“God is faithful, Lana. Matt hasn’t seen a great example from me either. Yet still the love of God found him.”
“Tom and I were wondering if you two are talking marriage yet. You do love him, don’t you?”
Anna felt a flush of heat and knew she was turning red. “I don’t know what I feel. There’s been a lot of guilt associated with how this all happened, and I want to give my family and friends time to work it through before I selfishly run ahead. We’re actually not seeing each other at the moment, other than to drop off or pick up Melody.”
“What! You’re kidding, right? Doesn’t God remove guilt? Because if he doesn’t, then I’m in real trouble.”
“Well, yes … but—”
“No buts, Sis, or we’re all in a mess. I’ve done a lot of soul searching in the last number of weeks. I thought about the years of sadness and loneliness you endured during Steven’s lengthy illness, and suddenly, I understood. It was as if God opened my eyes to the way he looked in on your pain. I’m ashamed of my behavior and lack of love. I felt if I forgave you too soon, others would think I was in on the lies and my reputation would be ruined.” She shook her head. “I was more worried about what others thought than what God wanted me to do.”
Anna smiled in acknowledgment, “Yeah, do I ever know and understand that sin. We must be twins.”
They laughed together, both with the same inflection at the same time, which made them laugh all the more.
“I love you, Sis.”
“Love you more,” Anna said.
“Yeah, you probably do. I’ve been a royal pain these past months, but I know someone who loves you to the moon and back, so what’s not to love? You look ten years younger than me, and you make chocolate cake in the face of tyranny.” She popped a large piece in her mouth, smacking her lips in sheer enjoyment.
“Now, do tell. Come on, spill the beans.”
Anna smiled at the thought of Matt. She knew what her sister was asking but didn’t know what to say. She pushed her piece of cake around on her plate with a fork.
“I know Matt loves you. You should’ve seen him in the hospital when you almost died. I’ve never seen anyone look so tormented, and it made me angry. In my unrighteous indignation, I felt he had no respect showing that much emotion around the rest of us who had zero time to get used to the idea of him. But now I realize that when someone truly loves, they can’t hide it.”
Anna shook her head. “It’s all so complicated. Everything is out of order, and you know me, I don’t do chaos well. I like everything stable and sensible.”
“Anna, I can’t tell you what to do. But I can encourage you to stop basing your decisions on what others think, and ask God for wisdom. How about we commit this to prayer. We used to pray for each other way more than we do now.”
Anna enveloped her sister in a warm hug. They stayed that way for a long moment.
Lana pulled back and they each dabbed at their eyes. “We’ve become watering pots in our old age.”
“Hey, you may be getting old, Lana, but I’m much younger than you.” Like school girls with a secret, giggles filled the room.
“Hey, sweet pea, we’re going to go see Grannie Rita.” Anna lifted Melody from the crib. “It’s perfect timing. You’re bright-eyed, happy, and all napped out. But whew! I just got a whiff of something not too sweet. How can a such a pretty little thing smell like that?”
Melody answered with a big smile.
Anna pulled at the snaps on Melody’s pink onesie to change her diaper. Then kissed the bottom of her feet. She squealed in delight.
“Come on, lovie, we have chocolates to deliver. It’s almost Christmas, and I’ve bought Rita’s favorites.” She bundled Melody into her coat and adorable pint-sized boots and headed for the car.
A dust of snow covered the frozen ground with the promise of more. A few snowflakes drifted lazily down as Anna pulled into the Pine Mountain Senior’s Villa. “We’re not going to stay long, Melody. I don’t want to get caught in a snowstorm.” They bustled in doors.
Rita’s smile split wide and she stretched out her arms for a hug. Her eyes lit up when she viewed the box of sweets in Anna’s hand. “Oh, my dear, you didn’t have to—” she chuckled, “but I’m sure glad you did. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you since you been off on maternity leave, but my, don’t you look beautiful. Motherhood really agrees with you.”
Anna smiled. “I think it’s forgiveness that agrees with me, Rita, but I love being a mother again too.”
“Well, I would say both motherhood and forgiveness have you looking radiant, my dear. Now bring that wee one closer and help me hold her. I want to pray a blessing over her while I’m still this side of heaven.”
With plumped up pillows in just the right spot and the bed raised so that she could sit, Rita held Melody in her frail arms. Anna gathered in close, perched on the edge of the bed to help. Melody instantly stopped squirming as if Rita had a calm button she switched on. Anna was amazed, because one thing her daughter didn’t do easily was settle.
A soft prayer ensued, mumbled in words of the spirit that Anna couldn’t understand. Snuggled in tight, Melody’s eyes grew heavy and she batted her thick, long eyelashes a few times before succumbing to sleep.
Rita finished and handed the sleeping child back to Anna.
“How is the father to this dear, sweet child?”
Anna’s heart started to hammer within.
“Why, he’s fine Rita. He comes and takes Melody regularly and is a wonderful father.”
“He has given his life to the Lord.”
“Yes,” Anna answered.
“I know the answer
