Dean Hughes - Midway To Heaven

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Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hughes,Dean, 1943

Midwayto heaven / Dean Hughes.

p. cm.

ISBN1-59038-228-5 (alk. paper)

1. MormonfamiliesFiction. 2. Fathers anddaughtersFiction. 3. Mate

selectionFiction. I. Title.

PS3558.U36M53 2003

813'.54dc22 2003019946

Printed in the United States of America 72876-0302R

Quebecor World Book Services,Fairfield, PA

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

For Emily Watts, editor and friend

Chapter One

Ned Stevens had already gone for a long run and it was notyet eight oclock in the morning. His goal was to run to the top of Snake CreekCanyon, but today he had settled for pushing a hundred yards or so past hisprevious high, which he figured was over halfway up the canyon. It was a hardclimb, but after he had made the descent and gotten a second wind, he felt sostrong that he looped around the golf course at Wasatch Mountain State Park andthen took the long route back to his house. His sweats were damp when hereached home even though it was a cool November morning. He did some exercisesin his garage and then entered the house through the downstairs door. As heclimbed the stairs to the main floor, his legs felt weak, but he liked thatsensation. The day had hardly begun and he had already paid thepricepain for gain.

By the time he reached his bedroom, the phone was ringing,so he grabbed the phone by his bed. Dad, he heard on the other end of theline, sorry to call so early, but

Early? Its themiddle of the day. Ive been out for my morning run already. Ned sat down onthe chair by his bed. He pulled the laces loose on his running shoes.

Dad, you need to relax a little. You could sleep in once ina while.

I tried that oncebut I didnt likeit. Hey, when are you coming home? He grabbed the heels of his shoes and, oneby one, slipped them off.

Neds daughter, Liz, was a student at Brigham YoungUniversity, but she wasnt very far away. Ned lived in the little town ofMidway, in Heber Valley, about thirty miles from campus. Liz was the only oneof his children who was planning to be home for Thanksgiving.

Ill be home tomorrow afternoon, Liz said, but Ive gotto pull a marathon tonight. I have a big test on the last day beforeThanksgiving breakif you can believe it.

Hey, thats rotten. Why do these professors expect you tostudy? Dont they know you have things to do?

Its not funny, Dad. Its a dirty trick. We only meet twodays this week, so a lot of the professors give tests on thosedaysjust to keep us from taking off for the whole week.

And if they didnt, theyd have to give the testsafter the break. Then youd be mad that they made you study over the holiday.

Thats exactly right.I would. But my English professor is doing something even worse. She assignedus a paper thats due right afterwe get back. So I have to work on that this weekend.

It sounds like a conspiracy. Those people are out to get you.

They are, Dad.Theyre ruining my weekend from both ends.

Ned laughed. He leaned back in his chair and stretched hislegs out in front of him. Im really proud that youre getting such agreat education, Liz. Youve learned to be so logical.

Be quiet. Im pretty, so I dont have to be logical. Thatsthe deal the world makes. And as far as Im concerned, its a good one.

Youre not so pretty as you think. Youre

Daaaaadddd. Im justkidding. I actually look horrible right now. I never should have cut my hair soshort, and I just found out Ive been using the wrong color of lipstick mywhole life. I looked at one of those charts that

You didnt let me finish, Liz. What I was going to saywas, youre not as pretty as you think.Youre as pretty as I think.Or in other words, youre beautiful.

There was quiet on the line for a time. Dad, youre sosweet, she finally said. Are you doing okay?

Sure. Im fine. But I cant wait to have you home for a fewdays. You havent been here for three weeks.

Im anxious to get home too. But the reason I called, I waswondering, would you mind if I bring a friend with me? I feel sorry for thestudents who cant get home for Thanksgiving and dont have family in Utah.

Well... that would be okay, I guess. But Ihave some things I want to talk to you about. I was hoping we could have timefor that.

We will. David needs to study. You and I can take a walk orsomething.

Whos David?

My friend. The one Im bringing home. Hes fromConnecticut.

I thought you were talking about a girl.

No. I didnt say that.

Now Ned really wished he had said no. This was different.But I have a fun weekend planned. Its so warm, I thought we could still getin a game of golf on Wednesday, and then I wanted you to help me with myChristmas shopping on Friday.

We can do that. And if David has to study, well leave himhome. But he plays golf. Hell probably want to play with us.

Who is this guy?

Hes in my ward. Hes really nice. I think youregoing to like him.

Whoa! What was that I just heard?

Ned thought he had picked up a slightly elevated level ofenthusiasm in Lizs usually mellow voice, and that frightened him. Have youbeen going out with him?

Not much. He studies so hard that he doesnt find timeto date. Hes more the kind of guy you just hang out with. Were buddies,mostly. Anyway, hes a great guy to talk with. He knows something abouteverything. And hes a good listener. Youcan tell him all your old stories and he wont fall asleep the way I do.

Couldnt he maybe

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I cant head upthere until after my test and after David gets finished. So it might be kind oflate in the afternoon when we get to Midway.

Couldnt this David stay somewhere else?

Not that I know of, Dad. But dont fuss about him. Really.Youre going to like him. And you dont need to clean the house.

But he must know someone else besides you.

Hell be fun. Honest. And you and I will still have plentyof time to talk things over. Well do one of our late-nightsoul-baring sessions, if we have to, and this time I wont bother youwith all my failed romance stories. Well just talk about whatever you have onyour mind. But Im worried about the way you sound, Dad. Are you going througha bad time again?

No. Not at all. I just need a sounding board sometimes.

Im not sure Im wise enough to give you any advice, Dad.

You dont have to be wise. Mostly, I just need to say somethings out loudto hear how they sound to someone else.

Boy, what a reversal this is. Remember the talks we used tohave when I was in high schoolwhen Id get all upset aboutsome stupid thing?