Chapter 19
“Hey, thanks again for your prayers, everyone. I’ve really felt them this week.”
There was a chorus of “sure thing” and “of course” and “great” and Kyle leaned back in his dining chair.
What a difference to earlier this week, when he’d sobbed like a baby while Ryan had patiently listened.
Kyle had ended up later posting in the chat requesting prayer, only saying it was a family matter that he couldn’t really talk about just yet and needed wisdom and direction.
And sure enough, the guys had stepped up, and he had felt a kind of carrying presence in recent days.
There had been numerous times when his spirit had felt lifted, like someone somewhere had just prayed for him.
No time more apparent than when Minnie Rivas had walked through the door and daggered looks at him and Gen, as if imagining they were conducting a secret tryst. And okay, fair, she had a solid reason for imagining that, but he would’ve liked for her not to assume the worst.
He’d sensed that he should go, but before doing so, had made it clear to Minnie that she was not going to come between him and Bella.
“I know that you might think you’re protecting her, but I deserve the chance to get to know my daughter, and she deserves the chance to get to know me.” Calm words, softly spoken, but with firm intent.
“You are not going to take her away from me,” she’d declared, leaving him confused.
Did she mean Bella or Gen? Regardless, the answer was the same. “You’re right, I’m not. But you might find that if you insist on trying to divide us that they may want to leave. And that’s on you, not me.”
She’d gasped, then sworn, which as a brand-new father he’d objected to, but considering he wasn’t perfect in that area himself he wasn’t about to make too much of an issue about it. There was no use pointing out a stick when he had a log in his own eye.
Instead, he’d turned to Gen and Bella and thanked them for their time, told them he’d be praying for them, and reminded them that he hoped to take them out for a meal soon.
“A meal?” Minnie had screeched.
“You’d be welcome to come too,” he’d foolishly promised, before remembering. “My parents are in town next weekend and would like to meet Bella, if that’s okay with her and Gen.”
Sure enough, Minnie had thrown a series of protests at him as he exited.
But still. Despite the challenges of that encounter, the rest of that visit had gone so amazingly well. The fact he’d even gotten to talk to them about God’s love? Wow.
“Hey, Kyle really must’ve heard some good news judging from that smile,” Tom teased.
He shrugged, but yeah. And sensed that maybe this was finally the time to talk.
So he offered a condensed version of what he’d shared with Ryan earlier in the week. Sure enough, there were a few dropped jaws and widened eyes, but despite this, he didn’t sense judgment, but acceptance. Even mercy.
“So when I saw them earlier today, it just felt surreal to be able to talk about God and how He’s changed my life.” He grinned. “I even got to share about learning to understand what God’s voice sounds like.”
“Whoa.”
“Tell us more.”
He shrugged. “Hey, I’m no expert, but I figure a relationship with God isn’t supposed to just be one-way, right?
So if I’m talking to Him, then He’s probably trying to talk to me too.
And yeah, I get that a lot of the time it’s in the Bible, but I’m trying to pay more attention to what I think the Holy Spirit might be trying to say.
And maybe I get things wrong, but I figure that’s better than ignoring Him because I think it’s weird. ”
“You know, there’s a bunch of spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible that a lot of Christians don’t pay much attention to these days,” Jai said thoughtfully.
“And if God thought it was important enough for the first Christians to use, then I don’t see why He would’ve made it stop two thousand years later. ”
The conversation veered into theological matters that Kyle was too much of a newbie to follow. But hey, he didn’t need to have all the answers. Especially when it seemed like God was answering a number of his questions in unexpected ways.
Even that hug earlier today with Gen had felt like another answered prayer. It had been sweet, secure, with none of the rush of heady hormones he was used to when near her before.
His heart twisted. Which perhaps meant that God didn’t want him to have a relationship with Gen beyond her simply being the mother of his child. He swallowed. Well, if that was the case, then God had a good reason, and Kyle was gonna trust Him with it.
“So, any other prayer requests?” Mike asked.
Doug raised his hand. “Yeah, I’d like to pray for JT’s wife. She’s had the baby and it’s not sleeping well, and she’s now having some trouble with a visa, and yeah.”
“And yeah?” Drew asked.
