Jessie

  260"I have to ask you something," Heather said to Nate when they went for their walk on Friday evening. The nights were cool these days, but there was a hint of Indian summer in the air.

  "I. can hardly wait," Nate teased her, since he'd heard this many times and never knew what she would come up with.

  "If you followed your heart right now, would you have already asked me to marry you?"

  Nate was so surprised by this that he stopped walking. Since he was holding Heather's hand, she stopped with him.

  "I'm sorry," Heather said in a hurry, stealing her hand away. "I didn't mean to ask that."

  "I'm not upset, Heather-not at all," Nate said, hearing the panic in her voice and taking her hand back. "Do you really want me to answer?"

  Heather wished she'd kept her mouth shut but forced herself to nod.

  "Yes," Nate said simply. "I would have."

  Heather took a huge breath and said, "And have you thought about where you would want us to live?"

  "I don't know if I had. My place is small, but I didn't think that would bother you."

  "It doesn't," Heather was swift to say, but she was looking uncertain again.

  "But something about this does," Nate said, knowing she would eventually tell him.

  "So you can picture us married?" Heather asked next, not able to come straight out with it.

  "Very easily."

  "Can you picture us married and living at Jeanette's?"

  Nate stared at her, surprised, but also feeling things fall into place. He would have been the first to admit that such a thing had never

  261occurred to him, but that didn't mean he was against it. He looked at the woman facing him, a woman orphaned as an infant whose only family was Jeanette Fulbright and Becky Liburn. In light of that, such a thing made complete sense to him. And in truth, as long as Heather was his wife, he didn't care where they lived.

  Without warning, Nate dropped Heather's hand so he could cup her face in his hands. He tipped her head back just enough and kissed her for the first time. Heather's eyes closed, and she felt herself melting in sensation. When she finally opened her eyes, Nate was smiling at her.

  "Have you already discussed this with Jeanette?" Nate asked, still gently holding her face.

  "It was her idea."

  "Well, then, I think we'd better head back and see what she has in mind."

  "Really?" Heather asked, almost afraid to hope.

  "For the woman I love, anything."

  Heather threw her arms around him and kissed him for all she was worth. When she could breathe, she said, "I love you, Nate Kaderly."

  Nate wasn't sure what they talked about on the way back to the house; he wasn't sure how they arrived. At the moment all he could do was hear Heather's words and remember her kiss. He hoped Jeanette had a great plan for their future living arrangements. The sooner, the better.

  262

  SETH WENT ONHIS own to finalize the deal for the land. Jessie was excited, but it was a Saturday. She couldn't leave the store, but neither could she stand to wait another moment. The girls naturally asked where Seth was going, but their mother wouldn't tell them. Not until they were eating supper did Seth tell the girls.

  "A house?" Hannah repeated several times.

  "That's right, and," Seth started and then looked at the clock on the wall, "we're headed to the Vicks' tonight to discuss it."

  "You didn't tell me that," Jessie got in, but Seth only smiled at her, more than a little pleased with surprising her. Jessie was pleased too but did her best to hide it. Her daughters were already bouncing in their seats, and she figured someone should remain calm. However, there was no masking the lightness of her step as they walked toward the Vick home. This was a dream come true for Jessie, a dream that had lived in her heart for as long as she could remember. She was going to enjoy every minute.

  "This is the room I shared with my husband," Jeanette told Nate on Sunday afternoon; Heather had opted to stay downstairs. A lot of talking

  263had gone on since Heather asked Nate about living with Jeanette, but Jeanette had not shown him what she had in mind. "I moved out after Owen died. It was just too large and lonely for me."

  Nate looked around the gigantic L-shaped bedroom. The bottom of the L was a sitting area, warm and comfortable with its own fireplace. Another fireplace sat across from the wide bed, and Nate thought most of his house would fit in this room.

  "It's beautiful," Nate said, taking in the windows and curtains, the rich dark carpet and wallpaper.

  "We count it a privilege that you and Heather would live with us," Jeanette went on, "but we understand that you would still be a married couple. If you leave the supper table each evening to be alone in your own sitting room, we will understand completely"

  "Thank you, Jeanette," Nate said. "I haven't talked to Heather about this, but it's not unusual for me to be needed on the job after dark and even in the middle of the night. Our living at my house was going to make that hard for me. I don't like the thought of leaving Heather on her own after dark."

  "She's not afraid," Jeanette said. "We've talked about it, and she's already realized all of that. She knows that her bent would be fear, but she's decided to fight that and trust."

  Nate had to smile. That sounded just like the Heather he knew. So many things were new for her, but she was embracing each and every one.

  "You must be thinking about Heather," Jeanette said as the two moved toward the hallway.

  "How did you know that?"

  "You have a certain smile that you get when she's in your thoughts."

  Nate smiled that smile again, not able to help himself. He was still smiling when the two found Heather and Becky in the parlor and spent the evening together.

  264

  Indian summer hit Token Creek with a vengeance. September was rushing into October, and the days were boiling. Men were back in shirtsleeves, and women who wore their hair down piled it high to offer some relief at the backs of their necks.

