Child of Grace

“Smart decision.” He summoned up a grin. “I may be a doctor, but I don’t want to have to treat a sprained ankle—or worse—while I’m here. Give me a sec.”

He went back to retrieve his own chair, taking her arm as they traversed the uneven sand. At the narrow path through the grass, he let her precede him, following close behind her as she slowly made her way up the stairs.

“Believe it or not, I used to be…in great shape.” She huffed out the comment as they reached the top.

Despite the dim light, he could tell her cheeks were flushed from the exertion.

“I expect you still are. Forty steps would make anyone breathe harder.”

“They don’t seem to have taxed your lungs.”

“They would have if I’d been carrying an extra fifteen or twenty pounds.” He tapped her chair, still slung over his shoulder. “Would you like me to take this over to your porch?”

“No. Thank you.” She reached for it. “I can manage fine on flat ground. Good night.” Gripping the chair in one hand, she crossed the lawn and disappeared through the trees that separated their property.

Luke stayed where he was until he saw the light in her kitchen flick on through the leafy branches. Then he turned toward the fading sunset. A few minutes ago, the sky had been a glorious palette of brilliant colors, the water alive with ethereal light. Now the heavens had faded to a dull, uninteresting gray, robbing the lake of its shimmering incandescence and leaving ominous, leaden shadows in its wake.

The change had been startling. And swift.

Though Luke had learned very little about Kelsey Anderson since their first encounter, he was beginning to sense the changes in her life had been equally startling. And swift.

But what had prompted them? And was her new life in isolated Pier Cove a permanent change? Or had she sought temporary refuge here to protect herself—and her unborn child?

Luke shook his head and lifted his free hand to massage his neck. He didn’t want complications on this trip. The task he’d set himself was difficult enough. Worrying about his neighbor wasn’t part of the plan. Nor would she welcome his concern if he expressed it.

Yet he wasn’t the type to walk away from people in need. That was why he’d become a doctor. Why he’d done more than his share of gritty, heartbreaking work near the front lines. Why he’d promised a medic he’d create the young man’s legacy in his stead.

But it was hard to help people who didn’t want help. And maybe he wasn’t supposed to help Kelsey. Maybe he was supposed to let this go.

Except he knew about loneliness. And disillusion. And anguish. He’d lived through all of them overseas. And Kelsey was living through them now. Every one of those emotions was reflected in the clear, green depths of her troubled eyes.

Tipping his head back, he looked toward the heavens, where stars were just beginning to peek out.

Lord, You led me here. For a mission I thought was clear. If You have another job in mind for me, would You let me know? Soon? And in the meantime, please let Kelsey feel Your healing presence. Because I have a feeling she’s in desperate need of some divine guidance and a healthy dose of TLC.

Chapter Five

“Ah, Kelsey! What a nice surprise!”

At Reverend Howard’s greeting, Kelsey looked up from her book and watched the middle-aged pastor cross the grass with his typical spry gait. Since he knew she often walked down to this small park in Douglas at lunchtime, his comment about being surprised seemed a bit odd.

Her curiosity piqued, she gestured to the facing seat in the double-sided swing she’d claimed on the edge of Kalamazoo Lake. “It’s nice to see you, Reverend. Won’t you join me?”

“Thank you. I will.” He settled in across from her. “So what are you reading this fine day?”

She angled the book of baby names toward him.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ve reached a decision?”

With a sigh, she rested her hand on her stomach and shook her head. “No. I’m just trying to be prepared for all contingencies.”

“God will give you the answer in His time.”

“The trouble is, I’m running out of time.”

“You still have two months. And if you decide to give up the baby for adoption, all the arrangements are in place with the agency I contacted on your behalf. Try not to let the pressure get to you.”

“It’s hard not to, the way the weeks are flying by.” She ran a finger down the spine of the book. “You know, a year ago, if someone had predicted that in twelve months I’d be pregnant, living in Gram’s cottage and making quilts for a living, I’d have thought they were crazy. I was totally focused on my goal of being a vice president by the time I was forty.” She shook her head. “So much for plans.”

“Is your new life losing its luster?”

“Not at all. I don’t miss the corporate rat race one iota. I may not make the big bucks anymore, but my life is more in balance and the creative work feeds my soul. I’m just sorry it took such a traumatic wake-up call for me to see the light.” The baby kicked, and she touched her stomach. “I can even have a family if I want one.”

“Raising a child alone is difficult, Kelsey. Especially under your circumstances.”

At the minister’s quiet comment, a pang echoed in her heart. They’d had similar discussions several times over the past few months, though he’d never before been as direct.

“Don’t you think I’m up to it?”

“I think you are a very strong woman who can achieve whatever you set out to accomplish. Your success in the corporate world proves that. So does your decision to change your life in the face of opposition from family and coworkers. But this decision isn’t just about you. It’s also about what’s best for your child. He or she deserves unconditional love, Kelsey.”

“You don’t think I can offer that?”

“Only you can answer that question. No one would blame you if you couldn’t.”

Tears pricked Kelsey’s eyes, and she looked over the sparkling water, blinking them away. “I didn’t think I could in the beginning. I wanted nothing to do with this baby. But now…” Her hand moved over her stomach. “I’ve felt him or her kick. I’ve seen the ultrasounds. I’ve heard the heartbeat. This child is part of me, Reverend. How can I give away part of myself?”

“I know it’s a very, very difficult decision, Kelsey. One best made after much prayer. But whatever you decide, you’ve already done the noble thing by carrying the child to term. That’s more than most people would expect.”

Her jaw stiffened in resolution. “There was never a question in my mind about that.”

“I admire the strength of your convictions. And you’ll continue to be in my prayers as you wrestle with your decision.” He leaned over and patted her hand. “Now I’ll continue my constitutional, as my grandfather called it. A walk is good for body and soul, and a stroll through Douglas is always pleasant when business brings me here.”

“I agree. Walking has become the centerpiece of my exercise program.” Even after the baby was born, it would remain so. Kelsey had no further interest in jogging.

“Good, good.” He slid out of the swing, but remained beside it, hands clasped behind him. “By the way, I spoke with Captain Turner this morning. He said you had a productive meeting yesterday. Two meetings, in fact.”

Kelsey settled back in the swing. Now they were getting to the real reason for his noontime constitutional.

“Yes. He came by the shop. And then I ran into him on the beach near my cottage. Did he tell you we’re neighbors?”

“He did. What a remarkable coincidence. But not a favorable one for you, he seems to think. I got the feeling he’s concerned that his presence has been disruptive for you.”

“It has been unsettling. As far back as I can remember, I’ve felt safe in Gram’s cottage and on her beach. Pier Cove always seemed untouched by the world. Now, with a lone male so close by…” She let her voice trail off.

“Given your recent experience, I can understand how that would make you uneasy. But the captain strikes me as a man of honor and integrity. Someone to be trusted, not feared.”

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