Page 98 of I'll Be There
The reception. Oh, thereception.
“Seriously, Conner, you did all this? Inthreehours?”
“You like it?”
Liza sat in the cab of his truck—not the most romantic of getaway vehicles, but when they escaped to this...
He’d transformed the park at the harbor into the recreation of their first date. A town festival, complete witha bonfire on the beach, twinkly lights stretched around the cobblestone dance floor, a platform for the Blue Monkeys, already on sight and playing a cover of “Brown Eyed Girl.” Kyle jammed at the drums, Emma at the mic.
“How did—”
“Kyle borrowed a guitar, the speakers, and drums from some local musicians. In fact, a slew of local musicians had a jam session right here. Very fun.”
“Is that—the fish burgers wagon?”
“Courtesy of the Lions club. And cotton candy, and I think Edith Draper is popping kettle corn.”
Indeed, as he rolled down his window, the smells of celebration, of warm summer nights, and the magic of their first date stirred through the lake breeze, despite the lingering smell of creosote from the blackened pizza parlor, the half-burned bookstore down the block.
Maybe he’d deliberately driven in facing away, so she didn’t have to see it.
Gallant.
But he didn’t have to hide from her the evidence of how far they’d come, how far God had brought them. Not anymore.
Thus far, God had been with them. And shedidlove God enough—and He loved her enough—for her to find the courage to marry this amazing man. To live with him, pray for him, love him not despite, butbecauseof, the man he was.
And yes, Conner’s promises helped, but really, it was the promise made after he had left this morning that embedded the truth. The one rooted in the sunrise cascading through her yard on pearly threads of gold and rose. The one redolent in the song of the sparrow and hidden in the beauty of the hydrangeas left on her front porch by the florist sometime in the night.
God’s love hadn’t changed in the face of her disasters. Her traumas.
Her very scars proved this—and not just the visible ones, but the ones that reached deeper. Broken family, childhood trauma, even the deep ache of loneliness waiting for Conner. These too were her Ebenezer.Thus far, God has helped me.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy unchanging love.
Unchanging love.
Yes, she knew what that looked like.
Most of the guests had already arrived—Layla ran with a balloon, her blue dress swinging out around her. Raina and Casper swayed in each other’s arms to the music, beside John and Ingrid.
So many people laughing—Max and Grace, who’d been freed from her duties as caterer since her hard work had gone up in yesterday’s flames. And Darek and Ivy, who danced with Tiger, teaching him a few easy dance steps.
In fact, it seemed all of Deep Haven had turned out. Eli Hueston, former police chief, and his wife, Noelle, who shared a stick of cotton candy. And Mayor Nate Dekker, holding a freshly fried fish burger, handing another to his wife, Annalise.
Even Caleb and Izzy Knight were down by the bonfire, marshmallows on their sticks.
“Kate and Gilly showed up,” Liza said, noticing Jed seated on a rock, Kate on his lap, watching the waves slip onto shore, the sunshine brilliant upon the deep blue of the lake. A few seagulls wandered the beach.
“Reuben headed back to the hospital—apparently he escaped without the permission of the docs. But he made a video to show Micah.”
“You should show up later, maybe—”
“Not on your life,” Conner said, catching her hand. “Later, I’m busy.”
Oh, she had a handsome groom—husband!He’d stood at the altar, resplendent in his black tux and tie. She’d never imagined him as rockin’ fancy duds, but he cut a breathtaking form. And the look in his eyes when he spotted her—she’d lost herself.
