Behold the Diamond

By Donna Durivage

What does forgiveness look like? Behold the Diamond is forgiveness in physical form. The Cantor Family looks like a family very well put together and successful, but sickness reveals a hidden sin. If it stays hidden is it still destructive. Or can it just be forgotten if they don't know about it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667833170

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Behold the Diamond

© 2022 Donna Durivage

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN 978-1-66783-316-3

eBook ISBN 978-1-66783-317-0

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 1

Tom was like any ordinary guy. He liked sports, dated a few women, and enjoyed a beer here and there. He was not extravagant in any area of his life. He considered himself to be somewhat boring. Tom had dreams about his future and He knew what he wanted. It would be a life that included a wife and children, a good job, and a home in a medium-income area. He never took his dreams to bold heights as he felt to only hope for what he thought he could achieve. He just wanted to blend into society and live his life being unnoticed. He was excited to start this new job, get on with his life, and leave behind the broken life he had witnessed his father live. Although he loved his father, but not his life. He lived at home longer than he thought he would, returning when his mother was dying to help his father with the other children. At eighteen, he had moved out into an apartment with a casual friend. He landed a job making pizza at the local pizzeria and worked all the hours he could to afford living on his own. He returned home only a year later when his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His father did all he could to care for her and to continue working to pay the bills and feed his family. They lived a very meager lifestyle and could not afford to add another financial stress such as an illness. Tom knew it was best for him to move home and continue working all the hours he could to help supply the household with a little more income. His mother died six months later at about the same time as his sister turned eighteen and decided to marry her high school sweetheart. That left only two children at home, both boys in their teens. He lived with his dad and brothers for another three years and changed jobs several times, always trying to make more money so he could start a small savings, enough to once again move out, but there always seemed to be a need and the funds never grew. Now, he had finally landed the job he thought would earn him enough to be the man of his own household. He was hired on with the town of Hudson Valley, Arizona. This was the ultimate job most kids in his high school dreamed of having. It did not require a college degree, and the wages were good. It came with great benefits, according to most of the parents in town who knew they could not afford to send their kids to college. And the physical work was not so hard as to break a man before he reached his prime. This was the forever job a man got and never left until he retired or died, thus leaving it hard to obtain. And now, he had got it. At almost twenty-three years old, he felt like he was finally independent and ready to begin the life he had hoped for. He started his training and was placed in the sanitation department. His job included driving around to all the local parks and roadside bus stops to empty the public trash cans and clean the areas where they were placed. He never complained about starting at the bottom and enjoyed the fact that he was on his own. There were no fellow coworkers that he had to contend with. He could just listen to his music as he drove around and make his stops. After being on the job for only four months, he was making his rounds when he stopped at one of the bus stops to pick up the trash and clean the area, and then he saw her. She was beautiful—way too beautiful for him. He thought himself being average at best. At six feet tall and with a slender build, he once again felt like even his physical stature was simply unnoticeable. He avoided eye contact as he walked around the back of the bench to reach the trash receptacle. She glanced up from the book she was reading, turned her head, and greeted him warmly.

Hello, how are you today?

Fine, thank you, he replied.

He reached for the trash, grabbed the bag, threw it in the back of the truck, and left. He couldn’t believe how he’d panicked and didn’t even respond with a And how are you? His insecurity had gotten the best of him. His thoughts gave way to her throughout the day. The following day, he decided to run the same route as he had on the previous day to see if she was a regular at that stop, just so he might get a glimpse of her. As he approached the area, he saw her. He wavered on stopping but gave in to his desire to have the opportunity at a chance of replying the way he should have the day before. Once again, she was reading her book, and as he walked toward the trash receptacle after parking his truck, she glanced up and smiled wide. He felt immediately at ease—almost like he knew her. Her smile was so inviting.

She said once again, And how are you today?

This time he was ready and said, Just fine, and you?

She came right back with, Great! Is this your regular route? I haven’t seen you before yesterday and here you are back today.

His face felt flush as he had to think of a response quickly. Yes, I just started this job and am trying out new routes to see which one works best. This one seems to fit the best so far.

Good, she answered, I don’t mind seeing a friendly face daily.

And after stopping there daily for two weeks and rehearsing how he might say it, he finally asked her if she would like to go to dinner sometime, and her reply was an emphatic, Yes. He drove away, planning his life with her, and she was thinking the same thing.

Her name was Victoria Lynn.

Victoria had just met the boy of her dreams. Even though she had not dated much before this, this felt different. Sitting at the bus stop waiting for her bus to arrive and carry her off to another tedious day of work at the local factory where she and a room full of other employees would stitch personal monograms on purses and other assorted leather items, she would daydream about someday getting married and quitting her job. She could stay home, have children, and be a good wife and mommy. She’d tried college; it did not work for her. Her desire was to have a family with a hope that her husband would take care of her and provide for the family, hence why she didn’t need to go to college and pick a career. It was a year since she’d quit college, and she had to admit that maybe she had made a mistake, but it was too late now. She did not have much help when she had started college for the first time, and nothing had changed since then. Her father and mother were no better off financially now than they were a year ago. She did not dare ask her parents to start again.

So maybe this was her ticket to freedom from work or college. Maybe he could be the boy she would marry, and she would not have to wonder or worry about never marrying. Her aunt Tracy had never married, and she seemed in a constant state of depression and sadness—always alone at family functions. Victoria Lynn did not want to end up like her.

