chase stared at him for a few minutes as if searching for the words to respond. "That's what they say. They. Who are _they_ anyway?"

A few minutes passed as everyone sat somewhat uncomfortably at the table without saying another word or answering Chase's rhetorical question. Chase resumed his gobble fest, downing his second burger before standing and picking up his plate.

"C'mon Cherie. Let's get back on the slopes. See you guys tonight."

Cherie kept her eyes on the ground as she stood up slowly and gathered her plate and glass. "Thanks," she whispered. "Your words were good, though they may have come across a little harsh. You made your point." She looked over at Chase, who was already pulling his skis from the ski racks. "I got to go. I'll see you tonight."

"Bye Cherie," Piper said.

Piper watched Cherie as she walked over to the ski racks. Upsetting. But even more upsetting was that nothing they said to Chase was sinking in. Maybe she and Nick should just forget about trying to change Chase's opinions.

"Maybe convincing him is impossible," she whispered. "Maybe he doesn't have the eyes to see or the ears to hear the truth. Maybe he's just a weed among the wheat."

"I hope not," Nick whispered back.

A pretty girl sat down at the table next to them and made eyes at Flypaper, yet he ignored her. Nick must have taken note of her advances as well because he nudged Flypaper and directed his eyes to the girl. Still, Flypaper ignored her. This was not the Flypaper that Piper knew. The Flypaper Piper knew would have been hitting on the girl the moment she sat down. That Flypaper would have already been making plans to spend the evening with his new girlfriend.

Who is this guy? Is he whipped over Kat? Or is he just putting on a show? That must be it. Just putting on a show.

The girl at the table was definitely Flypaper's type, Piper surmised, as she glanced back at her. Sort of looked like Kat in a way, yet she was more petite. Flypaper refused to give her any attention as he continued to eat his lunch. Piper wondered again what had happened with Kat, whom she hadn't seen yet that day.

***

Or night. Hours later, Kat was still no place to be found. Piper figured she might show up at the hot tub. But she hadn't shown up. No one had seen her all day.

Piper turned her attention to the present. Nothing like being in an outdoor hot tub surrounded by snow and a wintry breeze in twenty degrees Fahrenheit. The wedding crew sat in their swimsuits in the oversized tub and basked in the water's steam and heat. Nick was by Piper's side. Admiring his thick, muscular body, she recalled his days as a backup quarterback at State where he had conditioned himself to perfection. His body was still so beautiful that she _craved_ him. She cuddled next to him in the hot-tub and felt a deep sense of love and security. Life couldn't be any better than it was that night under the starry sky and the full moon. Chase was seated across from her next to Cherie. Bob, Betty and Flypaper were also present, along with a few other relatives, other than Kat.

No one had mentioned why Kat wasn't there, and Piper was curious about that. When she asked Flypaper about her whereabouts, he said he hadn't heard from her all day. Piper could tell that that bothered him. And he was acting weird, too quiet and reflective and unresponsive to other females. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe he had met his match.

"Hey, you guys on Twitter?" Chase asked in an attempt to spur a conversation. "Check out my last tweet." He grabbed his mobile phone from his jacket pocket, which was bunched up in a small pile within reach of the hot tub. His grin indicated that he appreciated whatever he had tweeted, similar to the way a first grader appreciates show and tell. "Don't you think Carly Brenner looks better as a woman?" Chase displayed a picture of Carly in a red dress and oversized high heels to his friends in the hot tub. "The shoes are what kill me," he added. "Must be a size 13, special order."

"Well, I beg to differ," Cherie's uncle Clyde said in a somewhat pretentious way. "She was much better as a man."

"My last tweet was about my liquid lunch," Betty answered.

"Really? You tweeted our lunch? Sweet! You'll have to show me," Bob said.

"I'm not on Twitter, but my last post on Facebook was about Ronald Beat's hairdo," Clyde offered. "Can't believe that such an uncultivated and ill-informed buffoon is running for the presidency."

"Yeah, let's hope he runs as an independent," Nick added.

"Let's not," Clyde returned with a huff. "That would kill the party's chance. We would have no chance of lower taxes." He pushed his thick-framed eyeglasses to the top of his rather bulbous nose and looked Nick in the eyes with a very stern expression. "We need our taxes lowered, Nick. Lowering taxes needs to be the nation's first priority."

"Sure, Clyde. Our first priority. Let's ignore the schools, the environment, and the people..."

"Oh, you're young. Young people are such idealists, always thinking that they can save the world," Clyde said as he looked around the hot tub with his turkey-gobble of a chin held high. "When you get older, life slaps you in the face, and you discover that instead of helping others, you need to help yourself." He lifted his plastic champagne flute and took a gentle sip.

Clyde was a somewhat chunky gentleman, possibly in his early sixties. Tight curls of salt and pepper covered his head and thickened his eyebrows, yet contrasted his puffy sunburned face. His only attire was a pair of swim trunks, which perhaps was unusual given the way that others inhabiting similar tired-looking, pale bodies would have insisted upon concealing themselves. Clyde didn't seem the least bit concerned about the way his appearance varied from the other younger bodies in the tub. Piper found that interesting.

"Ever tweet about something....that matters? Something more serious?" Nick asked.

"What fun would that be?" Chase answered, followed by a few masked chuckles.

Then Cherie's little sister Chloe piped up. "People should just tweet about happy things. Who wants to read about anything serious? Twitter is social media, not serious media."

Chase added, "It's just best to keep the serious stuff canned. No one wants to read about other people's opinions on religion or politics, especially yours Nick. It's better to be politically correct."

"Point taken, Chase," Clyde offered.

"I think it's best to focus more on being morally correct than being politically correct," Nick said. "All I'm saying is that I wouldn't want to be at the pearly gates trying to explain to St. Peter why I spent so much of my life being 'politically correct' by only posting pictures of ham sandwiches and hairdos and margaritas and football, and I spent no time in my life focusing on things that mattered in life. So what if the world is crumbling around me with Christian genocides everywhere. So what if ISIS is chopping innocent people's heads off and Boko Haram is kidnapping young school girls and forcing them to marry their captors or brainwashing them into being suicide bombers. I enjoyed the ham sandwich I had for lunch," Nick said, without cracking any sort of facial expression. "Satan has done a nice job of convincing people that being politically correct is important. People are afraid to talk about the things that matter in their lives."

Piper smiled as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Well said, Nick."

Chase looked at him with a smirk and said, " _Awkward_. Man, you two are killing us with your preachiness. Puh-leeze stop!"

Jerk! So rude.

"One day you'll understand why," Nick retorted. "One day."

Piper decided that they just needed to give up on Chase. He was a lost cause with an arrogant, condescending manner that was starting to get under her skin. Poor Cherie. What a terrible mistake she was about to make. Why couldn't she see past Chase's good looks? If she could peer into the window of his soul she would see him as more of a beast, like the demons who followed him around.

Piper caught Cherie's attention and offered a slight smile, which Cherie returned. Poor thing. She wondered what Cherie's parents thought of Chase. They were good people. Godly people. How could they let their oldest daughter make such a tragic mistake?

Piper took a sip from her oversized thermos of hot apple cider, which she was sharing with Nick. They had made a batch earlier that night with maple syrup, cinnamon, orange peel, lemon peel, and allspice, which tasted like liquid heaven. Nick enjoyed the drink too, and had already helped himself to several servings. It was the perfect replacement for beer.

"Cannonball time!" Bob hollered as he heaved himself out of the hot tub. Though he was only wearing a pair of swim trunks and a cowboy hat, he acted as if he didn't feel the bitter cold air. He bounded towards the swimming pool, which was a few yards away, and jumped into it, cannonball style, flipping his cowboy hat right off of his head. When he surfaced, he collected his hat, which was floating in the pool and threw it into the snow. "How'd ya' like that one? C'mon in everyone! It's heated."

Everyone laughed. "Everyone needs a little Bob sometimes," Nick said.

"Little?" Bob laughed. "Everyone needs a lot of Bob, right Betty?"

"You got it babe," Betty said as she climbed out of the hot tub and jumped into the pool next to Bob. "Definitely colder than the hot tub," she announced.

"Nah, it's refreshing. And balmy. Man, I'm bummed you're heading home tomorrow, Betty. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, but you're coming to visit on Valentine's Day, right?"

"Yeah. It's going to be great."

Piper turned towards the ski lodge and noticed a familiar woman walking toward them with a thermos in her hand. Kat.

"Can I join you guys?"

"Of course," Flypaper answered. "What's in the thermos?"

"Hot apple cider," Kat responded.

"We have some space over here, Kat," Chase called out as he slid over.

"That's too far from me," Flypaper retorted from a different side of the tub.

Piper watched Kat as she gently peeled off her jeans and jacket until all that was left was a black bikini. She was a slender, yet shapely blonde who stole the attention of just about every male in the tub.

"I think I'll just sit here," she said as slid into the hot tub across from Flypaper, who smiled at her in a somewhat cheesy way.

"You're looking as lovely as ever. We missed you today," he said. "Texted you a few times to let you know where we were. Where were you?"

"Shopping. Thought I'd try to find a different pair of shoes for the wedding, but I didn't have any luck."

"You get my texts?"

"Yeah. That's how I knew you were here."

"Of course," Flypaper beamed as he sat up straighter in the tub while simultaneously flexing his muscles. Piper noticed the clean-cut way that his thick dark hair was coiffed atop his head, and how his smile appeared to be brighter than ever. His Cheshire cat smile was probably one of his best assets. Yet when taken in context, it seemed analogous to the way a mother tiger licks her sickly cub, just before killing and eating it.

"May I be so bold as to come to your side of the tub to join you, beautiful lady?"

"No. Please don't. Kat's not falling for your scam, Flypaper," Chase answered.

"Oh, Chase. Take it easy. Juan, feel free to join me. There's plenty of room," Kat responded with a smile.

Flypaper moved stealthily across the tub and shimmied himself next to Kat. He put his arm around her and said, "Together, we would make beautiful children."

"Really? Children?" Chase hissed. "Come on, Flypaper. Spare us this insanity."

Piper thought Flypaper was being silly, yet Kat didn't seem to be complaining. She looked over at Chase, who was shaking his head as he glared at Flypaper.

Flypaper turned to Chase and gave him a very serious look. "Your sister is a gorgeous woman, like none I've ever seen before. Absolutely flawless."

"Well, she's selective, Flypaper," Chase responded. "Flawless and selective."

"Oh Chase, c'mon," Kat said. "Juan and I are just having fun." Then she whispered something into Flypaper's ear, making them both smile.

"Ah, the wonders of a youthful love," Clyde said. "I remember the days well when I first started courting Beverly. She was and still is such a delight to be around. To think it's been almost thirty five years."

"Clyde, Flypaper doesn't court. He conquers," Chase said as he pounded his hand on the concrete next to the tub.

Piper noticed that Flypaper and Kat were still whispering words into each other's ears, seeming not to notice the conversations occurring around them. A short while later, they announced that they were going to go dancing before exiting the tub and heading into the lodge, ignoring Chase's not-so-subtle warnings.

"Great. That's just great. He could have gone after any other woman on the mountain, but instead he chose my twin sister. At my wedding of all places. What an insult!"

Cherie said, "Don't worry Chase. Kat is a smart woman. Probably playing _him_. I mean, look. She ignored his texts all day."

"That's true. But she should have kept ignoring him," he said.

"Why do you worry about your sister so much?" Clyde asked. "Juan seems like a nice enough chap."

"Yeah, he's nice alright. All the girls say that when he stops calling them or tells them that 'something's missing.'"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. If they hook up, you won't need to worry about him dating her anymore. Right?"

"Yeah, right, Bob. Maybe I should tell her to knock boots with him now to get it over with....Not!" Chase grabbed his phone and texted something in a furious manner.

Piper giggled, guessing that Kat was on the receiving end of that text. He obviously loved her very much, perhaps proud of the way she was considered flawless to someone like Flypaper. He probably figured that if she hooked up with Flypaper, she would no longer be flawless, taking some of his own twin pride away.

Piper yawned. The excitement was gone and it was getting late. She turned to Nick and asked him whether he was ready to get out of the tub. She was ready. They needed to get some rest before the big wedding, which was just a day away. And the fireplace in the lodge was calling her name. She envisioned herself in front of the fireplace on the big couch, with her hot boyfriend by her side. Warm and fuzzy and super cuddly, she could see their love flourishing even more.

"Let's head in," Nick said.

***

Two hours into the wedding reception, the Hokey Pokey played as everyone moved about the dance floor. Nick and Piper danced next to Bob, who stretched out his arms and kicked up his legs in an enthusiastic, yet somewhat clumsy style. Kat and Flypaper danced across from them in the circle in a fun-loving way, laughing as they turned around and followed the instructions of the classic wedding song.

Chase and Cherie milled about the tables in the room, greeting each of the many guests with oversized smiles and hugs. She appeared radiant in her lacy white wedding dress, manicured fingernails, and high heels, which she exposed when she danced. Her highlighted honey-colored blonde hair was wrapped in a loose, yet dressy bun, matching the up-do that her mom was also wearing.

Her parents were also circulating about the room, meeting and greeting each of the guests. It was obvious where Cherie had gotten her looks, as she and her mom appeared as twins separated by a handful of years with their sparkling crystal eyes and fair complexions. Chase was a lucky man indeed, though he looked handsome as well in his tuxedo. The purple tie he wore matched his mother-in-law's dress and the bouquets the bridesmaids all carried.

The room was tastefully decorated in an array of purples and silvers, with ivory-colored tablecloths and satin covered banquet chairs, adorned by purple placemats, and silver chiffon bows. Majestic purple, lavender, and sapphire-blue floral arrangements centered each table, emitting light scents of rose, lilac, and lily. Yet even more stunning than the interior decorations were the views of the mountainside, which could be seen from the large picture windows surrounding the banquet room. Absolutely stunning.

Piper spotted Clyde standing with his wife Beverly by the chocolate fountain. It appeared that he was trying to avoid making a mess of himself as he dipped pineapple slices into the chocolate and shoved the dripping pieces into his mouth. She looked a little closer and noticed that he had failed in his attempts at least twice as liquid chocolate was both on his cheek and on his suit collar.

Such a high brow. Fitting.

Chase's mom sat at one of the front tables, surrounded by her sisters and their husbands. It was unclear why Chase's stepdad wasn't present, yet perhaps he had never received an invite. Chase had said earlier that he didn't like him much. Or perhaps he had received the invite, yet chose not to attend. Chase _had_ called him a fool. Or perhaps some other event conflicted with the wedding. Who knows?

When the song ended, Cherie's parents took to the stage to make an announcement. Those on the dance floor remained as they listened to the message. Others in the room remained in their seats at their assigned tables. Chase and Cherie moved from the tables to the dance floor and stood next to Piper and Nick.

"Congratulations," Piper whispered to Cherie.

"Thanks!"

Cherie's mom took the microphone and said, "We would like to thank all of you for being here today for these very special moments between our daughter, Cherie, and our new son, Chase. We're truly blessed to add Chase and his family to ours and look forward to many good years ahead."

The crowd clapped in merriment as Chase and Cherie smiled.

She continued, "Cherie, do you remember that Mediterranean-style home in Azalea Paths that you said would be perfect for you and Chase?"

"Yes, of course I do Mom."

"Well, William and I would like to share a surprise with you two. In six weeks, we'll be closing on that beautiful home and that will be one of our wedding gifts to you and Chase. After we close, we'll be upgrading the home according to your wishes. And if all goes as planned, you should be able to move in by the middle of April."

"Wow! That's awesome," Chase belted out. "Thank you!"

"Thanks Mom and Dad!"

The crowd clapped again and cheered for the lucky new couple. Piper watched Chase's grin as it expanded across his face, almost exploding in its excitement. She had never seen him happier, which made her again wonder whether he was in it for the money. Hopefully not. Then she thought of his texting habit, again wondering about the identity of the person on the other end. At least he wasn't texting that night. Or, at least she hadn't seen him texting.

"Congratulations Chase and Cherie," Nick offered.

"That's so generous of your parents. You're very fortunate," Piper added.

Others in the room high fived Chase as he skipped about the dance floor and returned the high fives.

After a few moments, Cherie's father added, "Yet, Jeanne and I are giving this gift with one contingency." He paused as he grasped the microphone and peered around the room. His darker complexion and deep set eyes contrasted his wife's and children's, yet his slender and relatively short stature didn't. The crowd quieted and waited to hear more. Chase returned to his position standing next to Cherie.

"Like so many of you, Chase and Cherie have been blessed with many gifts in this life. Yet we feel that those gifts and blessings could better be used to benefit others, so our contingency is that you two give something back to the community."

Chase gasped.

"You can't fully appreciate love and compassion until you have witnessed how those most humble have overcome pain through forgiveness and love. The children in the Collins Foster Home are well positioned to share with you their experiences and the ways they've forgiven those who've hurt them by embracing love. Jeanne and I feel that serving them as mentors will benefit you and the children as both you and they grow and prosper in this life. Therefore, the contingency we have added to this gift is that you two will contribute eighty hours of your time volunteering at the Collins Foster Home prior to moving into your new home. Further, Chase, you may want to volunteer your cybersecurity skills to help the home protect itself electronically. We hope that the eighty hours we're asking you to spend with them will set a fire in your soul, generating a lifetime of service. What do you say, Chase and Cherie? Are you ready to commit?"

Chase looked at Cherie as he drew a deep breath. "Seriously," he said in a muffled voice, "eighty hours is a lot to ask. Do they know we work forty to fifty hours a week already?"

"Yes."

"I guess we don't have a choice then," he whispered.

"We accept!" Chase and Cherie announced in unison.

"Wonderful," her dad responded. "We look forward to hearing about your experiences in the coming weeks."

The crowd clapped and a few shed tears. Piper wiped the moisture from her eyes as she looked around the room at all of the happy faces. A contingency. The Collins Foster Home. How brilliant!
Chapter 5

Choosing a Soulmate

"Hey there, Piper! Fancy seeing you here," a male voice called out from the parking lot of the Collins' Foster Home. Piper turned her head to find Chase closing the door of his new shiny red Porsche. He walked towards her with Cherie by his side, both wearing blue jeans and light jackets. Cherie's hair was pulled back into a ponytail, which helped to settle it in the wind, while Chase's wavy hair bustled about his head.

"Good seeing you guys too! I like your red sled. Pretty fancy, Chase."

"Thanks."

"Will this be your first shift volunteering?"

"You got it. We're all signed up."

They stopped and looked around the campus, catching within their views a handful of cream-colored two story homes, playgrounds, a pond, and many flourishing trees. The campus was idyllic for the foster children, similar to the landscape in a picture that Norman Rockwell would have painted.

Chase commented, "Nice place here. Very picturesque and homey."

"It's great for kids," Piper added. "Very safe. Plus it's zoned for the nearby "A" rated public schools. Just what the kids need."

"That's great," Cherie said. "It's good that we're here, Chase."

"Looks a lot better than I thought it would," Chase said. He turned to Cherie, "This won't be so bad. I can see myself doing what Nick's doing on the courts. Hope I get an assignment like that!"

"He plays football with them too," Piper said. "They love football."

"I do too," Chase said. "You might not remember, but I played on the team with Nick in high school."

"I do remember that. Maybe you don't remember I was a cheerleader with Cherie."

"How could I forget the _hot squad_ ," Chase said with a sheepish grin. He put his arm around Cherie and kissed her. "You guys hear about Bob?"

"How he proposed to Betty on Valentine's Day? Yeah, we heard," Piper answered.

"Nuts, huh?" Cherie added.

"Yeah, I guess. Hope it works out for them," Piper said.

She looked over at Nick and recalled the way she thought he was going to propose on Valentine's Day. And the way he didn't. Valentine's Day would have been the perfect day for a wedding proposal. Why didn't he propose? Maybe he wasn't sure about his love for her. Maybe he didn't think she was right for him.

Melancholy weighed on her heart as she fought to dispel the memory before any tears welled up in her eyes. They should have been the next ones to get engaged. Why didn't it happen? Maybe his promise not to drink anymore after their wedding day was too much. She needed to tell him that he wouldn't need to keep that promise if they married. Flexibility. She would offer him flexibility. She again looked at Nick.

What is he waiting for? St. Patrick's Day? He did say that St. Paddy's Day was one of his favorites for what it represented...

Chase laughed. "Yeah, we hope so too. She's going to be moving in with him next week. That should be interesting. I don't know if you've seen his place, but it's a disaster. Hope he finds time to clean it before she shows up. You can't even see the floor under all the sweaty socks and dirty clothes."

"Gross," Cherie said as she fixed her ponytail. "I'm so glad you like things clean, Chase."

"Yeah, our floors are so clean you could eat off of 'em." Chase paused. "Well, we better check in and get our assignments. We'll see you soon, Piper."

"Sounds good." Piper watched them as they walked over and entered the main facility. She wondered what they would be assigned on their first day volunteering. Hopefully nothing too laborious. Her first day many years ago had been spent on clean-up duty. Working directly with the kids would be better.

Piper and Nick had playground duty that day. She was on the field watching a group of girls and boys as they played kickball, while Nick played basketball with the older teenage boys on the adjacent basketball courts. The day was typical of February in Florida: sunny and windy with a crispy chill that carried a slight, yet musky sandalwood aroma. The leaves of the many oak trees that surrounded the campus were whistling and stirring in the wind as they fluttered on their limbs and danced in the sunlight. Birds of varying sizes and colors chirped as they sailed over the campus, landing every so often on a tree limb. It was a perfect day to be outside.

She turned her attention to the kids, who were laughing and running about the kickball field, challenging one another for the "ultimate win." Most were in elementary school, with a small minority in middle school, and they represented all races. Despite those differences, they were getting along well and were achieving the teamwork and sportsmanship goals set in advance.

Feeling satisfied with her contributions to the home, Piper reflected on her precious memories within. The children were what made everything so special. They were warm, loving, and kind. Many had endured traumas early in their lives that would have sent some adults into deep depressions, yet the kids were resilient. They had a way of turning lemons into lemonade. So many of them had started their tenure in the home full of anger, bitterness, and resentment, yet almost all finished strong. The time spent in the home embraced by its many caregivers, volunteers, and children had a way of healing and nurturing them.

Over the years, Piper had watched some of the more bitter children coming into the home become its most caring, forgiving and loving. Witnessing those dramatic changes helped to grow her faith and after a while, she began to feel the presence of God in the home. She saw Jesus behind the actions of the caregivers and the volunteers and the most loving children. That's what kept her coming back year after year.

As she glanced over the playground, she caught Nick's attention and waved to him. He lifted his arm to wave back, yet stopped short as he was in the middle of an intense scramble on the courts with the older boys. He outsized most of them as many were in the middle of growth spurts and had the lanky bodies familiar to teens. Some had stopped growing and were more bulky, though no one's size inhibited their natural agility on the courts. They gave Nick a run for his money. Piper laughed to herself as she watched him dart about the court, trying to steal the ball from his worthy opponents who were hooting and hollering as they bounced and threw the ball back and forth to one another. Again she reflected on a future marriage with Nick and pictured him to be a very good husband and dad. One day.

Piper turned her attention to Benson, who was sitting on the sidelines in the grass, avoiding the kickball game. Benson was ten years old and was relatively new to the home. She approached him and asked, "How come you're not in the game?"

"Too boring."

"Don't you want to play with your friends?"

"Friends? My friends aren't here. I haven't seen them since I was in the first grade."

Piper sat down next to him in the grass and put her arm around him. "I get it. But I just want to let you know that we're all your friends too, Benson. We care about you. That's why we're here."

"Thanks," Benson said as he wiped a tear from his eye with his sleeve.

A white ibis landed on a bench about ten feet away and chirped.

"See that bird, Benson? That's an ibis."

"Yes."

"Do you see any other white ibises?"

Benson looked around. "Nope. Why?"

"The ibis is like you. Though it may not know where its biological family is, it knows that the sun will come up each morning. And just as sure as the sun coming up, it knows that its Lord is smiling upon it each day." She paused before adding, "Jesus loves you, Benson, and He directed your path here so that you could learn about Him and feel His love through the warm embraces of others. He loves you more than anyone you'll ever meet and wants the best for you."

Benson paused and then looked Piper in the eyes. His eyes welled up in tears as he responded, "Thanks. I love Jesus too. My mom loves Jesus. Just hope she makes it back from the war."

"I do too."

Cherie and Chase exited the main building and crossed Benson's path carrying garbage bags and wearing gloves. Clean-up duty. Geez. Piper chuckled a little while watching them as they headed into the parking lot, picking up any trash they found along the way. After a while, they approached her on the field.

"Trash duty," Chase said. "Great use of a college degree."

"Oh Chase. This won't last long. When Piper and Nick leave in an hour, we'll get to replace them. And next week, you'll be helping them prevent cyber-attacks."

"Yeah, I know. Guess it's not so bad." Chase grabbed his phone from his pocket and said, "Cherie, you got this? I got to take this call."

"I guess."

Chase dropped his garbage bag and headed back towards the parking lot, holding his mobile phone to his ear.

Cherie looked at Piper and said, "Gambling. Found out on the honeymoon that it's sort of a _problem_ for him. Can't stop. You should have seen him at the Blackjack table at Atlantis. Blew so much money. I don't even want to tell you how much. It's embarrassing."

"That's scary. Maybe he needs help."

"I don't know about getting professional help. Just know we won't be going back to any casinos anytime soon. He's probably on the phone with his gambling friend, Oren."

"You still happy you married him?"

"Yeah," Cherie chirped in a soft voice as she looked down on the ground, avoiding direct eye contact with Piper. Maybe she was having regrets. Maybe they had jumped into marriage too quickly. Maybe she was learning things about him that she didn't like. "You know, Cherie. If you're having doubts, it's not too late to get out. It's not like you have kids or anything."

"I'm pregnant, Piper."

"Oh. Uh. Congratulations." Piper managed an uncomfortable smile.

"Thanks. We just found out. Must've happened on the wedding night. We haven't told anyone yet."

Piper looked out into the parking lot and watched Chase as he paced back and forth in an animated way discussing something on his phone. She recalled his same signature strut on the ski slopes many times.

So that's what it was. Gambling. Though out-of-control gambling was a bad habit, Piper was happy to make the assumption that another woman wasn't in the picture.

***

A week later, Piper lounged next to Nick as they sat in their beach chairs on the beach. She relished the familiar scent of the salty air and her Coppertone suntan lotion. The ocean always captivated her and she watched its waters roll onto the beach. February days were often windy, yet that day wasn't. The ocean melted as glass into the deep blue sky.

Beachgoers who walked along the shoreline passed by and sometimes caught her attention. She liked to people-watch on the beach and to make random observations. Some were tall and some were stocky and some were lanky with sun-battered skin. She watched an old woman as she strolled by in her bird-shaped body. The beach attracted quite a few bird-shaped people with their chunky torsos and skinny legs. Or maybe bird-shaped people were everywhere, but you couldn't tell that they were bird-shaped when fully clothed.

A husky man wearing a baseball cap threw a tennis ball to a spunky little dog. Piper watched the dog as it gleefully retrieved the ball and returned it to its owner. It appeared to be in the terrier family and looked somewhat similar to Chipper, yet with black fur. The man threw the ball again, this time out into the ocean. The dog ran up to the edge of the water and wagged its tail and barked. Instead of going into the water to fetch the ball, the dog waited by the edge of the shoreline for the ball to wash up, apparently fearful of the water. The man, who was wearing a pair of swim trunks and an old, beat-up plaid shirt, darted into the water and retrieved the ball himself. Then he threw it onto the beach, offering the little dog another opportunity to scoop it up. The dog complied and retrieved the ball for its owner. Piper watched the man as he hugged his dog. She could tell they were good companions for one another.

An old couple followed, holding hands and appearing to still be happy after many years together. One day, that would be her and Nick, old and still in love. Her thoughts soon turned to marriage with Nick. And Bob's engagement. Feeling a sudden surge of emotion, she turned to Nick and grabbed his hand.

"We've been together more than three years. When are we going to take our relationship to the next level?"

He turned towards her and raised his eyebrows. His eyes were hidden behind his black-rimmed sunglasses, as were hers, which was a good thing. She didn't want him to see her tears.

"I mean, do you think we're meant to be? It didn't take Bob any time at all to figure out that he and Betty were meant to be."

Nick smiled and squeezed her hand. A rush of love overcame her, stirring her heart and shaking her soul.

"Honey, I love you. Just because Bob got engaged first doesn't mean that I'm questioning our relationship. Are you?"

"Well, we've been dating a long time. Don't you want to have kids?"

"Of course I do. Lots of kids."

"What are you waiting for? We should move our relationship forward. I love you too Nick. You mean the world to me. I'm just a little worried that your promise was too much for you."

"My promise?"

