“It doesn’t matter.Jesus hung on the cross, and next to Him the thief believed in Jesus.He asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom.He asked for mercy.And you know what Jesus said?”
He glanced at her.Emberly frowned.
“‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’See, Em, it’s not about what you are, but who Jesus is.The Redeemer.The payer of our debt, fulfilling our death sentence, and the victor over the battle between good and evil.And you...you belong with the redeemed.Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.The old life is gone, a new has begun.Maybe you’re no longer a Black Swan.But just...a swan.”
Steinbeck closed his eyes.
Silence, just his heartbeat.
And then, “Yes,” Emberly said quietly.
“Yes?”
“I believe you.”
“Good.Want to tell the Lord that?”
Stein opened his eyes, smiled.Austen, his twin.A warrior of the heart.
He walked away as Emberly’s voice drifted up, wound around him...
“Lord, I’m sorry I ran from You for so long...”
He headed upstairs.
Maybe the mission was over.
Maybe not.
All he had to do was listen.
* * *
“You weren’t really thinking you’d leave without saying goodbye?”
The voice at the door made Harper look up from where, yes, her suitcase lay on the sofa, clothes piled on the chair, the coffee table.Open boxes sat on the floor for long-term storage.
Her mother had already moved out most of the upstairs office as well as her own clothing, which she’d packed up and taken with her yesterday to Boston.
“Hey, Boo,” said Harper.
Her friend came in, her dark hair short, wearing an oversized Duck Lake Storm sweatshirt, leggings, and Converse tennis shoes.
“I didn’t know you and Oaken were back.”
“He did the Utah State Fair last weekend.We’re headed to Oklahoma’s state fair on Sunday.”
“Busy.”
Boo came over, picked up a tie-dyed T-shirt.“I remember this one.VBS, seventh grade.It can’t possibly still fit.”
“Believe it or not, yes, which is a really sad state of affairs.I sleep in it.”
Boo handed it over, put her hands on her hips, surveying the place.“So, your mom is really selling the place.”
“Yeah.She’s contacted a Realtor.They’re going to stage the house and get it on the market.She gave me until the end of the month, but...I need to go.”
Boo moved the stack of T-shirts and sat on the overstuffed chair.“No, you don’t.”
