Texas Weddings 3 & 4 (42 page)

Kellie
shrugged, hoping to still her mother’s fears. “I’ll be fine.” She smiled warmly
and quickly changed the subject by turning to face Julia. “So, when are you and
Frankie coming to town to see us?”

“When
do you want us?”

“As
soon as you can get there.” Kellie reached to grab her friend’s hand and fought
to keep the tears from rising.

“I’m
not much of a city girl,” Julia said with a shrug. “But for you, I’ll give it a
try.”

They
dove back into their work, chatting like schoolgirls. An hour or so later, a
handful of people from the church showed up with food in their hands. They set
up card tables on the lawn then stayed to join in the fun. Shortly thereafter,
others arrived with everything from sodas to homemade cookies. They added their
food to the existing bounty and the tiny tables overflowed.

By the time the guys had the truck
loaded, lunchtime had arrived. Kellie joined the others on the lawn as they
shared sandwiches, conversation and laughter. It seemed no time at all had
passed when Kellie looked at her watch and gasped. 1:25.They had planned to
leave before noon.

 
She
left the roar of the crowd for a moment to take one final look at the house.
She didn’t realize Nathan had joined her until she felt his arms slip around
her waist from behind.

“We’ll
be back next weekend to finish up.” He spoke quietly, but she detected an edge
to his voice, something she couldn’t quite define.

She
nodded and turned to face him. “I know.” She leaned her head against his
shoulder and tried to relax.

“Kellie?”

She
looked into his eyes. For some reason, they were etched with concern.

“What, Babe?”

He
sighed deeply. “There’s something I need to tell you before we go.”

“Really?”
She drew in a sigh of her own. “Because there’s something I need to tell you,
too.”

twenty

All morning long Nathan had argued
with himself, but truth now raised its head, and he could not press it down any
longer. What would be the point, when the voice of the Lord roared so loudly in
his ear?
 
Nathan dove into the
conversation with Kellie, spilling everything at once.
    

He told her about the proposition
to run for City Comptroller. He shared his feelings of ambivalence toward the
partnership he’d just been offered back in Houston. He spoke honestly about his
confusion over everything.

Kellie said nothing as the words
tumbled out of his mouth. However, he couldn’t help but notice the tears in her
eyes. At one point, he grabbed her hand.

“I feel terrible about the fact
that I haven’t really asked you what you wanted till now.” He spoke
passionately. “But I’ve assumed all along I knew what the Lord wanted.”

“You’ve
never been the type to assume,” she assured him. “I think you’ve always acted
out of practicality, common sense.”

“I
know,
but.
. .” He glanced at the moving truck. Frankie
and Julia stood beside it, deeply engaged in conversation with Kenton and
Norah. “Look at them.” He gestured. “Some people would say they don’t have it
as good as we do.”

Kellie’s
brow wrinkled as she responded. “Financially, you mean?”

Nathan
shook his head. “Not just that. We’ve got our education. We’ve also got amazing
jobs with plenty of advancement opportunities. We’ve got a wonderful home in a
great city and plenty of money in the bank so we don’t have to live paycheck to
paycheck.”

“What
are you saying, Nathan?” Kellie’s eyes remained moist.

“I’m
saying that maybe, just maybe, I’ve placed my security in the wrong things.
Maybe the Lord wants to free us up—to give us reason to live in faith.”
His thoughts flowed from the tip of his tongue without constraint. “Maybe He
wants us to let go of some of our material possessions and live a simpler life.
That’s what I’m saying.”

Even
as the words were spoken, Nathan felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from
his shoulders. All of his adult life he’d had to prove himself. Jockeying for
better position at the firm, investing in a better place to live, setting aside
money into bigger, better types of accounts.

And for what?

He
bit his lip and waited for Kellie’s response. He knew she had grown accustomed
to nice things—a beautiful home and frequent gifts. He also knew she’d
grown to appreciate and understand their fast-paced lifestyle with all of its
perks. And yet, she seemed to thrive here, in
Greenvine
.

Which
would she choose
,
if given the opportunity?

***

Kellie choked back tears and
fought for words. For days, she had prayed Nathan would come to this decision,
but now that the Lord had answered her prayers, she could hardly believe the
words coming from her husband’s lips or the passion that seemed to drive them.

She
wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into his chest. “
N.
. .Nathan.”

“I
can’t tell if you’re happy or sad.” He pulled back to look into her eyes.

She
shook her head. “I’m happy, Baby. You don’t know how happy.”

A
look of relief flooded his face. “Why didn’t you say something before now?” he
asked. “You let me go on and on, setting my sites on life in the city. I
must’ve sounded like an idiot.”

“No,”
she whispered, “I told you last
night.
. . I’d follow
you to the ends of the earth. If you’d said we needed to move to Alaska I would
have gone.” She gave him a shy smile. “At least, I’d like to
think
I
would have. But the truth of the matter is, my heart is here.” She gestured to
the worn-down little house. “I love this place. I know it doesn’t make much
sense, but I do. And I can see us here, years from now, with children of our
own.”

“Really?”
He looked at her with some degree of curiosity. “You wouldn’t miss living in a
nicer place?”

“Nathan,
look around you.” She gestured to the property, their friends,
her
parents. “This
is
a nicer place. And I don’t need
a fast-paced life or lots of money to enjoy myself. I’ve had the time of my
life these last few months. Less is more, you know?”

He
nodded as his gaze traveled from person to person. “Yes.” He sighed. “I’m just
relieved to hear you say it out loud. I’ve been trying not to let myself get
caught up in the lifestyle these people enjoy, but I want to. I really want
what they have.”

