Because of Lauren: A Love Story

by Vivi Underwood

  The little girl looked up with a happy smile. She gently pulled her hand away from her brother, then stood up and toddled over to her mother. Climbing onto the bar stool, she joined her at the counter. With champagne-colored hair and her mother’s striking brown eyes, she looked remarkably like the pictures of Lauren at the same age.

  Lauren looked at her daughter’s sweet face, and her heart melted. There was no one more blessed than she. She had a wonderful, loving husband, two precious children and a home that meant the world, not just to them, but to their whole extended family.

  Just a few weeks ago, their first little future deacon arrived: Joachim Armand Juul. The bedrooms were beginning to fill up just as she and Jonas had hoped.

  When they heard the front door open a short while later, Camilla scrambled down from her stool. “Pappa,” she called happily and hurried from the kitchen. “Pappa is home!”

  Lauren took off her apron and hurried into the hall. She arrived in time to see Jonas reach for Camilla and hug her tight.

  “How’s my angel?” he said and kissed her cheek. “Mm. You smell like chocolate chip cookies.”

  Camilla laughed and put her arms around him in a fierce hug, then drew away. “You feel cold, Pappa.”

  “It’s snowing outside. Want to see?”

  “Uh-huh,” she said eagerly.

  Jonas took her into the foyer and pulled open the front door. The day was giving way to afternoon dusk, but the snowflakes looked pretty and friendly. “I want to touch them,” said Camilla eagerly. “Can we go outside?”

  “Of course, but you’ll need a coat.”

  Jonas set his daughter down and watched her scamper off. She ran across the hall, through the kitchen, and into the mudroom where her outer clothes hung neatly on low pegs. Carefully she lifted her coat off its peg and brought it to her father who by now had his arms around Lauren.

  “Help me put it on please, Pappa,” she said with a bright smile.

  “In a minute, sweetheart. I want to kiss Mamma first.”

  Jonas basked in the warm welcome. It was the best part of his demanding day. “Hi,” he whispered to his wife.

  “Hi. You are home early.”

  Jonas nodded. “It was snowing, and I missed you.”

  “Two excellent reasons,” she agreed, smiling.

  “Where is the baby?”

  “In the kitchen, asleep.”

  He nuzzled her gently. “Something smells good.”

  “Camilla and I have been baking, and I have a beef stew simmering.”

  “Pappa,” said Camilla in a firm little voice, “Are you finished kissing Mamma yet? I want to see the snowflakes.”

  Jonas laughed softly. “Till later,” he said to Lauren and bent down to help Camilla with her coat.

  Lauren stood in the doorway and watched them trying to catch the snowflakes dancing in the air. It was such a lovely picture. She walked out in the cold and put her arms around them. Leaning into Jonas, she said, “I told you something a very long time ago, shortly after we met, but I am going to say it again.”

  Jonas smiled. “Oh? And what was that?”

  “You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  His arm reached out for her and pulled her close. This, what he had here with Lauren and their children, was all he had ever wanted. And he had been given so much more.

  Back in the kitchen, they warmed themselves by the fire. During the renovation, they considered removing the old fireplace since it hadn’t been used for a very long time. But Lauren thought it would add to the ambiance of the kitchen, especially on cold winter nights, so they made sure it was in good working order and left it in place. They never regretted it. They had angled two comfy love seats in front of it, and the three of them settled there now.

  Jonas turned to Lauren. “I left the mail on the hall table. There is something of interest. It was addressed to both of us, but I was so curious I already peeked. I’ll get it.”

  He came back with a white envelope and handed it to her. “When you read it, I think you’ll agree we need to fit a trip to the States into our schedule.”

  Camilla curled up on her father’s lap while Lauren slid out the card inside. She drew in a breath of pleased surprise. It was an invitation to the sealing of Cameron and Annie and in the Denver Temple.

  “Oh, Jonas,” she said softly, as she read it. “Cameron must be ecstatic. He loves Annie so much.”

  She felt the envelope. There was something else tucked inside. She pulled it out. It was an additional note from Annie. Lauren read it aloud.

  Dear Jonas and Lauren,

  It is actually going to happen, and Cameron can hardly contain himself. You know how he reacted when I told him I wanted to be baptized. Well, think of that times ten.

  When I came with you to London, the guide who took us around the temple grounds explained the importance of a temple sealing for Latter-day Saint couples. At the time, I remember thinking it was a lovely idea, but I never thought it would apply to me. Isn’t it amazing how much our lives can change and in so many wonderful ways?

  If you can face the trip over with an infant and a three-year-old, we’ll arrange for babysitters while you are in the temple. We are so anxious to spend time with you again and see little Joachim for the first time.

  Thank you both for all you have been to me and for introducing me to the most wonderful man in the world.

  With love,

  Annie

  P.S. Lauren, Cameron says agreeing to dance with you at your wedding was only the first of many miracles. He thanks you.

