I loved the way God could turn a day around for good. I would also appreciate it if God could cut the images right out of my brain with some extracting surgery, but only the part that happened after four and before four fifteen. Just fifteen minutes—that wasn’t too much to pray for, right? Ray thought I could close things away, but he was so wrong. I was trying to make it through till the lights turned off. In the daytime, I had all their eyes on me.

Daddy ordered us all filet steaks, and we ate at our very own table in the presidential suite. I wanted to gather the courage to ask him where he got that room-service money from, but I decided to keep quiet a spell. Ray kept the conversation going with all the kids. I couldn’t find words to say, and neither could Daddy. He kept exchanging glances with me, and I was sure he wanted to share the conversation he was having with his conscience right now—about how sorry he was, and how he hoped that one day I would be able to forgive him for what had happened. I loved him unconditionally; being merciful with him had become second nature to me.

Daddy was trying to clean up after everybody, and Ray stopped him. “Sir, that’s what you pay them for here. Just wheel this cart on out the door.”

Bean was already opening the big TV cabinet and flipping through the channels. Some movie was on about talking cars, and we all settled in with a bag of popcorn each, even though we’d stuffed ourselves with steaks. Ray sat beside me on the couch. He was mostly watching me, not the movie. So was Daddy.

I stood up and stretched. “Daddy, can me and Ray go out to the balcony?”

He nodded, intent on the movie now that he knew I was watching him. But before Ray could slide the door shut, he hollered, “Leave it open! That breeze feels nice.”

I rolled my eyes. Whatever!

Ray smiled at me, leaning against the railing. “So.”

“So.”

“Are you okay?”

I avoided his question. “What kind of car do you want?”

“Don’t know. Thought you should be the one to pick it out.”

His hand came against my cheek again.

“Why me? I never took the driver’s class.”

Sixteen meant driver’s ed for everybody in the universe but Sweet Potato Jones.

“You’ll need to, because it will be our car, soon enough.”

He took a step closer, but I heard Daddy laugh out loud—a little too loud.

“Ray, why do you do this?”

His finger was rubbing across my hand. I thought about how it felt when we kissed and how tonight would have been our first date. We stood on a balcony with a perfect view of the James River, watching the boats with the tiny, blinking lights make their lazy way to the harbor. What would we’ve been doing, if he could have planned it?

“What? Do what?”

He looked at the scene behind us—my family gawking at us until we looked, then snapping their heads right back and pretending to laugh at the TV screen. What did they think they were doing? Who were they kidding?

“Why do you put up with this? Come on.” I pulled him along back into the living room and cut off the TV.

Maize yelled, “Hey, we were right in the middle—”

“Of minding my business. You guys weren’t even watching that movie. What was the name of that car?”

“Mmm … Mmm …” they all said in unison.

“Exactly my point. Now, what was I saying?”

Bell clapped. “Oh, I know this one! What color car do you want? Ray, get her a red one. She loves red the best.”

I pointed my finger at her. “See there. Ray, why do you put up with this? Don’t you think you deserve some normal girl with a normal life and a normal family? Not this. Look at what our date night has become.”

“What? One of the best nights of my life, because I am right here with you?”

Daddy stood up, pointing at the clock. “See the time. See how it’s flown. Okay, Ray. Time for your momma to come on. I’ll walk you down.”

I tried. “Daddy, can I walk him down?”

Just the thought of not getting to walk down to the lobby with him—devastating.

“Bean, you up to getting some exercise?”

Bean jumping-jacked at Daddy’s suggestion. Oh, Lordy!

Maize spoke quietly, but his jaw muscles tensed. “I’m going down with them, and Bean is staying here. After what she went through today, I think …”

Daddy stopped him. “I get what you’re saying. At least let me walk you to the door.”

He looked at Ray when we were away from the kids. Bean had opened the big cabinet and was trying to climb right into the part where the DVD player was. Knew it.

