Home to You (25 page)

Sarah backed up. The boy was looking right at her.

“You come to join the party? It’s a block over, honey.

Come let papa show you the way.”

Meghan recognized the lust in his eyes and her stomach turned. “Sarah,” Meghan said sharply and the child ran to her, getting behind her.

For the first time the youth noticed Meghan. His gaze ran up and down her before turning ugly. “Leave the kid alone. If she wants to play, let her play.”

“Go to Carolyne. Now,” Meghan ordered.

She heard Sarah’s feet take off.

The youth started forward. Meghan lifted her cane and swung it at him.

He grabbed the end of it and jerked her forward.

His breath stank as he caught her up against him.

“Well, looks like you want to play instead,” he whispered, and she could smell the stale stench of cigarettes and alcohol on him.

“Not likely,” she muttered and pushed back, trying to regain her footing.

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The boy laughed and ran his hand down her back, fondling her.

She gasped and slapped at him. “Leave me alone.”

He glared at her and pulled her closer. “Whacha gonna do if I don’t?”

Meghan had not been so terrified as when she’d been grabbed by the man in the shelter.
God, I need help,
she silently prayed. She didn’t know if He would hear her or not, but she had to try.

Fight or flight kicked in and she started struggling.

That only made the young man laugh harder.

When she realized her actions encouraged him, she decided her only option was to hurt him where she could. When he pulled at her again, she lifted her knee as hard and fast as she could.

The boy sucked in a breath and with violence she didn’t know someone so small could have, he grabbed her and threw her across the alley.

Her back hit the wall and she bounced, literally, from the wall onto a bunch of old rotting cardboard boxes.

The young boy cursed and started toward her, limp-ing. “I’m going to kill you for that.”

He pulled out a switchblade.

She suddenly realized the blade was fuzzy and was certain it was her way of protecting herself by block-ing it out. She closed her eyes.

And then he was there, the blade arcing down.

Chapter Twenty

Dakota sailed through the air, seeing the knife closing in on Meghan’s crumpled form. Never in his life had he been as terrified as he was at that moment.

But he knew that if he could stop this youth from stabbing Meghan, a knife in his own gut would be worth it.

His body met with the boy’s shoulder and they both went rolling into the cardboard boxes.

Chase came from nowhere, kicking the boy’s hand.

The youth cried out.

With a vicious twist, Chase grabbed the youth’s hand and flipped him over, knocking Dakota out of the way.

Dakota didn’t argue as this was Chase’s area of expertise.

“Dakota!” Carolyne cried out from the other end of the street. Dakota glanced up and nodded as he pulled himself to his feet and rushed to Meghan.

“Daddy!” Sarah called out. She was crying and in Carolyne’s arms.

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Meghan was still lying in the boxes, her dress hitched up to her knees, her legs covered in grime from where she’d fallen.

He knelt down next to her. “Sweet Meghan.”

It was all he could say. Not waiting to see if she was okay, he hauled her up into his arms and held her closely. “What were you thinking? You scared me to death! I nearly died when I saw that guy attacking you.”

“Where did you come from?” Her body trembled though she clung to him for dear life. “I couldn’t let him hurt Sarah. He would have.”

“Shush,” Dakota said, hearing the fear in her voice.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to chastise you.” He hugged her tighter. “We got a call from Mom and were at the end of the alley just as you hit that kid with your cane.”

Dakota rocked her back and forth. “One of the brav-est things I’ve seen, though by the time we got out of the car and started toward you, he’d already pulled that knife.”

“Dakota,” Meghan whispered into his shoulder.

He shook his head. “No, it’s okay,” he said softly.

“You’re fine. I can’t tell you what it felt like seeing you in danger. Oh, Meghan, Meghan,” he whispered, realizing he was shaking. He heard Chase reading the rights to Meghan’s attacker and he saw that other squad cars had pulled up, but still he didn’t release Meghan. Instead, he said, “I couldn’t have lived if you had been killed. I can’t tell you how terrified I was. You see—”

“Dakota,” Meghan whispered again but he ignored her.

