by Jenn Faulk
~David~
It all concluded rather quickly after he left the pulpit.
There were handshakes and conversations, pictures to be taken, compliments to accept, criticisms to forget, opinions to give, plans to make, and time... time to put it behind him and go back to what he knew.
He’d done it all with Cammie right by his side.
There had only been a brief awkward moment when she came into the press room with his family, where he was already making statements and discussing issues with the convention people gathered there. His eyes had found hers, and she’d not hesitated for one second in going to him, pulling his face down to hers softly, and kissing him.
Charity exclaimed, “Oh, my stars!” and his mother gasped a bit. But it was only for a moment before Paul Connor stepped up to the men gathered there and stole the spotlight.
David was glad to let him have it, moving through the crowds with Cammie from then on, surviving the rest of this night with her.
They said their goodbyes, confirmed their early morning flight, and went out onto the terrace above the ballroom where they were finally alone again.
Neither of them said a word as they walked to the railing, hand in hand, and looked over the city, with lights stretching out as far as they could see.
Quiet and still. Even though they could hear the music and laughter going on inside, celebrating the imminent election of Paul Connor to the presidency of the convention, there was peace out there for them both.
“I loved what you said.”
David closed his eyes at this, thinking of how tired he was, how spent he felt, and how he couldn’t even remember half of what he’d said up there.
“Which part?”
He heard her sigh. “I liked it all,” she said. “But I especially loved the part about the love of a father. The kind of love that nothing can separate us from. Ever.”
David thought about it. Death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth, nothing in all of creation... nothing could separate him from the love of God.
“You weren’t talking about earthly fathers, obviously,” Cammie murmured. “Especially not yours.”
He smiled and looked at her, only to find her smiling up at him.
“Obviously,” he said, taking her hand and tenderly pulling her into an embrace. “I don’t think anyone thought I was talking about him. Least of all him.”
She put her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “It won’t be fixed tonight,” she said. “What he’s done to you today.”
He put his lips to her forehead. “Likely not.”
“But I’ve got to believe,” she said, “that one day, God is going to bring your dad around so that he sees things a little more clearly. And you’re going to forgive him. Just like you’re going to forgive Piet and Kait.”
David raised an eyebrow at her, doubting this very much.
“Oh?” he said. “Why do you believe that?”
“Because Jesus can do miracles,” she said and shrugged. “True story. I grew up hearing Paul Connor talk about it. And if we can’t trust the future president of the convention, who can we trust, David?”
He smiled outright at this. “You make a compelling argument.”
“See?” she said. “You’re already on the road to forgiving him now, thinking of all that he taught you, all that he taught us both. He can’t be entirely evil if he did that, can he?”
David pretended to think on this for a moment.
“David,” she chided.
“Maybe not,” he conceded. “But that’s all I’m willing to say tonight.”
“It’s a start,” she said, kissing him.
“And speaking of starts,” he said.
“Yes?”
“Me, you... Namibia... what’s this going to look like now?”
He knew just exactly what he wanted it to look like. Together. Always. Every day, better than the one before, heading towards a covenant, heading towards forever –
She smiled. “It’s going to be just like it was.”
Oh. No different than the way it had been. For a moment, his heart plummeted, until she amended –
“But different, you know.”
“Different,” he nodded, relief in the word.
“Because I love you, David.”
She said it. Just like that. With her eyes dancing, her smile for him alone, and sincerity in every breath.
“And I love you,” he breathed, leaning down to kiss her again. “Now what happens?”
“Now,” she said, wrapping her arms around him, “we just go back to Namibia and live happily ever after.”
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Perfectly Pretend
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