Joella steered JD's truck onto the main road in front of the hospital, as she hummed "Amazing Grace." Thank you, Lord, for clearing his sight and for answering prayers so quickly. "I'm grateful the doctor let you go home."
JD fingered the bandage. "I don't remember too much about the race. Did I win?" He gave a low chuckle.
"Most definitely. Just to let you know, I called my sister when they took you for the CAT scan. I almost fainted when she and her boyfriend agreed to pick up our bikes with Dad's truck. She must feel guilty about breaking into my apartment on Easter Sunday."
He rested his head against the seat. "That's good, though I'm not too enthused about getting on one anytime soon." He stretched his long legs out over the floor mat personalized with his initials. "Thank you for driving me home." He winced when he touched his head again.
"I need directions to your apartment."
"I think I'll stay with my parents a few days. I'm sure my mom will be happy to take care of me."
"That's probably best." Joella slowed for a yellow light. "But didn't you say they were out of town?" She'd love to stay with him until he got better, if it were possible.
"Yeah, but they're coming back today. I'll show you how to get there." He ran his fingers down her arm. "Joella, I … I wanted to tell you it meant a lot to me when you prayed to your … I mean to God."
JD's whispered words brought laughter to her soul. The power of the Lord seemed so evident. "I could do nothing else."
When the light changed to green, he pointed left. After another mile, they turned into an older neighborhood. "Third house on the right."
She stopped in front of a red brick home when he pointed again. "Just a sec. I'll help you."
JD nudged the door open and dangled his legs out as if he didn't trust his feet to carry him. With her arm under his, they lumbered to the entrance. "Haven't we done this before?"
"Yeah, maybe I'm accident prone or something. I probably look like I've been wounded in a war." He took a few hesitant steps. "I'm not sure what time my folks are getting home … later this evening, I think. The key to the house is on that ring."
Joella fingered a couple of keys and tried one in the lock. Before she could secure it in the slot, the door flew open.
JD's father stood in front of them, his spine ramrod straight.
Joella's lungs ceased to function.
Mr. Neilson's brows formed a deep V as his lips compressed into a straight white line. He looked even more menacing than the day in the mountains when Tannon got lost.
The older man raised his eyebrows and glared. "I've been calling your cell since yesterday to see if you wanted to come to dinner after church today."
"My cell? Oh, I think it's in my saddle-pack with my bike."
The man stared through narrowed eyes at Joella then back to JD. Didn't he see the bandage on JD's temple? The swelling on his face? "What's going on, JD? I trust you're not going to tell me you stayed out all night with this … woman."
Misgivings filled Joella's heart. It appeared Mr. Neilson had jumped to an untrue and inappropriate conclusion.
JD stood as still as an ice-carving on the threshold of the door. "No, Dad. She's helping me."
"Is that what you call wrongdoing … help? Has she destroyed your value system? Wadded it up, and flushed it down the toilet?"
JD choked, looking appalled. "Dad, what are you talking about?"
His values? Joella prided herself on her Christian standards though she hadn't always lived them, but this went over the line. "No, Mr. Neilson, it's not what you think." Now she understood JD's frustration that day at Lower Ormond Park.
With another glare, Mr. Neilson stepped aside as she supported JD's weight. They trudged through the entrance into the living room.
JD groaned as he dropped to the couch.
She straightened her shoulders and confronted the irate man. "Sir, look at him. He's been in El Camino General all night with a concussion."
Mrs. Neilson raced into the living room from somewhere in the back, her voice wavering. "JD, honey, what in the world happened?"
JD ran his fingers over his head. "I … had an accident. I'm okay. Can I … stay here for a couple of days?"
"Of course, sweetie. Lie back on the couch." She moved closer, examining his battered head. "Let me put fresh sheets on your bed."
Mr. Neilson glowered at Joella, his look hard to interpret. Scorn? His face flushed a furious red. "JD, I warned you about this Jezebel, but you wouldn't listen, would you?"
Jezebel? He called her a Jezebel? She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.
JD pushed up on an elbow. "Dad. Please, not now. We'll talk about this later."
