Every Storm (38 page)

Max had been invited to their home on several occasions, and people were starting to form conclusions. Max's own heart was anything but cold to John King, but neither was it as settled as others seemed to think.

There were issues that the couple had yet to talk about, but Max had determined to let John lead on any discussion. The time came in early March. It was a Saturday, and the two had gone for a walk to the park. John walked them to an empty bench.

"Have you been meaning to ask me about the girls I've dated?" he asked with little prelude at all. "Or have you hinted and I missed it?"

"No, I didn't hint. I was pretty sure you knew that it bothered me and assumed you would bring it up."

John nodded, his eyes on the children who played on the swing set. He'd been talking to his father and Pastor about this subject but putting it off with Max. He wanted to marry Max Archer- he wanted it with all his heart-but even though he knew this might stand between them, it had to come out on the table.

"I have no excuses, Max, but I want to tell you everything I'm thinking, even if it sounds like an excuse."

"Okay," Max agreed, more open-minded than John realized.

"I was one of those typical high school boys who didn't think the future mattered. Rarely did I consider that my actions of the

348

moment would affect the rest of my life." John turned his head to look at Max. He found her listening with full attention.

"I was sought after," he said with embarrassment. "The girls seemed to like me. I would ask them out, and they would go. Not you, but anyone else I asked. Sometimes we would date several times, even go together for months." John swallowed, hating to admit the rest. "If they would let me kiss them, I would. I assumed they wanted it as much as I did, and I never even tried to hold back."

"Was there more than kissing?" Max asked when he stopped for a moment.

"No," he said quietly, still not about to be anything but ashamed. "I wanted more. My mind went further, which is just as bad, but it stopped with kissing and hugging."

Max didn't know where the tears came from. They were for both of them. This was no secret to her* but it hurt to hear it from John's mouth, and to see his pain and regret over the past.

"I'm sorry," John said, his own eyes moist. "I think you deserve better than me, Max, but that doesn't change the fact that I still want to be the one. I can't picture my life with anyone but you."

"Oh, John," Max said as she reached for his hand. "I don't want this to keep us apart, but it's hard to know you kissed those girls. I'm afraid that you'll think of one of those other girls and not me."

John shook his head and knew he was going to have to tell all.

"That's the horrible part about it, Max: You were all those girls."

Max stared at him.

"Not in my senior year," John continued. "I waited for you that whole year, but in my junior year, when I began to date, I went out with those girls only because you had no interest in me. I used them to get you out of my mind."

349

349

Max's mouth opened a little. She hadn't known this. She hadn't even suspected.

"Pretty bad, huh?"

"I had no idea," Max admitted.

John's eyes went back to the children. He felt as though his heart was being torn in half. All these months he'd been allowed to get close. He realized today might be the end.

His eyes went to their hands, just now realizing that Max had reached for him. Her hand was smaller than his, softer too. Touching her for one of the first times gave him hope.

"I'm a different person now, Max. I'm sure my list of faults is long, but I'm working hard to be faithful to God so you'll know I'll be faithful to you."

"I know you'll be faithful," Max told him. "I can't say that I'm never going to think of those other girls, but I believe you've put that behind you."

John nodded, relief filling him. He knew this wasn't the end of the discussion, but at least it was out in the open.

"Do you think about kissing me?"

John had not seen this coming. His head whipped around, and for a moment his face showed all the astonishment he felt.

"I'm sorry." Max was instantly contrite, panicked even, and stole her hand back in a hurry.

John laughed a little and gently reached for her hand again. He held it on the bench between them, but it didn't help Max's wide-eyed look.

"It's okay," John tried to reassure her.

"I didn't mean to ask that."

"It's all right. I don't mind."

350

Max looked at him, pale with embarrassment. John's face was calm and patient, but Max was still mortified.

"Do you want me to answer you?"

"I don't know," Max said honestly.

"What does your heart tell you?"

His words-tenderly asked-melted everything inside of her. She looked into the eyes that she'd come to love in the last months, eyes that always looked at her with respect and caring and something she'd never wanted to face until today: love.

"My heart tells me you're wonderful," Max said, not bothering with the original question.

John smiled at her, knowing that some day he could tell her what it cost him to keep his distance. He stood to his feet but kept Max's hand in his own. He held her hand all the way back to the Archer house, his heart and head telling him for the first time that he would have a future with this girl.

Rigg followed his wife up to the driveway of the Archer home, asking himself whether this was a good idea. Their first child was due at any moment, but when he mentioned staying home from Dean's birthday party, Lorri had looked crushed. They were actually closer to the hospital at the Archers' than they were at home, but his wife looked ready to pop, and the whole thing was making him very nervous.

"Do you know," Lorri began, peering down at the steps, "that I can't see my own feet these days, let alone where the steps are."

Rigg put his hand out. "Humor me then and let me help you."

Lorri took his hand and didn't bother to hide her amusement.

351

35i

n

"You never did tell me why you thought we should stay home."

Rigg stopped, not reaching for the door handle as he had planned. He looked at his wife. Right now she had energy and was ready for anything, but it wouldn't last. He'd watched her do this every day for weeks.

"Being here will wear you but," Rigg said simply, knowing he could be honest with her. "And that's no way to start labor."

