Page 117 of Love for a Lifetime

With his words, the dam holding back her tears crumbled. A sob snuck out before she could clamp her hand over her mouth.

She hated crying. Hated the sting in her throat and the tingling in her eyes. She hated the wetness and the heat in her cheeks.

Dawson stood and scooped her up before turning to take the rickety seat with her in his lap. She let the worst fears of the day leak out, creating room for something new inside of her.

Dawson’s hand brushed over her hair as he whispered, “Let it all out. Break apart if you have to. I’ll always help you put the pieces back together. And no one has to know.”

After a few minutes, her tears slowed. The rush of anger and fear was gone, and she actually felt better–stronger.

When she caught her breath, she lifted her head and wiped her face. “I don’t know what the future looks like.”

“Are we supposed to know that? Darn, I knew I missed something important when I got my tonsils removed in second grade.”

Olivia chuckled. “I remember that. You were pitiful.”

“Hey, it was the anesthesia. The nurse said it could have that effect on people.”

“Yes, crying about the loss of ‘the only body part you ever loved’ is probably a side effect.”

Dawson huffed and reached for his chest pocket where he kept his phone. “You know what? I’m going to look it up. I’ll show you–”

Olivia grabbed his hand. “Stop, I’m joking with you.”

“You’re never going to let me forget that! I was eight. I didn’t know what a tonsil was, and I was afraid they’d removed a toe or something else I needed.”

She brushed the short hair away from his forehead and framed his face with her hands. This man was special, and she couldn’t fathom why he would possibly want her. “I don’t know what the future looks like,” she repeated softly.

“Me either, but I don’t care what comes next as long as I’m with you. You’re the only thing I need. I’d be happy with a few fiery sunsets and clear starry nights too, but those are optional.”

Shoot. Why were her eyes trying to leak again? Loving Dawson was too much and not enough all at the same time.

Dawson adjusted his arms around her and propped his chin on her shoulder. “You’re the first to remind everyone to bring their hardships to the Lord so you can pray for them too, but have you shared this problem with anyone so they can pray for you?”

Olivia shook her head, and the old memory of being scolded by her dad for leaving the back door open one night and letting a raccoon in drifted back to the surface. She knew what Dawson was getting at, and it was never fun getting taught a lesson in real-time.

“Jesus is in the boat with you, Liv. Why are you afraid of the storm? He knows you need help, so why are you afraid to sit at His feet? It’s like you don’t trust Him to take care of you.”

“I do,” she whispered.

“Good. He hears your prayers,” Dawson whispered. “But He could be hearing your name in a hundred prayers.”

Olivia nodded. “You’re right. I’ve been so scared of God’s answer to this problem that I hid it from everyone. If I talk about it, it’s like it makes it real, and I’m scared of the plan He might have for me.”

Dawson pressed a sweet kiss to her temple. “You’re the strongest person I know, but you’re not facing anything alone. No matter what path the Lord has in store for you, I know you’ll do more than just survive. You’ll thrive because you have faith. It’s okay to be scared, but don’t stay there. Get up and remember who stands beside you.”

Hope filled her heart and made a home, settled down and planted roots right in the dirt Dawson had plowed with his words. He turned her world upside down, but now it was how it was meant to be. She wasn’t an army of one, and that was what she’d been missing all along.

“I know you’ll always be beside me,” she said.

“And?” Dawson coaxed.

“The Lord.”

“That’s right, my queen. He’ll never leave you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and relaxed into his hold. God knew she needed help, and He sent her the perfect man to walk beside her through the toughest times in her life.

No matter what happened, they’d face it together.

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