Two

Kyle graduated from high school a few months later and joined the army. Not long after that, I heard that he was deployed to Afghanistan, and every night I prayed for his safety. So did Katie. She eventually got over Kyle, and our junior year she met her first boyfriend, Carson Prescott. I still thought of Kyle more than I should.

My lack of interest in the boys had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that no one was as amazing as Kyle. I was just too focused on grades and taking care of Dad to worry that I'd never been on a real date.

My dad saw nothing wrong with my dating diet, but Katie was constantly trying to set me up with guys. Occasionally, I let her and I met some great friends, but I graduated high school without ever having had a boyfriend.

My dad cheered proudly when they called my name at graduation.

"Lucinda Ruth Donovan!"

I walked across the stage, waving at my beaming dad who was videotaping Katie and I getting our diplomas. Beside him sat Katie's mom, Olivia, who looked bored.

Katie and I both received scholarships to the local university and we talked about getting an apartment together, but I wasn't sure about leaving Dad alone.

It was Dad that convinced me to get the apartment.

"You could have gone anywhere you wanted to college, and I know you stayed here because of me."

I started to protest, but Dad was insistent.

"Go live your life, Lucy. Just remember to come visit your old man," he'd said, which was ironic since he was only thirty-six years old.

Katie and I moved into our new apartment the July before we started college. It was north of the city only a few miles from Dad's house, and I'd protested at the waste of money keeping two households, but he wouldn't listen.

I think he'd started to worry about my practically non-existent social life, even though I assured him that I liked cooking his dinner every night and keeping up the house, and I preferred reading a book to partying on Saturday nights. I didn't tell him that Katie and I were not invited to these parties because the cool kids, my own cousin Lindsay included, thought we were geeks.

Mom wouldn't have approved of those parties either, and neither would Jesus. I told myself I didn't care what he thought. He had abandoned me. But I couldn't deny that every single time I felt like I could not go on, a warm, comforting embrace wrapped around me like a warm blanket. The words came in a small voice. ...Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Once I was repeating those words from Isaiah 43:1 aloud, and Dad caught me and gave me the strangest look. When he glanced away, I saw a shimmer of tears in his eyes. I'd asked him if he wanted to go to church, but he shook his head and apologized.

Life went on.

Instead of weekend nights filled with beer and bonfires, Katie and I frequented an outdoor theater and saw some awesome plays, painted at a local shop, hung out at the mall, and I never missed one of Katie's orchestra concerts. She was a talented member of an orchestra group, who performed in the Houston and surrounding areas and occasionally they'd travel to Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio.

Katie's boyfriend, Carson, had also been a member of the group, but he'd quit when he left for college. He and Katie broke up. She cried for three days, and we holed up in our new apartment with plenty of chocolate, coffee, and tissues. We'd watched dozens of sappy feel-good movies.

I prayed for Katie. I thought about what my mom would say to her, that Jesus was the answer to all life's problems. Part of me wanted to tell that to Katie, but I couldn't. When I'd asked her to go to church with me, she'd told me that was the last place she would ever go.

I'd asked her why and she'd told me that her dad went to church. She'd never mentioned her dad before, and I was curious. I'd told her maybe we could all go together, but she let out a bitter laugh. "I don't think his wife and family would appreciate that, Lucy." I let the subject drop and never brought it up again.

School started and Katie was busy with classes. That helped take her mind off Carson. Katie majored in music with a minor in education. I planned to get my bachelor's degree in nursing.

During high school, I'd volunteered at the hospital and nursing homes, and it felt good cheering people up. It was during one of my volunteer shifts at the hospital that I saw an ad for a job that caught my attention. I read it twice.

Like to make people smile?

Are you good with people?

Izzy the clown is looking for a sidekick!

We'll have fun with children in local hospitals and people in nursing homes.

We will also enjoy an occasional birthday party.

Call or text Izzy.

I immediately sent a text to Izzy asking for an interview. The reply came quickly, and I was going to meet Izzy at a coffee shop that afternoon. I arrived fifteen minutes early and ordered a regular coffee, which I mixed with plenty of cream and sugar. I'd just sat down at a table by the window when a stunning young woman approached me.

"Lucy Donovan?"

I smiled. "That's me."

"I'm Izabelle Huxley." With a warm smile, she offered her hand. "I created Izzy the Clown."

"It's nice to meet you."

Izabelle possessed the kind of beauty that most people only saw on the covers of magazines. She was slightly taller than my own petite five-foot-four frame, slender, with long, glossy dark hair and gorgeous, sun-kissed skin that probably had that glow all year round. Her eyes were a deep blue that somehow seemed familiar.

I could tell she was proud of her creation, and she should be. I'd asked around at the hospital about Izzy and everyone loved her. Her name was also familiar. Huxley. Startled, I suddenly realized she was Kyle's sister.

She sat down across from me and placed my resume, which I'd emailed her earlier, on the table.

"I see you just graduated from Forest High. My brother Kyle graduated from there three years ago. You would have been a freshman at the time." She looked at me expectantly, which wasn't surprising because Kyle was someone people remembered.

I nodded. "How's he doing?"

Izabelle glanced down a moment, and I wasn't aware that I was holding my breath until she answered.

"He was just promoted to sergeant and joined the special force team. It's an honor, but he's my baby brother and I want him home. So does his girlfriend, Ava."

The relief that flooded me was almost overwhelming. Kyle was fine, and he'd received a promotion. The news that he was still dating Ava didn't really come as a surprise.

