Hailey brushed her bangs away from her face as she headed down the long hall to the office marked “Jack Stinson, Vice President.”
She halted two steps short of the door, listening to the blustering sound of a male voice coming from the direction she was headed.
“Jack, get these reports out before five and wait for a call from Eddie Lyles, then enter these figures and get us something final on the deal. You may have to try to catch him at home. Then call Steve and Carter and tell them we want a meeting by tomorrow to discuss that new airfoil design. I want something I can look at, not hear about and try to put a picture to on my own. Tell them we have another design firm on the job if you have to. And if Crites calls back — ”
A familiar voice intervened. “Hold it, Dad. This is exactly what I’ve been telling you. There’s no way we can continue to run the business this way.”
Hailey let out a low whistle and leaned her shoulder blades against the stark white wall. No wonder poor Jack had escaped. She would go raging mad if she had to face this barrage every day. She turned her eavesdropping back to the two men inside the office and held her breath for the explosion she knew must be about to follow.
Instead, she heard a blustering sigh followed by a deep chuckle. “Jack, you know how difficult this is going to be for me. But I’ll meet you half way.”
Could that be the dad she’d heard about? Marshall Stinson?
The older man cleared his throat. “I’m an old man. Hard to change. This is how I am. But, well, I told you I’d try, and I’m going to try.”
“Well, you’ve always been on the grumpy side.”
She heard a muffled, rhythmic thump, no doubt as Jack gave his dad a brisk pat on the back.
“This is a good time for a fresh start for all of us. While Eric’s here for the summer, we’ll split this load between us, so don’t worry about it. Oh, and Dad, don’t forget. We knock off at five o’clock.”
“Good enough, I suppose. Just let me take a few of these files to my office and I’ll get started weeding some paperwork myself.” There was a long pause. “I’m working on this, son.”
“I know, Dad. Let me know how I can help. We’re in this together.”
There seemed to be a brief awkward silence. “Ugh, Jack, well, good to have you back. Son. Your mom and I missed you.”
Hailey stood motionless, wondering whether to start walking or stay where she was until Marshall Stinson was out of sight. Jack’s dad’s voice was certainly gruff. Even his admission he missed Jack had been crusty.
But she was pretty sure she detected a hint of … was it humility in Mr. Stinson’s voice? She knew what it must have taken for Jack to confront his father with love and honesty, man to man. It was another reason she’d grown to respect Jack. First came friendship, respect, and then … well, then she’d opened her eyes.
• • •
Jack watched his father stride to one of the massive file cabinets and sift through the sea of manila folders. The relief he felt that his father was even willing to attempt to work things out was almost overwhelming.
It was more than overwhelming. It was a miracle. Jack felt a wave of thankfulness. Maybe God listened after all. Hours of prayer and questions had accompanied him on the drive from Barnes to Cryder.
He had learned so much from Hailey. About loyalty. About family. About God.
Her desire to follow her father’s dream, even after his death, still touched him. She may have been a bit confused about God’s design for her life, but her passion and determination were incredible. Whatever she put her heart into was going to succeed, he had no doubt in his mind.
Jack didn’t want to wait until it was too late to work things out with his own dad. He wanted to communicate. To make things better for himself, his brother, and his parents.
He would be here as long as it took, to be a part of returning the business to the honorable, reasonably paced family business it was intended to be. He wanted his father to understand that. Jack might leave again when the time was right to find his own mission. Or maybe the joy of being at Brown Aeronautics would be restored and he’d never want to leave. But one thing he knew for sure: if there was another departure, it would be different from his first. He wouldn’t be escaping. He’d be growing. And if he had his way, there was someone special he hoped would be by his side.
Jack took a steady breath of the air around him. He no longer felt smothered by these four walls surrounding him. A keen sense of well-being filled him, and he thanked God for opening his eyes before it was too late.
Marshall Stinson turned to leave, a stack of folders bulging from under one arm. He stopped abruptly at the door and turned to Jack, fishing something from his shirt pocket. He tossed it to Jack. “Almost forgot.”
Jack caught it in his right hand and smiled back at his dad as the older man disappeared around the corner with brisk steps.
