“So, you told him…Dad, I mean?”
“I did. Cal, he’s your father. He has a right to know. You confided in me as your mother, and I’m glad you did. But your dad and I don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“So, whatever I tell you, you’re gonna turn right around and tell Dad. Is that it?”
“Honey, God looks at your father and I as one. And you should too. That’s just the way it is.”
“Still, I don’t understand why this has turned into such a big deal.”
Cal Jordan was leaving the Demoss Learning Center at Liberty University with his backpack slung over one shoulder and with his Allfone plugged into his ear. In the distance he noticed Karen Hester with her friend Julie, crossing the campus. Karen spotted him and waved.
“Because you’re in pain,” Abigail Jordan replied firmly on the other end of the line. “That’s always a big deal. If it hadn’t been for the missile attack, we still wouldn’t know you’d stayed in New York, would we? Besides, if it was such a minor thing, why’d you tell me?”
“I couldn’t keep it in anymore. Missiles were flying. People were getting trampled. New York City was on every channel. And my father was the one right in the middle of the whole thing. My father. Not somebody else’s. Mine! He’s the big hero, but I couldn’t even help a woman three feet away. I was frozen, scared to death. That’s what I have to deal with.”
“I know that had to be devastating—”
“It was…”
“But just put yourself in your dad’s shoes. He thinks you’re safely out of the city during a horrible disaster, and then he finds out that you weren’t, because you’d lied to us about where you were and what you were doing.”
“So this whole thing is just because I didn’t give you guys the straight scoop? That instead of leaving the night before for school like I told you, I went up to New York City to be with Karen instead. Okay, so I didn’t tell you the truth. Look, I know Dad doesn’t like Karen. And I knew he’d blow a gasket about the two of us spending an overnight in New York—even if we weren’t sleeping in the same room. I just can’t believe how this is becoming such a big deal—”
“Cal, you know I expect you to be truthful. Because you’re my son—”
“Sure, yeah, okay—”
“But even more important than that. You’re a Christian. You made the same decision to put your faith in Jesus Christ that I have.”
“Of course—”
“And because you’re a Christian, then truth ought to be a priority—”
“Fine…”
“Isn’t that right?”
“Yeah…”
“And in the same way truth is a priority to me.”
“Right, Mom. Fine.”
By this time, Karen was just a few feet away. Cal put his finger to his lips to keep her from saying anything. Her response was to put one hand on her hip and flash a pretend display of anger, almost making Cal laugh.
“And your dad considers telling the truth a big deal,” his mother continued.
“No kidding,” Cal shot back.
“So, then your lying to your parents was a big deal after all.”
Cal mouthed the words my mom to Karen.
“Yes or no?” Abigail repeated a little more forcefully than before. “Yes or no, Cal, your lying to us was a big deal after all…”
“Mom, don’t do the lawyer thing with me. It drives me crazy—”
“It’s not a lawyer thing. It’s a mom thing. Two very different things, Cal.”
“Okay. So it was a big deal. I was wrong. Dad is ticked at me. Wow, there’s something new…”
“Cal, I want you to listen carefully to me. He loves you. Your dad loves you so much.”
Abigail’s voice caught a little. Cal could hear that. He could hear the tenderness. It was the thing he loved most about his mom. And yet he hated it when it happened. When her love and passion got to the breaking point and the tears would start filling her eyes. Now he was starting to get teary-eyed himself. Cal quickly turned away from Karen so she couldn’t see.
“You are so important to him,” Abigail said. She was pacing her words, forming them in her mouth with an exquisite kind of care. Her voice was slow and soft. “He’d lay down his life for you…”
Cal didn’t speak for a few seconds. Neither did his mother.
“It’s just that…” Cal was trying to sound sure of himself. After a few more seconds he continued. “It’s just that he’s always on my back—about everything, all day, every day, twenty-four-seven—”
“Cal, you’re going to have to love him the way he is,” Abigail added. “I do. He’s a wonderful man. He wants nothing less than the absolute best for you. That makes him demanding, I know. But cut him some grace, Cal. That’s something you ought to know about…”
Karen had moved around Cal so she was facing him again. But this time no comic routine, no attempts to make him laugh. She could see what was in his eyes.
“Gotta go, Mom.”
“Okay. Love you, Cal. So does Dad. Keep in touch. Call us…”
Cal clicked off his Allfone, then looked at Karen.
“Sorry about that…”
“Your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“Sounded serious.”
“Same song. Different melody.”
“Oooh,” she said breaking into a bright smile. “Nice metaphor. I thought I was supposed to be the music major and you were the art major.”
He smiled and shrugged, then asked her if she wanted to catch a cup of coffee before the next class. Karen agreed and tugged at his arm as they walked together.
“So, anything you want to share?”
“Not really. Constant issues with my father.”
“About New York?”
“Right.”
“You in trouble?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Now you do sound like your father.”
“How do you know? You only met him once—”
“Twice. Remember the football game? Up in the stands? We all sat together.”
“The point is—,” Cal started to say.
“The point is,” she said finishing the thought, “that maybe you are more like your father than you’d like to admit.”
“So what, now you’ve switched from being a music major to a psych major?” he joked. Then he added, “Hey, I hope they’ve still got some of those sugar donuts left. I’d love to have a couple of those with my coffee.”
“Nice move, Mr. Jordan. Trying to blow me off. Changing the subject.”
As they walked together to the student café, Karen could see Cal was thinking hard.
Finally he let it out. “So, I’ve got a question for you. A serious one.”
“Okay,” she said. “What?”
He paused for a moment and stopped. She stopped with him and tilted her head a little, studying him closely. Then Cal asked her.
“Exactly who would you be willing to die for?”