blow away her cancer. If only the number of times she would see these storms had not been cut short. If only she could live long enough to see her daughters grown and settled and happy.
If only this cup could pass.
But heaven called to her too. No more sorrow. No more sighing. No more pain. Charlie was there, waiting for her, and she would at long last see the Savior face to face. She would no longer be an alien in a strange land. She would be in her true home, her eternal home.
Father God, Brina and Pet need someone in their lives who loves you. Emily knows you, Lord. Perhaps she can do what I haven’t been able to do. Perhaps she can help Gavin discover your saving grace.
Two tears moved slowly down her cheeks.
I don’t want to leave them. Why must I leave them?
In the distance, she saw a flash of light, followed by the low rumble of thunder. It wouldn’t be long now. A breeze caressed Dru’s damp cheeks and tugged at the hem of her nightgown.
Rest , her heart seemed to say. Rest and trust. Fear not.
She drew in a shuddery breath.
Yes, Lord. I will trust in you. I will rest. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Gavin opened his eyes, his body alert. The room he shared with Dru was dark, but he sensed his wife’s bed was empty. As he sat up, he reached for his trousers and slipped into them, then pulled on his boots. A few quick steps across the bedroom and he was opening the door. A faint glimmer of light from the red coals in the hearth revealed the front door ajar. He moved toward it, his concern growing.
Outside he was met with a flash of lightning that lit up the sky, followed seconds later by a crack of thunder, splitting the silence. Before the sound faded, the heavens sparked again and then again.
Dru stood in the yard between the house and barn. A dark shawl was draped over her narrow frame, so slight it seemed a breeze could blow her away. As if in response to his observation, the wind rose, billowing the white fabric of her nightgown.
He moved toward her. “Dru?”
She didn’t turn. “I felt the storm coming.” Her voice was soft, barely audible above the peals of thunder. “The air was so still when I awoke. Thick, like you could cut it with a knife. I wanted to see it for myself.”
He stopped beside her, almost put his arm around her shoulders, then didn’t. Something told him she didn’t wish to be held.
“I’ll miss these storms.” She turned her head, her face spotlighted by another flash of lightning. “I yearn for heaven, but I’ll miss all I’ve loved on earth.”
His chest grew tight. He hated it when she spoke about dying this way.
“I’ll be with Charlie in heaven. With Charlie and our baby son who never got to take his first breath. They’re waiting for me now.” She was silent a moment, then added, “There won’t be any tears or sorrow or sighing where I’m going. Do you know that’s true?”
No, he didn’t know. He’d tried to believe, but he couldn’t find it in him.
The wind increased. Dru’s hair whipped about her face while black clouds, turned silver by the lightning, rolled overhead.
“It wasn’t right to ask you to marry me, Gavin. You should have had a chance to find the kind of love Charlie and I shared. If it weren’t for my girls . . .” She let her words trail into silence.
“I wanted to do it. I’ll do my best by Brina and Pet. They’ll never want for anything. I’ll tell them what a fine woman their mother was, and they’ll never have cause to doubt it. Not ever.”
“Loving God and loving others are the only things that make sense in this world, Gavin. It’s what we’re made for, to love and be loved.” She turned toward him. “If you let him, God can heal that broken heart of yours. If you let him heal you, you could find a woman to love.”
His gut tightened. “I care about you, Dru.”
She placed her hand on his forearm. “I know
If only this cup could pass.
But heaven called to her too. No more sorrow. No more sighing. No more pain. Charlie was there, waiting for her, and she would at long last see the Savior face to face. She would no longer be an alien in a strange land. She would be in her true home, her eternal home.
Father God, Brina and Pet need someone in their lives who loves you. Emily knows you, Lord. Perhaps she can do what I haven’t been able to do. Perhaps she can help Gavin discover your saving grace.
Two tears moved slowly down her cheeks.
I don’t want to leave them. Why must I leave them?
In the distance, she saw a flash of light, followed by the low rumble of thunder. It wouldn’t be long now. A breeze caressed Dru’s damp cheeks and tugged at the hem of her nightgown.
Rest , her heart seemed to say. Rest and trust. Fear not.
She drew in a shuddery breath.
Yes, Lord. I will trust in you. I will rest. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Gavin opened his eyes, his body alert. The room he shared with Dru was dark, but he sensed his wife’s bed was empty. As he sat up, he reached for his trousers and slipped into them, then pulled on his boots. A few quick steps across the bedroom and he was opening the door. A faint glimmer of light from the red coals in the hearth revealed the front door ajar. He moved toward it, his concern growing.
Outside he was met with a flash of lightning that lit up the sky, followed seconds later by a crack of thunder, splitting the silence. Before the sound faded, the heavens sparked again and then again.
Dru stood in the yard between the house and barn. A dark shawl was draped over her narrow frame, so slight it seemed a breeze could blow her away. As if in response to his observation, the wind rose, billowing the white fabric of her nightgown.
He moved toward her. “Dru?”
She didn’t turn. “I felt the storm coming.” Her voice was soft, barely audible above the peals of thunder. “The air was so still when I awoke. Thick, like you could cut it with a knife. I wanted to see it for myself.”
He stopped beside her, almost put his arm around her shoulders, then didn’t. Something told him she didn’t wish to be held.
“I’ll miss these storms.” She turned her head, her face spotlighted by another flash of lightning. “I yearn for heaven, but I’ll miss all I’ve loved on earth.”
His chest grew tight. He hated it when she spoke about dying this way.
“I’ll be with Charlie in heaven. With Charlie and our baby son who never got to take his first breath. They’re waiting for me now.” She was silent a moment, then added, “There won’t be any tears or sorrow or sighing where I’m going. Do you know that’s true?”
No, he didn’t know. He’d tried to believe, but he couldn’t find it in him.
The wind increased. Dru’s hair whipped about her face while black clouds, turned silver by the lightning, rolled overhead.
“It wasn’t right to ask you to marry me, Gavin. You should have had a chance to find the kind of love Charlie and I shared. If it weren’t for my girls . . .” She let her words trail into silence.
“I wanted to do it. I’ll do my best by Brina and Pet. They’ll never want for anything. I’ll tell them what a fine woman their mother was, and they’ll never have cause to doubt it. Not ever.”
“Loving God and loving others are the only things that make sense in this world, Gavin. It’s what we’re made for, to love and be loved.” She turned toward him. “If you let him, God can heal that broken heart of yours. If you let him heal you, you could find a woman to love.”
His gut tightened. “I care about you, Dru.”
She placed her hand on his forearm. “I know
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