Redemption Lake Read online

  He opened the front door, allowing Shelby to enter first. Once Phillip stepped inside, his memories were heightened as he heard the tick of the grandfather clock that sat next to the fireplace. And his nostrils were filled with the aroma of many years of long put out fires. Also noticeable was the smell of oak and pine from the various pieces of rustic furniture the Nelsons had decorated the house with.

  Shelby took a deep whiff of air. “Smell that pine. The smell brings back so many memories.”

  “In a way it feels like we never left.” Shelby turned and gave Phillip a loving hug, and he embraced her in return with a tight squeeze.

  “I love you so much, sweetheart,” he said.

  “I love you too.”

  After looking around the cabin and checking each room to make sure everything was in order, Phillip said, “Let’s get the bags out of the car.”

  They retrieved their luggage as well as what felt like hundreds of bags of groceries that Shelby had packed that morning.

  Once all was unloaded, Phillip rummaged through a couple of the grocery bags on the kitchen cabinet. Picking up a bag of cheese doodles and a bag of pretzels, he said, “Uh, honey, did you forget something?”

  “Like what?” Shelby asked.

  “Like the real food. What are we going to do, snack the whole trip?” He held up a container of dip. “And what are we supposed to eat for breakfast?”

  “Now, Phillip, baby, you should know me better than that. I’ve got it all under control. You worry about the counseling and ministering of the couples, and I’ll take care of everything else.” Shelby smiled.

  “I know you are the hostess extraordinaire. But baby, the closest convenience store is at least ten miles away. And the closest grocery store is probably twenty miles away. Our schedule will be pretty tight. We won’t have time to run to a restaurant every day for food,” Phillip said.

  Shelby pointed to the bags on the floor. “What do you think is in all these bags?”

  Upon opening each one, Phillip’s eyes widened as he gazed at the rest of the food. The bags held juices, eggs, bread, breakfast meats, cheese, milk, coffee creamers, jams, jellies, condiments, fresh vegetables, and fruits.

  Then she led him to the deep freezer, and when Phillip opened it, he saw that it was filled with boxes of frozen entrees.

  Shelby looked at Phillip and said, “Do you think we have enough food, or do I need to make a quick run to the store before our guests arrive?”

  Phillip shook his head, finally understanding. “No baby, you’ve got this under control.”

  “You should know I have your back.”

  “What’s the deal with all that food in the freezer?”

  “You are not the only one who has been in contact with the Nelsons. I spoke with Mrs. Nelson, and she helped me coordinate ordering the meals for the week. Mrs. Nelson is so wonderful and so detailed that she gave me a sketch of where everything is kept in the kitchen. I told her what kinds of meals I was planning and what ingredients I’d need, and it looks like everything I need is accounted for. Plus she gave me a secret weapon.”

  “A secret weapon?” Phillip’s eyebrows rose with curiosity.

  “Yep. I won’t have to slave over meals all week,” Shelby said.

  “What kind of secret weapon?” Phillip asked.

  “Don’t worry about that.” Shelby grinned.

  “You are something else,” Phillip said.

  “I know. Now don’t concern yourself with trivial things like the food. And except in the matter of counseling, I’ll take care of everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Yes, everything,” she reiterated.

  Phillip looked toward the fireplace. His wife followed his eyes.

  “Okay, maybe not everything,” Shelby said.

  The previous winter, Shelby had tried to light the fire in their fireplace and had ended up almost burning down their house. It took months for the smell of smoke to finally dissipate.

  “You can take care of a fire if we need one.” Shelby tapped the tip of Phillip’s nose with her index finger. “But I assure you if you need anything else, I’ll take care of it.”

  “I will probably need your help during some of the sessions,” Phillip said.

  Shelby pulled his head down and kissed his forehead and lips. “I’ve got you, baby.”

  Phillip sighed with more relief. “Now let’s unpack the rest of our stuff and get this place ready for tomorrow. I want to relax a little tonight.”

  “You got that right. I didn’t come up here a day early just to look in the freezer,” Shelby said as she winked her eye.

  “I believe that’s everything.” Phillip looked down the checklist that the reverend had sent him.

  “I’d say we’re ready for tomorrow.”

  Shelby assisted Phillip in putting the welcome packets together, which held each couple’s agendas, notepads, pens, nametags, and a set of keys for their respective bedroom.

  After setting the packets up on the bar separating the kitchen from the dining room, Shelby asked, “Did you call the kids?”

  “No, not yet.”

  Shelby pulled out her cell phone and pressed the number two for her speed dial. “I’ll check on them and let Mom know we got here okay.”

  As Shelby proceeded to call and check on their children, Phillip’s mind drifted back to the upcoming retreat. While Shelby was filled with hopeful anticipation, he was feeling differently. He’d actually read the couples’ applications, and from what he had seen it was probably going to take a miracle to help some of them.

  He shook his head thinking if God could form the earth in less than seven days, surely the Lord could turn the lives of the couples around in that timeframe also.

  Chapter 2

  Phillip Tomlinson

  Sunday: 8:30 P.M.

