Please read Chapter 1 prior to this one. Otherwise, this chapter will not make sense to you.
Again, there is no erotic content in this chapter. Wait until Chapter 3 for that to begin. Remember, this is fiction.
Enjoy!
We arrived at the cabin and I again parked in the visitor space near the front door. Pam was absorbed in one of the books and just looked up as we parked.
I walked around the car and opened her door. She smiled, marked her spot in the book and gathered the others. We unloaded all the groceries and her CVS bag and entered the cabin.
Pam put her purchases in the bedroom as I put away the food and loaded the beer in the fridge. I brought in more kindling and used old newspapers to get a new fire going. She walked up behind me as I worked but waited until the fire caught.
Once it was blazing, Pam handed me the book she'd been reading and said, "Tom, I want you to read this chapter. I think it gives some clues to what's been happening."
The chapter was an account by a dad whose son had died as the result of a car accident. He recounted how the accident happened and how it was his son's fault. The son was in a coma for several days and was alive primarily because of the life support devices. All of their friends were praying for the son, as were he and his wife.
One night, during his sleep, a messenger appeared to the dad. He was not afraid and he remembered how comforted he felt while the messenger talked. The messenger told him that his son's body would die but that his spirit would be transferred to the place of eternal life. The messenger then seemed to embrace the dad's spirit and comforted it. The dad's spirit asked the messenger how it knew the son would die. It told him that Gabriel had sent it.
I said, "Wow."
Pam asked if I'd read the part about Gabriel.
"Yes, that's astounding. Gabriel, according to the Bible, is the angel that God sent to Mary to tell her she would be pregnant with Jesus. He was also sent to Zechariah to tell him about a son to be born to his wife Elizabeth when she was very old. Her son was John the Baptist. Gabriel also appeared to Daniel and interpreted his dreams."
"How do you know so much about the Bible?"
"I read it a lot during Lydia's illness. She told me about a few dreams she had and I got interested and looked up all the dreams recorded in the Bible. That led me to read about angels and messengers from God that often appeared in dreams."
"Tom, do you think we're being visited by angels or messengers?" We looked at each other and just stared.
I finally responded, "I've no idea. But that would explain why we knew things that we shouldn't have known."
Pam replied, "There's one more thing that happened recently. Until now, I really discounted it as just another dream. About a week or so before the incident with the policeman, I dreamed about my dad. I've dreamed about him many times so that wasn't unusual. But this dream was a little different. I distinctly remember he told me to go home and that he was concerned about me. That's the only thing I remembered about that dream. I thought it was just a coincidence that I got the crap beat out of me a week later."
I reached for Dr. Graham's book,
Angels,
opened it and started reading. Pam continued reading her book on dreams as the fire popped and cracked, warming us.
****************************
Late in the afternoon, I suggested we take a break and have a beer. I handed a Stella to Pam and asked, "Can we take a walk down to the lake? I need to stretch my legs and get some fresh air."
"I'd love to. This book is getting a bit deep for me."
The afternoon temperature was quite pleasant; therefore, we grabbed only light jackets and began walking down the lane. Part of the gravel lane is steep and somewhat slippery with the leaves and loose rocks so I offered my hand to Pam. She gladly accepted. We continued on, holding hands as we walked through the fallen leaves down to the water's edge.
Pam said, "I'm really glad you invited me to stay today. This is a beautiful place and I've enjoyed spending this time with you. Would you mind if I stay a little longer?"
"I've been planning on it."
"You have?"
"Why do you think I bought all the extra food and beer today?" She grinned.
We walked along the lakeshore and I stopped to skip a few flat rocks across the water just like I was still a child. She had never tried it but became a skilled rock skipper after just five throws.
As we threw the rocks, Pam told me about the book she was reading.
"It's a collection of personal accounts of people who had dreams that came true or revealed something unique. Some of the people only remember a hazy outline of their dreams but others remember the details. One mother was telling about a dream after her small child was hit and killed by a drunk driver. In the dream, she asked a messenger why the child's guardian angel didn't protect her innocent son. She said he told her that angels are around humans all the time but have no guardian role. They are really just advisors or guides for those who God chooses. They exist to help make decisions but they can't influence or control the outcome. Tom, that sounds to me like what we call a conscience."
"That would imply that not everyone has a conscience, or at least one that determines right from wrong," I replied.
