Trying to come to terms with what had just taken place.
There was a powerful presence surrounding us that weekend.
Father had broken through.
But the Evil One hadn't finished.
Hannah gently dried Gwendolyn's wet hair with a towel and spoke softly to her. Gwendolyn's back and shoulders continued to heave at her unashamed sobs, emptying herself of years of hurt. When she finally cried herself out and calmed down, she fell asleep in Bluey's arms.
Bluey rocked her gently, like a baby, just repeating over and over, "Precious little girl."
*~*~*~*
Casey's eyes were wide and swimming, wiping the tears away with her hand. TJ's eyes were swimming also at the memory.
"So, did Gwendolyn respond to Bluey and Hannah?" Casey sniffed.
"Let's just say Gwendolyn had witnessed an act of love that she couldn't deny and didn't know what to do with. She’d well and truly bonded with Bluey and Hannah but as you can imagine, not having been loved for so many years, she was insatiable in her pursuits of their love. She made them prove their love for her every day, over and over. The weekend camp would have ended in tragedy if Father hadn't intervened. He had a plan for Gwendolyn, too... Had enough for today, Casey?" TJ stroked her face.
Casey smiled and turned her watery baby blues on TJ again.
"I have to get some housework done sometime today, miss," TJ teased.
Casey cuddled into TJ, realising she had been a Gwendolyn; and Tabbie's unselfish love had rescued her from a raging current, too. She, too, had broken and sobbed away years of abuse and neglect, making room in her heart for Father to agape her, in the loving arms of TJ, Ben and Hannah-Jean.
One old lady's unselfish act had changed her life forever.
Once Tabbie had won her trust, the love could come.
"Okay, where were we?... Oh, yes…"
*~*~*~*
Everyone watched the fire without speaking as it gently crackled in the quiet. Gwendolyn remained cuddled up in Bluey's arms, tightly held and like a rag doll, emotionally spent. Grandma Hannah soon got up and cooked a meal on the open hearth and then fed Gwendolyn with a fork, like she was feeding a baby, wrapped up tight in her father's arms. She then fed Grandpa the same way. The night air was starting to chill and with a glance at Hannah, Bluey nodded towards the tent. He lifted Gwendolyn from the fire while Hannah opened the tent flap, placing Gwendolyn inside and then left her with Hannah.
Gwendolyn's expression betrayed her feelings. Where are you going?
Hannah could see her becoming uneasy as Bluey retreated. "It's okay, sweetheart. We have to get you ready for bed and out of your damp clothes. Bluey will be back when you’re in bed. Can you help me get you dressed?"
I had taken Gwendolyn's place on Bluey's lap and he held me close. I had witnessed my father's unconditional love once again and my respect for him soared.
"I love you, Daddy,"
"I love you too, baby, more than you will know."
I laid my head against his chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his huge heart. The darkness surrounding the campsite was complete and no other campers were anywhere nearby. The sound of the falls thundered and acted like an ever present reminder.
Father was watching over them.
Bluey was the last person into the tent, after securing the campsite and making sure the fire was not a threat to the surrounding bush. He climbed into his sleeping bag, with Gwendolyn and me sandwiched in between Bluey and Hannah.
"Goodnight, my wonderful husband," Hannah exhorted, stretching across Gwendolyn and me to kiss him.
"Night, my beauty," Bluey responded, returning her kiss.
"Night, TJ sweetheart."
"Night, Mum... Dad."
"Night, Gwendolyn sweetheart."
"Night............ Mum... Dad," she weakly whispered.
A gentle rain shower teased the tent above them as the raindrops made a comforting patter on the thick canvas.
Father's tears, as another lamb finds her way home.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 37
The early dawn light threw pink shadows against the walls of the tent, as the sun yawned away the darkness after a peaceful night. Hannah awoke and lay watching her family sleep, smiling with delight and pondering in her mother's heart the sight of Gwendolyn lying fast asleep next to Bluey, her thin arm draped over his sleeping form and completely encased in his large sleeping bag.
