The Masterpiece

by Francine Rivers

“You’re staying with me until we sort things out. As for Selah, that woman is putting you through hell. You can pick up Samuel tomorrow and bring him back here. You’re his mother, Grace.”

Selah opened the door and embraced her. “I know how difficult this has been for you, chiquita. I knew you’d eventually do the right thing.” She released Grace and stepped back, her smile beaming. “Ruben and the children are in the living room.”

“We’ve been looking forward to this for months.” Selah waved her toward the couch. “Please, sit.”

“Grace is Samuel’s mother, Selah.” Ruben put his hand firmly over his wife’s. “You and I have talked about this many times.”

“You can’t take him.” “Mi amor! Stop this!” Ruben grasped her arm. “Samuel is her son. We agreed to help—”

“Grace, espera.” Ruben came down the walk. Selah stood on the threshold, arms wrapped around herself, sobbing. Closing the car door, Grace stood in front of it. “You’re not keeping him, Ruben. I’m sorry Selah is so upset.” She started to cry. “Samuel is my son, and I’m not giving him up. I told you both at the hospital, right after he was born.” He held up his hands. “It’s all right, chiquita. I knew this day would come. I warned her. She knows a child belongs with his mother.”

“My wife has been living a dream. She’s awake now.” Sorrow etched his kind face. “You have a good job and a beautiful place to raise your son.” When he held out his arms, Grace went into them.

Inside the envelope was the rental agreement, Canceled written in dark, bold letters across the front page, a check reimbursing her security deposit and last month’s rent paper-clipped to it. In a white legal envelope, she found another check for two months’ salary, and a formal letter of recommendation. Efficient . . . personable . . . trustworthy . . . quick learner . . . hard worker . . . Heartsick, Grace sat at the table, the papers in her lap. Clearly, Roman agreed all ties needed to be severed. She just hadn’t expected to feel so shattered. Covering her face, she wept.

“Bobby Ray.” Jasper’s tone had softened. “Call her. Apologize. Ask if you can start over.” “It’s too late.” “You won’t know unless you try.” “She’s not picking up.”

“Selah will be heartbroken when she realizes she’s driven you away.” “There are other reasons, Ruben.” “Eres como mi propia hija.” Ruben spoke in a choked voice. “Dios te bendiga.”

Let go of her and walk with Me. One step at a time. One day at a time. Simple. Not easy. Let her go and put your hope in Me.

“I have many regrets, Grace, but the biggest of all is not raising you with the love you so desperately needed. And deserved.”

He felt a spark and sensed the Holy Spirit bringing it to flame. What do you say, Bobby Ray Dean? Want to do a little art for Me?

“Half a dozen neighbors wanted to know what I was doing with a baby. I told them I found him in the supermarket and couldn’t resist tossing him in the basket.” She chuckled. “I never knew I had so many nosy neighbors, but then again, I haven’t taken a walk around the block in years.”

“They’ve been warned. It’s all written in black-and-white. Most people like believing they can be good enough to get in the gate. Truth is, none of us are. Jesus holds the key.”

Lord, how many years have I carried all that hatred around and let it shape my life?

He recognized the name of one and asked where he might find Morgan Talbot. “Mr. Talbot is still here. He’s on break right now.” God’s perfect timing. “Could I speak with him?”

“You probably don’t remember a seven-year-old kid named Bobby Ray Dean.” “I remember.” His smile was wistful. “You were the first boy I had to turn in to CPS. I’m sorry to say there have been others since.” “I don’t imagine it gets easier.” “No. It doesn’t.” “Maybe it’ll help to know you saved my life that day.”

“The landlord had just sold me. If you and that police officer had arrived five minutes later, I would’ve been gone and probably long dead by now.” He felt gratitude well up inside him, not just for Talbot, but for God, who sent him. He held out his hand. “I’m late in saying it, but thank you, sir.”