Kyle's sister was friendly, and we hit it off instantly. Over coffee we talked and laughed and she hired me to be her assistant. I was going to be Lucy, Izzy's sidekick.

I was a little worried that I wouldn't be entertaining enough because after watching Izabelle, I knew that she'd be a tough act to follow. She was extraordinary with people, warm and open, and friendly. She loved people and they loved her in return.

"You've got the same magic, Lucy," Izabelle told me just before my first job. "You care and you listen. That's all people really want. Everyone will love you."

She was right. Lucy was a hit, and I absolutely loved my job.

Over the next year, Izabelle and I became close friends. Things were neatly settling into place like pieces of a puzzle when that fateful day came and turned my world sideways.

Izabelle asked me to work for her, and I agreed. Since she rarely missed a day, I joked with her, "Hot date?"

I felt her tense and knew something was wrong.

"Funeral. My dad. Actually, there's no service. I'm just going to the graveside."

I didn't know what to say so I hugged her, and once I finished at the hospital I drove over to the cemetery, where I found Izabelle alone staring at a simple grave.

There was no personalized message, no beloved father/husband, nothing to indicate that he'd be missed, and given all I knew about Darryl Huxley he'd be lucky to make it to heaven. I suddenly wondered if Mr. Huxley knew Jesus.

Izabelle didn't say anything when she saw me, and she didn't have to because the grateful look in her eyes let me know how much my presence meant to her.

"You didn't have to come." Her dark, spiky lashes were wet from tears.

"I know."

"I'm not crying because he's gone, Lucy. He made our lives miserable, and I know it's wrong, but I hated him."

I didn't know what to say. My mother would have had the words that would comfort Izabelle, but I had nothing.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her palm. "You think I'm a horrible person?"

"I think you're strong and courageous." I saw her shoulders relax and a tremulous smile pull at the corners of her mouth.

We stood beneath the shade of an old oak tree in the warm May sun and watched a cab pull up to the curb just a few feet away. My heart began to race, and a quivering of excitement danced along my skin. I knew he was here even before the cab door opened and Kyle emerged, slinging a green backpack over his shoulder. My stomach flip-flopped at the sight of him.

He was taller, more muscular than he'd been four years ago and his hair was shorter. Something else was different about him that I couldn't put into words. He'd never seemed like a boy, but now Kyle possessed a vital energy, that marked him for the man that he unquestionably had become.

Dressed in army fatigues and boots with dog tags around his neck and aviator glasses shielding his eyes, he looked like the strong, capable soldier he was.

"Kyle?" Izabelle whispered.

It was obvious she hadn't expected him, but she was clearly overjoyed and ran straight for him, throwing her arms around his neck. Kyle caught his sister and held her tight.

I stayed back, giving them space but soon they were making their way towards me.

"Kyle this is my best friend, Lucy Donovan," Izabelle introduced us. "Lucy, this is my brother, Kyle."

Izabelle knew that I was aware of who Kyle was, but she had no idea how often I thought of her brother over the years. I wasn't even sure Kyle would remember me. He slid his glasses down his nose when Izabelle introduced us, and I felt his deep blue eyes slide over me, making my heart race.

I held out my hand and Kyle took it, his touch sending shivers down my spine.

"It's good to see you again, Lucy."

Hearing him say my name had a strange effect on me that was difficult to describe. It made me want to ask him to say it again and again, but that would be weird. His voice was deeper and rougher than I remembered. It reminded me of melted caramel.

His unwavering gaze held mine. He was taller than I remembered too. I felt Izabelle watching. My eyes widened when I realized they were waiting for me to say something. After four years of thinking about him, I should have been able to come up with something better than, "Hi, Kyle."

He didn't seem to mind my sparse response. His lips twitched like I amused him. "You're all grown up. Guess you're in college now."

Smiling, I nodded, staring up at him. Suddenly, I realized I'd been nodding a little too long. "I am. Grown-up and in college. Izabelle says you got a promotion, congratulations. It's good to see you again." I sounded ridiculous.

"Thanks. How are your dad and Katie?"

"Good."

Izabelle looked slightly puzzled at our familiarity but didn't comment.

"I'm scheduled to work in an hour, but I can cancel," Izabelle told her brother.

I was about to offer to work for her when Kyle spoke. "Don't change your plans. I'm jetlagged, and I'll be here for three days."

Izabelle looked uncertain. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Kyle assured her, his gaze skipping to mine.

Izabelle flashed a sly smile. "You probably want to spend some alone time with your girlfriend."

"Yeah," Kyle agreed hesitantly, appearing uncomfortable. His gaze slid to mine again.

Izabelle glanced at her watch. "I'm short on time, but if we hurry, I can drop you off at Ava's place."

"I can give Kyle a ride," I suggested before I even knew what I was doing.

Izabelle and Kyle were both watching me. He smiled at me and my insides turned to mush. "I'd appreciate that, Lucy."

Izabelle gave me an odd look and mouthed Are you sure?

I nodded since jumping up and down and screaming, "I've had a crush on your brother since high school!" probably wouldn't go over too well.

After Izabelle walked off, I was prepared to give Kyle some time alone if he needed it. I wasn't in a hurry. We stood staring at each other for a moment before he seemed to realize what I expected.

Kyle gave his father's grave a cursory glance, before picking up his backpack and turning back to me. "Ready when you are."