FAITH TO BELIEVE - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

         Monday morning Andi was all smiles as she entered the bank, and settled in to get her work done.

         Pete stopped by her office.  “How did it all go?  Though one look at you and I would say that was a pretty redundant question.”

         “Better than I expected if you’re talking about the courthouse.  The judge, though I didn’t know it at the time, had denied my petition to declare him dead.”

         “So you had a good weekend.  And Maddie?”

         “Wants a baby brother or sister.  She’s going to talk it over with God.”

         Pete laughed at that.  “And what about you?”

         “I’m very happy he’s back.”

         “I can see that.”

         “We’ll be looking for another car tonight after work, and in the near future be looking for a new home as well.”

         “Don’t forget who you work for.  You know the fantastic rates we can give you when you’re ready to start house hunting.  I take it he has a somewhat larger family in mind.”

         Andi blushed at that statement.  “I think I’ll get to work now.”

         She was disturbed to see Larry in the bank later that morning.  To her knowledge he didn’t bank with them.  He looked her way, but didn’t stop to say anything, for which she was grateful, and watched him leave a short while later.

         One of her co-workers entered her office when he left.  “Does your husband know about Larry?”

         “Hi Janet.  Yes.  They met on Thursday.  It was rather tense to say the least.”

         “Pete said he had been in a P.O.W. camp for the past four years.”

         “Yes.  He said it was a miracle from God that he was able to get out of there.”

         “So is he going to stay in the Navy?”

         “Yes.  We might even be moving.”

         “Pete said something about house hunting in the near future.”

         “Pete talks too much.”

         “We are all very happy for you, and only want to see you happy.”

         “I know.  Maddie wants a baby brother or sister.”

         “And is that a distinct possibility?”

         “What do you think?”

         “Is it true what Pete said, that you made him sleep on the couch on Friday night.”

         “Like I said.  Pete talks too much.  We had to make sure we were still married.”

         “And were you?”

         “You mean to tell me that Pete didn’t tell you?”

         “Yes.  He told us.  I’m happy for you.  Did Madeline enjoy her weekend with your parents?”

         “Yes, and it only furthered her resolve for a baby brother or sister.  Black foaled Saturday night.”

         “I bet she was happy about that.  Did she name it?”

         “Yes.  His name is Star Duster.”

         “Have you been to see the new colt?”

         “Not yet, but I’m sure we will be going out there soon.”

         “With as much as Madeline loves horses, maybe you should talk Terry into getting a farm.”

         “Maybe.  So what did Larry want?”

         “You mean Mr. Farin?  That’s Larry?”

         Her stomach knotted up at the thought of him.  “Yes.  That’s Larry.”

         “He opened an account.”

         Her heart sunk, and her smile disappeared.  She would see him regularly after that, whether she wanted to or not.

         “Cheer up.  He’s not looking for a house loan.”

         “I can only hope that I’m not here when he comes in again.”

         “Didn’t go well on Thursday night?”

         “Well enough.  You might say that Maddie took the bull by the horns and told him that her daddy was home and to leave.”

         “Just like that.”

         “Just like that.  You know Maddie.”

         “Pretty outspoken.”

         “Always has been since the day she started to talk.  I often wondered what all the creases in her face were when she looked at me before she could talk.  My guess is that she was forming some very strong opinions at that time.”

         “And what does she think of her father?”

         “Love at first sight.”

         “And Terry?  How did he handle the news that she was his, seeing as you hadn’t told him before he disappeared?”

         “He was stunned.  The look on his face was amazing.  I know that he loves her very much.”

         “I’m glad for you.  I had best get back to my window.”

         The phone rang on her desk and she picked it up.  “Andi Kearney.”

         “Mrs. Kearney, how would you like to join me for a lunch date?  Say in fifteen minutes?”

         Her heart skipped a beat, as her face lit up in a smile, and she forgot all about Larry.  “Fifteen minutes?  I can do that.”

         “I’ll pick you up.  Be ready.”

         “What did you have in mind?”

         “That’s my surprise.”

         “I’ll be ready, though I usually only get a half hour.”

         “I just want you to know that I intend to spend every spare moment with you.  Watching you work if it comes to that.”

         “I’ll be ready in fifteen.”

         “Ten.  We’ve talked for five.”

         “Ten then.”  She put the receiver down and went in search of Pete.  “Do you mind if I take my lunch now?”

         He looked at his watch.  “Sure.  What time is he coming to get you?”

         “Five minutes.”

         “Have a good lunch.  Don’t keep him waiting.”

         She looked up to see him come through the door.  “Thanks.”

         He escorted her out to the car.  “As much as I would love to take you home and have a very different kind of lunch, we’ll wait until later.  I made reservations.”

         “That was quick.  Where?”

         “House of Steak.”

         “But I only have a half hour.”

         “And I’m a starved man.  I haven’t had a look at you, or heard your voice in-”  He looked at his watch.  “Three hours, twenty minutes, and twelve seconds.”

