Page 44 of There I Find Hope

“Or sneezing.”

“True.” They laughed a little, and now that Sunday was off his back, Ricky seemed to be moving a little better.

He checked his watch. “I’m glad we didn’t go too far. If we walk back, we should get there with time to spare before it’s time to feed Hope again.” He loved the name she had given to the horse. He thought that it represented the time she was in in her life right now. Of losing her son, facing the fact that she was alone, but knowing that she had hope.

It made him smile just thinking about it.

“I would feel fine about all of this, except those clouds that have been rolling in are getting darker every minute.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more on that. The waves are definitely getting bigger as well.” They’d been big the whole time they’d been riding, but sometimes that just indicated a storm on the lake that never made it to shore.

Regardless, it looked like this one was coming in.

He tried to judge the distance from where they were to where the stable was.

If they were riding, it would be an easy decision. They would definitely make it. But since they were walking, and not fast, with the horse limping between them, he wasn’t sure.

“You want to chance it? Or do you want to stop and take shelter at that abandoned cottage that’s just down the beach a bit?”

“I say let’s see how we’re doing till we get there. What do you think?” she asked, her brow furrowed as she looked at the clouds and then back to him. The whole time, they continued to walk, with Ricky between them, his head bobbing down with each step.

“I guess I wouldn’t be too concerned about it, except being caught on the beach in a lightning storm is not safe.”

“Exactly.” They both knew that, and he was only stating the obvious, which she agreed with immediately.

They walked in silence for a while as the wind kicked up, and the waves continued to roar.

He loved this kind of weather. It always felt invigorating to him. Not to mention, it reminded him of the power of God. Which was very reassuring. If God could control something as powerful as the waves of Lake Michigan, the wind, and the lightning, he could certainly trust God to control his life.

“I think we need to stop. He’s not limping any worse, but he’s just going slow, and I feel bad pushing him.”

“Same. I don’t think we’re hurting him by making him walk, or I guess I should say I don’t think we have a choice.”

“I agree. And he’s moving everything okay. We know he didn’t twist it or break it, so I’m hoping maybe it’s just a bruise from perhaps stepping on a seashell or something.”

They didn’t say anything else, because they could only speculate as to what caused it and what the injury actually was.

A big gust of wind blew droplets of water on them, and Noah lifted his head to it.

“I think you’re enjoying this,” Sunday accused.

“It’s terrible, isn’t it? I’ve always loved storms.”

“Don’t they scare you?” she asked, sounding incredulous.

“Not really. I mean, I guess in a way they do. And I don’t necessarily like that feeling.”

“Some people love to be scared. Why else would folks watch horror movies?”

“To laugh?” he suggested, which did elicit a chuckle out of her.

“I never laugh at them. Well, I shouldn’t say that. I’ve only ever watched two. I guess I didn’t learn my lesson with the first one, and after the nightmares stopped, after five years, I watched another one. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.”

“I’ve never even been interested in them. It just seems a little ridiculous. Not to mention, I don’t enjoy being scared. And I don’t enjoy death and destruction. And I definitely don’t enjoy anything that has to do with the spirit world, other than talking to God.”

“I’m a little annoyed that you’re so smart. Why couldn’t I have been intelligent like that?”

“We talked about that some in high school. Back when we were friends.” He almost didn’t say that last part. He didn’t want to rub it in that they used to hang out together.

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