RAINBOW’S END: FOUR-IN-ONE COLLECTION
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Hadley waved a hand. “Oh, proof? Is that all you want?” She reached in her purse for her phone. “I have art.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, I took pictures when I signed each and every logbook. Not because I thought something like this would happen, of course. But I just wanted a record for myself.”
“Oh, bless you, sweet girl.” Norma grabbed them both and pulled them to her bosom.
It was a little hard to breathe, but Noah caught Hadley’s eye above the crumpled cotton and winked.
Tires scuffed the gravel driveway, and the three of them sighed.
“Oh, Lordy. What now?” Norma rose to see who had arrived. “Good gracious.” She opened the screen door and stepped back to let a young woman move past her into the house.
Noah gasped. “What are you doing here?”
Hadley looked from Noah back to the girl. Was she an ex? Someone who’d hurt him?
“Crystal, what are you doing here?” Noah’s eyes softened as the shock wore off.
Crystal? Like Brad’s Crystal? Understanding flooded her senses. “Oh no. Is Crystal your … is she your …?” Hadley grabbed Noah’s hands and pulled him to look in her eyes. “Hear her out, Noah. Please?”
Pretty blue eyes, mirror images of Noah’s, turned to Hadley. “Why would you help me?”
“Because when you’ve been forgiven for something, you want to share it with others. And we’re both victims of something—or someone.” Hadley reached her arms out and pulled the woman to her.
“Of course I’ll hear her out, Had.”
Crystal’s lower lip began to quiver, and she looked at Norma, then Noah. “I am so sorry.” She covered her face with her hands and dissolved onto the floor, sobs wracking her body. “I miss you so much. I miss … I miss my baby so much. I can’t live another day without forgiveness. From you guys … from God … and from Joshie. If I can’t have it, I’ll leave from this place and never return. I promise you that. I can’t live like this anymore. I broke my family. My baby died because I was selfish … stupid. Please. Please … oh God … please.”
Reality swam in Hadley’s consciousness. Too much. She finally understood what true pain felt like. It lay at her feet. Her own troubles paled in comparison to the agony she witnessed. She looked to Norma, to Noah. Do something. Help her.
A smile creased Noah’s face. Not one of pleasure, but one of peace. He bent to where his crumpled and broken sister lay and scooped her in his arms, and pulled Hadley into the embrace.
“Welcome home, Chrys.”
“And the winner is …” Noah’s eyes sparkled as he opened the envelope Lyssa had handed him moments before.
Of course it would be her name he called. Hadley had been tracking the results through the entire hunt. No one was close enough to win, even if awarded all the extra points possible. And she had found the bonus coin. Hadley was a shoe-in for first place. Then why was she so nervous? If only she didn’t have to be in front of all these people to accept her prize. Couldn’t she phone in her acceptance speech from some far-off island in the Bahamas?
“Hadley Parker.”
Here goes.
The crowd roared and whistled as Hadley climbed onto the wooden stage.
Noah gripped her hand while the crowd continued to clap. “One of these days you’ll know who you are—how I see you and how God sees you. I’m going to make sure of it.” Noah tweaked her nose. “But now … the prize.”
Noah held a purple polka-dotted gift bag in his hands. “We’ve had so many donations and have added a long list of prizes to both second and third places, which you’ve seen already. But first prize … well, I’ve taken the liberty of donating first prize myself.” He pulled one end of the green ribbon and untied the bag then reached inside and lifted out a tiny white box.
Several gasps came from the audience.
A few women moaned, “Awwww.”
No way. Was he going to propose to her? It was so soon. What if it wasn’t the right move? Hadley had hardly ever dated. How could she make such a choice with no warning … in front of all of those people?
Noah’s shaky hand lifted the lid from the tiny box in his hands, and he looked Hadley in the eye.
In that momentary gaze, Hadley felt peace wash over her like a waterfall. Freedom. Joy. Love. Her choice was an easy one, after all.
Noah stooped to one knee as the crowd silenced.
He lifted the box toward Hadley and opened his mouth to speak.
Hadley gasped and leaned in to see, shifting her weight and placing her foot to her right.
In slow motion, she saw the crowd rear back in horror as one end of a loosened plank flew up and Hadley was flung to the ground as though abandoned on a teeter-totter.
Noah reached for her and set the law of gravity in motion again. He landed in a heap right on top of her.
Was he hurt? Was she? Hadley felt the heat rise up her neck and tinge her ears. How could she face these people? She lay motionless a few more moments, listening to the silence of the horrified crowd and the click of a camera shutter. Oh, great. This would be all over Facebook within an hour.
Did it matter, though? She’d ruined Noah’s proposal. Humiliated them both.
Hadley felt movement on top of her, and then the board shielding her eyes from the sun and the stares of the crowd disappeared. She peeked through a slit in one eye to find Noah mere inches from her face, his eyes crinkled in laughter, the corners of his mouth fighting a losing battle with hilarity.
“Are you … okay?” He sputtered the words and waited for her nod before dissolving into gales of laughter.
Hadley waited. She didn’t find it so funny, though Noah and the crowd sure did. She gazed around her. On the ground lay the open ring box, the sun glinting off the facets inside.
“Hadley Parker, will you marry me?”
Hadley’s eyes traveled upward to lock with Noah’s. “Really?” Noah nodded. Hadley nodded. The crowd erupted.
Noah clambered to his feet then reached a hand down. Hadley grabbed it and stood up.
Noah pulled her into a tight embrace. “Welcome home, love.”
Nicole O’Dell has worked as a youth director, a Bible study leader for women and teens, and a counselor at a crisis pregnancy center. She lives in Illinois with her husband, Wil, and her six wonderful kids—including a set of toddler triplets.