She held her finger to her lips. “Wait until the end.”
John had promised he wouldn’t tell anyone about the donations his company had made to the church. In Peter’s mind, that included the scholarships.
Everyone in the audience clapped as five teenagers made their way to the front of the room. They look as confused as Peter was when Katie had brought him here.
When he saw the faces of the teenage boys wearing the red shirts, he immediately recognized them. When he’d visited the Christmas shop, one of teenagers had helped him find a gift for his dad. The other had gift-wrapped his purchases with an attention to detail that surprised him.
As the last teenager stood on the stage, John spoke to the audience. “With another year underway, I wanted to thank you for the kindness and generosity you’ve shown to everyone in our community. The last twelve months have brought challenges that no one expected. But knowing we’re part of a community that cares about each other is changing people’s lives. For some, it’s the difference between having a good day and not being able to get out of bed. For others, it gives them the courage to face some of the issues that brought them here.”
Peter thought about the men and women he’d met in the tiny home village. People like Richard, who’d been in situations that left him physically and emotionally broken. Slowly, these people were rebuilding their lives. They were creating brighter futures for themselves and their families, futures that wouldn’t be possible without a safe place to call home.
“As part of our commitment to caring about each other,” John continued, “we are able to support five outstanding young people in their journey through life. In their own unique ways, each of them has made us proud of who they are.” He turned to the teenagers. “Nate, Marcus, Sally, Jessie, and Juliette. Enclosed in each of these envelopes is a registration form that will give you full scholarships to Montana State University. From our hearts to yours, we hope this gives you the opportunity to continue to make a difference in the world.”
Peter’s eyes filled with tears as each of the teenager’s stunned expressions turned from disbelief to joy. Whether they knew it or not, the scholarships would take them to places they’d never imagined. They’d meet people who were the complete opposite of them, have jobs they loved, and others that stripped their souls. But, ultimately, their lives would be richer for the journeys each scholarship would give them.
A warm hand wrapped around his. “You did good, Mr. Bennett,” Katie whispered.
“No one was supposed to know it was me.”
Katie’s smile disappeared. She looked around the room. If she was waiting for the clapping and cheering to stop before she said anything, they could be here for a while. As if thinking the same thing, she held his hand and nodded toward the doors.
As soon as they were in the hallway, she took a deep breath. “Don’t be upset. I only found out by accident. I was speaking to Shelley when someone from MSU called her.”
“Does anyone else know?”
She shook her head. “When I told Shelley what I suspected, she made me promise that I wouldn’t say anything to anyone else.”
A sick feeling settled in Peter’s stomach. “When did you find out?”
“Before the Santa Parade.”
That was more than a month ago.
“I didn’t say anything because you didn’t want anyone to know about the scholarships. If I’d told you, you might have withdrawn your offer.”
“I wouldn’t have done that.”
“I know that now, but I didn’t know it then.”
Her logical argument for not saying anything made sense, but he was still disappointed. “Did Shelley tell you about the other donation BioTech made?”
Katie’s eyes widened. “There’s more?”
He watched her closely. “BioTech is sponsoring all the programs the church runs for the next twelve months. It will free up John’s time to help people instead of fundraising.”
“That’s amazing. But are you sure? I mean, I know Pastor John will be thrilled, but you must be donating a lot of money.”
The meeting room doors opened and Peter looked over Katie’s shoulder. Thankfully, it was a mother and her young daughter and not the room full of people they’d just left.
Katie waited until the woman had walked away. “When John asked if I thought you’d want to be here today, I said yes. Was I right?”
Reluctantly, Peter nodded.
“Don’t worry,” Katie said seriously. “I won’t treat you any differently because you have a good heart.”
“What if I’m worried you only like me because I have a lot of money?”
Her eyes widened. “I’ve already told you money isn’t important to me.”
