by JoAnn Durgin
Caressing her cheeks with his thumbs, he drew her close and kissed her with all the emotion, all the love, flowing through him for her. “I love you, Marta.”
“I love you, too, Eliot. I don’t know what’s going to happen when we leave New Mexico, but like you said, we’ll figure it out, right?” Her eyes were overly bright as she looked up at him.
“Yes,” he said. “We will. He’ll show us the way.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s time. I have another surprise for you, and then we’ll head back to the camp.”
“I’m not sure I ever want this day to end,” she said as he helped her to her feet.
“I know the feeling.”
A few minutes later, Marta stopped short and stared at him as he talked with the pilot. “Eliot, are we going up in a hot air balloon?”
He grinned. “That’s the idea. At twilight, no less.” He laughed when she squealed in delight.
“It’s like floating on a cloud,” she said ten minutes later as their balloon lifted into the sky. She looked over the edge of the basket and then gave him a smile that soared into his heart. “It’s like we’re the only two people in the universe.”
“That would be great if it were true.” Walking toward her, Eliot carefully lifted the baseball cap from her head, setting loose her mass of blonde curls. How he loved them.
She laughed and shook out the curls, running her fingers through them. “Know what I have to do now?”
“No,” he said, mesmerized. She could stand on her head and recite Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and he’d be a fool for love.
She began to sing a song. “Would you like to ride…” A light, sappy, bubblegum-type song. The type of corny love song she’d told him she loved. This one seemed to fit the bill, but her enthusiasm was irresistible.
“What are you singing?”
“Up, Up and Away!” She continued to sing in her slightly off-key voice. He must be in love because he found even that unbelievably charming. The song was perfect for an evening balloon ride. The lyrics mentioned a twilight canopy, a guiding star, the moon, sailing along the silver sky…and love waiting in a beautiful balloon. Indeed.
“The world’s a nicer place…”
“In my beautiful balloon,” he sang with her. He felt like an idiot, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered but being with Marta now and sharing her joy.
Laughing, she launched into his arms.
“Careful,” the pilot cautioned. “The gondola’s steady, but…”
“We’ll be good, Mr. Pilot. Sorry.”
“Not a problem, Miss. Carry on.” The man winked at Eliot and saluted.
Marta’s lashes fluttered and her cheeks were rosy, flushed with love. For him.
“The song talks about holding hands and chasing a dream across the sky. What’s your dream, Eliot?”
“The rainbow was God’s promise to Noah that never again would He destroy the world with floodwaters. Lavender is one of the colors of the rainbow, and I see it every time I look in your eyes, Marta. I see the promise of all we can become.”
“Oh, Eliot,” she said, leaning her head on his chest. “For a rough, tough, and tumble kind of guy, you say the sweetest things.”
He chuckled and tightened his hold on her as the balloon floated through the night sky. The stars sparkled above them, and never had Eliot’s heart felt so full. “God, you are amazing in your creation,” he murmured.
Tell her. The urge inside him had grown more insistent. Drawing her close, he whispered in her ear. “I’m a Green Beret and work with special reconnaissance and foreign internal defense matters. I also work with the CIA in their Special Activities Division.” Quickly and succinctly, Eliot gave her a brief overview of what his assignments could entail. He also told her he’d gone to Princeton and maintained dual citizenship with France and the United States. He could tell she had questions, but she listened quietly and did not interrupt him.
When he was done, Marta moved one hand over her chest, and she breathed heavily. “Why am I not surprised? It sounds very important and, of course, dangerous. But, in a weird way, exciting. I can’t believe I’m saying that.” She looked up at him with wide eyes.
“It is exciting, but there are days when it’s mundane. Trust me. But mundane means things are quiet and at peace. And that’s a great place to be. The best place.”
“Yes, but again, you could get a call that could change all that in a heartbeat, right?”
He nodded. “Yes. Marta, it’s imperative that you tell no one.”
