Chapters 33-34 -- THE END

Chapter 33

Time files by and soon it’s time to head to Texas for the holidays.  Everyone wants Cole and Tina to find out what the baby is but they decide to wait until the birth.  Both Cole’s parents and Tina’s parents plan to come out for the birth.  Tina’s due date is May 29^th.  Everyone will come out the week before. 

They all enjoy the holidays together then Cole, Tina, Isaac and Laura head back to Jamaica after the New Year.

Tina works right up until the week before the baby is due.  She picks both Cole’s and her parents up from the airport after her last day of work. 

“My gosh,” Tina’s mom says.  “Tina, you shouldn’t be driving dear.”

Tina laughs.  “I have no choice.  Cole’s car is in the shop and he can’t drive mine since it isn’t modified.  Today is the only day I’ve driven in the last month.  Ellen was going to drive me but she was sick this morning and Elaine had class.”

“Well, I am driving home,” Matthew tells her.  “You just tell me the way.”

“Sure,” Tina laughs, as she hands him the keys.

They get home and find Cole has prepared dinner.  “Wow babe,” Tina says as she kisses him.  “Nice job!”

He helps Tina to her chair with a smile.  “Just talked to Charlie.  My car will be ready by 9 tomorrow.  He’s gonna have someone bring it by,” he tells her.

“Oh, that’s nice of him,” Tina replies as she sits at the table.

They all enjoy their time together and preparing for the new arrival.  Tina’s and Cole’s parents help put the finishing touches on the zoo themed nursery.  They decided to make it natural since they didn’t find out what the baby was.

Just over a week later early in the morning on June 2, Cole is awaked by Tina’s loud moan.  “T, are you ok?”  She moans again and grabs Cole’s hands.  Cole sits up and asks again, “Are you ok?  Do we need to go to the hospital?”

Tina squeezes his hand and takes several quick breaths and finally manages to squeak out, “Yes!”

Cole pulls himself to the foot of the bed, pulls on his prosthetic leg and grabs his clothes.  He then helps Tina get some clothes on.  He grabs his phone and calls Elaine in the garage apartment. 

“Hey Elaine, its Cole.  I think it’s time.  Can you come down and help?”

“Be right there,” she says and hangs up.

As Cole puts Tina in the back seat of his car, the sun is just starting to rise.  He hollers to Elaine standing on the porch, “Let everyone know!”  He jumps in and speeds off.

Tina’s mom heard the commotion and gets to the porch just as Cole pulls out of the drive.  “Elaine, what’s going on?”

“Gonna be a baby soon, ma’am.  Let’s go get everyone and we can head to the hospital,” Elaine answers.

They rush in and wake everyone up, make and eat a quick breakfast and head to the hospital. 

After several hours, Cole comes out and says they are still waiting.  “She’s resting now.  They think it won’t be till evening.  Elaine, you want to take Isaac and Laura home?  I’ll call you when it’s time.”

“Sure,” Elaine answers.  Isaac and Laura hug everyone and they leave. 

Cole and both sets of parents go to the cafeteria to get something to eat. 

“You look tired, son,” Hazel says.  “Why don’t you try and get some rest?”

Cole laughs, “Been up since 4.  Really haven’t slept well in several weeks because of this,” he tells her.  “I’ll be fine.  Its T I am worried about.  She’s in a lot of pain.  They did a sonogram and said they think the baby is setting itself up to be backwards.  Said they are gonna wait and see but they may have to try and turn it when the time comes.  She’s not too worried about it but I sure am, especially what happened when I was born.”  Cole drops his head into his hands.  Hazel pats his back.

“It’s ok Cole.  Things are much different now.  Much better then when you were born.  She’ll be fine,” she answers.

After lunch Cole heads back to be with Tina.  Its several hours later when the doctor decided it’s time.  He does a sonogram and decided he needs to try to turn the baby. 

“OK Tina, we are going to have to turn it.  We need to do it before you progress any further.  You are going to feel some pressure and a bit of pain.  Try not to tease up.  We ready?”

Tina takes Cole’s hand.  “Yes, let’s do it.”

The doctor does the procedure as Tina breaths deeply to relax.  She feels the pressure and the pain.  Finally it’s over.  “Ok, good job Tina,” the doctor says.  “That should really stimulate things and we should progress rather quickly now.  I’ll be back in a bit.”

Three hours later the baby is born.  Cole walks out to the waiting room and announces to everyone, “It’s a boy!  Caleb Jeffery.  7 lbs 14 ozs, 21 inches long.  Healthy and cute as can be.”

There are hugs all around.  Isaac is most excited.  “Yeah daddy.  It’s a boy!,” he says as he leaps into Cole’s arms.  “When can I see him?”

“Well buddy,” Cole answers.  “You can see him and mommy in just a bit.  Everyone can.  Now, I am gonna go be with mommy and I’ll come back when you can come in.”  He kisses Isaac and walks back to the room.

Finally everyone gets to see baby Caleb and they think he is so cute.  They are all excited, especially the next day when it’s time to welcome him home.

Both sets of parents stay a few more days before heading back to Texas.  Cole, Tina, Isaac and Laura all settle into life with the new baby.

Chapter 34

Time passes quickly for the Connor family.  Cole is at home with the family one day when there is a knock at the door.  Cole opens the door as the lady turns around and Cole stares into her face, “Phiny!”

“Hello Cole, Look I know I am probably the last person you want to see.  May I come in?”

Cole is stunned, “Um I guess so.  I mean yes please.”

Cole shows Phiny in and they have a seat.  Finally Cole asks, “So what brings you here, Phiny?”