  It was during this time that Chas Vick began work on the house. Now Seth and Jessie never had to coax the girls to finish breakfast. They wanted to be downstairs at the storeroom door as soon as they could gain permission. Getting them to leave for school had become much harder, however. Both girls would have gladly given up their education if they could have sat and watched Chas work all day.

  They were never allowed on the work site while Chas was on the job and were forbidden to bother Chas and his assistant with questions. Nevertheless, their small eyes took in every detail, and they nearly ran , from the schoolhouse each day to see what progress had been made.

  Jessie was not much better. Seth often found her at the back door or storeroom windows. She wouldn't stay too long, but the urge to peek out and check to see how things were taking shape was simply too tempting.

  Chas had been working only about eight days when Seth found Jessie at the door. The storeroom felt like an oven at the moment, and Seth was about to comment on that when Jessie turned from the door. She wore an odd expression, and he watched her hand grope in midair before her knees went out and she crumpled to the floor.

  Seth didn't quite make it, but he was lifting her in his arms a second after she hit the floor.

  "Jessie!" Seth called her name. Her eyes fluttered and then opened.

  "Seth?" she whispered.

  "I'm right here. What's going on?"

  "What do you mean?" Jessie asked, looking very confused.

  Seth took the chair that always sat at the storeroom table and held Jessie across his lap. Her face was moist with perspiration and swiftly going from ashen to flushed. Seth stared down at her, willing his own heart to beat normally. Thankfully Chas had chanced to look up and

  265saw Jessie go down. He was at the door without warning, and Seth was able to ask him to run for the doctor. None of this took very long, but in Seth's mind it was the longest ten minutes of his life.

  "When was your last menses, Jessie?" Doctor Ertz
was asking less than 30 minutes later. After hearing the way she'd fainted, the doctor had wasted little time asking that question. They were in the living room of the apartment without Seth. Jessie had told him she felt better and talked him into going back to the store.

  "Let me think," Jessie said, knowing immediately why he had asked. At the moment her mind was more on the fact that she and Seth had been living as man and wife for only about three weeks.

  "Jessie?" the doctor tried again.

  That woman worked to gather her thoughts, the past weeks all blurring together, but she eventually answered.

  With Jessie's answer the doctor did some thinking of his own and said, "With that date it's a little hard to say, but do you think you could be pregnant?"

  Jessie nearly started to have the word said aloud but knew in an instant he was correct. She had never actually fainted with Hannah, but at times she'd been lightheaded while carrying Clancy.

  "I think you're right," she said quietly and worked not to panic.

  "I figured as much. It's too hot right now for someonenotin your condition, so you're going to have to watch what you do until this heat passes."

  Jessie nodded, but was only half listening. The doctor had another question, and she did her best to answer and then take in what he was saying. He left her on her own not ten minutes later, and Jessie sat still on the sofa, panic starting to fill her.

  266

  Seth had not seen the doctor leave and was starting to think he'd been crazy for listening to Jessie. He should have put a sign on the door and gone upstairs with her and the doctor. He absentmindedly finished with a customer and then took the stairs two at a time. He found Jessie sitting on the sofa, staring into space.

  "Are you all right?"

  "I'm pregnant," she said, her voice expressionless.

  Seth stared at her, afraid to look pleased. She was clearly not happy

  "I take it you don't want another child," Seth said, keeping all censure from his voice.

  "Not that I have to raise by myself."

  Seth began to relax. This made sense to him. He didn't rush but

  , moved toward the sofa. He sat down next to his wife and put his arms

  around her. He didn't speak until she looked into his eyes. "Then it's a good thing I'm going to be here."

  To her credit she did not look skeptical. Seth waited only a few seconds and then began to kiss her. He took his time about it, and things were growing passionate when Jessie's reason returned.

  "The store," she mumbled.

  "Hush, Jessica."

  They continued to kiss and hold each other until a thump sounded downstairs that could not be ignored. Seth made himself stand, but he bent long enough to take Jessie's face in his hands.

  "We'll continue this when the girls are in bed tonight."

  Jessie nodded, her eyes closing when he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She watched him head toward the door and heard his feet on the stairs, working with all of her heart to believe him and not panic.

  Nate didn't know when he'd been so nervous. He told himself that this was Heather, his Heather, and there was nothing to fear, but his heart still pounded. This was the night. It seemed silly to worry when

  267they'd already made plans as to where they would live, but be hadn't officially asked Heather to marry him and tonight was the night.

  He had gone to supper at the house and now they were on a walk. Sometimes they walked toward town, and sometimes they walked away from the main businesses of Token Creek. Tonight Nate had taken her hand and walked away from downtown. Heather was talking about something that Becky had told her concerning Danny, and he was doing his best to listen, but he wasn't quite able to pull it off.

  "Nate?" Heather suddenly said, but that man didn't answer. She turned her head to watch him, but he looked distracted: Heather grew quiet then, and it took a minute for Nate to notice.

  "Did you ask me something?"

  "I did, but I think you're far away tonight."

  "I'm sorry, what did you need?"

  Heather smiled. Her question had been tied in to the story with Becky and Danny.

  "What did I miss?" Nate asked, catching her look.