"I've always wondered why some people are so willing to kill someone else over pennies or cigarettes or just petty stuff. It's like life has no meaning or value at all to them. How did Hitler and Stalin kill millions of innocent people without batting an eye?"
I added, "That touches on the Baptist doctrine of free will. They believe that people are free to act badly and do evil to others although God could have stopped it or changed the outcome to be a good one. How many times have you heard people ask why bad things happen to good people when a disaster occurs, almost like they're accusing God of doing the evil by allowing it."
Pam responded, "I've been guilty of that. I was very angry with God when my dad died and when I got the crap beat out of me a week ago."
"And I was really angry when Lydia became ill and died. I could see no reason for it and I thought God was the cause or at least allowed it. I'm still not over it."
We turned around and started back up the hill to the cabin. Pam said, "You know, I'm getting a bit hungry. I'd like to prepare dinner for us if you don't mind."
"That'd be fantastic. We have chicken pieces. We have cubed steak. We have plenty of ground beef and several steaks and we can even roast a turkey breast but that'd probably take too long."
"Let's do the cubed steak country style. I make a mean gravy and we have canned green beans and peas for sure. I saw that you brought a few potatoes. How about we mash a couple of those?"
"You've got my mouth watering."
We walked up the lane and held hands through the slippery areas once again.
As soon as we arrived, I went to work rebuilding the fire and Pam headed to the bathroom to freshen up. I washed my hands in the kitchen sink and peeled the potatoes while she prepared the meat and opened the peas. I handed her another Stella Artois and opened one for myself. We touched can tops and both said "Cheers." Her smile was captivating.
I watched as she maneuvered through the kitchen like it was a part of her. As the meat sizzled in the iron skillet, she measured the ingredients for the gravy while I mashed the potatoes. It all came together beautifully and was absolutely delicious. Lydia would occasionally make country style steak like this and it was always one of my favorite meals.
Later, in front of the fire, Pam asked me about Lydia. "What was she like, Tom?"
"She was the definition of grace and beauty. I was always proud to be with her, no matter where it was. She loved life and shared her joy of living with many people. She had a degree in education but only taught at a school for a couple of years. One of her friends home-schooled their children and she asked Lydia to help her with materials, lesson plans and teaching techniques. Then other parents asked for help and it went on and on. Lydia really enjoyed that.
"Within a couple of years, she had enough demand to set up a business providing home-schooling materials and lesson plans. That was very successful and she especially enjoyed the creative part. The business grew and she eventually hired three employees to share the load with her.
When we learned about the cancer and word got around, the parents she helped became a support network for her. Whenever I couldn't be there, these parents took turns staying with Lydia. They were a real blessing to us.
"She never met a stranger-everyone loved her from the moment they met. Even to the very end, she remained cheerful and optimistic. I know the pain must have been terrible sometimes but she rarely complained and never felt sorry for herself. If anything, she was more concerned about me than she was herself.
"The night she died at our home, her mom and dad were there along with my parents. We all knew it was her time. She asked that we play her favorite song, which was '10,000 Reasons' by Matt Redman. The lyrics she liked the best were at the end. They go something like this: And on that day, when my strength is failing and my time is near, my soul will sing your praise unending for ten thousand years and forever more.
"I was holding her diminished body on my lap and she looked into my eyes."
I choked and asked Pam for a moment. As my tears flowed, I continued, "Her last words were, 'Our love is eternal, Tom. I will never leave you. It's going to be OK.' Her eyes then closed and I felt her body relax as I held her tightly."
I tried to hold back but just couldn't and continued to cry softly. Pam came over and held my hand and cried with me.
After a few minutes, I was able to compose myself. "I'm sorry for being so emotional. I've spent a lot of time crying alone the last few years, especially here at the cabin. I just can't seem to let her go."
Pam asked, "I wonder what she meant about never leaving you. Maybe she knew that her spirit would always be a part of yours in some way."
I replied, "Maybe so. But if anyone deserved to be in heaven, she did. I hope her spirit is there and not hanging out with mine." We both smiled.
"Pam, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted and ready for bed. If I have another dream and can remember it, I'll write down everything when I first wake. Can you do the same?"
"That's a great idea. I'll put a pen and some paper next to the bed, just in case."
Pam stayed up and read in front of the fire. I crawled into bed after showering and, as usual, thought about Lydia.
