by Jen Gentry
One evening when Bradley felt trapped and shut in, Marta showed up at his door with his favorite pizza and a CD of Pride and Prejudice. While delighted to see her, he labeled her choice of movies as total chick flick. They stayed up late into the night talking and eating pizza; the movie received little attention.
Marta felt her friend slipping away from her before their time to part had come. The emotion made her consider what she felt about Bradley in a different light. Startled to realize she was in love with him, and not wanting to lose him, she hesitated, afraid to reveal her true feelings.
He thought of her as a close friend, a sister of sorts, and she didn’t want to ruin her friendship with him by complicating their relationship.
Somehow, during their long conversation, they ended up holding hands. A look passed between them and all conversation ceased. This was her chance and she had to give it her best before she lost him altogether.
She leaned into the distance between them and kissed his lips.
He did not resist and pulled her into a tight embrace. This is it, my Marta, my dear, sweet girl. You’re the only one for me. He knew he would do right by her and she would him.
The kiss was a passionate one that left them breathless and wanting more. Also, it frightened them both just a little. Considering their past, even though completely forgiven, dared they take this relationship any further?
They parted ways that night with promises to talk again about where they wanted their relationship to go. The next day after they both slept on the idea of it, they could discuss various options.
***
Emily and Seth grew close and fell in love slowly as months turned to years. Dedicated Christians first and foremost, they decided early on that their relationship would be a Christ-centered one and they spent many hours quietly enjoying each other’s company and praying together.
As their college day’s neared completion, Emily feared that he would want to get married. She wasn’t sure if her calling was to be that of a preacher’s wife and while she loved Seth dearly, she had a purpose or rather a destiny to fulfill before she got married. She made a last minute decision not go home with Seth for spring break to meet his parents.
He was disappointed, but she explained that she wanted this time apart from him to fast and pray. He understood the need to pray and told her he would do the same while they were apart.
Emily spent the better part of spring break alone in the huge church sanctuary fasting and praying prostate before the Lord. It was on the fourth day that an angel appeared before her with a message. She had not seen another angelic being since that day in the forest with Gemma.
This angel was no stranger. Liam in angelic form stood almost twelve feet tall and his glorious, enormous bright white wings stretched another four feet above his head. He wore a spotless white robe. An even larger, dark skinned angel stood at his side.
“Liam,” Emily cried. “What? How is this
possible? You’re an angel?”
“Yes. I am Mr. Perry’s guardian, and therefore, the estate as well. This is Terrence. He has been your guardian since the day you left Perry House. He has ever been at your side these past four years. Emily, we haven’t much time. I bring you sad tidings. Mr. Perry is dying. It is his last wish to see you before he passes. You must return to the estate quickly, as his time to leave draws near.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll return as soon as I can get a flight out.” Before she could thank Liam, he and Terrence disappeared.
Ten hours later, Emily arrived at Perry House. Gemma met her at the door to the main house. Emily saw her aunt had been crying, and appeared as if she hadn’t slept in days.
Liam was there in human form and he escorted Emily and her aunt to Mr. Perry. She was astonished at the change in him. Thin and translucent, he was but a ghost of his former self. A private hospice nurse sat outside his doorway to administer his medications and keep him comfortable as he neared the end of his journey from this world.
“Emily, child, you are here at last.”
She sat beside him and reached for his hand. It was apparent he’d been waiting for her.
“Yes, my grandfather, I am here.” Emily had never addressed him as grandfather before, but it seemed appropriate to do so now, as she knew he thought of her as his granddaughter.
“Yes child, you are my granddaughter in every way in my heart. It is my greatest desire that you will always think of me and speak of me as your grandfather. I have things I must tell you and your aunt. Will you sign to her as I speak? I am too weak to do so.”
“Of course I will, but surely this can wait. You need to rest, and then we can talk in the morning.” Emily searched for a way to keep him with them as long as possible.
“No, child, I must tell you these things now while I still have the strength to do so.”
Heart heavy, Emily nodded. “I am ready.” She motioned for her aunt to stand in front of her as she prepared to sign the old man’s last words to them.
“As I have no other living relatives, I am leaving Perry House and all of its possessions to you both, as well as any monies I have invested in trust and in accounts at various banking institutions.” Emily cried as she signed these words to her aunt, who also cried. Mr. Perry had a coughing fit, and the nurse came in and gave him some kind of liquid drops to help calm his breathing.
As his breathing eased, he continued, “My will is complete with this information as well as other instructions. My attorneys will take care of everything when I’m gone. I left no room for any contestation of my final wishes. This is what I want, to know that you will continue to live here in comfort. You have brought so much joy to my life.
Also, Emily, I want you to have my research. Do you remember the day I showed you and your friend the papers from my cabinet in the library?”
“Yes,” Emily murmured, her throat aching with unshed tears.
“Good. Your aunt has keys to everything in the house, including my private cabinets. I trust the Lord will lead you in what to do with the documents when you’re ready.”
