The Courage To Dream and The Power Of Love: The Courage To Dream / The Power Of Love

George McCall was responsible. Gabriel wished he could rid himself of his hatred toward the man as easily as he had his boxing gloves. He couldn’t, and he felt as though he had let God down. He had tried. The anger was still embedded deep in his heart, and he wanted the man to remain behind bars. Judy and their unborn child had been Gabriel’s life. He went through the motions of living, but he knew something had died in him that day along with his wife and son.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” Gabriel murmured the Lord’s Prayer. It should be a guide to him in his forgiveness of the man who had killed his wife and child. “Please, dear Lord, give me the strength to do what I must.”

“Mom! It’s after seven,” Peter called from the living room.

Rebecca cleaned Josh’s face after more of his breakfast ended up on him than in him. She placed him in his swing and went into the living room. “It’s only fifteen minutes after seven. Your dad lives several hours away. He’s just late. Relax, Peter. Watch some TV until he comes.”

Peter gave her a look that said she must be crazy, which might be true. She didn’t like him to watch much television, and here she was encouraging him to.

“I don’t want to miss him when he pulls up.” Peter turned to the window and stared out.

Rebecca saw her son’s new fishing gear—a gift from Craig—stacked in the corner by the front door. She noticed he had on his lucky fishing jacket. Worry nibbled at her composure. If Craig didn’t come, she didn’t know what she was going to do.

When she walked into the kitchen to clean up the breakfast dishes, she glanced at the clock over the stove. Craig had often been late. She hoped this was one of those times.

But twenty minutes later, she resolved to call him. At least that would end her son’s ordeal.

Quietly she lifted the receiver and punched in Craig’s number. On the third ring he picked it up, and Rebecca’s grip tightened on the phone until her knuckles were white.

“You haven’t even left yet?” she asked, instead of saying hello to his greeting.

“Sorry. I overslept.”

Rebecca heard no remorse in his voice. She inhaled a deep, fortifying breath, then blew it out through pursed lips. “Are you coming?”

“Nah. Too late. I have to be back this afternoon. I have plans.”

“Plans that are more important than being with your son on his birthday?”

“Tell Peter I’ll call him later. Did he get my present?”

“Yes. He has all his gear packed in the new tackle box and it’s by the front door while he waits at the window for you. Please talk to him.”

Craig mumbled something under his breath, then said, “Put him on.”

Rebecca went to the door to the living room and said, “Your dad wants to talk to you.”

Peter frowned. “Is he on his cell phone? Did his car break down?”

To spare her son’s feelings, for a second she thought about lying. “No, he’s at home.”

“But—” Peter hung his head and shuffled into the kitchen to pick up the phone.

Rebecca listened to her son’s one-word replies, watching his shoulders sag. She put her arms around him and held him against her while he mumbled goodbye to his father. Peter dropped the receiver, missing the cradle. She tightened her arms about him. When a beeping sound blared, Rebecca put the phone where it belonged.

“He’s not coming. He doesn’t know when he can see me,” Peter finally said, his body shaking.

Rebecca kissed the top of his head. “He’ll come as soon as he can. We’ll have a great day, anyway.”

Peter wrenched himself from her embrace. His face turned red, and his eyes narrowed. “My birthday is ruined! I don’t want to do anything!”

He raced from the room, and Rebecca heard him run up the stairs and slam his bedroom door. She sucked in deep gulps of air, trying to calm the thundering beat of her heart. Lord, why are You doing this to my family? Peter is an innocent. He doesn’t deserve this from his father.

When the sound of Josh’s swing stopped, she started toward it to take Josh out but halted halfway across the room. Her youngest son had grasped the bar and stalled its movement. He held his grip for a good twenty seconds before letting go, the swing falling backward.

Tears flowed down Rebecca’s face. In the midst of Peter’s disaster, Josh had done something he never had before. Even though tears streamed down her cheeks, she smiled and picked up her youngest son. Maybe God hadn’t deserted her family, after all.

“Where did you learn that, my man?” she asked, surprised by the strength he’d shown. She hugged Josh to her, listening to his cooing, relishing his baby scent.

She held him in front of her, staring into his sweet face. “Your big brother isn’t happy. What do you think we should do?”

Josh made some more sounds, his eyes bright.

The puppy! She would ask Gabriel to bring it over early. Maybe that would take Peter’s mind off his father.

With Josh in her arms Rebecca placed a call to Gabriel, realizing as she listened to his line ring that she hadn’t seen him since he walked away from the restaurant the night before. She started to hang up when his gruff voice said, “Hello.”

“Gabriel, is this a bad time?”

“Rebecca? No, I was just working out. A little out of breath. What’s up?”

“Peter’s dad backed out of coming today. Is there any chance you could bring the puppy over this morning?”

“You bet. I’ll shower and be right over.”

As she put the receiver in its cradle, Rebecca wondered what Gabriel needed. When she had last seen him, he had been devastated by the news of George’s release. That had been twelve hours before. He was always coming to her aid. Today she was determined to come to his and help him. If he would let her.

Chapter Seven

“Rose let me in,” Gabriel said as he entered the kitchen and placed a cardboard box on the floor.

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