by Kaci Hart
Chapter 6
Emily, her parents and her sister stood at the front of the church all forming a semicircle around Ashleigh. Aaron spoke directly to Emily from the pulpit.
“Emily, I have known you for a long time. Since we were teenagers. I am proud to see you growing up and becoming a wonderful mother. Now I am going to ask you a question. Emily, by coming forward before God and His people, do you hereby declare your desire to dedicate yourself and little Ashleigh here to the Lord? If so, please respond by saying ‘I do.’ now.”
“I do.”
Emily was happy with her decision to finally dedicate Ashleigh. It had been a few weeks since her parents had asked her if she was going to and at first she was firmly against it. It wasn’t until her relationship started to blossom with Aaron again that she felt worthy of being able to even ask God to help her raise her child. She watched as he asked similar commitments from her parents and her sister, all of whom gladly shared the responsibility with her. When the dedication was over, he asked everyone to take a moment of prayer for the family and the child. Emily’s heart was overwhelmed by the love and compassion that she felt and her silent prayer evidenced that.
God I don’t know what I did to deserve such wonderful people in my life. Thank you so very much. I know I messed up but thank you for restoring me and allowing my baby to grow up in a nurturing, loving environment.
While returning to her seat after the dedication, Emily looked at the area to the right of the pulpit and saw Aaron smiling at her as the head pastor of the church took over from there. It was fitting to her that Aaron perform her baby’s dedication. Emily found out when they started courting each other again that Aaron had become a youth pastor at the church. The head pastor did all of the dedications unless otherwise requested. She didn’t know why but it felt right having him lay hands on her daughter’s head and then hers, praying for guidance. In actuality, Emily couldn’t think of a better person to perform that service for her than Aaron.
At the end of the service Aaron--guitar in hand--led the youth worship team in song as everyone departed for the remainder of their day. In the time since they had been seeing each other again, she often watched as he interacted with the young people and it made her affections for him grow. She wondered just how blessed she was to have that man in her life. She was walking with her parents and Ashleigh to the car when she heard Liz call to them from behind.
“Mom, dad, Emily. I thought you had left already.”
“Nope. We almost got away though. What’s up?”
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier Emily, but Aaron asked if you would wait around for him after church. He needed to make sure all the youth get to their parents and everything got locked up but he says he wanted to talk to you if possible.”
“Ok. Thanks Liz.”
“I’ll see you guys later for dinner then.”
Her sister hurried to her own car and drove off. Emily had rode with her parents. No need in wasting gas was what her father always said. Her mother looked to her and smiled.
“You want me to take Ashleigh home for you? Get her all fed and stuff?”
“Nah, thanks but I think that she would look forward to seeing Aaron. She’s taken a liking to him it seems.”
“You don’t say? Like mother like daughter I assume. Alright then, I’ll see you later.”
“Bye.”
It was true that since they had been spending so much more time together, Aaron and Ashleigh had also been building a special bond. Emily was always filled with warmth every time her little face would light up when he came around her. She stood outside watching Ashleigh run around in the grass when Aaron came up behind her.
“Hey beautiful.”
She turned around and felt her cheeks blush in full red as he smiled at her.
“Hi.”
“Wait. I was actually talking to Ashleigh, but you’re not so bad either.”
They both laughed as Ashleigh climbed up the slide.
“So you wanted to talk, Liz said.”
“Yeah I did, but grab Ashleigh first, I wanna show you something.”
Aaron had a twinkle in his eye that made Emily wonder what in the world he was up to. She followed as he led her to a spot in the back of the church then he turned around and began speaking. He had brought her to the same place he proposed to her as a teenager years ago.
“Remember this spot Emily?”
The sarcastic part of her wanted to say ‘of course, the church’ but she didn’t. Moments later, she realized where they were and her heart beat picked up.
“Emily, having you back in my life has been extraordinary. I can’t explain how happy I am to be with you. And little Ashleigh here. Two years ago I wouldn’t know what to think about you having a child without me, and I still don’t. In my heart, she has always been my child. I can’t imagine my life without your or her. I told you the other day that my proposal to you all those years ago was real, and now I want to stand by it.”
Aaron got down on his knee, and looked up into Emily’s watering eyes. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small box.
“Oh my gosh, Aaron.”
“Emily, do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me. Will you marry me?”
