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Isabella laughed. “My father founded the town, so we’ve been here forever. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Mama has been here since the start in 1897, and I was here for a time, but then nearly five years ago I moved to California to live with my aunt. She recently passed away, so now I’ve returned home.”
“It’s amazing how death has brought us together. You’re not much younger than me, and I think we could be good friends.”
Her comment touched Isabella, who had never had anyone strive to be her friend. No, that wasn’t true. Isabella was the one who had never tried. She had isolated herself from people her own age and instead associated with older adults. Diego was the only person she knew even near her age, and he was ten years older.
“It’s such an interesting and wonderful town,” Millie continued. “I’ve never seen such cooperation between churches and people. It’s like I’ve always wished things could be.”
“We wanted that more than the silver in the mountain,” Mama replied. “When we moved here, it was one of the first things we prayed about. My husband interviewed a variety of pastors interested in starting a new church here. The three he settled on were of a mindset similar to ours.”
“Which was what?” Millie asked, lowering the dress.
“We wanted people to come to worship with God alone in mind, rather than religion. We knew churches would still have their philosophies and denominational beliefs, but we wanted them to be able to put that aside and instead focus on Jesus and what He’s done for us, and what we can do for one another.”
“That does make all the difference.”
Isabella listened to Millie talk about what interested her most in the town and what she hoped to accomplish, but Diego kept coming to mind. How could she have been so blind about him? How had she not realized what he was doing?
She hadn’t befriended any younger women back in California. Most were acquaintances from church or lived in town, so there was no need in Isabella’s mind to get close to them. Most of their neighbors were miles away and much older, leaving her with few options for girlfriends. And frankly, she didn’t want friends. Losing them was much too hard. She remembered saying good-bye to several friends from school when they’d moved to New Mexico. It hurt nearly as much as losing her horse. With that in mind, Isabella had never tried to make friends, even after moving back to her family home. Whenever there were gatherings, she always remained with Aunt Josephina or Diego. She didn’t want to care about anyone else.
She could see now how God had brought her full circle. Back to Silver Veil, a place of refuge her father and mother had created for God’s glory. It was their mission field. Just like missionaries who headed off to other countries, her parents had come to New Mexico. They had heard the air was better for Papi, but it was about so much more than that. Papi had seen a chance to take the family fortune and change the lives of others. He had made a plan for drawing people together to serve each other and God. And now they were taking that mission beyond Silver Veil to help the poor in other towns as well as their own.
Isabella continued to think about this on the ride home. It must have hurt her parents a great deal to do what they felt God had called them to do, yet lose their only child. They had paid the price, however, always hoping and praying thatshe would one day return. Like the prodigal in the Bible. And here she was.
When they reached home, the only thing on Isabella’s heart was to find her father and have a long talk. She wanted to tell him that she could finally see what he had meant to do and that she wanted to be a part of it. She wanted to promise that she’d always be there for her mother, but like Aaron, she was afraid. Would saying those words give him the feeling that he could finally let go?
“Papi?” she called, coming into the house. Mama had stopped to instruct the groomsman about something she needed for tomorrow.
“Papi?” She headed to his office in the library, knowing that was probably where he was working. There was much yet to be settled for Founder’s Day.
She stepped into the library. “Papi, are you here? I have something I need to—”
She stopped mid-sentence. Her father was slumped over on the desk. Blood dripped from his mouth.
“Oh, Papi.” She rushed to his side and felt his head. Still warm. He was alive.
Isabella ran to the door and started screaming. “Help! Somebody help! Come to the library—it’s my father!”
Aaron was the first one there. She didn’t know where he’d been, but the fact that he was so quickly at her side gave her strength.
“Papi’s unconscious.”
“Send someone for the doctor,” Aaron ordered. “I’ll get him to bed.”
