Page 71 of Once a Hero

Beatrice nodded. “We’ve been through a lot together. He was adopted when he was two years old, and when he was five, I joined the family.”

“I’m gathering you had happy days.”

“Well, they left us some old DVDs of our park days, field trips, vacations, and holidays. Do you still remember DVDs?”

“Yes. And CDs.”

“Ha. Those too. Yeah, they left us DVDs of the first five years of my life in the Wright household. Turned out that Mom and Dad quarreled a lot away from our presence. Whenever they were with us, we were always happy, especially when they were filming us to make the memory DVDs.”

“Did your brother have his special events recorded before you were born?”

“Yeah. He was a very pampered only child for five years.”

“I have four brothers and one sister,” Jake said. “I have no idea what it means to be an only child.”

“Six kids, huh?” Beatrice parked the car. “You’ll have to tell me more about your family sometime.”

“Over dinner, perhaps?” Jake asked. No regrets.

“Perhaps.” Beatrice got out of the car and closed the door. “However, at this time, my immediate problems are more than I can handle.”

Jake limped alongside Beatrice as they walked to the aircraft hangar. “If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”

“You can pray for all of us, Jake.”

Prayer.

That should have crossed his mind first, Jake thought. Yet it hadn’t. All he had thought of was physically helping Beatrice himself.

She needed as much spiritual help as she did physical—although all help came from God above.

Jake felt bad that he hadn’t been a spiritual encourager to Beatrice. What if God had placed him there for such a time as this? Perhaps Beatrice needed reminders that God was still sovereign over all her troubles?

Quietly, Jake asked God to forgive him.

“Amen,” he whispered after he finished his quick prayer.

“Pardon?” Beatrice asked. “Did you say something?”

“I was thinking that every bit of help we get is from God.”

“Indeed.”

“Psalm 121:1-2 comes to mind. ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ I’ve tried to memorize this verse.”

“Thank you for the reminder that God is my provider. I need to hear that today.”

“Same here.”

“I need to read my Bible more,” she added, without explaining further.

“Me too, Beatrice. Me too.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Benjamin’s face became increasingly redder onscreen as Beatrice explained what had happened outside the San Francisco bank. “What on earth, Bee?”

It sounded like the beginning of a rant, so it was best to let him start and finish, even though Beatrice had heard it all.

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