Page 123 of Rescuing You

The problem was so big. The solutions, impossible. The cause…

Men like Qasim and Hasan and Waleed, evil men motivated by power and greed who ruled with cruelty, who took everything and gave nothing in return.

The engine grumbled as they motored toward the lights in the distance.

Leila and Jasmine had turned to face Greece, the life ahead of them. God willing, Michael would get them to safety. But what about the rest of the refugees? The thousands, the hundreds of thousands, desperate for freedom?

Two hours after they motored away from Turkey, they reached a dark beach south of Mytilene’s city center and north of the airport. Houses dotted the opposite side of the road that ran the length of this stretch of coast, but at almost three in the morning, the shore was deserted.

Nobody saw them approach. As far as Michael could tell, nobody witnessed him hop out and pull the raft in or watched him lift Leila and then her sister—both damp from sea spray but otherwise unscathed—and carry them to land. Nobody saw him drag the raft up and leave it at the foot of a little tree like an offering, then toss three life jackets inside.

And probably nobody noticed when he lifted his face to the sky. Thank You, God. Thank You for getting us here.

They trudged south for a couple of miles until they reached the edge of the airport property. At that point, there was nothing to do but wait.

He found a copse of trees jutting up against a retaining wall between the sand and the road. It wasn’t secluded, but it was hidden from passersby. “Let’s try to get some rest.”

Jasmine said nothing, just sat with her back to the wall.

Leila looked around as if there might be a better option, maybe a Holiday Inn.

He waited for her argument, but after a moment, she joined her sister.

Progress.

He shrugged off his pack, dug out a thin blanket he kept for such occasions, and laid it over them. He guessed the temperature was in the low sixties, but it would drop before the sun rose. In his wet clothes, and thanks to the wind coming off the water, he was cold.

He took off his drenched boots and socks, hoping they’d at least dry a little by morning, and tugged on his sweatshirt before leaning against the wall a few feet away from the twins.

“Sit with us,” Leila said. “We’ll all be warmer.”

He wouldn’t mind that, but he didn’t want to intrude.

“Please.” Jasmine scooted away from her sister, leaving a Michael-sized gap in the middle. “We would like it.”

Jasmine was a forgiving soul. Or maybe conniving.

He was too tired and chilled to care.

He settled between them, made sure the blanket covered all three, and leaned his head back against the rough stone wall. Not that he’d sleep, but it wouldn’t hurt to get some rest.

He tucked Leila against his left side, his arm around her back. She laid her head on his chest. They’d solved nothing, and his future with her felt more tenuous all the time, but they’d put off all the difficult questions until later.

Jasmine was stiff on his other side. He didn’t put his arm around her, instead tapping his shoulder. “Go ahead. Get comfortable.”

“I am okay.”

But within a few minutes, Jasmine’s cheek was pressed against his upper arm.

Yeah, he wasn’t exactly battle-ready, and if an enemy came, he’d be at a disadvantage.

But he felt at peace.

Give me notice if someone comes, Lord. Hide us here.

He wasn’t the kind of guy to get visions, but his mind filled with an image of himself and these two precious women tucked beneath the feathers of a giant goose.

Weird.