Sure, she wants the guilty party to pay, but I think it’s just an excuse because she’s afraid of getting married. I overheard her telling Ma that she’s afraid she’ll fail at being a wife and mother.”
“Can’t be worse than you being afraid of failing at being a husband and father.”
Dave thought on this for a moment. The truth was he hadn’t thought much past getting Lacy to marry him. He knew he’d need to provide for her—to take care of her—but in all honesty, he hadn’t feared it.
“But I don’t really feel afraid of anything like that,” Dave told him. “I love Lacy, and I know that I will go to whatever lengths necessary to care for her and see that she has what she needs. But if she puts this wall of fear between us . . . well, that’s something I’m not sure I can tear down.”
His father nodded. “But God can, son. He’s not asking you to be Lacy’s savior.”
“But I want to be everything to her,” Dave admitted.
“Then you’d better call it off here and now.”
His father’s stern expression took Dave aback. “What do you mean?”
“You can’t be everything to her, Dave. God won’t have His place usurped. You need to understand that. You can’t be Lacy’s heavenly Father or a replacement for her earthly one. You’ll be a whole lot happier if you understand that from the start.”
Dave knew his father was right, but it still bothered him that he couldn’t give Lacy the strength and security she longed for. He wanted to make her fears cease in the overwhelming flood of his love. Why was that so wrong?
“Justin has been so difficult lately,” Beth said as she struggled to get up from her chair. Her growing stomach was becoming more and more of a burden. “I think the influx of people to the area has caused more bad than good where he’s concerned.”
“The few children that have been added have definitely been less than a good influence,” Gwen agreed.
“They’re a rowdy bunch, to be sure,” Lacy said. She put the final touches on polishing a brass spittoon. “There, that looks better.”
“I just don’t know what’s gotten into him lately,” Beth said. She moved to the far end of the dining room and stretched to measure one of the curtains.
Lacy jumped up. “You know you aren’t supposed to put your hands above your head when you’re pregnant.”
“That’s just an old wives’ tale,” Gwen chided. “But even so, I think we can get the measurements for you, Beth. Why don’t you just sit and take it easy. It’s just a few weeks before the baby will be here. No sense bringing your delivery on early.”
Beth put her hand to the small of her back. “I suppose it would be better if you measured. My stomach would just get in the way.”
Lacy took up the task and easily calculated the dimensions of the curtain. “So how are your plans going for Justin’s birthday party? He will be so surprised that you’ve arranged to throw him a grand celebration.”
“I hope so,” Beth said, shaking her head. “He seems so troubled. He hasn’t been able to focus on his schoolwork or anything else. I finally gave up and called an end to school for the summer even though it’s only the middle of May.”
“With everything that’s happened around here, that’s probably for the best,” Gwen said.
“He’s a good boy, but he seems so . . . well . . . I don’t know.” Beth rubbed her stomach. “I thought he was happy to be a part of our family.”
“Maybe he’s just settling in,” Gwen suggested. “You know. Everything was new to him before. Now the new is wearing off and everything has become routine.”
“She’s right,” Lacy said, handing Beth the tape measure. “Maybe he’s just bored.”
They heard a commotion from the backyard. The sound of arguing poured in through the kitchen window. Beth frowned. “Whatever is that all about?”
“Whatever it is,” Lacy said, striding toward the back door, “it doesn’t sound
“Can’t be worse than you being afraid of failing at being a husband and father.”
Dave thought on this for a moment. The truth was he hadn’t thought much past getting Lacy to marry him. He knew he’d need to provide for her—to take care of her—but in all honesty, he hadn’t feared it.
“But I don’t really feel afraid of anything like that,” Dave told him. “I love Lacy, and I know that I will go to whatever lengths necessary to care for her and see that she has what she needs. But if she puts this wall of fear between us . . . well, that’s something I’m not sure I can tear down.”
His father nodded. “But God can, son. He’s not asking you to be Lacy’s savior.”
“But I want to be everything to her,” Dave admitted.
“Then you’d better call it off here and now.”
His father’s stern expression took Dave aback. “What do you mean?”
“You can’t be everything to her, Dave. God won’t have His place usurped. You need to understand that. You can’t be Lacy’s heavenly Father or a replacement for her earthly one. You’ll be a whole lot happier if you understand that from the start.”
Dave knew his father was right, but it still bothered him that he couldn’t give Lacy the strength and security she longed for. He wanted to make her fears cease in the overwhelming flood of his love. Why was that so wrong?
“Justin has been so difficult lately,” Beth said as she struggled to get up from her chair. Her growing stomach was becoming more and more of a burden. “I think the influx of people to the area has caused more bad than good where he’s concerned.”
“The few children that have been added have definitely been less than a good influence,” Gwen agreed.
“They’re a rowdy bunch, to be sure,” Lacy said. She put the final touches on polishing a brass spittoon. “There, that looks better.”
“I just don’t know what’s gotten into him lately,” Beth said. She moved to the far end of the dining room and stretched to measure one of the curtains.
Lacy jumped up. “You know you aren’t supposed to put your hands above your head when you’re pregnant.”
“That’s just an old wives’ tale,” Gwen chided. “But even so, I think we can get the measurements for you, Beth. Why don’t you just sit and take it easy. It’s just a few weeks before the baby will be here. No sense bringing your delivery on early.”
Beth put her hand to the small of her back. “I suppose it would be better if you measured. My stomach would just get in the way.”
Lacy took up the task and easily calculated the dimensions of the curtain. “So how are your plans going for Justin’s birthday party? He will be so surprised that you’ve arranged to throw him a grand celebration.”
“I hope so,” Beth said, shaking her head. “He seems so troubled. He hasn’t been able to focus on his schoolwork or anything else. I finally gave up and called an end to school for the summer even though it’s only the middle of May.”
“With everything that’s happened around here, that’s probably for the best,” Gwen said.
“He’s a good boy, but he seems so . . . well . . . I don’t know.” Beth rubbed her stomach. “I thought he was happy to be a part of our family.”
“Maybe he’s just settling in,” Gwen suggested. “You know. Everything was new to him before. Now the new is wearing off and everything has become routine.”
“She’s right,” Lacy said, handing Beth the tape measure. “Maybe he’s just bored.”
They heard a commotion from the backyard. The sound of arguing poured in through the kitchen window. Beth frowned. “Whatever is that all about?”
“Whatever it is,” Lacy said, striding toward the back door, “it doesn’t sound
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