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A longer, heavier silence filled the line until she thought maybe he had hung up on her. When his words finally came, they were low and hoarse. “Well, I love you, too…but is it enough?”
“Of course it’s enough. Have faith,” she said, knowing he could hear the emotion warbling her voice.
“Faith, yeah,” he said. “I’ll talk to you later, Charly.”
“Good night, Aussie,” she said, letting out her held-in sob as the line went dead.
She sunk into the couch, dropping her phone beside her and curling up into a ball while she cried. Lord, tell me that was what You wanted. Tell me I’m doing the right thing.
~~~
She spent a couple of extra days with Emilia before starting the long solo drive back to California. After two nights of only texts from Austin, her heart hurt, and she fought against the wall that had started to rebuild around her heart, giving in to the horrible thought that Emilia might have been right.
Have faith, the still quiet voice kept reminding her, so she clung to the words as she drove across the endless straight highway. When she had called the lady at the Chico residency program the day after she told Austin the news, she was ecstatic, saying the owner would be so happy to hear that Charlotte wanted to park her trailer next to the barn.
In exchange for rent, she would care for the horses, along with Apollo. It was the perfect place for her during this time in her life. Besides, she’d be by herself with no social life to speak of, so it’s not like she was giving anything up.
Yesterday, she had called Josie to tell her the good news, and the camp director only affirmed that this was the right move for her. She could spend the weekends helping at Camp Hope, a place that left her feeling like she had a purpose in her life, like she was making a real difference.
Saying goodbye to Emilia was the hardest, but as she had told Austin, Emilia reminded her she was only a call away. Unlike Austin, though, Charlotte appreciated that more than her friend probably knew. They’d already talked several times on the road.
She might be going to a place without friends, but she wasn’t alone. She could call Emilia any time she wanted and drive to Camp Hope to see people she was quickly coming to see as friends on the weekend. And of course, she had God.
The closer she came to California, the more the knowing settled. This was where God needed her, and where she belonged, at least for now. She would have to trust that if she was meant to be with Austin, God would find a way for them to be together.
ELEVEN
Months later, Austin drove Pops back from his latest treatment, feeling like he could finally breathe. Pops had color in his once again full cheeks, and he had a zest for life in his eyes. The last several months had been tough, but everything got better after switching Pops over to the specialty clinic.
He still cringed every time he saw his commercial on TV, but all he had to do was think of Pops, once again full of life, and it just didn’t matter. It had been a whirlwind between events, sponsor engagements, and coming home whenever they could to see Pops. Just thinking that he had the next few weeks off before Nationals let him draw a complete breath and look forward to a full night’s sleep without having to drive half the night to get to his next responsibility.
“You heard the doc, right?” Pops sighed happily, sitting back in the truck’s seat.
“Yep, two more, and you’re done!” Austin said, smiling at Pops before turning his attention back on the road.
“That’s right. I’ll be ready to go to the Nationals, just as I promised,” Pops said in satisfaction.
Austin shook his head. Half the time he didn’t believe it when he looked over at Pops and saw him getting better every day rather than worse. “I’m so glad Mama found that place.”
“Well, and if it weren’t for you two boys, it wouldn’t have been a possibility. So, I owe you my life.” Pops turned a serious stare at him.
“Well, I owed you mine already, so I guess that makes us even,” Austin said with a laugh.
“How’d you reckon that?” Pops asked, turning in the seat to watch Austin as he drove.
“Well,” Austin said, eyeing him briefly. “You brought me and my family out of a hard time when you took us on. You put up with me, and I didn’t make it easy on you. And it all seems fair, anyway. The rodeo brought this money, and I wouldn’t have known the rodeo if it weren’t for you. So…” He shrugged, seeing it as obvious.
“Just so, we could have sold the ranch, still can, to pay you boys back.” Pops looked at him earnestly.
“That ranch is your life, Pops.” Austin shook his head.
“No, my family is my life.”
“And so is mine, so you’ll just have to suck up your ego and let gratitude be enough.”
Pops laughed, hard and strong, and that strength made Austin smile. “Oh, son. You really are one of a kind.”
Austin’s smile deepened. “Only because someone saw it in me.”