         “Has it been that long?”

         “I get an hour for lunch.  I think you just might have to quit your job.”

         “I couldn’t do that.  What would I do all day long?”

         “Take care of Maddie, and be available to me.”

         “What about when you leave again.  I’ll need to have a job just to keep busy until you come home again, especially if it’s as long as the last time.”

         He pulled into the parking lot, and helped her out.  They received stares by other people who didn’t get as good a service by their significant others.  He smiled at them as he led her into the restaurant.

         “We have some unfinished conversation,” Terry said.

         “It’ll take a lot longer than a brief half hour to tell you what you want to know.”

         He looked at the waitress.  “Table for two, for Mr. and Mrs. Kearney.”

         “Yes, Mr. Kearney.”  She led them to a table in an intimate corner.  “I’ll be right out with your lunch.”

         Andi looked at him in surprise.  “You already ordered for us?”

         “I knew you only had a half hour.  I didn’t want to waste it waiting for it to get cooked and to us.”

         “You are truly amazing.  I think that’s why I love you so much.”

         “So tell me about Larry.”

         “He came into the bank this morning.”  She looked at him and hastened on to explain.  “I didn’t talk to him.  I found out that he opened an account.”

         “You’ve known him for a year.  Did you?”

         “No!  I wasn’t unfaithful, not once.  Even though everyone believed, you were dead.  I would never have considered that before I remarried.”

         Their waitress set their lunch in front of them, and she saw she would be able to eat it and get back to work on time.  Barely.

         “I won’t share you with anyone.”

         “I don’t want to be shared with anyone.  I love you.  You must know that.”

         “I just want to be sure where Larry is concerned.”

         “You don’t need to worry about him.”

         “He opened an account at your bank.”

         “That doesn’t mean that I will be having an active relationship with him.”

         “Did you love him?”

         “Not really.  No.  I tolerated him more for my mom’s sake.  She introduced us.”

         “Did he ever push you to a more intimate relationship?”

         “You’re completely jealous.”

         “And don’t I have a right to be?  I’ve thought of no one else in four years.  He wasn’t exactly what I expected to see when I got home.”

         “And I didn’t expect you to come back from the dead either.  Imagine my shock when I saw you on the couch when I walked in.”

         “I saw it on your face.”

         “And you doubt me after the weekend that we had?”

         “Just verifying where I stand with you.”

         “Where you’ve always stood with me.”  She looked at her watch.  “I have to get back.”

         “You haven’t touched your sandwich.”

         “I’ll just have to take it with me.”

         “Did Madeline like him?”

         “Not particularly.  She was jealous of the time he took away from her, where I was concerned.”

         “Seems to run in the family.”

         He gave her one of his smiles that she had treasured the whole time he had been gone.  “Must.  So put your doubts aside, and trust me.  I have never been unfaithful to you.  I love you too much.  I always have.”

         He motioned to the waitress.  “Wrap up our lunch.  We’ll take it with us.”

         “Yes Mr. Kearney.”  She hurried away and came back with a couple boxes for their sandwiches.

         He escorted her back to the car and set the boxes on the back seat.  He saw her safely seated before he took her back to the bank.  “Remember what I said.  I love you to all distraction, and if that means I have to get rid of all your past lovers, I will.  I want you all to myself.”

         “There aren’t any past lovers, and that goes for Larry as well.  We never got past the dating stage.  Though I think he was getting ready to move to the next stage.”

         “Then I got home just in time.”  He pulled into the bank parking lot, and helped her out.  “I’ll be here right at five.”

         “I’ll be ready.”  He gave her a very passionate kiss, before he looked into her passion filled eyes.  “That will have to sustain me until I pick you up.”

         “Yes.”  She turned towards the bank and found there were witnesses to that very passionate kiss, with one look at the windows.  “We’ve been caught.”

         “Good.  They know just how much I love you.  I’ll see you at five.”  He gave her another quick kiss before she went back into the bank, her lunch forgotten on the back seat of the car.

         Pete met her as she entered the bank.  “Kind a long lunch.  How was it?”

         Andi looked up at him, and realized that her lunch was still on the back seat.  “I didn’t get a chance to eat.”

         He gave her a knowing look.  “I see.  Will there be any more of those non lunch dates?”

         “We went to lunch, at House of Steak to be exact.  In fact, my lunch is on the back seat of my car, which he has until we get another, if you really want to know.  Why is it that all I’m doing today is explaining myself?”

         She left him, went into her office, sat down in her chair, as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.  He didn’t trust her.

         Pete followed her into her office and closed the door behind him.  “Okay.  What’s happened?  You know I care about you.”

         “You also tell everything to everybody here.”

         “Only what you voluntarily talk about.  If there is something that you don’t want to go any further, you only have to say so.”

         “Please Pete.  Not right now.  I know you mean well.  I have a lot to do before five o’clock, when he’ll be picking me up from work.  We’re going to get a new car and celebrate with Maddie afterwards.”

