Page 119 of Left Behind

Ava hid her face in the curve of Wiley’s neck and started to cry. He panicked.

“Ava, honey, are you sad?”

She shook her head, but wouldn’t look up.

Linette walked up beside them and wrapped her arms around both of them. “I think these are tears of relief.”

“Will she still be in my dreams?” Ava whispered.

Wiley frowned. “I didn’t know she was. Was she scary in the dreams?”

Ava nodded.

Wiley hugged her close. “Dreams aren’t real, baby girl. They’re just stories in your sleep. Like movies we watch. And when the movie is over, then so is the story. When you wake up, you always know the dream wasn’t real, right?”

She didn’t answer, but she was listening, and then Linette leaned over and whispered in her ear.

“Next time you have a scary dream that wakes you up, you don’t have to be scared alone. You come tell Wiley and me, and we’ll hug it away. Okay?”

“Absolutely,” Wiley said. “Now, let’s go wash your face and pick out something to wear so we can go eat. I’m starved. Are you starved?”

Ava nodded. “I’m starved.”

“And I need to change out of my scrubs before we can leave. I’ll hurry,” Linette said, gave Ava a quick kiss on the cheek, and then one to Wiley. “I want to look pretty for my two favorite people,” she said, and hurried out of the room.

“I want to look pretty, too,” Ava said.

Wiley nodded. “Then let’s go pick out one of your new dresses to wear.”

“Yes! I want to wear the one with blue and yellow flowers,” she said.

“I knew you’d pick that one,” Wiley said as they headed up the hall and into her room.

“How did you know that?” she asked.

“Because your eyes are blue, and your hair is blond. You’ll look fabulous in that dress,” he said as he took it out of the closet.

“And can I wear my B.J. necklace?” she asked.

“Absolutely.” Wiley said as he was pulling her T-shirt over her head.

Ava wiggled out of her shorts, then held up her arms as he slipped the little dress down over her head. “And lipstick? Can I wear lipstick?”

He gave her a look. “We’ll do lip gloss.”

“Yes, that,” Ava said.

Wiley sighed. The girlie girl is strong within her. She is going to be a heartbreaker one day, but not today, Lord. Today, she’s just my little sister.

***

Linette kept looking at her ring as she showered and dressed. She was officially Wiley Pope’s almost wife, and that diamond he’d put on her finger proclaimed it. But she had questions, like how he had afforded chartering a helicopter for a one-day trip, and now the square-cut diamond on her ring. It was stunning. Something was going on with him, with all of them, but she wasn’t sure what. What she did know was that she trusted him with her life, and the rest would be revealed.

She was checking her makeup in the mirror when Wiley walked in. She noticed he’d changed clothes, then he kissed the back of her neck, and she forgot what she was doing.

“You’re gorgeous, darlin’.”

The husky whisper in her ear made her shiver. “I don’t know about all that, but you make me feel pretty, and that’s all any girl needs. I’m ready. I just need to get my purse.”

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