“Understood. Now I know why Sam called you in to find Mitch. You were the best man for the job.”
Wrapping his arms around the woman with whom he wanted to sail into every tomorrow, Eliot smiled. No matter what tomorrow might bring, they’d always have this beautiful night.
Chapter 38
~~♥~~
Day 8, Monday
“It sure is nice of Lila and Pastor Chevy to offer the use of the church’s new laundry facilities.” Winnie worked beside Lexa to sort the small mountain of laundry. The washer and dryer had been installed in a side room off the kitchen a few days ago. “I don’t know that many churches have a laundry room, of all things, but I imagine it comes in handy.”
“We’re inaugurating them.” Finished sorting the whites, Lexa started a new pile of dark clothes. “I told Lila we could go to a laundromat, but she insisted we use the facilities here.” Like everything else, they had a schedule for laundry. Amy and Natalie were coming later in the day. After breakfast, she and Winnie had run to the nearest grocery store to pick up detergents, fabric softeners, and stain remover—enough for their small army.
“The members of the One Nation Church are some of the most generous people I’ve ever met,” Winnie observed. She cast a wary eye on the piles of laundry. “We might as well set up cots. We’re going to be here a while.”
Lexa nodded. “Agreed, on both counts. At least the washer and dryer are industrial size and can handle large loads. Don’t tell anyone else I said this, but it’s kind of nice to have some peace and quiet for a few hours.” At least a spider bite wasn’t contagious. The events of the past few days had made her tired before this new day had even begun.
As they worked, they chatted about the gifts the TeamWork men bought for their wives. Mitch bought a jeweled hair comb, supposedly to show his support for Cassie’s shorter haircut, and Landon bought Amy a pair of sapphire earrings.
“Did you see what Kevin gave Beck?” Lexa said as she sorted more clothes. “Yep, we need extra stain remover on that one.” She put one of Joe’s shirts in a separate pile and picked up one of Sam’s shirts. “Whew. Sam must have really worked hard when he wore this one.”
Winnie laughed. “Same for this shirt of Josh’s. And yes, Beck showed me the baby blankets. They’re very sweet. Leave it to my thoughtful brother-in-law. Who knew baby blankets came in cashmere? Beck said Kevin wants to get them embroidered with the babies’ names once they arrive.” She shrugged. “If you can even embroider on cashmere. What do I know?”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled for them,” Lexa said. “Marc got Natalie a necklace similar to the one Sam got for me with the kids’ birthstones, including the little girl in China and the new baby.” She finished sorting and reached for the stain remover bottle. “Seems all our guys thought of jewelry.”
“Works for me. That’s not all Josh bought for me, though.”
Lexa looked over at Winnie as she rubbed stain remover into a pesky stain on the knee of Joe’s jeans. “I know. Sam and Josh went into that lingerie store together.”
Winnie pushed one pile of clothes aside and started on another. “Josh got this beautiful, expensive, green satin nightgown for me. Then he made this whole beautiful speech about how he knew I felt less than desirable because I haven’t lost the baby weight. How he loves every part of me—”
“And?” This was one of those times Lexa needed to keep her best friend focused.
Winnie met her gaze as they bo
th continued to work. “Have you ever worn satin, Lexa? That fabric has absolutely no stretch or give. So, here’s my loving, gorgeous husband giving me this lovely gift that I can’t possibly begin to wear. Thank goodness we’re not sleeping in the same quarters right now—believe me, I can’t believe I’m saying that—but if we shared a bed, he would have expected me to put it on that night.”
“And?” Lexa asked again, hoping Winnie didn’t find her prompts obnoxious. She had a feeling where this story was going.
“I peeked at the tag. He thought he was buying it larger than my regular size, and it’s two sizes too small! It was all I could do not to cry right then and there, but I managed to hold it together until Josh left. Then the kids came in. No time for tears when you’re a mom, right?”