         “Are you sure?  I don’t want to see tear stains on the paperwork.”

         She looked up at him, and tried to stem the flow of her tears.  “You’re not worried about tear stains.”

         “No I’m not.  I’m worried about you.  What can I do?”

         She looked up at him, and tried to smile.  “Nothing Pete, thanks anyway.  I’ll let you know when I need a shoulder to lean on.”

         “All right, I’ve known you long enough I guess to let sleeping dogs lie.”

         She looked up at him at that.  “And what does that mean?”

         “It means that I’ve known you almost from my first day here.  In four years, I’ve seen every possible emotion from you.  I know when you want to be alone, but my door is open anytime you want to unload.  Remember that time when Maddie was sick.  I thought you were going to go over the deep end on me.  I’m here to help.”

         “I’ll keep that in mind.  Thanks.  I have to work through this one by myself.”

         He left her alone and she got back to her work, though her concentration was spotty at best.  She couldn’t believe he wouldn’t trust her, but then would she trust him?  He had been gone for four years.  How would she feel if there had been another woman in his life?  She knew the answer to that as a spark of instant jealousy at the thought hit her in the pit of her stomach.

         A knock sounded on her door, and Janet poked her head in.  “Sorry to interrupt.  The Markesan’s are here to talk about a house loan.”

         “I’m all ready for them.”

         For the next hour, she focused her attention on the Markesan’s and their loan, approved for a thirty-year arm.  With a five year fixed rate for the first five years.  She went over the terms of the loan and watched as they signed all the documents, then set up the meeting with the realtor and current homeowner to set the closing on the house.

         It was four forty-five when she looked up the clock.  It had been a good day.  She had gotten a lot done despite the fact he upset her with his mistrust of her.

         Terry entered her office at five minutes to five.  “Ready to go?”

         She looked up at him and her stomach quivered with a sense of fear that he would bring up Larry again.  “Almost.  It’s not yet five.”

         He took a seat in front of her desk.  “You left your lunch in the back seat.”

         “I know.”

         “You must be hungry then.”

         She closed down her computer, straightened her desk and reached for her purse.  “I’m ready.  They’ll be expecting us at the daycare.”

         “I know you’re angry.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize how jealous I was until I saw Larry at the house the first night I returned.”

         She looked at him.  “How could you not trust me?  We knew each other a good while before you disappeared on me.  I don’t accuse you of being unfaithful to me in all that time.”

         “I’m sorry.  You’re right.  I’ll be preaching again starting Sunday.”

         “That’s good.  I’m glad for you.”  She stood to her feet and preceded him out of the office.

         He handed her into the car and saw her safely buckled.  “Look I’m sorry.”

         “I know.  Pete was worried about me when I got back.”

         “Who’s Pete?”

         “My supervisor and the person I have to go through in order to take off for any reason.”

         “I’m sorry.  I’ve just missed so much of your life.  I was gone longer than we knew each other before we were married.  I want you all to myself.”

         “Then we should rethink having all those children you mentioned yesterday.”

         He pulled into the daycare parking lot and they went in to get Madeline.  She was the bright spot in their day, as she ran and jumped into his arms at sight of him.

         “Pizza!”

         “Yes that’s right, but first we’re going to get a new car so that we can do everything we need to do,” Terry said.

         “I pick,” Madeline said.

         Terry hugged her close and kissed her cheek.  “All right, you can pick.”

         Andi grinned.  “Now you’ve done it.  We’ll end up with Barbie’s convertible,”

         He looked at her and saw the smile on her face again.  “Whatever she wants, and that goes for you too.  Shall we?”

         “You just need to sign her out,” Jessica said.

         “Yes of course.”  Terry took the clipboard from her and signed his name to the sheet next to her name, and handed it back to her.

         They visited several car dealers, before they found one that Madeline liked.  Andi and Terry tried to talk her into a minivan, SUV, station wagon, or car any kind.  She looked at all of them, and with her face scrunched up, and finger on the side of her face, shook her head at all of them.

         Terry looked at one salesperson after another.  “Sorry.  If Moppet doesn’t like it, we aren’t getting it.  I promised her she could pick out the next car.”

         “Then I’m talking to the wrong person here.  Young lady what is it that you want in a car?” the salesperson said.

         “Well.”  She thought again with her finger on her face, and then looked up at him.  “It has to be purple.”

         “We can do that.  What else?”

         “Big.  We’re going to have a baby.”

         He looked at her parents.  “Is that so?  I think we can accommodate that request also.”

         Andi colored.  “We aren’t pregnant yet.  She’s hoping for a brother or sister for Christmas.  She said she would talk it over with God and Jesus last night when we put her to bed.”

         “He told me that I would have my brother in time for Christmas,” Madeline said.

         “I thought you wanted a sister because brothers are mean,” Terry said.

         “Jesus said that you want a boy, and that he would be nice to me.  So I told him okay.”