“Oh yes Aaron, I will.”
Emily screamed in delight as he placed the ring on her finger, and then stopped him.
“On one condition.”
“Name it.”
“You weren’t really serious about the nine kids, were you?”
At that, they both laughed as he hugged his future wife and picked up his new daughter, looking forward to a future together that felt like it was always meant to be.
Thank you for reading.
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Continue reading for an excerpt from the second book in the Stanton Falls Series ‘Love Therapy.’
Chapter 1
“It’s still hard for me to see you there and not wanna send you to pick up table two. You sure you don’t want to catch a few extra hours?”
Donna looked around the diner, reminiscing on her past.
“Now Ms. Shirley, you know I had some good times here. If I didn’t actually love what I’m doing now I would hop right on back there, get myself an apron, and take you up on that offer.”
Shirley continued to prepare a slice of pie and coffee for Donna.
“Well Donna, I’m glad you don’t have to. You know this job is not all the glitz and glamor that it used to be. And I know I tell you this every time I see you but I’m really proud of you. I always feel like I had a tiny hand in your life and it’s nice when you do well. Like I’m living voraciously through you.”
Donna burst out in laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh Ms. Shirley I’m laughing at you and your new ten dollar word. You are so cute but you completely used the wrong one.’
Shirley looked at her. A confused expression plastered on her face. As someone that loved reading anything she could get her hands on, she was always trying to incorporate some new term into her vocab. The older woman stood with her hands on her waist, with her eyes looking up to the ceiling as she replayed the statement in her mind over and over again. She had no idea what the error was.
“Really?”
Donna laughed at the short, plump woman’s attempt to use what she called ten dollar words. Being around her always made Donna’s day a little brighter. Some people just had that kind of way about them. Shirley was the owner and principal operator of the diner and was friends with Donna’s mother from church so she had known her since she was practically a baby. As a teenager, she hired Donna on after school and later paid her more than she was worth to help her cover the costs for college.
“Yeah. You said voraciously but you meant vicariously. Living vicariously through me.”
“Oh well. They both start with ‘v’ and I had the spirit of th
e word right so how ya like them apples?”
The two women shared a laugh as Shirley stretched across the counter and placed the packaged pie slice and hot coffee in front of Donna.
“Here you go sweetie.”
When Donna reached for her wallet instead of her food Shirley spoke to her again, shaking her head in protest.
“What did I tell you about that?”
“Oh come on Mrs. Shirley. You can’t keep giving me free coffee and pie just because I worked here. You have got a business to run and money to be made. You know, despite all of our kidding, I really am not an employee of yours anymore.”
“Donna I know that all too well. None of these new girls I hired have anything on you. But I never considered you like a regular employee. You have been like a daughter to me since my own moved away so many years ago. I could no more charge you for a cup of coffee than I could her so you will either have to get used to it or find another place to get your coffee and you know that it would break my heart if you did that. So don’t you reach for that wallet again, you hear me?”
Donna knew her well enough to know that she was absolutely determined not to take her money, so she acquiesced.
“Yes ma'am. I got you loud and clear. That just means I will be piling all of that coffee and pie into your Christmas present.”
“Now that, I can allow!”
“Exactly. More than one way to skin a cat. Well I really have to run off to work now. Thank you for the coffee and pie and I will see you tomorrow.”
“Alright sweetie. Have a great day.”
“You too.”
Donna enjoyed her trips to the diner. It reminded her of just how unique of a place Stanton Falls was. It was totally different from Dallas. Not that either was better than the other--but it was just different. Things like getting a simple cup of coffee in those places was a chore. Four sizes, eighteen blends, five types of cream or milk and four versions of sugar, none of which were really natural. She inhaled her coffee as she walked towards the door. Simple. Black with a couple teaspoons of sugar. That’s the good stuff.
Since her hands were full, she leaned her shoulder forward to push the door open, and as she pushed forward, the door swung open from the other direction, causing her to stumble forward, almost falling before apparently having her fall saved by the chest of the person on the other side of the door. She didn’t know if she was more embarrassed to have almost fallen or to have been that close to a total stranger. She was invading his personal space.
Could have been worse. I could have spilled my coffee.
She looked backed up, hoping to thank the stranger that saved her from having to take another cup of coffee from Shirley for free. She stared at his concerned face.
Cute.
