Fifteen Minutes

before, but that’s what just happened. It had to be. He’d read that section from 1 Peter earlier today. Now it was coming back like a direct message from God.

If he was going to shine brightly in his Fifteen Minutes run, it was a message he would have to hold on to with every breath, every fiber of his being. Starting tonight. He wasn’t letting anyone film or interview AJ. She didn’t deserve that. And Zack wouldn’t be ashamed of the Gospel. His faith was everything to him. He couldn’t hide it from others. And when it came to Twitter, no one could tell him what to say.

Not even William Gaines.

chapter 11

Reese got the text from Zack as soon as he landed. They had to get the crew’s camera bags and then they’d be at his parents’ house in an hour. Can’t wait to see you. Sorry we won’t have time alone. Reese smiled at his words. She would’ve liked time alone.

She received an alert that a tweet from Zack had gone out. A few clicks and she could see it.

Back home in Kentucky! Seeing my family and leading worship at my church tonight. #homesick #finally

Reese checked his @s and sure enough. Almost the moment Zack had tweeted, Zoey had responded.

Can I just say I miss @ZackDylan already? Hurry back to New York. The team’s not the same without you.

There was no mention of Reese. She examined herself to see if that bothered her. It didn’t. Not really. Zack hadn’t talked about her on Twitter since going to Atlanta. But that wasn’t so unusual. He used Twitter as a way of sharing his faith with the teens at church, not to give a public window to their relationship. Now there were simply more people paying attention.

She breathed deep. God, help me shake this feeling. I don’t want to wonder or be jealous. Zack will be here in less than an hour.

Feeling his arms around her would lighten her heart. She would look in his eyes and know nothing had changed, not even a little. And he could see how much she supported his journey with Fifteen Minutes. Maybe they could steal away for a brief moment and she could ask him if he was okay. Really okay.

She cleaned up her section of the stable at the Lowell center and clocked out. The heat had left her weary today, but the improvements in four of her kids convinced her she was right where God wanted her. She could hardly wait to tell Zack. Reese drove to his house and found his mom in the kitchen.

“I thought you might come by.” Dara Dylan was slicing cheese, making a platter of snacks for Zack and the crew. She crossed the room and hugged Reese. Then she looked up. “AJ’s awake. She’s in her room. The doctor said her lungs are breaking down. He switched her to a new medicine.” A sad smile lifted the corners of her lips. “She’d love to see you. She doesn’t know about Zack coming home.”

Reese nodded. She struggled to understand AJ’s troubles. One setback after another made it hard. Wasn’t it enough that the girl had Down syndrome? Reese tried to stay positive as she jogged up the stairs and found AJ in her room. The girl had Zack’s dark hair, but it was flat and unkempt, especially since she’d been sick. “AJ . . . it’s me.” She stepped into the room.

AJ was lying on her side, facing the wall. She rolled over at the sound of Reese’s voice. “Hi.” She sat up and hung her head. A few coughs and she looked up. “How are the horses?”

Reese smiled. “They’re good.” She moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed facing AJ. “Better question . . . how are you?”

“Oh, you know.” AJ shrugged. She was very small, not a hundred pounds if Reese had to guess. Her character remained childlike, a quality that made her endearing to anyone who met her. “I wanna ride horses later.”

“I want that, too.” Reese tilted her head. “Your mom says you’re on a new medicine.”

“Sure.” She looked a little bewildered, not certain of the details surrounding her health. She squinted at Reese. “Have you seen my brother? He’s been missing for a long time.”

“I have exciting news for you.” Reese took gentle hold of AJ’s hand.

AJ smiled. “I love that kind.”

“Zack’s coming home today! Just for a few hours, but he can’t wait to see you.”

The girl sat straight up and stared openmouthed at Reese. “My big brother’s coming home?”

“Just for today. He’ll be here soon.”

“Yay!” AJ raised her hands over her head like an Olympian. “Yay, yay, yay!” She stopped to cough a few times, but nothing could dim her excitement. Finally, breathless, she dropped back on her pillow. “I hate when he’s gone.”

“Me, too.”

“I think I’ll rest. So I’ll be all better when Zack gets here.”

“Perfect.” Reese touched AJ’s shoulder. “I’ll tell him to come up when he gets here.”

Exhaustion was clearly having its way with the girl. She nodded, but already her eyes were closed. Reese crept out, not wanting to wake her. Back in the kitchen she found Zack’s mom again. “She’s sleeping. She can’t wait to see Zack.”

“She talks about him constantly.” His mom adjusted a few platters on the kitchen island near a pitcher of iced tea and set a stack of plates and napkins nearby. Then she brushed her hands on her jeans and slid a plate of lemons toward Reese. “You know how Zack likes his sweet tea.”

“Yes.” Reese squeezed three lemons into the large pitcher and found the sugar canister across the kitchen. “They’ve kept him so busy.”

“That’s what he says.”

“I told him this would happen.” Reese smiled, but she could feel a sadness in her heart. “I knew he’d make it. This is only the beginning.”

“I guess I never . . . I mean, nearly a hundred thousand contestants tried out.”

“It’s down to eighty.” Reese sprinkled extra sugar in the tea, the way Zack liked it. “He could win the whole thing.”

His mom kept slicing, slower than before, as if her heart were distracted. “Does that worry you?”

“Sometimes.” Reese stirred the tea and then leaned against the counter. “Fame and recognition take a lot of time. Things could change.”

Grandpa Dan walked in, heavy on his cane. He saw Reese and his face lit up. “Young lady! I didn’t know you were here.”

“Zack’s coming home.” She ran lightly over to him and hugged him. “Just for a few hours, but still.”

“How wonderful.” A smile filled his face. “I miss that boy.” He raised an eyebrow. “Probably worse for you, huh?”

Reese laughed. “Feels like a month.”

“Glad you could be here.” Grandpa Dan nodded toward the porch. “You have a minute?”

“Sure.” Reese turned to Zack’s mother. “Can I do anything else?”

“Go talk.” His mom waved her off. “He loves you. You know that.”

Reese hadn’t chatted with Grandpa Dan in too long. She followed him outside and sat across from him at the small table. “How are you?”

“Everyone wants to know about me.” He chuckled and set his cane down against the table. “I want to know about you and Zack.”

“We’re good. I miss him.” The sun splashed across the porch. Reese smiled at the old man. “It’s hard to be apart—especially in the summer.”

“That’s right. It’s July.” His eyes sparkled. “You know what that means.”

“The story.” She hadn’t forgotten.

“Yes. Every July I get to tell you again.”