The man she loved and respected was a gift from Father and together, Father was trusting them to nurture His wounded daughter, with the near disaster giving way to a miracle of life.
*~*~*~*
Casey sat on her bed, just staring into nothing, deep in thought. She suddenly realised TJ had stopped talking and was just watching her.
She smiled at her mother. "What?"
"Penny for your thoughts, Casey."
"I was just pondering the similarities between Gwendolyn's story and mine."
TJ tilted her head to one side, waiting for her to explain further.
"Love is so powerful and can break the bonds of purposelessness and rejection, bringing hope to a hopeless person, just trying to survive in a hard, unfriendly world."
TJ hugged her daughter. "Yes, Casey, but it is a different kind of love than most people hanker after."
Casey gently pulled away from TJ. "What do you mean?" she asked, searching her mother’s eyes.
"Well, most girls search for romantic love and that's okay when you are looking for a relationship with a potential life partner, when you love someone so deeply, get married and then that deep oneness and closeness expresses itself in a new life. Over the years, however, romantic love changes to a best friend and comfort love with your life partner, but for it to work and remain strong, it has to be laced with respect and unselfish giving from both partners, and not selfish demanding. Something like putting on a favourite pair of old slippers. You feel comfortable and relaxed wearing them, so to speak.
"So many people don't understand that love is a choice and a journey, not an experience. Mature love goes through many stages and ends in deep trust and comfortable, friendship love. People who don't understand Father's plan for their love to mature, stay at the romantic stage and spend their lives looking for another person to fulfil them. Parental love is totally different from romantic love and that’s where people get it wrong. Father calls parental love agape and to sum it up in a word it would be... you," TJ offered.
"Huh?!" Casey pondered, confused.
"Romantic loves says, fulfil me whereas agape says, how can I serve you? Parental love is very specific and when it is modelled after Father's example, as set down in the Bible, it is powerful. Love is kind. Love never demands its own way. Love is patient. Love is not proud or haughty. Love gently disciplines when we go wrong. Love gives and not takes. Love is serving someone else, particularly when they don't deserve it. Love is not self seeking, to fulfil our own needs. Love never demands to be repaid. The most powerful example of all is the act of love that the Saviour did on our behalf on the cross. He laid down His life so we could live."
"Just like Bluey did for Gwendolyn," Casey mused; "and what Tabbie and you and Ben are doing for me."
TJ smiled. "Father spends a lifetime teaching us agape love; and uses our children as a means for us to practise and perfect. We can accept His teaching and mature, or we can reject it and become selfish. All of us live somewhere in between."
Casey's face took on a pensive gleam and she pondered TJ's words in her heart. "So what happened to Gwendolyn?" Casey asked quietly.
"Well, she didn't let Bluey too far out of her sight after that weekend and if he inadvertently ignored her, she would inevitably do something to bring his attention back to her. She had found a pure father's love and she couldn't get enough. Bluey, to his credit, knew what was happening and just let her come to him at any stage for a hug or his opinion on something she was working on. Hannah didn't escape the demands either and G
wendolyn set out to impress her with her ability to learn what Hannah taught. Hannah's fun warmth and love was infectious, and Gwendolyn basked in it."
TJ gave a little chuckle as she remembered. "When Bluey came home from work, it was a particularly tense time for Gwendolyn. She’d glance up at the kitchen clock and as the time approached, position herself at the kitchen table, standing and holding onto the back of a chair with one hand, one foot resting on top of the other and watching the front door nervously. As Bluey opened the door and stood in the doorway, he would catch sight of Gwendolyn, standing tensely, watching him. He’d drop his bag and hold out his arms and she’d run and launch into him. 'I love you, baby!' She’d giggle with delight and as Bluey twirled her around, Gwendolyn would hold on tightly around his neck. She was happy once she’d heard his nightly pledge and go back to what she was doing. We all understood the routine and waited our turn to greet Bluey."