"We don't know that it will be today."

"Listen to me, love," Rigg said, still patient but wanting to make his point. "You've been saying that to me for a week. One of these days it's going to be
the day,
and you'll wish you'd taken it easy."

Lorri frowned at him but still said, "You're probably right."

Her frown always made him want to laugh. She tried to be fierce but wasn't at all good at it.

"Shall we go in?" he asked. "Or do you need to frown a little more?"

"I just might." She was still working to be tough.

"You can save it for later," Rigg said, his arm around her, a kiss going to her temple. "I'm sure to be in trouble again when I suggest you take a nap."

Lorri opened her mouth to get after him, but he smiled and opened the door, effectively cutting off anything she might have said.

The family came to hug her, and Rigg stood back and watched, raising his brows in pure amusement when she looked his way, almost making her laugh.

"Is Lorri all right? I mean, should they be here?" Cora asked of Ruth when they had a moment. Ruth laughed a little.

352

"I'm not sure Rigg is all that thrilled with the idea, but I suspect Lord desperately wanted to get out. He's going to get her to lie down in a little while."

Cora glanced over her shoulder and watched Lorri sink into a chair, relief on her face.

"If he came for her now, I think she'd go."

Ruth looked too. The women exchanged a glance but decided to leave it up to the Riggs.

"Why don't you and I take a trip upstairs?" Rigg asked, not waiting for an answer. "I think lying down might be a good idea."

"I don't think I'm tired yet," Lorri said, her words coming after a moment's thought.

Rigg wanted to laugh. She was blinking owlishly at him, and her movements were slow and deliberate. She hadn't noticed it, but there had been a collective sigh as he'd taken her from the group of men and women working on dishes.

"Look at this," Rigg said, doing his best to sound surprised once they reached Lorri's old room. "A nightgown, and right on your bed."

Lorri laughed a little. "I think I've been plotted against."

"Not at all," Rigg replied, working buttons and ignoring every protest in an effort to get her to lie down. Clad in the comfortable old gown her mother had unearthed, she made a trip across the hall to the bathroom. Rigg hovered near the door and urged her into bed as soon as she was done. Lorri finally stretched out, more comfortable than she'd been in hours, her eyes closing fast.

"Rigg?" she said softly.

353

353

"Right here, love."

Lorri's hand came out, but she didn't say anything else. Rigg held her hand in both of his until she was sound asleep.

The living room was actually quiet. Rigg and Lorri had gone upstairs, and the rest of the adults were in the kitchen and family room. This was the reason that Max invited John to sit down when he arrived, opting for a few minutes of peace.

"How are you?" he asked, thinking she looked good enough to eat.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fine." He held a card out to her. "This is for your grandfather."

Max took it. "I'll put it with the others," she said, but she didn't look in any hurry to move.

"We have snacks if you're hungry," she offered.

"I'm fine, but thanks for offering."

Silence fell, something that had become unusual between them. Max wasn't sure what he was thinking, and John wanted to take his cue from her because she seemed distracted.

"How is your sister doing?" John finally asked.

"She's here-upstairs lying down. I think the baby might come soon."

"Are you all right with that?"

Max looked caught. How had he guessed that she was troubled?

"Did you suddenly become a mind reader?" she asked, trying to put him off.

"Where you're concerned? Always."

354

Max glanced around the room, not wanting to admit her true feelings.

"What's going on?" John pressed.

"I just don't want anything to happen to her. I've been worrying about that lately."

"Does she know that? Have you told your mother?"

"No. It seems too silly in this day of modern medicine, and I know I'm not supposed to worry for any reason."

"YouVe already lost one sister, and you don't want to lose another."

Relief flooded Max's face. "I didn't think anyone would understand."

John reached for her hand and held it.

"My mother told me that Evelyn and I are not really hers to keep, but that we belong to the Lord. Should the Lord want us, He has the right to take us, since we belong to Him." John hesitated. Max was listening to each word. "I think it must be the same with sisters, Max. You can't hold on to Lorri too tightly. She doesn't belong to you. If I had to make a guess," John put in right away, "I would say she's going to be fine, but either way, she belongs to Jesus Christ."

Max nodded, thankful for the reminder. The admiral showed up just a few minutes later, and John was able to personally deliver the card and birthday greeting. Dean could see that Max had been crying, but he didn't intrude, knowing that if she wanted to tell him she would. And besides, John was there with her. Dean knew there was no reason to worry.

355

355

"I think I hear movement upstairs," Dean quietly told Rigg just 30 minutes after Lorri fell asleep.

"Is Max or Ruth up there?" No.

Rigg took the stairs two at a time and came to his wife's door just as it closed. He knocked softly and slipped inside. What he saw stopped all the words he'd been ready to say.

With only a towel wrapped around her, Lorri Riggs stood in the middle of the room, the bedding on the floor.

"My water broke," she said simply.

"We have to get to the hospital immediately," Rigg commanded, sounding as though he were aboard the
Every Storm.

"Not wearing a towel," Lorri said pointedly as she began to look for her clothing. Rigg had hung everything in the closet and now helped her redress.'

"Did you get any sleep at all?"

"I think so."