"You said that if we married, you would give up the sauce. Maybe that's too hard. Maybe that's why I keep waiting for a proposal, but the proposal isn't coming."

"That's not it, Piper." He paused and looked her in the eyes.

"Oh, Piper. You're crying." He took his sunglasses off, uncovering his own tears. He wasn't afraid to shed a tear, and Piper considered that very attractive as it reflected his emotion, humility, and masculinity in a uniquely wonderful way. She shifted her eyes to his well-chiseled upper torso and noticed small beads of sweat reflecting the sunlight.

He pulled her close and kissed her. Then he whispered, "You're a beauty. I love the way your hot body looks in that yellow bikini. Don't think I haven't noticed all of the men ogling you as they walk by. Did you see that one guy trip? He was so busy gawking at you." Nick laughed.

"Oh c'mon. I'm sure it wasn't me." She grinned and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Seriously. You should wear bikinis more often, Piper. It's a shame I have to take you to the beach to see you in a bikini. How about wearing it tonight at the house?" Nick winked at her as he put his sunglasses back on.

"Only if you keep your shirt off. You're my eye candy."

Nick laughed. "Hey, if that's all it takes, I'm game."

He looked out into the ocean. "How about a swim? And a little snuggling?"

"Sounds excellent!" Piper stood up and followed Nick into the water, cheerily anticipating what was next to come.

***

As she sat in her bikini on the leather couch at Nick's house that night, Piper couldn't help but feel silly. Nick was preparing their surprise dinner in the kitchen, where she was forbidden for the time being. She could hear the clanking of pots and pans, water running from the sink, a knife cutting something on a cutting board, and the occasional opening and closing of the refrigerator door. The scent of garlic permeated the air, tickling Piper's nose and stimulating her desire for dinner. She looked down at her legs and again felt silly, so she pulled a pillow over to cover them. At least he had kept his end of the deal and was dressed in only his swim trunks.

So easy on the eyes, she cherished every moment he appeared in the room to check on her. She entertained herself by flipping through a sports magazine that she found on the coffee table in the center of the room, next to the Bible and a couple of books by A.W. Tozer and Lee Strobel. A few articles from the magazine caught her interest, but none merited any sort of elaborate discussion with Nick. The articles mainly focused on football players and injuries. Brain injuries. Research had demonstrated that playing football and developing later brain injuries go hand in hand, despite the fact that high school, college, and professional football players wear helmets. Nick had played football in high school and college, though mostly on the second string in college. His aspirations to go pro were never realized.

Nick's little schnauzer-mix dog, Chipper, scooted herself closer to Piper on the couch and glanced at her as she put her head on the top of the pillow that Piper had placed over her legs. Piper could tell by her wagging tail that she wanted to be petted, and she was more than happy to oblige. That little dog had grown on her. Nick and his mom had rescued her and he loved her with a passion. She was so sweet and kind, such a blessing from above. Piper stroked her salt and pepper colored fur in a very loving manner. Chipper wagged her tail in appreciation.

"Little darling. We love you Chipper."

Chipper grunted in a loving way and then turned her head towards Piper, locking eyes. Just a God-send. She stared into Chipper's little round eyes, almost seeing beyond them and into her sweet soul. Her long tail kept wagging.

"You look so beautiful tonight Piper."

She looked up, finding Nick in the doorway to the family room. "You do too." His body was beautiful in every way. Yet what made Nick even more special to Piper was his love for others and for mankind. She knew that his physical beauty would fade over time, giving his passions from the inside the opportunity to grow. He was more loving and caring about people than anyone she had ever known. Always looking out for the little guy, Nick was the person who could be counted on to hand a random homeless man in the street twenty bucks without judgment, to donate generously to the church without contingencies, and to delay judgments on those who had hurled insults at him. He always saw the bigger picture of life.

Piper recalled the words of her deceased mother, which she had shared with her when in full knowledge of her cancer diagnosis. "When choosing a soulmate, look into his soul. Watch the way that he follows the pathways of our Lord."

While thinking about Nick's character, she realized that she couldn't recall a single time in which she had seen Nick judge his friends. He never even judged Bob or Chase. She reflected on the interactions she had witnessed between Nick, Bob, and Chase and a few times stood out in which Nick could have become inflamed. But he wasn't the sort of person who became inflamed at those sorts of trivialities in life. He always had the bigger picture in mind.

Such realizations caused her to take pause. Judging wasn't a part of his composition. Some might claim that his failures to judge others coincided with being naïve or clueless, but Piper knew better. Nick was trying to emulate his Savior. She recalled that movie that she had seen, which portrayed Jesus' life. The time Jesus stood in front of a female adulterer who was about to be stoned in Jesus' time flashed within her mind. Those who planned to stone her stood around her with their stones in their hands. Jesus asked the ones without sins to cast the first stones. No stones were thrown. Everyone left the scene.

Such thoughts helped Piper to realize why God had placed Nick into her life and had placed her into Nick's life. Each served as an example to the other in different ways of how best to be. She would try to follow Nick's example of not judging others.

"I'm working on a very special meal for you. Shrimp Scampi."

"You know I love the Scampi!" She smiled at Nick and admired what he was doing for her.

Nick grabbed his mobile phone and pulled a small speaker out from a drawer in the kitchen. Seconds later, Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares to You _"_ played. "Nothing compares to you my fine lady. You're the best."

She lit up even more. "Or you."

Something about the way he moved captivated her, reminding her of the words of a classic Beatles song. Something so special. She felt the urge to get up and kiss him, but resisted. He had instructed her to relax and remain in her seat while he cooked for her. Such a gentleman.

The delicious scent of garlic made its way into the room, triggering Piper's hunger. Her stomach growled, so she took another sip of tea to calm it down. "Would tonight be the night?" She wondered. He was being especially romantic. A proposal? She longed for a proposal. She was more than ready to accept the proposal.

A short while later, she sat next to Nick at the kitchen table, which was decked out with his fanciest dishes and several white candles. Another love song was playing, which Nick had hand-picked to complete the feeling of love that had embraced all of her senses. She took her first taste of the shrimp scampi. Wow! Yum! His cooking skills were amazing, especially in light of the fact he was a meat and potatoes sort of guy. His mom had taught him well.

"What do you think?"

"Nick, it's perfect. As are you."

"I've got a chick flick for us to watch after dinner. I think you'll like it."

"Really, a chick flick? That's crazy! That's so _not you_."

"Maybe not me, but I'm into you." He smiled, exposing his perfect pearly whites. "It's all about you. And I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy."

Piper took another bite of her meal, relishing its flavor. She was tempted to say something again about marriage, but restrained herself. "So, how's work?"

"A little stressful. Still. Lou is just a piece of work. His only strategy for achieving our performance goals is to cut costs by firing employees. He uses a forced distribution performance evaluation in which all employees are forced into A, B, or C categories. Those ranked in the C categories for two years in a row are fired. And I get that. Top-grading makes a lot of sense. But what I've been hearing a lot about lately is that many of those categorized in the C group aren't C players. Many are hard workers who have been with Fox 'n Fields for decades. They're told they've earned C's without any sort of explanation. Just bias. And most of them are old. Lou said he wants a younger, more diverse workforce. But he won't listen to opinions or alternative strategies to achieve market growth."

"That's terrible."

"I know. I try not to think about it, but morale has plummeted, especially for the older people." Nick shook his head. "They're family to me. When my mom was CEO, she would have never done this to her people."

"Really awful," Piper added.

"Let's talk about something else. How are things at your work?"

"Not bad. I'm working with my boss on a new marketing promotion. She's an excellent motivator and I'm learning a lot from her as a person. So happy she's my boss, Nick. I had so many problems with the last one. A good boss makes such a difference."

"Man, that's so true. Maybe I'll try to get a job at your company!"

An hour later, Piper and Nick laid next to one another on one of the couches in the family room, snuggling under a blanket in front of the romantic movie he had selected for them. It was a love story about a man sent off to war, leaving the only woman he ever loved behind. The story was very sad, bringing tears to both Piper's and Nick's eyes. Piper was surprised that Nick picked the movie out for them, given that he and any of his friends would call such movie a chick flick. It was obvious to her that he was trying to impress her by doing something that he knew that she would like.

When the movie ended, Piper realized that Nick had fallen asleep, though he was still holding her tightly. Cuddling closer to him, she fell asleep, and thoughts on why he hadn't proposed that night dissipated.

Piper had a dream. She was in a motor boat with her younger sister and dad and they were cruising in the ocean. She and her sister were in the back of the boat on either side, while her dad was in front of them, captaining the boat. He sped up the boat, carving in and out of turbulent waters, as if he had no fear. The waters grabbed the boat and shook it, back and forth and up and down. Piper noticed a huge wave as it formed in front of them. She wondered whether they would be able to get past it. Fearing for her life, she held onto the side of the boat with everything she had. Her sister was doing the same. The wave grew and Piper felt the engine roar as her dad had increased the speed of the boat to get past the wave. Piper noticed other boats in the waters, crashing all around them. As their boat made its way through the huge wave, it crashed into a smaller boat, knocking its two male passengers into the water. Piper's dad didn't notice the accident, though, and gunned the engine to get out of the rough waters. She pondered the meaning of the dream.

"What do you think it meant?" She asked Nick one day.

"Well, it could be that your dad has chosen a difficult path in his life, one with much turbulence and difficulties. He's trying to lead you and your sister down that path. Others are also impacted by his leadership, though he doesn't realize it."

"Hmm. Interesting. And you don't even know him that well, but you're probably right about his choices."

Chapter 6

The Companion

Faith relaxed on a couch as she watched Nathan pacing back and forth in the kitchen, seemingly stressed over something. Wearing a worn pair of blue jeans and a plaid button-down shirt with long sleeves, he appeared somewhat similar to an old farmer. He loved plaid. The salt and pepper hairs on his head were thinly scattered about, contrasting the thick texture of his matching beard and mustache. Faith studied him, wondering what was bothering him. He picked up a phone and dialed a number, yet never spoke. The person he was calling didn't answer, likely due to the early morning hour. He grumbled as he put the phone down on the kitchen counter and resumed his pacing.

The home in which Nathan and Faith lived was similar to the others and Faith appreciated both the home and its natural surroundings. She also appreciated its large picture windows and expansive views. Outdoor living in Orange Bay was very pleasurable, given its balmy, year-round temperatures.

"I need help, man," Nathan said as he looked over at Faith. She was sitting on the couch in the family room next to the open kitchen, feeling very sorry for him.

"I'm out of my pain meds. Ran through them too quickly. My head is killing me. Massive migraine."

He clenched his fists and banged his right hand on the kitchen countertop.

"Death is knocking at my door, Faith. Knocking like a thief in the night. Sometimes I wish I could answer the door and end it all. Would be so much easier than this life. Way too much pain in this life. I'm ready to meet my maker."

He picked up the phone again and dialed a number.

"Uh, hello. This is Nathan Wagner. Can I get an appointment for later this afternoon?"

Faith studied him as he paced about the kitchen, holding the phone nervously to his ear. She loved that man and wanted him to be pain free. He deserved a nice life, devoid of such pain.

"How about tomorrow?" Nathan asked, and then waited for a reply.

"I'll see you then." He hung up the phone and looked at Faith as he walked from the kitchen and into the family room.

"Sometimes I wish I would just die, Faith, but I'm not ready to leave you. You're what keeps me on this earth. My sweet companion. What do you say we get some fresh air and head outside for a walk?"

He grabbed a bag of stale bread from the pantry and walked towards the front door. Faith got up and followed him.

Moments later, Nathan and Faith were strolling outside, heading towards the woodlands behind their home along an old familiar pathway. The day was pleasant with a slightly cool breeze, and Faith soaked in the warmth of the Florida sun as they wandered along. Birds whisked by them in the air and squirrels scampered past them, occasionally offering some entertainment and a little whimsy. Being outside was good for Nathan. It helped to clear his mind of much negativity and stress. His many tours of duty had taken a toll on him and he was still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

When they came to a fork in the path they were on, they turned off into the woods, and followed a different path towards the pond. The morning sun shone through the pine and mossy oak trees that surrounded them, reflecting its brilliant light from the trees' green leaves. Faith could see the pond off in the distance. Its glassy water was always covered in lily pads and stocked with bass, carp, and catfish. That's where they would spend the next hour while Nathan fed the crumbs of stale bread that he had carried with them to the hungry group of fish.

Their time together was always enjoyable and relaxing, especially when they were outside immersed in their surroundings. She was happy to be a part of Nathan's life. Though they had only been together for six months, it seemed as if she had known him forever and wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.

***

After returning from their walk, the two headed into the family room of their home. Nathan headed straight for his favorite reclining Lazy-boy style of a chair, where he plopped down and relaxed. He picked up the channel changer and flipped the channels until he came upon a sports show. Watching sports was his favorite pastime and he sometimes spent almost all of the hours of the day perched in his favorite chair watching sports.

Empty bottles of soda hovered over a crumb-covered paper plate on a table next to him. A sticky dollop of ketchup was aging on that plate, but probably would still taste good. Ketchup tastes great on everything. Nathan was a big fan of paper plates and utensils. Cleaning dishes wasn't something he enjoyed, so just about every meal was consumed on a paper plate.

Faith fell in and out of sleep as she sat across from Nathan in front of the television. Sports and television always bored her and caused her to doze off. Hours passed.

Nathan's sister Debbie arrived at the house like a breath of fresh air. After knocking on the garage door to her signature "shave and a haircut" tune, she yelled, "two bits" as she let herself into the house.

"What a great day!" She announced in her husky voice as she strode into the kitchen with a huge smile on her face and a big white bucket with a picture of a crab on it in her hand.

"Sure, great day," Nathan echoed in a flat voice, while keeping his eyes pinned to the television.

"Hope you've had a chance to go outside. It's sunny with blue skies, Nathan, just like the color of this room. So, how's it going?"

Debbie's comment reminded Faith of the time when Debbie came over to decorate Nathan's kitchen and family room. The rooms were decorated in a beachy sort of a way, painted in a pale shade of blue. She told Nathan that the pale blue would be calming and that he needed to be in a calm and restful environment.

"It's going," Nathan answered. He turned his head towards her and feigned a slight smile. Faith could tell that he was doing his best to be pleasant, despite his pain and his inner demons. She hoped that Debbie would be able to break that spell.

Debbie plopped the plastic bucket she was carrying onto the kitchen counter, causing the ice inside of the bucket to shake and make a lot of noise. Faith knew what was inside of the bucket, as Debbie had shown up with similar buckets in the past, and she looked forward to helping Nathan and Debbie consume its contents.

"Stone crabs are in season. Hungry? I've got a whole bucket here and man, are they scrumptious!"

"You know I love stone crabs. Thanks, Sis!"

Nathan stood up and grew a much more genuine sort of a smile. He headed into the kitchen, followed by Faith, and grabbed the paper plates, paper towels, crab crackers, and splitters. Time for a feast.

After eating a couple of crab legs, Debbie said, "Nathan, I hate to say this, but it's kind of musty and depressing in here. Smells like stinky socks and needs a good cleaning. You should get a maid. It's not like you can't afford one."

"Maybe I will."

"Are you still taking your meds?"

"Depression meds? Yup. But they don't help much. The pain meds don't help either. Nothing gets rid of the nightmares, Deb. They're killing me. I'm getting to the point where I'm afraid to go to sleep. Afraid I'll wake up in a deep sweat or I won't wake up at all. It's the demons, Deb. They're pounding me."

"Are you still seeing your counselor?"

"Yeah. That helps a little."

"You should get out more, Nathan. Maybe volunteer. When I was driving here, I saw the Collins Foster Home and it made me think of an opportunity for you. You should go over there and help those kids. I'll bet that they would love to meet a war hero."

"Hero? Right," he said. "I'm no hero. If I were a hero, Skidmore would still be alive. I had the opportunity, Deb. I could have saved him, but I wimped out and blew it."

"You've got to get over that, Nathan. Skidmore is in a much better place now," Debbie said.

"Can't, Deb. Just can't get over it."

"Just give it a shot, Nathan. You need something to live for now. You and Faith live a very lonely existence out here."

"Maybe, Deb. Maybe I'll give volunteering a shot. Got any of that mustard sauce?"

"Of course!"

"Let's eat."

Faith watched Nathan as he scarfed down a good number of crab legs. She pitied him and the difficulties he was having, but was glad he had his sister to help him. Debbie was always there for Nathan, always bringing joy and happiness.

Yet Faith knew of an even greater joy, one which was eternal. If only she could express herself to Nathan, she would be able to tell him she had the key to his eternal joy. But she couldn't say a word. She didn't have the ability to speak.
Chapter 7

He's Like Flypaper on Steroids

Piper always considered boat rides in the ocean to be either of two extremes: exhilarating and exciting or challenging and sickening. Whether she felt one way or the other depended on whether the boat was moving or idling, and whether she had remembered to take her motion sickness pills before the ride. She hoped there wouldn't be too much idling that day, but she had medicated, just in case. A picturesque boat ride with friends on the turquoise waters of the ocean seemed well worth the risk. Nothing like the salt life.

Bob had invited her and Nick to join him and his fiancé, "sweet Betty," for a voyage on his Boston Whaler. Boat rides in the Florida sun were always fun, and the weather that day was perfect. She was ready to relax and enjoy. Her only concern, aside from having motion sickness issues, was that Bob would overdo it while captaining the DILLIGAF. At least Nick could captain the boat if Bob drank too much.

They had departed from the boat docks near Bob's house mid-morning and were gliding over the waters of the bay. She glanced over at Bob, who was captaining the boat with Nick by his side. Betty stood opposite of her to balance the boat, each on one side of the center console in front of where Nick and Bob stood. She gripped the boat's rails as it bounced over the waves and headed south along the shore of the bay.

"Anyone want a beer?" Bob asked as he opened a large cooler in the back of the boat.

Piper sighed.

"You have to ask?" Betty quipped.

"Yeah. Think I need a beer," Nick added.

Piper looked over at Nick, who was standing next to Bob in the captain's chair. As far as she knew, he hadn't had a drink since his walk of shame in Colorado. Hopefully this would be one of very few beers. He was supposed to be the backup captain, as she was no expert in running a boat, and she doubted Betty could take over either.

Nick walked over to her on the side of the boat and embraced her with a warm hug, pulling all of himself against her bikini-wrapped skin. "Piper, I hope you don't mind. My work week was nuts. Lou was on fire. I really need a beer. It's so hard for me to give it up altogether. So hard. But I promise to only have a few."

"That's fine," she said, as if she didn't mind him drinking, though it sort of bugged her. She wanted to be with a sober Nick that day. He was much more fun when he was sober and so much happier. Drinking wasn't her thing, as it made her feel a little out of control and gave her hangovers. She had a hard time understanding how anyone could make it a habit or use it to drown their problems.

Over the next hour, she squirmed in her seat as she watched Nick down a few more beers alongside Bob and Betty as the boat ran further south. Staring at the public beaches, hotels, and condominiums on the coast helped to take her mind off of that. She looked over at Bob and noticed that he seemed in well control of the boat. Lots of practice and experience, perhaps. Or a strong tolerance to beer. Fortunately, Bob never idled the boat and that kept her from getting sick, which was nice.

Against the backdrop of a purring boat engine, music from the radio filled the air. Some of her favorites were playing, including Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, and Brad Paisley. Their cheery tunes helped to keep the mood pleasant.

She swayed a little back and forth and occasionally looked up at Nick, who was now sidled up against her on the front seat of the center console, skin to skin. He was wearing a little grin as he swayed to the music. Full of so much empathy for others, he was probably trying to take his mind off of all of the terminations at his company. He loved his coworkers and considered many of them good friends and family. It was a shame that Lou was driving the company's family culture into the dirt. Lou Seifert. Lucifer. Hmm. That's probably no coincidence.

To the east, she spotted beaches, condominiums, hotels, and palatial homes. To the west, she saw a great expanse of deep blue ocean water, which was kissing the Florida sky. Tiny stars danced along the ocean ripples, reflecting the sun's light in a glistening array of brilliance. A few rolling clouds loomed off in the distance, but there was little chance of rain that day, according to the weather forecasters. Among the clouds were flocks of seagulls, which ascended and descended over the water in patterns, as if freed from the constraints of gravity. The snowy feathers of the birds contrasted the sky's sapphire hue in a way reminiscent of the colors of the coastline in Greece. Piper had visited Greece with her family once when she was very young. She recalled little from the trip, save for a few visuals of Greece's spectacular coastline. Unforgettable.

As the boat bounced over the waves, she sensed a slightly wet, salty wind and marveled at the strange way the surreal beauty of the ocean engaged her senses and embraced her soul. Certainly a big bang in the cosmos and a series of chance coincidences could not have led to the earth's perfect splendor. Only God. His majesty. She looked up into the air and spotted a pelican flying alongside a few seagulls. It darted past them to nab a fish in the water.

"See the dolphins?" Nick asked everyone. "They're right over there." He pointed westward.

Piper saw the fins of four dolphins swimming side by side, bobbing up and down in the water and commented, "Brilliant."

When she was twelve, Piper had been swimming in the ocean while on a vacation with her family. Everyone else was on the beach, but they knew she was swimming, so she felt safe. A rip current pulled her under the water and she fought against the current to escape from drowning. She screamed, but no one heard her as she sank deeper and deeper into the water until submersed and unable to communicate with those above. She called out to the Lord for help before a feminine voice answered, telling her to stop fighting the current. "Go with the current," the voice said. "Don't fight it and you'll be free." She stopped moving and felt her body being lifted to the surface of the water. She was free. Always suspecting that the woman was either her guardian angel or Mother Mary, she said prayers to thank both.

Don't fight it.

Maybe that included Nick and his drinking. No sense in wrecking a sunny day on the boat, or being a control freak. Control freaks don't make good wives. Plus, things would be back to normal the next day, which was Sunday, her favorite day of the week.

"So, when is the wedding?" Nick hollered up to Bob, who was just behind him at the helm. He and Piper stood up to get closer to their friends as they moved to the side of the open fisherman-style boat.

Bob raised his can of beer and tilted it, "Soon, my friend. Stay thirsty. No date yet." He took a long swig and put the beer down in front of him on the console. His skinny body was adorned in a loose-fitting long-sleeved fishing shirt that day, along with boat shorts and a baseball hat worn backwards. Both he and Betty donned matching black sunglasses. "We're living in the moment, baby. Living the dream."

Betty stood by his side with a smile on her face and an arm wrapped around him. Her long, curly red hair blew behind her in the wind, exposing more of the freckles on her forehead and her child-like cheeks. Piper suspected she was of Irish or Scottish descent, with her button nose and weak chin. And of course there was the obvious clue, which was her zest for the sauce. Piper had Irish roots as well, so she understood that. She watched Betty take another drink from her beer and toss the can into a bucket in the back of the boat.

"Three points, Betty. Nice shot!" Piper blurted.

"Thanks!"

"Hey, congratulations, by the way. We're very happy for you two," Piper added.

"Thanks, we're happy too," Bob replied. "Hold the wheel, Nick." Nick grabbed the wheel as Bob headed to the back of the boat, emitting an all too familiar screech. "Think I slipped on a fish."

"Nice one, Bob. Love your Bronx cheers," Nick chuckled. "Good thing we're up-wind."

"Bob, you kill me!" Betty added. "Can't believe I've found my soulmate."

"Soulmate? They have that in common? Gross!" Piper whispered to Nick, but then she laughed. Couldn't help it. Nick laughed too. Then Bob and Betty laughed.

"Slipped on a fish?" Betty asked, "Where do you get that stuff? I swear you could make money as a comedian."

"Dude, I'm just getting started."

Nick slipped to the back of the boat to reach for another beer, but this time Piper followed him and stopped him.

"Honey, I love you," she whispered as she grabbed his arm. "How about a water bottle instead? You need to pace yourself. Could be a long day."

He looked her in her eyes through his sunglasses and took pause. "Good call," he said as he grabbed two water bottles from the cooler. "Want one?"

"Sure. Thanks Nick." She hugged him tighter than she had ever hugged him before. "You're the man."

"No, thank you," he whispered. "Just proved to me once again how much I need you."

The plan was to meet Flypaper and Chase for lunch at the Lucy Goosey, which was a restaurant-bar with a large following south of Orange Bay. The Lucy Goosey was known for its island music, conch fritters, and spunky servers who were incentivized to show "attitude" and "be fun." Sometimes they jumped up on the tables and danced on the chairs, while other times they competed against one another doing handstands, dance moves, and daring hot sauce tastings.

Piper was excited about catching up on Flypaper's relationship with Kat, which for some reason she had not identified, she found very interesting. Maybe it was that she had known Flypaper since high school and he had never been in a relationship for more than a month. Or maybe it was that she was hoping that he would find the woman of his dreams who would change his life. She usually didn't like Flypaper types, but she liked that he was a believer, though just a self-proclaimed Chreaster.

She was also looking forward to hearing about Chase's and Cherie's experiences at the Collins' Foster Home over the past couple of weeks. She wondered about the assignments that they had been given and whether Chase was doing cybersecurity or working with the kids. Hopefully he was working with the kids, since that would likely benefit him the most. Playing basketball and football with the kids was fun, too, much more fun that working on a computer fighting cybercrimes. Piper thought about Chase's "hot squad" comment and recalled the way he smiled at her when he said it. He could be nice sometimes.

The boat sputtered about a mile away from the restaurant. Then the engine stopped. Piper paused her thoughts to focus on Bob, who was trying to restart the boat by cranking on the ignition. Everyone else probably paused their thoughts too as water pooled under their feet.

"C'mon!" Bob yelled as he engaged the engine once again, without success. He paused and waited. "Okay, I'm going to give it a break. Need a beer anyway." He walked to the back of the boat and grabbed two beers, handing one to Betty. "At least we have the music and the view."

"So, should we call a towing service?" Nick asked.

"We need to wait a few minutes. I think the engine took in some water."

"Okay."

Piper could see the restaurant off in the distance with its many lunch time patrons. She was starting to feel hungry and thought of the seafood that she would order once there. Shrimp Scampi was her favorite, but she also liked just about any blackened fish. Or maybe she would get nutty and order a dozen steamers or some oysters. Oysters. They were sort of gross to look at, but strangely tasty.

She focused on food to keep her mind off of the fact that the boat was rocking back and forth and that she was starting to feel woozy, despite the motion sickness pill she had taken. Another pill sat in her purse, yet she needed to stretch out the first pill's effects as long as possible, just in case the day was extended into the night.

Bob pulled the top off of the engine and studied it. "Hmm. Might be a while. Think the engine needs to drain. Let's enjoy the moment." He returned to the center console and flipped the radio stations to one that was playing Uncle Kracker's song, "Smile." Then he gyrated around, as if to the beat, or perhaps to the beat of his own internal song.

_Not much rhythm there._ Piper chuckled. _But he's Bob. He doesn't need rhythm._

She scooted closer to Nick, trying to gain her composition and normalcy, yet her stomach became more and more woozy. More idling. More wooziness. Sweat poured from her skin, dripping out from every pore in her body. She couldn't take it anymore. She rushed to the front of the boat and leaned over its side, heaving everything from her stomach until only dry heaves were left.

Covered in sweat and feeling like vomit, she looked back at everyone on the boat. They were all watching her.

"Sorry, still don't have my sea legs," she gulped.

Nick came to the front of the boat and hugged her. "Honey, I'm sorry you're sick. Hey, it happens to all of us sometimes. Maybe you should jump into the water. Could be better. Less rocking."

"Good idea. I still don't feel very well." She climbed up to the edge of the boat and jumped into the water.

Nick jumped in behind her. "Howdy, fine lady. Thought I'd join you."

Bob threw in a couple of life preservers. "Use these as floats. Makes it easier to stay out there."

"Thanks, dude," Nick said.

An hour passed before Bob put the cover back on the engine and tested it once again. "Cross your fingers, guys and gals."

Piper climbed aboard just ahead of Nick and crossed her fingers as she looked up into the sky. She had been in and out of the water a few times and was more than ready to step foot on dry land. Plus, her clothes were covered in a mix of saltwater and sweat. No one would be complimenting her appearance at the Lucy Goosey. That she knew.

The engine sputtered before starting. "Sweet," Bob yelled.

"What a relief. I'm so happy!" Betty responded. "I was starting to get a little sweaty."

"Nothing like a sweaty Betty!" Bob said as he revved the engine and charged the boat towards the restaurant. Before long, they were roping the boat at the docks and heading inside.

Flypaper and Chase were sitting at a large wooden high top table next to the bar when Piper and the group walked in. She spotted them immediately as Chase's wavy blonde mop set him apart from the sea of patrons with darker features.

"Howdy, howdy," Nick said.

"Hey there," Chase answered. "Saved these seats for you guys." He signaled the group to the four open bar stools at the table.

