Page 65 of Two Weeks
No telling what she was talking about. Sometimes Cole felt like they were moving in opposite directions. She was obsessed with the baby growing inside her, and he... well, he wasn’t. No matter how much he wanted to be. He turned toward her. They had to hurry. Church would start in fifteen minutes. “Found out what?”
Disappointment flashed in her expression. “Cole. You know!” She studied him for a few seconds. She must’ve seen that he clearly didn’t know, because she let her head fall against her seat and she let out a loud breath. “Cole.” Her eyes found his again. “I found out the sex of the baby.”
That! Cole shifted in his seat. Of course! He took hold of her hand. “I thought you were going to wait.”
“I was.” She seemed to forgive him. Her tone was more relaxed again. “But they did an ultrasound. I guess that’s normal at this point. Looking for stuff that might be wrong.”
“Was everything okay?” There. That was better. More interested.
“It was.” The corners of her lips lifted a little and her eyes danced. “The guy doing the ultrasound suddenly goes, ‘Are you feeling her move a lot?’?” She allowed a single laugh. “And I was like,‘Her?’” Elise lifted her free hand, as if she couldn’t contain her excitement. “And just like that I had my answer.”
“It’s a girl?” Cole tried to sound as happy as Elise.
“Yes!” she squealed. “Cole, we’re having a girl!”
We’rehaving a girl? The suffocating feeling was back. What was he doing? He wanted to correct her thattheyweren’t having a baby. They weren’t married. He had no idea if they’d ever be married. Rather,shewas having the baby.
But it didn’t seem like the right time.
One thing was certain. As they walked toward the church building, their hands laced together, the idea of Elise’s baby felt way more real. Since she still wasn’t showing, it was easy sometimes to think of Elise as his girlfriend. The most captivating girl he’d ever met.
Here though, thinking about Elise having a little girl, the truth was much more tangible. With everything in him, Cole wanted to be like his dad. There for Elise, loving her through all that was ahead. But right now, even as they entered Clear Creek Community Church, Cole felt just one thing.
Overwhelmed.
They found their seats and Elise made her rounds from Cole’s mom and dad to his brother and sister and cousin. They all liked her. Though only his parents knew about their plans to move to Louisiana.
The church band sang four worship songs, and when they were finished, Cole looked at Elise. She had tears in her eyes. Spilling onto her cheeks. His heart broke for her. All she’d been through on top of missing this deep connection with God... of course she was feeling it today. On Easter Sunday.
The sermon seemed written just for Cole. Or maybe for Elise, too.
“Sometimes life comes down to trusting God.” The pastor looked around the congregation. “That’s the story of Easter.” He went on to talk about the fact that Jesus had told His friends He would rise from the dead. But still on Sunday morning they were shocked. Totally disbelieving that the tomb might actually be empty.
Cole let his mind drift. Was God trying to tell him to trust the situation with Elise? That somehow if he moved to Louisiana and spent the next few years—or even all his life—helping and loving Elise and her baby, then God would take care of things? Was that how he was supposed to trust?
He made eye contact with his dad and they both smiled. Maybe it was an entirely different spin. Maybe God wanted him to trust his parents on this and stick with his first plan. Going to Liberty. Trust that God would take care of Elise and that if it was meant to be, they would find a way to be together, later. When they were older. When Cole had his medical training.
As great as the message was, Cole was more confused than ever as the sermon wound down. If he were honest with himself, he didn’t want to move to Louisiana. Didn’t want to get a job and support Elise. He wanted to go to Liberty. His whole future was ahead of him.
What had he been thinking to make such a crazy promise to Elise? And now that she was counting on him, what was he supposed to do? The walls of the church seemed to be closing in, and once more he had to work to get a full breath. He lifted his eyes to the cross at the front of the church.Jesus, I have no idea what to do. I feel like I’m drowning. Help me, please.
That’s when he noticed Elise still dabbing at her eyes, still crying. Why was she so upset? Was it just that good to be back in church, or something more? Had she heard from God?
Later, at his house after an early dinner, they walked to the stream that ran through his backyard. Like the first time he’d brought her here, he took her to the rock that anchored the edge of the water. Once they were seated she turned to him.
“I didn’t want to talk about this before dinner.” The sadness in her face was gone. Her eyes held a peace that hadn’t been there before. “Cole, I think God was talking to me today. At church.”
“Really?” He pulled one knee up and watched her, the way the breeze played with her hair. “What did He say?”
“The whole trust thing.” She looked straight ahead. “I think He was saying I’m supposed to place my little girl up for adoption. With Aaron and Lucy—the couple I picked out.”
Cole’s heart started to pound. He couldn’t sound too happy. What would that say about his desire to help her? That it was all an act? He exhaled and forced himself to be calm. Like when he came up to bat in the ninth inning, bases loaded. “So... what are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Okay.”Breathe,he ordered himself.You have to breathe. He grabbed a quick bit of air through his nose. “I mean... do you really think that’s what He was saying?”
“Maybe.” She turned to him again. “I think it’s me who’s holding on. And now that I know she’s a girl, she’s so much more a part of me.” Tears welled in her eyes again. “She’s my baby.”
