Love Means Everything

by Emma Easter

  Bryan felt his heart beating out of his chest. The Lord had opened a door to go to South America.

  Dr. Lincoln went on. “Of course, it will be a paying job, though your salary might not be a lot now. However, you will have your basic needs provided for. I know it’s a huge commitment I’m asking you to make, as you will have to move to South America… Peru, for a start. I’ll give you time to think about it, but I’m hoping you accept my offer. I really believe God’s hand is in it.”

  Bryan shut his eyes as his emotions roiled. On one hand, he was extremely excited about this open door, but on the other, he was scared. What would Sienna say when he told her? He knew she was hoping they wouldn’t have to move. This news might be devastating to her unless he could convince her that God would work it all out for their good. But how would he do that when her mind was set on staying here in Green Valley and then moving later to Rosefield?

  Dr. Lincoln said, “Bryan… I know this is a lot to take in, but I need to have an answer before the end of this week.”

  Bryan nodded his head slowly and then said, “I’m sorry, Dr. Lincoln, for not saying anything. It’s a great opportunity and I feel like it’s from the Lord as well. But I’ll have to discuss it with my wife. I’ll have an answer for you before the week is out.”

  “Good. I’ll be eagerly expecting your answer.”

  After the senior chaplain left, Bryan sat back on his chair and covered his face with his hands. His pulse raced as he thought about Sienna and how she would accept the news. He had to tell her right away, but he wasn’t looking forward to doing that at all. “Lord, please give me the strength I need to talk to Sienna about this. I’m worried she might start having panic attacks again once I tell her about Dr. Lincoln’s ministry offer. I ask that you will touch her heart so that she takes this news well.”

  He sighed as he opened his eyes. His emotions were still jumbled. He glanced at his wristwatch. It was time for him to go home.

  As he drove home, he kept praying that Sienna would not freak out when he told her the news—that they would be moving to Peru very soon.

  He got home and opened the door. As soon as he came in, the delicious aroma of spiced meat hit his nostrils. In spite of his troubled thoughts, he smiled as Sienna came into the living room wearing an apron. She quickly removed it, tossed it aside, and came to hug him. She smelled like an assortment of spices. “I see… or rather smell that you have been cooking up a storm,” he said, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

  She pulled back and her eyes danced with mirth. “Are you saying I smell, Bryan Larson?” she asked, giving him a teasing smile.

  “No… well, yes, but you smell really nice. Like food… umm…”

  “Keep digging.”

  He laughed. “Okay. You smell nice. I’m just going to leave it at that. What are you cooking, anyway? It seems like you have been at it for some time now. Are we celebrating something?”

  A look of fear briefly passed over her face and he frowned. She smiled brightly and then said, “Well… I have some news to share with you. It’s good news. At least, I hope you will see it as good news.”

  He looked at her in surprise, took her hand, and sat down on the sofa with her. “I have news to share with you as well, baby,” he said. He studied her face and then added tentatively, “I hope you will also take it as good news.” He sighed. “But you go first.”

  “No. Let’s eat first of all, and then we can share.”

  They both sat at the table eating and talking about their day. Bryan kept back the information about the offer he’d gotten from Dr. Lincoln. After the meal, they cleared and washed the dishes together and then they both sat side by side on the sofa. Sienna looked at him and gave him an anxious smile.

  “You can go first, Bryan,” she said.

  He shook his head. “No, baby. You go first.”

  She shifted slightly and looked him in the eye. “I got a phone call today. A man called and told me he was one of the producers from Home Runner. You know Home Runner, don’t you? That show I watch almost every day.”

  He nodded and gazed at her quizzically, wondering why someone from a reality TV show had called her.

  She continued, “He called to let me know that they were starting a spinoff of the show. This time about young married couples starting out their lives.” She paused for a few seconds and then went on. “He wants us to star in the new show, Bryan!” She whooped and grinned. “Can you believe it? I thought I was dreaming when he asked me if we were interested.”