         The salesperson smiled in amusement at their little girl.  “I see, so it needs to be purple and big enough for a family.  What else?”

         Madeline thought for a little bit.  “Play discs.”  She nodded her head a thoughtful look on her face.

         “I can do that too.  Let me show you what we have.”  He led them back out to the lot, and showed her a row of minivans.  He went over to a purple one.  “How’s this?”

         Madeline looked at it.  Went all around it, and came back to him.  “No.”

         “Your daughter is a tough sell,” the salesperson said.

         “She has always known what she wants,” Andi said.

         “Okay, then we’ll take a look at what else we have in purple, big, and plays discs, but if you see something before I do, you will let me know, okay?”

         “Okay.”  She went with them through the lot, and stopped in front of a full sized van, in two shades of purple.  She looked it over and saw that there were doors on both sides and in back, and had windows all over.  “See inside.”

         “Certainly,” the salesperson opened the door for her and she went in to see the soft cushioned seats, and a bench seat at the back, behind a set of captain’s seats, which were behind the front seats.  She looked at the dashboard, and saw that it played discs.  “Would you like me to turn on the car so you can see the way the dashboard lights up?”

         She looked at him for only a moment.  “Yes.”

         He got in the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition.  “The disc player is right here with the radio.  There’s a clock so that you know what time it is, and it changes when the clocks go from daylight to standard time.  The seats move forward and back with the touch of a button, and the bench seat can lay flat if you need to sleep on a long trip.  There is easy heat control, which you can preset.  Power locks, and brakes.  Air conditioning, and when your mother has the baby, she will be able to get the baby into the car easily with this remote control that opens either side door, without having to manually open it if her hands are full.  As you can see, there is lots of room.  What do you think?”

         Madeline paid attention to everything he said.  “How much?”

         He looked from her to her parents.  “Does she understand pricing too?”

         “She’s played the game of Life a lot.  She also watches this show on television about cars,” Andi said.

         “She’s a little girl.  Shouldn’t she be into dolls, and that sort of thing?” the salesperson shook his head.

         “Oh she is, and a lot of other things.  Maddie has a mind of her own, and isn’t easily swayed,” Andi said.

         “Are you trading your car?” the salesperson said.

         “If we do that we would have to buy two cars,” Terry said.

         Madeline looked at the seats, ran her hands over them and looked at him.  “Are seats waterproof?”

         The salesperson was as surprised by that question as her parents were.  He looked at the sales sheet on the car, and found what he was looking for.  “Yes, as a matter of fact.  They’re leather seats”

         Madeline nodded approval.  “How much?”

         “Twenty-eight.”

         “No!”  Madeline got out of the van and started to walk away.

         They all stood there perplexed.  She could just walk away from a car that she was that interested in.  The salesperson went into action.

         He caught up to her.  “Twenty-six.”

         “Twenty.”  It was a firm offer, which she gave with a nod to her head.

         “I don’t know.”  The salesperson hedged.

         Madeline stood with her hands on her hips as she stared at him.  “My daddy just got home from the war.  I want a baby brother, and I want my mommy and daddy to be happy, and my daddy not to go away again.  Twenty!”

         They all stared at her.  Andi wondered about her expression.  True she had been upset since lunch and had only gotten away from her thoughts when she had been with the Markesan’s.

         “Well now.  Let me see what we can do for you.  Twenty you said.”

         She nodded her head again as she stared up at him.  “Yup!”

         He turned to her father.  “You just came home from the war.  What action did you see?”

         “I was in a P.O.W. camp for four years.”

         The salesperson took in his appearance, his uniform, and the cap on his head.  “Either you have a daughter who knows her mind and what she wants, or you’ve done a good job of coaching her.”

         Madeline looked between him and her parents.  “We go.  He’s not fair.  I don’t like him.”

         She walked back to their car and waited until they got there to set her in her car seat.

         The salesperson was quick to go over to them.  “All right, you have a strong-willed daughter, who happens to know a lot more than any other three year olds.  Twenty it is and no finance charges, or interest because you were in the war, and a P.O.W.  Though you will have to prove that last.”

         “I can do that.”  Terry pulled out his I.D.  “Here you are.”

         The salesperson looked it over.  “All right, we can get the papers taken care of right away.  Did you want to drive it off the lot?”

         “Look it over,” Madeline said.

         The salesperson looked over at her.  “I’ll have van in the garage right away, and have our maintenance man go over it before you sign the papers.”

         “Good.  We’re going to celebrate with pizza.  We’ll be back in an hour and expect to see a full report on the van.  I will say that she has very good taste,” Terry said.

         “That she does.  All right, I’ll see to it the van is ready in one hour.  I’ll have our man go over it and prepare a full report by the time you get back,” the salesperson said.

         “Look now daddy.”

         “What?”  Terry looked at her, and saw her hands on her hips again as she looked at him.

         “You look now.”

