Kathryn Cushman - Waiting for Daybreak

Waiting for
Daybreak

BOOKS BY KATHRYN CUSHMAN

A Promise to Remember
Waiting for Daybreak
Leaving Yesterday

Kathryn
CUSHMAN

Waiting for
Daybreak

Waiting for Daybreak
Copyright 2008
Kathryn J. Cushman

Cover design by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Scripture quotations are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Psalm 56:3 is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cushman, Kathryn.

Cushman, Kathryn.
Waiting for Daybreak / Kathryn Cushman.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7642-0381-7 (pbk.)
1. PharmacistsFiction. 2. Competition (Psychology)Fiction. 3. Middle-aged womenFiction. I. Title.

PS3603.U825W35 2008
813'.00dc22

2008028161

toCarl Parrish

A fabulous father and

a totally cool pharmacist

Contents

KATHRYN CUSHMAN, a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy, practiced as a pharmacist in Georgia, Tennessee, and California. She left her career to raise her children and pursue her dream of writing; her first novel was A Promise toRemember. Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California.

Paige Woodward sat in the Christmas Eve service, staring at the giant cross that hung above the pulpit of her parents church and silently pleading with God. Weve been praying our hearts out,this whole church has been praying their hearts out. She turned to survey the packed house. Look at all of them. Mom has been afaithful servant to You all her life. Why are You letting this happenagain?

Her eyes began to sting, and she knew she needed to stay in controlby appearances at least. She needed to pretend to be strong, and in control, and full of faith, even if she was none of those things.

The congregation stood to sing O Holy Night. Paige could hear the words coming from her mouth, so she knew she must be singing, but the beauty of the melody, the magnitude of the words, were completely lost on her. Each member held the candle theyd been given, and as the flame passed from person to person, the dark sanctuary filled with warm light. It had always been the most meaningful part of the service to Paige. Tonight, she merely went through the motions.

She looked again at the cross. You know, if You heal her, it willshow everyone Your power. The Bible says ask and you shall receive.If she doesnt deserve Your anointing, who does?

The cross hung silent and dark on the wall. As shed expected, no answer came. The service ended; the candles were extinguished, leaving nothing behind but a wisp of smoke and the smell of what had once been.

Her family filed out of the sanctuary, speaking subdued greetings to friends, murmuring the ever cheerful Merry Christmas, knowing that this year, it simply didnt apply to them. As soon as they walked out the door, nothing more was spoken. The three of them linked hands and walked through the parking lot in quiet solidarity.

Back at her parents home, they seated themselves in front of the Christmas tree and turned on Christmas carolsit was what they always did on Christmas Eve, what they were supposed to do, even if no one felt like it this year. Her mother poured them each a cup of her traditional spiced tea. Nice service.

Paiges father nodded. Sure was.

Beautiful. Paige tried to work some enthusiasm into her voice, but didnt really think it came through.

The room fell into silence as they sipped their warm drinks and stared at the tree. Paige couldnt help but wonder if they were all having the same thought. The same nagging, ugly question. Would this be their last Christmas together?

Paige stood and walked over to the tree. She put her hand on an ornament made out of plastic beads and pipe cleaner. I cant believe youve still got this ugly thing.

That is not ugly. Its beautiful. You made that for me when you were in kindergarten.

Oh yes. Miss Charltons class. Best teacher I ever had. She must be getting pretty old, I wonder how shes doing these days.

The question is, how are you doing these days?

Paige turned to look at her mother. Im doing just fine.

We all know thats not true. Its time you told us whats going on.

Paige shrugged. It hardly matters compared to your news.

It matters plenty to me. To both of us.

Paige looked at her father, noticed the grim set of his jaw. He was prepared to meet this new crisis and do everything in his power to fix it, just like always. Only this time he couldnt fix it. None of them could.

Ive been fired.

His head snapped back. Do what? I thought you were up for that promotion.

Yeah, well, so did I.

What happened?

Paige had practiced all the ways that she would explain the whole process to her parents. Break it in a gentle way, explain the story slowly and logically, without any emotion. Somehow, sitting before the twinkling tree on Christmas Eve next to her mother, whose body had once again betrayed her, she forgot every word.

She looked at her father, unable to bear the shock in her mothers eyes. They fired me because I killed a man.

Ten Weeks Later

Paige Woodward contemplated the reinforced back door of Nashvilles Free Clinic and the patchwork of blue covering the exterior. Each shade of navy, indigo, or azure covered another level of graffiti. The defacing spray paint wasnt gone, simply hidden beneath a layer of color that didnt quite match the original. Patch jobs. They didnt change the truth; they only covered it up.

She shook off the thought and put her key in the door. The musty odor never seemed to fade here, in spite of the janitorial crews best efforts. This dingy lobby would soon be packed to capacity with illness, hunger, and hopeless faces looking to Paige for helpbut she could only do so much. Some pain went beyond the bounds of medicine. She had been living that truth for the last few months.

Rufus Toskins emerged from a back hallway, wearing his usual overburdened expression, baggy suit, and bow tie. Paige stopped and waited for him. Today, at least, would bring good news, and now would be a perfect time for him to walk over and deliver it.

Rufus did not acknowledge her presence. In fact, he jerked his head around and blitzed through a door to the opposite halllike a medical resident rushing toward a code blue.

Strange. Her stomach tightened, just a little. Youre imaginingthings. Get busy.

The usual array of workers from the Richardson Construction Company passed through the lobby as they went from one wing to the other. One of the menolder than the rest, perhaps late sixtieswalked over to her. I need to take some measurements in the pharmacy. Okay if I come back there with you? He wore a faded flannel shirt, scuffed boots, and a friendly smile.