Part 30 (1/2)

Doug shrugged his broad shoulders. ”I figure if the four of us return with great reports of the trip, everyone will want to go this summer, and we can do it all over again.”

”If we do, I'm definitely taking the early morning flight like Tracy did, even if it does mean getting up at five in the morning! You were right about that one.” Christy pulled off her coat and fanned her red face with her hand.

Doug smiled. She could tell he liked being told he was right. Not in an arrogant way, but in a big brother, Doug way.

The plane was now taxiing down the runway, about to take off.

”Did the mission send you the final information?” Christy asked. ”That's the only part my parents were concerned about. I gave them the address we'll be at the first two nights in London and the place we'll have our training. But I think they were concerned that I didn't know where our outreach a.s.signment would be for the last two weeks of the trip.”

”All I received from the mission in the fax yesterday were directions on how to get to Carnforth Hall for the week of training. Don't worry,” Doug said as the nose of the plane tilted up and they took off into the wild blue yonder. ”G.o.d will direct our paths. These next three weeks will be an awesome chance for us to trust Him.”

Christy had to smile. She had known Doug since she was fourteen. In those four and a half years, he had hardly changed. As a matter of fact, he was saying ”awesome” the day she had met him. He had grown taller and more muscular, but still, he looked the same, acted the same, and even dressed about the same.

But in those years Christy had changed a lot. She had grown up. Now eighteen and a half and a college freshman, she felt almost the same age as Doug, a twenty-three-year-old with only eight credits to go before completing his bachelor's degree in business.

”Doug,” Tracy asked, leaning past Katie and Christy, ”did you receive a confirmation for the bed-and-breakfast we're supposed to slay at in London tonight?”

”Yep.”

”And did you get the train tickets for us to Carnforth Hall?”

”We buy them at the airport. I have all the information.”

”What about the schedule?” Katie asked. ”When do we have to be at Carnforth?”

”Friday afternoon.”

”Did you get that tour book of London?” Tracy asked. ”There's so much to see. How are we going to get to it all in only two days?”

”Will you guys relax?” Doug said. ”I've got it covered. Once they turn off the seat belt sign. I'll get my tour book down and we'll make some plans.”

Christy felt like all she had been doing for the past month was make plans. It still amazed her that her parents had agreed to let her spend her semester break with her three closest friends on the other side of the world.

It was even more amazing that Katie's parents had agreed. They had never been in favor of her taking off on trips with the church youth group. But they saw it more as a cultural experience than a missions trip. Tracy and Doug were both older than Katie and Christy, and they both came from very supportive families. Christy's parents were supportive, of course, although they tended to be a little more on the protective side.

Her dad's final words last night had been, ”I hope this trip helps you figure out what you want to do with your life. You know your mother and I will support you whatever you decide. But you need to know that it's time for you to decide.”

At the time she had bristled at his words. Making decisions had never been her strong point. Christy had made plenty of decisions she had regretted later. The biggest one had to be last spring when she broke up with Todd, Doug's best friend. Todd had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity before him, and Christy didn't want to hold him back. At the time she knew it was the right thing to do, but it had taken her months to recover from the loss.

It had taken Doug even longer to convince Christy that she should go out with him. She had wavered in her decision all summer, and it was October before she finally agreed to be Doug's girlfriend.

The funny part was, nothing much had changed between them during the three months they had been going together. They were close friends, but they always had been. He held her hand more, but he never kissed her. It was a comfortable, secure friends.h.i.+p, and one her parents felt good enough about to let their daughter fly to Europe with Doug.

Doug clicked open his seat belt, stood, and reached for the tour books in his backpack. For the next hour, the four of them made big plans about all they would see in London. To Christy, it still seemed like a dream.

Dinner was served-sliced beef with gravy, peas, fruit salad, and a piece of spice cake with chopped nuts, which Christy gave to Doug. Nuts had never been Christy's favorite. Tea was served with milk and sugar, and Christy sipped at the steaming brew, feeling grown-up and important. Maybe she could do this international thing after all.

As soon as their tray tables were cleared, the movie began. Christy couldn't see over the head of the guy in front of her, so she gave up on the movie and asked Doug to get her bag from the overhead bin. She found her journal and began to write.

The adventure begins! I'm on the plane now, between Doug and Katie, and we are actually flying to England. I still can't believe this. I feel as if everything in my life has been rus.h.i.+ng past me these last few months and I'm caught up in the current.

