Love Inspired November 2013 #2 (37 page)

Chapter Twenty-one

I
t took fifteen minutes for David to drive to the address Secret Santa provided. He turned down the familiar gravel pathway that he'd traveled often growing up but hadn't seen in several months.

“Are those peach trees lining the road?” Laura asked.

“This is actually a driveway,” he said, “and yes, they are. The peaches are some of the best you'll ever taste, too. I used to eat so many when I was little that my folks were afraid I'd get sick.”

“You've been here before?”

David pulled past the last trees lining the drive and then viewed the open fields that bordered the white farmhouse and red barn. “I own it,” he said, blinking to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. But they weren't. The barn had a fresh coat of paint, as did the white fencing. But the barn and the fencing had nothing on the house. “That's my grandmother's house. My house now,” he said. “But the last time I saw it, the windows were boarded, and the house needed painting badly.”

“That's your house? David, it's beautiful! It looks like something out of a magazine.”

He'd dreamed of seeing the house look like this again. “I don't understand how...” He stopped as a man exited the front door—the new red front door—and waved.

“Isn't that Savannah's daddy?” Laura asked.

David pulled the car up to park beneath the big oak in front of the house. “Yes, it is.” He got out as Titus Jameson walked to meet them.

“Hey,” he said. “That's perfect timing. I just finished.” He looked into the backseat. “Oh, wow, they're as pretty as I heard. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Laura said, also exiting the car but slowly.

David glanced her way. “Honey, you okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, I'm fine. That wheelchair was hospital policy, so I put up with it, but they've been having me walk for the past two days. I'm good to go.”

David smiled at her determination. He loved that about her, loved everything about her, in fact. “Okay,” he said, and then turned to the guy standing by the car. “Titus, what—well, what are you doing here?” he asked, opening the door to the backseat and unhooking Grace's infant carrier so he could carry her inside.

Laura opened the other door for Joy, but Titus intervened. “Here, that'll be heavy for you to get with the seat and all,” he said, and then he proceeded to unhook Joy's carrier.

“I figured you already knew why I was here,” Titus said as they walked toward the house. “But I really wasn't sure how he did it all—Secret Santa, I mean. Remember when I came in the bookstore not knowing what I was going to do about work and Christmas for Savannah? Well, the next day I got an envelope of cash and a credit at the building supply store with instructions to fix this place up for you. So that's what I've been doing,” Titus said with a grin. “He's left me notes every now and then about things he wanted done, and when I got a note—on a candy cane, of course—I did what it said.”

“Seems like everybody does,” Laura said, crossing the porch and putting her hand on the door. “Can we go in?”

“Of course,” Titus said.

Laura opened the door and then held it wide so Titus and David could carry the babies in. They placed the carriers on the hardwood floor near the stairs, while David stood in awe. The walls had all been painted the original shade of creamy yellow, and the furniture that had previously been covered with sheets had been recovered with new fabrics in shades of rust and gold that gave the place a homey, farm appeal.

“I could so live here,” Laura whispered.

Titus winked at David. “Listen, Daniel and Mandy are watching Savannah for me, and I want to spend some time with her today, so I'm going to head on out. Everything is done here. This morning was the last finishing touches. I'm going to leave so you can have some privacy to see your new home.”

David nodded as Titus saw himself out, and then he simply moved through the place to appreciate the beauty of the restored home. “It's exactly like I dreamed,” he said. Then he heard Laura's gasp and turned to see what had her attention.

She faced the fireplace in the living room and stood with her mouth open as she focused on the photograph above the mantel.

“I never saw the photo,” David said, staring at the picture, “but I remember when Mandy took it.”

Laura blinked several times as she took in the image of herself, reading to the children's book club, Savannah leaning against her and peering at the book and Kaden peeking at the page. Several other children faced her and leaned forward to hear every word. “That touches my heart,” she said.

“Mine, too.”

The front door opened, and David turned, expecting to see that Titus had forgotten something, but instead Zeb walked in.

