A moment later, Chuck shifted to stand up. Cooper had given an invitation. Thankful to stand, Bobbi gripped the pew in front of her. Everything would be over soon. Then from behind her, in her right ear, she could have sworn she heard a voice.
‘Bobbi, Chuck confessed his sin in front of all these people. You need to vindicate him in front of them.’
Not today. With Phil . . . it wouldn’t be right.
‘I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t the right thing to do . . . today. Trust Me.’
She sighed and touched Chuck’s hand so he would let her out of the pew. She made her way down the outside aisle, rounded the front pew and knelt down. She sensed someone beside her and felt a hand on her shoulder. Chuck. Her heart ached and tears began to well up in her eyes. She had walked out on him when he faced their church.
A moment later, Rita knelt beside her and took her hand. “I love you. Everything’s going to be all right.”
“There’s something I have to do. Pray for me.” Bobbi slipped away and took Cooper’s hand. She poured out her heart, while he nodded and then smiled. He hugged Bobbi, and then directed her to sit in the corner of the front pew across the aisle, then he slipped back up to the podium and pulled a small black book from the pulpit. As the musicians finished the chorus of the invitation hymn, he raised his hand, and the music faded away.
“Folks, have a seat. You know the struggle that Bobbi and Chuck have been going through. We’ve all been praying for them, doing our best to hold them up to the Father. Bobbi wants to speak to you about that.”
He motioned for Bobbi, then he sat down beside Chuck. Bobbi watched the two men whisper back and forth, with Chuck nodding the whole time.
She took a deep breath, stood, and faced her church. Her stomach tightened immediately. Talking to eight-year-olds every day hadn’t prepared her for this. She looked out over her friends and family, and just before she began to speak, she saw Donna Shannon smile and nod.
“The last few months have been the most difficult in my life, testing my commitment to my marriage and my faith in God, at the deepest levels. My Father is an amazing God, and He did something only He could do.” She looked at Chuck seated on the front pew and smiled. “He brought reconciliation to my marriage.” A slight murmur passed through the crowd and Bobbi wiped away a tear. Off to her left, Chuck did the same.
“Thank you for your prayers. They worked.” She smiled and blinked away another tear. “Chuck repented, he’s changed, and I’ve completely forgiven him. I want this to be the end. I don’t want anyone to ever bring it up again, or hold over him what he did. Jesus Christ died to pay for it. It’s under His blood and through His work in my heart, it’s gone.” She glanced at Cooper and he joined her at the altar, carrying the small book from the pulpit.
“How fitting to see such a tangible legacy that Pastor Phil left,” he said, motioning for Chuck to join them. “God did the hard work, but Phil, in his wisdom and compassion, pointed them in the right direction, and encouraged Chuck and Bobbi to be obedient to God’s Word in the face of such a challenge.”
He motioned to the boys still seated in their pew. “Brad and Joel, why don’t you join your folks up here?” Joel exploded into the aisle. Brad followed close behind, no less excited, but far more reserved than his little brother.
Joel reached his dad first and hugged him with such energy Chuck had to take a step back just to keep his balance. “I knew it, Dad!” he said. “I knew it all along.”
Chuck kissed his son’s forehead. “You were the only one who did, Buddy.”
Bobbi took Joel’s hand, pulling him close, then kissed his cheek. “Thanks for not knocking me down,” she whispered. Brad hugged her and Chuck, and then took his place beside his dad.
With her sons standing by, Bobbi faced her husband at the altar of Preston Road Community Church. Chuck took her hands, just as he did almost nineteen years earlier.
Cooper DeWitt cleared his throat, opened the small book, and spoke. “Dearly beloved, we are privileged to be here in the sight of God, to witness as this couple reaffirms their marriage commitment to God and to each other. Chuck, do you believe that marriage is a covenant, a lifelong commitment?”
“I do.” Chuck’s face radiated pure joy.
