Epilogue

A Week Later
Sitting inside a parked car

It’s been a week since that day Tiffany and Torian cried in each other’s arms at the graves of her friends. Tori couldn’t believe it but it was very…therapeutic. It really did a lot to help heal the scars that she carried. She wasn’t all the way there but she was definitely making an effort. Never would she have thought that she and Tiff would become friends. Neither did Tiff but the two women put whatever differences they had aside to support each other. Tori even reached out to Devin. They spent a lot of time together during the past week. During this time she found out how much he had matured. He surprised her when he told her over dinner that he wanted them to start over and take the time to just be friends and when and if she was ready, maybe give their relationship a try again.

“I really want to be your friend before I ever become your lover. That’s what I should have done back then.” He told her.

“I’d like that very much.” She had responded with a smile. She didn’t know where they’d go from there but she was willing to see it through.

Torian was still rehashing the week’s past events when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“We’re going to go on inside, T.”

Torian looked over her shoulder at Devin in the backseat. Tiffany was sitting beside him. Both were dressed quite nicely. Devin was wearing a suit that fit his tall frame to a tee. Tiffany was dressed modestly in an ankle length flowered dress. When Tori nodded both of them got out of the car and headed inside the large building in front of them. It had come as a surprise to her that the two of them were getting along even though Tiffany had killed his best friend. But Devin had told her that people can be forgiven and he forgave her. He also said he hoped that she would forgive him for allowing Tony to abuse her in his presence. It was a wonder how life works itself out. She was finally starting to be at peace with hers.

“You ready?” She turned to the passenger next to her.

Kyle had been staring in silence out of the window for the entire ride. When he turned to speak it was the first time he had spoken since she picked him up that morning.

“I don’t know…It’s been a long time. I’d feel like I don’t belong. I feel funny even wearing this.” Kyle pointed to the suit and tie he was wearing.

“Kyle, when are you going to get it in your head that this is exactly where you belong? You belong with your family. The past is the past. You have to move on from it. I’ve learned that tough and you should too.”

“What about you? How are you feeling?” Kyle looked at her.

“Anxious. It’s been a minute for me, too. I’ve been away for a long time and it feels like I’m just coming home. A little nervous about how things might have changed and how people who knew me might view me now. I can hear it now, ‘Ah, the prodigal daughter returns’. But this is for me. I gotta do this for me.”

“I understand.” Kyle replied.

“And you’ve got to do it for yourself, too.” She looked at him hard.

“Yeah.” Kyle answered. He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “I never told you that Chris came to me one night did I?”

Tori stared at him not saying a word. She had never told anybody that Chris came to her in her dreams for they’d surely think she was crazy. But he’d come to Kyle, too? Either Kyle was crazy like her or neither of them were and the Chris dream thing really happened. Kyle just confirmed it wasn’t an isolated event.

“He did?” She asked trying to hide her surprise.

“Yeah. He said a lot that made me think.”

“He usually does.” Tori tried to hide her smile this time.

“He wants you to live your life. To be happy. He wants me to step up and be your friend. Your friends…those are hard shoes to fill, so I wont try to fill them. I’ll just place mine next to theirs. I can’t replace them even if I tried because those shoes are always going to be there no matter what.”

Torian actually smiled. “Not a bad analogy at all.”

“You know what else he said? He said he knew we were attracted to each other and if we ever got together it wouldn’t upset him. He practically gave us the go ahead if we wanted it. But you know what? I wont take it. You’ll always be his. That would always mess with me, I’m just being honest. But I will be your friend. I’ll look out for you and I’ll always be there for you. That’s my promise to him and to you. I have a feeling if I was in his place, he’d do the same for me.”

“That’s honorable.” She said quietly. “I was thinking the same. It would definitely mess with me being that you’re his twin. I couldn’t do it.”

“Well, now we’re even.” He smiled and looked past her toward the building in front of them. “Let’s get this show on the road.” When he turned his head to exit the car, Tori spotted that tattoo on his neck again. This time she was close enough to see what it was. It was two pair of wings, with the smaller pair in front of the larger pair. Both pairs had halos over the top and underneath the wings were the words, “My Guardian Angels”. Torian wondered.

“Kyle, when did you get that tat on your neck done?”

He turned around and looked at her then touched the tat she was talking about. “After my first few months in prison. As young as I was I felt the need to have somebody watching out for me in there if I was going to survive. I was going for one guardian angel but the protection of two is always better than one.” He explained.

