Authors: Staci Stallings

Coming Undone (44 page)

BOOK: Coming Undone

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He strode back in and stopped when he saw her. “Oh. I thought you’d already be headed to bed.”

She wanted to, but wasn’t that weird to leave him here in her apartment… without her being awake and conversational? “Oh, I…”

“
Seriously. You need your rest. We’ve got to get you better.” He came over to her, took her arm, and turned her toward the bedroom. “Now get.”

“
I could…”

“
No arguing. Go get some rest. I’ll hold the fort down out here.”

Once she was gone, Ben went into the kitchen and finished up the dishes that were sitting there. Her apartment was spotless otherwise, so he made a few calls in to work and to Kelly to update him. Then he thought about Jason. Life had pivoted so quickly since he’d last talked with his brother. He hit the numbers and waited for the connection to be made.

“
Hello?”

“
Jase, hey. How’s it going? This is Ben.”

“
Ben. What’s up? Have you made any more decisions on Dad’s stuff?”

Wow. That had all gotten totally drown out of his consciousness. “Uh, no. Not yet. Kathryn kind of had a wreck, and we’ve been dealing with that…”

“
Kathryn? Kathryn-Kathryn?” And Ben could hear the excitement, suspicion, and surprise in his brother’s voice.

“
Yes, Kathryn-Kathryn. I finally had to admit I was just being stupid and stubborn and call her.”

“
And…?”

“
And we’re going out. Well, kind of. We’ve been to church and then to Dad’s and then the wreck happened.”

“
Wait. You went to church?”

“
I did.”

“
So when’s the wedding?”

What was most weird when Kathryn woke up was how un-weird everything was. Ben had indeed ordered Chinese, which was wonderful, and the two of them discussed work and what came next. She was going back in the morning, and so was he. As strange as that seemed, life was going to seem very strange without him right here with her. Just when that had happened, she wasn’t at all sure.

When they went back into the living room after dinner, she didn’t reach for the remote. Instead, they sat together on the couch. He put one arm around her, pulled her to him, and held her other hand with his. She wanted to stay like that forever. He made her feel so safe, so seen, so loved.

“
I’ve been thinking,” he said slowly as his fingers traced hers. “I know the church has all kinds of rules and stuff about getting married, and I know what you said about going slow, but I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t want to waste any more time with God or with you. So, I’m thinking I’m going to go talk to Father Patrick and see what it would take to get back into the church.”

That stunned her to the core. “The church? Ben, are you sure?”

“
I’ve never been more sure about anything. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m learning that God doesn’t expect me to. And I’m certainly not perfect, but God doesn’t expect that either. What I do know is that I’m totally going to need His help to do this thing right with you, and so I want to get right with Him as soon as possible, so I can love you the best way He knows how instead of how I would try and mess it up.”

“
So what you’re saying is…”

“
What I’m saying is, when God says He will show you how to do it nobler and all of that stuff, that’s what I want, but I know I can’t do it on my own.” He squeezed her shoulder gently. “I’m going to need God and my angel to show me how.”

She fought the smile but not very hard. “Well, I know God will do that in a heartbeat.”

He looked down at her. “And the angel?”

Kathryn’s gaze came up to his, and what she saw there was hope and a glimmer of peace. “She’s in too… all the way to heaven and beyond.”

Epilogue

Coming undone had been the best thing that had ever happened to Ben. As Father Patrick gave him the vows to say, he repeated them with no trouble at all. “I, Ben, take you Kathryn for my lawfully wedded wife. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in good times and in bad, no matter life brings until death do us part.”

Accepting the ring she put on his finger was even easier because he saw in her eyes her pledge to see him all the way through to heaven and beyond. It was all he’d ever hoped for, and more than he’d ever imagined. As they turned to the small congregation and Father Patrick announced them as man and wife for the first time, Ben had never felt more proud or more at peace. The only piece missing was the empty seat where his father should have been. A soft, dull ache brushed his heart at that thought.

Even so, he could see in the divine plan the reason, and he really couldn’t be mad. His father had surrendered his life so that Ben could find real life—with her and with God. It was a gift he would always be grateful for.

“
Ben, you may kiss your bride.”

He turned to her, and in her soft, brown eyes was a trust and a hope he had never seen before. He knew the responsibility of it, the fragileness of it. The kiss would come, but before he did, he had to tell her what was flooding through his heart. “I love you so much.”

Kathryn smiled back at him. “I love you too, Ben Warren.”

He laughed, hearing her name come from his heart. “Kathryn Warren.”

She laughed at that just as he leaned forward, closing his eyes, and his lips found hers. It was almost like coming undone all over again. And he wasn’t complaining about that at all.

About the Author

A stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet endeavors including:

Books In Print, Kindle, & on Spirit Light Works
:

http://stacistallings.wordpress.com/

Spirit Light Books Blog

http://spiritlightbooks.wordpress.com/

And…

Staci’s website

http://www.stacistallings.com

Come on over for a visit…

You’ll feel better for the experience!

Also Available from Staci Stallings

In Print

The Long Way Home