“Will you then vow to remain steadfast in sacrificial, unconditional love for Bobbi, your wife, to seek reconciliation in times of trial, to remain pure in your relationship with her in mind and body, and to seek personal and spiritual growth in your marriage relationship?”
“I will,” Chuck said. Cooper then turned to Bobbi and repeated the questions. Her answers were clear and firm. She trusted her husband and his pledge, and had no hesitation in returning that promise.
Cooper then asked the congregation to stand, and he addressed them. “As you have witnessed Chuck and Bobbi renew their vows, will you support and encourage them to walk in obedience to God in this marriage covenant so long as they both shall live? If so, answer, ‘We will.’”
A resounding ‘we will’ echoed through the sanctuary. Cooper smiled and winked at Bobbi. “Chuck and Bobbi, inasmuch as you have been obedient to God through repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and have sought to reaffirm your covenant vows, may God bless you as you live before Him as husband and wife until death alone comes between you.”
Chuck didn’t wait for Cooper’s signal before he leaned in and kissed Bobbi. Cooper Dewitt looked out on the congregation and prompted them. “And all God’s people said . . .”
“Amen!”
EPILOGUE
SIXTEEN MONTHS LATER
Chuck and Bobbi Molinsky
&
Big Brothers Brad and Joel Welcome
Shannon Hope Molinsky
May 22 9:44 p.m.
6 lbs 11 oz 19 ½ inches long
Tuesday, July 17
“You’re right, the Kenyan coffee is excellent,” Rita Heatley said as she set her cup down. “Of course, I can’t believe I’m at a coffee shop in the middle of summer. We should be getting ice cream.” Just then, Shannon Molinsky began to whimper. “Here, Miss Shannon, let me get you out of that seat. Does Mommy make you sit in here all the time?” Rita lifted her niece out of her carrier and snuggled her close.
“You’d better get practiced up, Grandma,” Bobbi teased.
“I’ve got plenty of time. Kara’s not due for six more months.” Rita turned Shannon around on her lap so she could manage her coffee cup. “Do you know that woman?” Rita asked.
Bobbi eased around. An attractive redhead in her mid-thirties, smartly dressed, with a satchel slung over one shoulder, stood at the counter. “I’ve never seen her. Why?”
“She keeps looking over here.” Rita said.
“Maybe she knows me from school.” Bobbi sipped her coffee. Shannon began to fuss, so Bobbi took her from Rita and began to pat the baby’s back.
Just then, the woman at the counter approached their table. “Aren’t you Chuck’s wife?” she asked. “What a beautiful little girl.” She smiled and waved at Shannon.
“How do you know Chuck?” Bobbi asked, as her stomach tensed up.
“I’ve worked with him. He’s a very lucky man.”
The woman waved at Shannon once more, then walked away. Before she disappeared through the coffee shop door, Bobbi caught sight of the monogram on her satchel—TR.
CONTINGENCY
Discussion Guide
1. Is Contingency, Bobbi’s story or Chuck’s? (In other words, which character grows and changes most significantly?) Discuss how their stories parallel even though Bobbi is the victim and Chuck is the transgressor.
2. Bobbi struggles throughout the book with the idea of divorce. Is divorce called for in her situation? Why or why not? What circumstances warrant divorce for a believer?
3. Rita presents a stark contrast to Bobbi in temperament. Did you ever find yourself agreeing with Rita? Are there times when her tough approach is appropriate? How is she good for Bobbi? Do you ever seek cou
nsel from those who might challenge your course of action? Is it wise to do so?
4. Phil explains, “There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting. God is never caught off guard by our choices, and His purposes are always fulfilled in spite of our interference.” Do you agree? How could this offer hope to Bobbi?
5. During counseling, Phil says, “Each of you brings a past and a personality into your marriage. Those determine where the trouble spots in your marriage will be.” Is he right?
6. What made Tracy so dangerous to Chuck, and why was he so blinded to the threat? What might he and Bobbi have done to protect their marriage from infidelity? Are the trouble spots Phil mentioned also blind spots?
