Touched by Angels (Angels Everywhere #3)(76)

After nearly twenty years of marriage, Ruth had conceived, and the Morganstern family had rejoiced. When David learned his wife was pregnant, he’d been the one to decide on his daughter’s name. Hannah had been named after Elkanah’s wife, whose faith had been richly rewarded.

All her life Hannah had been loved and cherished. That was what made disappointing her family so difficult.

“Through the years, I have continued to pray for you,” Sylvia went on. “As you entered your teen years, I added your husband to my list.”

“My husband?”

“The man you would marry. It seemed to me that God in his almighty wisdom would choose an extraordinary man for you. A man of character, a man of wisdom and discernment. A man who would love you with all his heart.”

Her grandmother’s gentle words caused Hannah’s throat to thicken with tears. “I don’t love Carl,” she whispered brokenly.

Sylvia’s hand didn’t pause as she continued to stroke Hannah’s crown. “I realized that almost immediately. You’ve met someone else, haven’t you?”

“Yes, and Grandma, he’s a good man, just the way you say. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to even know him. I love him so much that it frightens me. . . . I’m so afraid I’m going to lose him.”

“He loves you?”

Hannah nodded. The knowledge should have filled her with an incredible sense of wonder that a man as wonderful as Joshua would care for her.

“Then why would you lose him?” her grandmother questioned.

“Because of Carl.”

It was as if Sylvia had forgotten Hannah were engaged to the other man. “Ah yes, Carl.”

“Carl’s a good man,” Hannah whispered. She didn’t want to hurt him, either.

“Carl’s a fine young man, but he’s not the one for you.”

“Joshua is.” There was no doubt in Hannah’s mind about that.

“Joshua,” Sylvia repeated slowly, as if testing the name on her tongue. She shook her head once and said decisively, “If you love him the way you claim, then you have nothing to fear.”

“But everyone expects me to marry Carl. You saw what happened, how we were pressured into setting a date for the wedding.”

Her grandmother said nothing, which increased Hannah’s guilt.

“I wanted to break the engagement,” Hannah said all at once, running the words together. She didn’t think it was fair to tell her grandmother that Carl had recently lost his job; the fewer who knew, the better. The best way to handle it was to be diplomatic, she decided.

“This is a bad time for Carl,” she offered. “He’s under a lot of pressure right now. I wanted to tell him about meeting Joshua. I’ve tried—honest, I have—but something always happens. For a long time I figured that it was too late for Joshua and me. I even tried not to see him again.”

“That wouldn’t have worked.”

Hannah glanced up at her grandmother, wondering at the strength and conviction in the older woman’s words.

“You and Joshua were meant to be together,” Sylvia elaborated.

Hannah rested her head against her grandmother’s knee. “Joshua came into the deli this afternoon.”

“David knows him?”

“He’s a frequent customer.”

“Then he knows good food when he tastes it.”

Hannah smiled.

“Tell me what happened,” Sylvia encouraged.

“Joshua wanted to talk to me, but it was impossible there. I’m sure he was about to suggest that we meet elsewhere—we’ve done it before—but he didn’t get the chance.

“Somehow Joshua and Dad got involved in a conversation, and then Dad told him that Carl and I had set the wedding date. He actually invited Joshua to the wedding.”

Her grandmother sighed heavily. “I don’t imagine Joshua was pleased.”

“He looked so hurt.” That was the only way she could think to describe the anguish she’d witnessed in Joshua’s eyes. “He congratulated me, and before I had a chance to explain, he left the deli. I got away as soon as I could and hurried to his office, but he wasn’t there and his secretary couldn’t tell me when he’d be back. I’ve got to talk to him.” She squeezed her eyes shut, berating herself silently.

“What would you have said if he had been at his office?” her grandmother questioned.

“I longed to explain how Carl and I had been coerced into picking a date for the wedding.”

“Do you think that was what he wanted to hear?”

“No,” Hannah murmured miserably. “He wants to hear that I’ve told Carl about us. He needs to know that I’ve broken off the engagement, and that my family’s been told that I won’t be marrying Carl.”

“My guess is that he’d be willing to speak to your parents with you.”

Hannah dreaded telling her parents most. She’d never considered having Joshua stand with her and immediately knew that he would want to be there. He’d never ask her to confront her family alone.

With an energy that had escaped her earlier, she leapt to her feet. “I’ve got to talk to him.”

“Joshua?” her grandmother asked.