“Everything OK?” he asked.
“No, it’s not.” She stepped forward to wrap her arms around his torso and held him tight, her tears dampening his shirt.
He gently pushed hair back from her face and tilted her head up to his. “What do you need?”
“You.” She thrust up on her toes and claimed his lips. He was not one to deny this woman this particular request.
Gasping for air, he pulled back. “I’m here for you whenever you need me. You know that, don’t you?”
She nodded. “Come join us for dinner? Please?”
He nodded. “I’d love to.” He clasped her hand as they walked back across the hall to her apartment to enjoy dinner with the family he hoped to soon claim as his own.
~*~
Skye tucked the kids in with Dan’s help and then held his hand as they walked back to the living room. She pushed him down onto the couch, flopped next to him, and snuggled up to his side. “I can’t believe you came to my rescue like you did. You could’ve been hurt.”
“Well, I was hurt, but not as bad as he’d already hurt you.”
She reached up to touch her swollen nose, and she could barely see through her eye now. “Yeah, well, he’s done worse in the past. Words can hurt, and he’s destroyed my work too. He was high again. I lose hope that he’ll ever be free of his demons.”
“He has a choice in that, but I understand your doubts.”
“He really needs Jesus.”
“I shared the gospel with him after his last arrest.”
“I remember you mentioning that. How did that go?”
“About as poorly as you suspect. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin and unrighteousness, not us.”
“If he lives long enough to come to his senses.”
“He’s already made his choice, Skye. He can change his mind at any time, but right now, he’s chosen darkness over light. Satan over God. He may not even realize that by rejecting the one he’s automatically picked his side.”
“It’s sad.”
“Yeah. But I’m glad you weren’t injured worse than you were. I came as soon as I could make sure the kids were safe.”
“Thanks for taking care of them.”
“Any time. They mentioned that they used to hide in the closet, but he took you all by surprise tonight.”
“My fault. I didn’t look out the peephole.”
“It’s still his fault for doing what he did.” Dan placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.
“You still love me even after this?”
“I’d marry you tomorrow even with your swollen eye and broken nose if you’d have me.”
“We couldn’t even get a license that fast.”
Dan frowned. “True. Guess that’s better for you. No bride wants to walk down the aisle looking like she was in a street fight.”
Skye reached over to tickle him. “You’ll pay for that.”
“I will?” He chuckled as he squirmed.
She turned and looked up at him and all laughter ended as he leaned down to claim her lips with his own.
Dan broke it off and slid to the carpet on his knee. “Marry me, Skye. Please put me out of my misery and say you’ll be my wife so I can love you, protect you, and provide for you and the kids. I need you.”
He held out a white gold ring with a star sapphire surrounded with tiny diamonds.
“Oh, Dan. This is beautiful. But are you sure?”
“Yes. I love you. Please say you’ll marry me?”
Skye leaned forward, and kissed his lips and pulled back leaving him shaken. “Yes.”
“Really?”
She nodded and he slid the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. “It’s beautiful, Dan.” She pulled him up to sit next to her again.
“So, um, when?”
Skye had been about to kiss him again but pulled back to give him a grin. “As soon as this bruising goes away. That should give me enough time to find a dress and for us to make our plans.”
“Sooo, May?”
“Sounds good to me, but can it be small?”
“You do realize I’m a pastor at a rather large church, right?”
“So we need to invite everyone?”
“No. We don’t, but we might need to have a reception later for everyone.”
“Sounds less like a celebration and more like a gauntlet for me to run. Maybe I should rethink this.” She reached for the ring.
He put his hand over hers. “No. No rethinking. No reception. Just marry me and make me the happiest pastor in town?”
“Not the world?”
He silenced her with a kiss. It took all his will to leave her that night.
