"Oh, it's not a problem. I was heading this way anyway," she said.
"Your boys are managing somehow to charm everyone in the room. Look at them now," Mark said, nodding over toward where Aiden and Ethan were speaking with the group of old ladies who had parked their chairs together and were pretending to knit but were actually matchmaking.
"They just love people. Especially Aiden."
"Isadora and I were saying how cute they were. And her kids just seem to... we had to remind her kids several times not to play favorites. Those boys are something else."
Like any normal parent, it warmed Olivia's heart and soul to hear someone complimenting her children.
Even though she tried hard to ignore the fact that Mark was basically praising Isadora as well. And her children.
"I worry so much that I'm ruining them, you know?"
"Weren't you the one that was telling me earlier today that God isn't giving us anything that He isn't going to help us handle? That we have everything we need for the job that He's put in front of us?"
She laughed and shook her head. "You are so right. I don't know why I don't apply that to my situation. I feel like the boysdon't have a father and therefore they have a handicap in life. You know?"
"I do believe that it's important for a child to grow up in a two-parent home. That's the way God intended it, and that's the way children thrive. There is no doubt about that. But it's true that God promises to be with you always, and to help you. And it's also true that He has a plan for your life, and for theirs. And if His plan had been for their dad to survive, he would have."
His voice held compassion and kindness, and she knew he was saying it in the sweetest and most loving way possible. He wasn't trying to rub in her face that her husband had died.
"I'm sorry to bring up what have to be painful memories," he said.
"No. It's not a problem. It's been long enough ago that I still get a twinge, but it's mostly because of my sadness for the boys. Never knowing their father, never getting to have any memories with him at all. That type of thing. For me... I guess I wish that I would've had a marriage where I celebrated a fiftieth anniversary. But... I guess that wasn't what God had for me."
"No. It's sometimes one of the hardest things to accept, that what we want isn't what God wants for us. That's tough."
"Boy. I agree with you completely."
They'd made it to the little stand, and she picked the paper up.
"I was thinking about you being right here. Grace and I were just talking about this earlier, and if we have the money, we're going to see if we can have a raised platform. Which I think will make the candlelight more visible to everyone. The arrangement of the musicians won't be quite as important, but we've tried to do it so that the most angles have good views. We have you sitting in a chair over here, and then, when it's time for you to stand up and speak, you'll move to here."
Mark nodded, looking like he approved of her plan.
"That's brilliant. I love that you really thought this out and have chosen the absolute best way to arrange things. I'm impressed." Helooked at her, his eyes twinkling, and for a few moments, it was as though everyone in the large room faded away, and it was just Mark and her in the world together.
She'd never experienced that before, where it felt like they were the only two in the world. Even with Cam.
She didn't know how long the moment would've lasted, but Marjorie McBride spoke, and the spell was broken.
"I'm so glad you're here. I've got the boys carrying your soup out, and I do believe everyone is starving. And that bread smells amazing."
If Marjorie noticed there was anything amiss, she didn't say, and Olivia certainly didn't bring attention to it.
Instead, she cleared her throat, which suddenly felt constricted, and willed her mouth to make saliva, since it was suddenly powder dry.
"I'll leave you to your duties. Thank you for showing me. That's a brilliant arrangement." Pastor Mark pointed at the paper, and then nodded at her and walked away.
As had become the custom, he would pray before the meal, and then he would wait until everyone else had been served before he got his own food. Olivia had noticed that he had done that with every meal that they served.
It was impressive, and in her opinion, it showed true leadership. Where the leader made sure that everyone following him was nourished before he nourished himself.
It flew in the face of what modern society often told people, that you've got to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else, and it harkened back to what she always heard about George Washington, making sure his men ate before he did. It was a biblical principle, with Jesus washing the disciples' feet and caring for others before he cared for himself.
Mark definitely lived a life that pointed people to Jesus. To her, that was impressive.
Chapter 17
