Faith Unseen (11 page)

              “Leah, you are going to be stuck taking care of me again. I’m sorry.”

              “Nathan’s right to give you a nuggie every time you apologize unnecessarily. I’d do it too but since you are all banged up it wouldn’t be fair. I will not be “stuck” taking care of you. I have never felt that way Faith. Please move back home with me.”

              “All right.” Faith agreed and told Leah where her belongings were.

              “You have been living in a hotel for six weeks?”

              “Yes”

              “How have you been taking care of yourself?”

              “One of my volunteers has been helping me.”

              “How is that different than me helping you? Aren’t you burdening her then?”

              “Yes, I didn’t have much choice. I was interviewing candidates for a permanent housekeeper/helper job.”

              “We will finish this discussion at home. Go back to sleep, you need your rest.” Leah said as she gently hugged her sister. “I’m glad you are back with me. I missed you.”

              “I missed you too.”

              Faith had been home from the hospital a few days when Nathan stopped by. He went to see Leah in her shop. “Are you ready? Mrs. Dillon and Mrs. Harper are on their way over here.”

              “I’m ready. She is going to hate this but then we can sort through everything and get our lives back to normal.”

              Nathan had a huge smile on his face as he spoke “Speak for yourself, I think my life is going to change dramatically.”

              “And how do you feel about that?” Leah asked smugly

              “What is better than fantastic?”

              “She isn’t sure about you yet, so be patient.”

              “After the last six weeks, I may have trouble with that. But, we still have lots to talk about.” He said opening the door to Leah’s shop so they could exit. They walked around to the front of the house and found Mrs. Dillon and Mrs. Harper walking up the walkway in front of the house.

              “Good morning.” Nathan stated as he shook their hands. “Leah, we will wait here for a minute so you can check on Faith.”

              “I’ll be right back.” Leah said as she opened the front door. She found Faith reading her Bible as she rested on the couch. “We have company.” Leah stated heading back to the front door. Their guests were led into the living room and they took a seat.

              “Faith, it is me, Mrs. Dillon and Mrs. Harper also.”

              Faith paled and looked down at her Bible. She put the bookmark in it and closed it as she tried to fight back tears. “Hello” she said very quietly.

              “We came to apologize for our bad behavior several weeks ago. Our words were mean and hurtful to you. Pastor Lindstrom and Leah set me straight on several assumptions I had made and shared with Mrs. Harper. We are very sorry.” She finished and Mrs. Harper echoed her apologies.

              “Thank you.” Faith said quietly

              “We won’t keep you any longer and we hope you mend quickly.” Mrs. Dillon said as she rose from her chair. “If you need anything, please let me know. I’m a pretty good cook.”

              Faith thanked her and Leah led them to the door. Nathan followed her back into see Faith. “Hi Faith.” He said going to sit on the coffee table beside her. Nathan reached for her hand and squeezed it.

              “Why are you here?” Faith asked Nathan

              “You and me and Leah have lots to talk about, don’t you think?”

              “Is there when you finally come clean about wanting to date each other?”

              “We can start with that topic then if you wish. Leah do you want to tell her how wrong she is or should I?”

              “I’ll start.” Leah said fiercely “And you can join in when I’m done.”

              “You have the floor.” He stated

              “Faith, I do not want to date Nathan and he does not want to date me. Why do you think otherwise?”

              “Because you get along so well.” Faith yelled losing her temper. “Why wouldn’t I think that? And why would he not want to date someone who is well and whole and not handicapped?”

              “So what if we got along so well, he is a nice person. You are just scared of what you feel for him.”

              “That’s right. But I am also blind. Why would he…?”

              Nathan interrupted “Okay, I can’t handle being talked about in the third person. Talk to me Faith, I’m not going anywhere until you do. Leah is right, I don’t want to date her. I want to date
you
.” He emphasized.

              “How did you all find out about what they said anyway?”

              “I’ll let you get away with that sidestep for right now.” He said “Last Sunday, Mrs. Dillon told Leah and I that we made a cute couple and we set her straight on that. At the same time she mentioned that she had told Mrs. Harper “that very thing right outside the church building”. Leah and I sat her down in my office and she told us the whole story of what they said. We assumed you were sitting outside and heard them talking.”

              “I did. They were right, I’m not a help to you. Either of you. I wouldn’t make a good pastor’s wife and you two probably do make a cute couple.”

              “Will you stop saying that? I don’t want that getting around.” Leah stated fiercely

              “Why not?” Faith and Nathan asked in unison.

              “Because it might discourage others from asking me out.” She said vaguely

              “Like who?” Faith asked

              “None of that matter’s right now.” Leah tried to evade answering

              “Like Tom Green?” asked Nathan

              Leah jumped up from her chair and hurried to the kitchen.

              “Where did she go and how did you know that?” Faith asked

              “She ran to the kitchen and it was a hopeful guess. He has been talking to me about her.”

              “Are you serious?”

              “Yes.” He answered Faith. “Leah, we will table that discussion for now. Come back out here.” He shouted towards the kitchen.

