When I Fall in Love(103)

Uncle Norm shook his head. “I feared for his life. And then . . . then you came along. Surprise.”

Max knew that, had resigned himself to the fact that he was a mistake. His entire life from beginning to end—worthless.

“But that’s when everything changed. Having you is what kept your father sane as long as it did. He was already showing signs of the disease when your mother got pregnant, and then you were born and something changed inside him. You were a gift to him during his darkest moments and a gift that your mother held on to long after he left this earth.” He smiled as if caught in memory. “Oh, how he loved to watch you play hockey. He’d call me and we’d go to your games.”

“He used to go to my practices. I remember him sitting there in the bleachers, early in the morning, wrapped in a blanket, shivering.”

“He wanted to capture every moment with you, just like he had with Brendon. You made his life rich, right up to the end. And it made him realize that any life, no matter how short or long, was worth living.”

Now Max’s eyes burned. “I don’t understand a God who would give life, only to have us suffer. It’s not fair.”

“Everyone dies. It’s a surety. You could die tomorrow, and despite the horror of this disease, the days of health are that much more precious because we know what lies ahead.” His uncle’s voice thickened. “I miss my brother every single day. Frankly, sometimes I feel like it’s unfair that out of all my siblings, I’m the one who escaped. We all suffer with this disease. But suffering can either destroy you or it can save you. Because without suffering, we don’t need more; we have enough. But when we suffer, we can’t help but reach out. It forces us into God’s arms, and that’s where we find not only what we need, but more than we can imagine. We find Him.”

He clamped a hand on Brendon’s shoulder, squeezed. “Your dad discovered this, and you will too, Brendon.” His eyes glistened. “And I will too, all over again.”

Max couldn’t bear it. He looked away, clenched his jaw.

“Your dad loved being married to your mother, Max. She was joy in his life, and she told me at his funeral that it gave her joy to walk her husband into the arms of heaven. It’s the greatest privilege a spouse can have.”

Brendon cupped his hand over his eyes. His shoulders shook.

“You will make it through this, boys. Your mother raised strong men, knowing you’d have to have the courage of your father. And you will, if you don’t let the suffering steal the richness of living. Focus on life.”

Max got up, went to the window, stared out at the lake. The sky arched above it, starlight dappling the water’s surface like tiny eyes cast into the darkness.

Focus on life. That’s what Grace had done for him. Helped him see life, embrace life. Want life.

And maybe if he hung on to that, God just might help him—and Grace—face death.

Brendon came up behind him. “Let’s make a new pact.”

Max turned.

“Let’s end well.” Brendon stuck out his hand.

Max ignored it, pulling Brendon into an embrace. “You got it.” He blinked, turned away, ran his palm across his cheek.

His uncle rose from the sofa. “Now if it’s all right with you, I need some shut-eye if I’m going to face the fish at 5 a.m.” He ruffled Max’s hair as if he were ten years old. “I think there’s a walleye with your name on it.”

Max laughed, but . . . wait. “Oh no. I have a wedding to put on.”

Both Brendon and his uncle stared at him.

“Okay, long story, but I promised Grace that I’d help her cater her sister’s wedding, and she’s counting on me.”

“Grace?” Uncle Norm asked.

“Grace,” Brendon said. “You know . . . Grace.”

“Right. The salt-in-the-mousse girl.”

Oh . . . “Actually, that was me. I sabotaged the competition because I—”

“Didn’t want to go public. I wondered about that, but I realized I shouldn’t have been pressuring you.”

“Except you were right. I shouldn’t let fear keep me from doing what’s right.”

“Only when you’re ready, Max,” Brendon said. “But more importantly . . . Grace? Are you two together?”

“Not if I don’t get back for this wedding.”





STREAMS OF PINK AND LAVENDER ribboned across a cirrus cloud–streaked sky, the melody of sparrows outside the window lifting in the summer breeze. The sunrise heralded a beautiful wedding day for Eden and Jace.

Except that Grace’s assistant had vanished.