Casey giggled at the thought of Gwendolyn's routine and then suddenly realised her own need to hear Ben affirm her, in his father's confession of love for her. The nightly cuddle with Hannah-Jean and her sitting on his lap and TJ sitting at their feet, completing the family circle. The closeness of the morning ambushes that had become so much a part of her life. The reading of the Bible at breakfast and dinner, and the way he adored and respected the women in his house.
And most of all, the way she felt safe, warm and protected in his presence.
Ben and TJ were agapeing her.
TJ interrupted her thoughts. "It wasn't long before Mum and Dad started to discuss among themselves about adopting Gwendolyn and they broached it with me one night when they came in to say goodnight. I was ecstatic at the thought of a sister and affirmed their decision with great enthusiasm. However, that set in place a series of events that had serious repercussions for all of us. When the Lord is doing a work of rebuilding a precious life, the Evil One is at work, trying to disrupt and destroy."
*~*~*~*
Chapter 38
Bluey checked the calendar and confirmed an appointment with Constable Bryan Phelps and once satisfied, he placed the phone back on the cradle and reported the outcome to Hannah. She smiled an excited smile and gently rubbed his arm, reaching in to kiss him, for she too was eager to build into Gwendolyn's life.
Making his way into Police Central had become commonplace since Gwendolyn had arrived but this time, Bluey felt at peace with his mission. He laughed to himself as he walked, remembering some of Gwendolyn's antics.
"Mr Burns, have a seat. How are things going with Gwendolyn?" Phelps asked as he offered Bluey his hand.
Bluey shook the hand offered him. "That's why I'm here."
Phelps took his seat at his desk and eyed Bluey. "Oh? I hope this is a good thing?"
"Well, Gwendolyn seems to have bonded with Hannah and me. She has come a long way since our little mishap camping a few months back."
"Mishap?!"
"Yeah, we did a walking weekend at Duck Lake and Emerald Falls was running pretty hard, but to cut a long story short, Gwendolyn fell in." Bluey went into a detailed account and Phelps took notes.
"Since then, Gwendolyn has been different. She won't let me or Hannah out of her sight and is responding to our love and encouragement; and to be honest, she has stolen our hearts."
Phelps smirked, ready for what he thought was coming.
"Well, to put it simply, Mr Phelps, we want to adopt her as our own."
Phelps leaned back in his chair and clicked the end of his pen nervously, smiling up at the big man. "Are you sure, Mr Burns? Gwendolyn may still be very volatile. She’s a master at manipulation and what you may be seeing as responding, may in fact be a new strategy."
"I am aware that a child who’s been so abused as Gwendolyn has, may be unusual in her attempts at gaining love. I figure the manipulation and other behavioural responses is a conflict within herself, between wanting and needing pure, unselfish parental love and not wanting to be rejected and hurt again. When Gwendolyn was forced to trust me when she fell into the fast moving current at Duck Lake, it was a matter of life and death. Once she saw that Hannah and I were trustworthy and weren't going to reject her or hurt her, she opened up to accepting our love. You said it yourself, Constable Phelps, Gwendolyn needs rock solid folk committed to her best interests."
"Well, Mr Burns, adopting a child like Gwendolyn won't be easy. As you know, the courts have placed an addendum against the guardianship grant and all decisions affecting Gwendolyn have to be ratified by the court first. So we have to go before the courts even to get permission to apply and then, after much scrutiny, we have to offer a case proving that Gwendolyn will benefit from becoming your daughter."
Bluey shifted uncomfortably in his seat and frowned. "Boy, the red tape doesn't make it easy to build relationship with these kids," Bluey complained.
"I guess it is one way the court tries to protect the kids from becoming unwanted, after the novelty wears off." Phelps eyed Bluey for a reaction to his comment.
"I don't think in terms of novelty, Mr Phelps. Hannah and I are committed to Gwendolyn and her future, and she would benefit from becoming a cherished member of our family."
Phelps beamed, hearing what he wanted to hear, "Okay, we’ll need to make an appointment for a hearing. Last chance, Mr Burns! Once the ball starts rolling, it is hard to stop it."
"What do I do to give the ball a shove?" Bluey grinned.