              “My personal life is not up for discussion right now. We are discussing you, dearest sister.”

              “She is right again” commented Nathan “How did you even assume we would want to date? I thought I was pretty clear on my preference of Newham sisters.”

              “Why would you want this face when hers is perfect?” shouted Faith as she pointed to her scars

              “I’m not even going there sister dear.” Leah shouted back. “How do you know his face is perfect? Maybe he isn’t so handsome and you are prettier than he is?”

              “She is prettier than me.” Nathan answered

              “I am not.” Faith countered “And who cares if you have a scar?”

              Nathan smacked his head in his hand. “But it is supposed to matter to me that you do? How is that logical?”

              “It just is.” Faith defended

              “No, it isn’t” Leah laughed at her. “I’m tired of that subject and I’m moving on. How and why did you think you had suddenly become a
burden
to me and why did I need my
freedom
from taking care of you?”

              “They said they felt sorry for you and how you were always helping me.”

              “And you listened to them?” Leah shouted “You take care of me just as much as I take care of you. We are family and I love having you here. I need your help as I always have.”

              “What have I ever done for you?”

              “You take calls for my business. You write emails to people for me. You find me business.”

              “So, big deal.”

              “It is a big deal. You keep me on track and I need that.”

              “You could do that without me.”

              “You are so stubborn.” Leah stated exasperated. “Fine. But if I ever find out you are leaving me again except to get married, I’m trapping you in that dungeon you call an office and throwing you a scrap of food once a day.” Leah shouted “I love you dear sister. Please stay here with me.” she said calmly and sincerely “My personal life is not affected by you in anyway.”

              “I’ll stay.” Faith stated

              “Good. Now, is my part in this discussion over with? Can I leave you two here and let you have your discussion in private?”

              “Nathan is leaving. We have nothing to discuss.” Faith said

              “Goodbye Leah.” Nathan stated firmly “Faith and I have plenty to discuss.”

              “I’ll pray for you Nathan.” Leah spoke as she left the room.

              “That’s a great idea.” He said taking Faith’s hand in his.
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for bringing Faith back and thank you for her injuries not being more severe. Help us to discuss things rationally and calmly and to remember it is your will not ours. If we are to take further steps in our relationship, help us to do it with you as our first priority. Thank you for loving us more than anything imaginable. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Nathan continued to hold her hand as he began to speak.

              “I am so glad you have been found.” He said with emphasis

              “I wasn’t lost. I left. And the Lord closed the door on you and me.”

              “I don’t believe that anymore than you do. You are scared of not living up to some ideal of a pastor’s wife and you
think
the Lord closed this door.”

              “It looks pretty closed to me. The church would not be pleased with me as the pastor’s wife.”

              “And if it comes to us getting married and the church is unhappy, I’ll resign and go somewhere else. It isn’t a church I would want to pastor if they could not see the real you.”

              “They do see the real me, helpless.”

              “You are not helpless and if you tell me that again I’ll give you another nuggie.”

              “I have a broken leg remember.” She said firmly

              “And it has nothing to do with your head. Why do you insist on thinking you are helpless?”

              “Because I can’t cook, I can’t clean house, I can’t do other things around the house. I have to be taken anywhere I need to go.”

              “Not being able to do those things does not make you helpless. I can do those things or we can hire household help. Are you really thinking and listening to the Lord or are you worrying needlessly about the small stuff?”

              “Isn’t thinking about those things important?”

              “Not really. God wants your whole heart and your focus to be on him. He is your first priority, I would be second place just as you would be second place for me if we get married.”

              “And how would I take care of you?”

              “Don’t you remember the painting, the shelves, my car, the cleaning at the church? You have already proven you could take care of me.”

              “That wasn’t taking care of you. That was helping out with a few things.”

              “It most certainly was taking care of me.”

              “It wasn’t either.”

              “Okay, then what do you consider taking care of me?”

              “Things around the house, running errands for you, taking on things that you don’t have time to do.”

              “Like a pie social? Or getting the painting done on my house? Or getting my car fixed?”

              “Yes. No. Don’t sidetrack me. You are not hearing me.”

              “I’m hearing you but I’m going to not argue with you anymore. I’m just going to say this, so ours wouldn’t be a traditional marriage but even if you had sight it would not be you staying at home to “run the house”. You have a business to run. I want you to expand that business and do whatever can be done to help other ministers.”

              “But what would people think if I didn’t keep my own house?”

              “Who cares? I don’t. I want you to put God first in your life and allow him to direct your path. That’s it; that is all I want. If that is happening for you, then all other things fall in the right priority including me. I have no doubts that you would do a wonderful job of taking care of me and if I don’t have any doubts, why should you?”

              “That is too easy, isn’t it?” she conceded

              “No, sweetheart, it isn’t any more complicated than that. If it is our life, then how we run it is our business not the church members. You take care of me to the best of your ability and I would take care of you to the best of mine. There is no perfect picture of how our life should look. We will have ups and downs just like everyone else. But we put God first and trust in what he has for us.”