"Cool," Nick said as he pulled out a chair and plopped down, followed by Bob and Betty.

Piper remembered that she wanted to brush her teeth, so she excused herself and headed into the bathroom. She always carried a toothbrush in her purse. So good to be on dry land.

A few minutes later, she strolled back to the table and saw everyone giving each other high fives. "Woo hoo!" Bob yelled. "Chase is going to be a daddy."

"Congratulations, Chase!" Nick added. "That's fantastic!"

"Thanks, man. Didn't think it would happen this quickly, but hey, it's all good. We'll be getting the house that her parents bought us in April. That will give us plenty of time to get things ready. She wants a lavender room for the baby with lots of purple and white pillows and blankets. Lavender is her favorite color. And I'm cool with that."

"She's nesting," Piper said. "That's what pregnant women do."

"Do you know if it's going to be a boy or girl?" Betty asked.

"Nope. And we're not going to check either. Right now it's just an "it." It will be a surprise."

"Guess you bought the wrong car for a baby. Two-seater Porsche." Flypaper chuckled as he slowly picked up his drink and took a sip while observing his surroundings. Piper could tell he was making an obvious effort to show off his muscles, which his canary-colored tank top well exposed. Maybe he was over Kat.

"So, you going to get a different car?" She asked.

"No way. Love the Porsche. We'll drive the baby in her SUV. Just bought her a black Mercedes SUV. It's a beauty."

"Man, you two must be raking in the cash," Bob said.

Chase smiled. "Oh, you know it."

A server came by with a platter of drinks and took everyone's food order, which varied from crab legs to oysters to hamburgers. Piper ordered Shrimp Scampi and looked forward to a platter of noodles draped with butter-covered and garlic-smothered shrimp.

A weather-beaten heavy-set man caught her attention. He was sitting by himself and cracking crab legs at his table. She studied him as he dipped the legs in butter and drew out the juicy meat. The table at which he sat butted up against a window, which allowed the light of the sun to reflect the oily butter lining the furrows of his lips. His aged eyes struggled against the weight of his thick brow. Possibly a sailor, yet his old plaid shirt didn't seem consistent with what sailors wore. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him.

She thought of the way sailors live for the sea. Old men of the sea. Old men with sea legs. She pictured the large oyster boats she had once seen in Apalachicola drifting about in the ocean.

Wonder if they ever throw up. Wonder if they ever think about things beyond the sea.

Feeling her stomach growl, she sighed and turned her attention back to her table. The ice water helped to stop the growling.

"Chase, how's the volunteering going?"

"It's going," Chase said, just before laughing. "Going to be something I don't bother doing after the eighty hours." He picked up his cell phone and texted something.

"Texting Oren?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. How do you know Oren?"

"I don't."

"Well then, how did you know that I was texting him?" Chase asked.

"Just a guess. Who is he anyway?"

"A friend. Met him in college. Good guy. Parties like a rock star, but never gets that drunk. He inherited a boat load of money when he turned 18, so he went to Vegas and turned his millions into billions. Rich as hell, man. Rich as hell." Chase shook his head and laughed. "I've been thinking about his life. It's all about blowing the bucks and supporting causes he thinks are important, like firearms and tobacco. Those are his passions, even though he doesn't even smoke tobacco! He's all about freedom of speech, freedom to shoot guns, and freedom to make the choices that could put you six feet under. You have to have some moral flexibility to hang with him. And the women love him too. He's like Flypaper on steroids!"

"Flypaper on steroids? C'mon Chase. You're making me sound bad."

"What does he look like?" Piper asked. Oren was starting to sound more like an urban legend than a real person.

"The chicks say he's good looking and clean-cut, but I think he's just a fun-loving pompous fool who likes to strut around like he owns the world. That's why I hang with him. We're also on the same page about god. I like that about him too. He's smart. Knows a lot about intelligent atheists like Nietzsche, Camus, and Schopenhauer."

"That makes him smart?" Nick asked.

"He's smart in other ways too. Knows a lot about history and political figures."

"I'm sure. We'll have to meet him sometime. So, what do they have you doing at the foster home?" Nick asked.

"Little of this, little of that. I installed a bunch of firewalls in their computers to protect them from cyber-crimes. Made 'em change all of their passwords to much more complex ones."

"Nice," Bob said just prior to letting out a burp.

"I'm sure they appreciate you," Piper added. She thought of the way Cherie's parents had come up with the volunteering contingency and what their intentions must have been then. They were trying to shape Chase's and Cherie's hearts. It's too bad that Chase was the same old Chase.

"They better," Chase responded.

"So Juan, how's Kat?"

Flypaper looked at her for a long moment, as if searching for the perfect words. Glancing at Chase he said, "Broke my heart, Piper. She broke my heart. I have never been with anyone like her. She was perfect for me." He wiped his dark eyes with the top of his hand, catching a small pool of sweat from the furrow above his brow. With slumped shoulders, he shrugged and shook his head.

What happened to the heartbreaker? What happened to the dominator? Strange.

Piper paused and reflected. _This can't be him._ Maybe he was faking it. Maybe he was just trying to get Chase's support.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?" Piper asked.

"Well, after I asked her to move in with me, she told me she was moving to New York City. She's going to stay with Tanner and Marlis for a couple of months while she works on getting a modeling job."

"Maybe you could move with her?" Piper offered.

"Nope. That's not an option. I can't do the cold. And she doesn't want that anyway. Kat cut _me_ off like an old shoe. She'll probably find herself a wealthy New Yorker." He shook his head side to side in a very humble sort of way as he looked down at the table.

Chase shook his head in exactly the opposite sort of way, as if to affirm his pleasure in experiencing his friend's pain. _Schadenfreude._ With a slight smile on his face, he said, "C'mon pal. There will be other women," he said. "Your worst mistake was to go after my sister. I warned you about her being selective. Just go back to your old self. You'll be happier." He chuckled before adding, "Man up. My sister was too good for you anyway."

"Thanks, Chase. Nice back hand."

"Just saying."

"I would have married her Chase. She was it for me. Please tell her that."

"Oh c'mon! You're killing me! She's perfect and you aren't. Go back to the way you were. You were happy then. You know, I look at you now and I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I want the _old_ Flypaper to come back. I want the Flypaper who gets pumped up when he hears that the bikini contest is starting at 4 today."

"Bikini contest?" Bob perked up. "Today? Here? Is that why you picked this place?" He looked over at Betty and said, "We don't have to watch them. None of those ladies can ever come close to looking as nice as my girl."

Betty smiled.

"Nope. Just a lucky coincidence." Chase winked as he took a sip from his drink. Then he picked up his phone and headed towards the restroom.
Chapter 8

The Frog on the Rock

"Grandma, I don't see it in the terrarium or on the windowsill. Where is it?" Piper asked as she glanced around her grandma's kitchen.

"Keep looking."

The kitchen was the center of her home, which she had lived in for as long as Piper knew her. The knotty pine cabinets and countertops in the kitchen were also the same cabinets and countertops in her first memories of the house. Her grandma wasn't about to update anything; updating was a "waste of money and time." And she was very good with her money. She lived frugally, sewing her own clothing, trimming the bushes that lined the back of her home, painting both the inside and outside of her home occasionally, and doing other odds and ends around the house to save money. Piper recalled many times in which she arrived at her grandma's house to find her standing on a step ladder trimming the bushes.

"Can I help?" Piper would ask, usually receiving a "no" or an "I'm almost done" for answers.

"My dad or Uncle Edward could do that for you if I'm not around."

"Your dad said he's on his way, but I don't have time to wait. These bushes need to be trimmed."

By the time Piper's dad showed up, which was often within an hour of the time she had alerted him that she planned to trim the bushes, the bushes were trimmed and tidy. His response was always a mixture of disappointment and amusement. On one hand, he was disappointed in the way his elderly mother wouldn't wait for him to do the work she needed to have done for her. On the other hand, he was amused by her take-charge sort of an attitude, given her advanced years. He loved her very much and appreciated the way she served as the perfect role model for him and his brother, inspiring their strong work ethic.

Piper recalled another time in which she arrived at her house to find the pint-sized woman in one of her usual frilly dresses (Grandma never wore anything but dresses) outside with a paint roller in hand, rolling a new coat of olive-colored paint on the outside of her house. Such endeavors weren't common for a woman of her age, which at that time was eighty-six years old. But then again, Grandma was no common woman.

Because she was so frugal, she never lacked for money and was able to travel to Germany whenever she wanted to see her relatives. They owned a small hotel and a big house in Steinwenden, so she had a nice place to stay while there. The company of her relatives was something she cherished. She also cherished the quaint country life of southwestern Germany.

Her house featured an abundance of souvenirs and knickknacks from the old world, including a wall of cuckoo clocks, a variety of crosses, colorful beer steins, decorated pewter shot glasses, a wooden carving of the Last Supper, and a kuche hexan. Her kuche hexan, or kitchen witch, hailed from the Harz Mountains in Germany. She hung it in her kitchen following an old tradition that claimed that by doing so, the cook would receive good luck.

Piper admired her grandmother for many reasons, not the least of which were her independence, determination and inner strength. Those qualities served as inspirations to Piper, who never failed to carry the small golden cross her grandmother gave her. The cross served as a reminder of both Jesus' love and her grandma's. She also saved the rosary her grandmother had given her. It bore the inscription, "Mrs. Edward R. McCoy." Her grandma's other love, Piper's grandpa, had passed a decade earlier.

When Piper saw Grandpa McCoy in his home, he was often seated in his old reclining chair. His legs and cheeks were often flushed in a reddish-purple hue, though Piper didn't know what caused those maladies. She liked to reminisce about the times when she was very little, sitting on his lap while he read her a book. Those times she appreciated. Memories of a kind man who battled his own demons permeated her mind. Had he not been such a drinker, he probably would have worked much harder and become a wealthy man, as his son Edward had become.

Uncle Edward liked to joke about his heritage. He always said, "God invented alcohol so the Irish wouldn't rule the world." That little phrase cracked Piper up and she always wondered whether the phrase bore any truth. "Stay clear of the sauce and you'll find success," her dad would say. He also told Piper that alcoholism skipped a generation, so being a drinker was in her genes. That worried Piper when she was young, but it didn't keep her from trying alcohol a couple of times in college. She was curious and a little rebellious in her college years. Fortunately for her, she didn't like the way drinking made her feel.

"I found it!" Piper announced as she held up the frog on the rock. The frog was a little green glass and ceramic frog, which Piper had glued onto a smooth oval rock when she was in nursery school. She had proudly displayed it to her grandma when she was four, who told her that she would keep it safe for her, figuring if Piper kept the frog on the rock, she would lose it at that young age. Every time she visited her grandma, she would look for the frog on the rock. Sometimes it was in the terrarium, which was a glassed in planter that her grandma had designed. Other times it was in a windowsill or on a shelf. This time it was on a table in the living room right next to the not so secret jar of M&M candies.

"I helped myself to some candy, Grandma."

"Of course you did. That's why I always keep the jar filled. Let's sit down next to the candy. I'm feeling a little hungry."

Grandma McCoy had a penchant for chocolate and always stocked her house well with all sorts of chocolates, from M&M candies to Hershey bars to fancy German chocolates. Piper loved visiting her, even though she didn't eat chocolate very often herself. Something about her grandma and her grandma's house delighted her.

Piper eyed up the organ sitting on the opposite side of the room against a wall, just under a wooden carving of Jesus' Last Supper. The organ was much better than the piano she had at home as its keys lit up with all of the letters of the musical notes, so it required less time to learn and play. Before leaving, she promised herself she would play a few songs. The song sheet for "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" was propped up over the keys, which were calling her name. Grandma loved the Irish songs, because they reminded her of Grandpa.

"So how's Nick?" Grandma asked as they both sat down on comfortable, cushioned chairs in the living room.

"Oh, he's wonderful Grandma. Just perfect. I'm very lucky to have found him. He treats me very well."

"So, when's the wedding? It's been quite a while since you started dating and you're not getting any younger. For that matter, neither am I. It would be nice if you held the wedding before I meet my maker. It won't be long before that happens. I've been telling Jesus that I'm ready for a while now." Grandma McCoy was never one to beat around the bush and oftentimes her direct approaches were considered either rude or pushy. Piper knew better. Grandma McCoy didn't have time for nonsense or chitchat, so she liked to get to the point right away.

"I don't know when we'll get married yet, but Nick says he loves me."

"That's nice, but it's time to move forward. I like him, Piper, but if he doesn't ask you in the next couple of months, you will need to move on."

Piper gulped. That was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Bring him by sometime soon. I'd like to talk to him about this matter."

"I'll do that Grandma. Soon."

Piper wondered how much longer her grandma had to live. At eighty-eight, one never knows. Her body didn't appear particularly frail, though, and she was still able to do all sorts of physical tasks. Plus, her mind was just as sharp as it had ever been. Yet despite all of this, Piper had an eerie feeling she didn't have too much time left. She could see the little hunch in her back was becoming more prominent, and that her stride was becoming more deliberate, and that she had lost a lot of weight. She decided to bring Nick to her grandma's house in the next couple of weeks.

***

Piper tried to find the time to bring Nick to see her grandma, but things were busy at work for both of them. She wasn't too worried about that, though, as she thought she had some time. She didn't realize that the last time she saw Grandma McCoy would be the last time she saw her beloved grandma. Her father called her at work one afternoon about a week after she visited with her grandma to share the news that she had died in her sleep. Her dad discovered her body when he went to see her, concerned that she hadn't answered his calls.

A feeling of profound sadness and deep loss clenched her heart and filled her eyes with tears. She loved and admired her grandmother very much, and wanted to be like her in many ways.

"At least she died peacefully and without pain," Piper whimpered. "Dying in your sleep is probably one of the easiest ways to go," she said in an effort to console her dad. Piper knew that her dad's struggle to overcome his grief would dwarf her own struggle as his mom was not only his mentor and hero, but she was a significant source of comfort to him.

"The funeral will be on Saturday," her dad said between sniffles. "Can you come?"

"Of course, Dad!"

"We'll need to go to her house to prepare it for sale. She left behind quite a few trinkets that weren't in her will, so I'm sure that we'll be meeting Uncle Ed and his family there. She connected with everyone through a little trinket."

"I just saw her, Dad. Just last week. I had a feeling that..."

"Oh, Piper," he said with his voice crackling, "I'm glad you visited her. I've always appreciated the way you dropped by Grandma's house so often. I know she loved you."

A short while later, Piper hung up the phone and went to see her boss. She needed to ask for time off for the rest of the week, and fortunately her request was granted.

While driving home, she shared the news of her grandmother's passing over the phone with Nick. Though he couldn't take the time off from work, he volunteered to help out in any way he could after work. Attending the funeral Saturday wouldn't be a problem for him either.

"She wanted to see you. That was one of the last things she said to me."

"Don't worry, Piper. She'll always be with us in our hearts. I feel good about the fact you just saw her. That will help with your closure. She lived a good life, Piper, a God-driven life."

The next morning, Piper arrived at her grandmother's house and found that it was in immaculate condition. Red, yellow and white tulips had been placed in large planters by the front door, which appeared to be freshly painted in a glossy black finish. The interior was as clean and tidy as she had ever seen it. She figured her dad and relatives must have been very busy over the past day preparing the home for sale.

When she entered the kitchen, she found her dad, uncle, and Kip there. Kip was Piper's same age and was always one of her favorite cousins. Thoughtful and responsible, he had always impressed her. In some ways, he was similar to Nick, which is one of the reasons Piper found Nick to be such a fine catch.

"We don't need to plan the funeral," her dad said when she met him and Kip in the kitchen.

"Why not? Did she come back to life?" Kip joked.

"Would you believe Grandma planned her own funeral at the Copper Funeral Home? The only thing missing from her plans was the date. She covered everything else. Casket, service, eulogy, tombstone, gravesite. Already purchased. Her gravesite will be right next to Grandpa's in Copper's graveyard. She even wrote her own eulogy. Her own eulogy! All we need to do is show up."

Her dad wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve as he peered into Piper's. She had only seen him show emotions such as these once before, when her mom died. Other than that, just about any calamity he had experienced in life was met with a calmness equivalent to the calmness of a sea of glass. Scott McCoy had never lost his cool.

Maybe to him and perhaps as a product of his upbringing, being a man was defined as showing no emotions. Today, and perhaps only one other time in his adult past, he violated what Piper thought to be a silly social norm. His teary eyes showed he was mourning the passing of his mom, which helped her to cement her love for her dad even more. He loved his mother and Piper appreciated a son's love for his mother. If she had sons one day who exhibited the same emotions of love her father had shown for his mother, she would be a very lucky woman. She didn't believe that men needed to hide their emotions. Jesus never hid his emotions. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept. Then He brought him back to life.

The group moved about the room, sorting trinkets and packing items such as food, clothing, and blankets. "Grandma McCoy never wanted to rely on anyone," Piper's dad said in a sudden sort of a way. "It wasn't that she didn't trust us. It was that she didn't want to be a burden. She was too independent to be a burden."

"Dad," Piper said, feeling that she had something important to add to that notion. "I think God answered that prayer in the way she passed."

"Amen," Kip said.

Silence filled the room as everyone reflected on that thought before Piper's dad responded. "I think you're right, Piper."

A while later, Uncle Edward blurted out, "and she was so organized. Check this out." He pulled the appraisals of all of the silver items in her will from a drawer. "She had everything appraised! Everything." He showed the group a bunch of papers with documented evidence of the value others had placed on the silver items in her home.

"Her house sure seems clean," Piper said as she moved about. "Which one of you took care of vacuuming and dusting? And the tulips? And the front door? Everything looks very nice."

Kip, her dad, and her uncle looked at one another as they waited for an answer.

"Kip or Ed, did one of you clean this place before I came?" Her father asked.

"Nope, Uncle Scott," Kip answered. "Grandma must have done it." He walked over to the front door and opened it. "Wow. Freshly painted. Didn't notice that when I came in. Guess she didn't want to leave anything for us to do."

"I think she knew it was her time. She said something to that effect when I saw her last week. Something about telling Jesus that she was ready."

Kip laughed. "I like that. _Telling_ Him that she's ready instead of _asking_ to join Him. That's Grandma. Vintage Grandma."

Piper could see her dad was coming to terms with the passing of his mom. She walked over to the back door of the house and stepped out onto the patio to look around. The perfectly trimmed bushes stood in front of her, and she wondered when they would be trimmed again and by whom. A butterfly appeared, large and beautiful. Maybe it was a Monarch. Maybe something else. Whatever it was, it fluttered in front of her in its black and orange glory as if to say "Hello" much longer than she expected. Piper recalled the way that butterflies were released on Easter at the church. A new life. Grandma has embarked on a new life in heaven.

Her dad joined her on the patio. "Sailor and the cousins should be arriving soon. Your grandma put everything of value into her will, including her jewelry and the house. But her trinkets aren't in the will, so Ed and I figured we would survey you and Sailor and his kids for anything you wanted."

"The frog on the rock," Piper answered. "Is that in the will?"

"No. I read the will. Nothing about a frog on a rock. What's that?"

Piper headed back into the house to the table next to the jar of candy where she had last found the frog on the rock. It wasn't there. The familiar words of her grandma played back in her mind and encouraged her to keep looking, as they always did. She checked out the terrarium and all of the windowsills and the tops of the tables. Still no frog on the rock. Heading towards the organ, she looked again at the wooden carving of Jesus' Last Supper, thinking that the frog on the rock would be nearby. She was right.

Chapter 9

St. Patrick's Day

Nick and Piper stood on the sidewalk that butted up to the Avenue, in anticipation of the commencement of the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. From where they stood, they could see Riley O'Toole with his bright green top hat, matching green suit and shiny white boots. Riley looked a lot like a leprechaun, not only due to his festive holiday get up and diminutive stature, but also due to his bushy red hair, which curled up at the rim of his top hat. Piper could see the pig that Riley was carrying, which was a potbelly pig, dyed green. Riley had started the St. Patrick's Day Parade tradition in Orange Bay at least two decades before by marching up the Avenue with nothing but his pig. Piper looked forward to watching the parade this year, as it had grown dramatically in size since she had starting coming about a decade before. At least fifty floats, trolleys, and decorated cars lined up behind Riley along the side streets in preparation of the 2 p.m. start time. Riley owned the O'Toole Pub, which was strategically located along the Avenue where the parade ended. The parade always helped business.

When the parade began, the crowd thickened around Nick and Piper, who found mobility to be a trying task. So they stood in the same place in which they originated and watched the parade go by. Float after car. Car after float. And then the old town trolley. The well-decorated floats carried the Irish, or those posing to be Irish, wearing all sorts of fancy green outfits. Green top hats, berets, Dr. Seuss Cat-in-the-Hat hats, and all sorts of other gear formed the foundation upon which the festivities became fun. Beers were flowing, people were toasting, and Irish eyes were smiling. Piper noticed a few college-age men walking along with the parade in their holiday gear. They wore hats with two beers on each side, connected to their mouths by a large, handy straw. Their sweaty faces were covered in oversized green sunglasses. It was a hot day in Orange Bay, unseasonably warm for March 17th.

"You look so hot today," Nick whispered in her ear.

"You do too," she answered, as she combed her hands through her hair to be sure that her hair was in place. Then she put her arm around Nick's waist and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

To some of the Irish or Irish wannabes (on that particular day), St. Patrick's Day was the best day of the year. Certainly the bars appreciated the day. Many called themselves by Irish names, knowing that there was more potential for profits on that day than on any other in the year. Music blared from all of the bars located along the Avenue, so listeners heard a cacophony of noises. The only way to stop the cacophony in one's ears was to enter the bar from which a particular song played. That was the strategy the bar owners used to attract patrons. Along with cheap green beer. Lots of cheap green beer. Parking lots, which were also situated along the Avenue, were full of cars, coolers, and more St. Patrick's Day revelers.

"I wouldn't want to be with anyone else in front of this parade," Nick whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Me neither."

"I want you to know that I love you and will do whatever it takes to make you happy," he said.

"I love you too, Nick. You know that," she said. Piper reflected on Nick's loving words and wondered whether this day would be the day the one on which he proposed to her. If so, how would he do it? She didn't want to get her hopes up, however, as she had done on Valentine's Day. Trying to maintain her cool and not overthink the potential of the situation, she focused on the parade. But still, she knew that this day was one of his favorite holidays. That she knew. Proposing on this day would be perfect.

The old town type of trolley approached with little fanfare as far as decorations go. While the floats and cars were covered in four leaf clovers, streamers, balloons, and other green decorations, the trolley was bare. As it came closer, Piper noticed it was stuffed with twenty-somethings, who threw Mardi Gras beads to the people watching the parade, occasionally singling out and shooting some of them with a good dose of silly string. The people in the trolley drank beer from green solo cups, originating from the keg that was at the center of the trolley. While the keg couldn't be seen by the bystanders, Piper knew it was there. Bob had told her. Bob was the planner behind the trolley and she could see him as he danced around inside. Betty was by his side, wearing a green beret and a huge grin.

The holiday had become a celebration of the Irish more than of the man in whose name it originated and what his teachings represented. Piper wondered how many of the revelers knew who Patrick was or what he did. Given that the four-leaf clover was displayed on just about every float, it seemed unlikely that they did. In the fifth century, St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover, the shamrock, to teach the Irish pagans about the Holy Trinity. The four leaf clover was a symbol of luck, not of the Holy Trinity.

"Do you want to head over to O'Toole's?" Nick asked.

"Sure," Piper answered as she wove her way through the crowd behind him while holding his hand. She saw a handful of recognizable faces and many smiles.

"They just opened the "Top of the O'Toole" on the top floor of the O'Toole building. Its windows overlook the bay and the entire city," he added. "Let's check it out."

"Oh, that sounds good," Piper said. Again, she tried to stifle her thoughts that this day could be the one in which he proposed. She didn't want to get her hopes up and didn't want to be disappointed if he again let her down. Recalling her sadness on Valentine's Day, she tried to keep her attention on the Irish revelers to dissipate any thoughts of a proposal.

The parade had ended, so people were starting to stream into the bars that lined the avenue along the parade route. When Piper and Nick arrived at O'Toole's, they found the bar to be packed with people dressed in all shades of green. They made their way over to the elevator, hoping that few had discovered the newly opened top floor. Fortunately, their hopes were realized. They hopped off the elevator and moved about freely before making their way to the large picture windows that encircled the room.

The views were breathtaking. Piper could see the bay at the end of the avenue, which ran perpendicular right up to the beaches before it stopped and split at Coastline Drive. Set within the backdrop of an azure sky, the blue waters of the bay stretched up and down the coastline and off into the distance as far as she could see, topped by tiny sailboats and motor boats.

Nick put his arm around Piper and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Piper."

She turned to him, admiring his softhearted disposition, and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you too Nick O'Brien," Piper said. "You're the best man in the world. I'm so fortunate that you've come into my life."

"Happy St. Patrick's Day, my dear. You know, this is one of my favorite holidays."

"It's one of mine too. I like the way Irish eyes are always smiling on St. Paddy's Day."

"Your Irish eyes are smiling too," he said.

"I'm always smiling when I'm with you Nick."

Piper turned to look again out of the windows in front of her, casting her eyes into the sky. She spotted two seagulls sailing with the wind and had a thought. "Nick, look at the two seagulls gliding through the sky, as if surrendering to the wind."

"Just like us," he responded.

Piper and Nick stood in front of the window for a while, buried in their own thoughts. Piper kept her eyes on the birds in the sky and the sea of people in green washing down the parade route. Some filed into bars, while others headed to their cars. Patrons flocked into the Top of the O'Toole's, accompanied by the sounds of merriment and an abundance of green beer.

The Irish band members made their way over to a corner where they prepared their instruments. Four men were in the band, all appearing distinctively Irish, not only by costume but by coloring. The lead singer gave someone in the crowd a thumbs up, and Piper wondered whether his sign was directed to Nick. It appeared so, as Nick returned the gesture.

Riley O'Toole approached Nick and Piper, carrying his green potbelly pig.

"Greetings, Nick and Piper! Happy St. Patrick's Day!"

Piper wondered how Riley knew their names, guessing that Nick must have chummed up with him at some point during the day. Or perhaps he knew him from another time.

"To you too," Piper responded, still feeling a slight curiosity over the reason behind Riley's attention. Again, she suppressed her proposal thoughts.

"Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too," Nick confirmed.

Riley said to Piper, "Did you see our new dart board? It's on the wall over there." He pointed to a wall behind them, so Piper turned to look at it.

Huge, bright yellow words had been projected onto the wall, which was painted in a dark greyish color. "PIPER, WILL YOU MARRY ME? LOVE, NICK." Piper screamed. "Nick!" When she turned towards Nick to give him a huge hug, she found him kneeling in front of her with a small box in his hand. He opened it, displaying a dazzling diamond ring, which precisely matched the appearance of the ring she had envisioned that she would wear one day.

"Will you marry me, Piper, and make me the happiest man in the world?" His eyes sparkled with the question, melting Piper's heart.

"Yes! Of course I'll marry you Nick. I love you!"

"I love you too, Piper. And I'll always love you no matter what, forever and ever!"

He took the ring out of the box and slid it up her finger. Then he stood up and embraced her, kissing her with more passion and love than he had ever kissed her before. The kiss carried on for a while, longer than any others she remembered. When the kiss ended, Piper spotted her friends who were standing with them in the room, clapping their hands. Bob, Betty, Cherie, Chase, and Flypaper had joined a circle, which was forming around them. Piper's sister and dad were also there, clapping right along. Everyone was smiling and Piper was ecstatic. This would be one of the best days of her life. "Thank you," she whispered as she looked upwards.

The lead singer of the Irish band called out, "This first song is for you, Nick and Piper. Congratulations!" The band played "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," which was a song that Piper knew well. Her grandma had often played the song on her organ. Piper wondered whether she had told Nick about how much her grandma liked the song because of the way it reminded her of her husband, Piper's Irish grandpa. Tears filled her eyes as she thought of how much she would have loved to see her grandma there with them.

Then she turned to Nick and kissed him again. Such a nice surprise. Her friends and family were there with her to celebrate and support their engagement, and she was thrilled about that. She was also delighted in the confirmation that she would soon be Mrs. Nick O'Brien.

***

While driving home in Nick's car, Piper envisioned the wedding. She saw herself in a flowing, white, and lacy wedding dress walking down the aisle of the Fellowship Church with her father by her side. Nick would be waiting for her at the end of the aisle, handsome as ever, just in front of the pastor.

His impressive appearance in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and aquamarine tie would lead everyone to think that the most eligible bachelor in the land was about to take the plunge. Piper was overjoyed that she would soon be his wife. Aquamarine was her favorite color because it reminded her of the ocean, so she planned to make aquamarine a featured color in the decorations of the wedding. She also planned to ask her sister to be her bridesmaid. Aside from that, Piper had no other plans for the wedding. She and Nick would need to work together to make sure that their special day together was perfect.