Reaching across the table, Lexa squeezed Winnie’s arm. “You’re a beautiful woman, Winnie, and your weight doesn’t dictate who you are, or how treasured you are in the eyes of your husband. Sam said the sweetest thing to me the other night about how the Lord made him for me, and me for him. The same goes for you and Josh.”
“I know, but I still feel like such a cow right now.” Realizing she’d made a rhyme, Winnie laughed and wiped away a few quick tears. “I find it so ironically sweet that he thought he’d given me a nightgown that would make me feel pretty, and then it ended up having the opposite effect.”
“Why don’t we take a trip to the mall when we get back home?” Lexa suggested. “Let’s see if we can exchange the nightgown for another size.”
Winnie smiled at her through watery eyes. “I had the same thought,” she said, heaving a deep sigh. “In my mind, I like to believe the guys are pining away for us while we’re here. This is probably silly, but maybe Sam should add another marriage rule about going on a mission trip every now and then and sleeping in separate quarters.”
Lexa nodded. “It’s not silly at all, and I’ll mention it to him.”
Winnie picked up one of Luke’s T-shirts and frowned. “How much stain remover did we buy? I’m going to use half the bottle on my son’s clothes alone. What is it about camp that presents such unique laundry challenges?”
“There’s a whole new world of opportunity here,” Lexa said. “But I think Joe manages to get in just as much dirt back home.”
“Josh said it was Sam’s suggestion that the guys go to the mall. I think it was inspired.”
“I have an idea why Sam suggested the men go shopping for us,” Lexa said.
“Oh? What’s that?” Picking up a pair of Luke’s pants, Winnie shook her head.
“A woman at the board meeting openly admired Sam. It’s not like I haven’t seen other women eyeing my husband, Winnie, but this time it got to me.”
Winnie stopped sorting her kids’ clothes. “Did she say or do something to get Sam’s attention?”
“She came over and greeted him at the meeting. She’s the type of woman who commands attention. I think I was bothered because she acted so familiar with Sam. She’d paid a visit to the church earlier in the week and met my husband and Marc.”
Winnie wiped the back of her hand over her brow. “Let me guess. She’s tall, ridiculously thin, and beautiful.”
“Pretty much. She didn’t smile much but it was a business meeting, after all. I’ll admit I felt frumpy by comparison, especially after the whole white hair episode recently. This woman seemed so put together and confident. You know the type. She exudes sensuality, and I know men are drawn to that whether they want to be or not. Sitting there with her in that meeting, the door was opened and my insecurities peeked out.” Lexa frowned. “Insecurities that have been dormant until now, I guess.”
Winnie giggled. “Did you say peed out?”
Lexa balled up a pair of shorts and aimed them at her friend. “You’re silly.”
“Did this woman act familiar with Josh and Eliot as well?” Although Winnie busied herself with her family’s laundry again, Lexa sensed the underlying edge in her question. Seemed she wasn’t the only one with a few lingering insecurities that surfaced every now and then.
“Not really. Sam introduced Josh, but she made it a point to meet Eliot. The guys were all great. Marta and I were the ones who didn’t handle it so well.”
Winnie glanced up at her again. “How did Marta react?”
“Marta and I discussed her. As I told her, it’s been my experience that a woman who acts like that must be missing something in her own life. There’s a void she’s looking to fill. Then I told Marta we were giving her too much power. Not that it’s a game.”
“In a way, it kind of is. We can’t be naïve, and we need to keep our eyes open. Men think they’re the protectors, and they are. But sometimes we need to protect our men, too. You know?” With a frown, Winnie tossed one of Josh’s shirts on the table. “Some women make it a game to try and tempt men, especially married ones. When Josh and I went to that marriage seminar last year, I could barely restrain my frustration when the woman told us how we needed to hold onto our husband because—guaranteed—there would always be another woman right around the corner who’d want him. As if I need to be reminded. Sorry, I got off track there.”
“Turns out, you’re on the right track,” Lexa said. “You met the woman in question after the church service yesterday morning.”