“Cole I really don’t know where to start,” she answers.  “First I guess, I need to ask for your forgiveness.  What I tried to do to you and how I treated you.  I was wrong.  I ask that you forgive me, please!”

Cole swallows hard.  “Phiny, I forgave you that day.  It’s over.”

Phiny stands up and walks over and sits beside Cole.  “Second, I want to say, thank you!”

Cole leans back on the couch.  “Thank me?  For what?”

Phiny stands and walks to the window.  “Do you remember what you said to me the last time I saw you?” Phiny turns quickly.  “I do, Cole.  You told me that you would pray that my hard heart would turn to God!  You told me that I could do great things for Him.  You said your last moments would be spent praying for me.”  Phiny is in tears.  “Then I… I… I well you know what happened.”

Phiny sank into the nearest chair.  She began sobbing so much she couldn’t speak.  Cole walks over and hands her a handkerchief.  “Phiny, I have prayed for you every day that God would draw you to Him.”

Phiny looks at Cole.  “That’s just it Cole.  He started to reveal Himself to me the second I left that day.  I can’t even begin to tell you all the ways He has revealed Himself to me.  Look I know I just caught you off guard with all of this.  Do you have time for all of this right now?”

Cole smiles.  “Actually Phiny, it’s perfect.  We were just having a quiet family day at home.  Say can I get you anything?”

Phiny smiles, “A glass of water would be great but I don’t want to take you away from your family.”

Cole stands up to get her water.  “Nonsense.  As a matter of fact, I would like them to meet you.  I’ll get that water.  Be right back.”

Cole leaves and Phiny picks up the Bible laying on the table beside her and opens it. 

Cole returns, “Great book isn’t it?”

Phiny takes the glass form Cole.  “Yes it is.”

“Phiny, I’d like you to meet my family,” Cole says.  “You actually know most of them.  My wife, Tina, our eldest son Isaac, daughter Laura and our younger son Caleb and baby Rachel is due in about 2 months.”

Phiny smiles.  “Well, nice to meet you all.  Tina I will apologize to you just as I did Cole for all that stuff several years ago.  I assure you I am not that person anymore.  I was about to tell Cole something, I would love for you all to hear it as well.  How old are all these guys?”

Cole sits on the couch with his family.  “Well, Isaac here just turned 6.  Laura is almost 3 and Caleb is almost a year.  Rachel Eleanor will be here in about 2 months.”

Phiny smiles.  “Wow, these 2 have really grown.  Please tell me they don’t remember what happened.”

Tina hands Caleb to Cole.  “Laura thankfully was too young.  Isaac had bad dreams for a while but shortly after Cole returned we were able to get through that.  He hasn’t mentioned it since.”

Phiny takes a drink of water.  “Glad to hear that.  Again I want to ask you both for your forgiveness.”

Cole reaches and takes Phiny’s hand.  “As I said, that has already been done.  Now please, you were saying how God revealed Himself to you.”

Phiny sits back in her chair and begins to tell Cole and Tina the stories of how God revealed Himself.  About the dreams and visions she had.  She went on and on for over an hour.  “Finally,” she said, “I found this.”  She took a sheet of paper from her pocket and handed it to Cole.  “That night at the mansion when we sat up all night and talked mostly about God and the Bible.  I wrote in my journal.  That’s the page.  I found it stuck in a drawer, just that one page.  It was in the drawer where I kept my gun.  I was planning on killing myself.  I reached in the drawer and my pistol was not there.  The only thing in that drawer was this piece of paper.  Cole please read it out loud.”

Cole unfolds the piece of paper and begins to read.  “This God he talks about.  I want to know more.  Donavan seems so sure that God is the answer.  God, he says, loves everyone.  I remember something about God sending His son to die for my sins.  Why would anyone want to die for me?  Donavan talks about grace and mercy like they are precious gifts.  I need to know more.  I need to know why God would kill His son for me.  I kill people.  I’ve killed many.  But Jesus gave His life for me?  Why?  Donavan seems to know the answer.  I will not rest until I find the answer.”  Cole has tears in his eyes as he finishes.  “I remember that night.  You seemed to have a lot to say about God Phiny.”

“True, I did but I was all memorized and rehearsed for the part.  I didn’t really know.  But you made an impression.  The night I found that in the drawer, I had a new mission, to find the answers.  I found a church with a great group of people.  There was a staff counselor that I began going to.  I was able to work through my past with her.  It took about a year for me to come to the point to give my life to the Lord.  She prayed with me as I accepted Jesus as my Savior.  That was almost a year and a half ago.  I have been living for Him ever since.  I still go to see her from time to time.  One thing I struggles with was you.  I always felt as if I needed to face you and ask for forgiveness, for my own sake.  She helped me find you and that is what lead me her today.”

“Phiny, I am glad you did,” Cole says.  “We pray for you daily and it’s nice to finally know they have been answered.  Please join us for dinner tonight and we can continue.”

Phiny stands up.  “I don’t want to inconvenience you.  I just came here to so what needed to be done.”

“Nonsense,” Tina says.  “Dinner is almost ready.  Let me just tell Elaine to set another place.”

Phiny smiles as Tina gets up, “Then I’d love to.”

They all continue to talk until Elaine announces dinner is ready.  Then Phiny sits down with Cole and the rest of his growing family.  They all hold hands as Cole begins to pray.  “Lord, thank you for reuniting us with our friend and new sister in You, Phiny.  We welcome her gladly to the family.  Continue to bless her and use her for Your good.  Amen”