8

Nia set two suitcases near the steps just as the bathroom door opened.

The woman stepped out with the two boys right behind her wiping their wet hands on their jeans. “Where’s Myra?”

“Your husband took her upstairs to your room. Each room has their own bathroom. We only have one down here.”

“Not a problem.” She held out her hand. “I’m Vickie. These two little monsters are Mark and Matthew.”

The oldest boy with the dark hair smiled. “I’m Mark.”

The little blond walked up and held out his hand. “I’m Matthew, but you can call me Matt.”

Nia shook his hand and knelt down. “Nice to meet you Matt and Mark. I hope you boys like to fish.”

Mark responded. “We love to fish but haven’t had time since Myra got sick.” His dark brown eyes flickered. “Myra’s our big sister. She’s very sick.”

Matt nodded solemnly, his little blond curls bobbed. “She don’t like to play with me anymore.”

Nia’s heart twisted. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Matt shrugged. “It’s not her fault. It’s ’cause she don’t feel good. She still loves me.”

“I’m sure she does.” Nia’s gaze moved to Vickie. She smiled, but it was forced. “Let me show you around. Unless you’d rather rest.”

‘No. We need to move around a little.”

“I thought you were bringing your dog.”

“We thought better of it. Abby is quite the handful. I didn’t want to spend the week running after her.”

Nia walked the group toward the puzzle room. The boys followed behind their mom. They seemed well-behaved. At the entrance, Nia turned toward them. “This is our puzzle room.”

“Wow. Look at all the puzzles on the walls, Mom.” Mark looked around.

“And you’ll get to do one while you’re here, Mark. All of you will, and then you can take them home and put them on your wall.”

Cooper had decided not to add any more puzzles to the walls for now. Instead, guests took them back home with them.

That would be Nia’s privilege—to add new ones—when the time was right. Her eyes filled with tears. Myra might be that person. No, not might. Would be.

Mark grinned. “Did you hear that Mom?”

“Sounds like fun.”

A man walked down the steps holding a girl’s hand.

Cooper walked in from the kitchen.

The man smiled at Nia. “Hi. I’m Ron and this is my daughter, Myra.”

“I’m Nia. I was just telling Mark that everyone gets to do a puzzle while they’re here. When they’re finished Cooper puts some magic glue on them so they become a picture that they can hang on their walls at home.” She knelt down in front of the girl. “Does that sound like fun, Myra?”

She shrugged. “I guess. Can I sit down, Dad?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s go in the puzzle room.” Nia led the way.

Myra plopped on the sofa in front of one of the huge picture windows that had a clear view of the pond and rolling hills. When Nia had come here as a sick fourteen-year-old girl she’d been angry, but this young teen seemed to have given up.

Rachel had told Nia that God was the power source but Nia had to be the one to have enough faith to turn on the switch. Nia was pretty sure Myra didn’t have that kind of faith. Yet. Give me the right words to help this little girl.

Something stopped her from approaching Myra. Instead, she looked at the boys. “Time to pick out your puzzles.”

Matt came to attention. “Me, too?”

“You, too. And Mom and Dad. You don’t have to start your puzzle right now. I’m sure you’re exhausted from the trip. Just pick one out and claim your table. Then you can help me get some snacks while the boys work on theirs. That way we can talk.”

Cooper’s eyes widened, but he nodded his approval. “Great idea. I’ll stay in here with the kids.”

“How about you, Myra? Need help picking out a puzzle?”

“Maybe later. I’m tired.” Her voice was listless and apathetic.

“OK, sweetie.” Nia wondered how to get through to her and then remembered that God would make it happen.

After picking out a puzzle together, Ron and Vickie followed her to the kitchen.

“Anything in this refrigerator is fair game. Eat what you want when you want. There’s also a soda machine to use. I’ll give you the tokens so you can decide when the kids have one.” She touched the other huge, stainless steel refrigerator. “This one contains the ingredients for the dinner meals. We prefer you get your snacks from the other one or else Cooper gets grumpy when he doesn’t have what he needs to cook dinner. Breakfast and lunch you’re on your own but we cook dinner.”

“Y’all are too generous.” Vickie’s voice was filled with emotion. “We can take care of ourselves. You don’t have to cook for us.”

“It’s our pleasure. We love taking care of our guests. Cooper filled me in that this is a family vacation so we want you to do what you want when you want. We have horses in the barn if anyone wants to go horseback riding. There’s the pond for fishing and swimming.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Nia opened the refrigerator and pulled out some pudding containers. She held them up. “Do these work?”

“Absolutely.”

“Butterscotch?”

“Perfect.”

Nia took a deep breath. “I thought I should tell you that I had leukemia when I was fourteen and almost died.”

Silence filled the room.

Finally, Vickie asked, “What happened?”

“Puzzle House happened. God chose to give me a miracle, and I’ve been in remission for the past three years.”

“I’m happy for you, but we’re past getting a miracle.” Vickie’s voice was sad. “We just want to make some nice memories for the boys so they’ll remember Myra in a good way.”

“I…I’d like your permission to spend some extra time with Myra. To talk about God with her and how God can and does still heal.”

Ron’s eyes flashed. “I don’t want you to give her false hope. She’s accepted what will happen. I won’t have you making her think she might survive just so she can be disappointed again. Then she’ll have to deal with all that pain again.”

“But we really don’t know what will happen. Only God knows that.”

“I understand that. I’m a Christian. I’m a deacon at my church, but we do know this. We’ve all accepted it. We just want to have a little fun this week. That’s all.”

How had Rachel done this time and time again? She forced a smile. “I get it. That’s what we want for your family as well. But I still…I still feel as if I should talk with Myra about God.”

“Is that the price of admission?” He turned to his wife. “I told you there’d be strings attached.”

“Oh, no. Not at all. I’m sorry if you got that impression.” Nia backed off. “I don’t want to make things more difficult for Myra or for you. I’ll honor your wishes, of course. Enjoy your time here.” Before they could say another word, she rushed up to her room.