He'd started moving slower lately, and today was no exception. “Okay if I come on in?”

“Of course,” David said, walking to welcome their guest. “How did you know we were here?”

“Titus,” he said, smiling as he moved to the stairs, held the rail and then sat down beside the carriers. “They're so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Laura said.

“I...” Zeb began, then reached out to touch Grace's tiny hand. “I have something to tell both of you, before the others arrive.”

“Others?” Laura asked. She walked over and sat on a cushioned chair near the stairs. David moved to sit beside her and held her hand.

Zeb nodded. “I believe a few folks are in on this little secret, or they will be soon.”

“Because of Titus?” she asked.

“Because of Secret Santa.” Zeb looked up at them and smiled. “All of those years that you've been giving me those books for free,” he said to David, “I kept up.”

“You kept up with what?” David asked, confused.

“With what I owed. I kept up with my debt,” Zeb said. “I had a debt to repay. That's the thing about helping others, about giving to others. God gives you back so much more. All these years I've been visiting the hospitals and the shut-ins and the nursing homes, I've gotten close to a lot of folks, lots of times during their last years, their last days.” He sighed, apparently reflecting on some of the people he'd helped over the years. “I give them my time.” He shrugged. “I give them God's love.”

David concentrated on listening to everything Zeb had to say.

“And when it comes their time to meet their Lord,” Zeb continued, “they leave the stuff that doesn't matter up there to me, 'cause they know I'll give it to the ones who need it, and I do. To the best of my ability, I do.”

“Oh, Zeb.” Laura reached for his hand.

“It's you, isn't it? You're Secret Santa,” David said.

Zeb nodded. “I am.”

“I can't thank you enough,” David said.

“I'm just doing what's right.” Zeb looked at the sleeping babies. “This place was meant for the four of you.”

“Oh, Zeb, we aren't—I mean, David hasn't asked me,” Laura stammered, but David merely grinned at the older man.

“No, I haven't, but I've learned something over the past few days. When you've got something to say, or in this case, something to ask, then you certainly shouldn't waste time.”

Zeb grinned, and Laura's mouth dropped open.

“David?” she asked as he moved in front of her and lowered to one knee.

“Laura, I've loved you for longer than I was willing to admit, but I'll never make that mistake again. If I'm thinking that I love you, I'll say it. If I want to hold your hand, I'll hold it. If I want to kiss you and love you and cherish you for the rest of my life—and I do—I promise I'll do it.” He slid his hand into his pocket and withdrew the ring that'd been keeping him company for the past five days.

Laura gasped as he opened the box. “That's—that's my ring!”

“If you'll say yes, it is,” David agreed.

“Yes, yes, oh, yes!” she said as David slid the ring on her finger and marveled at the beauty of the three sparkling stones, even prettier on the hand of the woman he loved.

“For our past, our present and our future,” he said.

“Maybe you can have a Valentine's Day wedding,” Zeb said, “so I can be there to see it?”

David didn't like the way that sounded, at all, and from the way Laura tensed, she heard the same thing. “Zeb, what are you saying?” David asked.

The older man took another glance at Grace and Joy then wiped a couple of tears away. “I've been waiting a long time to be with my Dolly again. And now, according to the doctors, I don't have to wait much longer. Three months at the most, they say.” He turned his attention from the babies to Laura and David. “That's why Valentine's Day might work.”

Laura's tears were flowing now, and she took Zeb's hand in hers. “Valentine's Day would be perfect, especially if we have you there.”

David nodded, unable to speak for the emotion squeezing his heart.

“I want you two to run the bookstore the way you have, taking care of the children in town and also those special ones at the hospitals and the nursing homes. And, Laura, I know you wanted to teach at a school, but what you do at the bookstore, that's important teaching, too. And at the hospital. I truly believe you were meant for those things.”

David believed so, too, and he wanted the bookstore to stay open and for her to be able to continue working with children there, but even with a place to live, he wasn't sure...

