Every Storm (39 page)

But to Rigg's ears she sounded tired. It was not what he wanted for her, but clearly the choices were over. Most of the house knew what was happening before they could get out the door, and Ruth was there, hugging her daughter goodbye and telling her they would come soon.

Rigg gently tucked his precious bundle into the car, and off they went to the hospital. It was time to have a baby.

Everyone told him that for a first baby, the timing had been amazing, but the five hours Rigg had been forced to sit in the waiting room and wonder about his wife had been nothing but miserable.

356

He followed a white-garbed nurse down to his wife's room, finally able to see her. The room was dimly lit, but Rigg had no trouble spotting Lorri in the bed. He pulled a chair close and leaned to touch her.

"Hi," she said, eyes peeking open to see the face she loved.

"Hi, yourself," he said and kissed her. "You're a mommy."

"Isn't she beautiful?"

"Yes! What else would she be?"

Lorri laughed, a tired, relieved laugh.

"I thought we were having a boy," Rigg said.

"We don't have any girl's names picked out," Lorri responded, trying to concentrate when all she wanted to do was sleep.

"I have one."

Lorri looked at him.

"Josie."

"Oh, Rigg." Lorri wasn't sure. "Do you think it will be all right?"

"I think it will be wonderful, but I can ask your family first."

"Do that, Rigg." Lorri relaxed, knowing he would take care of everything. "Check with them, please."

"Okay, I will. Go to sleep now. I'll be here when you wake."

Lorri nodded, not able to fight it any longer. Rigg stayed close, watching her drop off before he closed his eyes to pray.

Thank You for this wonderful woman You have given me and this daughter that You've now given us. Help us to be faithful, Lord; help us to show her the way.

"Hello, Mr. King," Max said from their doorstep much later that day. "I know it's getting late, but I wondered if John is still up."

357

357

"Of course, Max." Mark King was delighted to see her. "Come right in. John," he called to his son. "Max is here."

John needed no other urging. He was in the living room in the next few seconds, his father leaving the young couple on their own.

"Hi."

"My sister had a baby," Max told him, barely holding her tears. "She's fine and the baby is fine. I needed to tell someone."

John moved forward and put his arms around her, holding her close.

"I was scared," Max confessed. "Even at the hospital, I was scared. I didn't want to be, but I was."

"You weathered the storm."

Max moved her head back to see him. "The boat that rescued my sister was the
Every Storm.
I don't know if I've told you that."

John only nodded.

"Every storm we've ever been in, God has rescued us, John. Every time, the ultimate Rescuer has been there. I just realized it."

John smiled into her eyes before saying, "I prayed for you. I prayed for all of you."

"Thank you."

John continued to look down into her face. That she would come to him like this was huge. He knew she was the one, and it seemed she knew it as well.

"One of these days, Max, I'm going to be asking. One of these days, I'm going to be coming after you."

Max smiled. "Well, then it's a good thing that I'm not going anywhere."

John's smile matched her own as he pulled her back into his arms for another hug.

358
f?ili$tt

Ruth sat on the floor of the living room, five-month-old Josie in front of her, trying to sit up. She smiled with delight over anything Grandma did, a small laugh escaping when Ruth placed her in her lap and kissed her soft neck.

"I found them," Lorri called, coming from upstairs, photo albums in her arms. She joined her mother on the floor and took her daughter into her lap as soon as Josie reached for her.

"We're going to look at pictures, Jo," Lorri said to her daughter. "Look, this is your Aunt Josie. You were named after her."

"Isn't that a cute photo of the two of you," Ruth said, leaning close and remembering having a baby and a toddler who looked so much alike at that age that anyone could have picked them out of a crowd.

"Oh, and here's one of Max. Wasn't she adorable?"

"Where do you suppose they are right now?" Ruth asked, thinking of John and her youngest daughter on their honeymoon, a driving trip up the California coast.

"I don't know," Lorri said with a smile in her voice. "But something tells me they're having fun.

359

359

"Well, now," John said, looking down at the flat tire on their car. "This is fun."

His tone made his wife of three days laugh.

"You can laugh, Maxine King, but I'm the guy who's going to have to crawl around and get filthy in an attempt to fix this."

Still wanting to chuckle, Max offered, "Would a kiss help?"

"Just one?" John asked with a smile, already leaning toward her.

The flat tire forgotten for a time, the two stood next to the car and kissed. Not until a passing motorist was heard did they break apart, only to discover that it was a truck, a gas station advertised on his door.

"Can I help you folks?" the man asked as he parked his vehicle. In very short time Mr. and Mrs. King were back on the road.

"I don't think you got dirty at all," Max told him, wind from the open window blowing her hair.

"Then why are you sitting all the way over there?" John asked.

Max slid across the seat, and settled right next to her husband, who smiled at her.

"My mother still sits next to my father in the car," John said, satisfaction filling his voice. "And they've been married for 24 years."

"Shall I plan to do that?"

"I think you should "

Sighing with contentment, Max snuggled a little closer, planning to run with that idea for the next 60 years.

360
(foQJfoJi

Lori Wfck is one of the most versatile Christian fiction writers in the market today. Her works include pioneer fiction, a series set in Victorian England, and contemporary novels. Lori's books (more than 4 million copies in print) continue to delight readers and top the Christian best-selling fiction list. Lori and her

husband, Bob, live in

Wisconsin with "the three

coolest kids in the

world."

361

A Place Called Home Series

A Place Called Home

A Song for Silas

The Long Road Home

A Gathering of Memories

The Californians

Whatever Tomorrow Brings As Time Goes By

Sean Donovan Donovan's Daughter

English Garden Series

The Proposal The Rescue The Visitor The Pursuit

Kensington Chronicles

The Hawk and the Jewel

Wings of the Morning

Who Brings Forth the Wind

The Knight and the Dove

Rocky Mountain Memories

Where the Wild Rose Blooms Whispers of Moonlight To Know Her by Name Promise Me Tomorrow

The Yellow Rose Trilogy

Every Little Thing About You

A Texas Sky

City Girl

Other Fiction

Bamboo Lace

Beyond the Picket Fence
(Short Stories)
Every Storm

Pretense

The Princess

Sophie's Heart

362
Ji Wiffetent cKind of 3ie\o

Rigg thought about his ideals as he'd entered the war. He'd told the Lord he was up for anything. He told God and his family that if he had to lay down his life for his country, he was willing.

What he hadn't banked on was an island in the middle of the South Pacific and an American woman, the lone survivor of a plane crash, found nearly starved to death. He was supposed to be working alongside men. He was supposed to be commanding them, getting the war fought, and sending them all home alive.

He hadn't figured on a woman with huge brown eyes, probably close to his own age, whose family must be sick with worry for her and whose vulnerability was almost more than his heart could take.

He'd given everything to the war. Now, can he find a hidden gift in these desperate circumstances?