Mr. Neilson growled at Joella. "You've probably made yourself available to my son a few times, but that's not going to happen anymore. I want you out of this house—now. And if I ever catch you chasing after my son again, I'll … I'll …" His face turned purple. "Did you hear me? Get out!"
Joella clutched her neck as her jaw dropped. No one had ever spoken to her like that. Tears burned her eyes, spilled over, and streamed down her cheeks. "I … uh want you to know … JD and I have done nothing wrong. He's always behaved like a perfect gentleman."
Though her voice wobbled, she spoke the words with courage. "I need to call my mother to come get me. We were in JD's truck when the accident happened." She pulled her cell phone from her purse.
Mrs. Neilson shifted her attention from JD. "I'll take you home. No need to call for a ride."
Her husband gave her a sideways glance that didn't look happy. "Well, it will be the last time you do anything for that unbeliever."
Mrs. Neilson nodded. "Come with me to the garage."
"Wait, Joella." JD's voice sounded tired and hoarse. "Dad, you have no right to talk to her like that." He groaned.
Mr. Neilson bellowed. "I have every right. Have you forgotten what our faith teaches? You're treading on dangerous ground. Let her go, and don't see her again."
JD stared at his father. Then he grabbed his stomach and heaved. With one hand over his mouth, he stumbled from the room.
Mrs. Neilson grabbed Joella's elbow. "It's best for us to go now." In the garage, she slid into the driver's seat of a maroon Caprice Classic.
Joella got into the passenger's side too numb and immobilized to do anything but hug herself. The last half hour muddied into a ghastly nightmare. What kind of religion caused such disgust and fury in a person? Not one that honored her loving and forgiving God. Yet she wouldn't ever want to judge Mr. Neilson's heart.
"Where do you live?" Mrs. Neilson's voice broke the grisly silence.
"In … the Los Ranchos Grande neighborhood." Joella's quivering lips produced the words, but the voice was a stranger's.
"All right." Mrs. Neilson backed out of the driveway. "I'm sorry about the harshness of my husband's tone. We had a long drive from Portland yesterday, arriving home one day earlier than we planned." She pulled out into the traffic and cleared her throat. "I've never seen you at church."
"I go to New Life Fellowship." It became obvious. JD attended a church that prohibited friendships except among church members. Even so, why did his father act so angry?
JD's mother slanted a sideways glance to Joella and back to the road again. "Hmm. I see. You and JD seem like good friends."
What was she getting at? JD's father made it abundantly clear. He didn't like her, and it had something to do with their religion. Mrs. Neilson must disapprove of JD's relationship with her, too.
Joella wanted to change the uncomfortable subject, but she wouldn't lie."Yes, we are. How was your trip?"
"Oh, it was wonderful." A sparkle filled her eyes. "I love visiting our church's headquarters." The older woman turned into Joella's neighborhood.
Hmm. A church headquartered in Portland, Oregon. "Turn at the next street. My apartment is on the right, at the end of the block."
JD's mom stopped in front of Joella's home. "Well, here you are." She ran
her hand slowly across the steering wheel. "Please, Joella. I know my husband came on too strong, but you have to understand our faith."
Joella shook her head sending strands of hair into her eyes. "I don't understand any faith that would make someone scream like that, not to mention wrongly accusing me of sleeping with his son."
Mrs. Neilson softened her gaze. "I'm sorry, dear. I wish I could erase today." She stared out the front window for a moment. "What happened to JD?"
The story spilled out mixed with her tears and finally sobs.
JD's mother held up her palm. "For what it's worth, I don't believe you and JD did anything wrong. Thank you for seeing him to the hospital and bringing him home. And I haven't had an opportunity to say thanks for helping to find Tannon."
"You've raised two wonderful boys." Joella couldn't use the same term to describe her husband.
"Thank you." Her face beamed. "My children are my joy. It hasn't always been easy, but I've put a lot of effort into teaching them the truths of our religion."