7. Chuck and Bobbi were each deeply affected by their relationships with their fathers. How did those relationships factor into the affair and their responses to it? Several characters stepped in to become surrogate fathers for Chuck and Bobbi. How did they contribute, helping get the couple back on track? Consider the role your own father plays in the issues you face. Do you have surrogates to turn to if necessary?
8 In chapter 4, Gavin challenges Chuck’s idea of grace, saying he can’t condone infidelity or let it slide. What is grace? What examples of grace are displayed in the story? Read Hosea 1:2, 2:14 and 3:1-2. What elements in the Biblical story of Hosea might have led Phil to recommend it for Bobbi to study?
9. Phil is unwavering in his belief that confession is critical for Chuck’s restoration. Do you agree with Phil? Although hers are private, what confessions does Bobbi make that clear the way for reconciliation? Have you experienced a restored relationship through making or hearing a confession?
10. Psalm 37 and Psalm 142 become emotional and spiritual refuges for Chuck and Bobbi. Read through each psalm and discuss how they fit the character’s situation. What psalms do you turn to in times of crisis?
11. Bobbi and Chuck each experienced a critical moment of surrender. What were they and how did those moments set up the final resolution between them? Think back to a time when God brought you to a point of surrender. What was the result? Is He challenging you now to let go of something?
12. In a coffee shop meeting with Bobbi, Donna Shannon explains, “God asks us to love the way He does, unconditionally with grace and forgiveness.” How do events work together to help Bobbi risk taking that step? Has God ever challenged you to love and forgive unconditionally? Did you wrestle with that challenge like Bobbi did? Have you, like Chuck, ever needed unconditional love and forgiveness? Was it difficult to be patient and wait for God to work in another’s heart?
Please enjoy a sample from the second book of the Covenant of Trust Series
INDEMNITY
Available from MINDSTIR MEDIA
PROLOGUE
Monday, July 25
Two minutes. Wait two minutes before reading the results. She set the alarm on her wristwatch for five minutes, just to be sure, and left the bathroom.
In the kitchen, she paced between the refrigerator and the doorway, a dozen, then two dozen times. She was never late. She had to be pregnant this time. At thirty-two, her ever-ticking biological clock grew louder and more urgent with each passing month.
For months she researched, planned, and when the time came she executed it flawlessly. As soon as he introduced himself to her, she knew he was the one. Just like Mr. Dailey, he was intelligent, successful, driven, but he was also a man of character and integrity. Granted, she wore him down, and led him to compromise some of that integrity, but he would recover. Most importantly, he would never leave his wife for her.
Once or twice, she allowed herself to wonder what might have happened if she’d met him ten or fifteen years ago. Maybe things would have been different. Maybe she would be different.
The alarm on her watch beeped. She rushed to the bathroom, and snatched up the plastic stick. Positive! She was pregnant. She fumbled to find the package instructions and reread them slowly and carefully. Two lines just like in the picture. She was pregnant.
Lightheaded and unsteady, she sat down on the edge of the tub, and focused on her breathing. “Be calm,” she coached, but then she indulged in a moment of pure satisfaction. She did it. She was going to be a mother. This was her one chance to redeem herself, to prove that she wasn’t completely messed up.
After one more deep breath, she stood and checked the calendar. It was July now, that meant . . . April, or maybe early May. A spring baby. A boy. A boy with his father’s square jaw and broad shoulders. She smiled, and gently lay a hand low on her belly.
First things first, however. She had to get rid of Chuck. He could never know about the baby. That would protect him, and prevent anyone from getting to her through him. He was leaving town this morning for Kansas City, giving her a day or two to set things in motion. She would tip off Chuck’s wife that he strayed, and then play the part of the scorned lover. Chuck would have to marshal all his energy and attention to appease his wife. He would be more than glad to let her fade out of his life.
Just for safety’s sake, she would file a lawsuit accusing Chuck of harassing her. It was utterly groundless, but it would keep him from contacting her. He wouldn’t want anything to do with her ever again. By the time she began to show, she would drop the suit, and simply disappear.