Then she thought of Nick's promise not to drink after that day. Worrying a little of the way such a promise could stress him out, she said, "Nick, you don't need to keep that promise about drinking. Just practice moderation. You probably just said you would quit altogether because of what happened that one night in Colorado."

"Piper, I have to admit that the promise has been a little stressful to me and I've been thinking about it a lot. It would be much easier to practice moderation than to quit permanently."

"Then do that. Nick, moderation is key. If you practice moderation, I don't see alcohol impacting our lives negatively at all."

"Piper, I had a dream about drinking last night. I was standing in a crowd of people at my house next to a long line of beer taps that were affixed to one of the walls on the back patio. It was a huge party and everyone was drinking and all sorts of people were there. The house was loud, as music was playing and lots of laughter could be heard. I knew some of the people at the party. They were old friends from high school and college. But others who were there were sort of random. I didn't even know who they were or why they were at my house. Chase and Bob were there, with beers in hand. I was drinking too. All of the sudden, I noticed the man standing in the middle of the crowd, wearing a white robe. I knew right away He was Jesus, as He bore a very close resemblance to what Jesus looked like in my mind, similar to the way they make Him look in the movies. He appeared humble as He appraised the crowd and said nothing. People didn't know what to make of the man in the middle of the room, so everyone continued partying as if He weren't there. After everyone had finished one or two drinks, He posed a challenge. He asked all of us to limit the number of drinks we had to two. No more than two a day. Bob walked over to me with a beer in his hand and said, 'Jesus challenged us, but I can't do that.'

People left the party and soon the house was just about empty. Some didn't want to accept the challenge. Some may have accepted it and left to do other things with their time. I stayed and watched everyone, whether they stayed or left. Jesus remained present the entire time too. Piper. I've decided to accept His challenge in life and will never have any more than two drinks in a day. I promise you that."

"What if you forget the dream? People have dreams and over time, they forget them."

"Not only am I going to write down the dream and save it in my memory, but every time I feel tempted to have a third drink, I'll picture the way that Jesus paid for my sins. I don't want Jesus to suffer any more for my sins. I can stop at two."

"That's powerful, Nick. I hope it works."

"It will."

"So, how many kids do you think we should have? I'd like to start working on having kids just after we marry."

"It would be great to have a big family with maybe five kids."

"That's what I was thinking. Five. We're definitely soul mates!" Piper said as she smiled from ear to ear.
Chapter 10

A Snake in the Garden

Little else was on her mind than their upcoming wedding. How exciting! Piper cuddled next to Nick in his family room on a soft leather couch as they watched a sports show. The announcers were debating a game penalty when Piper started to shiver. Nick rarely turned the heat on in the house, despite the fact it was sixty degrees Fahrenheit outside and possibly even colder inside. She pulled a throw blanket over herself to warm up.

The house phone rang and Nick got up to answer it. His little dog Chipper jumped off of the couch opposite them and trotted behind him, wildly wagging her long tail. Her little body wiggled and danced in such a funny way that Piper cracked up while watching her. The dog's happiness was contagious and Piper pondered the purpose of a dog.

Such a lovable being. Everyone should have a dog.

"Nick, it's no accident that dog spelled backwards is god, as those amazing little companions are definitely gifts from God."

Nick shook his head in agreement, but didn't say anything. He clenched his fist as he paced back and forth across the wood floors with the phone to his ear.

"You've got to be kidding. $36,000. Missing?"

"What?" Piper gasped. "Who's on the line?"

"It's Allison from the Collins' Home. $36,000 is missing from their donor account, the home's intake account for our on-line contributions. They think it was theft."

"What? Theft?" Piper tried to make sense of it all and found herself repeating the word theft several times. To think someone would steal $36,000 from a children's foster home. What a disgusting individual.

"Allison, we'll be right over." Nick slammed the phone on the kitchen counter.

"What happened?"

"Allison was balancing the pledges against the deposits when she noticed one of the balances was way off. Over a period of four days a few weeks ago, some thief made four $9,000 withdrawals from their account. He or she probably kept it under $10,000 to fly under the daily radar."

"Didn't Chase say he installed security walls to prevent cyber-crimes?"

"Yeah. He did. But he did that after these withdrawals, according to Allison. She thinks the withdrawals may have stopped because Chase reset all of the passwords and set up firewalls."

"Do you think Chase has something to do with this?"

"No. I think he may have saved them from additional withdrawals."

She thought of his expensive new cars and his gambling habit. It was too coincidental. _Would he do something like that? Would he steal from a children's home?_ That would be tragic. What a slap in the face for Cherie's parents.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the home, Piper noticed Chase's Porsche was parked in the back of the lot. Maybe he was helping Allison figure things out. Or maybe, just maybe, he was the culprit. Maybe he was there to steal more money or to try to cover his tracks. Piper's mind was racing.

"Chase is here," she said.

"I see that."

"Nick," she said as she grabbed his hand. "Do you think he stole the money? He gambles, you know. Gambles a lot. Maybe he needed the money to pay a gambling debt. And they just bought those new cars."

"Oh, Piper. I've known Chase for a long time. I don't think he would do something like this. Plus, he stopped the thief from making more withdrawals."

"I hope you're right, for Cherie's sake."

***

When Nick and Piper entered Allison's office, they found Chase sitting in a spinning chair in front of Allison's laptop on the side of the desk typing code.

"Hey Chase," Nick said.

"Hey. Just trying to help out a little here," he said, yet kept his full attention on the computer screen in front of him. "Trying to get a lead on the identity of the hacker."

"Lucky you stopped the withdrawals when you did."

"Too bad I didn't stop them before they started."

Piper studied Chase, who was wearing blue jeans and a striped button-down shirt. Dark spirits were swarming all about, which made Piper cringe. _Suspicious_. It was just too coincidental that a cyber-crime occurred just after he and Cherie had gotten involved with the home. Despite the chill in the air outside and the ceiling fan blowing in the room, Piper noticed he was sweating. His forehead was glistening and she could see sweat drops under his nose. Perhaps nervous? Perhaps guilty? The dark spirits were messing with his life.

Her thoughts turned to Cherie. _Poor Cherie. Pregnant Cherie. With a thief for a husband._ What would she do? What would she tell her son or daughter about her dad? Maybe he would be imprisoned for this crime. Or maybe it would lead to their divorce. Maybe. _What if he's not guilty? What if I'm wrong?_ She watched him as he banged the keys on the keyboard of the computer.

Allison stood up from her chair and came around the desk to shake Nick and Piper's hands. "Thanks for coming, Nick and Piper. And many thanks to you, Chase. Rather fortuitous for us to have the service of a cyber expert just when it's needed the most." Her deep-set dark eyes appeared solemn, though she wore a warm smile.

"Please, take a seat." She pointed to the cushioned chairs around a mahogany-colored table in her office, to which Nick and Piper headed. Then she sat down in the chair behind her matching desk.

She was an attractive Jamaican woman, dressed sharply in a purple dress with a black and white paisley silk scarf. Her hair was pulled tightly back into a bun, which exposed her large silver hoop earrings. They offered a stunning contrast against her skin tone.

"So, are you going to call the cops?" Piper asked.

"Already reported the crime. They're going to send someone out from their cyber division," Allison responded.

"That's good. Between the cops and Chase, I'm sure we'll be able to get to the bottom of this." Nick said.

"I'm sure," Piper said as she shifted her eyes to Chase, the snake in the garden.

"So what can we do?" Nick asked.

"Nick, since you and your mom are our most recent and most significant benefactors to the Collins Foster Home, I considered it prudent that we inform you of this matter. We'll work hard to resolve the situation by involving the police and taking any security measures suggested both by them and by Chase. We will protect your investment in us."

"Allison, I know you will. We're all just heeding our call to serve a greater cause and this is one of the greatest causes to which I feel we can contribute. We're just pleased to be in a position to provide to this great organization."

"Thank you Nick. And thank you too Piper. You have a very good man, and you're an amazing woman. We very much appreciate all that you do to serve the home and the many Saturdays that you two have devoted to helping our children."

"You're welcome," Piper said. "And thanks to you too, Allison. I'm sure you could have chosen a much more lucrative corporate path."

Allison smiled. "Of course. But then I wouldn't be answering my calling."

Piper watched Nick as he shook his head in affirmation.

Chase spun around in the chair. "Cherie and I have been putting in our time here too, Allison. We've put in over thirty hours so far. And I'll probably stay here today for quite a while to work on this. More hours for the home."

"And we appreciate you and Cherie as well, Chase. Of course we do."

"Thanks," Chase said as spun back around towards the computer. "I'm sure you know I could be at the beach right now or playing golf."

"Chase, we appreciate you," Allison stated once again in a strong and firm tone.

"Thanks. Good to know," Chase said.

***

Six months passed without a lead on the cyber thief. The chances of catching the culprit at this point seemed slim. Piper was ready to give up on the whole thing, as Nick and Allison had already given up. They hoped the firewalls that Chase put in would help to prevent such thefts in the future. Piper hoped so too, but still couldn't dodge her theory that Chase was somehow involved. The fact he had just started volunteering in the home when the cyber thefts occurred made him a likely suspect, though the police couldn't find any links between him and the theft.

Despite her feelings about Chase, Nick still liked Chase and didn't think he was guilty, so Piper had to respect that. She and Nick invited Chase and Cherie to their wedding. They also invited about forty other friends and relatives.

It would be a small wedding to keep the expenses down. Piper's frugal grandma had taught her to be practical and most weddings were anything but. Her grandparents were married in a courthouse, but that simply wouldn't do for Piper and Nick. She wanted to be married in the Fellowship Church by her favorite pastor and Nick supported that idea completely.

Planning a wedding with Nick was easy. He let her make all of the choices, save for the wedding meal. Nick wanted to be sure that steak was on the menu. He loved steak. Piper loved steak too.

***

She stood next to her dad at the end of the aisle in the church, wearing a beautiful white dress of lace and satin. It had taken a while to select the A-line, princess-style sleeveless dress, which displayed her curvy features. It was simple and elegant, embodying all of the qualities Piper considered important. She also wore high white wedding-style heels, which, along with the dress, she would never wear again. That was a shame.

At the end of the aisle her prince awaited. He appeared stunning, just as she expected. His aquamarine tie and crisp white shirt well contrasted his black tuxedo and dark, well-coiffed hair. The tie also matched his boutineer and her bouquet, which her sister had arranged for the wedding. Nick was beaming and staring at Piper as if she were the only one in the room.

Butterflies danced around in her belly and Piper choked back her tears. _Don't get too emotional. Hold it in. Just smile and try not to get too excited._ It was almost too perfect of a day. The big day. The biggest day that she would ever have. Her heart was pounding.

She needed to focus on something else so she looked about the church. Friends and relatives were standing on either side of the aisle and all eyes were on her. Piper noticed her sister's family and Linda, along with several aunts, uncles and cousins in the front rows to her right. Nick's relatives and friends were standing to her left. Chase, Cherie, Flypaper and his date, and Bob and Betty were among those present. Everyone wore big smiles, but none as big as the one Piper was wearing. She had waited four years for this day.

The "Wedding March" played, which ignited Piper's emotions even more. Fighting back the tears that were welling up in her eyes was impossible. Time to walk down the aisle with her dad. She looked at him and he nodded his head.

"Let's go, my dear" he said.

He must have been feeling emotional too as his palms were a little sweaty. His heart was probably pounding too with the knowledge that he was about to give his daughter away in marriage. He liked Nick a lot, fortunately.

They walked past all of the smiling guests and to the altar where Nick stood with the pastor, Piper's sister the matron of honor, and Nick's friend Tanner, the best man. Piper hadn't seen Nick's life-long friend Tanner since he moved with his wife to New York City. She looked forward to catching up.

Nick was wearing a perma-grin, but she was the lucky one. She was marrying the most eligible bachelor on the planet and would soon be Mrs. Nick O'Brien. No one was as fortunate and blessed as she.

When they reached the end of the aisle, her dad whispered, "Congratulations. We are so happy for you."

"Thanks Dad."

He turned around and headed to his seat next to Linda in the front row.

Nick lifted Piper's veil. "You look so beautiful. I'm a lucky man," he whispered. His eyes glistened and penetrated her soul.

"So do you. And I'm even luckier."

Thank you God. Thank you for answering my prayers. This is going to be the best day in my life.

Within an hour, the pastor pronounced Nick and Piper man and wife. Life as Piper O'Brien was about to begin.
Chapter 11

Paved with Good Intentions

Five rather uneventful years passed before Piper experienced something that would forever change her. She sat in a theatre within a dungeon, which overlooked a large podium and stage. While she had a good view of the stage, she was seated between two oversized men who kept nudging her. The air was cold and bitter and annoying, worsened by the nudges of the men by her side. She told them to stop, but they didn't. Instead, they nudged harder. In a huff, she got up and moved to a different seat, two rows back, yet the problem persisted with a different set of strangers.

Music blared through the speakers in the room, emitting a cacophony of irritating noises. Two songs, AC/DC's "Hells Bells" and the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" were battling one another from two sides of the large room. Listening to the music while trying to reconcile the sounds was painful.

"Where in the world am I?"

It was very dark and dismal and the people surrounding her didn't look like people at all. They looked like caricatures of people, just cold spirits and shadows. After changing seats a dozen times and finding that her situation was only getting worse, she gave up trying to find a good situation and returned to her original seat where she could at least see the stage.

The crowd around her kept growing. Dark spirits and shadows crept in from all corners of the room in a way similar to the way one would expect cockroaches and rats to enter an old abandoned house.

Soon the music stopped.

The announcer came to the podium to introduce the keynote speaker of the Demons' Annual Recruitment Conference (aka, the DARC). "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, "many of you have traveled long distances to attend the Conference. I can assure you that your time will be well spent. Our speaker tonight is Sir Oren, who stands among the first order of demons, overseeing the North American continent. Sir Oren has converted thousands to our cause, from kings and prime ministers to pastors and peasants, He has been the source of much hostility and wrath in the world. Let us listen to his words of wisdom."

The crowd clapped and snorted, many taking the opportunity to choke and punch one another. One of Piper's neighbors punched her in the nose and she felt the urge to punch him back, but resisted. That would only escalate the situation.

Sir Oren stood up from his chair and promenaded toward the podium. Tall and handsome with a slicked-back head of mahogany brown hair, he looked like a cross between two popular politicians she knew from Texas and Massachusetts. Dressed in a flowing purple robe, which was made of velvet and adorned with numerous gold and diamond medals, he exuded confidence.

From his high vantage point on the stage, he surveyed the crowd and cringed, slamming one hand on the podium while pointing high into the air with the other. "Silence!" He shouted. The microphone wasn't working, so he ripped it from the podium and threw it into the crowd. "Damn it," he screamed. "Whom shall I need to fire for this bloody mess?"

A squirrelly little caricature of a man rushed to the podium with a replacement microphone before fleeing back into the crowd. The crowd grew impatient and started yelling and cursing at one another.

"Silence, fools!" He proceeded in his upper class English accent, "Let me first say that the size of this audience hardly justifies my presence. Yet since I'm here and you're here, I will do you the honor of sharing my thoughts and wisdom."

He paused and scanned the crowd as if looking for someone in particular. "Snake, if you're present, please stand. Snake currently oversees the United States as a second report to our master." Everyone looked around, but no one stood up. Sir Oren continued, "Snake should be here today to honor me. Since he's not, I can only assume he's working on something of great consequence!"

"Am I in hell?" Piper asked. "What on earth did I do to deserve this?"

A woman in front of her turned around and said, "So, you couldn't find the narrow gate either? I've been looking for it for years. Sucks. You're not in hell, though. Yet. You're in a dungeon along the road to hell. There is still a chance for you to find the narrow gate, but you have to first believe in _Him._ "

"Do you believe in _Him_?" Piper asked.

"Hell no!" She stammered.

"Why not? You just told me that all you need to do is to believe in _Him_ to find the narrow gate."

"Listen dear, I spent my life denying _His existence_. Wrote all sorts of books on the merits of philosophy and atheism. He's not going to let me in now, knowing what I've done."

"Why don't you try? You know what they say about His forgiveness and the truth setting you free."

"No. no way," she said as she spun back around in her seat and faced Sir Oren.

Wonder how long she's been dead. And how long I've been dead. Or if I'm dead. How did I get here?

The last thing she recalled was trying to fall asleep, so either she died in her sleep or she was dreaming. The latter would be much better. Just dreaming about this dungeon. She looked around to see if she recognized anyone, but didn't.

Then Sir Oren said, "To be sure your dim-witted minds don't forget my message, which will help you to advance in the ranks, I have arranged to have one of my many mistresses record and transcribe it for you. I will even autograph it for a small fee, so you can display it prominently in your homes. It will be provided to you before you leave tomorrow."

Oh please.

With his chin held high, Sir Oren again looked over the boisterous crowd. "Silence," he said as he slammed his hand on the podium. "Listen to me. I demand some respect! Shut up!"

Screaming voices and howling noises filled the room. Piper's neighbor flung a burning bag of horse manure onto the stage, followed by much laughter and mocking.

Sir Oren roared, "You better not forget that I am in a very powerful position as a direct report to his highness, Satan, the great destroyer! Madalyn, work with my other mistresses to gather the names of any offenders and add it to this list...so he can torture and torment them and cast them into the chambers to be fired!" Sir Oren pulled a scroll from his pocket and waved it above his head, grabbing the attention of the crowd.

Piper watched Madalyn as she applied another coat of lipstick, rose up from her chair and strolled seductively to the pedestal to retrieve the scroll. When she arrived, she turned toward the crowd to proudly display her physical features. Piper surmised that she hadn't seen a mirror in years, since she was acting as if she thought herself to be quite seductive, yet was anything but. She looked like a depraved apparition with lipstick. Madalyn smiled and winked at the crowd, but was abruptly interrupted by Sir Oren, who spanked her and pushed her away.

After a few more minutes, the crowd hushed, so Sir Oren launched into his oration. "To me, advancement is a simple affair, unworthy of being the focus of this key note. To some of you, though, advancement is a monumental task. Dullards. Fools. Dingleberries. Apparently, some of you lack the sophistication needed to convince your human assignments to change allegiances to our cause. The enemy and His army of angels keep outwitting you. Do not doubt we will hold you accountable for your failures! You will be fired! Newbies, when I say 'fired,' I mean it literally!" Sir Oren mumbled something under his breath and snickered.

"Leaders, target the celebrities, scientists and intellectuals so that they can do our work for us, reaping dividends for centuries to come! Think Nietzsche, Camus, Schopenhauer, Einstein, Shakespeare, Hawking, and Huxley. Good people. Influential people. Any boob on the planet knows he can hide his dimwitted brain by quoting Camus or Schopenhauer. What boneheaded barfly doesn't want to impress his date with a few lines from Nietzsche? 'Such an intellect,' she'll say. 'He _gets_ Nietzsche.'" Sir Oren roared with a hearty laugh. "Now we've got Nietzsche! At the awards ceremony later tonight, we'll be giving special honors to our Hollywood overseers who have recently enlisted Brad. Our father sends his approvals."

The crowd cackled and clapped, as pictures of the self-proclaimed atheist celebrities were projected all about the room. Piper was surprised when she saw some of her favorite celebrities, particularly those who had taken up some worthy human rights causes.

How sad. They feel so self-sufficient that they don't think they need God.

"Target the wealthy to be sure they spend their money lavishly on life's finest pleasures. Target the nice people who are doing a good job serving the enemy." Sir Oren's eyes squinted and his face contorted as he said "nice" and "good" in his most scowling voice.

"Fortunately, we have more demons than we need to oversee the seven billion persons inhabiting the planet. In other words, you're expendable. Look around. Your neighbor will likely be fired before next year's meeting. Firing those who don't meet expectations is no sweat!"

"One of my favorite stomping grounds is in the bloody schools. There we can convert young, malleable minds to our cause, ensuring they end up on the wide and well-traveled path to Hades! We can use our powers to encourage gambling, bullying, sex, guns, drugs, and alcohol, which are brilliant tools of destruction. It's wonderful to witness kids when they come of age and realize their parents are imperfect liars and wretches. It's delightful to watch them compare themselves with their neighbors, and become envious of those with more. They rebel by cracking a beer. Then it's on to pot. Now we've enhanced the likelihood of teenage pregnancies, car wrecks, violence, school flunk-outs, and jail time. Wrapped up in their own bloody mess, they're less likely to learn about and believe in Him!" Whenever Sir Oren mentioned Him, he grimaced, distorting the features of his face into a truly grotesque sight. With his mouth frothing and foaming and his eyes burning, he exuded rage and bitterness.

Speaking from the mouth of this newly deformed, hideous creature, he continued in a deeper and more menacing voice. "Some move on to acid, heroin, crystal meth, cocaine, ecstacy.... ecstacy indeed! Some become addicted and need money to fund their habits, so they begin stealing from their parents. Perhaps they get kicked out of the house. Now they're on the streets, catching and spreading diseases, hurling vomit everywhere. That's when the enemy and His angel army wage their fiercest wars to win back their souls, but we can prevail by cluttering their confused minds with all sorts of random, meaningless thoughts." Sir Oren was now roaring, appearing as a bloody boar draped in a purple robe, "We can send in more troops and spur early deaths." Sir Oren paused and then screamed, "Welcome to Hades. Meet your new neighbors!"

"Ladies and gentlemen: you have the power to ensure they go down the wide path and choose the open gate to Hades. You have the power to convince them to break each and every one of His commandments. Thou shall kill. Thou shall steal. Thou shall commit adultery! Ha! Thou shall not honor one's parents. You have all heard the drill and are familiar with our constitution. You need to do everything in your power to prevent them from believing in Him!"

"Friends, let me encourage you now. We're piloting a new strategy, which I'm here to share with you. It's the strategy of complacency, apathy, and indifference. Our highness has noticed that tragedies often inspire humans to rise to the occasion to help their fellow humans. In fact, this goes all the way back to the first three hundred years of Christianity. When the early Christians were persecuted, stoned, and imprisoned, they became even stronger in their faith. They weren't scared of death anymore and they bonded together in love and compassion for one another. Bloody disgusting! The enemy must have preconceived the way these persecutions would fuel His cause and change the world for the worse. Billions were inspired to follow Him. Let me tell you, fellow demons, what happened then infuriated our great leader, sending him into a rage unlike any you have ever seen before." He paused and looked around the room, which was surprisingly silent.

"After many discussions, our top management team has contrived the perfect plan, which we call 'Good Intentions.' We are pilot testing it in one of the most successful and still Christian-dominated nations in the world, the United States. Over the past few years, his highness has prevented terrorists from spurring any massive tragedies within the borders of the States, so its citizens have grown increasingly apathetic towards one another and to those outside of their borders. Without a tragedy to unite them, they don't feel driven to make a difference in their world. They are so pleased with their simple lives that they've turned their attention to material things, such as their money, their cars, and their homes. It's been a bloody success! As you know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions! Ha ha ha!"

The crowd clapped in an uproar and a standing ovation followed. Dead rats, squirrels, and possums were hurled into the air in celebration of this new strategy. Piper looked at her neighbors, who were still choking one another. The woman in front of her turned around and said, "Finally, we have hope! We are going to _win_!"

The dungeon was damp and dismal, devoid of all love and light. _Hatred, pure hatred._ A chill seized her body, contaminating her soul. She wanted to leave, but she didn't know how. Pinching herself in the hopes of waking up didn't work, so she froze in her seat, hoping this was only a horrible nightmare.
Chapter 12

Time for the Truth

Piper squirmed in her seat as she listened to Sir Oren elaborating with examples of his own successes. While on earth in medieval times, he played a key role in the persecutions and deaths of hundreds of Christians: men, women, children, and babies! He was particularly thrilled about the babies. Yet now he no longer discriminated, targeting people of all faiths. He was intensely proud of all he had contributed to the German effort in the 1930s and 1940s. He also gloated while describing his influence on a variety of random terrorist acts. In recent earthly times, he focused on those whom he knew were on paths to make a huge difference for the enemy.

"While on vacation from Europe recently, I singlehandedly convinced a wavering tyrant to prevent U.N. peacekeepers from sending food and water to thousands of starving and desperate civilians. The deaths, rapes, murders, and tortures of the innocent following that decision have exceeded my wildest dreams. I knew his highness would call me to celebrate the fruits of my labor. He did, and we enjoyed a most soulful dinner. Mmm. There's nothing like the sweet and sour spices of cremated souls."

Sometime during Sir Oren's brag fest, the crowd lost all interest and reignited discussions with one other. They had grown accustomed to his grotesque appearance and did what they could to shut him off. His appearance didn't surprise anyone as changes such as his were the norm among leaders and overseers. At least, that's what the woman sitting in front of Piper told her, before turning back around. She also said that Sir Oren appeared as a warm and fuzzy kitten next to the great destroyer. _A kitten_.

Piper watched two of her neighbors ignite a hostile conversation with one another. Each tried to dominate the conversation, fighting to get in the last word. They punched one another and drew their knives and guns. They were just being social, they told her.

Before long, the theatre was encased in a sea of bullets, dead fish, knives, squirrels, and rats, undoubtedly contributing to its rotten stench. Yet no one died since they were already dead, hollowed out apparitions. Madalyn and the mistresses collected names. And bribes. In the end, they collected more bribes than names.

Sir Oren bid them a good night ("Damn you all!") and stepped down from the podium in his velvety robe, strutting back to his seat like a peacock. His form again changed; this time back to his original human-like appearance.

Piper tapped the woman in front of her on the back. "I didn't get your name."

"Ayn. Spelled A-Y-N."

"Ayn, tell me. Wouldn't you rather be in paradise than in this awful dungeon? All you have to do is swallow your pride and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior."

"Are you crazy? No way. People are still reading my books, you know. I am still making a difference in the lives of thousands of atheists. Maybe millions. I would be a hypocrite if I accepted Him as my Savior. A hypocrite."

"I can tell you know you are wrong. So, why not eat a little humble pie? Your books will eventually die away and it won't matter what you wrote."

"Wrong? I've never been wrong, missy. And my books will never die away! They're extremely influential. You shouldn't say His name so loud either. You don't know who is listening to your words. If they hear you, they'll torture and rape you and burn you on a stake."

Piper looked at the men on each side of her and noticed they were listening in on her conversation with Ayn. One of them barked, "I heard what she said, Ayn. I think she needs a lesson. What do you think, Woody? I'm feeling frisky. It's been a long time since we've given it to one so pretty."

Piper could tell he was evil, through and through. He was of Satan, just a weed among the wheat while on the earth. His black eyes blended with the walls of the dungeon and she sensed he had terrorized many in his past. He grabbed one of Piper's arms and squeezed it. "Don't think you're going to get away now. We heard what you said."

Feeling a massive chill roll through her veins, Piper closed her eyes and mustered every bit of strength she could. Then she screamed, "I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior!"

A warm voice answered her, "Piper, are you okay?"

Piper knew the voice as it was very familiar to her. Still shivering and shaking as if sealed in an ice cube, she opened her eyes and looked around, feeling a great sense of relief when she realized she was in a bed with her husband by her side. His warm body was very inviting, so she shimmied her frozen body next to his, spooning the front part of her body against his back side and wrapping her arms around him. Warmth and love were what she needed to break the invisible shield of the ice that was encasing her.

He turned to her. "Honey, you're trembling and your skin feels so cold."

"Bad nightmare."

He put his arms around her and kissed her. She caressed his body and returned the kisses, while wrapping herself around him and embracing him. She could feel the icy shield as it slipped away, replaced by Nick's love, which surged within her as they moved together in passionate rhythm. Bodies and spirits uniting as one, she sensed the ugliness of her nightmare being swept from her mind. Each memory of that experience slipped away into the darkness of the room until the only thoughts in her mind were those of passion and love for her husband. "Don't stop," she said. "Please don't stop."

"My wife is my life. I'll never stop loving you."

***

The next morning, Piper struggled to find the right words to describe her nightmare to Nick. She knew the words she was using couldn't quite capture the intensity of the nightmare or the way the dungeon chilled her, as it was devoid of all love. Trying her best, she was able to convey some of its key aspects. Perhaps in the years to come she would be able to give him a much more comprehensive picture of her incomprehensible nightmare.

Nick appeared as if he were still trying to digest all she had told him. Eating his omelette in a slow and methodical way, he appeared deep in thought. After some time, he said, "Remember how you said your family makes fun of you about your spiritual experiences?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, I've been thinking about that. You're not the only one having those sorts of experiences as I've had several myself. I'll bet that everyone has a spiritual experience at some point in their lives, yet many fail to realize it because their eyes are closed to the possibility of another realm. Their minds have become too desensitized to the activities of the unconscious portions of their minds or the spiritual events in their lives. They simply can't see all that is going on around them. You know, they say we use about ten percent of our brains. Don't you wonder what we're missing by not using the other ninety percent?"