TWENTY-FOUR
My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away…”
Song of Solomon 2:9
May 2013
Skye finally understood what it meant to be the beloved bride of Christ. She stood at the back of the small café at church as she waited to walk to Dan who stood with Pastor Andrew. Jennifer had agreed to be her matron of honor. Skye’s mother sobbed quietly up front. Her grandfather had come from New York. Dan’s parents arrived and a select group of friends he felt were close and needed to be invited. Titus, Niko and Tia Acton, Roberto and Stephanie Rodriguez, Tony and his accountability group, among others.
Quinn and Meghan were dressed to the nines and stood one on each side of her as she began her walk down the aisle to the man she had never dared to dream about. Soft guitar music accompanied her.
She came to stand before him, handing her bouquet off to Jennifer. She turned to look into Dan’s gorgeous eyes and thanked the Lord for this opportunity to redeem a painful past and start anew with this man.
She swallowed hard when it came time to repeat her vows. Dan spoke his promises to her in a calm and clear voice. She never heard a word of what Andrew preached but hoped they recorded it. She would want to listen to it later when she wasn’t enveloped in this haze of love and wonder.
Dan made promises to the children and they each accepted rings to wear, bringing them into the circle of their new family. Dan had even started a process of adoption, anticipating that Riley might be willing to give up parental rights if it meant he was off the hook for the money he owed her. Her ex seemed resigned to the fact that she really was no longer his.
She snapped to attention when Andrew told Dan he could kiss the bride. Dan winked at her as he drew her into his arms and kissed her gently. He whispered in her ear. “More later. Much, much more.” His breath on her neck sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.
They turned to accept the applause and congratulations of everyone around them. Jennifer wrapped her in a warm hug. “Congratulations, Skye. And welcome to the family.”
Skye turned to watch her husband receive congratulations, and he glanced back at her—a warm hint of promise in his gaze.
TWENTY-FIVE
Love is really the only thing we can possess,
keep with us, and take with us.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Dan shook his head in amazement as he directed his friends carrying boxes. A new wife, two children, and a new home. All within five months? Only God could bring about that kind of miracle.
Skye and Jennifer laughed in the kitchen as they unboxed pots and pans, deciding where everything should go. Quinn and Meghan were in the fenced-in backyard, playing in their new sandbox. He only hoped they obeyed his request to not dump it on each other’s heads.
“Hey, Dan. Where do you want these?” Titus stood there with a hand-truck loaded with boxes labeled “Sharon.”
He stared at them for a few moments. He’d not looked at those since he moved them into his apartment in January where they remained in a closet. Thankfully his moving crew didn’t forget them. Dan took a shuddering breath. Tony came to stand beside him.
“It’s OK to put them in the attic. They are not her. You’ll always carry your love for
her in your heart. The memories will be there when you’re ready for them.”
“Thanks. Titus, if you could put them in the attic, but not shoved in the back. Stack them where I’ll be able to find them if I want.”
“Sure thing.” The young mechanic parked the hand-truck and grabbed the top two boxes before heading up the stairs to the attic. Tony followed with the rest.
Dan went to the sunroom Skye had designated for her painting space. He found the portrait she’d done of him and leaned it against a wall. It was the one she’d hidden from him for a long time because he looked broken and sad. He’d come so far since January, but would he ever not miss Sharon? Even with a new wife and family, the loss at times emerged as a deep ache within.
Arms wrapped around him and he lifted an arm to bring his wife to his side.
“You OK? I saw them hauling the boxes to the attic.”
“Yeah. It still hurts that she’s gone.”
Skye lifted herself up to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t understand God sometimes. But the truth is, if Sharon hadn’t died, I would never have moved, or needed to take time off, or met you.” He looked at his new wife. “I can’t regret any of it, and it almost sounds like a betrayal to Sharon to say that I don’t feel as bad that she died.”
“How could you? You didn’t make it happen. There’s nothing to regret. You’ve lived the life God gave you and you’ve lived it well. I, for one, am grateful that Sharon trained you as well as she did. Someday I’ll get to thank her face to face in heaven because of how God used all of that to bring me to Him—and to you.” She stepped away. “I have something to show you. Think of it as a wedding present, just a little late because it took time to get it matted and framed.” She pulled out a brown wrapped package and placed it on the worktable.
