I stood with Neil beside me, my gaze focused on my beautiful bride. Her dress was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. Her long flowing veil fluttered lightly in the breeze as she walked slowly along the path of frangipani flowers towards me. She smiled coyly at me as she leaned on her father’s arm.
My heart beat faster as she approached, and when Mr. Morgan placed her hand in mine, I could hardly contain my joy. We smiled at each other, and for a moment it was as if we were alone. No one else existed. It was just the two of us, but when Pastor Graham cleared his throat and welcomed everyone to our wedding, the moment passed and we turned our focus to him.
The ceremony was short. We wanted it that way. Pastor Graham spoke briefly about the sanctity of marriage and how precious and special the love between a husband and a wife was. He prayed for us, asking God to bless our union, and then we said our vows. We’d been working on them almost since the day we became engaged, but today, promising Angie that I’d love and cherish her for the rest of her life, and that I would be her faithful husband until death parted us, the reality and depth of that commitment became real for the first time. I was making a solemn promise before God, and I would keep it. Nothing would stop me. I loved Angie with my whole being, and she returned that love. When she promised to love and cherish me, I could barely contain my joy. As I slipped the ring onto her finger, we both had tears in our eyes as we officially became husband and wife. Our kiss was passionate and long. I didn’t care. I wanted everyone to see how much we loved each other. Our lips finally parted and we smiled at each other again. This time as husband and wife.
While we signed the official documents, Gareth, Dave and Matt played and sang a beautiful worship song of love. Angie and I laughed together when I almost signed in the wrong place. As we stood, and Pastor Graham presented us as Mr. and Mrs. Jayden and Angela Williams to the loud wolf whistles and claps of our friends and family, my heart felt like it would burst. I’d married my Angie, and I was the happiest man alive.
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
I hope you enjoyed reading “Forever Faithful”, and like Ben. Tessa, Jayden and Angie, you too can say with all your heart that God is indeed faithful!
Their story continues in Book 3 of the Precious Love Series, "Forever His”. You’ll find a bonus chapter below.
Make sure you’re on my readers’ email list so you don’t miss notifications of my new releases! If you haven’t joined yet, you can do so at www.julietteduncan.com/subscribe and you’ll also receive a free copy of “HANK AND SARAH - A LOVE STORY” as a thank you gift for joining.
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Blessings,
Juliette
Chapter 1
“How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!” Song of Solomon 4:10
Jayden Williams’ heart welled with love as he gazed at his beautiful Angie, sleeping peacefully alongside him. How blessed to be married to his best friend, to wake beside her each morning, to gaze on her beauty, to anticipate the day ahead with her by his side. Each day he loved her more. Each day he thanked God for their union.
Stirring, she opened her green eyes and smiled. “Good morning. Are you staring at me again?” She giggled as she slipped her hands around his neck, drawing his face slowly toward hers.
He ran the tip of his finger over her soft, bare arm. “And if I am?”
She laughed and drew his head lower until their lips brushed. “I think it’s funny.”
“You shouldn’t be so beautiful.” He searched her eyes before gently pressing his lips against hers. She returned his kiss with eagerness and he lost himself in her sweetness and passion. Until the tent collapsed on top of them.
Jayden rolled onto his back and laughed, pushing the roof of the blue nylon tent up with his hands so they could breathe. “Okay, we’re getting up. You needn’t have done that,” he called out, half annoyed, half amused.
A male voice chuckled from outside the tiny tent. “I know, but it was fun.”
Jayden groaned, but then as their gazes met, he and Angie burst out laughing. They’d known they’d never get any privacy with a thin tent for a honeymoon suite. It made their earlier week in Hawaii seem all the more precious, but now, starting their year-long honeymoon, lack of privacy was a small sacrifice to pay to see the world.
Jayden popped a kiss on Angie’s lips. Her sparkling eyes trapped him and he gazed into them, sighing in contentment. “I love you so much, Angie.”
Her mouth curved into a tender, loving smile, sending shivers down his spine as she gently brushed her hand along his jawline. “And I love you more, but now we’d best get out of here before they drag us up the mountain in this tent.”
He laughed. “I’d like to see that, but you’re right.” Jayden lifted the flimsy roof so that Angie could dress, and then she did the same for him.
Once clothed, they crawled out into a beautiful morning in the Himalayan foothills. Jayden sucked in a long, slow breath of the fresh mountain air and stretched. The view was spectacular. Everywhere, snow-capped mountain peaks dominated the horizon, but one peak stood out—Everest.
They’d flown from Kathmandu to Lukla the day before yesterday, just a short flight, but as the small plane swept across snow-capped mountains and deep green valleys, the scenery took their breath away. Jayden had pushed back any lingering doubts he’d had about doing this trek. The doctors had given him the all-clear, and he’d fully recovered from the blow to his head that had placed him in a coma a year and a half earlier. His headaches had all but disappeared, and he was walking normally. There was no need for worry. He felt great, and trekking to the Everest Base Camp would prove to everyone he was fine.
He slipped his arms around Angie and nuzzled her neck as he gazed at the view over her shoulder. “I can’t believe we’re here. It’s a dream come true.”
She leaned back into him and tilted her head. “I just hope we’re up to it.”
He let out a resigned sigh and rubbed her arm. “We’ll be fine. We’ve prepared well.” Although she hadn’t said it, Jayden knew that Angie had actually meant him. She hoped that he was up to it. He wouldn’t say anything, he’d already said enough. Now it was time to prove that he was physically and mentally healed.