         “All right.”  He turned to the salesperson.

         “Yes of course.  She drives a hard bargain.  Tell me does she watch Car and Truck Driver?”

         “Yes.  That’s the one.  It comes on every Saturday morning,” Andi said.

         “I thought so.  All right.  Child should watch cartoons.”

         “Don’t like cartoons.  Not real,” Madeline said.

         “Okay let’s take a look, and then we will go have our pizza while the maintenance man goes over the car and gives it a thorough check up.  How’s that,” Terry said.

         “Yup!”

         They went back over to the van, and Terry looked under the hood, looked under the van, and checked all the things that the maintenance man would check on.  “Looks good.  I see no problems.  Mind if we take it around the block?”

         “I’ll even go with you,” the salesperson said.

         “Okay Moppet we’ll get your car seat and take it for a drive around the block, and listen to it.  Okay?’

         “Yup!”

         Andi went to get the car seat and returned with it moments later.  Madeline helped her to put it in the seat, and then crawled up into it.  “Ready.”

         The salesperson got in the seat next to her.  “Who’s going to be the primary driver of this van?”

         “My wife,” Terry said.

         “You’re getting a bargain,” the salesperson said.

         Terry turned the key in the ignition and pulled it out of the lot.  It handled very well.  Sounded good.  Didn’t slip.  Turned well.  Didn’t stall.  He pulled back into the lot.  “Well Moppet, what did you think back there?”

         “Good.”

         “You can leave it right by the garage doors there,” the salesperson said.

         Terry did so, and they all got out.  Andi took the car seat out and stood next to Madeline.  It was a real beauty of a van.  “I like it too, if my vote counts.”          

         “Always.  I just wanted to make sure that we had Maddie’s approval since we said she could pick it out,” Terry said.

         “Pizza now,” Madeline said.

         Terry turned to the salesperson.  “We’ll be back in one hour.”

         “We’ll have it ready for you,” the salesperson said.

         They turned and went back to their car.  Terry watched as Andi got her back in the car.  He looked her in her eyes, and brought his lips to hers in a quick kiss.  “Interesting.  Tell me.  How long have you had this car?”

         He saw her safely settled in the car.  “I got it when I started working at the bank.”

         “So that was before she was born?”

         “Yes.  Shortly after you disappeared.  I realized that I had to do something if we were going to survive without you.”

         He pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the Pizza Palace.  “You won’t need to worry about that anymore.  Unless you get a telegram from the Pentagon, I don’t want you to even think about finding another husband.”

         “I won’t.  I promise.  I kind a like your jealous streak.  I’m surprised I didn’t see it before we were married.”

         “I’m surprised you didn’t notice.  I wanted you all to myself, and when I finally realized that, I couldn’t wait to get my ring on your finger and take full claim of you.”

         “So have there been any other women in your life since you were gone?”

         “Not a single one.  None came close to comparing with you, and none ever will.”

         “You trust me then?”

         He turned to her just for a split second then put his eyes back on the road.  “Yes.  I trust you.  I just wanted to know about Larry.”

         “Larry bad,” Madeline said.

         She had been so quiet they almost forgot she was in the back seat.  “Why do you say that, Moppet?”

         “I don’t like him.  Glad you home.  He go away now.”

         “We won’t be able to keep anything from her.  You realize that don’t you?”  Andi said.

         “I realized that at the dealership.”  He pulled into the Pizza Palace parking lot, and soon escorted them inside where they found an inside game and play yard for the kids.  “Nice.  So what do we do?  Get tokens of some sort for her to play on all these games and things?”

         “Something like that yes.  Only not tokens.  The amount of our purchase will determine what she will be able to do, though the play yard is free.  As you can see.”

         He watched as she rushed off to the play yard.  “Maddie come back here.”

         She turned back to them, and held out her hand, palm down.  The game person put a stamp on the back of her hand, and then she ran off to play.

         “Does she like pizza or just like to come here to play?”

         “Both.  She likes pizza very well, and I must say that they do make a very good pizza.  One of the best pizza places in town,” Andi said.

         “When I left four years ago this was just built.”

         “As you can see it’s a big hit.”

         “Do they have that hokey stage show with computer puppets?’

         “Yes.  It’s quite funny actually.  Maddie loves it, and you should hear her laugh and giggle at their antics.”

         “I can’t wait.  It looks like we’ll be coming here often.”

         “A good place to kiss and make up.”

         “I have a better place for that.”

         Andi could see his love and desire in his expression.  “Though I don’t want to fight very often.  We don’t need a reason to kiss.”

         “No we don’t, and I do love kissing you, and other things.”  His voice had been quiet as they talked just between themselves.

         “Can I help you folks today?” the boy behind the counter said.

         “Yes.”  Andi looked at the menu.  “Cheese, mushroom, beef, and pineapple.  Large.”

         “And to drink?”

         “Pitcher of root beer, no ice,” Andi said.

         “Breadsticks, buffalo wings?’

