Monday, 30 March 2009 - 8:45 AM EDT

MENDED

by: Shannon Keeton

Prologue

Pain seared through her chest and radiated throughout her body.  The world around her faded away as her attention was captivated by the manila envelope in her trembling hands.  He’d done it.  He’d finally decided to cut his ties with her.  She had no need to open the envelope to know what it contained; the return address said it all, “Yates, Howard, and Baldwick Attorneys at Law”.  The final pieces of her heart crumbled with each tear she made along the sealed edge to release the tension that had been building for the past seven months.

She paused when the images flashed through her mind.  The shocking site of her husband’s bags packed and lying in the foyer, the growing weight of the groceries piled in her arms, the unfamiliar sound of her husband hemming and hawing his way through a sorry attempt at an explanation.  She’d known that her marriage wasn’t perfect but with God’s help they were taking it day by day.

In the eight years that they had been married, and the three years of dating before that, her love for him only grew as it emanated from every fiber of her being.  It had been God who placed them together and carried them through every joy and downfall.  The greatest of which had been every time they had thought that she was pregnant, only to be disappointed yet again.  Finally after many tests the doctors had found nothing wrong, and could only assume that one of them was infertile. Yet still God had made them a promise that their desire for children of their own would be fulfilled and she had stood on that promise through the dark hours of many nights.  Apparently however, that had not been enough for her Ethan.

“Mrs. McKenzie?  Hallie?” her red-headed assistant called her back from her memories.  Slowly Hallie’s eyes peeled away from the envelope clenched in her hands to the rosy lips of the teenage girl in her office doorway.  Her eyes blankly stared ahead while her mind clawed its way out of the miry pit she’d been thrust into. “… signature.”

Hallie closed her eyes and shook her head when Alice’s words finally broke through the pounding beats in her ears. “What?”

Alice tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow at her friend and mentor.  “I need your signature on these Sunday School supply statements.”

“Umm..” Hallie glanced back down at the partially opened envelope before quickly opening her desk drawer and sliding it in.  “Yes of course.”

With a few quick flicks of her wrist the task was completed.  Handing the stack across the desk Hallie smiled her normal cheerful smile with only a hint of sadness in her eyes.  “How’s your day going, Alice?”

“Good.  We had midterms last week and my scores came back today.” Alice replaced the papers with a stack of envelopes addressed to Reds Mill Full Gospel Assembly.  “Thanks to you, I made all A’s and B’s”

“Oh that’s so good. I’m real proud of you, Alice. And thank you for being so helpful around here after you get out of school.” Hallie praised her as she set the stack of mail aside.

“My pleasure,” Alice waved as she headed back to the door. “I’ve got a couple of letters here for Pastor and then I’m gonna head home.  I’ll see you at service tomorrow night.” Like a vacuum the light-hearted atmosphere left the room with the click of the door latch.

Not yet ready to face the contents of the envelope in her desk drawer Hallie reached next to her and picked up the days mail for the church.  Most of the mail that she went through was the thank you letters from the members and visitors of the church.  Her church, her family’s church; or at least her ex-families church now that she had received the papers from her husband’s lawyers.  His father was the Head Pastor, and Ethan was the Youth Pastor until he’d moved to Pittsburg seven months ago to take a new position at a large church up there.

The envelope on top of the stack was addressed to her; care of the church.  She assumed it was yet another thank you letter until she spotted the return address that was very similar to her husband’s address in Pittsburg.  The writing however, was very much not his.  Her insides quivered as she slid her finger under the flap and took out the pastel pink slip of stationary paper folded around a 3x5 photo.  Picking up the photo her heart soared at the site of the charming face she had fallen in love with eleven years earlier.  The young woman Ethan embraced however was not her, and this perfectly polished woman was very pregnant.

Hallie threw the photo away from her and jumped up from her chair in an attempt to escape the pain that would not go away.  Her chair propelled backwards into a table that held a glass vase of Calla Lilies.  The vase crashed to the floor; glass shards, water, and flowers scattering around her feet. Hallie absent-mindedly stooped to pick up the shattered pieces, wishing, no praying it were so easy to put her life back together.  Footsteps sounded outside her door just as she reached to pick up the biggest piece of glass, slicing her palm on its jagged edge.

The site that greeted Pastor McKenzy when he opened the door to his daughter-in-law’s office was all broken; a broken vase, a scattered desk, and a broken woman huddled on the floor amidst the mess.  He paused in the doorway to evaluate the scene, on the floor a few feet from the door he spotted the picture that Hallie had thrown and sighed.  He’d known this time was coming.  He’d had his suspicions on what his son was up to but had prayed that these children’s love for each other and their faith in God would be enough to mend their broken home.

Monday, 30 March 2009 - 9:03 AM EDT

MENDED

by: Shannon Keeton

Chapter 1

Hallie’s glazed eyes made the scene before her appear to be an abstract painting.  Red, gold, and orange filled in the tree-line across the green field from the bench where she sat.  The cool, north wind blew across her wet, flushed cheeks, telling all who felt it that winter would soon arrive.  Children’s joyous laughter tore at her ears as it echoed around her.  Joggers and cyclists sped along behind her as they utilized the newly renovated pathways that winded around and through the Reds Mill City Park.

Two weeks had passed since the incident in her old office at the church.  They said that time heals all wounds, but this was taking more than that to ease her pain.  Her days were filled with mindless work but more important were the hours that she had spent in her Heavenly Father’s lap.  She cried to Him and He would hold her, reminding her that He was carrying her through this valley. He comforted her with the knowledge that this was not His plan for her life but that He would not go against Ethan’s will.  He encouraged her with the hope that He still held the desires of her heart in His hand. Then He gave her the wisdom that Praise brought victory in the Old Testament, and He was still the same.

