A Tragic Hero

Chapter 21

Sky watched in amusement as an enormous smile plastered onto Ryder's handsome face.
"Of course. I'd love to pray with you."
She simply nodded, holding in her gratefulness. She was beginning to get the jitter bugs.
Ryder rose from his seat in one smooth motion and made his way over to her side.
"I want to pray for Jake."
She met his eyes, seeing only care and maybe just a little bit of something more swimming in them.
"Okay," he answered back, now being just a foot away from her. She could literally move her hand a couple of inches up and claim his hand with hers if she wanted to.
She didn't have to though.
Ryder's hands enveloped hers in an instant, warmth seeping into her palms at his light touch. His warmth, his comfort, his peace. She needed some of that right now.
Before her thoughts could wonder to unreasonable places and impossible fantasies, Ryder's deep voice spoke up, steering her from her thoughts.
"Would you like me to start first?"
Ryder stared down softly at her, waiting patiently for a response.
Her words clogged in her throat for a second. She could do this. Jesus was with her.
"Alright," She barely got out, thankful when he flashed her one more smile then shut his eyes and began to pray aloud.
"Let me just start off by saying Lord, thank you. Thank you for your many blessings and your never ending, never failing love. Thank you for keeping Sky in your love and helping her to stay strong through this. Lord, we come to you now with a request. Jake is a wonderful little boy that you have given me the pleasure to meet just a short while ago. I've realized though that he has some of your characteristics. His caring spirit, his never complaining attitude, his trust in you and your almightiness. He just loves everyone he meets, never caring who they are or what they've done, just loves them regardless."
Sky was amazed that Ryder had picked up that much about her son just in the short time he had met and listened to him. He was correct about all the things he had just said. She smiled with her eyes still tightly shut and focused back in on his voice.
"I can't say why you've put us all in this situation Lord. Why you've allowed Jake to go through what he's going through, I can't say I fully understand why. But, how can we foresee your plans for us Lord? We ask that you help us to just follow you Lord and to continue to do your will in our lives everyday, no matter how tough it may seem to us at the moment. You know exactly what we need, so just give it to us Lord. Thank you again for everything you have done for us so far. Whatever you have planned for Jake, we will accept and worship you still. We now lay our burdens down at your feet, depending only on you. In Jesus precious name, Amen."
Sky's heart ached for her son. She missed his laughter and the renewing feeling he would give her when ever he took her hand in his. But she knew Ryder was right. God knew exactly what He was doing. She just had to hang on and wait and see what would happen next.

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Ryder wanted to leap for joy. He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs, run up the highest mountain without breaking a sweat, wanted to dive deep into this over taking feeling that now began to swallow him whole. Joy, perfect joy was the culprit. His joy came from Sky . It seemed as if it would soon be overbearing, but he didn't care. It was the best feeling that had entered into his boring old heart in a long time.
He finished his prayer, staring intensely at Sky as she opened her eyes and gazed lightly back up at him. His hands still grasped hers, not loosing their hold one bit. He wasn't planning to either, at least until she wanted him to.
Her eyes widened slightly as he sent her a lazy smirk, testing how she would react. She didn't shift her gaze or make any sudden movements to indicate she was ready to make a run for it. From him. Good.
"Your turn,"He mumbled, beginning to get lost in her dazzling hazel eyes.
"What?"
Sky blinked, realizing that she had been returning his stare too. Was she getting as lost as he was?
"It's your turn to pray."
He chuckled as Sky's cheeks turned a soft pink color.
"Oh...yah."
She immediately shut her eyes, the rose color in her cheeks still visible.
"Dear Lord," she let out a nervous sigh, pushing through after a couple of silent beats.
"I know you know what's best for us. Ryder is a hundred percent right. Sometimes...all seems bleak and we don't know where to run to. Help us to always remember that when trouble strikes or sorrow fills us, that we can run straight to you. That you will wrap us up in your always ready arms and keep us through it all, even until the very end."
Her words hitched, tainted now with sadness as she continued.
"Jake is my precious son. My sunshine and my comforter. He stole my heart the first time I laid eyes on him. He's a perfect blessing only you could have given to me. I'm so thankful for all the time I've had with him. But Lord, I don't think I'm ready to see him go. I don't think I'm ready to see him go through all he now has to go through. He's...he's just a child."
A sob escaped her, making him frown internally. He gently began to rub his thumb along the back of her hand, hoping to sooth her. She was quiet for a moment, tangled in her own thoughts.
"Lord, help me to trust you. Help me to seek you. Help me to know that you are here and you love me."
"And Lord," he noticed that Sky's voice had dropped a couple of notches, just a soft whisper now,"help me to share with those who really do care, who really do want to stay, my pains and my greatest fear. I need your strength. Help them to not react too badly. You are with me Lord. I will fear no evil. Amen."
Ryder slowly opened his eyes to see that Sky was staring at her shoes.
Her greatest fear?
"They...they blamed me. They blamed it all on me."
It took Ryder a moment to comprehend Sky's simple words. Was she...was going to confess to him her greatest fear? To him? Had she finally decided to open up to him, to let him have a look around in her soul?
"Who blamed you? For what?"
He cocked his head to the side, trying to capture her eyes again.
"Can we...can we sit down maybe? This may take a while, but I'm ready. I've held this all in far longer than I should have."
Sky still hadn't met his stare. He'd listen to her though. He had been wanting to listen to her since the first day he'd met her.
"Wait here," he commanded her.
Ryder reluctantly dropped Sky's hands, stepped out into the hallway, found another fold out chair, and brought it back into the room. After setting it down and opening it, he waved at her to take a seat. She sat down silently, her face a twist of mixed emotions.
This was it. The moment he'd been waiting for. The moment when Sky would open up her inner being to him and trust him with her weight. He was ready. Lord help him, he would explode of anticipation if she didn't-
"Ryder."
The seriousness in her voice stopped his zigzagging thoughts. He quelled his excitement, leaned in closer, and gave her his full attention.
"I'm really hesitant right now to tell you...everything."
She flashed him a sad smile. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, assure her that she didn't have to be afraid of anything.
"Sky," he ended up just scooting his chair closer, his knees a hair away from connecting with hers
"You can tell me anything."
"I know," She muttered, nodding her head silently.
This would be something grand for sure. Something she had kept deeply tucked away inside for a long time. And to know that now she would be sharing it with him? Well, he felt honored to the highest extent.
"I'm scared."
Sky's eyes darkened. She began to draw into herself, leaving him sitting here hanging onto a rope.
"No."
He quickly placed a hand on her knee, immediately seeing the light return to her eyes.
"Don't leave. Not now. Not when you're about to really trust me Sky."
She cautiously lifted her gaze back to his clear eyes. He gave her his most promising smile, free of judgement and suspicion. He really did just want to listen, to finally discover what weighed her down, shackling her, keeping her from not getting close to anyone.
"Sky, please."
He watched as tears built up in her beautiful eyes. One slipped out of her left eye, leaving a trail of moisture down her cheek. He was so tempted to brush it away.
He was about to do exactly that when she began her confession.
"My mother in law, Fran Bella Evergreen, and my father in law, Drew Will Evergreen, blame me for their son's tragic and unforeseen death."