“Do you know who your guardian angels are?” Tori asked incredulously.

Knowing what she was getting at he smiled. “Yeah…I do now.”

The two of them exited the car and walked up the stone steps that led to the inside of the building. Tori and Kyle entered the outer doors that led to a second pair of doors. They could hear the voices of people on the other side. One of the ushers near the door opened it and let them inside. Tori looked around. This was her first time inside Challenge of Faith in five years and somehow it had not changed since then. She was thankful no one noticed her. Their eyes were glued to Rev. Jessie who was in the middle of a sermon. She and Kyle slipped into the back pew next to Devin and Tiffany. Looking around some more, she spotted her parents sitting with the Browns at the front in the same place they had sat for years. The spot behind them which was occupied by a family she didn’t recognize was where she and her friends used to sit. She shook her head and mentally told herself not to dwell on the past. Instead she tried to focus on Rev. Jessie’s sermon.

“First Corinthians chapter ten : verse thirteen says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.” ” Rev. Jessie read from his Bible then looked out at the crowd. “In recent times, people have come to me with reasons to wonder if in fact, God does give us more than we can bear. Whether in our personal lives or in that of others around us, misfortune and tragedy seem to often strike without discrimination. Jobs are lost, financial problems appear, families are broken up, loved ones become sick and in some cases they die. Sometimes when this happens our spiritual lives hit the skids and the devil seems to be the only one laughing.”

A chorus of um hmms were heard around the room. Tori sat up straight, even though Rev. Jessie wasn’t looking their way, she felt that his message was directed at her and maybe even Kyle. She craned her neck to listen closely.

“Because the word of God is infallible, we can take consolation in the fact that we are never given more than we can bear. In our reference text of Job chapter one: verse three we read, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted (tested) beyond what you can bear.” No one had more reasons than Job, “the greatest man among all the people of the East” to doubt the truth of this statement. In chapters 1 and 2 of the book bearing his name, we read of his devastating trials. He lost all he had; 10 children, 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and all but one of his servants. If that wasn’t enough, he was then afflicted with painful sores covering his entire body. Lest we think that he had sinned, in chapter one: verse one we read that he “was blameless and upright, he feared God and shunned evil”!

“Preach, Reverend!” Somebody shouted out.

Rev. Jessie wiped his face and continued to speak. “It is important to know that God gave Satan permission to test Job, but in granting such permission, He placed limits on how far Satan could go. For the child of God, this is of absolute importance. Regardless of our circumstances, God has the devil on a leash! As in the case of Job, He will only allow us to be tested to the extent that He trusts us to overcome. In Jude 24 we read “To him who is able to keep us from falling..”. Sure it does seem like our trials and afflictions are more than we can bear, and indeed more than we deserve, but nevertheless, God is faithful in that He will provide a way for us to “stand up under it. For the child of God, victory is assured as long as we remain on the Lord’s side. The moment we step outside of His will and care, we will fall. Job knew this so despite the best efforts of the enemy, we read that “In all this, Job sinned not by charging God with wrongdoing…he did not sin in what he said. Congregation, do you hear what I’m saying to you!” He yelled out at the crowd.

“Yes!” was the answer he received.

“As children of God, we can rest assured that nothing will happen to us without our Heavenly Father’s permission. If He allows it, He will enable us to overcome. Are you in His care? Do you trust Him to take care of you? When the storms of life are raging, there is no better place to be than in the safe, and more than capable, arms of God. With Him, all things are possible and in Him, victory is guaranteed! Hallelujah!”

The crowd around them stood up clapping. Out of natural reflex, Tori did the same. She’d heard Rev. Jessie’s words loud and clear. Glancing at Kyle, she saw him sitting stoically in his place. She wondered if any of the sermon was getting through to him, too.

“On this note I’d like to invite those present today who would like to invite or re-invite God into their hearts to come forward and be saved. Who will come?” Rev. Jessie looked out over the congregation and asked again. “Who will come?”

A few people stood up and went to stand before the altar, including Tiffany and Devin. Tori followed behind them noticing that eyes were on her. She glanced over at her parents and the Browns as she passed their pew. They had collective surprise on their faces but soon got over it to nod and smile at her as she walked by. Joyce and Clinton looked over their shoulders trying to see if Kyle had come with Tori but they could not see him because everybody who stood up was blocking their view.

