Twice Upon a Time

Chapter Fourteen

“I have to do something!” Reese paced Sara’s kitchen to keep himself from exploding. “I can’t wait.”

“Yes, you can. You can wait and pray,” Olivia said from the doorway. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “We all can.”

His hands automatically slid up her back, drawing her nearer as he inhaled her sweet fragrance.

“Olivia. I’m so glad you came.”

“Nothing could keep me away. Or Emily,” she whispered.

He glanced across the room, felt his knees weaken at the condition of Emily’s face.

“Nelson,” he guessed.

“Yes, but he’s in jail. Emily insisted on coming to help.” She stepped away, but her hand slid into his. “Where do we start?”

“We’re waiting for the sheriff. Sara and Cade have begun searching some of the outbuildings, but it’s so slow.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m scared, Olivia. Really scared. They’re so small. Anything could happen.”

“But it won’t because God is their protector. Trust, Reese.”

“I’m trying.” He closed his eyes. “It’s my fault they ran away.”

“No,” Olivia murmured, but he shook his head.

“Yes. I had a telephone conference planned with Mrs. Garvin. I was racing to get them ready for Sara to pick up. They kept fooling around, playing their silly dinosaur games.” The idea that he might never hear those giggles again choked off his words. “I yelled at them, Olivia. I let work and all its inherent problems take precedence over my kids.”

“No.” She touched his cheek, forced him to look into her lovely eyes. “You are a parent. We’re allowed to make mistakes once in a while.”

We? He frowned.

“I’ll explain later. For now, let’s think about the twins. You’ve done your best for those boys, Reese, but you can’t protect them now. Only God can. Let’s ask Him to help.”

“Excellent idea, Olivia.” Fiona followed Thomas inside and let the door slam shut as she led in prayer.

“Thank you, Mom.” Reese hugged her, but the urge to do something could not be suppressed. “I wish Cade and Sara would check in,” he muttered.

“Wow, it’s nasty out there.” Katie stepped into the house. “Anything yet?”

Reese shook his head, but stopped when he noticed Emily heading outside. Olivia followed. He trailed behind, curiosity rising.

“Where are you going, Em? Olivia?”

“There’s a special place they like to hide in the horse arena,” the girl whispered nervously, peeking at him fearfully as everyone’s attention centered on them. “Maybe they’re there.”

“Go,” he said. And to Olivia, “Will you go with her? Please? I need to wait for the sheriff.”

She nodded and they hurried away.

Inside, Reese glanced around the room, suddenly aware that no matter how hard he worked, how carefully he tried to prevent bad things from happening, he could, in the end, offer very little security to the ones he loved the most.

It had been simpler when the twins were small and seldom left the house, but soon they’d be involved in their school programs. That would bring numerous opportunities for risk that he would have no control over.

His brother, Donovan, was in Europe. Reese held his power of attorney, but that did not mean he could prevent Donovan from being hit by a car or any of the other horrible things that filled the news.

The only security he had lay in his trust in God. From God came the gifts of his children, the joys of a family he had not been born into, and the unexpected love for a woman who had helped resurrect his faith.

In the end, all Reese had was his faith, and a battered but sturdy fragment of trust in God to work things out.

“They’re not there,” Emily said through tears. “I was so sure…”

“Don’t worry, Emily.” Fiona patted her shoulder. “The Bible says God made each of us, all the delicate inner parts of our bodies and knit them together in our mother’s womb. He didn’t go to all that trouble to lose Brett and Brady.”

The rest of the family followed her example, trying to encourage each other with Biblical verses proclaiming God’s ability to protect.

“Wait a minute!” Emily’s voice rang out above them all. “Wait.”

“What is it, Em?”

Emily stared at Olivia.

“I didn’t mean to snoop,” she whispered. “I was afraid of Nelson. I was afraid that he’d do something horrible and I was so scared…”

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever it was, it doesn’t matter,” Olivia soothed. “Just tell us what happened.”

“When I was telling the twins their bedtime story that last night at the lake,” she said to Fiona who nodded, urging her to continue. “They started asking about their mom, like where she was and what she was doing.” She stared at Olivia. “They were upset and I couldn’t think what to tell them. Then I remembered what I’d seen on Nelson’s desk. I’m so sorry.”

Reese didn’t understand what this was about, but he knew time was not on their side. Already the wind was howling outside, churning icy bits of sleet all over the land. The boys had been wearing summer clothes when Sara picked them up. In this weather—

“Go on, Emily.” Olivia alone seemed to understand what was holding the girl back. She smiled, nodded. “It’s all right.”

Emily nodded back. She inhaled, exhaled slowly.

“I told them their mom was in heaven looking after a little girl named Anika. Olivia’s daughter,” she whispered when no one seemed to understand.

“You have a daughter?” Reese couldn’t conceive of why she would hide such a thing, but he was afraid to find out now, afraid to delay finding his kids.

“Had.” Her wistful smile faltered. “I’ll explain later. Go on, Emily.”

“Nelson has piles of papers about you, about how you had a husband and a little girl and how they died. I’m sorry.”

