We can do it. With strong wills, boundaries, and the help of God… We can really start over and finish healing together.
“I just so happen to have my jacket and helmet, and I’d love to go on a ride with you to Books and Beans for dinner.”
He presses his lips together to hide his smile and tucks his head down shyly, rocking back on his heels. This shy side of him, the side that’s acknowledging his vulnerability, is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. It beats Flirty McFlirter Pants, hands down.
I turn and bound to my car and secure the goods, noticing my journal on the floorboard. I pick it up and turn to the latest entry, smiling as I recall writing it last night. Flipping through previous pages, my heart constricts at the evidence of my depression, my fight with God, and the heartbreak of a lifetime. Those are memories I should probably hold on to, but also, I don’t ever want toremember that place. I hated it there. My new book will be enough evidence of the fight.
I start to rip out the pages when Stone places his hands on my waist. “Whatcha doing?”
“Starting clean.” I spin in his arms, holding up the ripped pages that contain my darkest, depraved thoughts. I eye the bike over my shoulder and envision letting the pages set sail in the wind.How freeing…“Would you judge me too harshly if I littered? I promise these pages will decompose one day.”
Stone smiles crookedly and places a kiss on my forehead. “You do whatever you need to do.”
I slip into my jacket and put on my helmet as we walk to the motorcycle.
After he helps me on, he lifts my face shield and puts his face to mine, our helmets stopping our noses from touching. “Thank you for giving us a second chance. There’s something different about you.” I notice crinkles around his eyes, indicating he’s smiling as big as I am right now. “You’re like an orchid. Sensitive and picky, but when you’re in the right environment, you absolutely thrive. I’m excited to create an environment for you to bloom within. I love you, Lucy May.”
I could not possibly wipe the smile from my face if I tried. How did he know I now have a thing for orchids?God, thank you for speaking through this man. My man.
Stone chuckles and lowers my face shield, then in a very Stone-like move, he slaps the back of my helmet before hopping on the bike. I’m still laughing in disbelief at it all as he cranks the motorcycle. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight, thetorn papers clutched in my fist. Part of me clings in fear that he will walk away from me, but I know it’s the anxious attachment talking. The other part of me clings to him out of love, feeling prayerfully thankful that the Lord is providing the two of us another chance at choosing each other. This time for love, not for lust or out of loneliness or running from God.
Stone revs the bike, and then off we go. As the wind encloses around us, I feel it’s God wrapping us in His arms, looking after us and protecting us from ourselves. I open my fists, and I let go of the past once and for all.
Epilogue
Lucy - Two Years Later
“Stone!” I shout, zooming around the house like a crazed banshee looking for my husband. The Banshee effect is heightened by my all-black purifying charcoal face mask. “Stone! Where are you? Granite!”
“Babe, what is it?” He emerges from the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around him, his shorter hair damp and torso glistening from stray water droplets.
“Er, I—”
He smirks, takes the two steps towards me, and kisses me breathless. Ladies, get you a man who will kiss you while you sport a face mask. Even if it causes your mask to crack and crevice. “You had something to tell me, Little Lion?”
“Did I?” I shake my head clear of him, then I remember the email on my phone that now resides on the floor since I dropped it when he kissed me. “Oh!” I pick it up and shove the phone in his face. I already had one thing I was going to tell him before we left on ourdate, that way I could also tell my best friend, but nowthisnews has taken center stage. Can I shock my husband twice in one night?
I analyze every nuanced expression flickering across his handsome features as he reads the email to himself, mumbling the words under his breath. I bounce on my toes, awaiting his response while tears press against my eyes.
“Lucy. This is real?”
“I think so! I mean, I need to research her and stuff, but she seems legit.” Tears build in my eyes as he pulls me in for a tight hug.
“I’m so proud of you, Lucy May. I knew your stories were special.”
“Special enough for the big screen?” I choke out, disbelief and excitement tinging every word I speak. We read the email again, noting the producer’s name, her passion for Christian-based content produced by Christian women, and the offer to meet to discuss the possibility of the book I released two years ago becoming a feature film.
“This is our story, Stone. It’s the book I wrote about us!”
I follow him to our bedroom, continuing to gush as he gets dressed for our double date with Braxton and Hadley tonight. Oh, I can’t wait to tell Hadley!
“Do you think they’ll want to produce my story next?” He shaves his face while I wash my mask off.
“It can be the kid-friendly version of mine.” I chuckle to myself, remembering the precious story he wrote for me when he needed to step away to get his relationship right with the Lord. And let me tell you. It paid off. Everything.
Together, we are constantly learning to take our fears to the Lord. We have learned to love each other with an unconditional love, and even when we struggle to like each other some days (like when he struggles to open up about what’s bothering him, or when I lose myself in my stories when he needs my affection), we fall back onto our deep, unwavering love that seems to be growing more and more as each moment passes. And it’s the perfect time to add more love into our family of two.
As I do my makeup, Stone showers me with praise, and I preen under his love and affection. When we got married two years ago—a simple wedding with only family and friends in attendance since it was an extremely short two-week engagement—he slipped a little phrase into his vows that he has honored and upheld every single day of our blissful union: Lucy May, I promise to make sure you know how desired and wanted and loved you are each and every day.
