Page 25 of Never Leave Me
“As mad as it may seem, yes, I do.” There was no other explanation for the two ampullae he and Drake had discovered. And Ellen’s overlap into the past seemed to confirm it.
Ellen released the pearl. “If so, I hope she’s as happy as we are.”
“I hope so too.”
Several beats of silence passed, and her expression grew wistful. “Let’s pray she can help us get more holy water. We shouldn’t be the only ones to experience this kind of healing and this kind of happiness.”
He nodded. He wanted to agree with her. But if they were able to get a supply of holy water from Marian, it certainly wouldn’t be limitless. They wouldn’t have enough to match the demand. So how would they decide who was most deserving? Of course, Ellen wanted the holy water to help the children in her program. But what about others who were dying? Were they any less worthy?
The questions had been taunting him since their conversation before the flight. The even bigger question still nagging him was how he was going to explain what had happened to him. He couldn’t hide away forever.
He tilted back and focused on the sky. “Now, let’s put all that from our minds. Remember, we’re here to enjoy the gift we’ve been given.”
He wished he could simply enjoy the time and relish the healing of their bodies. But was it possible that the grass wasn’t always greener on the other side? That whether sick or well, troubles would always abound?
7
ELLEN’STOESSANKinto the warm sand. A short distance away, the clear turquoise waves lapped the shore.
“I’ll race you to the water.” She dropped her beach bag and towel, kicked off her sandals, and began to shed her swimsuit cover-up.
“How long of a head start should I give you?” Harrison’s teasing voice was muffled beneath his new Saint Lucia T-shirt as he slid it up over his head, revealing his well-defined chest. His upper body was much stronger than she’d realized before this trip, his muscles sculpted from long years of having to rely upon his arms to do things.
“I don’t need a head start.”
As he tossed his shirt off, she jerked her attention to the beckoning water so he wouldn’t catch her staring like he had the time or two they’d used their private pool.
They’d kept busy doing all the things from his bucket list, and at night when they returned to their suite, they were both so tiredthat they fell asleep—she on the bed and he on the couch—the moment the lights went out, especially last night after they’d spent the day hiking Gros Piton.
The tour guide had led them up a heavily wooded path to the volcanic crater at the peak. The trek took over two hours, and they hiked the steep climb without a single problem or complaint. When they stood on the top and looked out over Saint Lucia, the view was so breathtaking they weren’t able to do anything but stand in awed silence.
Although Harrison hadn’t said so, she sensed his profound gratefulness to God. She felt it too. A week ago, she’d hardly been able to move, at least not without heavy doses of pain medication. Now here she was in Saint Lucia, doing the impossible. As if climbing the volcano yesterday wasn’t enough, today she’d spent hours kayaking and windsurfing and diving and snorkeling.
Even now, when she should have been tired from the activity of the past two days, she wanted to run and splash in the water. The only thing casting a cloud over her happiness was the lingering guilt that she was so alive and well when Josie and all the other precious children in the Serenity House were dying.
She’d tried to do as Harrison had asked and not think about anything else. But with each new activity she accomplished, her determination to help Josie only grew, as did her desire to connect with Marian again and come up with a plan to transfer holy water.
“Ready?” She eyed the waves.
He stood beside her, twisting his torso in a stretch. “Whenever you are.”
“Never been more ready. I doubt you can catch me!”
“Watch me!”
With a squeal, she sprinted toward the ocean’s edge, the warm equatorial breeze tangling in her hair.
Behind her, Harrison counted to five. When he stopped, a quickglance over her shoulder told her the chase was on. He’d started after her.
Her heart leapt with delighted anticipation. As her feet splashed through the water, she kept going, running to meet the waves.
She could hear Harrison crash into the ocean on her heels. A second later, his hand grazed her shoulder. “Got you!”
She squealed again and dove out of his reach. But a wave swept into her and knocked her off her feet. She laughed as it tossed her directly into Harrison.
“No fair.” She wiped the water from her face.
“Absolutely fair, love.” His thick arms slipped under her knees and back so that he was carrying her.