“Hear me out, sweet Meghan. I love you.”

She stilled in his arms.

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“I want you to marry me. Since you’ve come into my life, I’ve changed, for the better. God has changed my outlook on life and you have become such an integral part, I don’t think I could live without you.”

“But what about the church?” Her voice was small and worried.

He ran his hand through her hair. “I am a pastor and in charge of this church, but I’m a man, too, and God has blessed us with marriage, you know.”

“But the MS—”

He squeezed her tighter. “We’ll deal with it when it acts up. That’s part of your life, and it will be part of my life, as well.”

“No, you don’t understand,” she started.

“Meghan—” Dakota hugged her tighter “—Meghan, my love, I do understand. Some of the people at the church want me to spend every waking minute at their disposal.

That’s not what God called me to do. He’s called me to preach the Word, instruct the flock and love them, not be their slave. I don’t know how things happened, but things are going back like they should be. And the best way for that to happen is for me to keep my priorities straight. And I can’t think of anyone better than you to keep me in line when I get off track. God sent you here—that is, unless you don’t want me,” Dakota said, suddenly unsure.

He sat back to look at her.

She was staring off into the distance, at him, but through him. “Meghan?”

She bit her lip. “I love you, Dakota, and would love to marry you, but…”

When she didn’t say anything, he studied her face.

“What is it?”

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“I think I’m having an MS attack. Can someone go blind from MS?”

Dakota felt his heart drop to his feet. “Chase? Chase!

We need to get Meghan to the hospital!”

He stood and lifted her into his arms. “I thought you were scared and worried about my proposal!” he said as he made his way down the alley.

Meghan sighed. “I am scared and worried, but well, not about that.”

He got to Chase’s car and sat her in the back seat, sliding in with her. Chase was just putting the prisoner in one of the squad cars. He finished and hurried over.

“What’s the matter?” Chase bent down to examine Meghan.

Dakota shook his head. “MS attack. She’s lost her sight.”

Chase looked surprised but didn’t argue. He hurried over to his daughter and then returned, jumping into the car and taking off, leaving Sarah with Dakota’s mom.

“I’m sorry,” Meghan whispered.

Dakota pulled her close. “For what?”

“This. If you want to take back your proposal, I’d understand.”

Chase looked up sharply into the rearview mirror.

Dakota pointedly ignored the look. “Never, sweet Meghan. I want you to spend the rest of your life with me.”

Meghan held on to him and he hugged her close. “I don’t know if my vision will come back. I don’t know if it’s even from the MS. Can you accept that? What am I saying? I don’t know if I can.” She hesitated. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

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Dakota rocked her. “Sweetheart, if you were in a wheelchair or bedridden, I’d accept it because I love you.”

“Oh, Dakota.” Meghan buried her head in his shoulder.

“Jesus, heal her,”
Dakota whispered over her.

She shuddered.

He repeated the prayer again and again.

In minutes they were at the hospital. As Dakota got out, a stretcher was brought out for Meghan.

Laying her on it, he leaned down next to her ear. “I’ll be waiting out here for an answer, that’s how sure I am I want you. No matter what, honey. Now, go get taken care of, okay?”

Meghan reached out for his hand.

He caught her fingers.

She squeezed them. “I can answer you now but I’d rather be able to see you to answer.”

He lifted her fingers to his cheek. “I love you, sweet Meghan. I can wait.”

She shook her head. “I love you, too, Dakota. I think I probably always have.” He could see the fear and yet the determined courage as she reached up with her other hand and pulled him closer. “My answer is yes.”

She felt for his face and he allowed himself to break into a broad smile. Relief colored her features and tears slipped from her eyes, trickling away into her hairline.

“Pastor, we need to take her now,” a hospital atten-dant said.

He stepped back. “You’ll be fine,” he called.

She nibbled her lip and clasped her hands, terrified but brave, too. “With God,” she called back.