When Tom asked her out to dinner, she had no reservations about going. They had a great evening which led to another and yet another. The courtship was a whirlwind, and before she knew it, within five months of their first date, he proposed.

Chapter 2

As she walked down the aisle, he felt like he was in a fog. He could not believe he was marrying the most beautiful girl in the world. And she was witty and smart. He enjoyed being with her and was ready to take on the world with her at his side. The ceremony was small and nice. Afterward, at the reception, they danced and laughed. Tom could not remember ever feeling like this.

As they started their life together, they lived very humbly. He was still cleaning bus stops, but his work review was very promising, and he had hopes that he would get a promotion and a raise soon. Victoria was making it clear that she was ready to quit work and get started on having a family. Tom was hoping to wait until they could get a little more financially stable.

After the wedding, Victoria moved into the small apartment where Tom was living. Not long after, he took her for a mysterious drive.

Victoria, I am so very thankful for you. I love you so much.

And I love you, too, Victoria answered. The wedding was so beautiful. I know it was small, but it was simply perfect. So, where are you taking me?

You’ll see soon enough. I know that it has only been close to a year since we met, but I feel like we have always been together. I really believe you are my soulmate, Tom replied.

They pulled up to a house that was small and had overgrown weeds surrounding it. It was obviously occupied, as there were cars parked in the driveway with items strewn about in the yard. It was in desperate need of a paint job. It was not in the best part of town, but it was not the worst either.

Victoria, this house belongs to a fellow employee at work. It is not actually his but his sister’s house. She is trying to sell it, and the price is right. We can afford it on my salary. I know it looks like it needs help, but it’s larger than our apartment. When I moved into that apartment, I was only thinking of living alone. Now I see it is too small for a married couple. We can live there in the apartment and try to save money, or I was thinking about trying to buy this place and working on it ourselves. I know that our finances will be tight, but I don’t think it is any worse than what both of us have been used to while growing up. Then maybe someday we can move into a bigger place as my salary grows. You know that I am thinking about going back to school. I really believe we will not live here forever. It could be our beginner home. What do you think?

Tom, I love this place. I love the idea of moving out of the apartment and you and I starting our life together here. And the thought of owning it is amazing to me. It looks occupied, when can we start the process of buying and moving in?

I don’t know yet, I’ll have to let Steve know at work that I am interested in buying the house. In the meantime, we can check into applying for a loan and going forward with it.

And, within a few months, they bought it.

Victoria was happy. She was married, living in her own home, and hoping she would get pregnant soon. Deep down, she was hoping Tom would tell her to quit her job now and just take care of the house. But he didn’t, and she knew he wouldn’t. He was too worried about making ends meet with the new mortgage. And they had only one car still. He had much bigger goals than she did. She was content with their lifestyle, but she knew he was not. He had told her so. They had many talks about what their desires were, and his was to save money, buy a larger house, buy another car, and keep moving up the financial ladder. She didn’t disagree with his desires, but hers were not as grand. She was content with where they were at and wanted to start their family. Three months into their marriage, Victoria was pregnant. She was very joyful. She thought to herself that this was the way life was supposed to work.

Tom, although not as joyful as Victoria, was happy about her being pregnant. Wow! He was going to be father , and he could not believe it! Was this really happening? Was he really a husband, now going to be a father? He had hoped that Victoria would keep working outside the home until she was ready to have the baby. He had also hoped that she would even consider returning to work after the baby was born. But he did not want to press the issue now. The smallest disagreements seemed to turn into arguments that ended with, You don’t love me like you said you did, otherwise you would hear what I am saying. He began taking more care with the words he used, as they seemed to be turned against him at the slightest hint of a disagreement. And he had started talking less. So, when she put in her notice at work to quit, he was disappointed and worried, but he did not argue with her about it.

The next few months were tough. Victoria was slightly sick off and on, and she seemed to need to sleep more, but the tough part was getting used to only one paycheck. It was tough to cut back on what was already a tight budget. But neither of them complained about it. She was just excited that she was at home, caring for Tom and her unborn child as best she could. And Tom knew how to live on a shoestring budget, although he had hoped for better.

Tom was at work when he received the call that Victoria thought she might be in labor. He raced home and found her sitting on a chair in the kitchen, with a puddle of water around the legs of the chair.

I think my water just broke, said Victoria. She was visibly shaken, and her face was pale. His heart raced, and he felt slightly panicked, but, at the same time, he wanted to burst out laughing. He could not believe how happy he felt. He didn’t dare to laugh though; he would not want to upset her with his glee when she was in pain and afraid.

Are you ready to go, or do I need to get you anything? he asked.

Yes, would you please get the bag I packed in the bedroom beside the dresser? It has all I’ll need. I’ll start making my way to the car.

Tom started to get anxious now, No you won’t. Stay there until I get the bag, and I’ll help you out to the car.

Victoria came back with a smile, I can make it to the car; my legs aren’t broken.

No, they aren’t broken, Tom shot back, but I don’t want you slipping because of the water leaking down your legs.

Oh, Victoria answered, you might be right." She loved how he took care of her.

Hours later, the baby girl was born—Sarah Renee Cantor. They decided her middle name would come from Tom’s mother. He was delighted at the idea. She was born just shy of their one-year anniversary. She was beautiful. Tom thought she looked like her mother, which in his mind was a good thing.

After bringing the baby home and settling into the life of being a husband and a father to a baby daughter, Tom was feeling more pressure—pressure to take care of the family he loved and pressure to bring in enough income to support them. Although he had received a promotion at work, it