Page 39 of Always
“But Emmeline, she’s our priority—”
“And she still will be,” I assured her.
“I understand that you don’t want to be distracted from your task.”
“God’s shown me I was never meant to do this by myself, in my own strength.”
Felicia examined my face as though she needed to test the sincerity of what I was saying. I could only pray she’d find what she was looking for there. I’d pushed her away, and I didn’t deserve to have her again, but I was determined to win her and this time keep her.
“What if our love for each other makes us stronger together?” I asked, voicing a question even though I already knew the answer. “And what if our love for each other will only make Emmeline all the stronger and happier?”
She hesitated. “If Emmeline left us today, would you still want to be with me?”
“Aye. Always.”
“Truly?”
I nodded. “God brought us together for her sake. If the day comes when she no longer needs us, then He’ll have something different for us to do. Together.”
She smiled. Though it was weak, it was the most beautiful sight in the world. She studied me a moment before glancing around the darkened room, illuminated only by the soft glow of the dying fire. The cottage was still dusty and full of cobwebs and falling apart in many places.
Anxiety pinched my lungs. With this first glimpse of our new home, would she regret coming with me to be a charcoal burner’s wife? Now faced with the reality of our poverty, deprivation, and isolation, would she resent me and this new life?
“Our new home,” she said softly.
“It’s in disarray. But it’s bigger and has more than I thought it would. I’ll be able to repair and make most things workable in time.”
She pushed up to one elbow and scanned the room until her gaze came to rest upon Emmeline in her crate next to us. She watched the little girl’s sleeping face before dropping back to the pallet and closing her eyes.
My airways constricted even further. What else could I say to reassure Felicia? “I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you and Emmeline happy.”
Her eyes opened and met mine. “I am already happy.”
“But this place...”
“As long as we are together, I shall not need anything else. You are all I need.”
Relief and joy welled up deep inside, and I whispered a silent prayer of gratitude that God had granted me another chance to do things right. “Aye. And I need you. I don’t want to live without you.” The words didn’t come easily, but I knew them to be true. I not onlywantedher, but Ineededher.
At my confession, her lips curved into a smile. “I must be dreaming.”
“Nay.” I caressed her cheek. “This is no dream.”
“You are right. This is no dream,” she teased softly. “Rather, I believe I have died and gone to heaven.”
I grinned, my chest expanding with love. “Are you saying that lying in my arms is heavenly?”
“Perhaps,” she bantered.
“You don’t sound confident.”
“If you would like my confidence to grow, there is one thing to help it along.”
“And what is that?” I caressed her other cheek.
“You must kiss me again. And again.”
I bent in and brushed my nose against hers. “I can do that, my lady,” I whispered. And then I met her lips and showed her that I could. And that I would. Always.