         She looked at Terry.  This is our celebration what do you think?”

         “Breadsticks, and that dessert pizza, apple.”

         “We won’t be back to the dealer in time,” Andi said.

         “I have his card.  I’ll give him a call and let him know it will probably be an hour and a half.”

         “Good idea.”

         He pulled out his cell phone, and the business card.  “Yes, this is Mr. Kearney.  Let Wayne know that we’ll be closer to an hour and a half before we get back to the dealership – That will be good – Yes Wayne.  We’re at the Pizza Palace.  It may be closer to an hour and a half.  Will that be good for you? – Good, see you then.”

         Andi had their token and table number, when he had finished the call.  “Where do you want to sit?”

         “Close to the action, and that stage show you said Maddie liked.”

         “This way then.”  Andi led the way to an open area where tables were set up for birthday parties, and had booths along the side, so that they could have easy access to the stage.  “When did you get the cell phone?”

         “This afternoon.  I figured it would come in handy.”

         “I take it you weren’t at the office then when you called earlier.”

         “I was on my way to get you.”

         “And here I thought you were just a fast driver.”

         “I don’t like wasting time.”

         She read the message both in his eyes and by what he said.  “I know.”

         The pizza arrived at the same time that the stage show started.  Madeline also appeared at the same time and sat beside her father.  “Having fun Moppet?”

         “Yup!  You too?  Mommy not sad no more?”

         “I’m fine Maddie.  You don’t have to worry about Daddy and me,” Andi said.

         “Good.”  She took a bite out of the pizza Terry put on her plate, and turned to watch the show.

         Terry watched and laughed right along with her.

         It was a full hour and a half before they got back to the dealership.  He looked over the maintenance check and found everything in order.  “Looks good.  Let’s do it.”

         Fifteen minutes later they drove a two-tone purple van from the lot with so many amenities it was enough to make the head spin.  Terry had a thoughtful look on his face.

         “Not yet,” Andi said.

         “Not yet, what?  I didn’t say anything.”

         “I could see your wheels working as you looked at that sales sticker.  It won’t drive itself, but it will give directions, and send out a help signal if we need it.”

         He looked at her a smile on his face.  “You still read me like a book.  I’ll meet you at the house.”

         “Yes.”  She received a kiss then watched as he got in the car beside the van.  She loved the drive and feel of it.  It handled well, and she liked the fact that she could see around traffic.  “How are you doing back there?”

         “Good.  Like van.  Very pretty.”

         “Yes it is.  Very pretty.”  Andi kept her eyes on the red car in front of her and pulled in the driveway.  She waited for him to open the two-car garage and pulled in beside him.

         He opened her door and helped her out, and then went to get Madeline.  “So what do you want to do now?”

         “Game?” Madeline said.

         “No.  You’ve had enough fun for one night.  It’s time for bed,” Andi said.

         “Read story first,” Madeline said.

         “Yes, we’ll read a story first, and then listen to your prayers, and then it’s in bed with you.  Mommy and Daddy have to work tomorrow,” Andi said.

         “We also have to get the van registered tomorrow as well,” Terry said.

         “Want to do that during lunch?”

         “I’ll do that during lunch.  I have more time.”

         “But it’s going to need my signature.”

         “I’ll go early and get the forms, and bring them by the bank to sign.”

         “It’s good that the financing went through my bank.  The payments can come out automatically.”

         “Let’s get Moppet to bed, and take an early night ourselves,” Terry said.

         “What do you want me to read to you tonight?” Andi said.

         “Daddy read.  Men in fiery furnace.”

         “All right.  Get up on my lap, and I’ll tell you the story of the four men in the fiery furnace.”  Terry sat in the rocking chair in her room and pulled her into his lap.

         Madeline got her Bible Story book and gave it to him.  “Read.  I see pictures.”

         “All right.”  He opened it up to the story she wanted read to her.  She laid her head on his shoulder and looked at the book while he began to read.  “A long time ago there was a king in Babylon who commanded that a big statue be made, and that everyone in the whole country should bow down to it.  If they didn’t the king would cast them into the fire and burn them to death.”

         Madeline looked up into his face.  “You were in fire weren’t you, Daddy?”

