Page 64 of Two Weeks
They were not alone. God was with them and He could see them. He cared. Because only He could’ve brought about this phone call from the adoption lawyer. A way of letting them know that Vienna was still living, safe with Him. Because this wasn’t just a matter-of-fact call with a simple request.
It was their daughter’s dream come true.
20
Some days Cole felt like he was carrying boulders in his backpack.
Elise had gone thirteen days without changing her mind. Thirteen days when all they talked about was the baby and whether they should stay in Bloomington for the summer or get settled in Louisiana and have the child there.
They talked about where Cole would work and how quickly he could start taking online classes. Elise had done the research. Liberty University had a crazy amount of online degrees. Hundreds of options.
All this made Elise happier every day. Her life was falling into place.
Not so much for Cole. His was falling apart. At least that’s how he felt.
There were times when he would be sitting in his science class and just the sight of Elise made him work to catch his breath. Not the way she had affected him back in the beginning, when he couldn’t take his eyes off her. But because the pressure piling up on him was too great to inhale under.
Like he was suffocating.
Here was the worst of it: He could only blame himself.
Yes, he was in love with her. He still could barely think when her eyes caught his, or when he heard her laugh. And he was beyond blown away by her talent as an artist. He had found one of his mom’s old easels and a box of paints she didn’t use anymore. For the last few weeks Elise had come to his house a handful of times, and always she worked on a painting: Cole at bat in his Clear Creek uniform.
Yes, he loved everything about her.
But that didn’t mean he was ready to change his life plan. Didn’t mean he had it in him to move to Louisiana and start working full-time to provide for her. And it certainly didn’t mean he was ready to be a father. He wasn’t even nineteen.
Like always, his dad was right. But what was he supposed to do about his promise to Elise? Now she was counting on him. At different times, when the weight of it all built up and pressed in around his shoulders, he thought about finding a way to tell Elise. But then he’d look into her eyes and know that all he wanted was her.
Whatever the cost.
It was Easter Sunday and finally Elise was doing something she’d promised him weeks ago. He picked her up a few doors down from her aunt and uncle’s. They still didn’t know about him or the baby. Elise planned to tell them tomorrow. During his away baseball game.
“My mom says I have to explain everything to them. As soon as possible.” She had shared this with him at lunch Friday. “I haven’t been very social around them. They probably think I hate being at their house.”
Cole hadn’t paid a lot of attention to the details. Elise had talked about exactly how she should tell them, which words to use and what she should say. How they might react.
The whole time Cole kept shifting beneath the boulders in his backpack.
Didn’t she see that he had more to deal with than whatever uncomfortable moments might come out of being honest with her aunt and uncle? Cole had so much to think about he was afraid his head might explode. Where was he going to work? And what if he’d mentioned marriage a little too soon? What if they ended up not getting married? Was he still supposed to work to support Elise and the baby? And for how long?
One boulder after another.
It was half an hour till the church service. Cole’s parents and siblings were saving seats for Elise and him. Her coming to church was a step in the right direction, because until now Cole couldn’t even answer the most obvious question: Did the girl he loved really care about following Jesus? As far back as he could remember that had been at the top of the list. His mom used to say, “Most important thing in life is figuring out what to do about Jesus.” She would smile. “But second is finding a girl who believes in Him like you do.”
Cole helped Elise into the car. She was five months pregnant and still not showing at all. She wore a flowery skirt and a fitted blouse. The perfect Easter outfit. “You look pretty.” He still hadn’t kissed her. Didn’t want to until they had more of this figured out.
“Thanks.” She settled into the seat beside him. “You didn’t ask how my doctor appointment went.”
That’s right. Cole gripped the steering wheel. “Sorry.” He’d had a home game. No question his hitting was off. The burden of life made it hard to see the ball the way he used to. That’s what Cole had learned this season. He wasn’t half the hitter he’d been last year.
And even still the Liberty coach wanted him to try out.
He tried to be interested in what Elise was saying. He still listened while she read the pregnancy app on her phone. How the baby had gone from the size of a pea to a grape to a cantaloupe. And how the infant’s brain was developing, and the lungs and skin. The fact that the baby could hear now.
The details really were fascinating. But right now Cole only wanted to hit a home run, break out of his slump and turn a triple play at second base. He pulled into the church parking lot and found a spot. She was still waiting for him to ask about the doctor visit, her pretty hair spilling in waves over her slim shoulders. He remembered to smile. “How was your appointment?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I found out.”
