SARAH BETH’S VOICE rang in her ear. “What do you mean you haven’t told them yet? I thought you took care of this.
Kaylan, go and tell your parents. Now.”
“Maybe I could wait a day. Or two.”
“Kaylan Lee Richards, if you don’t tell your folks by the end of today, I’ll do it for you. I’ll be over there this afternoon as soon as our family party ends. I’m leaving right after Christmas for Haiti, and if you’re coming with me, you’d better get your parents on board. Besides, aren’t you ready to actually help people instead of just talking about it?”
Kaylan had known she wanted to study nutrition since high school when she did a school project about malnutrition in children. That dream had led her into a college program focusing on dietetics. The final step to becoming a registered dietician was an internship, which in her case began in August. Because of her grades and her senior research project on nutrition alternatives, a dietetics program in California had unofficially promised her a spot—quite a privilege, since internship spots were competitive. She had planned to spend the next few months preparing for the internship. Then Sarah Beth came to her with the Haiti idea, and a new dream was born. One that she had yet to share with her parents.
Kaylan took a deep breath and shifted the phone in her hand. She wanted to go to Haiti, even if it meant possibly jeopardizing her internship. That realization strengthened her resolve. “I’m coming, Sarah Beth. I’ll tell my family after dinner.” Sarah Beth cheered, forcing Kaylan to hold the phone away from her ear.
Her heart beat wildly against her ribs. She’d just made a decision that could change the course of her life. Who knew what could happen in Haiti? The looming black hole almost made her second-guess her decision. Almost.
“Why haven’t you told them yet?”
“I don’t know. Things just happened so fast with my big research project this semester, finals, graduation. I’ve been so busy, and leaving always seemed so far away, so surreal. Now all of a sudden, I’m out of time.”
“You still have time, Kayles. It’s not too late. But it’s time to stop living safe, and start having the tough conversations. Just focus. Pretend I’m your dad and just shoot straight. Ready?” Sarah Beth’s voice grew deep and gruff in a poor impersonation of Kaylan’s dad. “Honey, why do you want to go to Haiti?”
“Bubbles . . . .” Kaylan used her childhood name for Sarah Beth.
“Kayles.” All sense of joking dropped from Sarah Beth’s voice. “Remember when we dressed up as superheroes when we were kids? Sheets on our shoulders and paper masks?”
“You mean our glory days of nerd-hood?” Kaylan laughed. “I still have that cape.”
“Good times. It was back before we worried about our future or our grades. We dreamed, and we dreamed big. We always wanted to save the world. And this is our chance to do that.”
“So we’re taking our superpowers to Haiti?”
“Kayles, you need to think about this. Don’t go for me. Go because you want to be there, because you want to see the Lord do big things. I don’t have the skills to help heal people, but I can be there for them and invest in their lives. Why are you going, Kayles? Pray about it. Before you make a decision. Before you talk to your dad.”
Kaylan’s dream stemmed from her desire to help people. She could sit in Alabama for months, working at the dance studio and helping her mom with her interior decorating business. The days would pass as she waited for her internship to begin in August. Or she could go to Haiti and help people who were hungry and didn’t have the money for medical care. She could make a difference and begin living her dream now instead of waiting years.
She released a long breath. Her parents had always encouraged her dreams and helped her to think long term. Was this just a selfish craving for adventure, an outpouring of restlessness and change? Was it wrong to think short term? She lacked qualifications and professional experience, but she wondered if she valued those things too highly.
“I’ll tell Mom and Dad before I go to bed tonight.”
“Awesome! I was hoping I hadn’t talked you out of it.”
Kaylan laughed. “You think I’m going to let you wear that cape all by yourself? We’re a team.” Her laughter faded as an old wound surfaced again. “Hey, Bubbles, by the way . . . Nick’s here.”
“Really? Knight in shining armor returns to woo gorgeous, distressed graduate. Sounds like a Hollywood smash. Knock him dead, Kayles.”
“I’m serious! What do I do? What do I say?”
“Well, would you want to explore a relationship with him again? Maybe he isn’t the same guy who left last time.”
