My Enemy, My Love by Susan Evans McCloud

Author:Susan Evans McCloud [McCloud, Susan Evans]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"Well, will you do it for me, or won't you?" Jacob asked.

"Of course I'll do it; I'd be honored to do it," Myles replied. "It's just that you've taken me by surprise."

"Surprise or not, you don't seem very anxious. What happened to the typical Mormon zeal for baptizing converts? Am I that undesirable a candidate?"

"You know it's not that, Jacob. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing." Myles paused and looked at Jacob. "And that you're doing it for the right reasons."

"You certainly could never be accused of high-pressure proselyting, Myles."

"I'm sorry, Jacob, you're right. I don't want to seem unenthusiastic. In fact…" Myles walked over so that he faced Jacob again. "If you want to know the truth, there's nothing I want more than to see you a member of the Church. I want it so badly that I have this fear, you know—that if I face it head on I'll somehow destroy any chance of it coming true."

Jacob nodded slowly. "I understand." He walked over to the fence and leaned on the high rail, gazing across the planted fields that spread out in orderly fashion and zigzagged down to the river shore.

"It's not as though this is something I've always wanted to do. You'll never know how much I've fought it, Myles."

Myles nodded as the deep brown eyes sought his own.

"But a man reaches a point where he can't run away from himself. I know the principles of Mormonism are true. I believe Joseph Smith is a prophet. The priesthood, eternal progression, the Book of Mormon, the nature of God—I believe it all, Myles, so what choice do I have?"

"What about Sarah?"

"Do you think her influence makes a difference here?"

"I just want to know what you think," Myles replied.

"I can't pretend she's not part of the picture, Myles. But it's deeper than that, more personal; something I have to face, Sarah or no Sarah."

"And your mother, Jacob. What about her?"

Jacob frowned a little and pushed his brown hair off his forehead with an anxious gesture. He looked straight at Myles and his eyes were troubled.

"I'm not certain. All I can do is hope, and pray, she'll understand."

Myles nodded thoughtfully. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The business at hand right now is to get you baptized. Right?"

Myles put his arm around Jacob's shoulder, finding it suddenly difficult to speak.

"I remember that night you found us in the barn. I'd never been more scared in my life."

"You handled it mighty well—threatening me with an empty gun."

They both laughed at the memory of that awful time. "There was a bullet in Martin's gun, but I couldn't reach it," Myles reminded him.

"Some would say it was fate that made you choose my barn to hide in."

"Fate…Providence…whatever you call it, I know it was," Myles answered quietly. "I'd prayed about it half the night. I knew Martin couldn't make it one day longer. I passed three farms in the rain and sleet, but I didn't stop.

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