Just Above a Whisper (9 page)

“I didn’t expect word to be out this fast,” she told her.

“Well, it is, and my offer is an honest one.”

Reese’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t even pay you a normal room and board. How is your offer an honest one?”

“I know you, Reese. Even if I told you to sit around and do nothing, you would still work around my house.”

“I don’t even know how much I’ll be home, Mrs. Greenlowe. For all I know, Mr. Jenness plans to work my fingers to the bone.”

“Don’t you mention that man’s name to me!” Mrs. Greenlowe was instantly upset. “What could he be thinking? And Zantow! Owing money like that.”

Reese had to smile. Mrs. Greenlowe could be so feisty. Seeing the smile, that lady calmed almost immediately and smiled back at Reese. The younger woman shook her head, glancing at the three other occupants of the room.

“I don’t know why we’re having this discussion in your parlor, Alison. You have better things to do.”

“Nothing that I can think of. And besides, I wouldn’t want to miss this.”

Reese sighed quietly, more shaken by all of this than she wanted the others to know.

“I have until Monday to be out of Mr. Zantow’s house. I think I’ll take the weekend to decide what I should do.”

Doc MacKay wanted it settled immediately, but Douglas spoke first.

“That’s fine, Reese. Remember that you have at least two options, and if you want to bounce ideas off of us, you know you can.”

Reese nodded and said she had best get home and back to work. Alison gave her a hug, and Mrs. Greenlowe reiterated her offer before leaving. Douglas saw Reese and the doctor out the door soon after.

“Are you all right?” Doc MacKay checked on the walk back.

“I think so. It’s all such a surprise. With so little warning, my world has been turned on its head.”

The doctor agreed, still wishing he could do more for Reese, and Reese herself wishing she wasn’t so helpless in the situation.

Had they but known it, Douglas was in the same boat. He returned to his office, his heart in turmoil, and then decided some air might help. After telling Alison he was headed out, he took a walk toward the woods, thinking and praying.

He wanted to trust God for this, but it was testing him. He feared for Reese’s safety if the bank manager sent her all over town on her own. Douglas couldn’t picture why a bank would do this, and that made him even more uneasy.

Walking swiftly, Douglas prayed and asked God to protect Reese and put His saving hand on Mr. Jenness. He was confident that God had a plan and knew that his job was to trust and keep obeying.

A face and a name popped into Douglas’ mind so fast that he stopped walking. He’d been so taken with Mr. Zantow’s death, Jace’s and Maddie’s conversions, and Reese’s problems, that he had forgotten there was something he could do.

Douglas made a beeline for home. He had a letter to write, and the sooner he sent it, the better.

Four

“Jace,” Reese called, approaching him on Sunday morning when she saw him arriving for services.

“Hi, Reese. How are you?”

“I’m doing all right. I wanted to ask you something and hope you won’t find me intrusive.”

Maddie came up at that point, and Reese greeted her.

“Go ahead,” Jace said.

Reese’s voice lowered. “Did you by any chance order a cradle from Mr. Zantow when you came that day?”

“Yes, I did,” Jace admitted; they were still not telling people their news, although they knew it was spreading fast.

“He finished it,” Reese told the couple. “I was cleaning in the workshop, and I found a cradle.”

Jace and Maddie smiled at each other.

“What exactly will happen to it?” Maddie asked.

“All of Mr. Zantow’s belongings will be auctioned, so watch for the notice. I assume the cradle will go too.”

“Thanks, Reese,” Jace told her sincerely before asking about her future plans.

And he was just the first. Nearly everyone in the church family asked after her, brought her something, or invited her to eat or stay with them. As she knew it would, news about the bank holding her papers had spread swiftly, and people asked after her needs.

By the time the sermon began, Reese couldn’t think of a person in the room who hadn’t checked with her. She didn’t hear Douglas’ opening remarks. She was too busy praying for this small church family, so thankful to be a part of it.

“How is it going?” Douglas asked when both Jace and Maddie headed his way after the sermon.

“It’s going well, but we were wondering about the seven
R
s,” Jace admitted, referring to something Douglas had mentioned in the sermon.