“He still left, Sarah Beth.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Trust her to shoot straight. Kaylan felt like a fickle preteen. “I guess it depends on why he’s back.” Her voice lowered as she gazed through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the lake shimmering in the light. “Between you and me, he still looks too handsome for his own good.”
“I bet all that SEAL training didn’t hurt. I gotta finish cleanup so I can make it in time for Richards family football. See you soon. And Kayles, give Nick a break. It’s been a few years.”
“All right, all right.” Kaylan ended the call and gazed at the waves lapping against the dock. Was she ready to see Nick? Was she ready to tell her parents her plans? Was she ready for the changes life was about to throw her way?
“Kaylan!” Micah’s voice echoed through the house.
“Coming.” With a final look at her reflection, she left the sunroom to join her family in the kitchen. Time to face Nick.
Nick had endured a round of family greetings and grilling, and still no Kaylan. Taking a breather, he poured himself a Coke and crossed the room, pretending to take in the lake view from the windows. Whistles and cheers erupted behind him. Then the sound of her musical laughter. He turned to face the room, and there she stood. Tall and graceful, just as he remembered.
Fierce longing engulfed him at the sight of her. How many nights had he lain awake in Afghanistan wishing, praying he’d never walked away? Nick clenched his jaw, rejecting the sudden rush of pain.
“There’s my girl.” Scott Richards threw his arm around his only daughter.
Nick lingered in the background, content to allow her family this time before talking to Kaylan for the first time in a long while. She looked good. Her youthful glow had faded somewhat, but it had been replaced by the beauty and maturity of a young woman. Her face lit up under the attention of her dad, the doting of her mother, and the affection of her brothers. She was in her element.
“Where’s that diploma I paid an arm and a leg for?” Mr. Richards chuckled as the two shared a smile.
“Well, I guess I could ask them to put your name on it too. But then I might never get a job, and you’ll be supporting me for life.”
“Well, if Dad’s name goes on it, mine should too, since I had to listen to you cry or stress out every time you had a project or test,” Seth grumbled.
“Put my name on that list too,” Mrs. Richards said as she added the last platter of sandwiches to the kitchen island.
“On second thought, that piece of paper is all yours. Congratulations, honey.” Mr. Richards kissed her forehead as he reached for a strawberry. “Dig in, gang!”
“Finally.” Seth dove for the food as the rest of the family grabbed plates and lined up around the island.
Nick braced as the space between them cleared and Kaylan’s eyes found his for the first time. Her wavy, auburn hair fell a couple inches below her shoulders. The faint crease where her graduation cap sat earlier spoke of her accomplishments. Her red sweater draped her slim body in all the right places, conservative and classy. His memory hadn’t done her justice.
“Hi.” The word scratched his vocal cords, husky and thick. He cleared his throat as he approached, hoping she hadn’t noticed.
“Hi back.” Her voice held a million questions, hesitant and guarded as if she’d fortified every wall against him. He inwardly winced.
“Congratulations. You deserve every minute of today. I know how hard you worked for it.”
“Thanks.” Her voice was soothing, like waves lapping a beach in the moonlight. He’d missed its gentle, musical tones.
He studied her face: the excitement in her green eyes causing them to glow like emeralds, the slight upturn of her nose, reminding him of a pixie, and the light dusting of freckles around her nose, evidence of days in the sun.
“I’m glad you’re home safe. How long are you back?”
“Micah invited me for Christmas, and then we have to head back to California right after.”
She crossed her arms and took a step away from him, clearly upset but trying to maintain her calm. Her family moved behind them in the kitchen, talking and eating.
“And clearly Micah forgot to tell you.”
“If he invited you, then you’re welcome here. No one should be alone for the holidays.”
“Thanks.”
She turned to grab a plate, then paused. “It’s good to see you again, Nick.”
“Maybe you’ll be seeing more of me.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Her words cut deep. “Kaylan . . . ”
“Hey, you two.” Micah threw his arms around both of them. “This is a party. Why so serious? Come grab some food.”
“What is it with you and Seth and food?” Kaylan backhanded her brother’s stomach, and he dropped his hand from her shoulder.
“You are starving us. We had to sit through all those names this morning. It was very draining.”
