Opening Day

Almost thirteen-year-old Aubrey Shepard dreads a family retreat at the newly built Timothy Center near Odyssey. Her parents have recently become Christians, and she feels crowded by their new faith, rules, church activities, and discussions of God’s will. Before leaving home, she secretly tells a friend that she plans to escape as soon as the retreat begins.

The family’s drive is already strained. Aubrey tries to drown out younger sister Bethany’s toy-horse games with music, while their parents challenge the girls to coexist peacefully. Then the old car overheats beside the road. As Ben repairs another radiator leak, the location awakens a memory from twenty-five years earlier, when he hitchhiked around the country with a guitar, ran out of food and money, and met a helpful stranger he regarded as a guardian angel.

At the Timothy Center, Tom and Connie prepare the chapel for its grand opening only to learn that the sponsoring group has canceled the retreat. When the Shepards finally arrive after their difficult trip, Tom cannot bear to waste either their journey or the Center’s first day. He and Connie invite the family to stay for a private retreat of their own.

Bethany eagerly accepts Connie’s offer of horseback riding, and Aubrey reluctantly joins them. Her riding skill reveals happier memories of visiting her grandparents’ horses in Vermont. She tells Connie that life has changed since the move: Ben works constantly, no longer sings or plays guitar with her, and her parents seem consumed by activities she does not share. Connie recognizes the unhappiness because she once wore the same expression after moving to Odyssey. Aubrey ends the conversation before it becomes more personal.

Once Connie and Bethany ride away, Aubrey leaves the Center and begins walking toward Odyssey. Hitchhiking proves harder than expected until Whit stops to make sure the young girl is safe. Aubrey calls herself a wanderer and complains that her Christian parents are intolerant and closed-minded. She says she wants space to think for herself and imagines striking out for California, Vermont, or Las Vegas without a plan or anyone waiting for her.

Whit points out the danger of an almost thirteen-year-old traveling alone but does not force an argument. He offers Aubrey a ride to his ice-cream shop and lets her talk. At Whit’s End, she is drawn to a book of poetry and describes the many things her parents have taught her. Ben builds houses, writes songs, plays guitar, and knows Greek; Ellen has homeschooled the children and knows gardening, riding, spinning, weaving, and sewing. As Aubrey speaks, her supposedly narrow-minded parents sound increasingly remarkable.

Whit shows her a poem about someone fleeing God through every part of life while God lovingly continues the pursuit. Aubrey recognizes herself in the idea. She first prepares to leave with her root beer, then turns back and asks to use the telephone. More importantly, she asks Whit for the number of the Timothy Center.

At the Center, Ben and Ellen explain that their family has reached a crossroads. Ben’s contracting work consumes too much time, yet both parents have also filled every spare moment with church leadership, Bible studies, home education, volunteer service, and theology courses. They want greater freedom for ministry but know their frantic pace has hurt Aubrey. Tom shows them Timmy’s cabin and explains how the memory of his son inspired a place where God can reach families. Then Connie discovers Aubrey is gone.

The adults search the property and prepare to call the police. Connie blames herself, while Ben recognizes that Aubrey likely planned the escape in advance. They pause to pray for her safety. Before Tom can finish, Aubrey telephones from Whit’s End and asks her parents to collect her. She returns safely, facing a serious lecture and restrictions for hitchhiking but no longer trying to run.

Over a meal Ellen quickly prepares, Ben suddenly recognizes Tom. This is the same farmer who stopped for him twenty-five years ago, gave him a place to sleep, and found him work in town. As part of that job, young Ben repaired the roof of Timmy’s cabin. Tom’s generosity planted a seed that later helped lead Ben to Christianity, though neither man has recognized the other until now.

Tom offers to help again. The Timothy Center needs Ben’s carpentry and Ellen’s cooking, and a family-sized cabin could become their home. Bethany and Ellen are delighted, but Whit makes sure Aubrey’s opinion is not overlooked. She does not reject the proposal, yet she needs time to think. Ben agrees that the whole family must consider and pray before answering. The canceled conference has given them no formal teaching about God’s will, but its unexpected opening day has placed a possible new calling before them all.