“Go ahead, Dan. Open it.”
A group spilled through the doorway, watching. Andrew and Jennifer, Ty, Nick, Simon, Tony, and Nikolos.
He ripped off the paper to reveal a portrait of himself. Eyes bright and laughing. He couldn’t hide his own grin looking at it. He set it next to the one of his sorrow.
“That,” he said, pointing to the sad portrait, “was me before you came and turned my life upside down.” He then motioned to the new one as he propped it against the wall to await hanging. “This one, is me after you. You brought laughter and joy back into my life and I’m grateful. Thank you, Skye.” He bent over to kiss her on the lips and everyone applauded.
Skye whispered in his ear, “I’ll give you my thanks later.” She kissed his cheek and sashayed through the crowd back to the kitchen. “Come on, everyone. Dan will get the grill started up for some brats, but we can’t eat until the truck’s unloaded. Jennifer brought her wonderful potato salad too.”
Everyone turned back to their tasks and Dan glanced once again at the portrait. Yes, there would be sorrow at his loss, but there were good memories too, and now was the time to make more of them with his new family and old friends. He might not understand it all but he could grab for the joy that was there in this moment. God was good and proved it over and over to him. He strode outside to get the grill warmed up. Bratwurst in Wisconsin was always a good idea.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It would be impossible to thank everyone who has helped me on my journey, so I apologize in advance for those I will miss. It doesn’t mean you are any less valuable and thankfully God keeps better track of those things than I do and His “well done, good and faithful servant” has more merit than any thanks written here.
So here it goes. Special thanks to:
Doris Pollard Wichern – another early reader and one of my most faithful cheerleaders in this writing adventure.
Lisa Lickel – thanks for being such a wonderful mentor, friend and shoulder to cry on when the publishing process throws me those curve balls. I don’t think I would have ever taken that first step in this journey to publication without your gentle push.
Andrea Boeshaar – my carpooling buddy, friend, prayer partner, “critter” and encourager. I’m blessed to know you!
Beth Ziarnik – for your love and prayers on my journey.
David Mundt – for praying for me as I wrote this and being a beta reader and giving me valuable feedback as an Adult Ministries Pastor. Thanks for believing in me.
Ken Nabi– for your support and believing in me and the calling God has on my life. Thank you for praying for me as I wrote this novel and tried to shine a realistic light on the bride of Christ.
Julie Cosgrove – for being a beta-reader of this story and giving me valuable input.
Community Church Fond du Lac – for being an inspiration for Orchard Hill. We’re not perfect—but I’ve seen great things in our church family and I’m proud to be associated with you all.
Sally Shupe – my faithful editor. Thank you for finding all those silly errors!
Nicola Martinez – who supports my writing while allowing me the joy of helping others on their journey to publication. I’m grateful for our friendship.
BIOGRAPHY
Susan M. Baganz chases after three Hobbits, and is a native of Wisconsin. She is an editor with Pelican Book Group’s imprint Prism Book Group, specializing in bringing great romance novels and novellas to publication. Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical world-view.
Susan speaks, teaches, and encourages others to follow God in being all He has created them to be. With her seminary degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and years serving in church ministry, she understands the complexities and pain of life as well as its craziness. She serves behind-the-scenes in various capacities at her church as well as serving on the board of her local American Christian Fiction Writer’s (ACFW) chapter. Her favorite pastimes are lazy…snuggling with her dog while reading a good book, or sitting with a friend chatting over a cup of spiced chai latte.
You can learn more by following her blog at susanbaganz.com, her Twitter feed @susanbaganz or her fan page, facebook.com/susanmbaganz
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May God’s glory shine through
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AMDG
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Bratwurst and Bridges Page 24