“David,” Zeb continued, breaking into David's thoughts.

“Yes?”

“Your bookstore is going to be fine now.”

David was floored. What was Zeb saying? “Going to be fine now?” he asked.

Zeb nodded. “The line of credit on the farmhouse is taken care of, and as of this morning, you're debt-free.”

“Zeb!” Laura exclaimed, and David shook his head. “It's—gone? Paid for? All of it?”

“All of it,” Zeb said with a nod.

“I— Zeb, I don't know what to say.”

“You should tell your fiancée about her Christmas present, the one from you, since she'll be able to use it now,” Zeb said.

David hadn't even mentioned the gift to Laura, since he had thought they wouldn't get to use it, but he swallowed, cleared his throat and said, “The work that my dad and I did over Thanksgiving upstairs, and that I've been pecking away at ever since...”

“Yes?” Laura asked.

“We finished a room for the girls, a place for them to stay when we're at the bookstore. Thanks to my dad's help, it turned out very nice. I think you'll like it.”

“I've seen it,” Zeb said. “It's beautiful.”

“Oh, David, thank you.” She hugged him tightly and held on. “And, Zeb, thank you so much for giving us this gift!”

“Zeb,” David said, “I don't know how we can ever repay you.”

Zeb's mouth slid into a smile. “I do. Say you two will take over, when I'm gone on to see my Lord and be with my Dolly.”

“Take over,” David repeated.

“You need a new Secret Santa,” Laura said, obviously putting the puzzle together quicker than David.

“I believe I need two, if you get right down to it,” Zeb said. “It's been a lot for one person to handle, but I've been watching you over the past months, the love you have for children, for the community and for each other. That's what I was looking for, what I prayed for, and God gave it to me...with you.” He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a tiny black bank book. “This here will tell you what I have in the account for your giving. Actually, what you have, since I've already added your names to the account. And this is how it works. The more you give, the more you'll have in the account. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's the way God does things.” He smiled. “Trust me.”

David took the book. “We do, Zeb. We do.”

The sound of crunching gravel alerted them that someone else had arrived.

“That will be all of your family and friends,” Zeb said.

“How did they know to come here?” Laura asked.

“That's easy. Candy canes.”

Epilogue

L
aura hadn't even realized her father was interested in changing schools until he announced he'd taken the eighth-grade teaching position vacated by Mr. Nance at Claremont Middle School. He transferred in January, so he and Marjorie were already settled into a house not far from the town square by the time Thomas had the blessed opportunity to walk his daughter down the aisle on Valentine's Day.

“Are you ready, honey?” he asked, patting Laura's hand.

Laura looked to the front of the church, where Brother Henry held his Bible and waited to perform the ceremony, and David stood waiting to make her his wife, to love, honor and cherish her as long as they both shall live.

Thank You, God, for this day, and for the man that I love. Thank You for our baby girls and for making my family whole again
.

Grace began whimpering from her spot in Marjorie's arms, but Joy, as usual, slept away in the arms of her Papa Zeb.

Laura concentrated on every word of the ceremony, on every beautiful emotion pulsing through her being as she said her vows. And then David surprised her when he asked for Marjorie to bring Grace and Zeb to bring Joy and stand beside them.

Then Brother Henry continued, “David, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

David took Laura's hand and gently slid the ring on her finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

In the rehearsal, this was the part where David kissed her, but instead of that happening now, Brother Henry spoke again.

“Because this marriage is so much more than the joining of two hearts but is instead the blending of four lives, David asked to also give a token of his love and devotion to their daughters.”

While Laura watched in awe, David withdrew two small gold rings from his pocket and lovingly slid one on each girl's tiny finger. “I love you,” David said, then looked to Laura. “All of you. You are my life, you are my love.”

Brother Henry nodded. “And you may kiss your bride.”

David took the woman he loved in his arms and replied, “Gladly.”

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS by Teri Wilson.