"Of course."

"Piper, I wonder if your dream was meant to help you reconcile what you know about the war between God and Satan from the Bible with the world's contemporary issues and problems. You've always wondered why someone would choose hell over heaven and your unconscious mind provided an example of a woman who did just that."

"That's interesting, Nick, that you think I created this all in my mind. It seemed so real."

"Piper, I don't think you created this in your mind. What I think is that you tapped into your unconscious mind to see it. Maybe one day you'll instead dream of heaven. Remember the Bible verse, 'the Kingdom of God is within you?'"

" _That_ would be a dream! But for now, the dungeon nightmare is all that I can think of. It was smelly and angry and cold in that dungeon. And what was particularly disgusting was the way they said they're capitalizing on our complacency."

"Of course they are. I'll bet they're capitalizing on each and every one of our human sins and failures. We're in enemy-occupied territory here on this earth."

"Nick, I know you and I are safe, as the Bible says that the Devil flees from strong Christian believers. What's frightening is that we know so many people who aren't safe. We have so many complacent friends and family. That's what concerns me, and what keeps me up at night."

"That's why God put those people in our lives."

Piper reflected on that thought for a while. "Did I ever tell you about the pastor on the plane?"

"No, Piper. You haven't. What happened?"

"When I was in college, I planned a trip to visit my roommate in New York. I was getting ready to board a plane when I saw a tall, distinguished man with wavy gray hair standing nearby. Nothing about his facial features or body stood out. In fact, he would have blended in well with any Northern American-looking crowd. But instead of blending in, he stood out in a kind of surreal sort of way. He radiated kindness. Something about him was angelic. I was surprised when that angel of a man and his wife were assigned the two seats next to mine on the plane."

"I'm not surprised," Nick said.

"We struck up a conversation and for reasons I can't remember, I told him that I was doubting my faith, and that I was reading books on spirituality from all sorts of religions, especially the Eastern religions. I needed answers to the big questions of life. He was easy to talk to with his soothing voice and reassuring words. His wife sat next to him, closest to the window, and read her copy of _Christianity Today_ while we talked _._ I noticed a cross on her wedding band. When he told me he was a pastor, I wasn't at all surprised. Then he asked me if I believed in Jesus Christ."

"What did you say?" Nick asked.

"I sort of quivered, because I wasn't sure, but I said 'yes.' I was spiritually starved at that point. He told me to read the Bible daily as it had all of the answers to my questions. And he told me about Isaiah 53 and how he had shown that passage to an atheist who identified the person in the passage as Jesus Christ."

"Love that passage," Nick said.

"He was the one who told me to read C.S. Lewis' adult books, _Mere Christianity_ and _The Great Divorce.'_ Nick, I know you love C.S. Lewis. Remember the part about the Lord's Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven. Holy be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven..."

"Of course."

"Well, the pastor was the first to tell me about the way C.S. Lewis analyzed the words: _Thy will_ be done versus _thy_ will be _done."_

"That's in _Mere Christianity."_

"The pastor's name is David Miller. The strange thing is that David Miller is the same name of the man who attacked me in my car. Isn't that a weird coincidence?"

"Very."

"How is it that one of the worst humans I've ever encountered shares the same name as one of the best humans?" The forces of good and evil were differentially represented in two men who shared the same name. It made Piper think of the complicated interplay between good and evil, something difficult, if not impossible, for humans to comprehend. Then she recalled a few words from her mother. "Darkness can never overcome the light, hatred can never overcome love, doubt can never overcome faith, and evil can never overcome goodness. Look for the light, my dear, which will always guide you along the narrow pathway to heaven."

It was time to tell Nick about the dark spirits. She trusted him. At the very least, he needed to know about the first demon that she had encountered when she was questioning her faith.

"I can see the dark spirits Nick. They can't hide from me."

"Dark spirits?"

"The first one I saw attacked me in my bedroom, late at night. It came out of a closet in a chilly black shadow and hovered over me for a few seconds. Then it pounced on top of me and tried to suffocate me and get inside of me. I couldn't breathe. Evil, angry, cold. It sent chills up my spine. I froze in my bed like an ice cube wedged in a tray in the freezer. Couldn't move. Couldn't breathe."

Nick's sat frozen in his chair and stared at Piper.

"Guess how I got rid of it?"

"How?"

"The Lord's Prayer. I said the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary over and over and over until I could feel the demon being pulled from me. Scariest moment of my life, but also one of the greatest, since it proved to me that God is an active loving God, not a passive part of nature."

"Have you ever told anyone else about this?"

"I tried to tell my family, but they laughed and made fun of me. So I let it go. You're the only one I trust with this. Clearly, this isn't an experience that normal people have, so I've kept it hidden from everyone. Don't tell anyone. They'll think I'm crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy, Piper."

Piper smiled. "Hey, I should tell you something else. Remember Chase's texting friend, Oren?"

"Yeah," Nick answered.

" _Sir_ Oren was the one running the show in the dungeon. Weird, huh?"

"Whoa! Oren is kind of an unusual name."

"Sir Oren. Just a pompous fool!"
Chapter 13

Oren, Sir Oren

Piper stood on the lawn of the Collins Foster Home and watched the kids as they played basketball with Nick. It had been a long time since they had been married and since the home had experienced a cyber theft of $36,000. She reflected on the incident and on Chase, still wondering whether he was somehow involved. Something told her Oren was involved. Something told her Oren was Sir Oren. Perhaps that is why they never caught the thief or thieves, despite a long investigation that involved many experts.

"Disgusting," she mumbled. "Completely disgusting."

Chase's life had not been easy since the crime, which Piper felt was perhaps God's way of punishing him. His baby with Cherie was a stillborn, which caused Chase and Cherie much grief and sorrow. The only good thing to come from the incident was that it inspired Chase and Cherie to do something positive. They continued volunteering at the Collins' Foster Home after they completed the required eighty hours. Piper saw them every so often on Saturdays when she and Nick were there.

"Hey Piper. Nick," a male voice called out from the parking lot as Chase and Cherie walked up wearing big smiles. "What's the good word?"

"Hey Chase and Cherie. Good seeing you," Nick called back.

Piper waited for them to come closer before saying anything. They looked happy, as if their lives had taken a turn for the better.

"How's it going?" She asked.

"We have some good news," Cherie said. "Nick, come here."

Nick stepped off the basketball courts and walked over to where they all stood. Using the side of his sleeve, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was dripping in sweat on that hot summer day. Drenched. "Love good news."

Chase grabbed Cherie's hand and they looked at one another and smiled. They then turned to Piper and Nick. "We're going to have a baby. We've been trying for a while now. Cherie is two months pregnant."

"Wow! Congratulations," Nick said. "High five." He held up his hand and gave Chase and Cherie high fives.

"Yeah, that's great," Piper added, avoiding direct eye contact. She and Nick had been trying to conceive since their wedding night with no success. Years were passing by too quickly and nothing was working. Her fertility doctor had determined that both she and Nick were fertile, so she couldn't figure out why she wasn't getting pregnant.

Look at them.

"Do you know if you'll be having a girl or boy?" She asked with a slight smile. It was all she could muster and she hoped they didn't notice it wasn't real.

"No. Not yet. We haven't decided if we should find out. Last time..." Cherie said before trailing off. She looked downward at the ground and slumped a little. "Hopefully this time..."

Tears came to Piper's eyes as she recalled Cherie's stillborn baby. So much pain. Hopefully this time God would bless them with a healthy baby. "No need to elaborate, Cherie. We know. We'll pray for your happy, healthy baby. We'll say lots of prayers."

"Thanks Piper," Cherie said as she wiped her eyes. "Well, happy now."

"Yeah, thanks," Chase added. "It's too bad prayers are never answered, though. Well, we'll see you later. We're going to head in to get our assignments. I feel like playing a little basketball."

Chase and Cherie walked towards the front door of the home. Piper wondered whether to say something. Something had been bugging her and she needed to get it out. Chase needed to know about this particular something.

"Chase," Piper called out.

"Yeah," he said as he and Cherie turned back around.

Piper grabbed Nick's hand and headed towards Chase and Cherie.

"Are you still hanging out with Oren?"

"Yeah, why?"

Nick looked at Piper with a very solemn expression as he raised his eyebrows. She mulled over the way she would share what she knew about Oren. Or what she thought she knew about Oren. He was in Chase's life for only one reason, which was to drag him into hell. No matter that she disagreed with Chase about God. She knew that hell wasn't where he deserved to be. He was a good husband to Cherie and a good volunteer at the home. And he was going to be a good father to his son or daughter.

"Well, I haven't met Oren, but from everything you've told me, he's probably not the best person for you to hang around."

"I agree with you Piper," Cherie stammered. "The guy gives me the creeps. Chase, I don't know why you hang out with him. He's bad news. Glad you had the courage to say something Piper."

"Oh, c'mon. He's fun. That's what matters. I don't take the guy too seriously. You can't. His views on some things are demented."

"Like what?"

"Like World War II. He always says the wrong side won. Now, who could say something like that and be serious? I think he just likes to mess with people."

"He's messing with you," Nick said. "I have to agree with your wife and Piper. You should avoid him."

"Maybe. Or maybe not. I'm telling you, he's a lot of fun. We took his plane to Vegas a few weeks ago and had more fun than I've had in a long time! Bank-rolled me and I ended up winning $25,000 playing Texas Hold 'em and Roulette. Not too shabby, huh?" Chase nodded his head in the affirmative as he waited for someone to agree with him.

"Not bad at all. I'd love to win twenty-five grand," Piper said. "But I don't want to sell my soul to the devil to do it."

"What do you mean by that?" Chase asked.

"Ask him for his views on Satan."

"He's an atheist, Piper. He doesn't believe in God or Satan."

"I know Oren said he doesn't believe in God, but I'll bet he hasn't told you that he doesn't believe in Satan. Just ask him. Seriously."

"Why do you care so much about Oren? You've never met him, right? So it seems kind of strange that you're giving me advice on him, as if you know him. Do you know something you're not saying?"

"Does he ever go by Sir Oren?"

"Sure. Oren, Sir Oren. He likes titles."

"Suffice it to say that I know more than I can say. Please ditch the guy. Please."

"Funny you would know that he calls himself Sir Oren sometimes. Actually, that's a little weird. I'll think about it Piper."

"Thanks Chase. That's all I'm asking. Think about it. And don't forget to ask him for his views on Satan."

"I'll do that next time I see him. Well, we better start our work. See you."

Chase and Cherie turned around and headed into the front door of the home. Piper watched them as they left, wondering whether Chase would stop hanging out with Oren. Probably not. The demons were persistent.

Piper's thoughts returned to her own infertility. Everyone around her was having babies and she was struggling to have one. She had been to three baby showers for coworkers over the past six months. Feigning happiness was getting more and more difficult, especially because her friends and family were always asking her if or when she and Nick were going to have kids, as if they could simply pick a date.

Her dad wanted more grandkids. She loved her dad, but she didn't see him as often as she liked since he had moved four hours away to the other coast of Florida. The next time she would see him would be on Thanksgiving. She looked forward to seeing him, though she didn't look forward to the questions about kids.

She thought about her dad and the way he had changed since the passing of his mom. Once a frequent in the church, he had slipped away. The actions of some of the priests bothered him. Piper wondered whether he would ever return. It didn't seem likely given his new South Florida surroundings.

Chapter 14

Grandfathers and Cuckoos

"Please, Piper. Spare us the nonsense. I believe in heaven too, but I don't believe in the church. As long as I'm a good person, I'm sure that God will take me in," her dad told her from his seat on a reclining chair in the family room of his house. The reclining chair appeared worn, though Piper knew that it was relatively new, suggesting it was the most popular seat in the room. A stack of newspapers sat on the floor by the chair, topped by a variety of business periodicals with the letter "R" penned on their covers. "R" represented those that Scott McCoy had read.

His new girlfriend Linda was seated on the leather couch next to him, quietly enjoying her glass of wine and mixed nuts as she watched the news on the television screen in the corner. She rarely said much when in the family's presence for reasons Piper hadn't yet identified.

Nick rarely said anything in the family's presence either. He looked on and listened to what Piper's dad was saying, but made no effort to comment, perhaps feeling it wasn't his place to do so. He was in his father-in-law's house where they had just spent time over a delicious turkey dinner. Something about Piper's family kept Nick on the quiet side.

"Dad, you know you need to believe in Jesus to get into heaven."

"Uh huh. I'm a good person, Piper. I don't need to go to church or start talking about Jesus to get into heaven."

Thinking she still had a chance to change her dad's mind, she added, "Dad, I saw Jesus once in a dream. I looked into the heavens and saw a door open in the sky. There were a few people inside and I know that one of them was Jesus."

"What did He look like?" Her dad said in a snarky sort of way with his eyebrows raised. "Did He have a beard?"

"Dad, that's not nice. You're not taking me seriously."

"Oh, C'mon, Piper. So you had a dream. We all have dreams. Doesn't mean anything."

"You didn't answer. Did He have a beard, Piper," Sailor said as she reclined in her chair and giggled.

Piper kept a straight face, despite the giggling in the room. "I don't remember exactly. I just remember light and figures."

"Light and figures, huh. Probably after too much wine," Sailor taunted, still chuckling. She was seated on the couch across from Piper with her husband, half empty wine glass in hand. Her children were playing together in a back room.

"I don't drink, Sailor. You know that. And this stuff is serious. Remember when I was rescued from the rip current?"

"Still a _lame-o_ with the wine, huh? That's only a good thing when you're pregnant." She was focused on that part of Piper's comment. Lifting her glass, she added, "Well, cheers to that. I'll drink yours for you." She took a long sip before adding, "Yeah, I remember your story about a demon in a closet and the rip current. You have a good imagination, Piper. You know, I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's funny how _you're_ the only one with those kinds of experiences. Well, I take that back. That schizophrenic in the movie _A Beautiful Mind_ saw things too." Sailor took another sip of her wine before returning it to the coffee table in front of her. "I don't believe in a god anymore. I guess you can call me an atheist."

"I wasn't imagining, Sailor, and it's not schizophrenia. C'mon! I can't believe you would say something so rude and inconsiderate. Maybe my eyes are open and yours are closed." Piper recalled other dreams and experiences she had had, but decided to keep those quiet. There was no way she was going to ignite her family's laughter once again. In fact, she made a note to keep any more dreams and experiences quiet.

" _Whatever_ ," Sailor said in an exaggerated tone.

Piper glared at Sailor. Her own family wouldn't listen to her. How could she think anyone else would?

When Jesus returned to Nazareth, few listened to Him, even those in His family.

She turned her attention to the decorations in the room, which helped her to clear some of the frustrations from her mind. The walls were covered in a variety of decorations, ranging from ocean artwork to 3-D framed Hummel dolls to hollowed out Easter eggs, which had been decorated decades before. The book case and end tables in the room featured other unusual trinkets, such as wooden ducks, statues of homeless men, German beer steins, and W.C. Fields statues. A kind interior decorator might call it an eclectic representation of several generations.

Piper thought about Sailor's new claim to be an atheist. Maybe she was just bluffing. Maybe not. One never knew with Sailor. She liked to say radical things sometimes, just to push Piper's buttons. And she knew that claiming to be an atheist would definitely push Piper's buttons. Though her younger sister looked like her, their personalities couldn't have been more different.

"What's scary is that atheism is growing. I've been studying it," Piper said. "It's increased by ten percent since the 1940s in the United States and in other wealthy countries, it's grown even more."

"It's the trend of the wealthy, the thinkers," Sailor smirked, as if to be a member of either group. "Maybe it will fall out of fashion, like communism and Cuban cigars did." She kicked her feet up on the coffee table in front of her and picked up her wine glass, pinkie finger extended.

"Or clear bottle Becks beers imported from the Bahamas," her husband Rob added in his Jersey accent. "Everyone wanted the clear bottles back in the day. No one cares about that anymore. We're back to drinking the green bottles. Or Buds."

"I'm riding on the atheism bandwagon right now," Sailor said. "Saves me a lot of time on Sunday mornings. Remember how we had to go to church when we were little? When Mom and Grandma were still alive? Ugh. What a waste of time!"

"I needed to keep your mom and my mom happy back then," Scott McCoy interjected. "That's why we went. And it was a nice family thing to do on a Sunday, before the priests started misbehaving."

"Some of the priests, Scott," Nick said, who had apparently lost his desire to stay out of the conversation. Piper knew he wouldn't be able to resist saying something, even though they were in her dad's house.

Go for it, Nick.

"Scott, if you found out that one of the dealers at the blackjack table you patronize was corrupt, would you stop gambling altogether?"

"Of course not, Nick. I'd just go to a different dealer or a different casino."

"That's what I'm saying," Nick said.

"Well, that's my part-time job, Nick. It's different from the church."

"Scott made $6,000 last week," Linda offered.

"Dad," Piper added, "we have so much respect for you. I love the way you've been such a workaholic in life, always showing us the importance of a strong work ethic. I love the way you've always cherished what you called _opportunities_ to go to work. You never said you _had_ to go to work, but rather that you _got_ to go to work, and I appreciate that. You're just like your mom. And I love how you always said that you 'work half days,' which were twelve hour days, spending the other twelve hours either sleeping or reading the newspaper. You never needed much sleep, though. Maybe four hours? I also love what others would say is your insane level of optimism. The world could literally be crashing all around you with every possible calamity imagined, and you'd still say that 'life is mah-velous.'"

Scott smiled. "That's true. Life is mah-velous!"

"And I see that you still get four newspapers every day delivered to your door. Clearly, you're keeping yourself updated on world events, unlike millions of other U.S. citizens. I think it's fair to say you know everything about _our world._ You could probably list the names of all of the world's major world leaders, the issues in their countries, and maybe even the state of affairs with respect to their political and economic systems. Don't you wonder about the next life? Why don't you invest any time in understanding what's to come? I just don't get it. We're only traveling through this world on our way to the next. This life is but a speck of sand in the eternal beach of heaven. Why aren't you curious about that?"

"Piper, I never said I don't wonder about the next life. Of course I do. We just don't _know_ anything about heaven. News reporters aren't reporting on heaven. There isn't any information on heaven out there."

"I beg to differ. Information is replete in the Bible. Read just one book in the Bible, Dad. Matthew. Matthew has so many references to the ways the events in Jesus' life corresponded to the predictions of the prophets of the Old Testament that you'll be blindsided. Or read the Book of Acts. The ways the apostles risked their lives daily to spread Christianity is very inspiring."

"Piper," Linda started, "the Bible is old. Isn't there anything newer you can recommend?"

"No. I've read tons of the newer stuff. Those books won't be enough. They weren't enough for me when I was searching for an answer. First you need the foundation and the framework, which is the Bible. Then you can add the bricks and drywall in those other books to build your faith. Dad, I'll stop bugging you if you just read Matthew. I promise."

"Why do I feel like the guy pestered by Sam I am in Dr. Seuss' " _Green Eggs and Ham_ " book? Piper, maybe I'll read Matthew, if I have the time."

"Thanks Dad. 'Maybe' is better than 'no.'"

"So, have you read any other good books lately Scott? You know, other than _Green Eggs and Ham?"_ Nick asked.

"Very funny. I read that book to Sailor's kids."

Sailor's husband Rob burped as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. Maybe he was grabbing some turkey leftovers. Maybe he was getting a drink. Piper wasn't sure. With his broad shoulders and thick frame, he had a strong appearance. The only hair on his head was what appeared to be a hairy chocolate donut affixed to the outside of his lips. He called it a goatee, but it hadn't been trimmed in months. At this point, his goatee gave him the appearance of a man in a silent battle with some sort of a fuzzy, squirrelly creature that he wanted to consume, which was gripping his lips to save its life. Returning from the kitchen with a wine box in hand, he filled his wife's glass to the rim. Then he asked Linda whether she wanted a refill but she declined. One glass was all she wanted. He headed back into the kitchen to put the wine box away.

***

The following morning, Piper sat comfortably at the kitchen table in her dad's house next to Nick. The table was round and wooden in a country sort of style, with four matching maple chairs. Covered in a green and white checkered tablecloth, something about the table and its adornments returned her thoughts to her childhood. An oversized turkey-shaped basket sat at its center, filled with Indian corn, squash, and small pumpkins. Pilgrim-shaped salt and pepper shakers sat just in front of the centerpiece, providing the table's finalizing Thanksgiving touches.

One of the walls in the kitchen displayed four cuckoo clocks. Recalling the same clocks on her grandma's family room wall, Piper grinned. The silly little clocks, with their chirping birds that popped in and out of little doorways on the hour and twirled and danced all around, did something to bring a little bliss into any home. As her dad had once said, "they make a house a home."

It was 9 a.m. and the cuckoos were chirping. A large grandfather clock, which stood between the kitchen and the family room, also stirred her memories. It called out to the cuckoo clocks in its much more glorious on-the-hour melody, which curiously blended well with the cuckoos. The grandfather clock once belonged to her maternal grandparents and she recalled seeing it in their Wisconsin lakefront home. Images of rowboat rides, poker games, and the frog on the rock danced within her mind. Those memories would never leave her.

"Let's do something different today. Get away from everyone. I don't want to start smelling like a fish. As your dad always says, 'guests are like fish. After about three days they start to smell.' And we've been here for four so far. I'm sure he's ready to get rid of us."

"He's not talking about us. We're family. Not guests."

Nick nodded. "That's why he likes to tell us about the fish every time we come to visit. Makes sense."

"Oh, Nick."

"What do you say we try the water park? Or the beach? Or putt putt golf? Or a driving range?"

"I'm game for any one of them. You make the call. But Nick, let's first enjoy each other's company here. How about joining me on the back porch? We can watch the palm trees sway and the boats go by. It's beautiful here."

They stepped onto the patio and sat down on a couple of chaise lounges. The warm, salty air and beaming sun embraced them and welcomed them that morning. Palatial, Mediterranean-style homes lined the Intracoastal Waterway, which rolled by in front of them. Boats of all sizes trolled along, from dinghies carrying fishermen to yachts carrying the wealthy. The house was in a no wake zone, so boats were limited to a slow speed. Seagulls and pelicans swooped overhead in search of their breakfasts. Piper watched a pelican soar downward to capture its prey, which was a small unsuspecting fish. Save for the experience of that fish, the morning was perfect for all. Nick kissed her on the cheek as he said, "I love you."

"I love you too, Nick."

***

"Stop there," Piper said as she pointed to a drug store. "I'll run in and grab us some snacks and bottled waters." Piper and Nick were geared up to go to the beach in Boca Del Sol later that afternoon. Covered in Coppertone suntan lotion and donning swimsuits, baseball caps, and swim shirts, she and Nick were ready to roast in the warm sun.

Nick pulled their sports utility vehicle into the parking lot, and Piper hopped out and sped into the store for a few bags of popcorn, mixed nuts, and bottled waters. She wanted to keep the snacks somewhat healthy, though she knew Nick often preferred much less healthy options. Cheetos, chocolate, and pork rinds were not on her shopping list. She grabbed a shopping basket and filled it with snacks and drinks before approaching the cash register to pay.

A long line had formed in front of the only open cash register, so Piper slowed her pace and took her place in the line, a little bummed that five patrons were waiting in front of her. Looking to her left, she noticed a closed register and wondered where its cashier was. The two self- checkout machines had signs indicating they were out of order.

_Oh well_.

She watched the dark-skinned cashier in front of her, rapidly processing the items the patrons presented and taking payments. A few people lined up behind her.

An old woman approached with a shopping cart in front of her, wearing garb consistent with the outfits worn by wealthy New Yorkers in Boca Del Sol. It was obvious she was hanging on to her younger years, but her money was spent in vain. The doctor's knife hadn't been kind as it had stretched her makeup-caked skin across her skull and reduced her nose into something unnatural.

"Are you kidding me," she howled. "Where's your help young lady?"

"She's on break," the cashier responded without looking up, possibly in a passive aggressive sort of way. Piper surmised the woman had dealt with such sorts of people in her past.

"A break? Why would she be taking a break right now? Look at this line. I count nine people. This is ridiculous! Ridiculous!" Instead of taking a place in the line, the woman stood in front of it, as if waiting to be first in line should the other cash register open.

Everyone in the line in front of her tried to ignore the old woman, though they were perhaps in hurries themselves. The moment spurred the customers in the line in front of Piper to form a bond with one another in full support of the cashier. Each thanked her after each transaction, and the cashier thanked each back for coming into the store.

"Call corporate. I demand you call corporate and report this incident. Do you know who I am? You need to do what I say!"

Something about the woman's pompous ways called Sir Oren into Piper's mind. She thought of the way the figures in the dungeon flung horse manure at Sir Oren. She'll probably end up in the dungeon, flinging horse manure at the people around her.

The other cashier walked over to her cash register and opened it, so the old woman jumped into the front of the line. The cashier was about the same age as the old woman and perhaps had had some experience with impatient wealthy sorts, who were a little too common in Boca Del Sol.

"I'm sorry. I need to help the next people in line before I help you."

Fairness had taken priority. Piper moved over to the other register, behind a woman who had been standing in front of her.

"What!" The old woman grabbed the twelve pack of toilet paper in her shopping cart and smacked it down on the counter. "I don't think you know who I am. My husband could buy this whole chain if he wanted to. I'm taking my business elsewhere!" With a huff, she stormed away.

Such a miserable woman.

"And here we're in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. No wonder it was also voted one of the meanest," she said to Nick after recounting the story.

Piper wondered what sort of impact that being in a place like Boca Del Sol was going to have on her dad and sister. Hopefully they will be able to steer clear of such misery. Or maybe seeing people like that woman will help them to better appreciate the kindness and humility of all of the decent humans occupying the same space.

That night, Piper had another dream. She sat in the back of a camper style van. Her dad was at the wheel and Linda, Nick, Sailor, and Rob were also in the van, as was a small black dog. She peered out of the window by her side and noticed the van was ascending up a gigantic, snow-covered mountain. After a while, she observed that the road upon which they were traveling was starting to become more and more difficult to see, as the snow falling outside of the van was beginning to cover any view of the road. Piper shivered in fear. She looked at her dad, who was bravely driving the van, which hugged the road along the side of the mountain as they ascended. Every so often Piper felt the wheels as they slipped and slid on their icy path. What surprised her was that when the terrain became more difficult to navigate, her dad's response was to drive faster. Faster and faster he drove and soon they were charging up the mountain along a pathway that no one could see. Piper hoped and prayed that her dad would be able to maintain control of the van. Snow was dumping from the clouds and it was becoming increasingly difficult to see anything around them as the van moved higher and higher into the sky. Then the van slid off the road and into an embankment. Piper couldn't see past the embankment as the clouds and the snow were blinding. Everything was white. Her dad decided to take a chance so he gunned the van forward, thinking there was a road in front of them. There wasn't. The van sprung into the air until it was gripped by gravity, resulting in a downward freefall. Everyone screamed, feeling that no one could save them. The black dog barked and jumped up and down, skipping back and forth across the van. Their fates were sealed. They heard a great wind as it whistled under them, carrying them across the sky. The van landed softly in a snowy embankment and everyone got out, relieved that their lives had been spared. Piper prayed that this dream represented the fate of her doubting family.

***

The following night, Nick and Piper headed over to Sailor and Rob's house for dinner. Her sister lived in a ranch-style home in one of the happy pockets of Boca Del Sol. Piper considered her neighborhood to be a happy pocket, because none of the wealthy, impatient types like the old woman in the drugstore lived there. Instead, the neighborhood was occupied by people of the middle or upper middle class, who had far less money and much more patience than some of their wealthier Boca Del Sol counterparts. Piper liked the neighborhood. It reminded her of the one in which she grew up in Orange Bay.

She and Nick followed Rob inside and into their oversized kitchen. The kitchen featured maple cabinets, granite countertops, and the latest in stainless steel appliances. Like the larger room in which it was situated, it was painted in warm yellow and camel hues. Five bar height swivel chairs butted against the center island, so Piper and Nick each sat down on one of those. Rob headed towards the oven and checked its contents.

"Baked ziti," he said. "Sailor made a killer baked ziti for you guys and it should be ready in about twenty minutes."

"Sounds great," Nick said. "Her ziti is awesome. That's perfect."

"I'll second that!" Piper added. She could smell the delicious aroma of baked ziti in the air. Her stomach could too, as it growled to let her know.

Sailor came out of a back bedroom and joined them. "Anyone want a drink? Beer, wine, soda, bottled water?"

"I'll have a bottled water," Piper answered.

"I'll take a soda," Nick added. "Thanks!"

Sailor pulled the drinks from the refrigerator and distributed them. "Anyone for a game of corn hole?"