She put her hand to her stomach and
prepared to speak the words she’d been holding back for days. “Since you’ve
said that, there’s something I need to tell you.” The words, “Nathan, we’re
going to paint the spare bedroom pink or blue,” just seemed to flow.

“What?” His brow wrinkled. Seconds
later, however, the truth registered. “Wait a minute. Are you saying
you’re.
. .you’re…” His eyes grew wide.

Kellie nodded. “Yep. I sure am.”

“
W.
.
.what?
 
When?”

“In about seven and a half
months.” Kellie couldn’t hold back the grin. “I’ve known for a while now.”

“You’re kidding.” He shook his
head and stared at her as if they were strangers. Suddenly truth registered in
his eyes. “That’s why you were so sick this morning.”

Kellie nodded but said nothing.

“Why didn’t you tell me?
 
I can’t believe you didn’t say
anything.”

She shrugged. “I knew that your
decision to stay or to go would be swayed by knowing. I needed you to make a
decision based on your heart, not on our circumstances.”

He continued to shake his head,
clearly unable to formulate words. “I just don’t believe it.” The edges of his
lips curled up. “I’m going to be a dad.” Fear immediately registered. “Not that
I have any clue how to do that.”

“You’ll learn.” Kellie gestured in
Frankie’s direction. “And he’ll help you, I’m sure. He’s an awesome father.”

“He is.” Nathan looked at her with
eyes filled with love. “And you’re going to be the best mother in the world.”

Kellie couldn’t help but smile.
“If I’m half as good as Julia, I’ll be doing well. It’s going to be quite a
change from what I’m used to, but I can’t wait.” Her heart swelled with joy and
she and Nathan crossed the yard, hand in hand.

***

Nathan shook his head, clearly
overcome by Kellie’s revelation. No wonder she’d acted so emotional these past
few days. No wonder she didn’t want to settle back into her old life at the
condo. Her perceptions had changed because her situation had changed.

Kellie interrupted his thoughts
with her next question. “Speaking of not
waiting.
.
.what should we do with the condo?”

He shrugged. “Sell it?
 
Rent it out?
 
Doesn’t matter. It’s not like we’ll be
needing it anymore.”

She nodded. “If we sold it, we
could use the money to fix up this house.” They turned to face the little
wood-framed home together, hand in hand.

“Good point.” He nodded in
agreement.
And it looks like that trip to
Europe has been postponed.

“We’ve spent a lot of time talking
about the future,” Kellie continued. “But the future is here. Now. This is what
we’ve talked and prayed about. It’s happening right in front of us.”

Nathan wrapped her in his arms and
gave way to the lump in his throat. The tears that followed came from a place
he’d not visited in quite some time.

The future is now.

And no
time like
the present to enjoy it.

twenty
-one

“Honey, are you ready?” Nathan
popped his head in the door of the nursery to find Kellie changing their son’s
diaper.

“Almost.”
She finished the process, then swept baby Logan into her arms. As she cradled
him against her shoulder, Nathan thought his heart would leap from his chest.

 
“That’s the most beautiful picture I’ve
ever seen.”

“What?”
Kellie looked at him curiously.

“You
and Logan. Together. Like that.” He felt the sting of tears. “It’s just
perfect.” An idea struck him. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

He
raced into the master bedroom and pulled out his new camera. Entering the
nursery once again, he began snapping photos from every angle. Kellie shook her
head, as always.

“We
have hundreds of pictures of him already.”

“So?”

“You’re
so cute.” She walked over to him and placed Logan into his arms. “Would you
mind holding him for a few minutes while I put on some powder and lipstick?”

“Of
course not.” The baby squirmed and Nathan responded by rocking him back and
forth.

“Oh,”
Kellie added, “And would you go ahead and put his jacket on?
 
It’s a little cool out today.”

“Sure.”
Nathan reached into Logan’s closet and pulled out the light blue jacket with a
bumblebee on the front. They’d purchased it at a local super center. Nothing
was too good for his son. He slipped the jacket on and held the baby up in the
air until he squealed with delight.

“Nathan.”
Kellie scolded from down the hall. How did she always know?

Nathan
made his way out into the living room with Logan in his arms. Once there, he
settled down onto the sofa and focused on the baby’s face. Soft blonde curls
and bright blue eyes seemed only natural on his handsome son. And talk about
smart!
 
Not yet two months old, and
already holding his head up and smiling. It wouldn’t be long before he’d be
scooting all over the place.

Kellie
came back out into the living room. She paused for a glimpse in the hall mirror
and fussed with her hair. “I look awful,” she said.

“You’re
gorgeous,” he said, and meant it. Sure, she’d changed a little over the past
year, but those changes had transitioned her into the woman of beauty who stood
before him now. He wouldn’t change a thing—about her or their situation.

As
they stood to leave, Nathan took a good long look around his house. No longer
the run-down home it had once been, the place now stood as a testament to the
wonders of transformation.

Then
again, so did he.

“Ready?”
Kellie lifted the baby from his arms. “We’ve got a big evening ahead of us. And
I know my mother could use my help setting up.”

“I’m
ready.” He helped her gather up the baby’s things, and they walked to the car
together. No longer a sports car, but a practical SUV sat in the driveway.
Logan’s car seat had its place of honor in the backseat.

Once
situated, they pulled the car out onto the highway, chatting all the way.
Kellie told Nathan all about her new part-time job at the brokerage house in
nearby Brenham. She shared her joy at how well Logan seemed to have adapted to
a few hours a day at Julia’s house.