CHAPTER 1 REAPPEARANCE
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Thursday, August 2
“This is going to be a miserable day,” Bobbi Molinsky muttered to herself as she got out of her air-conditioned car. Thick, heavy air blanketed her, and shimmering waves of heat rose from the asphalt parking lot. She headed up the sidewalk along the short side of the playground, thankful the teachers’ lot was close to the building.
Hearing giggling over the rhythmic squeaking of the swings, Bobbi glanced back at the playground. A small boy swung in a wide arc. “Emma! I’m gonna jump!” he teased in a sing-song voice. “One! Two! Three!” The woman gasped in mock horror, satisfying the boy, who never left the swing. “Fooled ya!”
Bobbi shook her head and smiled as she passed. He sounded like Joel. In fact, except for his dark, reddish hair, he could have passed for Joel’s little brother. Bobbi, your baby boy is a college freshman now. Let him go. Besides, her nest was hardly empty. With Shannon entering kindergarten, she and Chuck were starting over.
Inside the school building, mothers and grandmothers with children in tow, clutched papers, filled out forms and hustled in and out of the office. Of course. Open registration for transfer students. That explained the boy on the swings. Maybe he would end up in Shannon’s class. Or hers.
Bobbi slipped into the school office, picked up her mail and headed down to her classroom. A wall of cardboard boxes surrounded the desk, giving the room the look of a warehouse. After spending the morning unpacking boxes and arranging the room, she dropped into her desk chair, and began reviewing her class roll while her computer booted. Wade . . . Carmella . . . Kaylee . . . Brayton . . . Brodie . . . I think I had Brodie’s brother. Ashton is a boy, not a girl . . . The last name on the list, ahandwritten addition, was Jackson Charles Ravenna.
Ravenna.
Seven years ago, Chuck had an affair with Tracy Ravenna. Surely, this couldn’t be . . .
“Dear God, please,” Bobbi murmured. “Not again.” She quickly flipped through her students’ information sheets until she found Jackson’s. Round, loopy letters confirmed her fears.
Jackson was Tracy’s son.
Emotions Bobbi locked away for the last seven years churned to the surface. In spite of the counseling, the changes Chuck made, and the reconciliation, searing pain surged through her, almost as fresh and real as the day she looked in Chuck’s eyes and knew he’d been unfaithful.
Would Tracy try to reestablish contact with Chuck? Is that what she was after? Had he done enough to protect his heart and mind from her in these intervening seven years? Seven years . . .
Jackson was six years old. She ran her finger down the sheet looking for a date of birth. April eighteenth. She counted backward on her fingers. April meant July.
He was conceived in July. Chuck was with Tracy on the eleventh, the fourteenth and the twenty-first . . . Pain gave way to bitter shame. Jackson Charles Ravenna wasn’t just Tracy’s son.
He was Chuck’s son.
She wiped the sweat beading across her forehead. The air conditioner was on, wasn’t it? Light-headed and nauseous, Bobbi leaned over, and breathed deeply, dragging the wastebasket closer as a precaution.
They quit counseling altogether because everything was good. They were solid. She loved him, and she trusted him. She asked Chuck point blank if Tracy was pregnant, and he said no. If he lied . . . If he knew about this boy all these years . . . If he kept this a secret . . .
Clutching the class list, she bolted back outside to her car. She couldn’t wait for Chuck to come home to discuss this. She had to know now. She jerked her car out of the parking space, her tires squealing as she sped out of the parking lot.
Chuck sighed and gave up squinting through the Thursday updates. He reluctantly pulled his glasses from his shirt pocket and slid them on. Bobbi didn’t need glasses yet, much less bifocals, but then, Bobbi wouldn’t be fifty this fall either.
He reached across his desk and picked up the photo of his wife. He took the picture on their second honeymoon on Maui, moments after he stopped a complete stranger to ask him if he’d ever seen a more beautiful woman. He captured her shy smile, with the self-conscious tilt of her head.