She turned around and faced him, a playful grin on her face. “I’d rather have a porter and sleep in a bed.”
Jayden threw his head back and chuckled. “Where’s the challenge in that? Don’t you like our tent?”
“I didn’t say that. Our tent’s great…”
“Don’t be sarcastic. We agreed…”
She rubbed his arms and smiled. “I know. And it’s fine. I was just teasing. Now, where’s the bathroom?”
“Ha. You already know the answer to that.”
Her bottom lip protruded, her shoulders sagged. “I do. I have to find a bush or wait.”
He nodded. “Sorry.”
“I’ll wait.”
“Hey, you two, are you joining us anytime soon?” Trent, the lean, dark-haired young man who’d spoken earlier, called out from the makeshift sitting area, a bunch of rocks arranged in a circle on a patch of grass not far away.
“We’re coming,” Jayden called back before popping a kiss on Angie’s lips and taking her hand. Together they strolled to where the group of three guys and one girl sat.
Trent, the group leader, grinned playfully as they approached. “Sleep well?”
“Yes, really well, thanks.” The others thought it unusual that Jayden and Angie had chosen to do the Everest Base Camp trek for their honeymoon and didn’t miss any opportunity to taunt them about it. He and Angie didn’t care; this was their dream, and they’d suffer any amount of ridicule to experience it together.
“We’ve made tea, but thought we’d stop at the village for breakfast.” Trent’s wife, Caroline, poured some of the steaming brew into two mugs and handed them to Jayden and Angie. She was an attractive blonde with a warm smile, and acted as the mother of the group, even though she was about the same age as the rest of them.
“Thanks. That sounds great. I’m dying to use the bathroom.” Returning Caroline’s smile, Angie took the mug and clasped her hands around it.
Jayden was grateful for Caroline. If Angie had been the only woman, they might have thought twice about joining this budget trekking group and joined a more expensive one, but since their money had to last a whole year, that wouldn’t have been a great option. And this trek was run by a Christian group, so it had seemed perfect.
Sipping his tea, Jayden gazed in awe at the majestic scenery. The mist shrouded mountains and valleys reminded him of the times he and Angie had ridden to the mountains behind her family’s ranch in Montana, when his heart had first opened to God and he’d started to appreciate how awesome and powerful the God of creation was. Although God lived in his heart, he would always feel closer to Him when outdoors in mountains such as these, where His handiwork was so evident.
Today was the group’s second day, and they aimed to reach Namche Bazaar by mid-afternoon, an achievable goal if the weather held. But first, Trent was leading the morning devotion.
He cleared his throat. “I’d like to read some verses from Psalm 8. I’m sure you know them already, but they mean so much more up here in these mountains.” He looked down at his phone and began reading. “‘Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory in the heavens…When I consider your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?…Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth.’” Trent looked up and smiled. “Let’s commit our day to the Lord.”
Everyone bowed their heads and one by one prayed. Jayden squeezed Angie’s hand when it was his turn. “Oh Lord, my God, I’m so in awe of You. I give You thanks for this day, and for the opportunity Angie and I have to experience Your amazing creation together. Draw us closer to You. Keep us safe, and may our thoughts and our actions bring You glory. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.”
He swallowed hard. God had already blessed them so much. That he was alive and he and Angie were married after everything they’d been through was a miracle in itself. And now, to share this experience was just mind-blowing. But he didn’t want to embarrass himself or Angie, so he breathed in slowly and calmed his heart.
Angie slipped her arm around his shoulder and kissed the side of his head. She knew how much this trek meant to him, and he was so glad she’d agreed to do it.
He turned, his gaze clinging to hers. Her hair shone copper like a brilliant summer sunset. He longed to run his fingers through it, to pull her close, to kiss her, but not in front of the others.
They finished their tea, packed their tents and backpacks, and began the short trek to the next village. Jayden waved to the small Nepalese child standing in the doorway of a mud-brick and corrugated metal shack as they walked by. These people had so little and worked hard just to survive. Their cheerfulness and resilience amazed him, especially in the aftermath of the earthquake that had damaged many villages and homes several years earlier.
Angie and Caroline made a beeline for the bathroom outside the first tea-house they came to. Caroline had warned Angie about the toilets which often didn’t flush because they might be blocked or because water had to be manually poured in using a bucket. But at least they weren’t squat or drop toilets. Yet. Jayden was sure there would be plenty of those to come. He hoped Angie would cope.
Breakfast consisted of lentil soup, steamed rice and vegetables. Simple and tasty, but not what they were used to. Jayden smiled encouragement when Angie tentatively lifted a spoonful to her mouth. “It’s nice. You’ll like it.”
Her anxious expression changed to one of relief and then pleasure as she emptied her bowl. “It must be the mountain air, because I was famished.”
“It does that to you.” Caroline laughed as she took her last mouthful.
“How many times have you done this?” Angie asked as she put her spoon down.
“This is our fourth time. We love it.” She looked at Trent and smiled, then lowered her voice. “Trent would like to live here, but I don’t think our families would be happy about it, so we just come when we can.” Trent and Caroline lived in Sydney but had travelled extensively and had already given Jayden and Angie tips about all the countries they were planning on visiting, filling them with excitement for what lay ahead.
Jayden prayed once again that God would keep them safe, and that by the end of their year, they’d know where He wanted them to settle. With Angie’s family in Montana and Jayden’s in and around Brisbane, Australia, and both families wanting them to live close by, he sure hoped God had a plan.
I hope you enjoyed this preview of “Forever His“! Click here to get your copy.