  “Wow,” said Lauren softly. Then tears filled her eyes. “Did you know they were planning this?”

  Jonas shook his head. “No, but I am not surprised. Annie’s baptism was over a year ago.”

  “Remember when you predicted that Annie would join the church?”

  “I remember.” He smiled. “I also remember how skeptical you were.”

  “I was, I admit it. You obviously knew Annie much better than I did,” Lauren said, wiping away a stray tear. “I am so happy for Cameron. Annie is everything to him. I’ll never forget the look on his face when she told him she wanted to be baptized.”

  Lauren and Jonas had combined a trip to Utah that year with a stopover in Denver to visit Cameron and Annie and their family. They had a very good reason for the visit: the blessing of baby Emily—a precious new addition to the Hart family.

  Later that evening, as all the family gathered at Cam and Annie’s home, Annie made her announcement. She had taken everyone by surprise, including her husband. Though she had been attending church regularly with the family and often discussed its teachings with Cameron and the boys, she had never indicated an interest in joining the church.

  Until that moment, when she stood and reached for her husband’s hand.

  “It is because of the examples and teachings of the three amazing men in my life that this has happened,” a teary-eyed Annie said. “Josh and Matt often talk about the time when they will serve missions,” she added and looked at the boys with affection. “I suppose now they will claim that I am their first convert, which isn’t far from the truth.”

  Before she could get another word out, Cameron had gathered Annie in his arms and just held her, refusing to let go. The joy on his face, followed by a few tears, was there for all to see. Watching them, seeing the joy on his father’s face, Matt picked up little Emily, nodded to Josh, and the three of them joined their parents in a family circle. Watching Cam reach for his children as he gathered them all in his embrace was one of the most moving moments Lauren had experienced.

  “So much has happened in the last few years, Jonas. What an amazing extended family we have.”

  Jonas looked at her, then down at the child on his lap. Camilla, secure in her father’s arms, had dozed off while her p
arents were talking. Putting an arm around Lauren, he said in a low voice, “What an amazing family you and I have.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder and leaned against him. She let the warmth from the fire and her husband’s love wash over her.

  “Lauren?”

  “Mmm?”

  He kissed her gently. “It is because of you that all these good things have happened.”

  She glanced up at him. “Why do you say that?”

  “Think about it. If you hadn’t taken the trouble to come all the way from New York to meet me, none of these things would have happened. Because of you, Jake and his parents are reconciled. Because of you, I discovered my early roots in the Church. And because of you, I have the wife and family I always dreamed of.”

  Lauren looked at him with love in her eyes. “You are giving me far too much credit,” she said softly.

  “I don’t think so. If not for you, we wouldn’t be living in this house, Annie wouldn’t have met Cameron and found the Church, and Cam and the twins would still be alone.” He looked at his sleeping daughter, then at his infant son close by. Mine forever, he thought, overwhelmed by feelings of love and gratitude.

  He eased himself out of the love seat without waking Camilla, then pulled Lauren to her feet. He wanted both arms around her. And the moment he pulled her close, the baby awoke. “Stay,” he told her in a muted voice and went to get his son.

  With the baby cradled in one arm, he returned to Lauren. “Come here,” he said softly and curved his other arm around her. Together they stood holding each other and their infant son, the second miracle they had created together.

  So much love, he thought, and all because of Lauren.

  Acknowledgments

  A few years ago I received an email from someone in Norway claiming to be a distant relative. As far as I was aware, I had only a couple of first cousins left in Norway, so his claim intrigued me. As I began corresponding with him, a gentleman in his sixties, it became clear that we were indeed related. But because of the circumstances of his mother’s birth, his name would not have appeared on our family records. I got the idea for this book when I heard the incredible story of how he found my family. So, thank you, Pål Furuberg, for being my inspiration.

  I would also like to thank Ella Raventos and Karen-Lill Oates for the many hours they spent reading and critiquing the early manuscript and Tina DeWitt and Heather Johnson for their help in reading the book and assisting me in the technical aspects of writing. Their help was invaluable.

  This book would not have happened without the help and encouragement of Karen K Christoffersen and BookWise Publishing. Thank you, Karen. I am in your debt.

  Finally, I would like to thank my amazing husband, Gary, for encouraging me in this venture. While I was working on the book, he suffered an accident that required several major surgeries. On the heels of that, he suffered a debilitating stroke. Then a few months later he was diagnosed with cancer. Through all those challenges, when time permitted—usually at the end of a very long day of caring for him—I found great solace in writing this story, a story very close to my heart.

  About the Author

  Vivi Underwood spent her formative years in Norway and by the age of sixteen was fluent in five languages. She attended the Conservatory of Music in Bergen, Norway, where she studied the violin. She later attended the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. She has worked in both the banking and real estate industries, has lived in several different states, and has traveled extensively. Today Vivi lives in beautiful Mapleton, Utah, with her husband. She has three children and six grandchildren. She is excited about her plans to write more love stories in the future.