Page 5 of Echoes of Eternity
Emily walked into the kitchen and over to Ryan, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Kissing his cheek, she sat down on the stool beside him. Glancing over, he could see her eyes were red, cheeks moist with fresh tears.
“You okay?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “Not really . . . I know he was your dad, and your husband, Roni . . . . but I am having such a hard time with this.”
Ryan’s mother Veronica walked around the counter and over to her, hugging her. “Frank loved you like a daughter, Emily. I know you two were close. You have every right to feel terrible right along with us.”
Turning on the stool, she hugged Veronica. “Thank you.”
Wiping fresh tears from his cheeks, Ryan swallowed the lump in his throat and stood.
“I better go finish packing.” As his mother and Emily released from their hug, he leaned down and kissed his wife on the lips. “I’ll be in the bedroom.”
As he entered the bedroom, he glanced over at a picture of his parents on the nightstand. His gaze fixed on his father in the photograph. A deep longing for his father brought an ache to his soul. I miss you more than life . . .
Emily knocked lightly on the door as she walked in.
“How are you?” Emily came up beside him at the open suitcase on the bed. “Stupid question . . . I know.”
His chin dipped. “No. It’s okay and I’m okay.”
“How do we go back to our lives and just go on?”
“I don’t know.” He sat down on the bed, and Emily sat beside him.
“How do you feel towards God right now, Ryan?”
“I’m confused. I mean, I still believe and all that . . . I just . . .” Pausing, he took a breath and continued. “I just don’t understand the ‘why’. I also feel like God is a million miles away at the moment.”
“Did you talk to Jason about it?”
“I did. He said I need to go to God . . . the problem is I already feel like I’ve done that.”
“We just have to trust that God has a plan.”
The soft rub of his wife’s hand against his back eased a portion of the ache in his heart.
Lifting his gaze to meet hers, he smiled a fraction as his eyes welled with tears. “Thank God I have you.”
CHAPTER 2
RYAN - AGE 11
Unable to sleep a wink more as excitement for the trip to Idaho to purchase fireworks for the Fourth of July had finally arrived, Ryan pushed the covers off and scampered out to the kitchen.
As he walked into the kitchen, he caught sight of his father Frank sitting at the table with his Bible open and his cup of coffee in his hand.
Upon noticing Ryan, Frank lifted his gaze and cracked a smile.
“Hey, Sonny. You’re up early.”
Smiling, he came over and gave his dad a hug. “Yep. Idaho here we come!”
“Have a seat and listen.”
Sitting down in one of the chairs, Ryan tried to pay attention as his father detailed the passage of Scripture he was reading that morning.
“I’m in Proverbs chapter three this morning and listen to this, Ryan. It says in verse five and six, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.’ Do you understand this?”