“Hallie dear,” sang the sweet familiar voice of her spiritual mother.  First Lady Janice McKenzy waved her manicured hand as she quickened her pace along the path from the front of the park.

“Oh, dear child,” Janice cooed as she kissed both of Hallie’s cheeks before pulling her into an embrace, “I’ve been so worried about you.”

“Hi, Mom,” Hallie smiled as she returned the embrace, finding comfort in the older woman’s strong, loving arms.

The two women sat side by side for a few moments, not saying anything but speaking volumes through the Holy Spirit that surrounded them. Hallie could feel her spirit being recharged by the prayers that were being sent Heavenward from this mighty woman of God.

“So how are you holding up?” Janice finally asked when she felt the strength of their spiritual connection ease.  “You know you’ve been in mine and Dad’s prayers constantly since Stewart told me what happened.  I honestly do not know what is going through that son of mine’s head.”

Hallie smiled at the familiar high-energy, fast-paced conversation style that Janice was known for. “I’m doing as well as can be expected.  Every day is hard but I know it would be harder without everyone’s prayers.  Just don’t write Ethan off, he needs our prayers now more than I do.”

“Oh it makes me so glad to hear that you are still so spiritually strong during this time.” Janice gushed as she patted Hallie’s cheek.  “When I was your age I would have been so focused on my own pain… Well let’s just say that Stewart would not have been so fondly mentioned in my prayers at that time.”  Janice chuckled at the recollection from her early days with her husband and their struggling ministry.

Hallie nodded knowingly.  “Not many would, but God reminded me that Ethan is going through a lot of pain as well.  I know in my spirit that he is not turning to God for guidance right now, so someone must lift him up before the Throne.”

“So will you be in church this Sunday?” Janice questioned. “The children miss you so much.”

Hallie lowered her eyes at the thought of all the children and teenagers that were so dear to her heart.  Slowly she shook her head.  “No I don’t think so. I’m considering heading up to the cabin for a while.  Ethan gave me the house and all but it just brings too many memories right now.  I may be spiritually strong sitting here with you, but I’m holding on by a thread.”

Janice placed her hand on Hallie’s knee.  “You know you’re still our daughter, no matter what those papers say, and you can come to us whenever you need.”

“Do you realize how awkward that would be?” Hallie chuckled.  “I don’t want to come between you and your son.  He left me everything from our life together; the house, our checking and savings account, and he’s still depositing money in both.  Sometimes I think that it’s all because he feels guilty and that he doesn’t love me anymore and that I failed him as a wife.  I don’t want any of this to change how you look at him; God gave him to you as a precious gift.  Everything is just all messed up for me, right now.”

“And He didn’t place you in our lives as a precious gift, either?” Janice turned the statement around.  The only acknowledgment that she received was a slight twitch of Hallie’s lips that was barely perceptible.

“I turned in my resignation as Youth Leader to Dad this morning.” Hallie tried changing the subject.

“What,” Janice’s eyes raised in alarm, “but the children?”

“All things considered… I’m not a very good role model right now.” Hallie explained.  “Besides I held that position as Ethan’s wife, that’s not the case anymore

“Nonsense,” Janice admonished.  “You are the perfect role model for those kids, married to Ethan or not.  They need to see how to turn to God during times of struggle, and you are a very fine example.”

Hallie looked into Janice’s eyes, letting the pain show through her own.  “You will be returning to us though, won’t you?” Janice asked as she grabbed Hallie’s hand in both of her own.

“We’ll see.” Hallie breathed the only answer she had before reaching for her purse at her feet and rising to end the conversation.  She’d received the strength and encouragement that she needed but her days were still draining and there was more praying and planning to come.

Janice stayed a few minutes longer on the bench, taking in the scene that her daughter-in-law had been enjoying before she’d arrived.  Similarly her eyes did not focus on any one thing as she sent urgent prayers Heavenward for her broken family. Her heart ached for all of her children; Ethan and Hallie, Ethan’s innocent new baby that would soon be thrust into this mess, and all of the children at Red Mills Full Gospel that would be broken-hearted to find out that their beloved teacher was leaving them as well.

*****

Later that evening, Hallie maneuvered her way along the winding mountain road in her silver Camry that Ethan had surprised her with the year before.  She tried hard to not reevaluate every gift he had given her the last few years, thinking maybe they had been given from guilt instead of love.  Her luggage and the groceries that she had picked up in the last town sat piled in the back seat awaiting her arrival at her father’s hunting cabin.  She knew he would not be using it as her parents were currently somewhere in the western states, enjoying a well earned vacation.  She had not talked to them in the last few weeks, the same as she had not turned to Janice and Stewart.  They knew that Ethan was in Pittsburg, but she had not elaborated wanting them to enjoy their time together.

The nature surrounding her and the contemporary praise and worship music that sounded from her car speakers helped to keep her mind focused on her purpose for making this journey.  She needed time and a neutral place to ‘Be still and know that He is God.’  For nearly twelve years her purpose had been Ethan and their family; their church family and their own that had been promised to them both from God.  Now the path of her life ahead reminded her of the switchbacks that she navigated to get to her father’s cabin, no destination in site, not knowing what awaited her around the next curve.  Only the directions and time spent with her father years earlier gave her the confidence that she was heading the right way.