Winnie glanced up at her from where she was measuring detergent into the washer. “Wait a minute. Stephanie Colton?”
“None other. Turns out Sam had a package sent to her of TeamWork materials. She received it when she returned to her office on Friday afternoon after the City Council hearing.”
“Well, that’s interesting.” Winnie began loading clothes into the washer. “Did you talk with Sam about her?” Finished with her task, Winnie came back to the table and began checking pockets in the next load to be washed.
“I think he has some kind of radar. He picked up on my feelings at the hearing and reassured me. Then he asked me the other day if we needed to discuss her, but I put him off. I told Sam that Stephanie showed up at the church service and what we’d discussed. So, after thinking that the City Council hearing might have been an exercise in futility, the way I see it now? If it ultimately might bring one more person to faith in Christ, it was all worth it. And if not? Well, I’m sure the Lord had a reason. He always does.”
“Amen,” Winnie said with finality, pulling a pen out of the pocket of Josh’s shorts. “This could have caused some damage. That statement has nothing to do with my next question, but why do you think Sam sent that package to Stephanie?”
“Because that’s my husband. He’s planting more seeds. You know Sam. He had Bennie in the TeamWork office send her a Bible along with the TeamWork materials. He must have taken care of it right after he first met Stephanie out at the worksite. You ask me, it’s another example of how God works. Instead of acting jealous or insecure, I need to pray for that woman. As Eliot would say, ‘Everything according to His purpose.’”
When she looked over at Winnie, her friend held a business card in her hand. “I found this card in the pocket of Josh’s jeans.” Her blue eyes met Lexa’s. “The same jeans he had on when they went to the mall on Saturday afternoon, if I’m not mistaken.”
Lexa was almost afraid to ask the next question. Winnie’s face had grown slightly pale. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure,” Winnie said slowly, rotating the card between her fingers. “Why do you suppose Josh would have a card from a woman named Victoria Brighton?”
“Not a clue. Does it have a business listed?”
Winnie glanced at the card. “Says she’s an image consultant. Lives here in Albuquerque.” She sniffed the card. “Smells like it was spritzed with perfume like those sample cards they give out at the cosmetic counter at the department store. Smells…pretty. Tall. Thin.”
“Please don’t read anything into it, Winnie. Ask your husband.” She didn’t mean to sound harsh, but neither did she want Winnie’s insecurities to escalate. “I’m sure Josh collects lots o
f cards from all kinds of people, both men and women. If you ask him, I’m sure he’ll put your mind at ease.”
Winnie tucked the card in the pocket of her shorts. “I hope so. I’ll ask him tonight.”
~~♥~~
Lexa heard a knock on the outside door of their quarters. “Lexa, are you in here?”
“Come on in, Amy. Be forewarned that I might put you to work folding laundry.” She’d sorted the clothing by family members but the piles were growing higher by the second. She hoped Sam would be up to giving her a back rub tonight because she could sure use one. Maybe even a combined back and foot rub, but that might be pushing it. He’d probably remind her he was still recovering although he felt well enough to work at the church again.
As Amy stepped inside, Lexa gave her a smile. “Feeling okay?” Ever since Beck’s scare, she’d been extra mindful of the expectant TeamWork mothers.
“Other than cravings for salty and sweet foods and everything else fattening or bad for me, I’m fine. I almost made Landon go out and get me some potato chips in the middle of the night.”
“I know you still need to go to the doctor to confirm your pregnancy, but do you have any idea when you might be due?”
“About the same time as Beck, I believe. I’ll call you when I get home and have my appointment. May I?” Amy gestured to the edge of the bed. “Give me a stack to fold.”
“Sit,” Lexa said. “I’ll never turn down good help. You can fold the girls’ things, if you don’t mind.”
“Sounds good. Hand them over.” Amy waited while Lexa sorted through some clothes and then transferred a pile to her. “I wanted to tell you about an interesting fiction proposal I received earlier this week.”