Joella crawled out and watched the Chevy's taillights disappear from sight. Though she wanted to ask Mrs. Neilson more details about her religion, she hadn't found the words. She couldn't discuss it with her now.
Mr. Neilson's attitude and words assaulted her once more. She shambled past her newly repaired car and into the apartment. One thing for sure. Her relationship with JD was over. Though he needed to know the truth about God—His love and His mercy, to abandon his faith would cause a great breach with his family. Obviously, the god his father depicted wasn’t the same loving Father she leaned on, especially in times of trouble. That god wasn't the same God she'd prayed to and begged to restore JD’s sight. Yes, JD needed to know God, and until that happened, she couldn't see him anymore.
Sadness permeated every inch of her body. Not only did a future with JD look bleak, he wasn't the man she'd supposed him to be. Joella unlocked her apartment door and trudged inside. Her life would never be the same.
Chapter Seventeen
The usual crowd milled around Starbuck's when JD pushed through the glass door.
The young woman behind the counter gave him a flirty smile.
"A Venti coffee-of-the-day, please." He pulled out his wallet.
"Would you like a blueberry scone with that?"
"No, thanks." He handed her a five, held his hand out for change, and scooted over to the bar to wait.
The head wound, like an ominous warning of suffering yet to come, throbbed and ached. He'd been off work for a week yet it seemed a month. By last Wednesday, he hadn't been able to take anymore of Dad's lectures and Mom's babying. His apartment never looked so good.
The only positive thing about spending those few days at home was hanging with his brother and sister. He supposed he'd never hear the end of Glorilyn's gratitude for getting her car repaired and saving her from Dad's wrath. How they'd kept it from him, JD couldn't imagine.
"Your coffee of the day."
"Huh?" He jumped when the barista set the cardboard cup of steaming java on the bar. "Oh, thank you."
The earthy aroma that usually cheered him didn't help his mood today. He ambled toward the lounge chair by the window, sat, and leaned his head back against the soft leather.
His wound brought back memories of the hospital room—an experience that had challenged his lifestyle and beliefs more than any other. Even now he sensed Joella's warm breath on his cheek, heard her words—I love you. His hopes had soared only to crash like a kite on a still day. He couldn’t return her words of affection. Couldn’t tell her how he felt. Hearing her confession made everything worse.
In the hospital, panic had almost debilitated him. He feared losing his vision, but more than that, how would he accomplish everything Exalted Father demanded if he couldn't see? What about the Scale of Balance?
He didn't want to think what would've happened if Joella hadn't been by his side—holding his hand and praying for him when he felt weak and defenseless.
Her prayers. Warmth traveled from his neck to his injured head. He'd succumbed to a non-believer's prayers, begging her to keep on. They'd brought him peace and comfort. Surely, he'd reacted that way because of his mental state.
Did her prayers have anything to do with his sight improving? No. The ER doctor explained it. Impaired vision is a symptom of a concussion. Joella's petition to her God wasn't responsible for his recovery. He took a sip of the hot coffee and let out a sigh.
So many questions. So few answers. A thought niggled him. What if … what if his poor vision hadn't been temporary? What if Joella's God had intervened? No, he couldn't think like that.
Joella. Even now Dad's words flamed in JD's thoughts. He never dreamed his father would express his objections to those extremes. His words were cruel. He'd falsely accused them of improper behavior. Yet, if JD examined the main point behind the lecture, he reluctantly had to agree his father spoke correctly.
JD took another sip of coffee. If he wanted to continue to embrace his religion, he could never see Joella Crawford again. He brushed aside the devastating thought that he'd lose a valuable treasure if he lost her.
Admit it. Though he'd get by, he'd never truly be happy. The fabric of his life unraveled a little more each day.
He hadn't talked to Joella since Dad's tirade. She'd sent Tammy and Ted to deliver his bicycle and cell phone. He should've picked them up himself.
A couple of noisy college students crowded through the door reminding him of NCU where he'd first met Joella. Would she speak to him again after the incident with his father? JD had wanted to defend her, but he'd barely made it to the bathroom to vomit. Could he blame her if she never wanted to see him again?
