anniversary, Mom and Dad! Isn’t that great!”
Matt slipped his arm around Nicole and looked intently at her parents. “The truth is, Nicole and I want the kind of marriage you two have.” He looked at Nicole again. “The kind that grows better every year.”
Mom stood up and her smile was strange . . . awkward. “How nice.” She looked at Dad and Nicole thought she conveyed some unspoken message. “I’m going to put the kettle on for tea. Nicole? Matt? Can I get you some?”
Kade raised his hand. “Actually get some for me, too, Mom.” He worked his face into an ultraformal expression. “English tea with a dash of sweet cream would be simply smashing.”
Sean burst into little-boy laughter and tackled his brother until the two landed on the floor. Nicole smiled at her mother. “Sure. Thanks, Mom.”
Without another word, without crossing the room for a hug or asking Nicole to join her, Mom hurried from the room and headed for the kitchen.
Dad stood. “I’ll help.” He hesitated, looking at them strangely. “We’ll be right back.”
Kade and Sean were still wrestling on the floor, and when her parents were out of earshot, Nicole turned to Matt. “Are my parents acting weird, or is it just me?”
Matt shrugged. “I think they’re happy.” A concerned look crossed his face. “They are, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, they seem like it.” Nicole thought about her mother’s reaction and worked her mouth into a smile as she snuggled closer to Matt. Of course they were happy. It’s only my imagination. “Mom’s probably just in shock. I mean, she turns forty-one last week and now I’m getting married. That’s a lot to handle.”
Matt laughed. “If I know your mother, once it sinks in she’ll be bouncing off the walls.”
“Yeah,” Nicole ran her finger along Matt’s face. “You’re the answer to both our prayers.”
Six
T HE NOISE OF S EAN AND K ADE WRESTLING in the next room was enough to hide Abby’s convulsing whimpers as she braced herself against the kitchen sink and stared through her window at the frozen lake. Beside her, his back to the view, John stood silently, arms crossed, eyes cast downward.
Her heart was so heavy she could barely stand up under the weight. Help me, God. I’ve never felt so alone in my life. What are we supposed to do now?
What God has joined together let no one separate, My child.
Oh, quit! Abby was bone-tired of pat answers. That scripture couldn’t possibly be from the Lord. Not when He knew what was happening with John and Charlene. I need real answers, God. Please!
Silence.
Her tears came harder, and she buried her face in her hands. Nicole was going to get married in six months—on their wedding anniversary, no less—during the exact same time as the divorce proceedings were scheduled to take place. It was like something from a terrible nightmare. Was the pain of living in a loveless marriage fated to go on indefinitely?
For two minutes neither of them said anything. Abby glanced at John and felt the hatred rise within her. Look at him, standing there speechless. Say something! Hug me or tell me we’ll find a way to break the news to the kids despite Nicole’s plans. Something. I mean, come on, John. We should be celebrating out there with them, not in here where there are no answers, no ways out.
John shifted his weight and turned his head in her direction. “You gotta get a grip here, Abby. The kids could come in any second.”
She stared at him, mouth open. Didn’t he get it? Didn’t he understand that Nicole and Matt’s announcement changed everything? She yanked a paper towel from the roller, wiped hard at her eyes and blew her nose, reaching down to slam the wrinkled ball into the trash beneath the sink. When she looked up she caught his eyes and searched them, trying to understand.
“Get a grip? You want me to get a grip when our kids are out there celebrating Nicole’s engagement?” She uttered a brief laugh and shook her
Matt slipped his arm around Nicole and looked intently at her parents. “The truth is, Nicole and I want the kind of marriage you two have.” He looked at Nicole again. “The kind that grows better every year.”
Mom stood up and her smile was strange . . . awkward. “How nice.” She looked at Dad and Nicole thought she conveyed some unspoken message. “I’m going to put the kettle on for tea. Nicole? Matt? Can I get you some?”
Kade raised his hand. “Actually get some for me, too, Mom.” He worked his face into an ultraformal expression. “English tea with a dash of sweet cream would be simply smashing.”
Sean burst into little-boy laughter and tackled his brother until the two landed on the floor. Nicole smiled at her mother. “Sure. Thanks, Mom.”
Without another word, without crossing the room for a hug or asking Nicole to join her, Mom hurried from the room and headed for the kitchen.
Dad stood. “I’ll help.” He hesitated, looking at them strangely. “We’ll be right back.”
Kade and Sean were still wrestling on the floor, and when her parents were out of earshot, Nicole turned to Matt. “Are my parents acting weird, or is it just me?”
Matt shrugged. “I think they’re happy.” A concerned look crossed his face. “They are, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, they seem like it.” Nicole thought about her mother’s reaction and worked her mouth into a smile as she snuggled closer to Matt. Of course they were happy. It’s only my imagination. “Mom’s probably just in shock. I mean, she turns forty-one last week and now I’m getting married. That’s a lot to handle.”
Matt laughed. “If I know your mother, once it sinks in she’ll be bouncing off the walls.”
“Yeah,” Nicole ran her finger along Matt’s face. “You’re the answer to both our prayers.”
Six
T HE NOISE OF S EAN AND K ADE WRESTLING in the next room was enough to hide Abby’s convulsing whimpers as she braced herself against the kitchen sink and stared through her window at the frozen lake. Beside her, his back to the view, John stood silently, arms crossed, eyes cast downward.
Her heart was so heavy she could barely stand up under the weight. Help me, God. I’ve never felt so alone in my life. What are we supposed to do now?
What God has joined together let no one separate, My child.
Oh, quit! Abby was bone-tired of pat answers. That scripture couldn’t possibly be from the Lord. Not when He knew what was happening with John and Charlene. I need real answers, God. Please!
Silence.
Her tears came harder, and she buried her face in her hands. Nicole was going to get married in six months—on their wedding anniversary, no less—during the exact same time as the divorce proceedings were scheduled to take place. It was like something from a terrible nightmare. Was the pain of living in a loveless marriage fated to go on indefinitely?
For two minutes neither of them said anything. Abby glanced at John and felt the hatred rise within her. Look at him, standing there speechless. Say something! Hug me or tell me we’ll find a way to break the news to the kids despite Nicole’s plans. Something. I mean, come on, John. We should be celebrating out there with them, not in here where there are no answers, no ways out.
John shifted his weight and turned his head in her direction. “You gotta get a grip here, Abby. The kids could come in any second.”
She stared at him, mouth open. Didn’t he get it? Didn’t he understand that Nicole and Matt’s announcement changed everything? She yanked a paper towel from the roller, wiped hard at her eyes and blew her nose, reaching down to slam the wrinkled ball into the trash beneath the sink. When she looked up she caught his eyes and searched them, trying to understand.
“Get a grip? You want me to get a grip when our kids are out there celebrating Nicole’s engagement?” She uttered a brief laugh and shook her
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