Page 74 of Echoes of Eternity

“What’s going on, Pastor?” Ryan shook his head as he glanced around.

“God used your speech the other night at Jim’s Hardware to minister to this town. It was a wake-up call to every person you see here, Ryan.”

A hand firmly grabbed his shoulder. He turned and saw Bill, misty-eyed.

Ryan’s eyes went wide. “Bill?”

“Yep.” He sighed and shook his head. “I acted like a complete idiot. Please forgive me?”

“Of course I forgive you.” Moved with compassion, Ryan climbed up onto the front counter of the grill and waved to the crowd to quiet. Once they were all quieted and all eyes were on him, Ryan spoke.

“I appreciate this response, and I honestly wasn’t expecting it.”

Jim called out to him, “You’re a good man and a good son to Frank. Your father would be proud of you, Ryan!”

He smiled. “Thank you. But I need to tell you all something. Emily isn’t actually visiting her family in California. She left me.”

The crowd gasped, eagerly awaiting his next words.

Pushing past the uneasiness, he continued. “I might actually choose to go back to California. To save my marriage and my family.”

Again, the crowd gasped at his revelation. Then, Bill spoke up. “Don’t go. We want you and your family to stay! Give us a chance to be the Cedarwood Creek you remember!”

“I appreciate that, but Jason will be here and will continue to keep things running with Steven at the helm.” Ryan surveyed the crowd as his eyes welled with thankfulness and joy. “It means a lot to me that you all showed up today. It was a beautiful gift, and I’ll never forget it. Enjoy free appetizers on me today!”

As the pastor helped him down from the counter and the crowd dispersed, he saw Bill sitting in a booth by himself. He had to know more about what happened, so he went over and sat down across from him. Opening his hands on the table, Ryan looked at the man who had transformed from enemy to friend practically overnight. “What happened, Bill?”

“Change of heart.”

Tilting his head, Ryan could see a joy in his expression that he hadn’t noticed since arriving in Cedarwood Creek. “Can you share more with me, or is it private?”

“Well, the other night at Jim’s when you spoke of love and forgiveness . . .”

Bill adjusted in his seat, sitting up a little straighter and appearing to hold back tears. Ryan encouraged him to continue with a nod and sustained eye contact.

“It prompted me to go see my son, Mason. He lives down the road in Suncrest, and yet we haven’t spoken in fifteen years over a stupid mistake he had made as a kid.”

“How’d that go?”

Tears splashed out onto the older man’s cheeks and he wiped them away. “Really well. The hardest part of the whole thing is the fact that I could’ve done that years ago. So many years lost, all because I was mad at him.”

Recalling his own struggle with his sisters, Ryan felt a weight press on his heart. He hadn’t even spoken to them since the funeral.

“It can be hard to look beyond the hurt.” Ryan’s lips broke into a smile as he continued. “But when we look upon the Cross and all the sin our Lord and Savior took on for us, it can’t help but soften the heart of those who believe in Him.”

“Amen.” Bill nodded, smiling as he pulled his handkerchief out and wiped his nose. “You’re a good man, and your father was too. I feel so dumb for acting the way I did . . .”

“God is good, Brother. Even when we’re dumb.”

“Yes, He is.”

Amazed by what God had done with the man, Ryan smiled warmly at his once enemy and said, “Thank you, Bill.”

Bill’s words about his son and harboring unforgiveness gnawed at Ryan’s heart throughout the rest of the day and into the evening back at the house. As Ryan went out the back door to the patio, he looked over at the pool. He thought about how his sisters, brother, and he would swim for hours during the summer. When he set aside his anger and frustration, all he could feel was pain and longing to connect with them. Pain for the broken and severed relationships, pain for the way things were now with each of them. Not all because their father left them no part in the family business, but also the way they felt he had treated them throughout their childhood. They hated him, and it was easier for him to hate them in return. Love, vulnerability and relationship were all risky, and up until talking to Bill, not even on his mind’s radar.

Resolving that enough was enough, he pulled his phone out.

He called Alyssa.

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