"You just did," Phelps offered Bluey his hand. "Let's see if we can get you a daughter and Gwendolyn a mum and dad."
*~*~*~*
Phelps' fingers moved across the typewriter keyboard like a concert pianist, typing out his conversation with Bluey Burns and his description of Gwendolyn's mishap at Duck Lake, adding the new account to a list of other reports of Gwendolyn's misdemeanours since taking up residence with the Burns'.
Phelps was aware of the extremes that at-risk kids will go, testing the boundaries of people who confess they love them. They push and push at parental boundaries, to see if the boundaries are solid enough to contain them. If they don't move and feel secure, then the hard work of trust, on both sides, can begin. But if the boundaries move when they are supposed to be secure, the child will be insecure and destroy the boundary and the ones trying to support it.
An at-risk child develops survival skills, being able to sum up potentially dangerous situations and people in a split second. The fight or flight mechanism is finely tuned, able to see through people and manipulate their weaknesses. Once an at-risk child finds a boundary that doesn't move and people who can be trusted to love them, that child becomes like a sponge, soaking up love to the point of exhaustion.
Making up for lost childhood.
Phelps huffed, realising Bluey and Hannah fitted what Gwendolyn needed and he also knew that they would require huge reserves of unselfish love to fill a child's empty love bucket.
The phone rang on his desk, interrupting his thoughts.
"Phelps... Oh g'day, Marlene, thanks for returning my call. Can you drop into my office? I have a matter to discuss with you."
*~*~*~*
Marlene Styles walked briskly into Phelps' office for their appointment, but she was early and finding Phelps absent, she began to check out his desk, searching for anything of interest. Finding nothing on his desk, she turned her attention to a filing cabinet against the opposite wall. First checking around outside the door and making sure no one was in earshot, she slid open the top drawer silently, rifling through the alphabetized files until finally, she found what she was looking for.
A file with the name Gwendolyn across it rested in her hands, making her hands tremble and her face harden as a cruel smile forced itself across her stone features.
"We meet again, kid. This time, I am gonna make sure a vagrant's child isn't gonna give me the slip. You deserve what is coming and this time, you won't escape." She slipped the file into a briefcase she was carrying, closed the drawer and innocently sat back down on a chair and waited fo
r Phelps.
Moments later, Phelps walked back into his office after a protracted meeting with his boss. The meeting had gone longer than he had anticipated and seeing Marlene sitting waiting for him didn't surprise him.
"You're late," she said sweetly.
"You're in a good mood for me being late," he said sarcastically.
"Things just took a turn for the better," she said, feeling happy and excited.
Phelps threw her a quizzical glance, then dismissed it and changed the subject. Marlene Styles was a piece of work and he didn't want to know anything about the things that made her happy.
Listening in horror to Phelps’ revelation, Marlene Styles gawked in shock, a fierce fire burning in her offended eyes. "That child does not des... she will not fit with those people and will destroy them." In a fit of thinly veiled rage, she stood and paced around the office. "And I guess you’re ratifying this harebrained scheme!"
Phelps was surprised at the force of Marlene Styles' objections.
It was as if she wanted Gwendolyn to fail.
"Gwendolyn has already bonded with Mr and Mrs Burns and yes, I will be doing all I can to see their request fulfilled," Phelps said firmly.
She leaned across the desk and stared straight into Phelps’ eyes, giving him a clear view of the path to insanity.
"I will be opposing this recommendation, Phelps."
The deathly expression in her cloudy eyes sent a shiver down his back, but her final offering made no sense... for the moment.
"And I have just the right evidence to put a hole in your little boat!"
"So I guess you won't be co-signing the application to the court on behalf of both our departments?" Phelps offered tensely.
She straightened, picked up her briefcase and flounced out of his office.
"I guess that’s a no!" Phelps sighed exhaustedly. "This is going to be harder than we thought."
*~*~*~*
Chapter 39
Casey's face fell and a shadow crossed her troubled eyes. "Why would anyone want to stand in the way of a child finding love and a home?!" she bawled, clenching her fists angrily.