Page 76 of Love Story
And with every girl that joined their family, John rejoiced. But he still thought every day about his firstborn. His son. The years passed and John and Elizabeth were in love with their family of girls. They were chatty and tenderhearted, helpful with their mother and silly. They danced and sang around the house and they loved their daddy more than words could say.
And then God gave them Luke. Their youngest... their second son.
The fact that Elizabeth overcame her first bout with cancer when Luke was in elementary school was a miracle John would always be thankful for. It allowed them seasons of learning and growing in their love for God and each other. A dozen Christmases they would have otherwise not had.
But then the cancer came back.
His eyes shifted to her tombstone again. “How good is our God, to let you meet Dayne before you died.”
The wind picked up around him and played in the trees that lined the cemetery. All his life there had been one thing John wanted to give his precious Elizabeth, one thing that was completely out of his control. The chance for her to hold that baby boy one more time. To hold him and love him and whisper in his ear the precious truth: That she had never—not one day since he was born—ever stopped loving him.
And that week before she died, God again did what only He could do. He brought Dayne to Elizabeth. She died knowing the goodness of a God who answers prayers.
John lowered himself to his knees and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. The letters on the gravestone needed polishing, so he ran the cloth over each one. As if he were etching her name on his heart once more. When he was finished, he stood and breathed in deep. “I miss you, darling Elizabeth. I always will.” He looked to the heavens again. For a single moment he could see her once more, dancing in his arms that first night.
You have to teach me how to swing!
John smiled. Oh, how he still missed her.
Before she died, Elizabeth said something to the entire family, something John remembered now. She would always be with them. In Ashley’s paintings and Cole’s laugh... in Kari’s kindness and Luke’s gentle spirit. She would always be with them.
And so she was.
John brushed off his knees and walked back to the car. He would go home and meet up with Elaine and he would take her in his arms. The story had played itself out. He belonged to Elaine now, and he would tell her so. Something else hit him. Maybe Elaine might need time, too. Time to remember her first husband, the man who had died long before Elizabeth did. They would have to talk about that. Then later today the two of them would go to Ashley and Landon’s for the big barbecue.
They were going to be okay.
Still, as he climbed in his car, as he took a last look in the direction of her tombstone, John couldn’t help but think one thing. Someday he would take his last breath here, and the next he would be there, with her again. Not like it was on earth. But he fully believed the first thing he would see when he got there was a bench, much like the one on the U of M campus.
And there she’d be, his Elizabeth. Smiling at him, looking for him. Her pretty hair pulled back in a ponytail.There you are, Elizabeth. You get more beautiful every time I see you.
He could almost hear her words.
Come sit with me, John. I’ve been waiting for you.
•••
WILSON GAGE PULLEDinto the driveway of the pretty farmhouse just outside Bloomington and for a minute he stared at the place. Just took it in. If he understood Cole Blake, this was the house where it had all happened.
The place where John and Elizabeth Baxter raised their family.
Now the house belonged to Cole’s parents. And today was the family’s annual Memorial Day barbecue. Far as Wilson knew, Cole hadn’t told anyone he was coming.
“Let’s surprise my papa.” Wilson had given Cole his phone number and the boy had called him last week. “I’ve been looking for a way to thank him. For taking time to tell me his story.”
Wilson liked the idea then, and he liked it now. The driveway was filled with cars, and as he inched closer to the house, he rolled down his window. He could hear laughter coming from somewhere inside. Tears stung his eyes.
He had a feeling Scarlett would’ve loved the Baxters.
His steps weren’t as fast as they once were. Old war injuries got worse with every sunrise. But that wasn’t going to stop him from being here today. From seeing if what Cole had said was true.
That somehow on a single evening his actions had affected this family forever.
He straightened his Vietnam veteran pin, the one he wore on the lapel of his sweater whenever he went anywhere special. Then he knocked on the door and waited. Footsteps and then the door opened and a man answered. A man not a whole lot younger than him.
“Hello.” The man looked kind and happy. He smiled. “Can I help you?”
Just then a teenage boy ran up. “Papa... this is your surprise.” The boy stepped forward. “I’m Cole Blake. And you’re...?”
