Ruth clapped her hands together. “I was hoping you wouldn’t be upset with me, Jack. But it isn’t fair to you, the girls, and even Emma to hide problems amongst the dust. I know you still love one another, and it breaks my heart to see so much tension and conflict in your relationship.”
“Mine, too.” Jack stood up. “I appreciate your help, Mom. And I promise, your secret is safe with me.”
25
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2002 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI THE ROAD TO CALVARY SET
Ray stood before the choir, having completed rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service. “You were all marvelous, simply marvelous,” he said, enthusiastically, as he admired the choir members dressed in Christmas red robes. He nodded toward the seamstress, whose sewing magic had produced numerous robes and vestments. “Mildred, you have outdone yourself.”
The choir members broke into appreciative applause. “My pleasure.” Mildred Watson beamed at Ray. “It’s a labor of love.”
“I have a special announcement.” Ray smiled at the group, their faces attentive with expectation. “KNSL will be filming our Christmas Eve service. Buck will provide the instructions.” Ray waved his long arm toward his friend, who he swore was blushing at all the attention.
Buck blinked rapidly. “Hello, everyone. All choir members, altar servers, and anyone else on stage needs to be here by four o’clock. The film crew from KNSL is bringing equipment. Everyone needs to be dressed by then, so the TV station’s technicians can get the lights set up. Anyone have questions?” He looked over the assembled group.
Ryan raised his hand. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but since it’s Christmas Eve, I’d like to run through the service again, particularly the music.”
Ray looked over at the excited faces. “I’m not opposed to rehearsing again, if you all are available.”
To his amazement, voices responded in unison, “Yes!”
Once rehearsal was completed, Ray corralled Buck for a private conversation.
“I want to review this one last time. Immediately following the prayer of deliverance, and while they’re still filming, I’ll tell the congregation I have a special message. I’ll step off the stage and ask Susannah for her hand.”
Buck had tried not to show his hesitancy when Ray informed him of his plans to ask Susannah to marry him on live TV. He refrained from asking Ray about his haste to marry a woman both he and Jeff had mounting doubts about. Buck figured their concerns would fall on deaf ears. However, he was startled by Ray’s decision that the KNSL staff wouldn’t know about the proposal until it happened.
Buck held up an arm. “Can I ask you something?” He had an inkling of what was motivating his friend to take such a permanent step so soon.
“Sure.”
“Why now, at Christmas?” Buck asked, giving Ray a cheerful grin.
Ray hesitated, looking around the room to be certain they were alone. “The message of the Gospel, and you are familiar with this, is that the birth of Jesus Christ brought light into a world consumed by darkness. Susannah is not a Christ figure; however, she has brought a shining light into my life, and I wish to share it with her. I love her with all my being.”
“Well, Ray, I do see the positive effect she has on you,” he said, not altogether truthfully. Buck took a deep breath; it wasn’t often that he challenged Ray, but if he wasn’t going to present his concerns, he at least felt he needed to make a decisive point about the broadcast itself. “You’re sure KNSL won’t think you’re using the broadcast for personal gain?”
“The proposal will be its own entity, after the service is complete. If they balk after the fact, I will take full responsibility with KNSL. You have my word.”
Contemplating Ray’s words for a moment, Buck looked Ray square in the eye. “You’re the boss. Maybe this kind of personal moment shared with viewers is exactly what we need.”
26
DECEMBER 24, 2002 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI THE ROAD TO CALVARY SET
Ray and Susannah greeted members of the congregation as they filed in, and he was pleasantly surprised to see Sally Sullivan, the young woman who had helped select Susannah’s engagement ring. An older woman with her was using a walker, and Ray surmised she must be Aunt Julia.
Stepping forward to greet them, he gave a charismatic smile and extended his hand. “Miss Sally Sullivan, how wonderful to see you! And this lovely lady must be Aunt Julia.”
Genuinely surprised, the elderly woman balanced herself on her walker as she shook Ray’s hand. “Why, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Reverend! And to call me by name on a first visit—I feel right at home.”
Sally almost blew Ray’s carefully kept secret. “Well, the reverend and I, we—” Glancing at Susannah’s unadorned ring finger, she caught herself. “We know each other from my writing a request to pray for your health, Aunt Julia,” she fibbed.
Susannah was at Ray’s shoulder in an instant, her gaze coolly sizing Sally up. She stiffly extended her hand. “That’s funny, Ray wouldn’t recognize you on sight; prayer requests aren’t usually handled in person.”
The meeting was verging on the disastrous. Ray remembered Sally telling him her aunt was recovering from a major heart attack and surgery and asking him to pray for her. “Julia was recovering from a life-or-death situation, and I felt it appropriate to meet with her niece in person. We discussed visiting at the hospital but met at the mall where Sally works instead. We had coffee at Starbucks in the Galleria Mall.”
“Yes, we did,” Sally added, still grasping Susannah’s tightening hand. “I very much appreciate the reverend taking time from his busy schedule to meet with me. And as you can see, my aunt Julia is on the mend.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, it was just a little heart attack,” the old woman said, waving her hand dismissively.
Sally rolled her eyes. “A heart attack that almost killed you.”
Susannah finally released her grip, and the young woman said to her aunt, “We need to find a seat. We’re looking forward to the service, Reverend.”
Seeming to realize her suspicions were unfounded, Susannah smiled warmly at the women. “I’m so glad you’re better, Julia. And welcome to The Road to Calvary.”
Ray breathed a sigh of relief and checked his jacket pocket, making sure he hadn’t forgotten the ring.
Ray searched through the crowd, seeing many additional faces. He felt a surging pride at the show’s growing membership and improving the aesthetics of the set. The stage was covered in red and white poinsettias donated by parishioners. Christmas candles burned, and a solitary gold star glowed above the stage.
The live broadcast was flawless. Ray felt slight tremors in his hands, realizing he was more anxious than he expected.
“We have seen God shining His presence in His gift to us of His only son. This infant will change the world, ministering to people through divine miracles and healing. Every one of us has the opportunity to experience God’s miracles if we open ourselves to His divine plan and love.”