A Heart of Faith – Chapter Fourteen

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Time. Some think it’s something of which they have lots. But we never can know how much we do have, until it becomes jeopardized. That’s a lesson the Meltsner learnt the hard way, when just that happens to Eugene Meltsner.

  All of a sudden, time seems to be slipping away for him, quicker than anyone could have expected. Will the situation be able to be turned around before time is completely gone for good? Only time and faith will reveal what God could possibly have planned for them—of what use the situation could be. And maybe, as the saying goes, “One man’s loss, is another man’s gain.”

  Although the events prove to be a fright for the family, and even their close friends, they are all able to find that they can have Hearts of Faith that God will take care of them and their every need.

Some hours had passed since Katrina’s return from the hospital. Supper had been said and done, with Buck not saying much while the two ate. Then after, the teen returned to his room, saying he wanted to be alone for a bit. Sparky followed him, and for the moment, Katrina let him be.

  With the kitchen countertops now cleared and cleaned, Katrina leaned against the edge of one of them. She had a mug of warm, sweet tea in hand. Though, before she could take a sip of it, her cellphone rang. Katrina took the device out of her pocket, and saw the caller ID to be her mother. She pressed ‘answer’, and held the phone up to her ear. 

  “Hi, mom!” She greeted, smiling. “The next flight?… Yes, we’ll be there to pick you up.” The blonde confirmed. Her mother asked her a question. “No, mother! We have a guest bedroom for a reason.” Katrina told her. “No, it’s no imposition.” She assured. “Okay, love you too. … Bye.” With that, Katrina hung up, and pocketed her phone.

  Katrina took a small sip of the still-hot-tea, before setting it down on the counter to cool off a little. While it did, she decided to go check the guest bedroom just to make sure it was suitable for her mother to stay in.

  A couple short weeks prior, when things had begun getting noticeably bad with Eugene’s health, Katrina had made a few calls to some family members—even mailing out a letter to her father-in-law and brother-in-law. Millie, her mother, was one of those family members she’d told. Mrs. Shanks had decided that she would fly from Chicago and to Odyssey to show support to her daughter, and her son-in-law.

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  “Everybody please find your seats, and our flight attendants will begin the safety demonstration shortly.” Over the intercom, a click was heard following the captain of the plane’s brief announcement. Millie Shanks, having already found her seat and placed her carry-on in the overhead compartment, quietly hummed to herself. She clasped her hands in her lap, and as she watched other passengers of the plane going about finding their seats, she began to absent-mindedly play with her wedding band.

  Looking down to her hands, Millie slid her wedding ring back to the base of her finger—as she’d nearly slid it off her finger entirely. As she twisted it to have the small, imbedded diamonds facing upwards, somebody spoke up. “Excuse me, ma’am, but is this C16?” Millie looked up to see a young man standing in the aisle. He had reddish-brown, somewhat unkempt hair and periwinkle blue eyes. His light brown jacket was zipped up all the way, and his dark colored jeans had dried mud on them. 

The young man adjusted his grip on his duffel bag, just as Millie remember that her own seat was B16. “Oh, yes. Yes, this is C16.” She confirmed. He gave her a polite nod in thanks, before then reaching up to put his bag in the compartment. Afterwards, he sat down next to her. At the front of the cabin, a flight attendant was calling for everyone’s attention so she could start the safety demonstration.

  Soon, the safety demonstration had been said and done, and the plane was now flying smoothly in the sky with no delay—leaving behind the Chicago O’Hare airport. There was some chatter heard among the other passengers in the plane as the attendants went about tending to everyone. Glancing to the young man sat next to her, Millie decided to at least give him a proper hello, if not some small talk. Her act of turning to look at him garnered his attention. His polite smile returned. “If I may, what brings you to Odyssey?”

  “I’m visiting family.” The young man answered. “My older brother isn’t doing too well.” Mille gave him a sympathetic look. “Oh, I understand. Neither is my son-in-law.” She told him, shaking her head a little. “I’m Millie Shank. And you are…?”

  “Everett. Everett Meltsner.” Everett answered, holding out a hand for the woman to shake. She did so in a short manner, as the young man’s last name had piqued her curiosity. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said to him, “Though, you wouldn’t happen to be related to a Eugene Meltsner, by chance?”

  “Yes, actually. Eugene is my older brother.” Everett replied, giving her a curious look. “How do you know him?” Mille had a bit of a knowing smile. “He’s my son-in-law. I’m Katrina’s mother.” She explained. Everett’s eyes widened a little at the pleasant ‘coincidence’. “Oh, well I’m glad to finally be meeting you.”

  “And I, you.” Millie agreed, sitting back in her seat a bit. “Where is it you’re coming from, dear?” She wondered. “Africa, actually.” Everett answered. The answer made Mille even more curious. “My, what in the world were you doing there?” Came her next question. “Missionary work. With my father.

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  Early Saturday afternoon at Odyssey Airport brought its usual swarms of people either coming, going, or meeting up with one another. It was the expected hustle and bustle that came with the planes that came and went all day long.  Among the crowd at one of the gates were Katrina and Buck. Both were awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Shanks, seeing as the plane she was on had landed as they arrived.

