Page 61 of Echoes of Eternity
Folding his arms, Ryan relaxed into the booth as he welcomed the break. “Yeah? What about her?”
“I want to meet her.”
Lifting an eyebrow, Ryan dropped his arms and leaned in. “Really? Why?”
Jason lifted a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m upset about what Dad did with that Linda woman all those years ago, but the fact is that I have a sister in Spokane that I’ve never met. After all my anger melted away about the secret, the lies and deception . . . I feel like I want to meet her. Call me crazy, but I do.”
Ryan smiled. “It’s not crazy, Bro. You should.”
“Can you take me down there sometime? So I can meet her?”
“You can’t see her without seeing Linda.”
Jason paused for a moment, appearing to contemplate that reality.
“It’s her mother, dude. You can’t just go meet a fifteen-year-old.”
“I get that. Just didn’t think about it until now . . .” Jason let a sigh out and opened his arms. “It’s fine. I can meet Linda too.”
“What prompted this change of heart? Other than not being mad anymore?”
Jason laughed lightly as he shook his head. “Jesus.”
“What?”
“You know, in some ways, the way this town and even our family idolized Dad wasn’t right. We treated him like he could do no wrong. That he was perfect. That he was Christ-like. But the reality is, he was a human being who made mistakes. Whether what he did with supporting them all those years was right or not . . . I don’t know. But I believe he did what he thought was right at the time.”
Ryan smiled as God’s warmth and love washed over him in that moment. His brother was speaking clearly and rightly. “Brother, you never cease to amaze me.”
“What? I’m just talking.”
“Yeah, and now I have a better idea of what needs to come next in this speech.” Picking up the pen from beside his notepad, Ryan looked again at him. “I’ll take you to meet them on Sunday. I’m sure after that town meeting tomorrow and my speech, people won’t want to see my face at church.”
Making copies in the resource room at school after lunch, Emily was praying for her children. The boys were running all over the house that morning and her mother was nagging them to stop. Her mother loved her grandchildren, but it was apparent that she didn’t enjoy correcting misbehavior.
Emily felt uneasy with how life was unfolding in California in more ways than one. Last night, her parents had sat her down in the living room after the children were in bed and asked if she could try to get them to pick up after themselves better. Her mother’s words echoed through her thoughts from yesterday just then. I don’t know how you and Ryan ran things in your own home, but we keep a clean home. Cleanliness is close to Godliness . . .
Pulling her cellphone out, she called her daughter, Elizabeth.
“Everything is fine, Mom.”
“Could you leave your room and go actually see how things are going with Jack and Conner with Grandma?”
“I left my room today. Jeez! Why are you always like this?”
“Sure, to get a drink or food. I mean, try to spend some time with your siblings.”
Her daughter grunted. “Fine.”
“Don’t get lippy with me.”
“Whatever.”
“Stop it, Elizabeth!” Glancing behind her, she hoped nobody heard her elevated voice. Lowering her volume, she continued as she touched her forehead. “Look, I’m sorry. I just need you to help out a little. Okay? Your grandparents are?—”
Interjecting, Elizabeth said, “Terrible. I know. I never minded visiting, but this sucks.”
“I wasn’t going to say that.”