He glanced at his watch. Thirty minutes to get to the office. Catching up on the pile of work that undoubtedly waited would be a challenge.
A newspaper lay on the coffee table in front of him. The headlines featured a famine in Liberia. People starving to death. Another article talked about a massive earthquake in Peru. Was there ever any good news?
"JD? JD Neilson?" A man in a dark suit and tie strolled toward him from the bar. With a wide grin, he extended his hand.
JD surveyed the guy a moment before standing to receive the handshake. "Henry. How ya doing?"
Henry Rupert set his tall Starbucks cup on the table and relaxed into the chair near JD's. "Hey, man. It's good to see you. How long's it been?"
JD sank back into his seat. "Since high school, I think." Henry was one of those non-church friends he'd played with as a kid. "Remember, when you moved from the neighborhood, we still palled around at football games and the math club."
"We had some great times, dude."
Wait a minute. Burchett's documents said Henry had left El Camino. The lawyer sold the old home place after his parents died. "I heard you moved to Sacramento."
His friend propped his ankle over his knee. "Yeah, about five years ago. I'm here on personal business." He blew on the hot beverage and took a sip. "My church is going to sponsor a large youth rally this summer, and I'm here to talk to the youth pastor of New Life Fellowship, David Reyes, about being one of the guest speakers."
New Life Fellowship. Joella's church. Wasn't Reyes the guy she introduced him to at the sunrise service? JD wanted to ask more questions, but closed his mouth when Henry picked up the conversation again.
"It's tough coming back, seeing the old house on Almond." He worked his hand across his brow.
JD squared his shoulders. "I'm sorry about your mom."
"Thanks, buddy. It's hard for me to believe Mom and Dad don't live there anymore."
Henry's parents were probably in the Land of Shadows now, saying prayers to get themselves into heaven with Exalted Father. Though no one could really know for sure about their eternal destiny, he could never tell Henry that.
JD needed to change the subject. "Hey. I see Dale Burchett bought the old home place. You're probably glad to have that resolved."
"Dale Burchet
t? No, he was only handling the estate. Some real estate company bought it. Why did you say that?"
Had JD given out confidential information? But real-estate was public knowledge in the city's Daily Commercial Recorder. "Look Henry, maybe I spoke too soon." JD twisted in his chair.
Henry squinted at JD. "I don't understand."
JD ran a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately, the lawyer happens to be a client."
"Oh, yeah? Well he told me he sold Mom's home to a real estate company but could only get about half what it was worth because the market is so unstable—about $300,000."
JD winced. Something didn't sound right. Burchett told JD he bought the home at fair market value but Henry claimed the opposite. What was JD's next step? "I may have revealed information I shouldn't have. I'm not free to say anything more, but I'd like to let you know, all real-estate sales are a matter of county record. I'd advise you to look the sale up at the county tax office."
Henry stared at JD and shook his head. "I have an inkling about what you're trying to say here. You can bet I'll be down at the courthouse within the hour. Thanks, buddy."
******
JD stepped out of the elevator. If he had his way, he'd coast right by Mary at the receptionist's desk without attracting any attention.
"Hey, JD. How are you?" Mary waved at him. "We've missed you around here."
JD hoped she wouldn't say anything about why he hadn't been at work. Having a bike accident wasn't exactly something to brag about. "I'm fine. Thanks, Mary."
"Oh, JD. Could I have a minute?"
JD stopped about ten feet from his door and rotated toward her. She'd better not make any cracks about my cycling ability.
"Mr. Grant had me leave some new files on your desk, and I believe he sent you a couple of e-mails. I'm not sure if you know, but he had to go out of town until Thursday on personal business."
JD forced a smile at the efficient secretary. "All right." He took the last few steps to his office and opened the door. Seemed like he'd been gone for an eternity. What luck to work in a profession he loved. It'd be hard to get caught up, but the distraction would take his mind off Joella.
JD brought up his e-mails. Most were probably instructions from Mr. Grant, like Mary said. He finished perusing his messages, minimized the screen, and picked up the first folder from his desk.