"Sure," Piper answered. She and Nick followed Sailor and Rob to their back patio where they had set up two corn hole platforms at opposite ends of one another.

"Where are your kids?" Piper asked.

"Showering or getting dressed. They should be out here in a few minutes," she answered. Sailor had two twin daughters who were three years old and a boy who was two. Piper hoped that she and Nick would one day be blessed with children. Her sister's kids were adorable.

In the corner of the room, Piper noticed the old wooden rocking chair. The rocking chair was the same one her mother used to rock her when she was a baby and to read to her when she was a young child. Many memories were formed in that rocking chair. Good memories.

"Nick and Piper, it will be you two versus us," Rob said. "So, Nick, you and I will be on this side and the girls will be on the other."

Nick grabbed a few bean bags and took a few practice shots into the hole of the wooden corn hole platform in front of him. Rob followed, doing the same thing before the women took their shots.

"These stands seem too far apart," Sailor said. "This should be much easier."

"No, my dear. Regulation corn hole. The stands stay where they are," her husband answered as he took another practice shot, which sailed through the air before landing directly in the hole.

"Hope you're taking notes," he said with a smile.

"Of course," Nick answered.

When the group finished with their practice shots, the games began. They played several rounds of corn hole both before and after eating the baked ziti that Sailor had prepared for them. Sailor's three kids had joined the group just before dinner and were now playing hide and seek in the back yard.

The lot upon which the home was built was large and oddly shaped, featuring both an oversized back yard and an oversized side yard. It was an unusual yard, given the other smaller and more square yards in the neighborhood. Sailor and Rob had fenced it in just after they bought the house, adding a thick, bushy hedge on the outside for extra privacy. A colorful assortment of well-placed and well-tended Hibiscus trees and bushes, foxtail palms, and crotons had been planted in the yard and were flourishing. Outdoor lights in several colors shone against the landscape and the grass, which was plush and unnaturally green. "Fertilizer and rain are a landscaper's best friend in Florida," Rob said. His landscaping background was an asset to the family.

After a while, Piper and Sailor decided to call it quits, while Nick and Rob played another handful of rounds against one another. One would win, so the other called for a rematch. Then the other would win, while the first called for a rematch. And so on. Competitive souls can never be happy until the game has been called in their favor.

The women sat down on chairs on the patio.

"You know I was kidding, Piper."

"About what?"

"Being an atheist," Sailor quipped.

"Why would you kid about something like that?"

"Because it was funny watching you get all emotional. You're funny about that kind of stuff. I hope you know that. People say you and Nick are born again Christians."

"People are right. We are."

"Oh," Sailor responded. "That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Your preachiness and your fear of the bottle."

"I just don't like drinking, Sailor. You shouldn't judge me. I've stopped judging you. I don't care that you drink. I figured one of us would probably be a drinker since Dad said it skips a generation. And Uncle Sully."

"Well, I don't drink like Grandpa, and I definitely don't drink like Uncle Sully. I just drink with my friends on social occasions. I don't want to be like Uncle Sully either, Piper, not in front of the kids."

"That's good," Piper said.

Piper looked over at Sailor's kids and felt her stomach churn. Why had the Lord blessed Sailor with children so early in her marriage? Why were she and Nick having such a hard time getting pregnant? What had she done to the Lord to deserve such difficulties? She tried to stop judging people. Tried hard. Maybe she was being punished for failing. Tears formed in her eyes, which she quickly wiped off so as not to be noticed. She hid her pain from everyone, even Nick.
Chapter 15

All Babies Go to Heaven

Piper arrived at the hospital with Nick to offer support to their friends. They had not seen Chase or Cherie in a few months. It was a shame that this awful incident was what would bring them together again. All of their other memories of times together were much more pleasant.

They found Chase on the third floor, pacing in the hallway outside of Cherie's room with tears in his eyes. Nick was the first to hug him and Piper followed his lead. No one said anything. No one could find the right words. Piper knew her friend's life had taken a turn for the worse. She needed support. She walked into the room and found Cherie in her hospital bed sleeping. The heart monitor beeped quietly next to the bed and Piper was comforted in the way that the beeps were steady. Her face was bruised, battered, and bandaged, and Piper knew that her body had also met the same fate. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took her friend's hand into hers and sat down beside her in a chair.

Please, Lord, bring her peace.

Nick and Chase joined her in the room, yet the air was still devoid of any words. Words were embedded in thoughts. Sorrowful and merciful thoughts. And prayers. Nick put the vase of freshly cut flowers they bought onto the window sill before sitting down in the chair next to Piper. He stared at Cherie and his eyes filled with tears.

Piper wasn't sure how to break into a conversation, but she wanted to say something. Chase had already shared with them the sickening way Cherie had been attacked by a man the night before while returning a book at the library. Violently beaten, raped, and bloodied, her life had almost ended. Her second baby's life had ended. The little baby inside of her womb was now in heaven with his or her older sibling. Thinking of the way the baby would never meet her mom on the earth, Piper burst into tears. The poor little baby would never walk the earth with his or her mom and dad. The poor little baby was relegated to the same fate as her older sister.

"I'm so sorry about this Chase," she said. "So sorry."

Chase looked over to her and mumbled, "Thanks. I am too." His eyes were bloodshot and his face red and puffy. More time passed in silence.

"It's my fault," Chase blurted.

"What? It's not your fault!"

"It's my fault, Nick. God wanted to punish me for ignoring Him. Ignoring all of the signs He sent. Ignoring you and everything you told me. He wanted to punish me by taking our babies away and destroying my wife."

"No way, Chase. That's crazy. This wasn't an act of God. This was an act of Satan," Nick said.

"Well, God let it happen."

Neither Nick nor Piper responded to that comment as both digested the words. Piper thought of the book of Job and the way God let Satan attempt to destroy Job. Then she recalled her conversation years before with Chase about God.

"So you believe in God?" Piper asked.

"Of course," Chase said. "I don't have a choice," he whispered.

***

The following weekend, Nick and Piper arrived at the Collins Foster Home to do their usual volunteering work. While inside of the main building office, they had a conversation with an older man who was new to volunteering. He was donning a worn out plaid shirt and his name was Nathan. Something about him was familiar and Piper wondered whether she had seen him before. After making small talk, Nathan opened up about his past.

"I've had a hard life," Nathan said, his wrinkly eyes sad and solemn. "A depressing, hard life." He wiped the sweat from his brow and shrugged as she shook his head.

"I'm sure that you've seen things while serving our country that no person should ever have to see," Nick responded.

"You can say that. Death. I've looked death in the eye way too many times."

"We thank you for your service, Nathan. People should be very thankful to our military heroes." Piper said.

"There are some great military heroes, but I'm not one of them."

"Why would you say that?" Nick asked.

"I'm just not a hero. I'm just a regular dude who served in the military with the usual baggage and demons."

Piper looked around but didn't see any dark spirits. That relieved her. "Do you believe in God?"

"Of course. I fear God." A tear formed in one eye, which he wiped away quickly. "My friend Skidmore is with God now. Instead of me. Should have been me instead of him."

"What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"We were in Somalia. Enemies were all around. I saw a guy up high in a building aiming a gun at Skidmore. I yelled, but Skidmore couldn't hear me. Should have run out there and taken the bullet. Should have pushed Skidmore out of the way. But I wimped out and froze. Didn't do my job."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up about that. It was his time, not yours. He's in a better place now. God wanted you to remain on this earth to make a difference, probably here in the home."

"I don't know about that."

"I do. There was nothing you could have done to save Skidmore. Nothing. It was just his time and not yours." Piper added.

"Thanks. This place does make me feel a little better. Something about helping people makes you feel good. That's why I'm here."

"That's why we're here too," Nick said.

"Well, I better get going. Got some work to do with the kids. Some of those kids have problems much worse than mine. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sounds good," Nick said.

"Nice talking to you," Piper added.

Nick and Piper headed outside and into the yard surrounding the homes when they spotted Chase in the parking lot with a garbage bag in one hand and a stick to pick garbage up in the other. His hair was disheveled and his shirt was wrinkly, which was out of character.

"How are you, Chase?" Nick asked as he and Piper headed to the parking lot. He held out his hand, which Chase grabbed before hugging him.

"Lost, Nick. Just lost. I need my Cherie back. The doctors said the brain scans look good, so she'll be able to recover her mental abilities. Right now, she can barely talk, but at least she's coherent. They said it will be a long road to a full recovery. And they still aren't sure about all of her physical capabilities. The baby was a boy, Nick. I would have had a son. The doctors aren't sure of whether she'll be able to conceive again."

"Oh my! We're so sorry about this whole thing, Chase. She didn't deserve to go through that at all. Not at all. And neither did you," Piper said before hugging Chase. "We are so sorry for you and Cherie."

"I know," Chase whispered. "Why do these things happen to good people? My dad was a good person, and so is Cherie. And our innocent son. Why don't the evil get raped and beaten? Why?"

"You want to sit down?" Nick asked, pointing to a picnic table.

"Sure."

The threesome walked over to the picnic table under one of the trees and sat down. Piper sensed the embrace of a soft, misty breeze and watched the leaves dance in the mossy oak tree over their heads. The sun peeked between the clouds, which were spreading across the sky and turning darker. It was a while before anyone said anything, as all sat deep in thought.

Piper wondered how to best help Chase. It was supposed to be a very joyful time for them, a time of celebration in their marriage and jubilation for their baby. Instead, it was a time of pain. The baby was now gone. Piper shook her head and looked down at the table. Its worn, wooden slats mirrored the somber mood around her.

Gone to heaven. At least she knew that. All babies go to heaven. Even though they're atheists, all babies go to heaven. She thought about that for a few moments, wondering whether God had a cutoff time to determine when nonbelievers are automatically granted a presence in heaven.

Small children are surely granted a presence, but what about pre-teens or teenagers? Do they get admission?

Those questions swirled around Piper's mind for a few minutes before she thought to turn her attention back to Chase. She wanted to comfort him, yet struggled with finding the right words.

A white ibis flew by and landed on a tree branch, stirring a recollection of a conversation she had had with Benson.

"Chase, have you met Benson?"

"Yes. He's a nice kid. I feel badly for him. Doesn't get to see his mom much. I hope she makes it back soon from the war."

"I do too. One time when I was talking with Benson, we saw a white ibis just like the one over there on that tree branch. I told him the ibis is like him. Though it may not know where its biological family is, it knows that the sun will come up each morning. And just as sure as that, it knows that its Lord is smiling upon it each day." She paused before adding, "I told him that Jesus loves him and directed his path to the home so he could learn about Jesus and feel His love through the warm embraces of others."

"That's nice, Piper," Chase said. "Really nice. I'm sure it made him feel good."

"Yeah, I think it did," Piper said. "He thanked me a couple of times later and drew a picture of a bird for me. She adjusted her position on the bench as its wood bottom was making her a little uncomfortable. The clouds now filled the sky and the air was becoming more dense and humid and musky. Rain was certain. A few drops landed on the table top in front of them, but no one acknowledged the rain. Time passed.

Chase looked around the grounds of the home and said, "I like it here. Something about being here makes me feel good inside. The kids need so much help and some of them are really messed up. So many sad stories and opportunities for outreach. I like the way this place offers them hope. And discipline. They need lots of discipline."

"Sure do," Nick said, "and good role models."

"You and Piper are great role models."

"So are you Chase. You've come a long way," Piper said.

"I try. Tell me something."

"Yes?" Nick asked.

"Use the words of God from the Bible to tell me why this happened. You never failed to use those words before. But I always stopped you. Just so you know, I never forgot about what you said, and what you told Cherie. Cherie told me everything."

Chase's mobile phone chirped, so he pulled it from his pocket to check his text messages. "Oren keeps nagging at me to go in with him on another major gamble. No way! I almost lost everything with the last one. Everything."

"What did you gamble?" Nick asked.

"My life. And Piper, in case you're wondering, you were right."

"About what?"

"He believes in Satan. Doesn't believe in God but he believes in Satan. He said he can't deny his father. That's messed up. Damned fool."

"Literally," Nick said.

"Right about that," Piper said. She wasn't surprised that Oren was one of the weeds, a child of the anti-Christ. At least Chase was seeing him more clearly for what he truly was.

Chase stood up and walked over to the ibis, which didn't budge from its position on the branch. Then he returned and stood in front of them at the table. Piper could still see the dark shadows as they swirled above him.

"But even with all of this, I still need one question answered. I asked you before but you never answered. In fact, I've asked you twice. It's the reason why I have been feeling such hostility towards God. It's the question of why. You never told me why. Why don't these things happen to only the evil and not the good? Why don't the molesters and rapists get murdered instead of the innocent? "

Nick looked at Piper and took a deep breath. "Do you know the story of Job?"

"No," Chase answered.

"Job was a good man whom God had blessed with a big family and a comfortable life. Satan wanted to challenge Job, thinking that by killing his family, stealing his wealth, and destroying his health that he would turn him from the Lord. Instead, Job's faith grew even stronger, so God doubled his wealth and gave him seven new sons and three new daughters. God knew that Job could be even better than he already was, which was practically perfect. God also knew that Jesus could be even better than He already was, which was perfect. That's why His one and only begotten Son had to bear the excruciating pain of watching His children, the children whom He loved, nail Him to a cross. He had to bear human pain and evil to be able to understand and overcome human pain and evil. Loving His children more than humanly possible, He asked His Father that they be forgiven for doing what they did to Him."

Chase said nothing as he stared down at the wooden slats of the table in front of him. The rain came down harder, but no one budged. Piper wondered whether there was a breakthrough. Maybe another convert. A proselyte. Maybe the angels of heaven were cheering at this very moment. Maybe.

Chase looked up into the sky. Rain drops fell onto his face, yet he ignored them. With his eyes still stuffed full of tears, he whispered in a barely audible voice, "God, I know why you've allowed these things to happen. I was proud and unappreciative of all you've given me. I didn't think I needed you or needed to care about anyone other than those in my own family. Please help me grow closer to you, like my dad. I know he's there with you. And I know he's watching me now and smiling. Please forgive me for ignoring you all of these years since he passed. I'm back. I'm yours."

Nick moved out of his chair and over to Chase and gave him a huge bear hug. Piper soon followed, hugging Chase as tears streamed down her cheeks. She could almost hear the angels cheering in heaven. Almost. She looked above and all around Chase and noticed the dark spirits that had been pursuing him were gone. Must have fled.

Moments later, the rain slowed down and the sky opened up. A magnificent double rainbow appeared as the sun burst out and glowed in all of its wonder. The colors of the rainbow glistened and gleamed like streams of gemstones, reflecting all of the colors of the earth. Piper first identified the reds, then the blues, then the yellows and greens. What happened next surprised her as she saw colors outside of the spectrum of primary colors. They shone even brighter than any of the colors she had seen on the earth. These were reflections of the heavens.

A little butterfly appeared in front of the group in colors which matched the many colors imbued in the rainbow. It danced in front of them, calling their attention in a jolly sort of way. Piper thought of the significance of the butterfly at this point in their lives, which made her smile.

"Thank you," she said as she looked up into the heavens, noticing the white ibis once again. It was soaring in a circle in the sky above them.

Could be another sign.

Chase was watching the bird too. He extended his right arm, offering the bird a place in which it could land. The ibis accepted his offer, landing on the palm of his hand. Then it did something that surprised all three. It opened its mouth, displaying a small golden key before lifting itself up and dropping the key into the palm of Chase's hand.

"Wow! I wonder what this opens," Chase asked.

"I'll bet you'll find out," Nick said.

"Yeah. You'll find out, for sure," Piper added as she watched the white ibis fly away.

A few weeks later, Piper and Nick received a phone call from Allison Whitten. She shared the news that an anonymous donor made two deposits of $36,000 each into the Collins Foster Home's donation intake account. Piper wasn't surprised. She suspected that Nick drew the parallels as well.
Chapter 16

Reflections at the Pond

She knew she had the key to life, yet hadn't been able to share it with Nathan. As she stood by the side of a pond, she wondered how she ended up where she was, alone since Nathan's unexpected passing. Recalling her last few moments with Nathan caused Faith much pain and anxiety. He was a good man who had served in the military and who had served his country well. She recalled the way he enjoyed long walks through the woods along the many paths that circled around the natural ponds near their home. She recalled the particular pond where they had often sat close to one another while feeding the fish Nathan's leftover bread. The ponds were often covered in lily pads and stocked with all sorts of marine life, from snails to bass to alligators. She knew to steer clear of the alligators and fortunately had never come in a close encounter with one.

Her thoughts turned from the ponds to Nathan, to whom she had devoted her life over the past few years. She recalled the conversations that Nathan had had with his family about his struggles after the war. Conversations about pain. Conversations about anger and demons. Conversations about hope. Nathan had been struggling with his adjustment to civilian life and was battling depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and constant migraines. He had served in the military in several tours of Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq years before and those tours still haunted him. He had lost his sight in one of his eyes and the mobility of one of his arms, yet he never complained about those things. The recurring nightmares were what bothered him. The memories of his comrades and Skidmore and the lives that had been lost plagued him. Faith struggled with ways to soothe his mind, yet nothing she could do removed the memories or mitigated his pain.

Nathan Wagner often spoke of the tours when they were alone. Memories of bombs, guns, and grenades rumbled through his mind and often kept him up at night. Faith recalled cuddling by his side in silence as his body shook during the night. She did anything she could do to help him deal with the nightmares and the stress with which he was plagued. Over and over, she tried to show him the key to his existence, the golden key. Yet his faith was too weak. That greatly saddened her. Only those with faith were able to find the key to life.

Though he was always struggling with the battles and wars being waged in his mind, he treated her like gold. She knew he treasured their times together. And she treasured those times as well. She loved Nathan and was comforted by the fact he had been serving as a volunteer at the Collins Foster Home. Hopefully that would cement his place in heaven. She wanted to one day reunite with him in heaven.

Envisioning herself in heaven in the arms of her Lord and Savior helped Faith to be trusting. She knew heaven was permanent and that this life was temporary. She knew that within this temporary life, the warmth and love of her Lord was always within reach, as long as she had faith.

Life with Nathan was a blessing, but too short. Faith missed him tremendously and longed to be by his side. In between her cries and pants and wailing and calls for help, she walked through the worn paths of the woods near their home. She once again decided to look upward for direction. The sun shone above her and warmed her heart, and she noticed the way that the sun reflected as stars in the ponds along her pathway. Beams of shimmering light surrounded her. Faith closed her eyes and prayed for guidance.

She knew she wasn't meant to stay in the house and that it was no longer her home. She knew she couldn't wait for Debbie to find Nathan's lifeless body lying in his chair. Her calling wasn't to stay with or comfort Debbie. Instead, she needed to go to two people whom she had never met, Nick and Piper O'Brien.
Chapter 17

Can I Tell You Something?

"I have something for you," Piper's neighbor Dexter called out as she rode her bike past his house.

She stopped her bike on his driveway and waited for him to return from the inside of his house. A minute or so later, he walked out carrying a business card with the name "Dexter" scribbled on the back.

"Call him," he said. "He'll do a good job for you."

"He definitely makes your lawn look nice."

"I know."

Dexter was dressed in his usual type of outfit, which was a short-sleeve button down shirt and long khaki pants. She never saw him in shorts, jeans, t-shirts, or long sleeves, so one might say what he was wearing that day was his uniform. He was probably around sixty years old, but he could have been older. His dark skin handled the sun well, leaving him with few wrinkles or age spots. A slender man with an upright posture, he appeared to be very healthy.

"I'll call him after Christmas. I don't want to be a Scrooge and fire the company I'm currently employing just before Christmas."

"Okay."

"The Fellowship Church is having a big celebration for Christmas with a living nativity. If you don't have any other plans, you might want to go there. We'll be going to the Christmas Eve service."

"I might do that," he said with a slight nod.

"They make a big deal out of Christmas there. You should go," she said as she hopped back onto her bike. "Well, see you later."

A few days later, Piper saw Dexter again. He and his wife came to the neighborhood block party and Piper found them in a neighbor's garage where all of the potluck dishes had been brought.

"I haven't called them yet Dexter," she said, "but I will in early January. I need to cancel my other company."

"Yes, you do," he said. "I've been watching them. The guy comes out and sprays only a part of your lawn, ignoring whole sides sometimes. Last time he came, he missed the part of your lawn between the sidewalk and street. The whole strip of grass! I would fire him immediately."

"Well, I have to admit that our lawn doesn't look nearly as nice as yours."

"I know."

"Hopefully it will in a few months after we get your guy."

"It will. And your husband is mowing the grass too low. It needs to be higher. It doesn't thicken when you cut it so close to the ground."

"I'll tell him. We water it every other day, just like you."

"Yes, I know. I've been watching."

"You're up that early in the morning?" Piper asked, knowing her sprinklers run around 4 a.m.

"Yes. My breakfast table sits in front of the window with a view of your lawn."

Dexter's wife Bernice walked up. Like Dexter, she was in her usual uniform, which was a modest, light-colored cotton dress. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, as always.

"I was just complimenting Dexter on your lawn," Piper said to her. "It's very plush. The neighborhood kids learned to ride bikes on the sidewalk by your house so if they fell, they would land on that thick carpet."

Dexter laughed. "Thank you."

Piper knew two things about Dexter: he had too much time on his hands and he loved his lawn. That was pretty much it. Any other conversations were quick to bore Dexter, so Piper always made sure to weave a discussion of his lawn within their conversations.

"Are you going to play in the corn hole tournament?" She asked Dexter.

"No. No way." He made his way over to another neighbor to strike up a discussion with him.

"You like to ride your bike a lot," Bernice said. "I see you riding by my house all the time. You always go the opposite way that most people go to get out of the neighborhood."

"Yeah, that's my route. I go by your house, circle around the outskirts of the neighborhood, and then come back into the entrance that you use to go out."

"Oh, you go all the way around the neighborhood? That's a long ride."

"I like biking. Helps me to declutter my mind."

The many bike paths in their neighborhood traversed through woody areas, ponds, and a variety of homes, both magnificent and modest. The trees along the paths were of several varieties, from sable palms to pine trees to trees bearing acorns and Spanish moss. The ponds were stocked with bass and catfish, while a variety of birds circled in the air over them. Some were elegant, such as the eagles, herons, and owls. Others were less welcome, including the vultures. Just as the weeds mixed with the grasses along the path, the vultures mixed with the graceful.

Magical.

Maybe the magic came from the sky's azure canvas and mix of popcorn and cirrus clouds. Or maybe it had to do with the way the sun and the wind worked together to embrace the dancing leaves of the trees and sparkly waters of the ponds and gentle surrenders of the grasses. Biking wasn't exercise to Piper, but a way for her to connect with nature and God.

"Are you into biking?" Piper asked Bernice.

"No, bum knees." She showed Piper her knees, which had scars from surgery. "I'm afraid I can't bike or do much physically."

She was a little heavier than Dexter and Piper felt badly about her bum knees. Biking was her favorite Florida pastime, so she appreciated having the ability to be able to ride a bike free from pain.

In the street in front of them, six corn hole platforms provided the entertainment. The competition between the neighbors was becoming fierce, as some seasoned corn holers were showcasing their skills. Nick was one of the competitors, though he wasn't as seasoned as some in the competition. One player was able to throw the beanbags in perfect spirals that swirled high into the air, landing in the hole just about every time. Piper predicted that she and Nick would soon be the proud owners of a corn hole platform, as Nick wasn't one to handle sporting losses well. He would surely be practicing his skills before next year's competition.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a slim man approaching with a curly red-headed woman by his side, rolling a large cooler behind him. Bob and Betty. He was wearing a raggedy t-shirt and shorts, along with a pair of snakeskin cowboy boots. Betty was also wearing a t-shirt and shorts, yet her outfit was better coordinated and newer than his.

"Hey guys," Bob said to Nick and Piper. "Thanks for the invite. I love corn hole! And Betty is the queen of corn hole. We play all the time at home."

"Excellent. This round is just about over. We'll get you two signed up," Nick said. "Man, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

"Good. Really good. Life flies by, doesn't it?" Bob said.

"You two don't look like you've changed at all. So, what's new? Are you still living in the same place?" Piper asked.

"Nope. We moved over to Briar. Got a cozy little pad a few blocks from some boat docks. It's perfect for us. It's only two bedrooms, but we don't have any kids so that's not a problem. How about you?"

"Not too many changes here." Piper said.

"So, do you ever see anyone from the old group? We've been out of touch for the past few years, though we do see Chase and Cherie." Nick said.

"Tragic," Betty noted. "I feel so bad for them. Losing one baby is hard enough, but two?"

"It's horrible," Bob said.

The group paused for a while to reflect on Chase and Cherie and the horrific event they had endured.

"We still hang out with Flypaper all the time," Bob said. "You know Flypaper. Still catching those flies, but he's not married yet. He's not serious about anyone. Now, this is going to sound funny, but I think he's holding out for Kat to come back to him. Can you believe that? I heard that she isn't married either, so maybe it will work out for him," Bob said.

"Maybe," Nick said. "Never know with fate."

"You guys ever meet Oren, Chase's old friend?" Bob asked.

"No," Piper answered. "Thankfully."

"Thankfully? He's cool, man. He's been out with us a few times lately. I'll tell you what, that dude knows how to party!"

"He's bad news," Nick said.

"I agree. Bad news," Piper said, recalling the dungeon nightmare. "You should stay away from him." Just then, she spotted the dark spirit. A single dark spirit darted out of a tree and swooped over to Bob like a snake to its prey. Piper decided that she would talk to Nick about the spirit. They needed to do something to protect their friend.

"Didn't you just say that you don't know him?" Bob asked.

"Yeah, but I know of him."

"You're a good woman, Piper. I know you have a good heart. But you don't have to worry about me." Bob cupped his hand into the shape of the letter C. "Hey, what's missing from my picture?"

"Oh, I don't know," Nick joked. "Maybe a beer?"

"Man, you're smart! Some things just don't change." Bob chuckled as he grabbed two beers from his cooler and handed one to Betty. "You guys thirsty?"

"We're good," Nick said. "But you, you stay thirsty my friend."

***

"Can I tell you something?" Piper asked Nick as the two sat on a couch in their living room.

"Of course."

"I saw a demon today. It looked like a dark spirit and it was targeting Bob."

"Really? You don't see one around me, do you?"

Piper chuckled. "No, of course not. The people I see them over are nonbelievers. When Chase was a nonbeliever, I saw them over him. It's scary, Nick, because it makes me think that something bad is going to happen to Bob. Remember when I told you about the demon that came out of the closet in my bedroom and tried to suffocate me?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that same day my roommate Madison was diagnosed with brain cancer. The same day. She died a year later. I've often wondered about what would have happened to me had I not won that battle. Maybe I would have died and she would still be alive."

"I don't know about that."

"Do you believe me?"

"Piper, I don't doubt you at all." Nick shook his head in affirmation. "You have a gift. And we're going to use that gift to help Bob."

"Can't tell him about the demons, though. He won't take us seriously."

"No, we won't do that. But we can talk to him about God."

Fortunately, she and Nick were invited to Bob's house a couple of weeks later. She hoped to find the opportunity while there.
Chapter 18

The Unexpected Dad

Piper and Nick waited at the front door of Bob and Betty's house in Briar. Bob had invited them over to make an announcement and they were curious to hear what it was. Nick said that Bob was "very excited" to tell everyone about a special addition to their house. Dog? Child? Piper didn't know.

"Great seeing you guys," he said as he opened the door. "Come on in."

Piper followed Nick into the family room of the house, where they found Flypaper and Betty sitting on two of the three couches in the oversized room. Flypaper was seated next to a very attractive Asian-looking woman whom he introduced as his date. A boy sat on the third couch opposite to everyone wearing a pensive expression.

"Nick and Piper, let me introduce you to my new son, Brian."

Brian had a freckled appearance similar to that of Betty's, so Piper assumed he was Betty's son. Must have had him prior to meeting Bob as he looked a little older. Brian looked around the room at everyone in a nervous sort of way, appearing somewhat out of place and shy.

"Hi, Brian," Piper said. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Nick added.

"Thanks," Brian responded.

"So, how old are you?" Piper asked.

"I'm nine."

Bob sat down next to Brian on the couch and put his arm around him. "His dad passed away last week, so now his mom has custody. We're going to raise him here and will be enrolling him in elementary school on Monday. He's the son I always wanted." Bob said as he leaned closer to Brian with tears welling up in his eyes. "Didn't think it possible to have my own kids. So lucky this fine young man has come into our lives."

Betty smiled at Bob just before wiping her eyes. "Brian is going to love it here living with us. So much to do. Fishing, boating. He'll never get bored. And we're going to have a very nice Christmas, Brian. Very nice."

"That's great, really great," Flypaper said. "Kids are such a blessing."