She thought he looked familiar and judging by the look of recognition on his face, she was sure she knew him from somewhere.
“Um, sorry to bump into you like that. Are you ok?”
“Donna?”
***
Nick couldn’t believe it was her but he would know her face anywhere. He had spent enough times going to that diner for any extra meals that he could just so he could have a chance to see her. It was funny because he had never been a shy person. He was typically the most outgoing person in the room but he had never really gotten past flirting with her in the past. He was never really sure if she even liked him. He was totally surprised that day when he went back to the diner and she was gone. The owner had told him that she was gone to finish up school and she didn’t even know if she was moving back in the future. Well apparently she decided to return to town.
Good for me.
That was how Nick felt right up until the moment that she responded to his greeting.
“I’m sorry. I know I’m supposed to know you but I’m just having a really hard time placing you.”
Nick laughed for a few seconds until he noticed how nervous she looked. He thought that she was joking but her furrowed eyebrows and squinted eyes were obvious giveaways that she really was trying to recall where she knew him from.
“Nick…. Nick…. You really don’t remember me?”
She didn’t want to be mean but she just couldn’t place him in the least bit and it was getting to the point that it was turning from a cute reunion into a quasi-awkward situation.
“No, I can’t say that I do. I kinda feel really like I should now.”
“Wow. When you used to work here I would come here all the time. Ordered apple pie for dessert on a regular.”
“C’mon. Everyone in town orders apple pie from here for dinner.”
Nick turned to Aaron who was barely containing his laughter.
“Dude, help me out here.”
“I got nothing man. You obviously aren’t that memorable.”
Suddenly recognition ran across Donna’s face.
“Wait a minute. You I remember. You came in a lot always with…”
She looked back to Nick.
“No way. You look so different now. You used to have the long hair that would hang halfway down your face. That’s why I didn’t recognize you. You were always either looking at a menu or all that hair was covering up them pearly blues. I could never forget two of my top clients. You paid for a good portion of my school you know. At least two classes. How y’all boys been?”
Nick was lost in his thoughts as she spoke to him. He hadn’t seen her in over a year, maybe even more than two years but he knew it was her from the second she fell through the door and into his arms. He didn't know if it was just because he hadn’t seen her in a while but he could swear she looked even more beautiful now than he remembered. He had never actually seen her in anything other than her work clothes so he had only that point of reference but even then she was pretty. There in her business clothes, he still saw the same young woman from before. He studied her face, finally noticing her looking at him. She waved her hand in front of his face attempting to get his attention.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that. Never mind. You were saying something?”
“Not so much saying as I was waiting for you to respond. I was asking how you guys have been and you sort of zoned out on me. Aaron was saying it was your inability to pay attention. I didn’t know whether he was serious or not but you were off in your own world for a good fifteen seconds there.”
Nick looked at Aaron with a look that only the two of them knew what it meant “I’m going to get you back.”
“Pay him absolutely no mind. He’s an idiot even though he thinks he is a comedian. I was just thinking how great it is to see you. You’re back from school now I presume.”
“Yes but how did you know I was at school.”
“When you went missing a while back, I was just interested to see what had happened to you.”
It seemed as if Aaron wanted to make things even more awkward for Nick.
“You should have seen him. After the third time you weren’t here he was getting the details.”
Nick jumped in again, desperately hoping to shut his friend up.
“Thank you for the play by play Aaron. Why don’t you get us a table while I talk to her for a minute?”
Before he could speak up, Donna looked at her watch and exclaimed.
“Oh my! I’m supposed to be somewhere right now. Listen, it was great seeing you again, but I really have to head off for work.”
She started off towards her car, leaving a stunned Nick and chuckling Aaron standing outside the diner. She looked back while opening her card door to sit down.
“I’ll see you boys around. I really gotta go. Bye.”
She closed the door to her car just as Nick was shouting back to her.
“Can I...”
She was already starting the car when he finished his sentence under his breath
“…maybe take you to dinner one day?”
Nick watched as her small green beetle drove off down the road and turned the corner. He’d have to catch up with her some other time. At least h
e knew where she probably got her coffee in the mornings.
“Sure, but I don’t think my wife would approve. Or unless you want to bring her too.”
“Man, what in the world are you talking about?”
Aaron snickered as he responded. He was having the time of his life at his friend's expense.
