Kicking Eternity

Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

Silverware clinked on the Sunday china. Raine’s taste buds smiled as she chewed Mom’s pot roast. She glanced at Drew and caught his eye, glad she’d thought to invite him as a buffer. Today she’d take that first step across the bridge back to relationship with Dad. How had she been blind for so many years? Eddie’s secrets weren’t hers to tell, but she didn’t have to completely shut herself off from Dad.

“So, you like teaching, Drew?” Dad said.

Wow, Dad had a fresh dye job since Wednesday. What was the occasion? She shot her brother, Logan, a look, but his eyes were on Drew.

“Yeah, I’m in it for the long haul.”

Dad’s lips flattened out like they did when he was pleased. “What church do you attend?”

Would Dad give it a rest already?

“I grew up at Coronado Baptist, but I’ve been going to The Beach—the church associated with the camp—since it opened.”

Mom started the potatoes around the table for seconds. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about that church.”

She had to steer the family away from grilling Drew. “Dad, how’s summer school Algebra 1 going?”

“Fine. The kids apply themselves better the second time around, you know. By the way, did Raine tell you we homeschooled?” Dad eyed Drew. “What do you think of home schooling?”

“Raine sure turned out fine.” Drew’s smirk settled on her at the same time she realized what was going down: roasting the potential son-in-law for lunch. She could imagine how Drew would tease her after this.

She shot a long-suffering look at Logan who winked at her, obviously enjoying the whole event. She looked back at Dad willing him to talk about something, anything— “So, I made my plane reservation for Africa today.”

Dead silence.

Dad’s eyes bore into her. “There’s a twenty-four hour grace period. Get your money back.”

She looked at Mom. “You believe God called me to Africa, don’t you?”

“Yes. But I don’t know when. Maybe your father is right. Maybe you need,” —Mom eyed Drew like the prize pig at the Volusia County Fair— “to tie up some loose ends before you go.”

She clamped down on her lip with her teeth. Africa. She’d never wanted anything so badly in her life.

Dad’s face turned the pink of the center of the roast. “Cancel the ticket.”

“I’m an adult.” She stood and glared at Dad. Somewhere under her anger she knew she’d botched the whole reconciliation.

“You won’t go with my blessing.”

“I have another month to decide. That’s when I have to pay for the ticket.” She squeezed the words out quietly with the last of her self-control and walked out the front door.

In Drew’s truck, she drummed on the dashboard thinking about her sins—the way she used to send Antoine out in the back yard to think about his puppy misdeeds. Good thing Drew hadn’t followed her out to the truck. It wouldn’t have been pretty. 

As the minutes ticked by—what was Drew doing in there, anyway?—her anger ratcheted down. She’d only widened the gulf between her and Dad. She’d only been trying to deliver Drew from the hot seat. Boy-howdy, but that had backfired.

She drummed on the dash. She should go in and try again, but she just couldn’t suck up the want-to.

Drew stepped out the front door and jogged down the steps.