"There are lots of kids in the neighborhood and Brian will fit right in. Plus, Bob's cabinet shop is doing very well, so I'll be able to work part-time and pick him up from school every day and help him with his homework in the afternoons," Betty added.

"That's great," Piper said.

She looked about the room, noticing its eclectic mix of contemporary navy blue furniture, glass end tables, and grey-colored walls. Stuffed marlins, tuna, and wahoo covered every wall, which was something one would expect from a fisherman. It was surprisingly neat, devoid of stinky socks, which was something unexpected. Betty must be a good influence.

Brian got up from his chair and headed into the kitchen. "Can I have a soda pop, please?"

"Of course," Bob answered.

"Thanks. I'm going to go in my room and play Minecraft." He opened the refrigerator, pulled out a soda, and headed down a hallway into another room.

Bob let everyone know that Brian's life hasn't been the most stable. Though his dad had full-time custody, he wasn't always a full-time dad. His parents and others often watched Brian to help out. But when he passed away, Bob and Betty gave a convincing argument for full-time custody. No one in the family protested.

Piper never realized that Betty had a son. No one ever spoke about him. She looked over at Bob and decided that sometimes unexpected dads make great dads. Hopefully that will be the case. No demons were in the room; that was for sure. She had scanned every corner and crevice quite well. No beer was in the room either. Maybe Bob wasn't drinking.

"We're happy for you," Flypaper said. "You'll make a great dad. You can take him fishing and boating. You guys will have a blast."

"That's the plan," Bob said. "Anyone up for a beer?"

No one, not even Betty, wanted a beer at that point, which was around 4 p.m. Piper sensed a change in the room.

"Seriously? Betty you don't want a beer? Flypaper? Okay, I get it," Bob said, "too early for beer. How about some rum punch?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm driving," Flypaper said.

His girlfriend smiled at him in approval. She probably didn't drink and Flypaper was probably trying to impress her. He never talked about drinking and driving before. Piper turned to Betty and took pause.

What's with Betty? Why doesn't she want a beer? How unusual! It's not like she needs to drive anywhere.

"Just not in the mood. We need to be sober around Brian. He's too new here to see us drunk. Plus, we promised them. Remember? We promised things would be different."

"Oh, yeah. True," Bob said. With a loud sigh, he slumped his shoulders and glared at the refrigerator. "Well, then, what else can we do? You guys want to play some poker?"

"Sure, that works," Flypaper said.

"Works for us too," Nick added.

"Let me see if Brian wants to play," Bob said as he stood up.

Piper could hear him asking Brian to play, but Brian was too wrapped up in his video games. Kids. She pictured the way her kids would probably be doing the same, if only she had kids.

She thought of Cherie and how she had lost two kids. Poor woman. And poor husband, Chase. The last time she saw Chase was at the foster home.

Her thoughts turned to Bob. The opportunity to say something to Bob about God didn't present itself, as Brian's presence was in the forefront of every conversation. Maybe God put Brian there to influence a change in Bob. Maybe he was changing for the better. As the hours passed, Piper noticed that he never opened a beer.

***

On the way home from Bob and Betty's house, Piper decided to call Cherie. She hadn't spoken with her much since the incident, so she wanted to check in to be sure that everything was okay. Plus, she wanted to find out how Chase was doing.

"Hi Cherie. How's it going?"

"It's going fine. Actually, much better than expected. Chase has made some important decisions in his life that will benefit us all. He doesn't want me to tell anyone yet, but you'll be hearing about it soon. Believe it or not, I've found peace. I forgave my attacker and decided to move on. Hardest thing I've ever had to do, but once I did it, I found it liberating. And even better than that, my husband has found God."

"I know. I'm so happy about that."

"He gives you and Nick a lot of credit. I do too. Thanks for being there for us. I promise you that I'll be there for you if you ever need anything."

"Thanks, Cherie. I'll be there for you too. Let's get together soon. I'd love to see you again. Catch up on old times."

"Sounds like a plan."

***

Chipper greeted Nick and Piper at the door when they arrived home, wagging her tail and signaling that she needed to go outside to relieve herself. Nick was happy to oblige.

"Outside?" He asked as he grabbed Chipper's leash.

Chipper barked.

Chipper hadn't been the same over the past week, spending more time than usual curled up in her dog bed. Piper had an appointment to bring her to the veterinarian the next day, just to be sure that everything was okay. She was getting older and becoming frail, having out-lived many dogs of her same age and breed.

Piper headed over to the couch, where she figured she would finish reading an old classic by Max Weber, "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism." She propped a pillow for her feet on the coffee table and plopped down.

"Piper," Nick hollered from the front yard.

"Piper, come here!"

Piper ran to the front door where she found Nick carrying little Chipper, whose body appeared lifeless.

"What happened?"

"I walked her and she just collapsed. She's passed, Piper. She waited for us to get home so she could give us closure. Must have known it was her time."

Piper put her hands over her mouth and closed her eyes. Sadness overcame her. That little dog was such a blessing and could never be replaced. Tears formed in her eyes as she took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure while trembling.

She followed Nick back into the house in a silent shock and watched him as he gently placed Chipper's body in her dog bed and covered her up with a blanket.

"I had an appointment with the vet tomorrow," Piper said.

"Well, that's where we'll both be taking Chipper tomorrow. How sad."

Chapter 19

Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Piper and Nick attended the Fellowship Church for one of its Christmas Eve services. Thousands of tiny white lights dotted the walls of the cozy church, appearing as a constellation in the sky. As expected, the congregation was jubilant as they celebrated the birth of the Savior. Songs such as "Joy to the World" were belted out in glory and praise. The music was riveting, full of happiness and joy. When the songs ended, the pastor stood up and shared the following story with the congregation:

"There was once a very wealthy old man who lived in a mansion, which was adorned with all sorts of expensive items. Exquisite pictures and paintings lined the walls, fine furniture filled the rooms, and fancy decorations were placed all about. The wealthy man had but one son and the son joined the military. He died soon afterwards, while serving in the war, which greatly saddened the old man.

One day, a friend of the young man who died came to the house of the old man. He carried with him a portrait of the old man's son, which he had painted himself. He told the old man that he had served with the son in the war, and that the son died while trying to protect him. The portrait was his way to remember the love the son had shown for him. He gave the portrait to the old man, who thanked him.

The quality of the portrait wasn't to the old man's usual standards, quite unlike the portraits he had purchased in the past. Yet something about the picture was unique and precious. Something seemed real about the way the friend had portrayed his son's eyes. They were exactly as the old man had remembered. He hung the portrait in a very prominent place in the home, just above the mantle of a fireplace.

A few years passed before the old man died. With no other family members to inherit his wealth, he had directed that an auction be held. The first item to be auctioned was the portrait of his son. People came from all around to the auction, anxiously anticipating the opportunity to purchase some valuable items. When the auctioneer held up the portrait, no one bid on it. He called out again and a little old lady who worked as a maid in the old man's home bid on the portrait. She gave all that she could afford, which was $50. Since no one else bid any higher, the portrait went to the lady.

The auctioneer then announced that the auction was over. People were shocked, asking about all of the other items in the home and about the home itself. 'It's over. You see, the will said that 'everything goes to the person who purchases the picture of my son.'"

Piper looked at Nick to gauge his thoughts. He turned to her and winked with a slight smile. She winked back and smiled.

The pastor then called for a prayer in which he asked the congregation to ask Jesus to come into their hearts. She closed her teary eyes and prayed.

Please Lord, bless us with children. Please Lord. Please.

No other present she would receive that Christmas would compare to that Christmas present. She wanted nothing more than a child.

The pastor closed the prayers with the announcement that the church was in the final stage of selecting a new youth pastor. After a year of searching, the church leaders had identified several potential pastors whose purpose would be to help grow the congregation. Piper looked forward to meeting the new pastor. A new perspective on the scriptures can be enlightening.

Exiting the church was practically impossible, as cars were stuffed into every corner of the parking lot. Nick and Piper sat in their SUV for what seemed like an hour waiting for the car line to move. Neither said much, which gave Piper time to reflect on the service and her life with Nick.

She recalled the times before they were married, when they would sit in his family room in silence reading books and enjoying each other's company. Chipper was always cuddled up next to them.

"Chipper," Piper said. "I loved that dog. Nick, what do you think of getting another dog? I miss Chipper. That could take our minds off of having children."

"I don't want to take our minds off of having children. That's all I think about Piper. You know, I've been giving this issue a lot of thought. We don't need to have our own children. If God doesn't bless us that way, we should consider adopting kids. We could be good parents to a few of the kids at the Collins Foster Home. What do you think of that?"

"I think we've already adopted all of them and have watched so many grow up. I think if we adopted just two or three, the others we know so well would feel slighted."

"Piper, I hadn't thought of it that way." Nick paused. "We'll need to think about things. It's not like we're in a rush. We're only 29. We have plenty of time to either have our own kids or adopt kids."

"That's true. Only 29."

"Piper, I agree with you. We should get another dog. I miss Chipper too."

"Dogs are living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy and feel loved," Piper added.

Nick chuckled. "So true!"

***

"Nick!" Piper screamed from the second floor of their home. "You need to come up here!" Her heart was pounding and her palms were covered in sweat. She danced about their bedroom in her nightgown and slippers, just to expend some of the energy welling up inside of her. Her face was beaming with joy as the excitement mounted within.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

"Honey, are you alright?" Nick yelled back as he ran out of the kitchen and leapt up the stairs. He found her dancing about the bedroom with a white piece of plastic in one of her hands.

"Nick, I've got great news!" She said as she waved the plastic around, preventing Nick from getting a clear glimpse of the test strip.

"Is that a pregnancy test?"

Piper giggled as she waved the plastic around in front of Nick that displayed the word, "Yes."

"Yes, you're pregnant?" Nick asked.

"Yes! I'm pregnant!"

Nick grabbed Piper and hugged her, holding her tightly for several minutes while kissing her. "Thank you Lord!" He proclaimed. "My wife is pregnant!"

"I'm just so happy, Nick."

"I am too. Believe me! We'll have to celebrate. Throw a party and let everyone know."

"Yes, definitely. But we shouldn't throw a party just yet. It's a little too soon to tell people. They say pregnancies should be kept a secret for three months, just to be sure that the baby is strong enough to come to full term."

"Oh, no problem. Our baby will be very strong. Just like us. This is just so great, Piper. I'm thrilled beyond belief."

"I'm going to book an appointment with an obstetrician. I'll need to get checked out."

"Piper, I love you. I knew this would work out for us. I knew that God would answer our prayers. It's all about having faith and feeling blessed."

"I have faith too, Nick, but I also had my doubts."

A flash of light surged past one of the windows in the bedroom, catching Piper's attention. She walked towards the window and peered outside into their yard and the yards of the neighbors nearby, wondering about the source of the light. Did she imagine it? Did Nick see it? She looked up into the sky and down around the trees and about the yards, but saw nothing.

Then something moved. A small black dog was moving between the bushes just below her. It was similar in size and breed to Chipper and would be a perfect addition to their home.

"Nick, there's a little black dog in our yard. Let's go check it out."

"A dog?"

Nick and Piper walked into the yard where they found the little dog. It was sitting still near one of their bushes, watching them intently. Piper noticed its collar, so she moved closer to check whether the collar bore the owner's identification. Maybe the dog wasn't meant for them.

She held her hand out, allowing the dog to sniff it and become comfortable with her. Then she gently swept her hands over the collar, looking for any identification. A small gold-colored locket was clipped to the collar, but the only word on the locket was the word Faith, the dog's name. The dog had no other identification. Piper's hopes were again spiked as she caressed the dog's raggedy fur. A few fleas jumped out of its fur and into her hands, informing her that the dog was likely a stray that needed a good bath. She picked up the dog and carried it into the house and into a tub. Nick followed her, seemingly aware and accepting of her plan to become the dog's owner.

***

In addition to an appointment for Faith that Piper scheduled with the veterinarian, she scheduled regular appointments for herself with her obstetrician. With each appointment, she grew more excited about her pregnancy and more comfortable with the idea of sharing the news with her friends and family. Once the baby was six weeks old, she knew that she would be hearing its heartbeat so she decided to ask Nick to come with her to that important appointment.

Piper sat up on the doctor's table with Nick by her side in a chair in one of the rooms of the obstetrician's office as they waited for the doctor to arrive.

Doctor Patel walked in, wearing her white scrubs, and said, "Let's see if we can hear a heartbeat."

She placed a stethoscope on Piper's belly and moved it around, listening intently for the heartbeat of a baby.

"I can hear it, Piper. I can hear the heartbeat. You're going to be a mother!" She connected the stethoscope to an amplifier, allowing Nick and Piper to hear the heartbeat as well.

"Thump. Thump. Thump."

Piper smiled at the doctor and then at Nick as he rose from his chair to be by her side. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, smiling from ear to ear.

"You'll want to make an appointment for an ultrasound. The nurse at the front desk will give you the referral. Congratulations Mom and Dad!" She said. "Next time you come in, we can do a blood test to tell the baby's gender, if you're interested."

"We are," Nick blurted. "Very interested."

"We'll add that to the schedule," the doctor said. She took a few more notes and completed items on her chart, before exiting the room.

Piper hopped off of the table and gave Nick a hug. "So happy. I think I'll call my sister later today to let her know. And I'm going to ask her to send us the rocking chair. I'll call my dad too. He's going to be thrilled!"

***

After two more weeks, Nick and Piper learned they were going to be the proud parents of a baby boy. They decided to name him Patrick, after one of Nick's favorite saints and favorite holidays. Little Patrick was developing well in Piper's belly, and she soon developed a nesting instinct, feeling the urge to prepare the home for the baby's arrival.

"I'm going to paint his room a nice shade of ocean blue," she told Nick one day as they sat next to one another on a couch in the family room of their home. Faith sat across from them on a different couch and stared at her new owners. She had adapted to her new home and Piper and Nick had already grown attached to her. Faith was a nice addition to the growing family.

"We'll have to go out soon to purchase a crib, some clothes, and other baby items too."

"Maybe we can do that this weekend," Nick offered.

"I'll have to let my work know soon too. Or maybe I'll wait. I probably won't start showing until about twenty weeks or so, so maybe I'll hold off until then."

"Do you want to keep working after you have the baby?" Nick asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure we'll need the money, but it would be nice to take a couple of months off to care for Patrick after he's born. Little Patrick is going to want his mom to be by his side for as long as possible."

"I'm sure he will. You'll be a great mom, Piper. A great mom." Nick stood up and headed into the kitchen, where he grabbed Faith's leash. "Do you want to walk the dog with me?"

Faith howled and leapt from the couch before sprinting into the kitchen with her tail wagging from side to side. It was clear she knew the word, "walk."

"Sure," Piper answered as she stood up. "She's our other little baby. I'm sure her previous owner is missing her much. She's such a little sweetheart."

Faith's backside jiggled about in such excitement that Nick could barely get the opportunity to connect the leash to her collar. "C'mon, girl. Stop. Hold on. Let me put this on you."

Piper chuckled as she noticed Faith's little body shaking all about. "Such a cutie. I love this little dog already!"

Nick grabbed Faith and connected the leash to her. Faith took the lead and tugged Nick behind her as they crossed the lawn. Her floppy ears bounced up and down as she led them through her favorite parts of the neighborhood, occasionally leaping into the woods to chase squirrels and lizards along the way.

"You're going to be a great mom," Nick said.

"Thanks, Nick. You'll be a great dad too." Piper grabbed his hand and squeezed it, feeling his hand squeezing hers in return. They walked hand in hand entrenched in their own thoughts for a while before heading back to their home.

Piper's attention soon turned to the youth ministry at their church. Maybe this was attributable to her budding pregnancy. Or perhaps she felt called to make a difference in the lives of children more generally. Possibly she felt called because she wanted to teach, and the opportunity to teach Christianity was exciting, particularly since her day job was in the context of a secular organization in which such activities were not the norm and were often not appreciated or tolerated.

She started as the fourth grade teacher of a Discipleland class in the Fellowship Church. Teaching fourth graders was sometimes difficult for Piper, who noticed that many had short attention spans and made it known that they would rather be advancing to the next level in their videogames than sitting at a table listening to the lesson or participating in the activities. Some acted up, revealing the infusion of sugar in their breakfasts. Others sat patiently and listened. The patient ones were a blessing.

The curious were also a blessing, as they sometimes challenged Piper to better explain the Bible. As an example, one morning, a young boy wondered how it was that God could write a person's name into the Lamb's Book of Life fifty years before that person actually died, not knowing how he would be completing his life. Piper told him that God's time isn't linear and doesn't flow in one direction from beginning to end. God can move back and forth in time, so today he can see the entire life of a person who may have fifty more years on the earth left to live.

"Because God can move back and forth in life, we know that He's already beaten Satan in battle. He's already won. So anytime Satan whispers doubt in your ears, whisper back 'God has already won.'" Piper said.

The boy also pondered the relationship between science and Jesus. He noted that some of Jesus' miracles, such as healing the sick, could occur today through medicine and various scientific discoveries.

"Good point. But science doesn't walk on water or bring the dead back to life. Science will never be able to feed thousands of people from a few baskets of bread and fish. And science will never be able to see into the hearts and minds of men and women as Jesus was able to see into the hearts and minds of Matthew the tax collector and the woman at the well. Science will also never see into the future, as Jesus did with Peter when He told him that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed."

The boy nodded his head and smiled. Though his questions had been answered, Piper knew that as always, he would come in with more questions the following week. To her, curiosity was a blessing and a sign of a very strong and healthy mind. One can never defend the faith if one can't ask and answer critical questions about it.

After only a couple of weeks, though, Piper questioned herself. The kids were acting up in class and she found it difficult to control them and to keep their interest and attention. Wondering whether her instruction was valuable to the Discipleland program, or whether other teachers could do the job better than she, she said a prayer and asked for direction. The following Sunday, something surreal occurred in that small Discipleland room, which Piper noticed midway through the lesson.

"Jesus told Peter that he would be the rock upon which He would build His church," she started. "Yet Peter had some doubts about Jesus. Even though Jesus walked on water right in front of him, Peter secretly doubted. Peter _tried_ to believe in Jesus and he _tried_ to walk on water with Him, yet his doubt caused him to sink. Jesus had to rescue him when he sank. Do you know what He said?"

"No," a couple of kids responded. Eighteen kids were sitting quietly around several tables in the room with their eyes glued on Piper.

"He said, 'you of little faith, why did you doubt?' Later Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times, but Peter said that he would _never_ do that. But he did. He was scared. He doubted, and he didn't want to be tortured and crucified like Jesus, so he denied that he knew Jesus three times just as Jesus predicted. Peter felt badly about that, yet he still hid with the other apostles in their homes after Jesus was crucified. It wasn't until he _saw_ Jesus after He died and received the Holy Spirit that he stopped doubting. That was when he started to bravely spread the good news, despite the risk of being killed for being a Christian. Peter preached and preached until one day they captured him and killed him on a cross. But Peter had no fear of death. Why do you think he had no fear?"

"Because he knew he was going to go to heaven," a boy answered.

"Exactly."

The kids were still silent, which shocked Piper. Unlike all of the other times she had been with them, the kids were silent and all ears. No one spoke out of turn. No one stirred in their desks or grabbed pencils from others or acted hyper or jittery. No one.

"I'll bet I could have heard a pin land on the ground if I had dropped it," she later told Nick.

When one of the mothers picked up her daughter after that class, she told Piper that her daughter only wanted to go to the "middle Discipleland service," when Piper was teaching. She also said that Piper was making a big impact in her daughter's life.

"You're making a difference. You should know that," she said.

Chapter 20

It's Never Too Late

Nick and Piper were excited to return to their church to hear the message of the new youth pastor. Piper was particularly excited about the identity of the new youth pastor: Chase. The crowd that day was unusually large, suggesting that others, too, were excited about hearing his words. She and Nick took their seat towards the front of the large room, noticing that the many tiny lights were still dotting the walls. The pastor's messages in the weeks before had focused on finding the light, following the light, and letting one's light so shine. She wondered what messages the new pastor would impart.

Pastor Chase made a few brief introductions before the congregation and choir sang a series of uplifting songs from a list of classics. Chris Tomlin's "Our God is Greater," was the first song, followed by Passion's "Even So Come" and the classic song, "Amazing Grace." Piper watched the men and women of the choir as they sang and rocked to the music in an enthusiastic showing of their love for the Lord. The songs made Piper feel very emotional and, as always happened, her eyes became watery. People in front of her raised their hands into the air, swaying gently to the songs. Realizing that love was all around her, warming the hearts of so many in need, Piper slipped into an inner awareness of peace and serenity.

When the songs ended, the lights focused on the pool of water in which people were baptized. The pastor was inside and he baptized two young women who declared that Jesus was their Lord and Savior before being submersed into the water. The congregation clapped and cheered for the women, thrilled to see two more people who would be joining them one day in paradise.

A short while later, Chase stood up on the podium and began his sermon with a story. "I am so excited to begin my tenure as a pastor here at the Fellowship Church. Pastor David has taught me a lot and I hope the Lord will guide me as He guided David to develop and deliver sermons that impact you in positive, life altering ways. Not too long ago, I was doing anything but serving the Lord, but then I had an epiphany."

"Some of you haven't yet had that epiphany, but don't give up. God is always working to bring you into His arms. He uses your friends, relatives, colleagues, customers, and others to direct your paths. That's how He did it for me." He turned to Nick and Piper. "Nick and Piper O'Brien, thank you. I would have never made it here if I had not listened to you. You two changed my life!"

"Let me share a little story of my past. I was a heavy gambler with an ego the size of Cuba and a zest for everything material, whether it be fancy cars or fancy houses. I was trying to punish God because He took my dad away from me at an early age by denying His existence. Time and again, He proved to me He was in my life, but I stifled His calls and His words. Then one day, I did the unthinkable. In an effort to pay off gambling debts, I stole money from a foster home. In God's eyes, I was the lowest of the low. Maybe for this reason, God punished my wife and me by preventing us from bearing our first two children. My wife nearly lost her life and I spiraled into a rock bottom level of existence."

"Broken and battered, I asked for help. I could no longer deny Jesus. The proof of Jesus, offered by two other angels in my life, Nick and Piper O'Brien, played out over and over in my mind. The words made sense. A lot of sense. So, I begged the Lord for forgiveness and asked Him to let me walk with Him. Though so unworthy at the time, I was confident that He would accept me. It said so in the Bible."

"Think of the sins of some of the heroes in the Bible. King David committed adultery and was behind the murder of the husband of the woman with whom he was cheating. Saul began his early career hunting down the Christians who were worshipping illegally, so that they could be stoned or imprisoned. Saul ended his life as Paul, writing over half of the books of the New Testament. And David is part of Jesus' lineage. God forgave both. God forgave me too. In fact, I'm living proof that nothing is impossible with God."

"The Bible says that 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the Lord.' We have all sinned, but we can all ask for forgiveness. It's not too late. It's never too late. Focus your eyes on the unseen prize: eternal life in paradise."

"Since I've decided to follow Jesus, things have changed in my life. It's as if the grass is greener, roses more vivid, rainbows brighter, and the sky bluer. Because I believe so strongly in heaven, I know this life is only temporary, so I try to make each day special, each encounter meaningful, and each person around me feel special. As the Bible says, 'whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.'"

"In other words, I've found paradise on this earth. As Jesus said, 'the kingdom of heaven is within.' My wife and I have been blessed with three children. All three came from the Collins Foster Home, where my in-laws had tasked me with volunteer work when my wife and I got married. Their ethnicities vary, representing three different continents. They bring so much love and joy into our lives that my wife and I feel truly blessed. They are here today, sitting in the front row...."

Piper looked over to where Chase was pointing and saw Cherie sitting with their three children. Their ages appeared to range from about two to five and their physical appearances varied. All looked happy in their formal church outfits. Button downs, dresses, khaki pants, and corduroys, they were well-trimmed for their father's debut.

"Look at the way that Chase and Cherie have transformed their lives," she whispered to Nick. "What wonderful lives they're living."

Cherie looked as beautiful as always, and Piper made a mental note to initiate a get-together soon. For a few moments, she reminisced about her experiences with Chase and Cherie. Recalling the ski trip, she pictured herself feeling jealous and wanting to find faults in Chase. She was only jealous because she wasn't engaged at the time and she always had a strange girlfriend sort of competition with Cherie.

Ashamed of those feelings, Piper refocused on the words she and Nick had used to share the good word with them.

Those were God's words. They came from Him. He saw the good in Chase and wasn't ready to give up on him.

She looked up at Chase on the altar.

It sure paid off. And here I was feeling so smug on that trip about how Nick and I were doing a better job for the Lord. Look who's doing a better job now. Those two are hitting it out of the park!

She thought of Chase's old friend Oren, Sir Oren. Maybe she would one day meet Oren and be able to make the comparisons of the way he looked and acted in the dungeon to how he looks and acts on earth. Oren must have given up on Chase, but now he was working on Bob. Hopefully he wouldn't be able to hurt him, as he hurt Chase.

Piper walked hand in hand with Nick as they left the service. To their surprise, they found Bob, Betty, and Brian by the front door. Bob was dressed in a freshly ironed button-down shirt and khaki pants, which gave him a much cleaner appearance than the usual.

"Wow, what brought you three here?" Piper asked Bob.

"Chase," Bob smiled and shook his head. "Couldn't resist seeing the dude as a pastor. He's good up there. We'll probably be coming back."

"Yeah, he was great. And it's great to see you," Nick said with a warm smile.

***

That night, as Piper and Nick sat next to one another on the couch in their family room, Piper felt something in her belly. A jump or a tickle. Something. She put her hand on her belly and felt the movement once again. The baby was moving. She put Nick's hand on her belly so he could feel the baby move too.

"That's our boy," he said. "He's going to be a kicker. Maybe go pro one day!"

"Yup. That's our boy." Piper said with a smile as she grabbed a pair of earbuds from the table next to her. She connected the earbuds to her mobile phone and searched for a song on the internet. "I'm going to find some classical music for the baby. Classical music is good for building babies' minds." Once she found the song she wanted to play to Patrick, she held the ear buds against her belly.

"You think he can hear that?" Nick asked.

"Of course. I'll play him some good Christian rock music too. Get him accustomed to the good stuff."

Nick grinned as he flipped the channels on the television, looking for something for them to watch. "Not much on tonight. How about a funny movie, like Caddyshack?" He asked.

"That works for me."

Midway through the movie, Piper reflected on her life with Nick. So blissful. So thankful. She knew that God had given her much, so she made sure that she thanked Him daily for her blessings in her thoughts and in her prayers. Gratitude was important to God, and she knew that.

What she didn't know at that point was that the movement she had just felt in her belly would be the last movement she would feel from Patrick. He died two weeks later while inside of her, for reasons no one identified. Piper knew she would never be able to recover from the loss. Recovery wasn't possible and she didn't deserve the loss. She was a strong believer, yet God had decided that Patrick's life needed to end. God was punishing her for something. But what?

Chapter 21

Why Me?

Piper found it impossible to recover from the passing of her baby, Patrick. Impossible. She couldn't get out of bed, couldn't bring herself to eat, and couldn't bring herself to take care of herself. She quit everything, from volunteering in the Discipleland and at the Collins Foster Home, to going to work and spending time with Nick. For two weeks after his passing, she laid in her bed, recovering. At first, her body needed to physically recover from the painful miscarriage. After about ten days, the recovery she needed was mainly in her mind.

Nick insisted she drink smoothies that he made from fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, just to keep her nourished. He also insisted on occasional showers, with which she complied as a courtesy towards her bed-mate. But he couldn't do anything to nourish her mind and comfort her soul. The product of their love had died inside of her, killing her will to go on. Pale and weak, she moaned and groaned, unable to snap out of her depression.

"Piper, please get up today," Nick begged her one Saturday afternoon. "Please. You have to move on and move forward." He stood over her next to the bed, wearing his most loving expression. Piper noticed his deep sapphire eyes as they penetrated hers in a futile attempt to shake the sadness from her soul.

"I can't, Nick. Just can't."

Faith hopped up onto the bed and sniffed Piper's face, before cuddling up against her torso. Piper stroked Faith's fur in return, telling her that she loved her, yet feeling small comfort. The pain of the loss was too overbearing. She didn't know if she would ever overcome the pain. How could anyone?

"Piper, I love you," Nick said with tears in his eyes. "I want you to get better. You're my wife and my life." He put his hands on her cheeks and gently wiped the tears that were streaming from her eyes.

"Nick," she whispered in a monotone sort of a voice. "I'm just so sorry about this. So sorry."

"It's not your fault, honey," he answered. "There was nothing you could do to prevent this. Sometimes these things just happen, through no fault of the mother."

"I'm sure I did something to anger God. This was my punishment."

