Returning

Ann Tatlock

Description

Andrea knew when she married John Sheldon that her love was not returned, but they both stayed in the marriage for their own reasons. Now John is returning home from a five-year stint in prison, and while Andrea wants him home, she knows his return will upset the life she and the children have adjusted to in his absence. But she hopes his homecoming will offer them a second chance at marriage.John is apprehensive about how he will be received, but he is returning a different man. While incarcerated, he committed his life to Christ and wants to hold fast to his newfound faith. Andrea is wary of his conversion, son Billy is delighted, and daughter Rebekah is skeptical. Six-year-old Phoebe doesn't remember her father and is withdrawn. Can John and Andrea mend the rifts that have torn their family apart?

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 février 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441260635
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Returning Copyright © 2009 Ann Tatlock
Cover design by Studio Gearbox
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55438 www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
eISBN 978-1-4412-6063-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
PRAISE FOR T HE R ETURNING
“I was delighted to become acquainted with Billy in The Returning . He is a thoughtful, ambitious, and warm young man. Tatlock has successfully described the essence of a person with Down syndrome. Great story!”
Chris Burke, actor, singer, and star of the hit television series Life Goes On (ABC, 1989–1993)
“Once again Ann Tatlock proves she is a master storyteller and weaver. Every chapter peels back another layer of the story, another level to the characters, compelling the reader toward the end, where little is perfect, but with God it is well.”
Eva Marie Everson, author of T HE P OTLUCK C LUB novels
“Ann Tatlock’s characters are, as always, richly developed and sympathetic. With The Returning, Ann delves into new territory the occult, adultery with a very real sense of foreboding that draws the reader. And, as always, Ann delivers a message of hope and truth. Her writing bears witness without preaching.”
Susan Andrews, Exalt Ministry, Christian recording artist
For Viola Blake, a kindred spirit
C ONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Author’s Note
About the Author
Other Books by Author
Back Ads
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, I’m indebted to numerous folks who gave generously of their time and expertise to assist me in the research of this novel.
I’d like first of all to thank Chris Burke , who provided the inspiration for the character of Billy Sheldon. I’ve admired Chris since 1989, when millions came to know and love him as Corky Thacher on the hit ABC television series Life Goes On . Today he stays busy traveling with his band and serving as a spokesperson for the National Down Syndrome Society. Chris and his mother, Marian Burke , graciously agreed to read my manuscript and offer their feedback. Chris and Marian, for your help and for your kindness, I’m more grateful than I can say. God bless you.
A huge thank-you also to:
Roxann Colwell, for reading the manuscript and making numerous valuable suggestions. Roxann is program coordinator of the Family Support Network of WNC and Resource Center, and in that capacity she works collaboratively with the Western North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance. She is the mother of a grown daughter with Down syndrome.
Carole Hawkinson, who sat with me on her front porch and talked about life with her son Jamie, a delightful young man with Down syndrome who was adopted from Korea.
Nancy Gossett, whose son D.J. participates in the Progressive Education Program at one of our local high schools. He has a great sense of humor and enjoys playing the PlayStation, watching SpongeBob , and listening to music. But it was the fact that he loves to swim and participates in the Special Olympics that gave me an “Aha!” moment. Because D.J. is a fish in the water, so is Billy Sheldon.
I’m also grateful to a number of people in Virginia who answered my questions about drug and alcohol abuse, the workings of the legal system, and the ins and outs of prison life, probation, and parole:
Martha J. Shurts, Norfolk Drug Court Counselor (as well as best sister imaginable), Commonwealth of Virginia
Julie Chavez, Senior Probation Officer, Norfolk Drug Court, Commonwealth of Virginia
Matthew Hahne, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Commonwealth of Virginia
Timothy Mattson, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Commonwealth of Virginia
