“Señorita Natalia.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “I had to come back, to tell you thank you. Tomorrow I interview for a job. At Target. You help me. Now I know more words. I can get job, help people. Buy Christmas presents for my daughters. All thanks to you.”
Natalia returned the woman’s hug. Juanita wiped tears from her eyes as she left the room. Natalia had tears of her own streaming down her cheeks.
“You okay?”
She turned away from Brian and composed herself. “Yes, I’ve just never . . .”
“You’re making a difference.” He handed her a tissue. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
Natalia turned to Brian, her green eyes bright from tears unshed. “It does.”
She looked so vulnerable, so helpless. Brian reached out for her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Natalia rested her head on his chest and gave into the tears. Brian knew she wasn’t just crying over Juanita’s words. These tears were for her family, for Maureen, for all the different directions she was being pulled in. He also knew this felt so right. Too right. The only girls he’d ever hugged were his mom and sisters.
This is definitely not the same.
Brian’s heart raced and his mind went places he knew it shouldn’t.
I’m just a shoulder to cry on. That’s it. Natalia probably doesn’t see me any differently than my sisters do.
Brian pushed those thoughts from his mind and rubbed Natalia’s slender back with his hands. Her tears were slowing and, unfortunately, she pulled away. Her face was red. Was she blushing? Embarrassed?
“I’m sorry.” Natalia grabbed her purse and rifled through it. “I’m just . . .”
“Natalia.” Brian touched her shoulder. “You don’t need to feel guilty for struggling.”
Her smile was slow, but Brian could see hope breaking through her despair.
The door opened again. This time Pastor Mike stepped into the room. “You guys done? I’m ready to go home.”
Natalia straightened and picked up the last of the night’s snacks. “We were just heading out.”
Brian’s heart sank.
I was just starting to break through. Thanks, Mike.
“I’m ready.” Natalia looked up at Brian.
Any hope he had of just feeling friendship was gone. He needed to stop lying to himself. He was falling for this girl and falling hard.
I
’ve been trying to stay out of my sister’s hair. But I think I need to step in.” Carol sat across from Natalia at a picnic table outside the school cafeteria. She had taken the day off and, after dropping her girls in their classes, came and asked if Natalia could miss part of first period.
“I’m so glad you feel that way.” Natalia had tried to encourage Maureen to speak to her sister, but that woman refused, barely even speaking to Carol when they saw each other at church. “I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow. Maureen will be all alone for a week.”
Carol shook her head. “I shouldn’t have waited so long. It’s just that . . .”
Maureen and Carol’s relationship was strained. Maureen resented Carol’s “perfect” life. “Maureen thinks you’re waiting to tell her you were right about her marrying my father.”
“I would never say that to her. She’s grieving. I don’t
need to make life harder for her. I want to help her. I just don’t know how.” Carol shrugged. “Maureen was always the strong one, always in charge. She knew what she wanted and she made it happen.”
Natalia thought how different Maureen was from that description. “The divorce has changed her.”
“But not forever.” Carol’s eyes shone. “God doesn’t want her to be defined by this.”
Natalia thought of the times she had begged Maureen to seek help, to forgive, move on. “I don’t know how to help her.”
Tears fell down Carol’s cheeks and she held Natalia’s hand. “You should never have been put in the position where you felt that was your job. I’m so sorry, Natalia.”
Natalia looked down at the wooden table, fighting her own tears. “She won’t go to a counselor.”
“Maybe not.” Carol smiled. “But she can go and have fun. Get away. I’ll talk to Jack. While you’re gone to Costa Rica, we can go on a girls’ weekend. Reconnect. Relax.” Carol’s smile broadened. “Maureen needs to be reminded that life goes on, and she needs to enjoy it.”
“I don’t know if she’ll agree to that.”
“Then I’ll kidnap her.” Carol laughed.
“What?”
“I’ll just grab her and throw her in the car. We’ll go to the beach, have a spa day. We used to do that all the time before she moved to Spain.” Carol folded her arms, lost in thought. “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before now.”
Natalia prayed God would use this to help bring
Maureen out of her depression. The knowledge that someone else was helping work toward that end was a relief to Natalia’s struggling soul.
The bell rang and Natalia, not wanting to miss Bible class, hugged Carol and made her way out of the courtyard.
“Natalia.” Spencer walked toward her. “Ready for Bible?”
“My favorite class of the day.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. “You’re probably wondering why I was coming from the main office.”
She chose not to offend the young man by stating no, that thought hadn’t crossed her mind.
“I was called out of first hour because the school is putting together a promotional video, and they wanted to interview me for it.” Spencer’s smile spoke volumes. “I guess they think I’ll be a good face for the school.”
“That’s quite an honor.”
He laughed. “Well, I guess there’s not a lot to choose from. I mean, who else would they pick? Acne-faced Derek Harris? Or Brian the Friendly Ghost?”
Natalia’s face heated at Spencer’s tone. “Brian is one of the nicest, most selfless guys on this campus. He’d be a wonderful choice to represent the school.”
Spencer raised his hands in surrender. “I was just kidding. Brian’s a nice guy. It’s just that . . .”
“You’re better looking?”
“You think?” Spencer laughed.
What happened to the nice guy who struggles with his parents just like I struggle with mine?
“I think I don’t want to be late for Bible class.” She walked into the senior hallway.
Spencer walked right behind her. His overpowering
cologne made Natalia’s eyes burn. “You can keep running, Natalia, but I’ll catch you eventually.”
“What?” Natalia spun around.
“Come on.” His grin never wavered. “Everyone expects us to date. We might as well give them what they want.”
“I don’t date.”
Can this guy not take no for an answer?