  Bryan’s heart raced as he listened to her speak. This “opportunity” for a reality show couldn’t have come at a worse time. He could see she was all gung-ho about it, but he was about to shatter her dream. He felt like a cad, but there was nothing he could do about it.

  “Bryan, aren’t you going to say anything?” she asked, looking worriedly at him.

  “Did you accept the offer?” he asked her wearily.

  She frowned. “I kinda did… but we aren’t in until we sign some legal documents. The guy said a representative would bring some papers for us to go through before the end of this week.” The excited expression on her face earlier returned again and she grinned. “He said Amber Roland would be coming too.” She squealed. “Can you believe it? I’m going to meet Amber Roland!”

  He sighed. Oh Lord, do I have to do this to her now? Maybe I should just hold back on telling her about Dr. Lincoln’s offer. But he knew he couldn’t postpone telling her about it. Whatever disagreement came out of the news he was about to break to her, he had to deal with it head on.

  “Umm… Sienna…”

  She frowned. “What is it, Bryan? I know the reality show thing is a lot to take in, but I think it would be really exciting to do. Plus, in a way, we will be sharing our faith with the rest of the country. You have been asking the Lord what you are supposed to do specifically. Maybe this is it. I know the show is seen in other parts of the world too. That might explain the scripture the Lord gave you about preaching the gospel all over the world.”

  He suddenly couldn’t hold it in. Even though he was anxious about telling her what he wanted to, he had to do it now. “Sienna, I got an offer from Dr. Lincoln today.”

  She raised her brows. “What kind of offer?”

  “A job offer.” He smiled sadly at her. “Remember what I told you… about the word God gave me? He said I would receive a ministry open door soon in Peru. I did. Today. Dr. Lincoln wants to plant churches in South America while he continues his evangelical tour there, and he wants someone who will live there to oversee and pastor the churches. He offered me the job and I told him I would get back to him before the end of the week. But I already know it’s God’s will, Sienna. We have to move to Peru soon.”

  Sienna’s eyes were full of horror, and Bryan shut his eyes for a brief moment. He couldn’t look at her, knowing he was the one causing her so much pain.

  He opened his eyes when she said, “Peru, Bryan. I can’t move to Peru! I want to stay here, with my family…”

  His eyes widened in pain. “But I am your family, too.”

  She looked away from him. “You know what I mean. Trisha, Ruby, Audrey, Faizan, they are all just an hour’s drive from here.” She touched her belly. “I want to raise our child near family, Bryan. Not in some distant country where we know no one.”

  “I understand that. But we can’t just disobey the Lord.” He touched her shoulder. “Besides, Audrey moved for Ken, didn’t she?”

  “To Miami, Bryan. That is still in the United States. And they both come to Rosefield every other weekend.”

  “What, then, do you suggest we do? Because I have to follow God’s will.”

  She looked at him. “How do you know that it’s God’s will? Maybe the reality show is God’s will.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sienna!”

  She stood. “I am being ridiculous? Says the guy who wants to move his pregnant wife away from her family to some remote p
lace?”

  “I’m sure it’s not going to be…”

  “Please, don’t patronize me, Bryan! It will be difficult for me, and you know it!”

  He raised his brows. She looked and sounded so agitated. So angry. He had never seen her like this. She was always so sweet and soft-spoken. “What has gotten into you?”

  She suddenly started to cry and he groaned. Lord, please help me, he prayed silently. He stood and drew her into his arms to comfort her, but she pushed away from him.

  “Don’t!” she said angrily.

  He stared at her. “I can’t believe this! You are the one who accepted to star in a reality show without first discussing it with me, and yet I am the one who is bearing the brunt of your anger. I should be the angry one.”

  “You want to take me away from my family and yet you are supposed to be the angry one?”

  “Don’t forget that my family lives here, too.”

  “Then let’s stay. Please.”

