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IVF? That seemed a step too far for right now. She couldn’t even think about that. She closed the email, stared out at the lake shimmering through the trees. What was the point of thinking about IVF if her body couldn’t hold a child?

She placed her hands on her abdomen. “Lord, You are Jehovah Rapha, our healer. Please heal me.” She might’ve prayed for healing like this hundreds of times before, but she was going to be like that persistent widow in the Bible, knocking until God gave her an answer.

She dropped her hands as Dan came in, his forehead creased. No need to add to whatever concerned him. “Is everything okay with your agent?”

“Kris is a little mad that I took so long to reply, but says he’ll set up a meeting tomorrow.”

She nodded. Different agents handled their clients in different ways.

But extensions like this could be delicate, especially considering Dan had missed a crucial game that knocked them out of the playoffs.

Showing he was committed meant it was important to be there.

“So, are you still okay if I see if John and Ange are free tonight?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to be just us?”

Just us. What a powerful combination of two small words. “Much as I’d like, I think it won’t hurt to have some more praying people committing this to God.”

“You know it’s not about the number of people who pray who twist God’s arm, right?”

“Yes. But I also know that people pray about different aspects, so it won’t hurt to have two people who love us know about some of these things.”

He sighed. “Then set it up. If they’re free.”

* * *

“Dan.” His agent shook his hand. “Long time, no see.”

“Thanks for making the time today.”

“Thank you. I realized after the call that Sarah hasn’t been well, and you were probably up in Muskoka, eh?”

Dan shrugged. “I’m heading back there after this, so let’s get to it.”

Kris talked, and Dan listened, the sounds of the quiet restaurant dimming.

He’d had meetings with Kris before, and knew several other hockey friends had signed him as their agent, people who had garnered huge endorsements, like the Porsche dealership.

He wasn’t quite a Porsche man, but the terms and numbers that Kris was offering made his eyes widen.

And while he wanted to be as authentic as the next guy, the fact was that with retirement looming, this was his final chance to capitalize on his playing career before the offers would dry up.

He wasn’t quick with his words like some retired players who went into sportscasting.

He wasn’t about to go against his values and endorse casinos or sports betting companies, like some others did.

He’d always hated attending those fundraising nights organized by the team, when all team members were expected to show up in a suit at a casino event, like his presence was giving a big fat yes to people losing their money.

But the things Kris kept saying swirled around him, tantalizing possibilities, almost like he was the devil offering temptation.

Lord, show me the right way, what You want for me.

And for Sarah. For this wasn’t about him anymore.

If the Leafs didn’t extend the offer Kris wanted and Dan did retire, then suddenly the world could be theirs.

The world, meaning they could move to Australia, so she could be close to her family.

She’d always been a lot closer to them than he had with his.

To be honest, he often preferred her family to his, too.

She’d sacrificed a lot to live here, to be by his side during Toronto’s miserable winters.

But if they lived in Australia, and visited Canada occasionally…

“What do you think of that?” Kris asked.

He blinked. “Sorry. You’ll need to repeat that last part.”

Kris’s bleached smile reminded Dan of a shark. He was suddenly extremely glad that John and Ange had prayed for them both last night, praying that Dan would have wisdom for the future—and for this meeting right now.

Which meant Dan wasn’t alone right now. God was with him, the Holy Spirit giving wisdom. Lord, thank You for giving me wisdom.

“Dan?”

Darn. He’d missed it again. But suddenly it didn’t matter what Kris was trying to say. Dan knew he needed to make it clear exactly what he wanted, what he was about.

He straightened in his seat. “I think I’ve made it very clear in the past that I want nothing to do with any gambling company, so you can take that off the table right now.”

Kris opened his mouth, but Dan plowed on.

“I want to support family-friendly initiatives, and I don’t care if they pay less than what the sports betting company does. I know you want me to choose the bigger paycheck because that’s a bigger cut for you, but I’m not going to support something that goes against my principles.”

“Principles?” Kris scoffed. “How can providing for your family be against your principles?”

“When it involves people who gamble away their income and destroy their families in the process, then yeah, I have a problem with that.”

Kris’s mouth sagged. “I think you’re being hasty—”

“I don’t care if you do. Sarah and I have talked about this, and I don’t want to be supporting anything like that. So don’t mention it again. Now, have you got anything else?”

His agent’s face turned red and splotchy, like he was desperate to argue, but Dan wouldn’t let him.

Maybe some Christians out there didn’t mind a flutter, but he’d seen teammates who had been addicted to gambling, and how it could fuel foolish dreams and lead to family and marriage breakdowns.

He wasn’t about to endorse anything that encouraged that.

Kris made several other suggestions, which he promised to think about, after discussing with Sarah.

He loved having her as a sounding board for decisions, to have an excuse to defer some of these things Kris pushed for.

Sarah often brought such a different perspective to him.

But then, growing up as a missionary’s daughter in a remote village in the mountains of Papua New Guinea would do that.

“So, have you heard anything from the club about an extension?”

Kris explained about how the negotiations were tracking, most of which Dan knew. “It didn’t help that you missed the playoff-spot game, of course.”

“I think the fact that I’ve been a valued member for the past nine years should override that. Especially given the reason.”

“Your wife being sick?”

He clenched his hands. “My wife suffered a miscarriage.”

Kris winced, then offered his sympathies. “But I’m sure there will be other babies.”

“This is our third miscarriage, Kris, and there are no guarantees.”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realize that.”

No. There was a reason for that. Because Dan had never told him about them.

Regret at his quick temper melded into understanding for why Sarah had thought it wise to share a little more openly about their situation.

For how could anyone know or understand or give grace to a situation when they didn’t know the most important parts?

It was unfair of him to assume people would be understanding when they didn’t know the most relevant things.

That thought kept him company as he made a quick visit to the team’s front office, doing his bit to be ‘seen’ by the organization’s staff, and—as hoped—allowing for a not-so accidental encounter with the general manager and team owner.

“Dan! We didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”

“Can’t keep me away from the place,” he joked, shaking their hands. “But I’m glad I got the chance to thank you both for your understanding about why I had to take time away when Sarah needed me.”

“We’re glad she’s on the mend.”

Dan shrugged.

The GM peered more closely at him. “She is on the mend, right?”

Perhaps this was another time to be open and honest about things. “It was our third miscarriage, and to be honest, it’s been a little overwhelming.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” The team owner—a father to three daughters—clapped him on the shoulder. “Truly.”

“I have to say the results when you were away weren’t what we wanted,” the GM said.

“But perhaps proof that we need him around,” the owner said.

The GM nodded. “I hope you’ll be signing on again, Dan.”

“I hope so too.”

And an emotion he hadn’t felt for a long time—something that felt like hope—buoyed his spirits on the drive back to see Sarah. Maybe they could discuss this tonight over dinner in Muskoka.