The Tender Flame

by Al Lacy

  After dinner, when Lydia opened Grant’s present, she found a beautiful Bible bound in expensive leather, with a dainty, feminine look to it. A thrill shot through her when she found but three words on the flyleaf: With love, Grant. She thanked him and let those three words echo in her mind. Then she scolded herself for actually thinking he meant anything by them.

  Later, as the guests were leaving, Lydia thanked them for coming and for their gifts. The last person to leave was Grant.

  “Thank you so very much for the Bible, Grant. It’s beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like it, Lydia. And I meant what I said when I signed it.”

  “I appreciate that. True friends do have a love for each other, don’t they?”

  That night, Grant Smith lay awake in the darkness of his bedroom as Lydia’s words echoed through his mind: True friends do have a love for each other. All the next day he tried to think of some way to stop by the Reynolds house to see her, but he couldn’t think of a way to just happen by.

  Sunday morning came. Grant was standing in front of the church building talking to some of his friends when he saw the Reynolds buggy pull into the parking lot. Lydia and Billy preceded their parents across the lot, and Grant noticed that Lydia was carrying the Bible he had given her.

  During the preaching service, Grant and Lydia sat with their families in their usual pews, directly across the aisle from each other. From time to time Lydia’s eyes strayed to Grant, and she found him looking at her. Each time she held his gaze briefly, then looked away.

  After church, Lydia stood outside with her parents and Billy as they chatted with people. She saw the Smiths come out the door, and Grant walked toward her, smiling.

  “Lydia, could I talk to you for a minute?” Grant said. “In private?”

  “Of course.”

  They walked toward the parking lot, and Grant waited till there was no one else close by before he said, “Lydia, I’ve been thinking about what you said the other night at the party when I told you I meant what I had signed in your Bible.”

  “What I said?”

  “Yes. Do you remember?”

  “You mean about true friends having a love for each other?”

  “That’s right.”

  “You’ve been thinking about that?”

  “Yes, and I want you to understand that the love I had in mind when I wrote, ‘With love, Grant,’ is more than friendship.” Grant took a deep breath. “Lydia … I’ve been in love with you for a long time. Do you remember at my birthday party that I looked at you when Theresa asked me what I wished for, and I said if I told her, it wouldn’t come true?”

  “Yes.”

  “I didn’t really make a wish. I asked the Lord to put a love in your heart for me like I have for you.”

  Tears misted Lydia’s eyes and her pulse raced. “Grant … that prayer was answered long ago. I have been in love with you for two years, but I’ve kept it from you because I was so young. Oh, I’ve prayed so hard that—”

  Lydia’s words were cut off by the approach of both their families.

  Grant touched her arm and whispered, “It’s just too hard to try to talk here at church. I’ll see you here this evening, but we’ll talk at school tomorrow.”

  Lydia lay in her bed that night too excited to sleep. “Dear Lord,” she whispered, “thank You for what is happening between Grant and me.

  I just knew You wouldn’t let me love him like I do unless he was the one You had chosen for me. Please, oh, please … let me one day be his wife.”

  At the Smith home, sleep was just as elusive for Grant. “Lord,” he said, “I don’t care if people do tease me about robbing the cradle. I love Lydia, and I’m going to ask her to be my girl. Thank You that You have worked in her heart as well as mine.”

  LYDIA REYNOLDS AWAKENED REFRESHED the next morning, though she had not fallen asleep until three hours before sunrise. After spending time with her Lord in prayer and praising Him for all His blessings, she left the bed and padded to the dresser, where the mirror showed her a happy face.

  “Good morning, Lydia,” she said to her reflection. “Know what? The most wonderful young man in all the world loves you! What do you think of that?”

  She ran her fingers through her thick hair and let it fall partially over her face. Peeking through the locks, she answered the girl in the mirror, “I think it’s marvelous! The Lord is good, isn’t He?”

  “Yes,” said her reflection, “He is so good! He answers prayer. His way is perfect. That’s what His Book says, and I believe it!”

  She dressed for school and all but floated down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Good morning, sweetest mother in all the world!” she said, kissing Beverly’s cheek.

  “Well, good morning, Miss Sunshine! My, aren’t you chipper today. May I ask why?”

  “It’s a wonderful day, that’s why!”

  Duane and Billy were just coming through the kitchen door.

  “Of course it’s a wonderful day!” said Duane, moving up behind Beverly and putting his arms around her. “I’m married to the most beautiful and wonderful woman in all the world, and God has given me a precious daughter and a precious son.” Then to Lydia he said, “And what makes this a wonderful day for you?”

  “Why, Daddy, Psalm 118:24 says, ‘This is the day that the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ I’m just being scriptural.”

  Duane tilted his head and gave her a skeptical look from the tops of his eyes. “Well, then, tell me why you weren’t so scriptural yesterday morning, or the day before.”

  Lydia sighed, looked to her mother, and said, “Can’t we females have any little secrets?”

  Beverly laughed. “Sure, honey. Keep your little secret. Daddy ought to be glad that his daughter is so happy this morning.”

  “Oh, I am. She’s just got my curiosity up.”

