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Squirming in his seat, Hunter chuckled. More derisive than anything, but it was better than allowing the string of words that would probably not please God to roll off his tongue. “Yeah. I guess that’s the truth.” He glanced at her again.
Shoulders sagged in. Defeat in her expression. She looked like he felt.
“You and Bennett have a fight?”
She shook her head to negate that. Then she sucked in a shuddering breath. “He’s moving.”
Hunter’s raging heart skidded sideways. “Moving?” Suddenly he was able to put his full focus on his sister, leaving aside his own frustrations and disappointments.
Nodding, she turned her face more toward that window. Likely so Hunter couldn’t see her tears.
“Where?” Would Bennett just up and leave? “Why?”
Shrugging, Hazel took longer than a pair of heartbeats to answer. “I assume back to Chicago. To take care of his half siblings. His dad and stepmom are going somewhere or something.”
Hunter felt his sister’s despair settle in his own heart, and the ache was both for her and for himself. Bennett had become a good friend. And he was good for Hazel.
He couldn’t leave. They needed him. With Hunter’s fledgling faith in Jesus, and the memory of Bennett talking about redemption, Hunter felt strongly that he reallyneededBennett there. Today was a prime example. Hunter had no real idea how a godly man should handle all this raging emotion regarding Janie and the Game and Parks guy.
If John Brighton couldn’t be on site to help Hunter understand this new world of Christianity, then Bennett would have to help him.
God?
He wanted to finish that start to a prayer withYou can’t let this happen. But then he thought of his last shot-to-heaven quick prayer.
Make her love me again.
Suddenly Hunter heard how demanding that was. Could he really order the God of heaven and earth around? Like God owed him the life he wished for?
John Brighton’s God was not a genie-in-a-bottle god.
Grant your every wish couldn’t be how this worked. Not when Hunter knew himself to be a miserable creature who had desperately needed a savior. Not when he knew his own massive mistakes and failures.
God, I really need help understanding this all . . .
Was that demanding? It felt more like an honest plea than a demand . . .
Hunter rubbed his head, and then he put his attention back on his sister at the same moment she swiped her fingertips across her cheek.
Hazel had softened quite a bit in the past several months. Something that Hunter attributed to Bennett, and that was a good thing. But seeing her cry was new.
The ache in his chest ballooned. He reached across the space between them and gripped her shoulder. “We’ll be okay, Hazel.”
She covered his hand with hers. When she didn’t respond, he moved to grip her fingers.
“No matter what, you’ve got me. Remember?”
“Yeah.” Her answer came out breathy, and then she squeezed his hand.
That was a miracle in and of itself.
Thank You for it.
Allowing that gratitude to fall soft against the chilly steel in his heart helped. Hunter focused on that small measure of relief as he pulled up to Hazel’s cabin, set the parking brake, and hopped out to take the box inside.
Once there, Hazel moved on autopilot to put away the groceries. “You want to come over for dinner tonight?”
Hunter repacked what she’d laid on the small round table for him to take to his camp. “Yeah. Better than a burnt hotdog for one.” He paused, considering that. “Well, better if you let me do the cooking.”