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He’d never been so proud.

Chase walked up to him.

“She said yes.”

He nodded. “So what are you going to do about your church?”

Dakota frowned. “I have to have some time to pray.

Be there on Sunday morning and you’ll see.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Sunday

Two weeks later

Church had gone well. They had just finished the altar call. Dakota smiled at Meghan, who sat in the first row with his mom. Then he looked out at the expectant crowd.

Normally, right now he would dismiss with prayer.

But after two weeks of prayer and that first week at the hospital with Meghan, who had indeed gotten some of her vision back, he had come to a decision.

Meghan was very swollen from prednisone therapy, her face all puffy and red. She had worried about coming with him this morning, but he felt it important she be there, even at her worst, when he made this announcement. Her hands and feet looked awful and her dress was a bit tight on her in the waist, but the doctor said in a week or two that’d be gone. It was all water weight. The best news, however, was that hopefully, in
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six months she’d have all of her vision back. They’d just have to wait and see. MS was evidently a disease like that, waiting and seeing—a study in patience—something he had learned since meeting Meghan.

“I know you expect me to dismiss you, but I have an announcement to make,” he said to the congregation.

His eyes connected with the elders who were un-happy with him and he could tell Zach knew what was coming. Zach stiffened and looked over to where Meghan and Dakota’s mom sat.

“I’ve been pastor here for a while and I hear all the jokes you guys make about my lack of marriage and my living at the church. Well, today things are changing because I have asked Meghan O’Halleran to be my wife and she has accepted.”

Gasps went up from the congregation. Some clapped, some gaped, while others cheered.

A few saw two of the elders get up and walk out.

Three other families followed suit. Odel didn’t leave, though, nor did Jess or Blaine.

His heart grieved as he saw the angered looks on the faces of the ones who’d left. Maybe they’d come back, but that was between them and God.

“Dear heavenly Father,”
Dakota said, bowing his head and letting everyone fall quiet.
“Bless us today and
protect us as we head to our homes. Keep us safe and
in an attitude of worship of You. In Jesus’name, amen.”

The pianist started playing.

Meghan stood.

Many rushed forward to congratulate him. He made his way to Meghan’s side and slowly down the aisle,
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taking Meghan with him. “I saw some leave,” she whispered as they worked their way to the back door.

He nodded. “It hurts.”

She hugged her arm around him.

“It was a lot of tithers that left, your mom said.”

He shrugged. “God will provide. It’s His church.”

Meghan stared up at Dakota. “What a change for a man who has to be in control of everything and constantly busy.”

The other elders walked up, so Meghan fell quiet. “My dear,” Blaine said, taking her hand. “We are so very happy for this man. I think he has made an excellent choice.”

She blushed and Dakota smiled. Jess kissed her hand and Dakota cleared his throat.

Then Odel walked up. Dakota shook his hand.

Odel shifted from foot to foot and then said, “You know, an associate pastor might be out for the short term, but next time the subject is brought up, I’ll see to getting you some help.”

Dakota smiled warmly. “Thank you, Odel. I appreciate that.”

“We can’t afford it right now,” Jess joked, “but to that end, we have drawn up a plan to involve the elders and deacons more in the daily activities of the church. We had a meeting during the week and made some calls—and we all want to help take over some of the lesser things that you shouldn’t have to worry over. It is biblical, after all.”

Humbled, Dakota thanked them. “I’ve been too controlling myself, and never realized I was robbing you of some of the joy of serving.”

“That’s right, brother,” Jess said. “Robbing us of blessings you were.”

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Everyone laughed.

Blaine turned serious. “It’ll be rough for a while, but we’ve all been around long enough, son, to tell you that God is in control.”

“And I know that now,” Dakota said, grinning.

“I love you, you know.” Megan told him.

Dakota grinned and squeezed her. “Everything will work out.”

“What about Chase and Sarah?” she asked.

Dakota drew a finger down the side of her cheek. “I know they’re having problems, but I just have this feeling that things are going to work out.”