“God bless you.” Rev Jessie said as he moved to stand before those gathered at the altar. “Before I begin I’d like for you to understand the meaning of the message I just preached. No matter what you’ve been through in your life, no matter how hard it has broken your spirit, if you just believe in Him and believe that He will never put more on you than you can bear, you will prevail. Tell ‘em Choir!” Rev. Jessie turned toward the standing choir as music came on. Tori knew what the song was once she heard the music. She and her friends used to sing it along with the choir. She closed her eyes and let the song into her heart.

I’ve gone…through the fire. And I’ve been…through the flood. I’ve been broken…into pieces. Seen lightening flashing…from above. But through it all…I remember…that He loves me…and He cares. And He’ll never…put more on me…than I…can bear.

“Oh oohhh yeah.” Rev. Jessie sang along with the choir. “Oh, I’ve gone…”

The choir could be heard in the background as Rev. Jessie spoke to each of the five standing in front of him.

No, He’ll never put more on me. I said never put more on me. Uh uh never put more on me. Never. Never. Never. Never. His word said He won’t. I believe it. I receive it. I claim it. It’s mine!

Kyle didn’t know what came over him. It felt like some unknown force had made him stand up and walk toward the altar. But he didn’t resist it. He’d been listening to the Reverend’s words and every other person who had talked some sense into him since he’d found his family.

This is exactly where you belong. You belong with your family. The past is the past. You have to move on from it. I’ve learned that tough and you should, too.

Tori was right. The past was the past and it was time to move forward. When he came near the front of the church, he spotted his parents and went to them. They were shocked to see him there.

“Kyle?” His dad asked. Kyle didn’t say a word but opened his arms and wrapped them around both of his parents and pulled them into a hug. Too stunned for words, perhaps none were really needed, Joyce and Clinton closed their arms around him.

“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad.” Kyle said so softly that it was a wonder that they heard him over the choir. “I’m sorry for what I said to you and I want us to start over.”

“I don’t even remember what you said.” Clinton said as his way of letting Kyle know he was forgiven.

Tori looked back at Kyle and his parents in a three way hug. She smiled then turned back to face the altar. Kyle pulled out of his hug with his parents and spoke. “There’s something I need to do first.” He moved away from them and came to stand at Tori’s side.

“Thank you.” He mouthed to Tori. “For everything.” She simply smiled and held his hand as they stood before God and their witnesses to be Saved again.

XXX

After church Tori and Kyle went to visit the graves of Chris, Chey, and Shad. Tiffany and Devin opted not to come and give them some time along with their family. On the way over, Kyle had filled Tori in on the conversation he had with Chris. She told him about her own conversation with him, although she left out the part about them consummating their love on the spiritual plane. She was going to take that to the grave. Neither mentioned it to the other but they both wondered if Chey and Shad would ever appear the way Chris did. When they got to the cemetery they only stayed long enough to pay respects and put fresh flowers down at each of the graves.

As Tori placed flowers at the foot of Chris’s grave, she said a quick prayer for him and the others and stood up. “Mission accomplished.” She said as she realized that Chris’s mission was to reunite Kyle with his family and restore the trinity of faith, hope, and love in her heart and Kyle’s, too, so that they all might be healed and saved. And he did it all without having to be physically present.

She and Kyle walked away.

“You think Chris earned his wings now?” Kyle asked but Torian didn’t answer. Something made her stop and turn around. Her eyes grew wide and she spoke to Kyle without even looking at him.

“Kyle…look.”

Kyle looked down at her wondering what she was talking about but decided to look in the direction she was looking in. He saw his brother, sister, and their friend standing in front of the graves smiling.

“Do you see them, too or am I the only one?” Tori asked Kyle without taking her eyes away from the sight.

“No, you’re not the only one…” He paused as his lips curled into a smile. “Chey is beautiful.” He lifted up his hand to wave. All three of them waved back. Chey blew them a kiss and just like that they were gone. It seemed like it all happened within a blank of an eye but at least she knew that the three of them were alright. They started walking toward the car again.

“To answer your question, I think that Angel has finally earned his wings.”

“I bet you can’t wait until you guys are all together again, huh?” Kyle asked when they reached the car and he got in. Tori opened her door, looked back over toward the graves, then smiled shaking her head as she got in.

“Naaah, I’ve got a job to do. I can wait.”

The End.