“Okay, so let’s not date. Let’s just hang out and have some fun.” Spencer shrugged. “It’s our senior year. You need some better memories than sitting at home with your stepmom and helping translate Spanish at church.”
The bell rang as Natalia opened her mouth to respond to his ludicrous remarks.
“We’ll talk later.” Spencer slid into his desk and winked at Natalia.
She caught Brian’s gaze as it went from her to a very smug Spencer. She hated the sadness she saw there, hated that Spencer’s confident air led Brian to believe there was something between Spencer and her.
Pastor Brian opened his Bible and all thoughts of boys were gone. Today they were starting their discussion of worldviews. Natalia had read several chapters ahead in their textbook and was thrilled at what she learned.
“How we view the world affects everything we do.” Pastor Brian flipped on the projector and revealed the first slide of his PowerPoint. Two huge pairs of glasses were side by side. One pair looked like a Bible with rims and earpieces. The other pair was made from a globe. “Do we view life through the perspective of God’s Word? Or do we see it from the world’s perspective?”
The hour went by far quicker than Natalia wanted. She
took so many notes, she was writing on the margins of her paper. Everything she heard made her want to know more, made her question if she was really seeking to understand her purpose from God’s perspective or using human wisdom to make decisions.
Decisions like dating?
Natalia jumped as the bell rang.
Where did that thought come from?
Natalia was sure she shouldn’t consider dating. Of course that’s what God wanted her to do.
Right?
Natalia gazed over as Brian walked to the front to talk with his dad. Her heart pounded as he turned and caught her eye. In less than twenty-four hours, they’d be leaving for Costa Rica, spending a whole week together. Natalia hated how excited that thought made her.
“All set for our week in paradise?” Spencer’s cologne greeted her before he did.
“I was just thinking about it, actually.” Of course, Natalia wasn’t about to tell him who she was thinking about. Although it might do Spencer good to know she wasn’t thinking about him.
“We can have a lot of fun down there.” Spencer’s smile was big. He was certainly growing bolder in the last few days. “Think about it.”
He walked off before Natalia could answer.
I’ll think about it, all right. I’ll think about how I’m going to avoid you for those seven days.
¿Q
ué?”
Natalia asked. Again. Since they’d departed the airplane in San José, Natalia had had to ask the Costa Ricans to repeat themselves several times. Once, while going through Customs, the official actually switched to English so Natalia could understand what he was saying.
“Their accents are so different.” Natalia rubbed her temples. Pastor Brian was beside her, helping to organize the group.
“It’s all right, Natalia. You’re doing fine.”
After a few more difficult conversations, Natalia was able to find a phone and call their contact in the city. Luis would pick them up and drive them to the house where they’d be staying.
“He’s on his way.” Natalia hung up the phone and looked at the group. “We’re supposed to wait outside and he’ll be by in a large blue van.”
Natalia followed the signs to the exit. The glass doors
opened and the smell of exhaust fumes filled her nose.
This is
not
paradise.
She looked at the dirty sidewalks and far-as-the-eye-could-see pavement.
Where’s the rain forest? The monkeys? The waterfalls?
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Lexi’s grin filled her face as she stood beside Natalia. “I’ve missed this place.”
“It’s . . . not what I expected.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Spencer scooted next to Natalia, his shoulder touching hers. “I hope the place we’re staying is decent. If it isn’t, I have my dad’s credit card and his permission to stay at a hotel.”
“We’re all staying together,” Pastor Brian spoke up. “This is a mission trip. We are here to serve, to get out of our comfort zones.”
Lexi turned to Spencer. “I felt the same way when I got here last year. But this place grows on you. It’s amazing.”
He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Natalia.
“Is that our van?” Pastor Brian pointed to what looked like a cross between a minivan and a school bus. It had a high roof and a rack on top.
The van pulled up beside the group and a muscular Costa Rican stepped out.
“Luis.” Brian grabbed the man and hugged him. “I missed you.”
Luis patted Brian’s back. His English was much better than Natalia had expected. “Good to see you, little Brian. Ready to work?”
“Of course.” Brian grabbed a suitcase and hefted it on top of the van.
“Hey, what are you doing with that?” Tori yelled. The petite sophomore put her hands on her hips.
“All the luggage goes on top.” Brian lugged another bag on top.
Spencer put a hand on Brian’s arm as he reached for Spencer’s designer suitcase. “No. Mine goes with me. The bag alone is worth four hundred dollars. What’s inside is worth three times that. It does not go on a roof.”
“There’s no room inside for luggage.” Pastor Brian lifted Spencer’s bag. “But don’t worry. It’ll be fine. We tie it down with bungee cords and put a tarp over it in case it rains.”
“At least put mine on the bottom,” Spencer grumbled. He sat on a bench as Brian, his dad, and Luis loaded all the luggage on the van’s roof.
“All right,” Luis called out as the last bungee cord was secured. “Everyone in.”
Natalia stepped into the van. The bench seats were clean but faded from the sun. The faint scent of pine cleaner lingered in the air. She sat by a window and Spencer squeezed in beside her.
“It’ll get tight in here.” He put his arm around the back of her seat. “We’ll have to sit pretty close.”
Every seat was needed, so Spencer’s unwanted proximity only increased when three more were added to their row. His side was plastered against hers, from shoulder to ankle. “Maybe Costa Rica isn’t so bad after all,” he whispered in her ear.
Natalia refused to answer, choosing instead to look out the window as the van lurched out of the airport. Poverty
competed with luxury as slums existed on one block and high-rise apartment complexes on the next.
Farther in, the streets were lined with houses that shared walls. Tall gates stood sentry in front of each.