  “Well, maybe I’ll satisfy your curiosity a little later.”

  “Let’s get up to the table,” Beverly said. “Breakfast is ready.”

  As they sat down at their places, Billy eyed his sister suspiciously. “Has it anything to do with Grant, big sister?”

  “Billy!” Beverly said. “If your sister wants you to know what she’s so happy about, she’ll tell you. Don’t pry.”

  “Mom’s right, son,” Duane said. “Don’t pry.”

  “Girls!” Billy said, rolling his eyes.

  All the way to school, Billy wanted to press his sister about her secret, but he refrained.

  Lydia’s heart warmed when she saw Grant standing outside her classroom, smiling broadly.

  “Good morning, Grant,” she said.

  “Good morning to you. Did you have a good night’s rest?”

  Lydia sighed. “Do you want the truth?”

  “Of course.”

  “No, I didn’t. And do you want to know why?”

  “Sure.”

  “I had a very difficult time getting to sleep because of what you told me yesterday morning.”

  “You mean—?”

  Lydia smiled. “Yes. You know what I mean.”

  Leaning close, he said, “I was awake for a long time last night, too. For the same reason.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “I’ve got to get to class, Lydia. How about we meet outside by the children’s playground during lunch hour? We’ll be where everybody can see us—including the teachers—but we can talk without anyone hearing us. Okay?”

  “All right.”

  Grant turned to head down the hall to the next classroom. He paused and turned back, mouthing silently, I love you.

  Her lips formed the same words.

  Noon came, and at lunch Grant met Lydia at the edge of the playground under a large oak tree amid the laughter of children.

  “I’ve been praising the Lord in a special way ever since yesterday morning, Lydia,” Grant said. “I’ve prayed for so long that the Lord would cause you to love me.”

  “And I’ve prayed for so lon
g in the same way about you,” she said. “I had a hard time, though. I figured by the time I was old enough that the difference in our ages didn’t matter, you would already have a steady girl … maybe even be engaged or married.”

  “Lydia, will you be my steady girl? May I be your beau?”

  Tears misted Lydia’s eyes. “Oh, Grant, nothing would make me happier. But are you sure? Lots of girls have a crush on you.”

  Grant shook his head. “I don’t know about that, but I’m not interested in lots of girls. There’s only one I want, and I’m looking at her.” Grant was quiet a moment, then said, “Lydia, I want to do right by your parents in this.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think I should talk to your father and ask his permission to be your beau.”

  Lydia looked at him with admiring eyes. “I think it’s wonderful that you would ask my father. Especially because of my age.”

  “I would do it even if you were my age. I just think it’s the proper thing to do.”

  “Daddy and Mother already think a lot of you, Grant, but this will raise their estimation of you even higher.”

  “I just want to do what’s right.”

  “That’s one of the reasons I love you.”

  He grinned. “I’m planning on giving you lots of reasons to love me.”

  “I really don’t need any more. I already have plenty.”

  He shook his head humbly, then said, “Are your parents going to be home tonight?”

  “As far as I know.”

  “Good. I’ll be over after supper. Have you said anything to them about our talk yesterday morning?”

  “Not yet. I wanted to tell them about us, but at just the right time, and in the right way.”

  “Is tonight okay for the time? And by my talking to your father, is it the right way?”

  “I couldn’t think of a better time or way.”

  “All right. I’ll be there tonight.”

  “I’ll be waiting for your knock.”

  Grant glanced toward the school building. “It’s almost time to go back in. Could we just take a moment and thank the Lord for the way He’s worked in our lives?”

  “Yes, I’d like to do that.”

  Grant led in prayer as they bowed their heads.

  Grant and Lydia were standing in front of the school that afternoon when Billy came out of the building, greeted Grant, and said, “You ready to head for home, sis?”

  “Mm-hmm. Let’s be going. See you later, Grant.”

  “Sure will.”

  “Bye, Grant,” said Billy, and walked his sister toward the street.

  “Take good care of her, Billy,” Grant called.

  Billy looked back over his shoulder and smiled. “You can bank on it.”

  As they walked toward home, Billy said, “Sis, it seems to me that you and Grant have been spending quite a bit of time together lately.”

  “Oh? What do you mean?”

  “Well, I see you together at church a lot and at school, too. The past few days, he’s been waiting at your classroom door when we get to school. And then, today … the two of you spent almost a half hour together on the playground after lunch. Looks suspicious to me.”

  “Suspicious?”

  “Like maybe there’s some romance going on.”

  There was a stretch of silence while Lydia pondered her brother’s words. “Little brother,” she said finally, “you are a perceptive person.”

  Billy grinned at her as they crossed the street. “I try to be.”

  “So you think there’s some romance going on, eh?”

  “Sure looks like it to me.”

  “Can you keep a secret?”

  Billy leaped in front of her, causing her to stop. There was a sly grin on his face. “There is, isn’t there?”

  “Yes. Grant has asked me to be his steady girl.”

  Little brother laughed. “And you turned him down, of course!”

  “Oh, sure!”

  “Sis, I’m so glad. I know how you feel about him, and I’m glad he feels the same way about you. I really like Grant. In fact, I hope someday he becomes my brother-in-law.”

