“My lips are sealed.” He made a zipping motion over his mouth.
“When I was a little girl, my grandmother would tell me a story to help me fall asleep about a young maiden who met her true love at the falls. Years later, I found out that’s how she and my Grandpa actually met.”
“That’s sweet. Why wouldn’t you want me to tell anyone?”
She groaned. “Because in my state of mind that spring, I thought maybe if I went to the falls, history would repeat itself and I’d find my true love. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds hopeful, and there’s nothing stupid about that.” He kept one hand on the steering wheel as he drove. “Why didn’t you stay longer?”
“Between college and work for me, and work and wedding planning for Kelly, those are the only days we could fit.”
“So, you drove over twelve hours one day, only to turn around and drive another twelve hours home the next day?”
“Pretty much.” The memory brought a smile to her face. “We had a blast though. I didn’t find romance, but I got to experience an amazing natural wonder with my best friend.”
“Sounds like a successful trip.”
“Absolutely. While I stood there, watching the torrents of water and contemplating the power behind them, I realized anew how incredible God is. And although I was having a tough year, I knew if the same God who created such a magnificent scene had control of nature, he had control of my life as well. I came home with a renewed spirit, threw myself back into Bible study, and I even found a new roommate for my last two years.”
“That’s incredible.” He glanced at her again. “How come I never knew about this trip?”
She scrunched her face. “Kelly, um, didn’t want Tommy to know. She knew he wouldn’t be happy about us driving that far alone.”
“I’d have to agree with him.”
“Which is exactly why we didn’t tell anyone, except my mom in case anything strange happened.”
He arched a brow. “She was okay with it?”
“Not exactly, but more because she didn’t agree with Kelly keeping a secret from her fiancé.”
“I’m surprised Kelly didn’t tell him. She and Tommy have always been so close.”
“Well,” she drew out the word, “the guilt got to her, and she did end up calling him on our way home.”
Jack laughed. “Now that’s the Kelly I know.”
“Don’t tell her I told you, or she’ll tell my brothers and I’ll ever hear the end of it, even after all these years.”
“They won’t find out from me.”
“Speaking of Kelly, did you tell her about the bottle?” She popped a piece of gum in her mouth to rid the coffee taste.
His face tightened. “No, but in my defense, I was going to, but Reagan tested positive for strep last Saturday, and then Tommy did, so Kelly had her hands full taking care of them and trying not to catch it herself.”
“That’s right. How are they?” Her week at school kept her busy, and she’d forgotten Kelly and her family were fighting illness.
“Regan returned to school Thursday, but Tommy was hit hard. I haven’t talked to her since yesterday morning, but she seemed to think he’d turned a corner.”
“Strep is miserable, especially as an adult. Two years ago, it circled the school, and I almost made it until the final week of the outbreak.” She shuddered at the memory. “Poor Kelly. I should have taken a meal for them.”
“Between Mom, Haley, and Tommy’s mother, they’ve had plenty. I offered to drop off take-out Thursday night, and Kelly said they had a fridge and freezer full of food from family.”
“That makes me feel better.”
“We’re having a big family dinner after church tomorrow. Assuming Tommy was on the mend, I’m sure they’ll all be there, and I’ll tell them about what I found. That way, there’s no more confusion or guessing about why we’re spending time together.” He smiled over at her. “Promise.”
If only she had no confusion over the reasons. She gazed out the window, watching the clouds darken as they neared their destination. “The sky looks ominous.”