Emily finished signing out the words to her aunt.
“But what of Liam, grandfather? Will you leave nothing for him?”
A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. “Emily, surely by now you know what we all know here at Perry House. Liam is not what he appears to be, and what do angels need besides prayers? He knows that he will always have a place at Perry House.”
Gemma walked to the other side of the bed and held Mr. Perry’s hand to her tear streaked cheek. She gazed upon the face of the kindest man she’d ever known. I’ll miss you, my dear and precious friend, she signed.
“And I you.”
They stayed with him like that until he took his last breath a few minutes later.
Emily saw Liam shift into his shimmering angelic form, his wings spread and uplifted. He reached down and raised Mr. Perry’s spirit from his body and together, hand-in-hand, they disappeared into a bright light.
Tears streamed down Emily’s face. “Be blessed in heaven my dear grandfather. We will all be together again soon.”
Liam did not return for the funeral. Neither was he at the reading of the will. Marta’s parents attended the funeral and the wake at Perry House afterwards. They offered Marta’s condolences. She was in the throes of preparing for final exams and unable to make the funeral.
Emily and Gemma, heartbroken at the loss of this beloved man, were overwhelmed with his generosity. Everything went as Mr. Perry instructed.
They inherited the entire estate, including the money accounts, in joint ownership. No questions asked.
Emily called Seth to let him know she’d return to school the following week. She missed him very much and looked forward to being with him at school again, yet she knew that before the end of the school year, she would break his heart and her own.
Marriage was not in her immediate future. The Holy Spirit was guiding her in another direction, and she must be obedient t
o Him first, before all others.
Before she returned to school, she made her aunt promise to attend her graduation ceremony. She arranged for her to fly with Marta for the ceremony. Marta and Bradley would be graduating the weekend before Emily. Marta was thrilled to escort Gemma to Oklahoma for Emily’s graduation.
After some long discussions, Marta and Bradley decided together they would take their relationship to the next level slowly, and as such, planned to keep it to themselves until after the graduation ceremonies.
Bradley didn’t send his father an invitation to the graduation ceremony, but the senator sent his regrets anyway, citing that he could not leave the campaign trail. He had received the democratic party’s nomination and was vying hard for the presidency. He sent an elaborate gift though, a bright red Bentley. It was a showy thing to do, and Bradley did not appreciate it. He sent the car with a hired driver back to the townhouse in DC with no message, but instructions to the driver to leave it there with the keys in it.
The press, even more intent on keeping tabs and taking unsolicited photos of Bradley, followed everywhere he went. Determined to keep Marta out of this, he only met with her in secret. He spent graduation day with Amelia, and Marta spent her day with her family. They arranged to fly separately to New York and meet at his aunt’s penthouse for a few days before Marta and Gemma went to Oklahoma for Emily’s graduation.
Amelia was delighted to meet Marta. “Why, she is just lovely, Bradley.”
She positively cooed over Marta and made her feel right at home.
“I am so glad you like her, Aunt Amelia, because I love her and I want to marry her.”
Marta gasped as Bradley got down on one knee. “I love you more than my own life. Please do me the great honor of becoming my wife and sharing my life with me for the rest of it, as long as it may be.” He opened a box containing a large marquis shaped diamond engagement ring.
The three of them held their breaths. Marta was in shock.
“Well, are you going to keep me on my knees forever?” Bradley asked, breaking the silence. Marta’s lips moved, but nothing came out. At last she shouted, “Yes, yes, Bradley Steel. I will marry you and I will love you forever with all my heart.” He slipped the ring on her finger and sealed the deal with a kiss.
“Well, so much for taking things slowly.” Marta said with a big smile on her face.
Miles away in Oklahoma, Emily rejected her own marriage proposal. Seth was understandably upset and wanted to know why. He deserved an explanation, and she tried her best to give one.
“Seth, I love you. It’s just that I am not ready for the commitment that a good marriage takes, at least not yet. I feel the Lord has something really important for me to do first, I just don’t know what it is. You’re a wonderful man of God. Please pray about this, Seth. I am sure that in time you will see that this is not the right time for me.”
“So, what next? You’re asking me to wait for you?”
“Of course not, I’d never do that. You have your own destiny and your own calling. I’d never keep you from it.”
Seth, hurt and confused, turned and left Emily standing there. He walked away from her and did not look back.
Emily collapsed on a bench behind her. She let him go because to call him back would only cause both of them more pain. She’d done the right thing, but why was her heart breaking so? She loved Seth, and could be happy married to him, just not right now.
“Why, Lord Jesus, why does it have to be this way? I don’t understand. What would you have me do?” Emily cried as she prayed.
Gemma arrived the next day with Marta and a surprise guest as well, Bradley. Meeting Emily’s aunt was a surreal experience for Bradley. He and Marta picked her up at Perry House to drive her to the airport. When he got out of the car to help load her bags, she walked up to him and put her hands on both sides of his face.