“I wondered if that might not be confusing for you. We’ve been talking about the seven
R
s off and on for years now. It’s just a little formula I made up to help us keep short accounts with God. By short accounts, I mean confessing sin regularly, and not repeating it.”

“What are they again?” Jace asked.

“Recognize, Repent, Rethrone, Replace, Rejoice, Remember, Repeat,” Douglas said, working not to rattle them off too swiftly. “
Recognize
is the step where we see that we’ve sinned and we’re out of fellowship with God.
Repent
is the next step, when we agree with God about our sin and confess to Him.
Rethrone
is the mental action of putting Christ back in the center of our lives, because sinning pushes Him out.

“
Replace
is understanding that we’ve got to put something else there or the sin comes right back. Working on a memory verse that deals with the sin, or even getting your mind busy with prayer and good works helps.
Rejoice
is my favorite. We need to stop and realize that our fellowship with God is unbelievably sweet and not forgot to rejoice in that fact.
Remember
might be the hardest of all. Keeping these good thoughts in mind as we move through each day.
Repeat
is simply that, repeating the process again and again, as often as necessary.”

“It’s so much,” Maddie couldn’t help but say.

“And I probably rattled them off too fast. I’m sorry.” Douglas was compassionate. “If you only remember one thing this week, Maddie, let it be the
R
that stands for repentance. God loves a repentant heart. You’ll be learning for years about all the ways we push God out of the center of our lives, but if you can first of all learn to be a woman of repentance, God can change and work in your heart in a mighty way.”

Both Jace and Maddie couldn’t help but smile at him. He was always so encouraging, and they were helped every time they talked. When the couple finally left the meetinghouse, the seven
R
s were all they could talk about.

While Jace and Maddie discussed their questions with Douglas, Reese and Alison sat in the rear pew and discussed her decision.

“Have you told Mrs. Greenlowe?”

“Yes. She’s expecting me this afternoon.”

“Are you sure, Reese?” Alison had to check. “We still wish you’d come and stay with us.”

“Why, Alison? You have five children. Why would you want an extra person under foot?”

Reese watched as Alison laughed. “Do you remember when we met?”

“Sure.” Reese smiled as well, thinking back to that day almost three years ago. “I had just run an errand for Mr. Zantow and had had a run-in with a pig at the Eppling farm.”

“You were so angry and so funny,” Alison said, still laughing at the things Reese had said about mud, pigs, and farms in general.

“Is that why you and Marty walked me to the pond?” Reese asked. “Because I made you laugh?”

“That and the color of your hair.”

Reese’s mouth opened in surprise. “The color of my hair?”

“Yes.” Alison couldn’t stop smiling. “My sister’s hair is the same red as yours. She’s nowhere near as tall as you are, but that was the first reason I was drawn to you.”

Reese laughed but still said, “You didn’t really answer my question.”

Alison put a hand on the younger woman’s arm, her face now serious.

“I want to take care of you. I want to know you’re safe. But even more than that, I love having you around. I love your hardworking attitude, your hunger for God’s truth, and your marvelous sense of humor.”

Reese was very touched. She did not regret her decision to live with Mrs. Greenlowe—somehow she thought they would do very well together—but it was good to know that she was welcome at the Muldoon home.

“Are you willing to feed us on short notice?” Maddie asked when she opened her uncle’s front door and put her head in.

“Come in,” Doyle Shephard called from the parlor, managing at the same time to let his wife know that Jace and Maddie had arrived.

“Where are you coming from?” Cathy asked, carrying a bowl from the kitchen to the table in the parlor.

“The new meetinghouse,” Jace answered.

Maddie watched the faces of her aunt and uncle, wondering how this news would be received, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary. They both looked interested and not the least bit upset.

Maddie felt herself relaxing. Her faith in Christ still so new, she prayed, trying to remember the things she’d been taught in just a few weeks.

Please forgive Doyle and Cathy, Lord. Show them the truth. Help Jace and me to always have this good relationship with them. And please show them what You’ve shown me
.