Page 88 of The Inn Dilemma

Thor comes up from behind him, clasping his shoulder. “I have a guess.” He wiggles his eyebrows and looks at me.

“No.” Chris holds up his hand. “Just…no.”

Thor and I laugh together as Christian stalks off to help Cai with the white canopy.

Not long after my crew is there, Aunt Birdie, Van, and Emma park their side-by-side. They have a trailer on the back with the final things we need for the party. Axel shows up on his dirt bike just in time to help them unload.

The next few hours are spent setting up tents, tables, and chairs, cooking, baking, and prepping the grill for hamburgers and hot dogs. It’s a whirlwind of activity before the intercom system notifies me that the first guests have arrived.

It’s Van’s job to taxi them back here from the inn. He has another secret job he works on in between bringing guests back.Each time I see him sneak out of the surprise behind the house, the excitement builds.

Once the party is in full swing, I take my place on the porch, tapping the microphone to get everyone’s attention. Everyone turns toward the stage, and I smile down at all of them.

“Thank you all for coming today. This has been a humbling experience, to say the least. God has shown me time and time again that He has orchestrated this, and all I need to do is walk on the path He’s set before me.” I turn my attention to Aunt Birdie. “Thankfully, He also sent me a guide who has helped keep me on the straight and narrow.” She beams up at me. “But Mount Restoration has been a labor of love and selflessness from my family and friends.” I motion to the white screen behind me and use the remote to click on to the slideshow Nova made. “As you can see, where I am currently standing was nothing but a crumbling four walls this time last year.” I move through the next severalslides slowly. “Then, as the months passed, the walls were made firm and strong enough to hold the cabin you see here today.” I motion behind me. “That is my goal for each kid who comes to my door. When kids don’t get the care and love they need, they suffer. Not just emotionally, but physically and spiritually. Here, they will grow into men who contribute good into society. They’ll learn how to do basic mechanics, build a fire, survive in the wilderness, cook, clean, shave, tie a tie, and whatever else they need. My goal with this program is to mold boys into men who don’t just survive, but thrive. This is a faith-based system because only God can fully restore what the world breaks. My Uncle Walter taught me that, and I really don’t know where or who I’d be without my relationship with Jesus.” I swallow the growing emotion in my throat. “Not everyone has an aunt and uncle like I did. My hope and prayer is that this will be my uncle’s legacy. That I and the other men working with me can be to these boys what my uncle was to me.”

The small crowd breaks out into applause, and I praise God that He has given me this group of people—my community, my family, my tribe of people with hearts for service.

Over the next few hours, I receive more monetary donations than I know what to do with, and I thank God for His hand in all of this. As the party winds down and each guest says goodbye, the nervousness of what’s coming next pulses through me.

Van is the last one to leave after taking each guest back out through the forest to their cars parked at the inn. He claps me on the shoulder and says, “It’s ready” low enough that Nova can’t hear him.

Thankfully, she’s too occupied playing tug of war with Tootsie to notice the strings of lights turn on.

Van hugs her goodbye and waves to us both. “Night, guys.”

“Good night. Thanks for all your help today!” Nova says.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I confirm.

Van tips his hat and hops on the side-by-side, leaving Nova and me alone.

She spins in a semi-circle until her eyes land on the strings of lights illuminating the gravel path behind the house.

“I didn’t know you put these lights up.”

“You want to see where they take us?”

There’s a curiosity in her expression. “You know I do.”

We walk hand in hand down the gravel path, Tootsie and Titan following us. It takes several minutes for us to come to a wall of shrubs with a wooden door placed in the hedge. There’s a natural canopy of vines growingbetween pine trees where her surprise awaits.

“What is this?” she asks, looking between me and the wooden door.

“Open it and see.”

Nova is practically bouncing on her toes when she pulls it open and gasps. “Oh my…” She covers her mouth with both hands as she stares at the fairy tale-worthy cottage I built for her, hidden behind the trees. There’s a stone walkway that takes us to the door. Several small rose bushes line the outer wall, creating an even more fairy tale-like feel.

I nod toward the cottage’s front door. “Go in.”

“Holt, this is insane. It’s too much. You’ve built another house?”

I shrug a shoulder as if building this cottage with my own two hands and a few power tools was no big deal. When Chris offered to help fund hiring a team to build the main house, I didn’t turn him down. I’ve spent my life never taking advantage of my friend or his money. The last time I did was when we were twelve and he bought me ice cream because I didn’t bring any money. But when Kent and Chris both approached me separately and told me they wanted to help fund the project, I couldn’t turn them down. They’re not only investors in this program but foundational blocks to its success. Thanks to their generosity, this entire endeavor has been brought to completion. Not just with my program, but creating this place for Nova too.

Nova places a hand over her chest, clearly overwhelmed already. She has no idea what else is in store.

“Go in.”

She releases a deep breath before opening the door. A sob leaks from her lips before she turns and flings herself into my arms, burying her face in my chest.

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