Divine Encounters

Chapters 31-40

Ghosts. Chalk and Amaya brought in the New Year together at church and had been inseparable ever since unless he was working. Mondays were supposed to be his office day, but lately it was his Amaya day. Every spare moment he could squeeze out was spent in her company and he could not remember being happier.

January was making its exit with cold, dreary days and rainy nights. True to form, this last Monday of the month was no different and as the evening drew nigh, nature painted the sky a peculiar sepia hue. Chalk and Amaya had just finished dinner and were debating if they had enough time to go for a quick stroll before the rain started.

"I think we'll get caught right in the middle of it if we try," he predicted, looking out the dining room window at the sky.

"Those enchiladas are sitting like bricks in my stomach. Let's go," she said, pulling his arm.

Her subdivision backed into woods and the residents had worn a pathway on the forest floor that now served as a trail. Hand in hand, they talked and walked through the grove. As usual, the discussion turned to the doctor's meteoric rise to fame. Amaya had often told Chalk she was fascinated by him and that she was sure many others were also.

"Even though I don't know that much about your past, I sense there's a very interesting story behind Dr. Chalk Divine. From your name, to your upbringing, to your phenomenal career, there has got to be a tale to beat all tales," Amaya declared, then waited for a response from Chalk.

After a lengthy deliberation, he spoke. "I guess you're right. I do have a story to tell and for the last couple of years I've been thinking about writing a book. People speculate about the real Chalk Divine all the time. Perhaps a biography of sorts will put everyone's mind at ease about who I am and how I got to be who I am." Chalk stopped speaking and pulled Amaya's hood over her head as a light drizzle started coming down. When he picked up where he left off, his tone had changed considerably and his voice was strained. "But you know, Amaya, for some of us it's unpleasant dredging up the ghosts of our past. Interesting as it may be, a lot of that stuff is laid to rest and would probably do well to stay that way."

"You should do it!" Amaya said, overflowing with excitement and completely ignoring his last comment. She ran ahead a few steps, then got in front of him and walked backwards so they were face to face. "You're an anomaly, Chalk. Not just as a surgeon, but as a person. You don't have to go into the down and dirty about stuff you regard as deeply personal. A good writer will know how to touch on those things and make light of them or skip over them altogether. Aside from bits and pieces you've shared, I don't know your story, but I know you had to have weathered some monstrous storms and leaped over gargantuan mountains to get where you are today. People find that kind of stuff fascinating."

"Admittedly, I am a great doctor," he said, and laughed, "but I'm not a writer. I mean, like what you just said, you even talk like a writer." Amaya looked puzzled. "You said I weathered monstrous storms and leaped over gargantuan mountains. You manage to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary when it comes to using words. The average person would not have described my climb up the ladder of success that way, but it comes so natural to you and I find that fascinating."

"What a nice compliment. Thank you, Dr. Divine. Now, back to your book. I really feel it's something you should do. It will be an opportunity for you to glorify God through your testimony of His goodness and faithfulness toward you. Turn those ghosts into parables and anecdotes for others to learn from. It will bless millions." Chalk looked incredulous. "I'm serious," Amaya stated emphatically, seeing the expression of disbelief on his face. "You already have celebrity status so it will debut on the bestseller list! Chalk, you have no idea how many people you'll encourage to trust in God and never give up."