“Are you ready to go, Sally?” Will called from the great room. Sally wanted to freshen up before they attended the evening candlelight service.
“Coming.” She appeared from the hallway. “Will your uncle be there too?”
“I’m guessing he will.” Will smiled. “I’m glad your mother is letting you come with me.”
“I think she was overjoyed when you gave her back the money she paid for the lease and told her about the house.” Saloma grinned. “That, and our supper plans with the Yoders were cancelled because one of their kinner is sick.”
“Bad for them, good for me. It’s unfortunate they’re not feeling well on Christmas Eve, though. That’s a bummer.” He snatched the keys from his pocket and held out his elbow. “My lady.”
Sally smiled and hooked her arm into the crook of Will’s elbow and they walked out to his Jeep. He opened the door and assisted Sally’s entrance.
“I’m going to talk to the pastor tonight,” Will informed her.
“About us?”
“Yeah. How soon do you think he’ll be able to perform our ceremony?”
Sally shrugged. She seemed unusually quiet.
Will observed her pensiveness. “What are you thinking about?”
“My birth mother.”
Will’s brow rose. “Your birth mother?”
“Will, if my birth mother is still alive then I’d like to meet her.”
“Why?”
“Think about it. If she hadn’t given me up, who knows where I would have grown up? Who knows what kind of a terrible life I might have had? If she hadn’t given me up, then you and I would have probably never met.”
His eyes widened. “You’re right.” He leaned over and met her lips. “I think I’d like to give her a hug myself.”
Sally laughed. “You’d better keep your eyes on the road.”
<><><>
“Hey, Pastor Rob, that was a great service.” Will shook the pastor’s hand.
“Thank you, William. God’s wonders never cease.”
“Isn’t that the truth! As a matter of fact, Sally and I were wondering when you’d be able to marry us.” He winked at Sally, then turned back to Pastor Rob.
“We require at least six weeks of marriage counseling.”
Will winced. He’d forgotten all about counseling. He internally laughed at himself. A counselor forgetting about counseling.
“Any time after that would be fine.” The pastor looked at both Sally and Will. “Congratulations.”
“Denki.” Will loved seeing Sally’s glow.
“Thank you, Pastor.” Will smiled. “Merry Christmas.”
“I’m curious about something, William.” Pastor Rob raised a brow. “How did you and your fiancé overcome your obstacles? I thought you were siblings.”
William nodded. “So did we. Let’s just say it took a lot of prayer and a miracle. I’d thought it was impossible. It sure seemed like it. But apparently, it was just a trial.”
Pastor Rob agreed. “God sometimes allows us to go through trials so that we learn to trust in Him. If we learn our lesson, our faith will come out stronger, and we’ll be able to face the next trial with greater confidence.”