The Parting Gift(34)

Kneeling, she took the papers and unfolded them in turn. Blaine watched as her eyes registered recognition of what she was receiving. The title to the house. Her eyes widened when she realized she wouldn’t have to leave. Then fear flashed in her gaze as she looked into Blaine’s face.

“I can’t… Your father… It should be yours,” she stammered, shaking her head vigorously.

“You can. He wanted you to – I want you to,” Blaine explained. He knelt down beside her and took her hand in his. “Read his note.” Her eyes studied his face, and then turned to the other paper.

Emotion threatened to choke him. When his father had first brought it up, Blaine was in complete agreement. After all, he lived in Boston. That’s where his job was. He would be going back there in just a few days. What did he need with this house? All he needed was back in Boston. On the other hand, Mara had no place.

Her family lived far away and was in no position to help her. David had felt since it was in his power to do something for her, that’s what he wanted to do.

Since then, Boston had begun to lose its hold on him. What did he need there that he couldn’t have here? American Airlines could transfer him to Willow Run. Of course, the house would be hers, and then what would he have to offer a wife?

“I’m sorry, Blaine. I can’t accept this. It’s too much. This place is yours. Your history is here. All your childhood memories. All your mother’s things. It’s…it’s just not right.” She wouldn’t look him in the eyes. “I loved your father like he was my own. But this?” She stopped, shaking her head again and pushing the deed back to him. “I can’t.”

The moment seemed to be slipping through his fingers. He hadn’t imagined it would go this way.

In desperation he pulled her face up to his and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. Mara’s arms tightened around him pulling him further into the embrace. Comfort, love – he needed it; she was craving it.

So he gave in. Kissing her more deeply than he had planned, telling her with his body, his soul, what he couldn’t with his words.

Abruptly he pulled away from her, bestowing a light kiss on her forehead. He took the box from his pocket and opened it, drawing the ring out between his fingers and lifting it to her. “Will you take this instead?” he whispered.

Her silence ripped into him. She only stared. He knew he was saying it all wrong. “I love you, Mara. Stay….”

She frowned.

“Forever…stay forever.”





Chapter Fourteen





Mara was sure she had heard his words wrong. The diamond ring in his hand was evidence enough of what was coming from his mouth. The beautiful words, were they spoken out of grief or out of love?

Could her heart possibly survive loving another, always knowing the potential was to lose them?

“Mara….” Blaine kissed her forehead again. “What my mom and dad had. It was special. She made him a better man.” He was silent as he held the ring in his fingers. “You make me a better man. I can’t envision my life without you in it. I want forever.”

Mara was speechless. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Never had she thought her heart was capable of loving again, yet the heart she had written off so long ago began to burst with joy as she realized what Blaine was saying. His hands shook as he pushed the ring onto her finger and lifted her hand to his lips.

It was a perfect fit.

Of course it would be.

“Yes,” she whispered, then louder, “Yes, Yes!”

Blaine chuckled as he pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing her hard. They must have looked like two crazy people as they cried and kissed in the hallway so soon after the passing of his father.

Yet, it felt right. And she knew David was up in heaven with Emily smiling down at them.

She was proud. Proud to call herself Blaine’s wife and proud to be David’s daughter-in-law. Sometimes death had a way of making people appreciate the life around them. And to think God had used a woman’s sad demise so many years ago to bring Blaine into Mara’s life.

He always knew just what He was doing.





Epilogue


One year later



“Blaine, can you come down here for a moment?” Mara yelled from the back door.

The previous night’s wind storm had blown a string of lights off the house, and her husband of a year thought it was necessary to climb up there to fix it on the coldest day of the year so far—he would be an icicle before he came back inside.

“You called?” Blaine swept into the room and pulled her into a hard kiss before releasing her and winking.

Trying to be angry, she turned abruptly and continued to stir the hot cider she was heating on the stove.

“It’s going to be tonight,” Blaine said, hugging her from behind.

“And just what makes you think the baby’s going to be on time?” Her pains had been getting steadily worse all day, but as a nurse she had some experience with this sort of thing. It might be false labor. And even if it wasn’t, it could be hours.

“A gut instinct,” he retorted.

Unfortunately, his gut was usually correct. He had been right about the airline letting him relocate and travel less; he had also been right when she was sick and he thought she was pregnant.