A Butler To Love ~A Christian Romance

Chapter 52 ~ Grief and Vengence

Leah was stunned. "Daddy? It was my dad?" The question had never once occurred to her where Wren had met her father, but hearing this warmed her heart. "I remember him coming home with a busted lip and eyebrow! I was worried, but he told me he was saved by a real-life ninja."

Wren blinked at her in surprise before the silence around them boomed with Wren's laughter. " A ninja?!" He grinned, shaking his head. "He obviously forgot to mention they were just teenagers, and I  didn't do much before they tucked tail."

"Wren, the Ninja warrior!" Leah giggled, but her eyes took on a faraway look. "That is so crazy. Who would have thought you would end up here with us from that one encounter?!"

 A certain thoughtfulness graced her butler. "I have thought the same thing, so many times. I would never have met Tony if something hadn't planted that thought in my heart that night. 'Maybe its time to protect someone besides yourself'. Looking back, I think God was protecting me, guiding me through the mire, even though I wasn't His."

Leah's smile fell as his words stirred something deep inside. Her mind whirled to the car wreck, realizing Wren's God had done the very same with her. He had heard her prayer, waking Wren. Also, when I was being attacked, She thought, recalling the calmness that had overcome her. It wasn't normal. Was it possible, all this time, God was protecting her too? Her heart clenched afresh.

"Leah?" Wren's soft voice jarred her from her pondering and she turned with a stiff smile. She wanted to ask him. Tell him! But, the words died on her lips. She couldn't reveal the truth about the attacker. The fear of losing her butler was too much. Instead, she distracted his prodding gaze with a question.

"Did you ever find out what was in the boxes?"

A spark of fear tainted his previous gentle expression, causing concern to strike her. Without thinking, she lifted a hand, stroking her thumb down his cheek to his chiseled jaw where it paused and lingered. She saw his surprise, then longing, but he simply reached up to capture her hand and brought it down to rest on his knee.

"Do you want me to continue?" He said; his hesitance had returned, but she squeezed his warm hand and nodded.

"Please, I will die of curiosity if you stop now."

"I understand," He sighed, "Where was I?"

"You saved my father."

"Right. Okay. I had just met Mr. Kingsley. Well basically, not much happened several weeks after that. My mom and Aunt Helen went to a hospital in Texas while I stayed behind. There were several fights coming up and The Boss couldn't do without me...or so he said. Then, everything happened at once. It was just three weeks into the treatments and Mom got an infection. She died from it. "

Leah's heart clenched as grief washed anew over her butler and as he continued, regret laced his voice.

"I didn't think that would happen. It was my mom, you know? She was tough. Resilient! " Wren shook his head before running a hand over his face in agitation."But, she was so weakened already. The infection was the last straw. I felt to blame. I thought in my younger mind if I had been there, she would have been able to fight harder and  pull through."

"Wren..." Leah blinked against her own tears. "It wasn't your fault."

Managing a half smile, Wren nodded in agreement. "It wasn't. I know that, but in my grief-stricken mind - it was. I determined to give her only the best funeral, so approached The Boss for an extra way to earn cash. He gave me the assignment of driving more trucks with the same rules. Don't stop and don't look. "

"I wonder what was in them?"

"I was about to find out."

*********************************************************************