Francine Rivers - Her Daughter’s Dream

Hildie already knew. When Dawn finished, Carolyn was white. “No.” Hildie reached for her hand and held it tightly, her own heart breaking.

“I didn’t want it to be true either, Mom. But we can’t hide from the truth. You and Granny will need to work together. Jason’s life isn’t his own. You’ll be Faith’s guardian, Mom. Granny, you’re going to help her. So will Georgia. God is going to give back all the years the locusts ate, Mom.”

“May Flower Dawn.” Carolyn crumbled, head against Dawn’s side.

Dawn put her hand on her mother’s head as though offering a blessing. “You’re stronger than anyone I know. Keep Faith, Mom.” She smiled at Hildie. “Promise me you’ll share.”

When the paramedics arrived, they worked quickly, efficiently. They said they had room for only one more in the helicopter. Hildie almost said she’d go, but stopped herself. “You go.” She cupped Carolyn’s face. “You’re her mother.”

“Mitch and I will come out and get you as soon as we can.”

Hildie kissed Dawn and the baby. “I’ll see you both soon.” She tucked a strand of golden hair away from Dawn’s cheek. “You hold on to faith, honey. Don’t you dare give up.”

When they left, Hildie went back inside. She sat in her recliner and cried. Then she prayed. She kept praying until dusk came. She forgot to stoke the fire, and it went out. She took the blanket off the couch and bundled up in it. She had weathered other winters without fire or light. She could weather this one. The darkness fit her despair.

She awakened to someone calling her name. She saw a flash of light. The back door opened, and the beam caught and blinded her. “Who…?”

“Sorry it took so long to get out here, Hildie.” Mitch. “I had to come around through Sebastopol and Bodega. The river’s gone down enough to come across from Bridgehaven.”

Her son-in-law had come to her rescue. God had already sent him to rescue her daughter years ago.

“You want to pack a few things?”

“I think I should, don’t you?” She was still in her pajamas.

Mitch helped her around the tree roots and buckled road. He’d driven the Jaguar. It roared to life. He told her Dawn and the baby were both doing well. The baby weighed almost six pounds. Hildie asked him if he knew the reason May Flower Dawn had driven across country in the dead of winter.

“Yes. I know. The only one who doesn’t know yet is Jason, and I’ve got a few friends in high places moving heaven and earth to get him home.”

Hildie didn’t learn until later how many had been praying for the restorative miracle that had taken place at Jenner-and went on praying Dawn wouldn’t be called home. Not yet.

Carolyn put her shoulder bag and two tote bags into the compartment beside her seat in the mammoth Lufthansa 747 aircraft. Mitch had made the arrangements and, as usual, spared no expense to make sure she was comfortable. Her husband had put her, Faith, and Georgia in business class for the long flight to Frankfurt. Faith, blonde hair in pigtails, sat on the big leather seat, jean-clad legs straight out, feet dangling, Puppy Brown hugged in a protective embrace. She looked so much like May Flower Dawn at six years of age, it pierced Carolyn’s heart. She buckled Faith’s seat belt before her own and brushed her knuckles down her granddaughter’s satiny cheek. “Excited to see Daddy, sweetheart?”

Faith nodded. Carolyn leaned forward and looked across the aisle. “How’s GeeGee doing over there?”

Georgia sat across the aisle, face pale and strained. She gave a nervous smile. “I’m fine.” She looked anything but fine, but Carolyn understood all too well. Learning Jason had been seriously wounded in Afghanistan and flown to Landstuhl had them all on their knees.

They’d gotten the news two weeks ago that Jason had been wounded, but didn’t know until a few days later the extent of his injuries and where he had been transferred. Eventually, Jason would end up in the States, but how long before that happened? weeks? a month? two? Just as he’d done in the days following Faith’s birth, Mitch had moved mountains to get family members together during this time of crisis. He had gotten Jason home from Iraq within five days of Faith’s birth at Jenner. May Flower Dawn had spent a week in the hospital after Faith was born. Tests confirmed what she already knew: she didn’t have much time. The doctor ordered palliative radiation to control the pain. Dawn came home, and hospice was called in. Christopher withdrew from classes at Stanford and came home to spend as much time with his big sister as possible.

Everyone had worried about Jason. He’d been strong through Dawn’s last weeks, but grieved hard when she died. He lost weight, couldn’t sleep, wouldn’t talk. Pastor Daniel took him away for a few days, and Jason seemed better when they returned, less lost and broken. He held Faith close. When called back to duty, he went with God before him and as his rear guard.

Carolyn looked at the beautiful little girl sitting in the big, cushy leather seat next to her. If not for this adorable little munchkin, they all would have fallen to pieces.

“Champagne, madame?” A pretty, dark-haired flight attendant carried a tray of tulip glasses filled with juice or champagne. Georgia took orange juice.

Faith looked eagerly at Carolyn. “Can I have some juice, Grammy?” Carolyn said yes and declined anything for herself. She felt a little queasy with nerves. The last time she’d traveled any distance on her own was driving Chel across country after Woodstock, and that didn’t offer the best of memories. Dawn would have told her not to worry. God would be flying with them. She smiled as she imagined Jesus in uniform, sitting in the cockpit.

Faith squealed in delight and spread her arms. “GeeGee, we’re flying!” Georgia closed her eyes and gripped the arms of her seat. After what seemed a surprisingly short amount of time, the bell pinged and the captain announced the 747 had reached its cruising altitude and everyone was free to move around the cabin. Dinner was served. Carolyn took Faith to the bathroom, then strapped her back into her seat, covered her with a blanket, and read her favorite book to her, Horton Hears a Who! Faith fell asleep halfway through the third reading. Georgia had lowered her seat and finally looked peaceful.

Carolyn took out her wireless laptop. While she waited for it to boot up, she thought of how many times she’d used the computer over the past few years to connect with Jason on the other side of the world, Faith perched in her lap. When he came on the screen, she’d point. “There’s your daddy. Say hello, sweetheart.”

Jason would grin. “How’s my little girl?” Carolyn hadn’t wanted Jason to miss anything. She’d posted movies of Faith rolling over, sitting up, crawling. Faith had been walking by the time he came home from Iraq. Jason made the most of what little time he had with his daughter. Eighteen months after returning from Iraq, he was deployed again.

Georgia went to pieces when Jason was called up for a third tour of duty, this time in Afghanistan. “They’ll keep sending him,” Mitch told Carolyn. With so few men, the military had no choice but to reuse the ones they had. “As long as there’s war in the Middle East, he’ll be going in and coming back.” It didn’t look like it would end anytime soon.

Every night, Faith said the same prayer. “God, please bless Daddy and bring him home safe and soon. Help GeeGee not to worry so much. God bless Grammy Caro, Bumpa Mitch, Granny H, and Uncle Chris. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Then word came that Jason had been wounded and was being airlifted to a hospital in Germany. He wouldn’t be sent back into a war zone again. His war-won disabilities would bring him a Purple Heart and commendation, but also very likely an early out from the military. Jason had hoped to serve his full twenty years before returning to civilian life.