  Phillip held Shelby in his arms as they cuddled on the floor in front of the couch. Before them sat an unlit fireplace. “This is nice. I’m glad we came a day early.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Shelby said. She nuzzled her face under her husband’s neck. “I wonder how the couples are faring as they prepare for their trip here,” Phillip said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “From what I’ve read in their profiles, they all have some pretty heavy problems. When we first came, we’d been having problems too, but we’d pretty much resolved them.”

  “I see what you mean. There’s no way I could have imagined taking this three-hour trip with you while we were at the height of our troubles,” Shelby said.

  “I know you couldn’t. You had a hard enough time riding with me across town from the hospital to our house. You wouldn’t look at me and barely spoke to me. And when I touched you to try and help you get out of the truck, you acted as if I’d poured hot coals on you.”

  Shelby pulled her body away a couple of inches. “Don’t remind me. That whole time in our marriage was a nightmare for me.”

  “Sorry, I don’t want to rehash everything, but it’s in my spirit. If we are going to help the couples, we can’t forget what we went through. They’re all going through some pretty tough times right now. For some of them, this may be their last hope.”

  Phillip thought about their retreat days. Even though their marriage was already on its way back to being mended, the other two couples who’d attended were ready to throw in the towel.

  “Can you believe we’re actually going to be the one’s helping three new couples get their lives back on track? They’ll be looking to us; well, mainly you, for guidance,” Shelby said.

  “Don’t discount your contribution in helping these families. They’ll want my spiritual and professional guidance, but actions speak louder than words. They’ll be watching both of us, trying to see how we relate to each other. I think that’s why this retreat is set up the way it is—with a married couple counseling other married couples.”

  “I guess you’re right. I know I wouldn’t have wanted to hear any advice
on what I should and shouldn’t be doing from some single person with just a little book knowledge and no marital experience.”

  “So we agree. Your being here is just as important as my being here,” Phillip said.

  “Agreed,” Shelby said.

  Phillip’s stomach growled.

  “Sounds like somebody’s hungry,” Shelby said.

  “Actually, I’m not.”

  “Are you still fasting?”

  “No, I was officially off my fast as of sundown. When the Lord put it in my spirit to fast, I wasn’t sure why, but now I understand. I needed to fast and pray about this upcoming week. Working with these couples won’t be a walk in the park. To them, their worlds are coming to an end, and I have to help them understand that with God, anything is possible. They can overcome the hurdles which the enemy has placed before them. They need to understand that what they are going through is only a test.”

  “Do you know what kind of specific problems these couples are having?”

  “I’ve read their profiles, which state in black and white, the surface problems for which they’ve applied to come here. But it’s the underlying problems that concern me most. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep the specifics to myself—for now anyway. I want you to be able to look upon everything with fresh eyes. I’d like to see what you’re able to pick up on as the retreat progresses. Then we’ll talk about it.”

  “Sounds like a good approach to me. I can do that,” Shelby said.

  Phillip’s stomach growled again.

  “Let me fix you something light to eat. How about some cheese and crackers? Or some grapes?”

  “Yeah, sounds good,” Phillip said.

  “Which one? The cheese and crackers or the grapes?”

  “Fix a little of each. Can I have a glass of water too?”

  Shelby kissed him again on the forehead and said, “You can have anything you want, my dear.” Then she sat up to head for the kitchen.

  Phillip pulled her back closer and kissed her again. “Ummm, keep kissing me like that, and I’ll skip the food.”

  Reluctantly, Shelby pulled back. “Hold that thought. I am a little hungry myself. You know the saying ‘we can have our cake and eat it too?’ Well, we can eat a little and then explore on your idea.” Shelby hopped up and took long strides to the kitchen. “We have this whole cabin to ourselves. I just wish it was cold enough for us to have the fireplace burning. And that faux fur rug over there is calling our names. Tonight, you, my dear, can have your cake and eat it too.”

  “With all the icing?” Phillip asked with anticipation.

  Shelby sauntered back to her husband on the couch and kissed him long and hard on the lips. “With all the butter cream icing you want, baby.”

  Phillip shook his head as if he’d been in a daze. “Whew, I can’t wait.”

  “Hold that thought.” Shelby returned to complete her task of making snacks in the kitchen.

  Phillip retrieved a thick down comforter and two fluffy pillows from their bedroom closet. He spread the comforter out on top of the rug, then placed pillows comfortably under his elbows and arms as he lay down on the floor.

  When Shelby returned with a plate full of club crackers, cubed cheese, and red grapes, she nodded her head in approval. “You are anxious for your icing, aren’t you?”

  “You bet I am. And I’m not counting, but I do believe it’s been at least two weeks since I’ve had any cake.”

  “That’s not my fault,” Shelby said. “You’ve been so focused on so many other things I guess I wasn’t that high on the priority list.”

  Phillip nodded his head. “I know baby, and I apologize, but don’t worry, I’ll make up for it tonight.”

  Shelby sat next to him on the comforter and plucked a grape off the vine and tickled his lips with it. Then in one fluid movement she popped it into her mouth.

  “Hey? Why are you teasing me?”

  “I thought you said you weren’t hungry.”

  “I’m not. I mean, I wasn’t, but I am now. And I want to get all this eating over so I can have my cake,” Phillip said.

