A Brush of Wings by Karen Kingsbury Page B

me.”
    “Me, too.” He laughed. “I need to get that ring. Sami’s waited long enough.”
    “Good for you.” Marcus patted his friend on the back.
    They made a plan to meet in an hour for their next workout. Once Marcus was alone in his room, he walked to the window, slid the sheer curtain aside, and stared at the barren Arizona mountains. Marcus smiled. Tyler was going to buy a ring. His friend was right—it was time.
    The message this morning left no room for doubts.
    His smile faded and he found the single cloud in the sky. If only it were that easy for him and Mary Catherine. Marcus was slated to pitch later this afternoon. He wouldn’t have time today or tomorrow. He checked his schedule and chills ran down his arms again. Other than a few meetings and a single workout, he had Wednesday off.
    The day Mary Catherine was flying to Africa.
    Yes, he’d just seen her, and true, she’d told him not to wait for her. But something had to be wrong. Something more than her trip to Africa. Her feelings were as real as his—so she had to be keeping things to herself. Some problem he wasn’t aware of.
    Well, maybe if he told her how committed he was, that he didn’t just want to wait for her and date her. Maybe then she would explain what was really holding her back.
    He opened his computer and his fingers began flying across the keyboard. It wasn’t enough to tell her he wanted to wait for her, or that he hoped she might pretend for a single day.
    He wanted to marry her.
    It was time he said so.

7

    M ARY CATHERINE NEEDED EVERY MINUTE of the four-hour flight. Not just to rest, but to wrap her mind around all that had happened last week. The events about to happen. She settled into her seat and looked out the window.
    The jet took off over the Pacific Ocean, over the water and waves she loved. Over every wonderful memory from the last few years. Her stomach felt nervous, a mix of excitement about her time in Africa and sorrow over the life she was leaving behind. She put her hand on the plastic window. Will I ever be back, God? Is this my last goodbye?
    Like most flights departing Los Angeles International Airport, the plane made a U-turn a few miles over the ocean. Mary Catherine could see it all clearly. One last look at the beach, and then the city, the places where she’d worked, the streets where she rode her bike. And then Castaic Lake and the desert where she’d landed after skydiving.
    All of it blurred together like the most beautiful kaleidoscope of laughter and living color and life. She lifted her eyes to the deep blue sky. The adventure ahead would provide a host of new memories, fulfilling times that she had looked forward to for years. Africa would be amazing. Instantly she would have a few dozen children—kids who would love her like the mother they didn’t have. She could hardly wait.
    But that didn’t ease her anxiety.
    She closed her eyes. Sleep. She needed sleep. Then she’d be better able to handle the clash of heartache and happiness whirling together in her heart and mind.
    She leaned her head back against the seat.
    A host of recent memories lined up on the screen of her heart. Starting with last night.
    The beach had been calling to her all day, but she wasn’t finished packing. So instead of a final walk to the shore, Sami helped her organize her bags.
    “Four suitcases?” Sami had laughed. Both of them had tried to keep things light. “You’re coming back after six months, right?”
    Mary Catherine never actually answered. She laughed about not really needing so much, and how two of the bags were school supplies. By then Mary Catherine had made her decision. She wouldn’t tell Sami about the transplant, not until she returned from Africa. Besides, she would only be an email away.
    When they finished zipping up Mary Catherine’s bags, they talked about the teen mentor program. “I’m still worried about Lexy.” Sami’s eyes clouded over. “Did she ever get ahold of