Trevor, the man who loved coffee. Reese knew it as surely as his own name.

“Keep going,” Olivia urged.

“Well, the twins kept asking me about heaven, what it was like.” Emily frowned. “I told them what I heard at church, but they couldn’t seem to understand. Brett thought it sounded like heaven was a playground and Brady was positive it was a candy store.”

“Those two.” Thomas’s chuckles brought Emily’s smile.

“Yeah.” Emily grinned. “Anyway, I tried to think of something else, so they’d understand, you know?”

“You’ve always tried to help them understand, Emily.” Reese patted her shoulder. “You did fine.”

“I remembered when they got wet that afternoon your sister got married. I told them heaven was kind of like that valley with pretty flowers and stuff. Where no one could make you do things you didn’t want to.”

“Oh, dear Lord.” Fiona clapped a hand over her mouth.

Reese couldn’t say anything. Fear choked off his breath.

“You think they went to the valley?” Olivia squeezed his hand for encouragement. “You think they went there to look for their mother?”

“Yes.” Emily nodded, tears filling her eyes. “They saw a little building down there. They called it a hidey-house. They were always telling me how much they wanted a mom. Not because they don’t love you,” she whispered to Reese. “Because they think you’re lonely, that you need someone to talk to, like they have each other.”

“I know what you mean, Emily.” Brett and Brady had said something of the sort to him this morning. But Reese had cut them off because he was so busy proving himself he’d forgotten he was a father first and foremost.

“It’s my fault, because of what I said,” Emily mourned. “They wouldn’t have thought of it if it wasn’t for me.”

Trust. Now was the time.

I trust You with their lives, Father.

“Emily.” He knelt in front of her and gently touched a tissue to her cheeks. “You are the best sitter my sons ever had. They love and adore you as much as if you were their sister. You tried to make them understand about heaven just the way a sister would. Thank you. Now, do you want to come help me get them?”

“Oh, yes,” she said eagerly.

“How?” Olivia asked.

“This is a ranch. They have horses here.” He grinned at Cade and Sara, who had walked in a few moments earlier. “Don’t you?”

“Already saddled, Bro. Ready to start a search. Rescue package and extra blankets included.” Sara stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Go get them.”

“I’ll go with you,” Cade offered.

“You sure? I know you’ve been working long hours for roundup.”

“I know this place better than anyone, Reese.” Cade grinned. “Besides, when it’s family, it’s a labor of love.”

“That’s why I married him.” Sara beamed.

Cade kissed her cheek. “Be praying,” he said.

“We all will,” Fiona assured him. “Get some heavy coats on now.”

Reese glanced at Olivia.

“Want to come?”

“Try and keep me away, Reese Woodward.” She grinned. “I intend to point out to you exactly how trustworthy our Lord is.”

“You go, girl.” Katie cheered with a grin. She made sure they were suitably clothed then shooed them out the door. “I’ll speak to the sheriff.”

“Are you okay to ride, Emily?” Reese helped Olivia mount.

“Try and stop me.” She gave Olivia a thumbs-up then winced as Reese helped her into her saddle. “I’m not going to be jumping on the trampoline for a while.”

“She won’t make the mistake of not trusting God again,” Olivia said. She smiled. “Neither will I.”

Reese took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles.

“You better have a really good explanation for keeping secrets from me, lady.” He waited for her smile. “Let’s go.”

Reese led the way into the darkening world as his heart silently offered the same prayer a man had prayed centuries earlier.

Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.

The bitter wind, the icy cold, the dampness that seeped through her extrathick coat—Olivia couldn’t imagine how two children could last long in such conditions. But that didn’t stop her prayers.

“There’s the shed.” Cade led the way, his horse nimbly avoiding picky edges and marshy spots not easily discernable. He slung out of his seat and tethered the horse to a tree, then helped Emily. “Slowly, easily. We don’t want to frighten them.”

Reese dismounted and Olivia followed. She grasped his hand as they moved forward together. Cade opened the door and they entered.

“Thank you, Lord,” Reese whispered.

Olivia echoed the sentiment as the frightened father knelt between his sons and checked their breathing.

“They’re asleep,” he whispered in amazement.

“Daddy?” Brett’s eyelashes flickered open. He sat up, wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. “Hi, Daddy. Brady an’ me couldn’t find our mom. She must be really busy looking after Olivia’s little girl, don’t you think?”

“Not too busy.” Brady also sat up. “’Cause she has God to help her.” He grinned. “Right, Emily?”

“Right.” Emily hugged each of them, but the mother in her would not be silenced. “You guys shouldn’t have come here alone. There’s a big storm on.”

“That’s why we came in here,” Brady told her.

“We didn’t go near the water, Uncle Cade.” Brett scrunched up his face. “Only I don’t like the smell of that blanket.” He plucked the old tarp away.

Everyone burst out laughing. Reese gathered them in his arms and smiled at her. Olivia smiled back, but the ache in her heart wouldn’t go away. She remained silent as Reese wrapped the boys in the coats Sara had sent then added blankets.

“Let’s go,” he said.