“I’m not sure I’d know if He answered.”
Dad took his time responding. “Ben, talking to God, believing He hears us, simply requires faith. It’s something we need in our daily life. Real faith kicks in when the going gets tough. When we can’t see what’s next. Real faith is trusting in God when we can’t see a way through. So maybe right now, when you don’t know which way to go and you’re looking for direction, exercise a bit of faith and to talk to Him.”
As a missionary, Dad lived and breathed his faith. Ben didn’t have that claim. “God didn’t hear me when I asked for my parents to come back for me.”
He’d not planned to bring that up. But the words were out now.
“Son.” Dad’s voice deepened. “Leaving you in Hearts Bend was the hardest thing your mom and I have ever done. But I had to protect you. When you were six, the typhoon threat scared me, but then after you wandered off and went missing for a night, fear gripped our lives. I couldn’t stop thinking about the what-ifs. What if we hadn’t found you? What if someone else found you? What if you’d fallen? What if you were hurt? I was sure I’d never find you. But the Lord came through and made it clear your future was in Hearts Bend.”
“You’ve never told me any of this. You said you’d come back for me in the summer, but you didn’t.”
“We couldn’t leave. We both had malaria, remember?”
“Yeah, I think so.” He’d been six at the time, and the adults hadn’t shared a lot of details. Only that staying in Hearts Bend was the best for him.
“Turns out you have a knack for the hotel business and a gift to work with people. Look how your career has taken off. Being in Hearts Bend was God prepping you for your future.”
God had prepared him? When? During the afternoons with Granddaddy fixing the plumbing or rebuilding the gazebo? When Granny showed him how to make a bed and clean the stove? Maybe it was the Saturday mornings with Ray in the garden.
How did Cami fit into God’s planning? Everything pointed to the inn, so why was he sitting in Sydney?
A knock sounded on his door, and Ben looked up to see Jordan pointing at his watch. “Dad, just a sec. Jordan, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Tell them to get started without me.” He pointed to the phone. “Emergency.”
After telling Ben to talk to God, there wasn’t much more for Dad to say. He offered to pray for Ben as they ended the conversation, and to his surprise, Ben said, “That’d be nice.”
Making his way to the Emerald’s lavish dining hall, Ben whispered his own prayer. “Don’t know if I have enough faith for this, God, but if You have any ideas on why I suddenly want to be in Hearts Bend instead of Sydney, I’d appreciate the insight. Thanks and, well, amen.”
10
“Marta has three offers on my condo. All above asking.” Cami poured hot water over an English Breakfast tea bag on a calm Saturday morning and placed the stainless-steel kettle back on the electric stovetop in her sister’s kitchen.
“Already? Good for you. So you’re not going to lease it?” Annalise sat at her kitchen table, the sun streaming in through the windows, lighting the whitewashed table.
“Marta doesn’t think there’s a market for leasing. And she’s got three good offers. She is a Realtor, after all. When I come back, I’ll find an even better place. The loft was almost too small for me anyway. Are you sure you want hot tea? It’s a thousand degrees outside. I can ice it for you.”
“I’ll take it hot. With a little cream and honey, like Mama used to make it.”
Cami went through the motions of making the tea, just like Mama always had when they weren’t feeling well. Not that Annalise would ever admit to feeling less than a hundred percent.
“How was Indy?”
“Busy.” Cami sank into the chair across from her sister. “The office space Dad bought is going to be really classy when the build-out is done.”
“What about the apartment listings? Did any of those work out for you?”
Cami shook her head. “None of them felt like home.” In fact, the only place that felt like home these days was the inn. Which she would never own.
“You’re running out of time. You need to find a place. It doesn’t have to be permanent. Just until you do find the place that you can call home.”
“That’s just it. I’m not sure I want to call Indy home.”
“Is this about the inn?”
“Maybe. And Ben. I don’t know. You should’ve seen Dad, Annalise. Standing in my office, head down, hands in his pockets, saying please.”
“He doesn’t feel about the inn like you do.”
“I wish he’d talk to me.”