  “But how can I when God wants us to move?”

  She glared at him for a long while and said, “God may want you to move… but I am not moving!”

  “What?” He stared incredulously at her. “What do you mean you are not moving? We are supposed to be one and that means you go where I go… and vice versa.”

  “Then stay here with me, Bryan.”

  “I can’t! You know that.”

  She narrowed her eyes and glowered at him. “Then you will be going to Peru alone!” She stormed off and left him standing there, staring bemusedly at the space in front of him. After a minute, he slowly sat on the couch and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Lord, what is happening to my marriage? What will I do? I can’t disobey you… but I’m afraid of losing my wife. Please help me.”

  He listened for an answer to his plea, but he heard nothing. He lay on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. He searched through his mind for a solution, but he couldn’t come up with any. Instead, fear attached itself to him. He groaned and then turned on his side and shut his eyes. I might as well make myself comfortable on this couch, he thought in self-mockery, because this is probably where I’ll be sleeping until God knows when.

  Chapter Eight

  Faizan rang the doorbell of Trisha’s house and waited. It had become a habit now for him to visit Trisha almost every day. He enjoyed seeing all his sisters regularly after a lifetime of not having real siblings or people who genuinely cared for him. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to see Sienna as many times as he wanted to since she lived in Green Valley with Bryan. However, he tried to visit her once a week, and also saw her every weekend when she visited. He was looking forward to her visit this evening, especially now that she’d told them she was pregnant.

  He smiled when Trisha opened the door.

  “Hey, Faizan!” Trisha said and gave him a small smile.

  “Trish!” He frowned as he looked at her. She didn’t greet him with her usual exuberance. Come to think of it, she hadn’t done that for the past two weeks.

  Entering the house, he sat on the sofa and watched her as she sat across from him.

  “What about Audrey and Ken… and my Ruby?” she asked dully.

  His frown deepened. “They’re good. Audrey took Ruby to the park and Ken is at home watching a football game.” He leaned forward and studied her face.

  She smiled at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “What’s wrong, Trisha? You haven’t been your lively self for more than a week now.” He narrowed his eyes in anger. “Is it because of that Stan guy?”

  She shook her head quickly. “No… Stan didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just a little confused right now. That’s all.”

  He leaned back on the sofa and said to her, “Do you want to talk about it?”

  She stared at the wall in front of her with a thoughtful expression and then turned to him. She sighed loudly. “I feel as though I am caught between two men, Faizan. Actually, I am.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Frank Kessler gave me an ultimatum … to date him or never see him ever again. And then Stan, my ex, wants me to get back with…”

  “What?” Faizan interrupted her. “Stan, the scoundrel who cheated on you with multiple women, wants to get back with you? He had the guts to ask you to take him back?”

  Trisha bit her lip, and Faizan raised his brows. “You are actually considering his request? Trisha, you can’t be serious!” Faizan shook his head. “You can’t get back with him. After all he put you through.”

  “I remember everything, Faizan. I was the one who went through it all.” She looked away. “But… I’ve always dreamed of raising my kids in a two-parent home. I know how it is to have a father today and then lose him tomorrow. I want Stan permanently in my daughter’s life, and if marrying him again will get me that, so be it.”

  Faizan shook his head slowly. “Trish, I also know what it’s like to lose a father. But trust me; an absent father is better than a bad one. I have had those, two of them actually, and it wasn’t pretty.”

  “Stan isn’t a bad father. He is a good father. He was just a bad husband, but I truly believe he has changed.”

  “Why would you think that?” Faizan asked incredulously. “You know you can have him in Ruby’s life without marrying him.”

  “I want a real family unit, not a broken one. Besides, Faizan, you of all people should understand what it means not to judge others for their past sins.”

  Faizan pressed his lips together and heaved a sigh. It was true. He had a despicable past, but God had forgiven him. His sisters embraced him wholeheartedly. Even the people of Rosefield treated him well. No one ever brought up his past in a negative way. Maybe he needed to cut Stan some slack. Still, he was worried about Trisha. He didn’t want her to get her heart broken.