"Piper, please. You didn't do anything wrong. Believe me. Nothing wrong. This wasn't your fault."

"Things were just too perfect for me. My life with you was just too perfect. I wasn't appreciative enough."

"You were always appreciative and always thankful."

"I just don't get it Nick. Why me? Why does God let someone like my sister have beautiful children, but He doesn't let us have any kids? Why?"

"He's going to let us have kids, Piper. I'm sure of that. People have miscarriages all the time and then go on to have kids. You'll see. Patrick just wasn't strong enough to go on. Maybe it was his heart. Maybe his lungs. Whatever it was, it doesn't matter now because he's in the arms of Jesus."

Piper bellowed. "He was supposed to be in my arms, Nick. I'm his mother. I was making this place special for him. He was going to have the best life ever."

Piper thought of the way she had decorated Patrick's room in the theme of the sea. The decorations included pictures of seashells, a framed piece of artwork entitled "Footprints in the Sand," stuffed sea animals, and musical sea mobiles for the crib. An old rocking chair sat in the corner of the room, which her mother had once used to rock her when she was a baby. Her sister had shipped the chair to Piper about a month before and Piper had planned to feed Patrick and rock him to sleep in that chair. She didn't even want to set foot in the room now, for fear of breaking down in tears.

Faith snuggled up against Piper again, calling attention to herself. Her furry little body was in need of a trim. But that could wait. Piper stroked Faith's fur gently, feeling the urge to give the little dog some of her attention.

"At least you're here, Faith. I hope you're with us for many years to come. You're a God-send." Faith turned towards her and stared at her through her round, brown eyes. Something about her eyes made Piper wonder whether Faith had a window into her soul. Something seemed deeper and beyond the limitations of a dog's body. Faith crawled towards Piper's face again and put her head under Piper's chin, snuggling as close as she could.

"Little cutie," Piper whimpered as she caressed Faith's head and ears. "So soft and cuddly." Then her thoughts returned to Patrick, and her unfulfilled desire to cuddle and love him. She pictured herself rocking Patrick to sleep in the rocking chair in his room and envisioned his little body swaddled in a blanket. Nick stood above her next to the bed, watching her every move.

She looked up at him. "Nick, this is all too much for me to take. It's just not fair. I'm not sure why a loving God would do this to someone like me or to people like us. Look what we've done for Him! We've served Him for so many years as volunteers at the foster home and as churchgoers and as His ambassadors. All we asked for in return was a child. That's all. A child. And He couldn't even let us have one. Even worse – he made us wait for _years_ before giving us a teaser and then stealing him from us."

"Piper, you're letting Satan get the best of you. You know why these things happen. Remember Chase and Cherie and the babies they lost? Remember what we told him that day at the foster home? Remember the Book of Job? The challenges we experience in this life only serve to make us stronger, to make us more like Jesus. Remember the Book of Matthew and how it says that God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches of the vine. God prunes us to make us blossom and flourish. Just like we prune our Hibiscus bushes to make them thicken and flower, He prunes us."

Piper looked at him with her eyes full of tears and whispered, "I know that's what we said and I remember Job and Matthew." She used the sleeve of her nightgown to wipe the tears from her eyes. "But I'm not Job, God's perfect servant. I'm not at all like Job and I could never get over the challenges that Job endured. God is only supposed to give us challenges we can handle. And I just can't handle this one, Nick. This is way too much for me. He went overboard with this one. Way too much pruning!"

"Oh, Piper." Nick leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "You're a strong woman. Stronger than you realize. And I love you very much. I'll be by your side forever and we'll work through this together."

"Nick, I love you too. I just need to be alone now. I need to think about things. Reevaluate my priorities. Maybe I should be more like my sister. Maybe then I wouldn't have a problem getting pregnant and having a baby. She didn't have any problems having three babies. Three beautiful babies. Maybe God needs to know that He need not worry about perfecting me. I'm imperfect, just like my sister. She's a drinker who pushes the limits on things and I'm always judging her. There you go, I just judged her again. Am I being punished for that? Why didn't she get punished? Why me? My imperfect self wants a baby too!"

"We both want a baby, Piper. But that's not the way to do it. I don't want you to be more like your sister. I fell in love with you just as you are. You're almost perfect, Piper McCoy O'Brien. Almost perfect. And by overcoming this challenge, you'll become even closer to being perfect and being even more like Christ. I promise. Trust me."

"Thanks Nick. Just leave me alone for a little while. Okay?"

"Just a little while, Piper. I'll be back in an hour."

Nick walked toward the bedroom door when Faith barked and sprinted past him. She darted down the stairs before he could get to them and returned a few minutes later with the leash in her mouth. Then she jumped onto the bed, still holding the leash, and nudged Piper.

"Nick," Piper yelled out. "Can you walk Faith?"

Nick came back up the stairs and looked at Faith. "It looks like she wants you to walk her. Not me."

"No, she just needs a walk. Probably hasn't been outside in a while."

"Okay, Faith. Let's go for a walk outside."

Faith put the leash on the bed in front of her and hopped up and down on top of Piper and all around her. She howled and yipped, as if Piper hadn't noticed her little dance atop the bed.

"C'mon Faith. Let's go. Outside," Nick called out as he stood in front of them next to the bed.

Again, Faith ignored him, still jumping up and down on the bed, yipping.

"Let's go, Faith," Nick said as he clapped and approached her. He tried to grab her, but she avoided his reach and darted across the bed. Then she grabbed her leash with her mouth and nudged Piper once again.

Nick laughed. "Piper, she _really_ wants you to walk her. Probably likes you more than me."

"Geez," Piper said. "Alright. I'll get up."

She pulled herself from the bed and changed her nightwear into shorts, sandals, and a t-shirt. Then she grabbed the leash and led Faith down the stairs.

"Great move, Faith," Nick said. "Great move. You are a God-send!"

Nick, Piper, and Faith headed outside. Faith led them around a pond and down a pathway towards another pond, while Nick and Piper made small talk with one another. Piper felt a little better physically than she had felt while cooped up in the bedroom.

Being outside was good for her. She noticed the leaves on the trees surrounding them as they juddered in the wind. Birds chirped and tweeted, singing all sorts of happy tunes to one another as they hopped along the branches of the trees. A pecking sound called her attention to a woodpecker, which was busy carving a hole on the side of a rather dead-looking tree. All the while, Faith pulled her along, with her bouncy ears bobbing up and down as she trotted ahead. They circled around the second pond and took a pathway towards the front of their neighborhood and walked along the street back towards their house.

A group of people were out in front of one of the houses near theirs, and Piper immediately recognized two of them. Dawn and Chris were an older married couple who lived a few houses away. Everyone knew them well and liked them, as they were the most social of all of the neighbors, always initiating parties and hosting get-togethers. They were playing corn hole with a handful of other neighbors. Others were cooking food on a grill or socializing while sitting next to one another in a circle of chairs. Dexter and Bernice were there, sitting in two of the chairs next to one another. Dogs were roaming about freely, and Piper knew that Faith would probably like to join them. She recalled the invitation that Dawn and Chris had left on their door knob a few weeks before, but that was when she was better. That was before she lost Patrick. She had forgotten about the party.

Dawn walked up to them and invited them over, so Nick and Piper joined them. Piper knew she wouldn't be staying long, as being social was the last thing that she wanted to be at that particular point in time. But she decided that a few minutes wouldn't hurt.

"Hey Nick," Chris called out from his place standing between two corn hole platforms. "You two want in on the next game? This one is just about over."

"Piper," Nick said as he turned to her. "What do you think? Want to play?"

"No, but I'll watch you."

"You sure? We could go home."

"No, this is probably good for us."

"Chris, sign me up," Nick yelled out.

"Grab yourselves a couple of beers. Got some iced down beers in the blue cooler over there."

"Maybe I will," Nick said to Piper. "I'll check for a water bottle for you too."

"Thanks Nick," Piper said as she sat down on one of the many beach chairs that were lined in a circle in a driveway.

She watched Nick play corn hole for a while and made small talk with Dawn, who was sitting down next to her. Dawn didn't know about her pregnancy, so that made the conversation easier. The last thing she wanted to talk about was her pregnancy. It was still far too painful of a subject to discuss with anyone. Instead, they talked about college football and the weather and other lighter sorts of subjects.

"I haven't seen you on your bike in a while," Bernice said as she sat down in a chair near Piper's. "You been feeling okay? I notice that your car has been in the driveway without moving for a while."

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just haven't been in the mood to go biking," Piper responded, feeling uncomfortable about the direction in which the discussion was heading. "Maybe I'll go tomorrow if the weather is nice."

"I think it will be. I heard it's supposed to be about seventy degrees and sunny tomorrow," Bernice offered.

"Perfect. Then maybe I'll ride my bike."

At that point, Piper wanted to leave. Her bed was calling her and she was feeling sick to her stomach. She stood up and collected Faith, bidding her neighbors goodbye. Then she told Nick she wanted to leave. He offered to come with her, but she asked that he not. It was better he stay with the neighbors and have a good time. She wanted to be alone, in complete darkness in her bed.

A short while later, she could feel Faith's body as it cuddled next to hers on top of the covers of her bed. Faith was such a loving dog and she appreciated the way Faith had become a part of her life. Piper closed her eyes and within minutes, she was fast asleep.

Hours later, she awoke to the movements of Nick getting into the bed. The room smelled of alcohol and she suspected he had enjoyed far more than his usual two beers.

"Nick, I smell a lot of alcohol. Must have exceeded your two, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Piper. Bob showed up with that Oren guy and a cooler full of beer. I wanted to see what Oren was all about. I was curious. But then I started drinking too much and just couldn't stop. I'm no Job either. Just a loser."

"Eve was curious too. When you play with fire, you get burned."

"Good point." Nick's voice cracked and she heard him sniffle as he slid his body next to hers and pulled her close. She decided that she wouldn't say anything else. This was the first time in years that he had exceeded his two beer limit. Tomorrow he would regret that, but that was between him and the Lord. He must have been suffering just as much as she, but he had been covering it up.

She thought of Oren in the dungeon. "Nick," she whispered. "What does Oren look like?"

"Tall. Dark. Slicked back lid. Kind of looks like a politician."

"British accent?"

"Yeah. Grew up in London."

"That's definitely Sir Oren. I hope I never meet him."

"I didn't forget what you said about him. Should have walked away when he got there. Should have. Could have. But didn't."

***

"How about joining me at church for the 11:15 service?" Nick asked Piper the following morning, as she laid in their bed in her usual depressed form, still wearing the shorts and t-shirt she had put on the day before. He stood in front of her with a glass of tomato juice in his hand, which was his drink of choice in the mornings after he had overindulged.

"No. You go. I'm just not ready to go public yet Nick."

"C'mon, honey. It will be good for you. I'll bet the pastor will say something inspirational. Something you need to hear. Something I need to hear."

"Take notes for me."

"Please."

"No. I just can't do it, Nick."

"Okay. How about if we skip church and go to the beach? It's beautiful outside today. Nice and breezy. I'll bet the beach would help you to take your mind off things."

"No, I'd rather not."

"Bike ride?"

"Nope."

Nick shrugged his shoulders and headed out the room, only to return fifteen minutes later with a bowl of popcorn and a DVD in his hand. He placed the bowl of popcorn on the nightstand next to Piper and then turned the television and DVD player on, popping the DVD into its slot. Then he hopped onto the bed next to Piper and propped up the pillows behind their heads, so that they could both comfortably sit up and watch the movie. Faith jumped up on the bed and sat between them.

"Caddyshack," he said. "That's what we're going to watch."

"Oh, Nick. I don't want to watch Caddyshack."

The movie started with a gopher dancing around on a golf course and the song "I'm Alright" playing from Kenny Loggins.

Piper struggled to pay attention, but found herself drifting in and out of sleep. Thoughts of her friend Cherie came to mind, and she recalled the times when Cherie had lost her babies. Tomorrow she would call Cherie.

***

"Your chicken soup is so delicious, Cherie. Thank you," Piper said as she sat at her kitchen table with Cherie and sipped her soup. The savory and salty flavors blended perfectly, satisfying Piper's hunger and soothing her soul.

"Thank you! I've spent a lot of time perfecting it. Chicken soup is my favorite."

"Your chicken soup is my favorite! Even beats broccoli cheese."

Piper thought of the purpose for Cherie's visit and decided it was time to break into that conversation. "How did you do it, Cherie? My miscarriage doesn't even compare to what you've been through. And look at you. No one would even know that you've been through hell."

"That's true. I have." Cherie looked down at the soup in front of her as she gently stirred her soup. "You know, I'm not sure how I've gotten through this. I guess I'm an optimist, always looking on the bright side. The bright side of losing my babies is that they are now in Jesus' arms. That's the only bright side. I know that Jesus is loving them and loving on them and they are in heaven, in paradise."

"Patrick is with them."

"Yes, he is. And he's happy, Piper. So happy. He served his calling, which was to make you even stronger than you already are. It will be because of him that you do some things in your life that you wouldn't have normally done, whether it's adopting children or being just a little more thankful for those you will eventually have. I'm so thankful for the children that Chase and I adopted. We're giving them better lives and we would have never done that if we hadn't lost our own. And Chase is now the kind of person he never would have been had our traumas not happened. I'm sure of that. Everything has a purpose and meaning. We had to go through hell to get to heaven. Just like Jesus."

"That's amazing, Cherie. You are such an inspiration to me and I'm so glad you're here. I'm going through hell, but will hopefully get to heaven. Hopefully I'll be blessed with children of my own, but if not, adoption is certainly an option. There are a few kids in the home I've been paying special attention to lately. Maybe I'll talk to Nick about bringing them into our home."

"No one said you can't have your own children either. You'll have children, Piper. Maybe you might consider both having children and adopting children."

"Hmm. Yeah, maybe. My only issue with adoption is that I'm a little worried about hurting the feelings of the kids I don't choose."

"I understand that. I was worried about that too. Prayer helps. God guided us to the ones we chose. Trust Him. He'll select them for you and He'll comfort the unchosen."

***

Piper decided to cook a nice meal for Nick. Knowing that one of his favorite dishes was grilled steak, she drove to the store and gathered all of the items needed to make him an extraordinary steak dinner. It would be a surprise for him when he returned from work.

"Wow! I smell something delicious," he said as he strolled into the house.

"Steak, your favorite. Once you change, I want you to relax in the family room. You're not allowed in the kitchen. I'm going to cook you an amazing meal."

"Geez. Thanks. I sure didn't expect that."

A short while later, while eating dinner at the kitchen table, Piper looked Nick in the eyes and said, "I'll get past this. I will. I talked to Cherie today and it helped me."

"She and Chase have certainly been through a lot."

"Yes. They have. You know, maybe we were meant to adopt kids. Maybe that's why both of us feel called to work at the Collins Foster Home. And maybe God has chosen a few kids for us to adopt. He'll comfort those we don't choose. We shouldn't worry about that."

"I'd love to adopt kids."

Piper took a bite of her steak and the conversation paused for a short while.

"Nick, I'm sorry for the way I've been taking this lately. I've been selfish towards you as if it's all about me and not about you too. You also lost your son. And you've been an absolute champ in helping me get through this. That speaks to your character. You're a better man than I could have even imagined when I married you. I am so blessed to have you by my side. I love you, Nick O'Brien. Please forgive me for failing to think of your needs these past couple of weeks."

"Of course I forgive you! And I love you too, Piper. More than ever." He put his arm around her and kissed her gently on the cheek. "But I need your forgiveness too. I blew it over the weekend. Blew my promise and drank too much. I didn't mean to do that. The beers just tasted so good. I wish I would have stopped. Just couldn't."

"It's alright, Nick. Neither of us is perfect."

Piper stood up. "Let me hug you."

Nick stood up and Piper wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, thinking she would do whatever she could to support his needs. It was time to stop mourning for herself and to start focusing on her love for Nick.

Closing her eyes as she looked downward, she said a silent prayer, thanking the Lord for bringing Nick into her life and for the many other blessings she had been given. A vision of Jesus' crucifixion presented itself within her mind, which saddened her and called her attention to all that He had done for the salvation of His children. Feeling humbled and insignificant, she prayed.

Please forgive me for lashing out. I know you have a plan for me that will help turn my fine little cottage into a castle. I know I shouldn't be asking you why these things happen, but what plan you have in mind to make me stronger. From now on, I will trust you. I promise.

Faith made herself noticeable as she squeezed her little body in between them. It was at that moment Piper once again observed the gold-colored locket on Faith's collar with Faith's name sketched on the outside. This time she thought to pry the locket open. She detached Faith's collar to ensure she didn't tug too hard on Faith's neck, and clasped the locket with both hands. The little dog watched her intently, as if well aware of the locket's contents.

"Wow!" She said. "The locket holds a key."

"How interesting," Nick said. "A golden key. I wonder what the key opens."

"Strange that a little dog is carrying around a golden key," Piper said.

"Or is it? Remember the other golden key?"

Both smiled.
Chapter 22

Radiance in the White Sky

Piper walked along a wide road. Many people were on the same road as she and they all walked ahead, following the road as it led them through a dark forest. After some time, a tiny path branched off between two trees to her right, behind a narrow well-lit gate. She wanted to turn off the road she was on to open the gate and take that narrow path. Something inside of her told her that this was the right thing to do. So she left those around her and approached the gate, which appeared to be locked shut. She instinctively pulled the golden key from her pocket, and slid it into the key lock. To her amazement and joy, the key worked. Piper opened the gate and soon found her way onto a new path. She looked back to the wide road before the gate and noticed those walking with her hadn't noticed her departure. They looked forward as they strolled ahead along the road.

After walking for some time, she became aware of an increasing brightness in the world which surrounded her. Love overwhelmed her, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. The sky became whiter and brighter, yet she couldn't see a sun. Looking under her feet, she noticed the path she was on was paved in gold and never-ending. On both sides of the path, she noticed colorful tulips, gardenias, sunflowers, roses, and orchids, which were arranged artistically within a meadow of soft grasses. Their floral scents gently mixed with the grassy aromas, offering a delightful bouquet of summer fragrances. Ahead of her, she saw rivers and streams rippling in the gentle breeze and a dole of doves. So peaceful. Hopefully this wasn't just another dream.

Where am I?

After what seemed like hours, she came upon a great mountain range, which featured colorful waterfalls and thousands of pine trees. The mountains overlooked an immense lake of crystal blue water. Water within the lake was still, appearing as a mirror to the light that was becoming increasingly brighter. Above the mountains, she noticed figures. After some study, she realized the figures were human-like, yet bore wings. Large, white wings. Angels. They were floating in the air alongside colorful butterflies and birds. In a show of bliss, the angels sang beautiful melodies. She kept following the path.

A mild wind passed over her and released the delicious scent of an ocean breeze. A short while later she sensed the fresh trace of a cool fall day as she watched the leaves change colors in all of the surrounding trees and bushes. Soon after that, she detected the crisp aroma of a snowy winter day, which was followed by the floral perfume of spring. The leaves changed colors with each of the changing seasonal scents in a magical sort of way. She savored her pleasant surroundings as she rested on a soft grassy hill, enjoying each round of seasonal changes. This was true serenity: the unattainable serenity for which she had been looking all of her life.

All at once, an enormous angel appeared a short distance away, dressed in a shimmering and glittering robe. His wings spanned wide apart as he flew towards her. A white unicorn appeared in front of her, and the enormous angel beckoned her to climb onto its back. She climbed onto the unicorn, with the help of the angel, and he climbed onto its back behind her. The unicorn started to trot lightly and Piper wondered where it planned to take them. After a short while, the unicorn flapped its wings and all were in flight. Piper wondered where they were going, noticing the unicorn's path precisely matched the narrow path on which she was walking.

Ahead of them to one side of the path, she observed a glorious castle, laden with gold, jewels, and pearls. She marveled at the beauty of the castle's exterior, which glimmered with extraordinary radiance in the white sky. The unicorn landed just in front of the castle and she and the angel dismounted. The angel beckoned her to follow him, which she did. She could see that the castle was one stop along the narrow path and she could see more stops beyond.

After walking through many of its passageways, she saw a small dog flying towards them. It was Chipper, her beloved miniature schnauzer, who had died a few years before. She hugged the little dog, so happy to see that she was in a good place.

Again, the angel beckoned her to follow him, which she did. They walked towards a large blue door, which he opened. The angel walked into the room beyond the door and Piper followed him. She couldn't identify any lights in the room and there were no windows to bring the light in from the outside. Yet it exuded extreme brightness, far exceeding sunshine on one of Florida's clearest and sunniest days. She heard peaceful melodies in complex tunes, yet couldn't recognize the particular instruments that were being played. The melodies were reminiscent of those from a harp, yet even more comforting and soothing. Doves and butterflies fluttered around jubilantly.

The angel said with much kindness, "Welcome to paradise. I asked for permission to bring you here to give you a tiny glimpse of the magnificence in store for you once you complete your mission on earth. "Enjoy!"

Piper looked around the room. It was much larger than any room she had ever seen in her life, perhaps the size of a thousand football stadiums, yet much more welcoming. The ceiling and walls weren't like ceilings and walls on earth: they gently shifted in and out to accommodate the population of angels, which was starting to grow.

Thousands of angels, and the spirits of righteous men and women made perfect, started to enter the room every minute, coming through doors on all sides of the walls. They were all beautiful, mighty, and strong, just as they had envisioned themselves. None appeared old and none had any of the physical imperfections that they may have had on the earth. They were eager to serve the King, the angel told her. They served Him by answering prayers, assisting those in need, and watching over and guiding all. The righteous spirits were walking the earth in all sorts of positions, from church leaders to world leaders to housewives, children, and the homeless. All were brave and powerful warriors as they fought for the love of God and the eternal salvation of His children. She adjusted her eyes to see if she recognized any of the angels or the righteous. At first, no faces were familiar. Then she noticed the face of the pastor on the plane. David Miller. With the passion of light, he appeared radiant and jubilant as he stood among his peers.

As the excitement mounted, the angels and the righteous gathered in the middle of the room and joined hands together in unity and in praise. Lighter and lighter the room became, similar to the way the morning sun lights the earth. Piper knew the source of the light was _the King of kings,_ the Lord Jesus Christ. His love, passion, and nourishment engulfed her and she knew that she was close to Him, though she couldn't see Him.

Piper followed the crowd's lead and cheered with the angels and the righteous people as new ones arrived, bursting through hundreds of unopened doors. The room expanded in size to accommodate thousands more angels and righteous people. The cheering got louder and the crowd grew dramatically in number.

Her body quivered and shook until she could hardly stand. She felt unworthy to be in the presence of the righteous. Wobbling, she dropped to her knees, completely overwhelmed by the love and light within and around her. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she knelt on the ground with her muscles of spaghetti. Realizing that she was powerless and unable to stand back up, she humbled herself and prayed the first prayer that came to her mind: the Lord's Prayer. She said it over and over, again and again. With each prayer, her muscles grew a little stronger, so she didn't stop. She focused on four words within the prayer, as those particular words seemed relevant at that particular time. "Thy will be done. Thy will be done. Thy will be done." Her strength was improving.

Someone was praying next to her, who appeared to be trying to overcome the same obstacles that she was trying to overcome. He was deep in prayer as he knelt by her side, touching her body. Turning his head towards her, she recognized him well. Her beloved husband Nick was by her side.

"Oh, my God. Nick! It's you! It's you! I love you."

"Oh, Piper. I'm so happy to see you. I love you too and I feel united with you as one. And since you are here with me and we are as one, I know that we haven't yet fulfilled our purpose. We'll be going back."

Piper, who was on Nick's left side, lifted her right arm to wrap it around his body. Then he lifted his left arm and put it around hers. Now they knelt as one, balanced by their outside arms, still amazed that they were together. Neither was strong enough to stand up at that point, so they both returned to their prayers.

"Prayers help to make you stronger," he said.

"Which prayer are you saying?"

"The Lord's Prayer," Nick answered.

"Me too. Should we pray together?"

The two said the prayer in unison for a while. Piper felt her muscles growing stronger with each repetition of the prayer, until she had a good feeling that standing up was again possible. At about that same moment, Nick lifted himself upward and took her by the hand to help her stand up. She stood up and moved in front of him, wrapping herself in his strong arms. Both cheered for the incoming angels.

After the last angel arrived, their cheers turned to soft songs of praise and glory. The doors of the room closed and all waited in anticipation. Piper drew similarities between the mood of the room and the way a crowd of thousands waits for their favorite football team to enter the football stadium at the Super Bowl or at a college national championship game. But the anticipation and cheers of those games paled in comparison, similar to the way an ant hill pales in comparison to one of the great Rocky Mountains. Nick stood behind Piper with his arms wrapped around her, gently swaying to the soft rhythms that permeated the room.

All at once, a great wind penetrated the walls and entered the room, giving the angels and the newcomers a rush of love. The wind pushed the walls far and the ceiling high and everything rumbled. Within seconds, the walls and ceiling shook and gave out, disappearing into the radiant light of the heavens that had engulfed the palace.

Piper looked towards the sky as it shimmered and gleamed, revealing rainbow swirls of dazzling kaleidoscopic illuminations alongside millions of tiny twinkling white lights. An immense pureness, freshness and cleanliness filled the air.

Thousands of angels rejoiced as they praised and blessed the Lord through songs of joy and glory. Their voices blended together perfectly, despite variations in high and low pitch, as if a great musician had preconceived the presence of each voice when composing the song. Every angel was just as involved and passionate and audible as the other and none were out of tune.

The angels lifted Piper and Nick into the air and they rejoiced with them. Indeed, this was paradise, far exceeding the small glimpses of paradise they had encountered on earth. They sang and praised the Lord with the angels for hours. After a long while, she and Nick found themselves being carried downward. It was time to go home.

***

When she woke up, she realized she and Nick were wearing nothing as they laid next to one another in their bed under the warm covers. He wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her body closer to his. Feeling full of love and light, despite the darkness in the room that night, she turned towards her husband and smiled. Love, sweet love.

"I just can't stop thanking the Lord for bringing us together."

"And I just can't stop thanking Him for you, Piper. We're in this one together."

She covered his body in kisses as she caressed him, feeling his gentle hands as they moved over her body in return. His love filled her, soothing her soul and pacifying her senses. Spirits uniting as one, they moved back and forth to the rhythms of the heavens, until the light of the morning sun shone through their bedroom windows.

***

"Should we give up trying to get back to sleep?" She asked him, after an hour of silent cuddling under the covers. Neither could fall asleep. Both were reflecting on their heavenly experience. The curtains which covered the three windows in the room were no defense against the magnificence of the sun as it beamed through all corners.

"Yeah, let's get up." Nick answered as they pulled themselves out of the bed to begin the events of the day.

"What day is it?" She asked.

"No idea. I know that when we went to bed, it was about 11 p.m. on Friday night."

A short while later that Saturday morning, they sat in the kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee and an omelette. Faith relaxed on her dog bed and watched them. The familiar experience of sharing breakfast with her husband was so mundane when compared with what they had just experienced. She found it difficult to reconcile the paradise within her mind against the normality surrounding her.

Piper sensed the presence of something new, though, whether it be a new opportunity or a new realization or a transformation. Something about the morning was different from any other morning she had ever experienced in her life. Her body was pure and clean. The thoughts in her mind were of beauty, love, and peaceful serenity. It was as if she were surrounded by the paradise of the heavens within the confines of her kitchen. The kitchen was more surreal and contrived than real, as if something in a fairy tale.

Maybe this is just another dream.

Piper wondered if she would soon find herself back in her bed with Nick by her side. Maybe this world was the dream and heaven the reality. She pondered that thought for a while.

Her thoughts turned to the angel, the unicorn, and her surroundings just prior to entering the castle along the narrow path. Finding the right words to describe everything she had encountered along the narrow path to Nick was difficult. Human words couldn't quite capture the way the love and the light overjoyed her soul. Even words such as 'beautiful,' 'paradise,' 'magnificent,' and 'amazing' fared poorly in describing her incredibly vivid dream.

Nick was also struggling to find the right words. "It's so hard to describe," he said. "I don't know if we will ever be able to put the experience into words."

Piper looked at Nick, knowing that each had access to the golden key that opened the gates of heaven. Others had access to the golden key too, as it was available to anyone who wanted it, though not everyone did. Many were indifferent about the golden key. They instead preferred the material treasure boxes that came without keys, those available within this world, which they could see and touch. Piper would do her best to change that with the tools and gifts given to her by God.

She came to realize that nothing she was experiencing on the earth was by chance. All interactions, encounters, and relations were orchestrated by God in His plan for her. They were learning and growing opportunities, both for herself and for those around her. Whether a missionary abroad, or one at home, the opportunities to minister were everywhere. God wanted her to be purposeful about spreading His message, whether it be in her office, in her neighborhood, or wherever He directed her to walk on this earth.

The End
