“Dina.” Since Dina’s harrowing experience at the cave, she had returned her hair to its black-with-rainbow-stripe color. “You have grown up into a beautiful woman, and I know you’ll make a wonderful aunt.”
“Enid. We may not share the same ancestors, but you have been my precious sister in the Lord since the day you arrived. And Gilda. . .God didn’t just give me my husband. He gave me you, and I’ll thank Him for that every day from now on.”
“Noah. . .without your help, we might not have made it out of that cave alive. Brad. . .although we’ve just met, I feel as though I already know you.”
I looked at Audie, who held our son in his lap. Tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn’t say anything for a moment. “And to my beloved husband and our son, and our family, which God is creating day by day. I will always praise God for the day He brought you to Grace Gulch.”
“That calls for a toast.” Jessie appeared at my elbow and refilled our coffee cups.
“To the Wildes!”
“Don’t forget the Howes.”
I had everything I could ever want, right here.
Epilogue
Sunday, November 23
Around the first of November, Pastor Waldberg called us about including Ryan in the fall baby dedication service at Word of Faith Fellowship.
“Of course! We’ve been counting on it.” He gave us the relevant details, as well as reminding us to choose godparents for Ryan.
“Do you think we made the right decision?” I decided against dressing Ryan in his adorable miniature suit until after we arrived at church. In spite of some serious teasing, I didn’t want to dress him in an old-fashioned christening gown—although I had several beautiful examples in the store. Experience soon taught me babies dirtied their clothes almost as soon as you put them on. Instead, I put the outfit in his diaper bag. Time enough once we arrived at church, along with the rest of the Wilde clan. Gilda had flown in for the occasion from Chicago on Friday.
“About his godparents?” Audie bent over his son and tugged a Onesie over his kicking legs. He let Ryan grab hold of his fingers and lifted him to a sitting position. “You’re such a smart boy, you are.”
“Yes, about his godparents.”
We had decided months before Ryan’s birth that Jenna should be his godmother. Lord willing, nothing would happen to either of us before Ryan’s maturity. But if it did, we wanted my older sister to lead our children’s spiritual development. Hurricane Jenna had gentled into a refreshing rain, steady and dependable.
“I think so.”
We struggled with naming a godfather. The only male family member was Dad, and we felt we should ask a peer. We considered Cord, but it seemed wrong to ask him and not Frances.
In the weeks following the scene in the cave, however, Brad and Jenna spent a lot of time together. At first they pretended they were simply restoring what the fire had destroyed. Then they started spending evenings and weekends together as well, all day every day when they weren’t working or at home asleep. Dina spent a lot of time with them. I had never seen either sister so happy.
Jenna confided I could expect an official announcement by Christmas. They didn’t want to be accused of rushing into anything.
With that in mind, we asked Brad to be Ryan’s godfather.
“I’m honored.” He stammered. “But I’m such a new Christian. I’ve made such a mess of my own life.”
“We’re not worried about your past,” Audie said.
“And we believe in your future.” I beamed. Of course I couldn’t come out and say “Since you’ll be marrying my sister.” Dina might say something like that, but not me.
“I don’t even know how long I’ll be in Grace Gulch.”
“A little bird told us you might make Grace Gulch your home base.” Of course a muralist would always travel to the place his work required, but he had to live somewhere. Why not in Grace Gulch? Landing an internationally-recognized artist would put the Center for the Arts on the national map.
“Well.” Brad’s eyes darted in Jenna’s direction. “I just might.”
And so the decision was made.
At the start of morning worship, Pastor Waldberg invited all the participants to come forward. Since he included grandparents and godparents in the baby dedication service, half the people present surged to the front. In our case, the only family member not standing at the front was Dina. She sat next to Noah in the front row, her ever-present newspaper camera in her hands.
“Everybody loves babies,” she had explained. No one had objected to the pictures of baby Ryan in recent issues of the Herald.
Two other couples joined us at the front. The pastor addressed us. “Standing before us are three generations. Seeing this brings to mind Proverbs 17:6 which tells us that 'Grandchildren are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of children.
“Grandparents, we know you're very proud of these grandkids. And parents, we trust that the step of faith you're taking today will make your children proud of your actions one day.”
The pastor asked us to commit to “provide Ryan a Christian home of love and peace, to raise him in the truth of our Lord's instruction and discipline, and to encourage him to one day trust Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.”
Next, Jenna and Brad pledged to help us fulfill our vow. Jenna looked as radiant, joyful, and serious at the same time, as a bride.
Gilda and Dad, as grandparents, vowed to share the stories of God’s faithfulness through all the generations to their grandson. I remembered the honey almond cake Gilda had told me about, and smiled. Ryan had a godly heritage.
The pastor had given us a copy of the ceremony he was using but each word seemed new, fraught with meaning. I kept looking at Ryan’s face, memorizing its soft contours, pleading with God to help us with the awesome responsibility of raising this precious gift to love Him and serve Him.
Last of all, the pastor reminded the church at large of their responsibilities. I could see Dina out of the corner of my eye, her hand entwined with Noah’s. Were they envisioning a family of their own some day? Perhaps. Now that I knew the truth about the art professor and OBI agent, the possibility of a serious relationship didn’t bother me as it once had.
The church resounded when the congregation agreed “we do!”
Who could ask for anything more?
Not me.
The End
Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over thirty books and has written more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online elsewhere at https://www.facebook.com/Poet.Darlene.Franklin and http://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Franklin/e/B001K8993A/.
Upcoming books:
The Reformed Cowboy in The Cowboy’s Bride Collection, Barbour, 2016
A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas, in Brides of the Old West, June 1, 2015
The Face of Mary in A Texas Christmas, September 1, 2015
DRESSED FOR DEATH SERIES
Gunfight at Grace Gulch
A String of Murders
Paint Me a Murder
MAPLE NOTCH SAGA
Maple Notch Brides
Prodigal Patriot
Bridge to Love
Love’s Raid
Maple Notch Dreams
Hidden Dreams
Golden Dreams
Homefront Dreams
Maple Notch Days
Saving Felicity
Small-Town Bachelor
Miss Bliss and the Bear in Preacher Brides
Priceless Pearl in Homestead Brides
COLORADO MELODIES SERIES
Romanian Rhapsodies
Plainsong
Knight Music
Colorado Melodies
Love’s Raid in New England Romance Collection
It Is Well With my Soul
Calico Brides
Angel in Disguise in Texas Brides
Merry Christmas, With Love in Postmark: Christmas
A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas
Pride’s Fall
TEXAS TRAILS SERIES
Lone Star Trail
First Christmas in Christmas at Barncastle Inn
Face of Mary in A Woodland Christmas
Beacon of Love
Seaside Romance
A READER’S JOURNEY SERIES
1 & 2 Peter, 1,2,3 John, Jude (release date: June 1, 2015)
A Reader’s Journey through Matthew
HOLIDAYS OF THE HEART SERIES
Christmas Visitors,
My Candy Valentine
Love’s Glory (Release date: May 20, 2015)
An Apple for Christmas
* * *
[1] All quotations taken from A History of Grace Gulch.
Darlene Franklin - Dressed for Death 03 - Paint Me a Murder Page 20