  "It wasn't important," Heather said kindly, not at all offended. Nate stopped and looked at her. He stepped until he was directly in front of her and took her other hand in his.

  "Are you sure? I'm listening now."

  "I'm very sure. What did you have on your mind?"

  "Mostly you."

  "Oh," Heather was surprised. "Is anything wrong?"

  "No, I'm just out of practice."

  "With what?"

  "Asking someone to marry me."

  Heather's mouth opened, but Nate wasn't ready. He took just one of her hands and walked them on to a place they'd sat a few times. Large rocks provided natural seating, and Nate sat Heather down before sitting next to her. He kept her hand and looked into her eyes.

  "The greatest gift I've ever known is eternal life. I think I've told you that."

  268Heather nodded.

  "I would never wish to insult God's work on the cross by comparing you to eternal life, Heather, but you are a gift to me."

  Heather watched his eyes grow moist, and she worked desperately not to cry.

  "I didn't understand what a marriage in Christ could look like until I watched Rylan and Bri in their home. Then I spotted you. I certainly had known that you lived in town and thought you were beautiful, but that was about as far as it went.

  "Then I kept seeing you at church and during fellowships. I couldn't stop thinking about how sweet and kind you were. At times I would see your face during the sermon and know that you were taking in every word. Your honesty and humility have been a huge example to me and are all part of the gift."

  Nate stopped, thinking he was saying this all wrong. There was so much in his heart, and he didn't know how to begin or end. He knew it was time to give up and ask.

  "Will you marry me, Heather?"

  "Yes."

  Nate's sigh was so huge that Heather had to laugh.

  "What did you think I was going to say?"

  "I don't know why I had myself so worked up over this, but I did."

  Heather reached up and touched his face and told him she loved him. Nate put his arms around her and kissed her. Heather kissed him right back. The sky was growing dark earlier these days, but they stayed out as long as they could, talking about the firsts. The first time they kissed, the first time Nate noticed her, and the first time Heather had a clue.

  As they walked back to the house hand in hand, Heather realized Nate was as much a gift to her as she was to him. There was only one Person to thank for that, and Heather did with all her heart.

  269Jessie woke while it was still very dark out. She could hear Seth sleeping hard beside her and quietly slipped from the bed and bedroom. She had found her robe and slipped into it as she went to the living room and shut the door behind her. Moonlight flooded into both front windows, and Jessie stared at it. For a long time she felt nothing. Seth had said many reassuring things the night before, but everything had changed.

  Two days earlier she would have said it was all going to last forever. She would have believed that nothing could alter the wonderful place she'd come back to, one where Seth loved and cared for her again. And even in those moments when she doubted he would stay, she was able to push the thought aside. Not now. If he left now, there would be a third child looking for his or her father. She had become weak, letting Seth get close, and this is what it got her.

  Without warning the girls' faces came to mind. Jessie moved for the sofa and sat down wearily. Had she been on her own, she would have sent him away before he could hurt her. She remembered that he had changed and so had she, but in her mind this new baby altered everything.

  Jessie wanted to cry but forced the tears away. The girls were more important now. She had to be strong for them. She would not let them know that she hadn't wanted this.
She would not let them know that their father was not a man to be trusted. He had left before when she was carrying Clancy. He would leave again.

  Eventually Jessie lay down on the sofa, fatigue covering her. Nevertheless, sleep did not come. She had no idea what time it was, and then realized she didn't care. At the moment she didn't care about anything but her daughters, forcing herself not to even think about the small life growing inside of her.

  The girls were off to school, the store was open, and Jessie had not said ten words to Seth. They had talked for a long time the night

  270before, and Seth had fallen asleep with his wife in his arms, but when he'd awakened, Jessie was not in bed. Seth found her on the sofa, lying down but wide awake.

  She had not wanted to talk. He'd watched her be normal with the girls, sending them off with hugs, kisses, and laughter, but the moment they were gone, the sober look covered her face once again, and she moved to busy herself in the back room. Seth watched her for a time, noting that she didn't even peek at Chas' progress.

  Several times Seth tried to speak with her, but her answers were nonexistent or so brief that he knew he was not getting through. Working not to panic, Seth ran the store, taking every spare moment to ask God for wisdom and help. He knew it was the baby and the fact that no matter what he said, she was sure he would leave again. There was simply no way to convince her that that wasn't going to happen.

  The day felt like a week. When the girls came home, it brought some of the life back into Jessie, but Seth could see it was going to be a rough time. He felt almost desperate to talk to Rylan and gain his advice but thought leaving the apartment for even a short time was the worst thing he could do. Instead he stuck it out, was as normal for the girls as he could manage, and stayed right by his silent wife's side all through the evening. When she turned in, going in to sleep with the girls, Seth dropped to his knees right by the sofa. Only God could save his marriage now, and Seth began to ask for a miracle.

  The doctor had given Bri permission to be up and around, but he had warned her to take it easy. He didn't want her doing much, but being downstairs, back in every room of the house, and even doing some work on meals was wonderful. Danny was at her side almost constantly, which suited Bri very well. She could not get enough of her small son, who seemed to smile and laugh all the time.