“Hey, that’s not nice.” She fought a smile.
“Just being honest.” His grin could melt ice. As Kaylan gave in to his teasing, Nick remembered how close Micah and Kaylan were.
“You better watch it, bro, or I’ll . . . ”
“Where’s our Sugar?”
“Pap, Gran!” Kaylan hurried to greet her grandparents as they entered the kitchen carrying a tray of brownies. Nick grabbed a plate and began to fill it, praying about how to navigate a celebration he had clearly interrupted, at least in the eyes of the day’s star. He circled back around to Kaylan’s side getting close enough to whisper in light of the noise, “Could you give me some time this week? You know, talk, catch up?”
She studied him. “Sure.” Without another word she ducked in the middle of her family, joining the festivities.
Nick’s hopes rose. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Maybe, just maybe he could win her back. As he joked with Seth and Micah, he silently prayed for the conversation to come.
Richards family football remained a comical, competitive tradition. Usually Kaylan’s brothers tested her to her limit, teasing her and pushing her to run harder, hold on to the ball, and score. In a family of boys, Kaylan had long ago learned to never give up. It fed her competitive nature.
“You ready, sis?” Seth whispered in their huddle. She and Sarah Beth sucked air into their lungs in shallow bursts. Her days of prepping for finals without hitting the gym were catching up to her.
“Let’s beat these guys!” Sarah Beth high-fived Kaylan and wiped sweat from her face.
Kaylan nodded at Seth. “I’m ready, little bro.”
“Remember what I taught you. Don’t drop the ball. Butterfingers are not cute to macho SEAL snipers.”
“Hey! I’ll catch it.”
“Watch me for the signal.”
“The signal is so dumb.”
“Dumb or not, it works. Go, team!” They lined up, Kaylan right across from Nick. His smirk made her hope Seth sent the ball her way, just so she could put Nick in his place.
Sarah Beth hiked the ball, and Seth caught the snap. He stuck his tongue out at Kaylan, and she took off like a shot, dodging Nick and using the strength from years of dance to propel her across the yard to the makeshift end zone between two large trees. She could hear Nick on her heels and Sarah Beth’s cheers as David and Micah shouted back and forth, blocking Sarah Beth and trying to stop Seth from sending the ball Kaylan’s way. Her parents and grandparents cheered from their rocking chairs on the wraparound porch.
The ball whizzed through the air, and she turned to follow its arc. Rough pigskin burned her fingers as she crossed the end zone. Then strong hands grabbed her waist and pulled her to the ground. She landed on her attacker before being flipped on her back to stare at bare tree branches, the ball held close to her chest. She drew in a sharp breath. Nick knelt over her, a victorious grin on his face.
“Real subtle, Hawk.” Micah joined them and popped the back of Nick’s head.
“I got it. That counts.” Kaylan scrambled to her feet, daring them to challenge her. Nick and Micah burst into laughter as the others joined them.
“Wasn’t this touch football?” Seth scanned Nick up and down, looking every bit the protective younger brother.
Nick shrugged. “I just couldn’t resist. She looked too cute running across the field. And who can resist a girl who makes touchdowns that gracefully?”
Kaylan glared. He had no right to come along and make her heart race or say those kinds of things, especially in front of an audience.
“Told you he would like it if you caught the ball,” Seth snickered.
Kaylan turned on her little brother. “Hush your mouth, Seth Richards. I can still whip you.” She hoped Nick missed her glowing, red face.
“I’m not sure I’d put money on you, but I’d definitely like to see that.” Nick slapped Seth on the back, his chuckle causing her temperature to rise.
She stared Nick down, ready to shoot a few bullets of her own. He seemed to sober as he received the full impact of her gaze and smothered his smile. “I take that back. Right now I would definitely put money on you.”
He winked and turned to Micah. “How about a break for some of that sweet tea I’ve been missing in Cali? They just can’t make it quite right.”
Nick and Micah headed for the house with David and Seth trailing behind. Kaylan studied him as he greeted her parents and grandparents on the wide porch. What had gotten into him since his deployment? If he was this obvious already, she wasn’t sure she was ready to face the full intensity of a talk with him.
