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“So how do you know He hears or that He even cares?”
He considered this for a moment. “I suppose it’s something I sense deep within me, in part. The Bible says He will hear us, but something in me confirms this. I don’t think I can really explain it. Part of it is faith in His Word and part of it is, I suppose, His Spirit in me.”
“You continue to pray even though He doesn’t answer your prayers?”
“I didn’t say He didn’t answer. He always answers. Sometimes the answer is no. And while that’s hard to hear, I do believe He always knows best and has our best in mind when we are seeking to live for Him.”
“And my father dying is what’s best?”
“We’re all going to die, Miss Garcia. That’s a part of life, but God tells us in His Word that we do not need to fear death. Your father certainly does not fear it. He knows without the tiniest doubt that when it happens, he will be with Jesus, just like the thief on the cross. Jesus told him he would be with Him that very day in paradise. Other parts of the Bible tell us that to be departed from the body is to be with the Lord.”
“But I’m...” Her voice faded, and tears filled her eyes. “I’m not ready to lose him.” Her voice broke, and a sob escaped. “I’ve wasted so many years in anger.” She bowed her head.
“We all make mistakes, but that is why forgiveness is so important. Your father certainly doesn’t hold it against you, and neither will God. Seek their forgiveness and make the best of whatever time is left.”
She buried her face in her hands. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of Aaron Bailey. He must think her such a child—spoiled and concerned only with her own feelings. How he must despise her for the way she’d treated him, as well as her father.
But instead of rebuke, Isabella felt the warmth of his arms coming around her. Aaron pulled her close and tenderly stroked her back. She let all thought go and gave in to her emotions. Wrapping her arms around him, she hid her face against his suit coat and let the tears come. She felt the last bits of her hard heart fall away. It had been so long since she’d allowed anyone to comfort her that she almost felt like a child again.
Almost.
Aaron wasn’t sure why he’d reacted as he had. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to take Isabella Garcia into his arms, however. This broken woman was nothing like the hard-hearted person he’d met two months ago.
Apparently God had been at work on her heart. Aaron knew her parents were praying regularly for her, as was he. But to be truthful, where his own prayers were concerned, he hadn’t expected results. Nor had he honestly cared as much, except that he knew it hurt his friend and mentor.
He had felt guilty for his lack of kind thoughts for Isabella, and now he felt even more uneasy at the realization that her pain was so great. Why hadn’t he thought about the fact that pain often caused a person to act unfeeling toward others?
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break down.” Isabella pushed away from Aaron, but not far.
He kept his arms around her as she looked up at his face. “It’s quite all right. This is a hard time for you.”
She nodded. “More so than I ever expected. I thought I had grown up, that I had faced all I had to in order to become an adult, but I was very wrong.” She sniffed and reached up to wipe her eyes on the edge of her sleeve.
The movement separated them a little more, and he finally dropped his hold on her, thinking she would move away. When she didn’t, he found his heart beating a little faster.
“How much time do you think Papi has?” she asked.
Aaron shook his head. “I have no idea. The doctor thought he might die before Christmas. I think that was why he was so desperate to get you home for the holidays. I think having you here has injected new hope into him.”
“I can’t imagine doing that for anyone, much less him,” she admitted. “I’ve given him nothing to hope for.”
“That’s not true.” Aaron frowned and reached up to smooth back several strands of her black hair. “Just having you here gave him hope. Hope that you might stay. Hope that you might love him again.”
“I don’t think I ever really stopped, even when I was so angry. I wish he knew that, but I’m sure he couldn’t, because I didn’t know it myself until just now.”
Aaron let his fingers linger on her cheek. “Then tell him. Don’t waste any more time, because there isn’t any to waste.”
She nodded and spent several long moments just looking into his eyes. Aaron couldn’t explain the feelings coursing through him. He’d never felt this way before and wasn’t sure what it meant. When Isabella turned to walk away, Aaron fixed his gaze on the flames.
He listened to her cross the room, and then her footsteps became fainter. He let out his breath, not realizing he’d been holding it.
What had just happened?