  Lydia blushed. “We have to take these things a little at a time, Billy. First there’s going steady, then engagement, then marriage. But I don’t mind telling you … I hope he will become your brother-in-law too.”

  “So when are you gonna tell Mom and Dad?”

  “I’m not going to.”

  “What?”

  “Grant is.”

  “Grant is gonna tell ’em?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “When?”

  “Tonight. He’s coming over after supper. He wants to ask Daddy’s permission to be my beau.”

  “Really? I’ve never heard of that. I’ve heard of fathers being asked when it comes to engagements, but not just for going steady.”

  “You will keep this a secret until Grant talks to Daddy tonight, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  At supper that evening, Grant told his family that he had asked Lydia to be his steady girl. Scott and Marjorie were pleased. They had seen it coming.

  “So what will you do when your friends tease you about robbing the cradle, son?” Scott said.

  “I’ll tell them that Lydia is more mature for her age then most of them are.”

  “And you’ll be right,” Sharon said. “Lydia is very mature for her age, and I really love her. I’m glad you finally took the step and asked her to be your girl.”

  “Me too,” Theresa said. “In fact, I hope you and Lydia get married someday.”

  “Now, Theresa, let’s not rush things,” Scott said.

  “Lydia and I aren’t going to rush into anything,” Grant said. “We’ll take it one step at a time and let the Lord guide us as time passes.”

  “That’s fine, son,” Scott said. “You’ve always had a level head, and your mother and I appreciate it.”

  “After supper I’m going over to the Reynoldses’ house and ask Mr. Reynolds for permission to be Lydia’s beau.”

  “Son, I’m proud of you for that. I’m sure it will sit well with both Duane and Beverly.”

  “That it will,” Marjorie said. “Grant, please know that if it should turn out that Lydia is the one the Lord has chosen for you to marry, your father and I will be very pleased.”

  When Grant knocked on the Reynoldses’ door, it was Billy who opened it. Billy smiled and said, “Hi, Grant. You all by yourself?”

  “Yes. Is your father here?”

  “Sure. Come on in.”

  Billy led Grant into the parlor, where the family was seated. The young man greeted everyone, then said, “Mr. Reynolds, would you allow me the privilege, sir, of talking to you in private, just for a few minutes?”

  “Why, of course, Grant. Let’s go into the kitchen.”

  After Duane and Grant had left the parlor, Beverly looked at her children and noticed a gleam in Lydia’s eye. “Lydia, do you know what this is about?”

  “I do, Mother. But it would be best that I not say any more until Daddy and Grant come back.”

  Thirty minutes had passed before Duane and Grant returned to the parlor. Beverly was in her favorite overstuffed chair. Lydia was on the couch, trying to hide her excitement, and Billy was removing himself from his father’s chair, which sat close to Beverly’s.

  Duane gestured toward the couch. “You can sit over there by Lydia, Grant.” Duane eased into his chair and said to Beverly, “Grant came here tonight to ask my permission to be our daughter’s beau. I gladly gave it.”

  “Grant, this is highly unusual,” Beverly said, “but I want to tell you that I’m very pleased. I appreciate that you’ve asked Lydia’s father for permission. You are a true Christian gentleman.”

  “I told him the same thing,” Duane said. “Grant and I had a good talk about Christian conduct in dating. I’ve set down some strict ground rules, for which he thanked me. I’ll go over them with Lydia also.”
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br />   Beverly smiled her approval, then looked at the couple who sat on the couch and said, “So! It’s now official! Grant and Lydia are steadies. How about some cool sarsaparilla to celebrate the occasion?”

  In the months that followed, Grant and Lydia developed a sweet and pleasant relationship, growing closer together in heart and in the Lord. Both sets of parents were pleased at the way the couple complemented one another, and as each day passed, Grant and Lydia found themselves more and more convinced that the Lord had chosen them for each other. To Grant’s surprise, not one of his friends kidded him about robbing the cradle.

  In late January 1842, after a church function for the young people, Grant drove Lydia home in the family buggy. One of Duane Reynolds’s rules was that the couple was not to be alone except for the few minutes it took them to travel about Montgomery Village. In the evenings, they were free, however, to sit in the parlor of either home, even after the other family members had retired for the night. In warm weather they could sit on the front porch instead of the parlor.

  The Reynoldses were just heading for bed when Grant and Lydia came in from the church activity. They bid the couple good night and left them alone in the parlor, next to the crackling fire.

  After some small talk Grant said, “Lydia, I’ve told you how much I admire my Uncle Rex Swanson, my mother’s brother.”

  “The one who’s a major in the army?”

  “Right. Well, I know we haven’t talked about this much, but I’ve decided to make a career in the United States Army. I’ve prayed about it, and my parents feel it’s the right thing for me too.”

  “If you have peace about it, Grant, and your parents believe it’s the right thing, then it has to be.”

  “I’m glad you see it that way. I’ve looked into going to West Point so I can be an officer when I go into the army. It takes an appointment from a congressman in order to enter the academy, but with the good grades I’ve received all through school, Uncle Rex says there’ll be no problem getting the appointment. It takes four years to graduate.”