         “Yes Moppet.  I came out of a fire.”  His thoughts went back four years ago for just a moment, then went back to the book in his hands.  “The gold statue was very tall.  Everyone could see it no matter where they were.  They knew that when the music started they were to bow down to it, but not everyone bowed down.  Three Jewish boys refused to bow down to the statue.  They knew who the true God was and they would not bow to a false god.  When the men in charge found out, they brought those three Hebrew children before the king.  He got very angry with them, but he gave them one more chance.  The king sent them back out to the statue, and the music played again, and again the three boys didn’t bow down.  Again they went back to the king, who was even angrier at them.  The boys looked at the king and told him that no matter what he did, they weren’t going to bow down to his statue.  Those Hebrew children knew who the true God was, and even if they died in the fire, they were quite certain that their God would take care of them.  The king got so angry that he had the furnace heated up seven times hotter.  Then he had the three boys thrown into the furnace.  With the furnace heated seven times hotter, the heat of the furnace killed the men who threw the Hebrew children in, but they walked around in the furnace free of their bonds.  Surprised the king and those with him looked in the furnace.  Four men walked around in the fire.  Stunned the king studied them, and saw that the fourth man looked like the Son of God, and commanded the three Hebrew children to come out of the furnace.  When they came out, they didn’t even smell like smoke, the fired hadn’t touched them.  With the evidence in front of him, the king fell on his knees and commanded everyone that they must obey the God of the Jews who could save His people from a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal.  Then the king made the three boys governors over three of his provinces.”  Terry closed the book.  “Okay, that’s the end.”

         “The fourth man in the fire was Jesus,” Madeline said.

         Terry looked at her amazed.  “Yes it was.”

         “You didn’t have any smoke on you either, did you daddy?”

         “No I didn’t.  None of us did.  We weren’t hurt in any way.  Just like the boys in the story.”

         “Did the Fourth man lead you out of camp?”

         Andi looked at her, and at Terry.  “She has a very good memory.  She listened to every word you said yesterday at church.”

         “Yes Moppet, the Man who led us out of the prison camp, was the Fourth Man.  Now how about you get into bed and get some sleep?”

         “Prayers,” Madeline said.

         “Of course,” Terry said.

         Madeline got down from his lap and kneeled on the floor by her bed.  “Jesus, thank you for bringing Daddy home.  Thank you for my baby brother that will be here by Christmas.  I love you Jesus.  Keep my Daddy safe and my Mommy safe, and me safe.  Amen.”

         Terry had tears in his eyes as he listened to the simple prayer.  She turned to him and gave him a big hug and kiss.

         “Don’t cry Daddy.”

         “I’m just very happy that you are my little girl.  I love you very much.”

         “I love you too Daddy.”  She gave him a big hug and kiss, and then went to her mother listened in the other chair in the room.  “Night mommy.”

         “Night Munchkin.  Sweet dreams.”  She gave her a hug and kiss, and with Terry tucked her up and gave her another kiss, before they left the room, leaving the door just a fraction open.

         Terry led Andi back to their room, and turned her into his embrace a short while later.  “We have a very amazing little girl.”

         “Yes we do.  She has amazed me on many occasions, not least of all today.”

         “You’ve done a good job with her Andi.  I can see that you’ve read to her a lot.”

         “Every night.  She asks many questions, and accepts that God is going to keep her safe.  Just like the three men in the fiery furnace.”

         “She had a lot of fun at Pizza Palace.”

         “Like I said, it’s one of her favorite places.”

         “So will you get upset again if I ask you about Larry?”

         “No.  I won’t get upset.  I met Larry Farin a year ago like I said.  My mother introduced us.  He works in construction.”

         “So he’s never been in the military?”

         “He was but he only served four years.”

         “Put in his time and got out.”

         “Yes.  Anyway mom introduced us, and I went out with him, not often at first, then he started calling or coming over every night.  We would go out on the weekend.”          

         “Where would you go?”

         “Dinner, movie, sometimes a combination of them both.”

         “He never tried anything with you?”

         “You don’t trust me?”

         “I trust you.  I want to know what he was like.  Maddie doesn’t like him.  Why?”

         “He did start talking a couple months ago about getting married.”

         “So.”

         “I always put him off.  Maddie didn’t like him.”

         “Does he go to church?”

         “I never saw him there, and he wouldn’t go with me.”

         “And he thought he wanted to marry you?”

         “I was trying to find a way to tell him I didn’t want to see him anymore when you showed up and took the situation out of my hands.”

         “Did you kiss him at all?”

         She hesitated at that point, and he looked at her.  “All right, yes we kissed, but nothing more.  I promise.  It wasn’t the same as it is with you.  Your kisses make my pulses race, and my heart trips over itself.  His left me feeling like something was missing.  It just wouldn’t have worked between us.  Not like with you.  You’re the other half of me.  You make my pulses race just to look at you.  You make my heart beat faster and trip over itself.  The sight of you makes me want to be in your arms, all the time, and love you.  I never felt that way about anybody else and never will.  You are my life.  How could I possibly want anybody else?”

         His eyes gleamed with his desire for her.  “And that’s why the mere thought of you was enough to keep me going from one day to the next in that prison camp.  So okay, what kind of person is he?”

         “What do you mean?”

         “Is he vengeful?  Now that I’m back will he get back at you or me?”

         “I don’t think so.”

         “Well that’s one thing in your favor.”

         “You’re not angry with me?”

         “Of course not.  I love you, no matter what.  Though I wouldn’t have liked it if you would have given him any more of your favors.”

         “I told you.  I’m not like that.”

         “I know.  You were still a virgin on our wedding night.”  He held nothing back as he ravished her lips and her body before sleep claimed them both.