  Shelby plucked another grape, this time placing it between her teeth. She moved in closer, giving him a nose-to-nose kiss, just before thrusting the plump purple grape into his mouth.

  Phillip savored the sweet juice as it burst. “Umm baby. Keep that up and we won’t be finishing any of this food.”

  Without saying a word Shelby picked up a cube of cheese and traced his lips with it, then just as she’d done with the grape, she fed it to him.

  “Quit playing, girl.”

  Shelby laughed. “Sorry, honey. I’ll stop. Let’s eat, I’m hungry.”

  In a famished manner, they both ate. Once they were finished, Shelby said, “Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “What?”

  “Wait a minute, you’ll see.”

  Shelby left their pallet on the floor and headed for the kitchen. When she returned, she had two beverage glasses and a bottle of chilled sparkling grape juice in her hands.

  After sitting back down next to him, she gave Phillip the honors of popping the cork and pouring the wine. Before taking a sip, they held their glasses up to toast.

  “What would you like to toast to?” Phillip asked.

  “Okay,” Shelby cleared her throat. “To God blessing our marriage of twelve years. Even for the ups and downs. And blessing us so much that He placed us here to help three families with their marriages.”

  She lifted her glass toward Phillip’s, and he did the same. “I can toast to that.”

  They sipped their fizzing juice.

  “My turn.” Phillip paused and looked dead into his wife’s eyes. “To the most wonderful wife a man could ever be blessed with.” He held his glass up to toast.

  Shelby smiled, toasting with him. “Thank you. Keep this up and you’re going to make me blush.”

  Phillip took another sip of his juice. “Give me a few more minutes, and I am going to make you do more than blush.”

  Shelby downed her remaining juice. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

  At that, Phillip downed the remainder of his glass also, then took Shelby’s glass to place them both on the coffee table.

  He pulled her in to his arms, planting a passionate kiss on her lips. After what seemed like minutes had passed, Shelby pulled away with an abruptness that caused Phillip to jump.

  “What’s wrong?” Phillip asked.

  “Did you hear that?”

  “What?”

  “I heard something outside.”

  “No, I didn’t hear a thing. What you probably heard was my heart beating through my shirt.”

  Shelby rolled her eyes at him. “I could’ve sworn I heard something.”

  “You’re just a little scared because we’re out here all alone by this dark lake.”

  “You have to admit it is a little scary. It’s pitch black out, and there probably isn’t another person for miles.”

  “Maybe a quarter of a mile at best. This lake is full of cabins. Phillip flexed his muscles. “Don’t worry baby, I’m here to protect you.”

  Shelby sighed with resignation.

  Again Phillip pulled her into a kiss-filled embrace. “We’d better enjoy the quietness and time alone now, because tomorrow the people will start filing in.”

  “Are you ready to wade through the surface and figure out what everyone is really trying to say in order to get to the bottom of their problems?” Shelby asked.

  “I’m definitely ready to help guide them on the road to recovery. It’s the wading through part that’ll be the hardest. You know there are three sides to every story: his side, her side, and the truth.”

  Just as Phillip stopped speaking, they heard footsteps on the porch, and then a knock at the front door. Both Phillip and Shelby stared at one another questioningly.

  “Who the heck could that be?” Shelby whispered.

  Part I

  His Side


  Chapter 3

  Travis Highgate

  Sunday: 9:30 P.M.

  “It’s pretty dark out here, Travis. It doesn’t even look like anyone’s here. Are you sure this is the right place?” Beryl Highgate asked. Travis could hear the fear and underlying anger in her voice.

  “It’s the right place; just trust me,” Travis said, knowing that was the wrong thing to say; especially since his wife didn’t trust anything that came out of his mouth. Hence the reason they were out in the middle of nowhere trying to get their marriage back on track.

  Looking around the side of the wrap around porch, he saw a dark colored SUV. “See? Look over there.” He pointed at the truck. “Someone must be here.”

  Beryl crossed her arms. “This is supposed to be a couples retreat and there’s only one other car here? Something doesn’t seem right.” Disbelief seeped from his wife’s voice.

  Travis felt something wasn’t right either, but he dared not say it. He had probably messed up. And the worst thing he could do was give Beryl the satisfaction of telling him what a failure he was.

  Without saying another word to her, he returned to the cabin’s front door and knocked. From inside he heard shuffling. Good. Sounds of life.

  “It’s freezing out here,” Beryl said. “The temperature must have dropped at least ten degrees since we got on the road.”

  After a couple of minutes, Travis wondered what was going on inside the cabin. With a firmer knock, he tried again to get someone to come to the door.

  “Who is it?” A male voice asked from the other side of the door.

  Awkwardly, Travis said, “Uh, this is Travis Highgate. My wife and I are here for the couples retreat.”

  There was a pause. “Hold on just a second,” Travis heard the voice say from the other side of the door.

  A minute later he heard the lock on the double doors click, and once opened, he looked up to see a man of African American decent staring down at him. Travis was only five foot six inches tall, and this guy was well over six feet.

  With a raised eyebrow and a forced smile, the guy said, “Hi, uh, come on in.”