“Thanks for coming by, Bobby Ray. It’s nice to know one of my pupils is doing so well.” He went down the hall, his back a little straighter.

They all sat in the kitchen and talked around the table for two hours before Roman asked them if he could spread his mother’s ashes in the hills above their house. Susan looked at Chet, tears in her eyes. Chet nodded. “We’d be honored, Bobby Ray.”

“I love you, Mama. I forgive you.” When he finished, the tears came from down deep. “Forgive me.”

Grace—I’d like to talk to you in person. If you’re willing, name the time and place. I’ll be there. Roman.

I haven’t slept well for months. That’s one of the things I want to talk about with you.

Sorry. That probably came out wrong. Don’t worry, Grace. I promise to keep my hands to myself.

Please. Talk to me.

“Sorry to be cutting the visit short, but I’ll be back. I contacted Grace. We’re meeting this afternoon in Merced.”

“I behaved like an ass. She had the good sense to quit and leave. I owe her more than an apology.” “She’s agreed to see you. That’s good news.” He’d have to wait to find out.

That was then; this is now, he reminded himself. I behaved like a child. God, make me the man You want me to be.

He stood at the door, heart in his throat, and pressed the doorbell. Lord of mercy, help me say what needs to be said. And if it’s Your will . . . The door opened.

“I came to apologize, Grace.” Something he’d never done before. “I didn’t treat you with the respect you deserved, and I’m sorry for that.” Pressing his palms together between his knees, he leaned forward, sending up a shotgun prayer. God, help me. “I was afraid to tell you how I felt about you.” She looked away, and he held off saying the rest, waiting for her to face him again before he went on. “I was in love with you then, and I’m in love with you now.”

“Why did you come, Roman?” “I laid out my fleece, and God said yes.” Why should she believe him? Just say the rest, Roman. “I came to ask you to marry me.”

“Just to be clear, Grace, I want to love, honor, and cherish you for as long as we both live.”

“What Shanice didn’t know is I could be the guy she was talking about.”

“It’s not impossible. I used to hang out at After Dark regularly. I had a beach condo in Malibu around that time. I remember a girl with long, blonde hair who left in the middle of the night while I was in the bathroom. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but that had never happened before.”

Another sin I confess, Lord. I treated women the way men treated my mother. “I’m not the man I used to be, Grace, but I’m still a long way from the one I want to be.”

“It only took a day to understand you were never coming back to the cottage, and I’d blown everything with you. It took me months to work through all the reasons you had to leave and what I needed to do to get right with God.”

“You admitted you loved me that night. You left because you wanted a man willing to commit, not a boy who wanted everything on his terms.” “If we’re being honest, I left because I knew if I stayed, I wouldn’t be strong enough to say no a second time.” “You did the right thing in leaving, Grace. I wouldn’t have left you alone.”

If Grace hadn’t fled, he might never have felt the need to examine his life and realize he had to let God change him from the inside out.

Time to put all his hopes on the table. “I love you, Grace. I want to marry you. I don’t know Samuel yet, but he’s your son, and that’s enough reason for me to love him.”

“We’ll both do our own homework. If we keep Jesus front and center, we’ll make it through whatever this life throws at us.”

Do you still love me, Grace?” “I’ve been trying very hard to get over you.” “Any luck with that?” “None.” Her lips tipped up. Roman let out a breath. “Thank You, Jesus.”

“I’m staying in the same hotel you and I stayed in on our road trip.” He’d checked in before coming to see Grace. “It’ll serve as home base until I find a house.” “A house? You want to move to Merced?” Laughing, Roman shook his head. “I don’t know yet, but I didn’t just stop by on my way back to LA to say, ‘Hey, by the way, I’d like to marry you.’ I’m sticking around until you do.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter where we live, as long as we’re together.”

“It matters, Grace.” He lifted her hand and kissed her palm. “We’ll wait for God to tell us where He wants us.”

Even here and now the Lord was working on another masterpiece.