  He folded his arms and then said, “Okay. I admit that people can change. But are you sure Stan has?”

  “I believe so.”

  Faizan sighed. “All right… but there is Frank as well. You like Frank, don’t you?”

  Trisha didn’t say anything for a few seconds. She rubbed her face with her hand and then said, “I do… but I don’t know if I’m considering giving him a chance because of my past guilt about how I treated him on a date we had. Plus, he has loved me for such a long time and I don’t want to date him because of that.”

  “I understand that. But Frank still loves you even after everything, and after all these years. Maybe you should give him a chance.”

  “That is exactly what I mean. I want to date him because I truly like him, not because I feel it’s time I reciprocated his love for me.” She leaned forward slightly. “The most important thing, though, is that I have decided to put Ruby’s needs before mine. My only goal now is to do what is best for her. Stan is her biological father. I think it makes more sense to be with him so we can be one big family.”

  Faizan nodded, now fully understanding where she was coming from. But he still didn’t think she should marry Stan. Audrey had told him a lot about Frank Kessler, and from what she’d said he seemed to be a really good guy. Someone he would want to see his sister married to. However, he had to trust that she would make the right decision for herself.

  She sighed again. “I have been asking the Lord for wisdom. I need to give Frank and Stan an answer by this evening, and even though I have decided on the man I want, I still have my doubts.”

  Faizan nodded. “I understand your need to put Ruby first… and you definitely should. But I just want you to do this.” He gave her a small smile. “Please also think about yourself as well. You will have to live with the guy you choose.”

  She nodded and then waved her hand. “I need to think about something else for now. This is just weighing me down.” She suddenly put on a bright smile. “Talking about relationships, Faizan, I think it’s about time you started dating again.”

  He raised his brows and then chuckled. “How did we go from worrying abo
ut your love life to talking about mine?”

  She shook her finger and said, “You have no love life, dear brother. It’s time you got one. I know someone who really likes you.”

  He frowned and leaned back. “I’m not interested, Trisha. The woman I love is still in North Africa. Even if I can’t see her now, I intend to someday.”

  “But you told me she made a vow of chastity and therefore there is no chance for a relationship between you two, didn’t you?”

  He sighed exasperatedly. “Yes, but…”

  “Faizan, you can’t continue holding on to her. I know it’s hard, but you have to let go so someone else can come into your life. You can’t stay single forever.”

  “Why not?” he murmured as he thought about Zainah. His heart grew heavy as he pictured her beautiful face, her smile, her graceful ways, and kindness. How would he ever be able to let her go?

  Trisha cried, “Faizan, you see what I mean? You look like a tormented man. You have to let this woman go even though it’s hard.” Trisha got up and came to sit next to him. She put her hand on his back and said softly, “I know it hurts to even think about letting go of someone you love so much, but it is for the best. Besides,” she smiled at him, “I just told you there’s someone who likes you. Don’t you want to know who it is?”

  He shrugged. “Like I said, I’m not interested in anyone except Zainah.”

  “Are you sure? ‘Cause the girl I’m talking about is very pretty and she’s a really nice person. At least let me tell you who it is, and then you can decide if you want to pursue a relationship with her or not.”

  He wanted to tell Trisha to let him be, but he sighed and asked her who it was so he could get her off his back.

  “It’s Lauren. You know her. Ken and Audrey’s friend. She’s also my friend.”

  “I know her,” he said absentmindedly. “She came to the house to look for Ken once.” He frowned. “She sat next to me in church on Sunday.”

  “Good. And what do you think?” Trisha asked.

  He looked at Trisha and said, “Did she really say she liked me? She asked me if she could join the welfare department and I told her we are always looking for new members.” He smiled in spite of himself. “I actually thought she was genuinely interested in joining our department so she could help the needy.”