Cross My Heart (A Legacy of Faith Novel) by Robin Lee Hatcher

Author:Robin Lee Hatcher [Hatcher, Robin Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2019-06-25T05:00:00+00:00

Monday, October 25, 1943

“Hey, Dad.”

Andrew turned at the sound of Oscar’s voice. As his older brother had done at the same age, the boy had shot up a good four inches since turning sixteen in the spring. His blond hair was paler than Ben’s, his eyes even bluer. But the two boys still looked a lot alike, enough that it made Andrew’s breath catch sometimes when he looked at Oscar—a reminder of the danger Ben was in.

Andrew set the pitchfork aside. “What is it, son?”

“Would you let me take the car to drive over to Rose’s? The Atwaters got word that Charlie was killed in action.”

A heavy band tightened around Andrew’s chest. Charlie Atwater, Rose’s older brother, was the same age as Ben. They’d gone through school together. “Does your mother know?”

“Yes, sir. She took the call.”

“Let me wash up. I’ll drive you over. I’ll want to offer any help I can to Peter and Bertha.”

Oscar nodded, although his eyes said he was disappointed he couldn’t take the car on his own.

Andrew strode to the house, the late afternoon sun warm on his back. Despite it, he felt a chill in his heart. Inside, he found Helen seated at the kitchen table, crying. He knew her thoughts had gone in the same direction as his own—to Ben and the missions he flew over enemy territory. If Charlie Atwater could die despite so many prayers lifted on his behalf, then so could Ben. Not that they hadn’t each known it already, but this news made it all the more real.

“I’m going with Oscar,” Andrew said as he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Do you want to come along?”

She sniffed before answering, “Not today. All I could do is cry and upset them more. I’ll go tomorrow when I’m a little more in control of my emotions.” She looked up at him. “Is that terribly selfish of me?”

“No.” He kissed her forehead. “It’s all right. They’ll need lots of support for a good spell to come. Go when you’re ready.”

“Oh, Andrew. What if—”

“Don’t, Helen. Don’t do that to yourself. We can’t live in the what-ifs. We have to live in the present.” And please, God, let me follow my own advice.

After another kiss placed on his wife’s forehead, he went down the hall to the bathroom. He washed up in the sink, put on a clean shirt, and then he and Oscar were off.

His son was quiet during most of the drive, but when the Atwater house came into view, Oscar said, “I wish I could be part of the fighting. I’d like to shoot the guy who killed Charlie. I want to make those dirty Nazis suffer.”

“Son, I understand what you’re feeling. But if we live with hate in our hearts, we are the ones who suffer, not the people we hate.”

Oscar grunted, his gaze turned out the window.

Andrew pulled into the barnyard of the Atwater farm and cut the engine. They weren’t the first to arrive. Several other cars were parked nearby.

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