Kyle tilted his head. It was starting to seem like Doug really did have a deeper interest in that quarter beyond simply wanting to help the grieving widow of a teammate.
“And yeah. Pray for her. Thanks,” Doug mumbled.
“Okay, will do.”
There was another round of prayer requests—Frankie’s cough, Hannah’s new sportscaster role—and then Zac spoke up. “Okay, Ainsley finally said I could say something, so here goes. We’re expecting a little Parotti in the winter.”
“What?”
“Congratulations!”
“This will be the most genetically blessed baby in eternity,” Tom murmured, which scored a round of laughs.
But yes, it was true. Zac Parotti, who women had literally thrown themselves at, had married television’s sweetheart Ainsley Beckett, who herself was no stranger to the extreme actions of fans, and both had graced the cover of a magazine or two in their Most Beautiful editions.
“Congrats, Zac. That’s awesome news,” Kyle said sincerely.
It was only later, after the video call had finished, that he felt a heart pinch, as he wondered what it would’ve been like to have people congratulate him on being an expectant father.
Of course, there was a world of difference between being a teen dad with a surprise baby versus one that was much wanted in a secure stable marriage.
But it would be nice to one day have that secure, stable marriage that would enable a child’s anticipated arrival to be filled with joy and hearty congratulations.
“Hey God, I’m just saying that if You do have someone out there for me, I’m okay with that. And if You don’t, then help me be okay with that.” And if her name is Gen, then help her be okay with that.
Then he smiled at himself. As if God didn’t already know what was in his heart. Whether he prayed out loud or in his head it made no difference.
“Okay, fine, Lord. I’m praying this out loud because I feel like my ears need to tell my brain that this is true.
I still care for Gen. I… I feel like my heart has been bruised by what she did, but I still care for her.
And if this is not what You want, then please take all attraction away.
Help me to not think about her. But Jesus, I’d really like to see her come to You as her Lord and Savior.
The same for Bella too. And Mom and Dad.
They all really need to know You. So please help me to be a light that points to You. Amen.”
Amen.
* * *
“So, what do you think, Bella? Do you want to meet Kyle’s mom and dad, or not?”
Please say no. Please say no. Gen had no desire to see the woman who would no doubt not shy away from calling Gen a gold digger to her face. Mr. Tinker, she was not so sure.
But after last week’s conversation with Kyle, it only felt fair to ask Bella what she wanted. To give her the chance to make a choice, especially when—for both of them—so many other things felt like they were spinning out of control.
Like Gen’s situation at the hospital regarding Lily’s death.
Someone had made an anonymous complaint about her, so now there was going to be a peer review of the case.
There was even the likelihood of an inquiry, as Gen’s name had been linked to questions over whether enough had been done to secure the safety of a ward of the state.
Nancy had been indignant, and the other nursing staff had been too.
But it didn’t change the fact that the peer review would happen, or so Dr. Singh had said.
“Are you serious?”
He’d nodded, then gone on to explain that there had been other allegations that she was arrogant, didn’t communicate, and that she wasn’t a team player.
She’d been so stunned that she’d barely known what to think.
Dr. Singh had assured her she had his full support, and encouraged her to speak to Dr. Rialto, her program director, but she felt as crushed as the motorcyclist she’d attended earlier that day, who had been scooped off the freeway after colliding with a truck.
Who hated her so much they would go to all this trouble to report her—yet do it anonymously?
And of course she couldn’t talk about it, couldn’t find out about just who might hate her that much.
She had her suspicions, of course, but speaking those aloud would only backfire on her, or so she’d been warned.
Anonymous allegations could be made but she had no way to defend herself.
Not yet, anyway. And it might not be a problem if the person she suspected soon graduated from residency.
Although she didn’t think he was competent enough to pass without further extending.
But she was only the junior, so what would she know?
“You may find that if this escalates you’ll need to take time off from work,” Dr. Singh had warned. “And I hope you’ve charted well and kept good records because seeing Lily was in the foster system, CPS is involved, so there are legal ramifications now too.”
Legal ramifications? Oh no. “You know I’ve always tried to do the right thing. This won’t delay me from graduating, will it?”
“Let’s hope not.”
This all only added more pressure. Here she was, soon to start her third year of residency, with so many unknowns.