A Season for Family by Mae Nunn Read Free Book Online Page B

family could take me, so I was eventually adopted.”
    â€œStill, that’s a terrible loss for a child no matter what the circumstances. How long have you known this?”
    â€œSince middle school when my folks thought they should tell me the few facts they had.”
    â€œHave you made contact with any family members of your birth parents?”
    â€œNo.” He shook his head. “There’s no reason why I should after all this time. If anybody cared about me, they’d have made an effort by now.”
    â€œMaybe it’s as simple as not having your name.”
    â€œMy name was never changed.” His eyes were downcast. “When the Brysons adopted me, they just tacked their last name on the end. I dropped Bryson when I turned eighteen.”
    Her heart was heavy with sadness. His adoptive parents must have been crushed by such an action from their son. “May I speak frankly?”
    â€œGo ahead.” He seemed to accept whatever might be coming.
    â€œYou’ve only been here a few hours and I’ve already heard you mention resenting your parents’ faith and now your rejection of their name. Have you considered how terribly painful that must have been for the people who raised you as their own?”
    Oh Father, how hurtful it must be when so many of Your beloved children do the same thing to You!
    â€œOf course I have.” Heath dropped his chin, not so much to look contrite as to indicate that he got the point. “Look, they’re good, Christian folks and I show my gratitude the best way I can. But in all our years together we never saw eye-to-eye on anything important. So it didn’t come as a great surprise when they told me about the adoption. All of a sudden our failure to connect kinda made sense.”
    Olivia sipped cautiously while she considered his revelation. This man was as confused and complicated as anybody she’d encountered in her social work career. He seemed to have everything going for him and nothing to show for it emotionally or relationally.
    â€œI know what you’re thinking,” Heath insisted. “I’m beyond redemption.”
    â€œNobody’s that far gone, no matter what’s in their past or how big their issues may seem. We serve a God of second chances. He forgives us when we truly repent. He always welcomes us back.”
    Heath gave a dismissive shake of his head. “I have a hard time buying that logic, but I realize it’s a big part of what makes the whole faith deal seem attractive. I can see where people like you would think God’s forgiving and reliable. There’s not much reason to challenge that kind of teaching when you grow up in a picture-perfect family.”
    Olivia didn’t need to consider whether the moisture burning her eyes was brought on by the steam from her tea or the sarcasm in his tone.
    â€œYou’re not the only person who hasn’t lived a happily-ever-after life, you know. My mother died when I was fourteen and my father fled the country over taxevasion charges when I was nineteen. I woke up alone one morning and realized God was all I had, and that was the day I also understood He was all I needed. He would never leave me or forsake me. It sure was attractive, as you put it, to have one thing in my life that was reliable on all those nights when I was flat broke and alone in an empty house ashamed to show my face in this town.”
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    Heath’s normally complacent heart thumped as he watched color deepen the lines in Olivia’s face. Her eyes gleamed with indignation. He had the strangest urge to pull this woman into his arms and hug her protectively until the painful memories of her youth faded. But the firm set of her jaw warned him to keep his distance. She was likely to practice that judo throw he’d just taught her if he got too close.
    I pushed too far, too aggressively. But the job is what it is. I’m here to search and destroy,