A Quiet Strength by Janette Oke

hurts.”
    Clara reached out and took Virginia’s hand. “You’ve got a good man, little sister. Hang on to him. Make him happy.”
    Virginia nodded through her tears. “It still grieves me to think that we missed the fun, exciting honeymoon part,” she whispered, her chin trembling.
    When Clara did not speak, Virginia went on. “I didn’t even get the courting. The flowers. The candy. Those long moonlit walks. The …”
    “I’m sorry. You did miss a special time. But it was your choice.”
    “I know … but I guess I miss it. That special feeling that … I guess I didn’t understand how it would be.”
    “But you’ve got the best part ahead.”
    Virginia could not feel sure. “You think I’ve hit the wall?”
    “No. Only if you let it be a wall. You’ve come to a turning point. A decision-making time. Many couples flounder when the marriage reaches that point. But it’s a decision, Virginia. A choice you get to make. What are you going to do with a real marriage? Not a fairy tale. A real marriage. Are you going to throw your heart and soul into it and, with God’s help, build a happy and stable home with the man you love? Or are you going to retreat, still wanting to be the little princess on an imaginary throne? You can’t have it both ways.”
    “But I love romance.”
    “Romance? That’s when true romance begins. That’s when you learn to appreciate romance for what it really is. That’s the real beginning—not the end. You get so busy looking for ways to show love that your whole day becomes one exciting opportunity.”
    Virginia’s eyes widened, and she stared at her sister. “You still love Troy … like that?”
    “Still? No, not still. I love Troy more now than I ever have before. More than I ever did when I was going all giddy over his little love notes or our carved initials on a tree.”
    “But the honeymoon time …?”
    “I love him more than that, too. I see him now, carrying in groceries, fixing downspouts, shoveling snow from the walks. I watch him listen to the boys’ evening prayers, see him teach them how to hit a ball. I feel his concern about my tired back at the end of a day as he reaches out to massage away the ache, see in his eyes his love for this new baby—the one he doesn’t even know yet. Those are the things that I love about Troy. Those and many, many more.”
    Virginia straightened and dabbed at her eyes with her hankie. “I think I’m beginning to understand,” she said quietly. “I’m glad we had this little chat.”
    Clara squeezed the hand she still held.

    “I have a Christmas present for you,” Jonathan whispered to Virginia as he joined her beneath the feather quilt. She forced sleep from her foggy brain and tried to raise herself to a sitting position.
    “What?” she asked sleepily.
    “A new house?” His voice ended the statement like a question.
    Virginia came fully awake. “You mean …?”
    “It’s not totally finished. I’ll have to keep working on it as we go, but if you like, we can move in. It’s far enough along to be livable. If … you don’t mind putting up with that—for a while.”
    “But I thought …”
    “Your grandpa Clark has been helping me. We wanted it to be a surprise.”
    Did she mind? Would she put up with an unfinished house? There was no doubt in her mind. They would be together. They would be alone. It was an answer to her prayers.
    “Oh, Jonathan.”
    Virginia threw herself into his arms. But it was tears that came rather than laughter. She wasn’t sure, but in the darkness she wondered if there were tears on his cheeks, too.

CHAPTER  9
    I t was neither large nor fancy. There were no bay windows. No winding staircases. The structure was plain and solid. The simple floor plan was designed for practicality. As yet there was no trim around the doors and windows. No finishing paint or wallpaper on the walls. Yet Virginia could not have imagined the excitement she felt upon moving into her very own home.