  A mere ten minutes of waiting passed when the doors finally opened, and the passengers—all arriving from the ‘Windy City’—made their way into the airport with bags in tow. Katrina watched carefully as people came through the doors and towards either their own loved ones or friends, or to the roundabout to go find their luggage. “Okay, Buck. Keep an eye out for her!”

  “Yes, ma’am!” Buck answered, using his own keen eye to watch for Millie. While both were looking for the older woman, the voice of said woman called out to her. “Katrina!” Katrina turned her head, spotting her mother weaving through the crowds towards her. “Mother!” She exclaimed. The blonde got her son’s attention so as he’d follow her, while her mother looked over her shoulder to call out to someone else. “They’re over here!”

  Catching up to her mother, Katrina pulled her into a hug. Millie set down her bag, and wrapper her arms around her daughter. “Hi, mom!” Katrina greeted. “Hello, dear!” Both stepped back from the hug. “How was the flight?” Katrina asked her. “Oh, it was fine—you’ll never guess who was in the seat next to me!” Millie had an excited glint in her eyes. “Who?”

  “Hi, Katrina!” Looking to who had just approached them, Katrina nearly gasped. “Everett Meltsner! Is that you?” Everett nodded and smiled. Laughing a little, Katrina offered her brother-in-law a hug. The two embraced briefly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to Odyssey? You could’ve called, you know!”

  “Because it would’ve ruined the surprise!” Everett explained with a bit of a mischievous look on his face. Buck glanced between the three, almost feeling a little out of place. Millie looked over to the teenager. “Oh, Buck! You’re here too.” She noted, before going on to ask, “How are you?” Buck smiled. “I’m fine. It’s good to see you again, Grandma.”

  “It’s great to see you again, too.” Millie said in return, giving her adoptive grandson a hug. Katrina smiled at the sight, before a realization donned on her. “Oh!” She exclaimed. Looking to Everett, she asked him, “Have you met Buck, yet?” Buck and Everett exchanged looks with one another. “I have not.” Everett answered. With a hand on both their shoulders, Katrina went on with introductions. “Well. Buck, this is Everett. Everett, this is our son, Buck.”

  “Howdy.” Buck greeted, earning himself a friendly pat on the shoulder from Everett. “Hey, Buck. I’ve heard a lot about you!” He said. “Dad’s told me about you, too.” Buck replied. “It’s cool to meet you!” Everett smiled. “Likewise.” He answered in return.

  “Right, then,” Katrina began with a small clap. “Let’s go grab the suitcases so we can head back to the house.” 

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  Sparky twisted a little, lying on his back in his plush dog bed. He’d been having a nice nap  while the house was empty, and simply judging by the dog’s peculiar sleeping position, one could tell he was completely at ease—dreaming of whatever it is dog’s possibly dream about.

  The sound of a car door opening and closing immediately jolted Sparky from his nap. The dog sprung into a sitting position, as his tail slowly began to wag. Having heard voices of several people outside, Sparky jumped up onto the couch to look out the window. His tail picked up speed as the dog got even more excited. He got off the couch, and made it to the front entryway just in time for Katrina to unlock and open the door.

  Sparky barked in greeting, though refrained from jumping on on anyone—as he’d been trained not to do—though his tail was wagging a mile a minute. Buck gave his dog a scratch behind the ear in passing with his free hand, before continuing to make his way to the guest bedroom with his grandmother’s suitcase. 

  “Where should I set my luggage down, ‘Trina?” Everett asked. Closing the door behind everyone, Katrina’s brow knit as she thought for a minute. “I’m not sure yet.” She confessed. “Mom’s already taken the guest bedroom…” Millie gave Everett a small, apologetic look. “If it’s going to end up causing any trouble, dear, I will be more than happy to pay for Everett’s hotel room.”

  “Nonsense,” Katrina told her mother. “We’ll make it work here.” Glancing into the living room, an idea came to Everett. “I can take the couch.” He offered. “No, you’re not taking the couch.” Katrina answered, not in favor of that idea. “I need a minute to think…” She crossed her arms, and her brow knit as she thought. “Oh!”

  “Yeah?” Katrina’s expression lit. “We have an air mattress. You can share a room with Buck.” Everett didn’t look entirely against the plan, though had one small concern. “Will Buck be okay with that?” He wondered. “Will I be okay with ‘what’?” Buck asked, having caught the tail end of the conversation as he rejoined everyone. “Buck, is it okay if I set up a mattress in your room for Everett?”

  “Sure, that’s fine by me.” Buck nodded. “Are you sure, Buck?” Everett asked him. “Yeah, I’m sure!” The teen assured him. “If you say so, then.” Buck smiled. “Cool. I’ll go get the air mattress from the garage, then.” He said, turning to head for the garage. “Thank you, Buck!” Katrina called out after him. “Don’t mention, it!”

  “Now that that’s being settled,” Katrina brought her attention back to their guests. “Would either of you like a drink? I’ve got lemonade.” Millie gave her daughter a smile. “Lemonade sounds delightful, sweetheart.”