My dad was right in urging me to make some decisions about the future. I don't know what I want to be. I don't know if I like being grown up. And when did that happen, anyhow? I must be grown-up if I'm on my way to England. I can't believe I'm in college. Sometimes I feel so independent, and other times I wish I could go back to the simpler days when I would spend the whole day lying on the beach, doing nothing but watch Todd surf. Oops. I did it again. I mentioned the T-word. I wasn't going to do that anymore. I know that...

”The T-word?” Katie asked, looking at the page.

Christy snapped her diary shut. ”I thought you were watching the movie,” she whispered harshly. She glanced at Doug. He had on his headset and seemed caught up in the action on the small screen in front of them.

”I can't believe you still even think about the T-word!” Katie whispered back. ”It's been months-almost a year-since he left. The guy is gone. Long gone. Ancient history. You have absolutely no contact with him. He's most likely on some mosquito-infested tropical island serving G.o.d and loving it. If he still wanted you in his life, he would have written you. But then he's never written to you, has he. Christy? Ever. In your whole life. Think about it.”

”Have you forgotten about the coconut he sent me from Hawaii?”

”Christy.” Katie's piercing green eyes looked serious. ”I couldn't tell you this if I wasn't your best friend.”

Christy looked away. She already knew what Katie was going to say. They had had this same conversation at the end of the summer when Katie tried to convince her to let go of Todd's memory and give Doug a fair chance.

”I know,” Christy whispered, a tiny tear blurring her vision.

”No, I don't think you know, Chris. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation.” Katie sounded stern.

”Can we have it another time, Katie?” Christy blinked her blue-green eyes. ”What I write in my diary is my business, not yours. You don't know what I'm thinking.”

”I can make a pretty good guess.”

”So what? I don't remember inviting you into my thoughts!” The instant Christy made the remark, she regretted it. This was not a good way to start off a three-week trip in which she and Katie would be together day and night. Especially when, in her heart, she knew Katie was right. She knew that part of her growing up and making decisions about her future had been hindered because she couldn't seem to get over Todd.

”Fine.” Katie planted her headphones back over her ears and fixed her attention on the screen.

Christy reached over and squeezed Katie's arm to get her attention. Katie slowly turned to face Christy and lifted the headset off one ear.

”I'm sorry,” Christy said.

”Don't worry about it. We'll talk later.” Katie flashed a smile, squeezed Christy's arm back, and returned her attention to the movie.

Christy knew all was forgiven. She also knew Katie would make sure they talked later.

Glancing over at Doug, Christy wondered if he had heard any of their conversation. He had always been so patient and understanding with her.

The ultimate proof had been when Christy found out that he had bought back her gold ID bracelet from a jewelry store two years ago. Todd had given her the bracelet. Then a sort-of-boyfriend, Rick, had stolen it from Christy and hocked it at a jewelry store so he could use the money to buy her a clunky silver one that said ”Rick.”

Her relations.h.i.+p with Rick had quickly dissolved, and she had begun to make payments to buy back the gold bracelet. Then one day the jeweler gave it to her, saying some guy had come in and paid for it in full.

It wasn't until last spring that Christy had found out Doug was the one who paid for it. He did it simply out of his love for Christy. It didn't matter to Doug that the bracelet was given to Christy by another guy, another guy who just happened to be his best friend and who had captured Christy's interest from the day she had first met them on the beach at Newport. During the years of friends.h.i.+p that followed for the three of them, Doug always took a backseat to Todd.

Anyone who knew them would be quick to say that Doug had waited patiently for Christy. He had never let his deep feelings for her come out until after she had broken up with Todd and had given the bracelet back to him. Not until Todd was on a plane headed for parts unknown did Doug let his feelings for Christy be known. Even then, he took it slow.

He had to be the most patient guy on the face of the earth. And, as Katie had pointed out last summer, since I Corinthians 13 described love as being patient, kind, not jealous, and always looking out for the best interest of others, then Doug must deeply love Christy.

Christy looped her arm through Doug's, which was balanced on the armrest between them, and leaned her head against his shoulder. Doug was a treasure. A treasure she should not take for granted. She knew girls who would do anything to have even a fraction of Doug's attention. And here she had it all. She knew she should appreciate him more.

Doug adjusted his position to make Christy more comfortable. She closed her eyes and told herself again that she was really, truly on an airplane on her way to London with the most wonderful-no, make that the most awesome-guy in the whole world and with her two best friends, Katie and Tracy. This trip would change her life forever. She had no doubt.