She turned to Sarah Beth. “What do I do about Nick?”
“Kiss and make up, of course. What kind of question is that?” Sarah Beth’s eyes sparkled.
“I’m serious! He wants to talk. Just the two of us.” She bit her lip. “This is really awful timing. First Haiti, now him.”
The smile that rarely left Sarah Beth’s face dimmed, and she pulled Kaylan close in a hug. “You aren’t that hurt girl anymore, and you have no obligation to him if you don’t want to explore a relationship. Okay? Sorry, girl, but I need some of your Gran’s sweet tea too. Meet ya inside.” After a quick squeeze, Sarah Beth ran to the house.
Kaylan walked back to the house, feeling abandoned. Everyone else seemed willing to give Nick the benefit of the doubt, but she wasn’t ready. Not until he explained a few things.
She trudged onto the porch, stretching her muscles. Everyone had disappeared inside except Pap.
“Hey, there, Sugar. Come sit with your Pap for a minute.”
Pap’s Southern drawl comforted Kaylan. She remembered many sweet moments with him on this porch. His green eyes so much like her own twinkled as she faced him.
“He’s a good-looking guy, isn’t he, Sugar? And a military man at that.”
A blush blossomed again, and she cursed the genetic trait. “Pap . . . ” She groaned, settling into the rocker next to him and setting it in motion.
“Can’t lie to your Pap now, Sugar. From what I hear, that young man is the kind of man we always prayed you would marry. Maybe he deserves a second chance. He was a catch several years ago, but neither of you were ready. I think the Lord has probably knocked rough edges off both of you over the last few years.”
Once upon a time she would have said the same. Had everyone forgotten Nick’s phone call with some excuse about no time for anything except God and country? He’d basically told her she wasn’t worth the time or effort.
Pap handed her a glass of iced tea, his solution for everything. Gran had brewed this batch to perfection with the precise mixture of sugar and lemon. More sugar than tea, she suspected. It was the Southern way.
“Talk to your Pap. How’re you feeling about today?”
Kaylan struggled to sift through all the emotions. Nick crowded her thoughts, filling her senses with his dominating, quiet presence. She wanted him out of her head. Away from her heart. She ignored Pap’s references to Nick and focused on her graduation instead. “I can’t believe I graduated, Pap. I’m so excited to be done, but I’ll miss college. Whose bright idea was it to release us into the wild without any more direction as soon as we finish school?” She laughed. “I’m a mess, Pap.”
“Well, now, I think that’s pretty natural.” He studied the afternoon sky. It was a brisk December day though the sun shone. Kaylan closed her eyes and enjoyed the rays kissing her face.
“Something else bothering you, Sugar?”
She opened her eyes and met his steady gaze. Those eyes had once intimidated criminals in his courtroom, but he didn’t fool her. They held a sparkle and wisdom Kaylan coveted. He was the picture of the South: strong, sure, warm, inviting. Pap was safe. He was home. And she was leaving him for Haiti.
What was she thinking?
“It’s been quite a day.” Should she tell him now? It wasn’t like her to keep something this big from her family, especially Pap or Micah. “Pap, did you ever think about living in another country?”
“Alabama’s always been home. But there was a time your grandmother and I considered moving to Africa.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I was moving up in my career. The kids were settled and excelling. So, we sent money, we prayed, we supported those who could go, and we served in our own community here. Both places are mission fields. The Lord assigned us to our own family and friends here in Tuscaloosa. My place on the bench afforded me the chance to influence our community.” His sharp eyes met hers. “Where’s this coming from?”
“Well . . . ”
“Hey, you two, it’s about time to eat,” Seth shouted from inside the house, gaining her more time to process.
Pap rose and squeezed her knee. “We’ll talk again after dinner, Sugar.”
Kaylan sighed. It was hard to believe she had walked across the stage that morning. The day had taken one twist after another. Two things were certain: Nick was back and determined to prove himself, and she wanted to go to Haiti, which unfortunately meant it was time to have some heart-to-hearts. Kaylan prayed everyone would understand.
Decisions, and now confrontation. How she hated those words.