“You don’t need to worry about Sweet Potato and no transport systems or the back-and-forth from here.”

Ray shrugged. “It’s a part of me now to think of her. If my family can help in any way, we will. You know that, sir.”

Daddy leaned against the doorframe. “Call me Eli. I think you deserve it. You have shown yourself to be a proper, young man, and I’ve decided something on my very own.”

Oh, Lordy, no! Daddy couldn’t go making decisions about Ray and me. “You also deserve to take my little girl out on a right date without them youngins.”

I was shocked to the core. “You decided? When was that?”

“When I saw the look in his eyes today. That was enough for me.”

Ray held out his hand to me, and I took it. He always knew when I needed him. “You know that I would never hurt her, sir. Mr. Eli, I will do what I can to treat her with respect and with God at the center in all that we do.”

“Right you are. Keep God in the center. I’ve found an inspiration well from you and your family. A strength I’ve needed for a very long time. You people set a mighty fine example for the world to follow. I’ve got big steps to take on how to be a right man for this family.”

Ray nodded to Daddy. “Pray through all things, Mr. Eli. Pray through all things—that’s what I can say to you.”

“Well, I pray your momma don’t get ahold of us, because we’ve lingered talking, and this time it’s my fault.” He laughed as he pushed us out the door. “Don’t worry about the early morning pickup for Sweet Potato. I’ll get her there by six o’clock. We are doing the pancake breakfast at the church, anyhow.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you for this evening. It was nice to spend time with your family.”

Ray shook Daddy’s hand again, but Daddy grabbed him and gave him a gigantic bear-hug. Ray laughed with surprise. I turned away, because I didn’t want them to see the tears. I’d been holding them in so long that one false move and wowza—out.

“You are family now. I would never have thought Sweet Potato would have her a strong, young man like you courtin’ and calling. If it had to be some boy, Ray, I’m glad it is you.”

Ray was mine. My first and last boyfriend, I was sure of that. It would be nice to tell our kids that we fell in love with each other on a summer morning, and God had brought us all here, not a tiny finger falling on a map by chance. That would be our love-story testimony, passed on for generations to come.

Ray swung my hand, then roped his arm around my waist. Maize walked a few steps behind us, giving us space, but I could feel his eyes on me.

Ray said, “I’m glad it’s you, too. Sweet Potato, you think I’m joking, but that was the date to top all dates. Spending time with you and the kids in the pool, the balcony—anything with you makes perfect sense.”

I sighed, leaning up against the wood railing in the elevator. “Dates end with a kiss, right? Good ones, anyway. And since you did say that it was one perfect night …”

We made it to the double elevator doors. Maize told us he would meet us in the lobby and took the one beside us. As soon as the elevator doors closed, giving us a moment of privacy, Ray put his arms around me, and his lips found mine in the sweetest of kisses, soft and safe. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him hold me. I dared those tears to come in my moment alone with Ray. I wouldn’t let that evil steal no more of my precious moments.

Get behind me, Satan. My shoulders relaxed at the release of the power of the Spirit.

“What was that about?”

“Just letting it go. That was easier than I thought.”

He pulled back. “You don’t have to hold it alone anymore. I’m gonna prove to you that I will do right by you.”

I leaned against him, praying that it could be so. “We will wait and see.”

We went out to meet his momma at the entrance. The lobby doors opened, and he stopped me. Maize was already waiting, standing with his arms crossed, with legs parted wide like a bodyguard.

“This is as far as you should go. I’ll watch you get back on the elevator. Go ahead.”

We waved at his momma, and she waved back at us.

“I love you.”

He quickly kissed me on the cheek again and stayed put until the elevator doors closed. As we rode back up, I looked into the eyes staring back at me from the glass doors and whispered, “Hello, faith. Thanks for showing back up. It’s nice to see you again.”

And I imagined the voice of the Lord whispering in my ear, “Nice to see you, too, child.”