         “They killed another one today,” Carl said.

         “I know.  Assemble everyone, we’ll have a service.”

         “They’ve already thrown the body into the pit,” Carl said.

         Terry looked around him.  The air was hot and dry, leaving his throat parched for the taste of water.  The sky overhead was merciless without a cloud in sight.  It hadn’t rained in longer than he could remember.  “We’ll still have a service.  I’m not going to allow them to think that they can make me forget who God is.”

         “All right.”

         Carl went off and Terry turned to the Bible in his hands.  He carried it everywhere.  He had nearly memorized the book of Job.  ‘For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.’

         Terry looked at the assembled men.  Gaunt.  Their clothes tattered.  He stood in front of them.  The guards stood at their posts, or walked in the midst of them, and hit them with the end of their rifle butts.  They laughed and scorned, and mocked their God, and said that Allah was the one they should worship and pay homage to.

         Terry ignored them as he looked down at his Bible and began to read the passage he always used for funeral services.  He held at least one funeral service a day, and sometimes more.

         He looked out at the men and women he had gotten to know over the course of time since he had been there.  In some he saw the loss of hope, in others he saw the gleam of light kindled that told him they would fight for what they believed in.

         He closed the service with a hymn familiar to everyone, and they went their way.  Another of their own safely in God’s eternal hands.

         “They’re giving out the water rations,” Carl said.

         “Then we had better get in line.”  A scorpion ran across the ground in front of him and he turned an eye to the sky.  “It’s a wonder anything else lives in this place.”

         “You call this living?” Carl said.

         “No.  You’re right.  This is surviving.  We’ll get home.”

         “You say that every day.  We’ve been here for-”

         “Five hundred and sixty one days.  I marked it down this morning.”

         “We don’t know what day this is, but you know how long we’ve been in this wretched place.”

         “I know how long we’ve been here, and I know how long I’ve been away from Andi.  I worry about her every day, and hope that she’s all right.”

         “You weren’t married very long when they sent us here.”

         “Six months.  We’ve been here longer than the total time I knew her.”

         “And yet you believe we’ll get home again.  I miss Christine too, and the kids.  I worry that they’ll be all right.”

         “We have to trust our wives and children to God’s care, because there is nothing we can do about them here.”

         “Have you thought about how we’re going to escape from this hell?”

         “I leave that in God’s hands.  I only know that we will.  We have work to do here.  We’ll leave when our mission is completed.”

         “And if we die first?”

         “We will complete our mission either way.”  He held out his cup, and received his ration of water.

         Carl held out his cup, and received the same amount.  “Not enough to take the dust out of my throat.”

         “Enough to keep us alive.”

         “For what?”

         “Whatever God intends.  Remember what Paul said?  We aren’t their prisoners.  We are prisoners of Christ.  This is a holy war we fight, and have fought since long before I was born.  The beginning of this century saw changes in everything.  The way we think, act, and fight.  Nothing ever stays the same, though nothing ever changes.”

         “If nothing stays the same, how can it not change?”

         “Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun, what used to be will be again.  As I study the way the Hebrew people fought their battles, it was barbaric, but not more so than it is here and now.  When King Saul asked David to get him a hundred foreskins as a dowry for his daughter, David gave him two hundred.  When the Philistines killed Saul and his sons in battle, they hung their heads on spikes on the wall.  There’s nothing different between then and now.  We just haven’t given any thought to what we read in the Bible, and how detailed and graphic their wars were.  This is the same culture.  Just not the same war.”

         “But I don’t remember reading anywhere in the Bible that they sliced off a man’s head.  It was quick.  A single quick slice, like when David cut off Goliath’s head.”

         “But there is still beheading going on here, and rape, and people dropped in boiling oil.  Burned alive.  Nothing’s new.  It’s all the same.  They are out to prove that our God can’t help us, or set us free.”

         “Sometimes even I wonder if He can.”

         “Never doubt.  There is nothing they can do to us that God can’t keep us from, we only have to trust and believe.”

         “Trust and believe.  You’ve been preaching that same sermon since we got here.”

         “And I’ll keep preaching that sermon until we get out of here.”

         “The least they could do is treat us like humans.”

         “They don’t have to treat us as humans.  To them we are no more than dogs.”

         “I saw a man fight a dog over a bone just yesterday.”

         “I saw it too.  It was a human bone the dog had found.”

         “The dogs are better fed than we are.”

         “The dogs eat our dead bodies.  Do you want to do that too?”

         “Are you sure we’re not?”

         “No.”

         Terry and Carl heard a scream from somewhere across the camp and looked to see a guard attack and rape a woman.  It wasn’t one of their own, for which Terry was grateful.  When the guard completed his work, he cut out her tongue, and ate it.

         Terry opened his eyes, and stared into the darkness.  He dripped with sweat as he turned to see his wife beside him.  He got up and went in to take a shower, and wash the memories away.