As he looked into her eyes, he felt a connection. He knew this woman. Even though he’d never met her, he knew her. The Holy Spirit spoke to him, telling him that she was the one who had prayed for him. She was a big reason he was where he was today. He just knew that was right. He now knew what other people knew about Gemma. She was special. That light of goodness flowed out from her.
The three of them checked into a motel and then went to meet Emily at her apartment. She answered the door with a smile on her face, but her eyes gave her away. They were red and puffy as she’d spent the entire night crying.
Marta quickly embraced her friend and whispered in her ear “What’s wrong, sweetheart, what’s happened?”
Emily blurted out the whole story in front of her aunt and Bradley. She had to sign to Gemma as she spoke.
“Seth asked me to marry him, but I said no and broke it off with him.”
“But why? I thought you loved Seth?” Marta was confused.
“I did love him, I do love him. I’m just not ready to get married yet.”
“Well, honey, if you’re not ready, you’re not ready.” Marta pulled Emily close and Gemma wrapped her arms around them.
Bradley felt like he was intruding on something very private, so he excused himself and went for a walk while Gemma and Marta helped Emily pull herself together and get her ready for the graduation exercises.
The ceremony passed in a blur for Emily, miserable as she was. She saw Seth in his cap and gown across from her, but he refused to look her way. How could she blame him? At long last, the speeches and prayers ended. She walked across the stage, got her diploma, and blocked the rest of it from her mind.
The next day, Emily expected her guests would leave for home. She wanted to stay behind to finish her packing and planned to drive her car back to Hook Pond in a week or so.
“Oh, no you’re not.” Marta argued with her.
“You’re going to use some of your vast inheritance and pay for professional movers to pack your things and ship them with your car. We are not leaving you here like this. You pack what you need for now because you’re coming home with us.”
Emily was too tired to argue. She packed a few necessities as Marta and her aunt arranged for professional movers to take care of business and booked an extra ticket for Emily on the flight home.
It was on the flight home that Emily had her first private conversation with Bradley.
“So, you and Marta, huh?”
“What’s she told you?” Bradley was only concerned because their engagement was to remain a secret for the time being.
“Calm down, Bradley. I’ve known Marta almost my whole life. I can see it in the way she looks at you. She loves you very much, you know?”
“As I love her. Listen, Emily, this has to stay a secret for now. You know my father is running for president. There is no telling what the press would do to us if they got wind of this.”
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. You just remember I love her like my own flesh and blood sister. I expect you to take very good care of her.”
“I give you my word. I will love her and cherish her forever.”
“Good, because you are going to have to face her father with this information very soon, as well as all three of her brothers and I do not envy you there.”
Bradley’s face turned white as all the blood drained from it.
Emily laughed aloud. It was the first laugh she’d had in days.
Chapter Eighteen
“The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that He has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions
Deuteronomy 29:29
New Living Translation
In a private ceremony at his aunt’s penthouse, Bradley Malcolm Steel III married his love, Marta Jessica Sims, on the Fourth of July, a week before he deployed to Afghanistan. The small gathering of Amelia, Emily and Marta’s family witnessed the blessed, secret event. Bradley’s father knew nothing of his son’s wedding, and Bradley intended to keep it
that way for as long as possible. They were all sworn to secrecy.
It took a whole lot of convincing on Marta and Bradley’s part to assure her parents that this was truly a good thing. Bradley had a lot of explaining to do to Marta’s father.
In the end it was with a whole lot of prayer that Marta’s father was convinced that Bradley was indeed a proper Christian man who loved his daughter, and his intentions towards her were nothing but honorable.
The bride wore a short veil and a simple tea length white strapless gown with crystals covering the bodice.
Emily stood for her friend as maid of honor, dressed in a gown of similar design, but buttercup yellow, her best color.
Marta’s oldest brother, Patrick, stood for Bradley as best man.
Amelia hosted a gorgeous catered dinner at the penthouse, with a traditional wedding cake for dessert.
The press was still hot on Bradley’s trail, so the couple couldn’t risk being seen traveling together.
Amelia decided she needed to take a cruise to the Bahamas and leave the honeymooners the private use of her penthouse for the week.
In a twist of tradition, Bradley and Marta threw rice at their guests as they left the penthouse in a single line. When everyone was gone, the couple snuggled together on the veranda and watched the fireworks that lit up the Manhattan skies.
“Well, are you happy Mrs. Steel?” Bradley asked as he kissed the top of his new wife’s head.
“Oh, incandescently so, Mr. Darcy.”
The newly married couple laughed in earnest at Marta’s sly ‘Pride and Prejudice’ joke.
Their week went by in a blink of an eye, and soon their honeymoon was over. A tear streaked Marta said goodbye to Bradley at the penthouse. He would not allow her to accompany him to the airport. For the time being, she would stay in Manhattan with Amelia and look for work as a writer and reporter.
“Promise me you’ll come back safe.” Marta pressed her forehead to his chest and sobbed.