Reggie sat on Dylan’s porch, wrapped in a quilt, watching the snow falling. A white blanket covered the fields, making them glisten in the moonlight, reminding her of tiny diamonds. She held hands out, warming them on the blazing fire Dylan had made in an outdoor fire pit.
The day was perfect.
It was the kind of Christmas she’d fantasized about as a child, but never had. It had been filled with more love and laughter than she’d experienced in her lifetime. A tear trickled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
This wasn’t a day for sadness. It was a day of joy. She was determined to live each day filled with peace and joy, knowing she was part of God’s family.
Meeting Dylan had been the best thing that ever happened to her. God had been looking out for her when he’d let his truck slam into her Beemer. She smiled as she remembered how horrible she felt when she saw the crumpled red fender.
Dylan and his family had been so loving and kind. After learning the source of their love, she’d wanted it, too.
And now she had it. Jesus. She’d never imagined she could feel so different, so loved, so peaceful, but she did.
Dylan walked out holding two steaming cups of hot chocolate filled to the brim. Three marshmallows floated on top of her cup, while his was piled high “Tired?”
“A little.” She admitted. She sipped her hot chocolate, savoring the warmth and the sweetness. “But it’s been a wonderful Christmas. I never had a Christmas like that before.”
“The first of many for you, I predict.” Dylan said. He sat his cup down on a small table between them. He added more wood to the fire. “Are you cold? We can go inside.”
“No way, this is wonderful. It’s so beautiful out here. It’s a perfect ending to a perfect day.”
He turned from the fire. “The day’s not quite over.” He picked up her hand and slid to his knees. “Reggie, I can’t promise what the future holds, but I can promise I will love you with every breath I take for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
Her free hand flew up to her mouth. He pulled out a red velvet box and handed it to her. He flipped open the lid. A blue diamond solitaire surrounded by white diamonds glistened brighter than the falling snow.
Not sure if she could speak, she looked into Dylan’s eyes.
“I picked a blue diamond because they aren’t traditional and I wanted you to know you don’t have to be a traditional farmer’s wife. Will you marry me?”
Her heart leapt at his words. He understood she couldn’t be a farmer’s wife. That she couldn’t live down here in the middle of nowhere. Her heart soared. He understood and still he loved her. Life would be wonderful for them.
Tears of joy filled her eyes. God, you have given me so much. You are so good to me.
“Of course, I’ll marry you. I love you.”
Still on his knees, he moved towards her and their lips met. She hadn’t known such joy and love existed. After the kiss, her cheeks were wet with happy tears. He slipped the ring out of the box and onto her finger.
Perfect fit. Holding it up to admire it, the yellows, reds, and oranges of the fire were reflected in it. The diamonds glittered even more because of her tears.
“I know it’s really quick, but we can have a long engagement if you need more time. Personally, I’m in favor of short engagements so we can get to the honeymoon part, but that’s just me.” His hand caressed her hair and he pulled her to him.
When they parted, she nodded. “A short engagement sounds good to me.”
He laughed. “Great minds think alike.”
“What are your parents going to think?” Reggie’s mind raced in a million different directions at once. So many questions filled her mind.
“They’ll be worried we’re rushing into things, but we know different. I promise to give you a life filled with wonderful surprises.”
“And when we’re old and gray, Can I remind you of that promise?”
“Absolutely.”
Reggie admired her ring once again. “I know we’ve got things to work out, but I’m thinking you can go back to school while I work. We can live on my salary until you’re finis—”
“Why would I go back to school? I’m a farmer.” A look of confusion crossed his face.
A shard of fear pierced her heart, but she found courage to explain. “But I thought you said you understood I couldn’t be a farmer’s wife.”
They looked at each other. Her stomach knotted as Dylan spoke, “I said I knew you couldn’t be a traditional farmer’s wife, but I’m a farmer. That makes you a farmer’s wife by default. I don’t expect you to do anything around the farm, and you certainly can have a career, but this is where we’ll live.”
She felt a crack in her heart. Looking around, she saw nothing but snow covered fields with only the moon for light. She couldn’t live out here. As beautiful as it was, it wasn’t her world. She looked into the fire. It was too hard to look at him when she spoke. “I can’t live out here.” The crack in her heart grew wider. “My job, my career’s in Cleveland.”
He stared out at the snowflakes falling. “But I have to live out here. This is where I farm. This is where my family is. This is where I belong.”
She closed her eyes, her heart breaking. Maybe she could change. She opened her eyes and looked out at the empty fields. Maybe she could, but not that much.
She looked down at the blue diamond ring and touched it.
“Don’t, Reggie. Don’t take off the ring.” Dylan’s voice cracked. “Let’s pray about this.”
She wiped at the tears and nodded. She clutched his hand as if she was drowning and he was the life raft. How would she live without him? As he prayed she remembered Theresa’s words, I couldn’t be happy anywhere without Billy, but I can be happy anywhere with him.
Reggie felt peace flooding in her soul. Simple words, but there was truth in them, God’s truth. Is that your answer God? A smile formed on her lips and in her heart. She had no idea how this was going to work, but she trusted God to work out the details.
She opened her eyes and moved closer to Dylan and touched his lips with hers. His eyes flew open, but before he could speak, she said, “I will so marry you. I can’t guarantee what kind of a farmer’s wife I’ll make, but I can promise I will love you forever and ever.”
“Just a little?” He winked at her.
“Just a lot.” Smiling, she slid down onto his lap and put her arms around him.
EPILOGUE
The organ music floated back to where Reggie stood in the back room of the church. No pre-wedding jitters for her. She was right where she wanted to be and she believed with all her heart where God wanted her to be.
Reggie adjusted her veil and looked at her reflection in the mirror one more time.
God had been so good to her. He’d erased all her mistakes of the past and given her a future she’d never had the courage to hope for, let alone believe in. Who would have ever thought her life could change so much because of one silly fender bender?
“I’m ready.” She looked over at the man who would walk her down the aisle. It hadn’t been an easy journey for the two of them, and they hadn’t reached the final destination. She was sure there would be more bumps along the way, but they were making progress.
Stanley Federer took her hand and placed it on his arm. “Reggie, have I thanked you for this honor of walking you down the aisle. I know I don’t—”
She shook her head and hushed him. “The past is in the past.”
Smiling at each other, father and daughter walked out of the room arm in arm. The bridal march began and the crowd rose to their feet. She stood at the threshold.
Her eyes met Dylan’s. What an amazing man he was. She’d spent her life pursuing money and power, but now she knew God had so much more planned for her.
Love was what made life worth living.
And she would spend the rest of her life pursuing love.
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