Dawn Obliskey, Norfolk Drug Court Administrator, Commonwealth of Virginia
Marla Newby, Forensic Services Program Coordinator, Commonwealth of Virginia
And finally, a thousand thanks also to:
Julianne Presnell, daughter of fellow writer and friend Deborah Presnell, who read my manuscript with the eye of a sixteen-year-old to make sure Rebekah Sheldon was believable. Thank you for taking time out of your busy summer schedule to do that, Julianne!
Dimitrios (Jimmy) and Constantine (Dino) Zourzoukis, my neighbors and the owners of Three Brothers Restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. Thanks for sitting down with me and giving me the inside scoop on running a restaurant. By the way, your spanakopita is the best.
Alice Denneville, town historian, Conesus Lake, New York, who took a telephone call from a stranger and yet kindly and patiently answered my questions about life at the lake today.
Sharon Asmus, my editor for more than a decade now. Sharon, you have unfailingly made every story better, and for that I’ll always be grateful.
C HAPTER O NE
He would be here soon . The waiting was over. She’d had five long years of it, had felt every minute of it ticking by. At first his coming back had seemed impossibly far off, something that would never really happen. But here it was, the day she’d been waiting for, and now it was almost too much to believe.
Andrea glanced at her watch, then gazed back out over the lake. Another long winter had passed, and spring had thawed the water’s thick covering of ice. Now, on the sixth of June, the surface of the lake was busy with motorboats, rowboats, and jet skis. A light breeze carried the sound of laughter over the water. Andrea breathed deeply and found herself smiling. The timing was right. Even nature, in turning again to life, seemed attuned to her hope.
This had been a good place to wait, this little cottage on the edge of Conesus Lake. While it was almost too small for the four of them, it was still as good a place as any, she supposed. Certainly better than that awful house they’d owned in Virginia Beach, with its beat-up aluminum siding and decades-old wall-to-wall carpeting. She’d always felt dirty there, as if she were living in a deserted strip mall. But worse than that was the fact that Virginia wasn’t home. New York was. At least she’d had the comfort of being home these past five years.
She checked her watch again, as she had done a dozen times already in the last half hour. How was it that the minute hand had scarcely moved since she’d last glanced at the time? She clenched her hands together tightly at her waist, squeezing until her fingers ached. Maybe there was such a thing as second chances. She didn’t generally ask for much from life anymore, but a second chance would be nice. Heaven knew, she had waited long enough for this one.
“Mama?”
Phoebe’s voice reached her from somewhere inside. Andrea sighed, smoothed her skirt, then turned away from what she thought of as her widow’s walk. Not that the water out there was an ocean, and not that he would be coming back from a distant place on a sailing ship. No, it was a Greyhound bus that had made the trek up from Virginia. By now, Owen should have met him at the station, and they should be nearly home. Unless he got off at an earlier stop and disappeared. Would he do that? Maybe he didn’t want to come back. Maybe
“Mama!”
Andrea opened the screen door and stepped into the front room of the cottage. Phoebe sat cross-legged in the bay window, her coloring book and crayons and her game of Chinese checkers spread out in front of her. In one hand she loosely held a kaleidoscope. The child spent hours on that window seat, quietly entertaining herself. Of Andrea’s three children, Phoebe was the shyest, the most withdrawn. Andrea would be glad when she started first grade and began socializing with other children.
“What’s the matter, Phoebe?” Andrea asked.
“What time is Billy getting home?”
“You’re in luck. He’ll be home early today.”
“How come?”
“It’s a surprise. You’ll see.”
Phoebe smiled, though tentatively, as if she didn’t quite understand her mother’s words. “You look pretty, Mama,” she said.
Andrea was surprised. “Do I?” She touched her hair, her fingers floating over the dark curls. She’d had Selene style and perm it and, for the first time, wash out the gray. She had wanted it to be just right.
The child nodded. “Are we having a party?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then why are you wearing lipstick?”
“Well, I . . .” How to explain? “I don’t know, Phoebe. I just thought I would for a change. Is it too much?”
A small line formed between Phoebe’s brows. “Too much what?”
“Too much lipstick.”
“I don’t know.” The child shrugged. “I guess not.”
Andrea looked a