As Jack absently fiddled with the object, he lifted his head and spied Hailey leaning in the doorframe. His mouth opened in amazement, a mixture of shock and pleasure on his face. “How in the world did you … What are you doing here? Did you just fly in?”
His stunned expression prompted a mischievous smile to ruffle her lips. “I didn’t fly. I drove.”
She took another step into the office. “It’s a really, really long drive.”
“Believe me, I know.” He stood motionless, staring at her.
She stared back.
“Could we talk for a few minutes?” She motioned to a thick mahogany chair by his desk. “I know how busy you are. But, do you mind?”
“Are you kidding?” A stunned smile finally creased his face and he held the chair for her. “There are some big changes around here. Thanks to you.”
She took the seat he offered and set her purse down at her feet. “Thanks to God,” she reminded him. “For both of us.”
He didn’t move. He stood in front of his desk, less than two feet from the woman who had changed his life. I can’t believe this.
All he wanted to do was hold her. “I’m sorry for leaving you like that. But like I said in the note, we both had things to work out on our own.”
“Yes, we did.” Her eyes never left his.
“I had to face my father.” His voice was certain. “And you had to face yours.”
She nodded. “You’re right. Again.”
“The first thing I did when I returned home was look something up in my Bible.” He shook his head. “No, the first thing I did was find my Bible. Sure enough it was right where I left it. Buried in the back of my sock drawer. Anyway, I remembered a little plaque my great grandfather always had above his work bench. It was Ephesians 5:1.”
“Go on.”
He stretched across his desk and gripped a black leather bound Bible. He held it up for her to see. “This Book goes where I go from now on. My manual.” He turned the pages quickly. “Ephesians 5:1. Here it is.” He relaxed measurably.
“‘Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.’”
He closed the book gently, focusing his eyes on her face. “In all my deep thinking lately, I’ve come to realize that God gave us parents to guide and nurture us into adulthood. But then children must separate themselves from their parents and live as God calls them to live. Those parents aren’t perfect. Just humans. They don’t always know … ”
His voice trailed as he set the Bible on the desk and reached for Hailey, pulling her to her feet. “I don’t know why you’re here, but I’ve wanted to see you so badly that my heart aches. I know that my place is here for now, not to follow in my father’s professional footsteps, but to be the example of love and patience that my father never had in his life. That’s what God wants me to do right now.”
“I see.”
“No, I don’t think you do. I know you’re convinced that your place is to follow in your own father’s footsteps, but I hope and pray that in the future, if God chooses, that we can be together.”
“Jack — ”
He pulled her closer. “Don’t say it. I want you to know that I’m not going to rush you. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes. My prayer is that you’ll wait for me.”
She tilted her chin up and met his gaze head-on, making no attempt to move away from him. “No, Jack. I won’t. I won’t wait for you.”
“I understand.” He let out a slow sigh.
“Jack, I have more than just my father’s footsteps to follow. I have my mom’s. But most of all, I have Jesus’s. And now I truly know exactly where He’s leading me.”
“Wherever he leads you, Hailey, I hope you’ll always be happy.” His voice was reconciled. “I hope that your dreams will always come true.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I am happy.”
“I … I’m glad.” He merely stared, tongue-tied at her unanticipated display of affection. “So does that mean everything’s going to work out with your business?”
She shrugged with deceptive calm and let her arms drop from his neck. “In a matter of speaking, it has. I’ve decided to ground the business for now.”
“Are you saying that you’ve given up flying? I’m a little confused. Have you given up the dream?”
“Oh, Jack, the dream wasn’t mine to give up. And as for flying, I’d still love to do that. If it’s alright with you.”
After a few seconds, a dawning smiled etched his face and he dangled the key chain that he still held in his hand.
It was her turn to be astonished.
He gripped her hands in both of his, placing the key chain between her palms. “Here are the keys to your brand new Brown Skycat IV. Along with something else I want you to have.”
She opened her hands to find an exquisite diamond ring looped around the gold key chain. Her hands were braced on the edge of the desk in what he assumed was to keep her knees from buckling beneath her. She raised her eyes to meet his brown ones.
Jack scooped her into his arms. “Hailey Holman, will you be my pilot?”
She shook her head slowly. “No, Jack. But I will be your copilot.”