“Nathan,” she sniffled, stumbling into the kitchen.
“Rainy,” Nathan sprang to his feet rushing to pull the weeping woman close. “What’s wrong?”
Rainy shook her head collapsing into Nathan’s warm familiar embrace.
“Mommy, don’t cry.” Lucas stood abandoning his cookies and milk and wrapping himself around Rainy’s legs. “We love you.”
Rainy sniffed looking up into Nathan’s eyes as the words pounded into her heart. Did Nathan love her?
“We do love you,” the handsome man spoke, his words a breathy whisper against her lips. “Always.”
“Nathan, I want what you have,” Rainy managed through hiccups. “I want to know that peace, joy, and love that you radiate. Show me what to do.”
Nathan felt his heart leap for joy as he helped Rainy into a seat, nodding for Lucas to do the same. “All you have to do is ask,” he breathed still clinging to her hand. “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened unto you.”
“It’s easy, Mommy.” Lucas took her other hand. “Just say what I say.”
Rainy looked up in confusion as Nathan turned his full attention to his son.
“Dear Jesus, come into my heart today. Take away all of the old and bad things and make me new in you. Amen.”
The boy’s angelic face seemed to shine in the late afternoon sun and Rainy turned to look at Nathan who had tears shimmering in his eyes.
“How?” she managed to whisper, but Nathan only shook his head.
“Now you say it, Mommy. That’s all you have to do.”
Rainy felt her heart beating against her chest, striving to reach a heaven she had never pondered before. “Alright,” she said this time repeating the words with her son as a sense of freedom, peace, and wonder washed over her.
Lucas looked up at his mother and smiled. “Wanna cookie?”
Rainy’s short bark of laughter was echoed by Nathan’s and she squeezed his hand as a new hope filled her soul. She never would have thought, even a month ago, that she would be sitting at this table, holding hands with Nathan and contemplating a future together. Perhaps it would take time, but she knew that their futures were knit together in God’s love.
“You’re still here.” Mrs. Smythe grumbled as she walked into the kitchen a large bag of groceries in her hand. “Well, you might as well stay for supper then.” She looked down at Nathan and Rainy’s joined hands.
“Pizza!” Owen yelled strolling into the kitchen with two large pizza boxes in his hands.
“Are there more groceries?” Nathan stood slipping his fingers from Rainy’s.
“Thanks, Nate,” Owen grinned. “I’d appreciate the help.”
“I’ll come too,” Rainy looked up meeting Nathan’s eyes with an unasked question.
“What about my cookies?” Lucas asked, his little voice disgruntled as Rainy and Nathan headed for the door.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Nathan paused at the front door, brushing a strand of dark hair behind Rainy’s ear. “You look tired.” His heart was still racing as he tried to pull together everything that had just happened.
“I’m fine,” Rainy replied. “I see it now, what you’ve been talking about. I understand how one man who gave His life on a cross has the power to change another.” Rainy tipped up on her toes, her lips meeting Nathan’s in a warm kiss.
Nathan engulfed Rainy in his arms, pulling her deeper into his heart. He had prayed for so long that God would make him strong enough, and now he was finding that God was making Rainy strong enough to forgive him. Tears poured down his face as he drank in Rainy’s surrender, acceptance, and love.
“Where’s the soda?” a booming voice echoed from the kitchen, making the couple spring apart.
“We’d better bring in the rest of the groceries,” Nathan laughed, grabbing Rainy’s hand and racing for the car.
Chapter 16
Fall fell crisp and cool in Northern Iowa bringing with it the nip of frost and the dazzle of autumn colors to the trees. Vast fields of wheat, corn, and hay had been harvested and the golden fields lay in expectation of the coming snow.
“Are you warm enough?” Rainy asked, looking up at Lucas on his father’s shoulders.
“Yes,” the boy said, rolling his eyes.
“It’s a nice day for a walk in the park,” Nathan’s comment was quiet. He had been quiet throughout the day, and the silence was making Rainy edgy. They had come so far in rebuilding a broken relationship. She knew she loved Nathan with all of her heart and believed him when he said he loved her and Lucas right back.
She still hadn’t told the boy that Nathan was, in fact, his real daddy, but the time hadn’t seemed right. Lucas wasn’t even five yet, and all of this twisted love was more than he needed to understand yet.
“Can we have a seat?” Nathan nodded toward a bench near the stream. “I’d like to talk to the two of you about something.”
Rainy’s heart kicked up a beat. Was he going to leave again? After all that they had begun to build, was he going to take a job in some far distant state? Closing her eyes she let him guide her to the bench. Even if Nathan left, for whatever reason, Rainy knew that she belonged to another who stuck closer than a brother. God would never leave her or forsake her.
“Can I go to the water?” Lucas asked as Nathan swung him down onto the bench beside his mother.
“Can you wait a minute?” Nate asked. “I’d like to talk to both of you first.”
“Did I do something bad?” Lucas asked, his brows pinching. “I’m trying to be good.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong?” Nathan grinned. “I just have something I’d like to ask the two of you. Rainy, Lucas, you know that you mean the world to me. I love you. Both of you with all of my heart. I know it hasn’t been that long since I came back here, but in that time so much has changed. I know that I’m a
