Her Valentine Family (18 page)

She supposed the announcement had to do with whoever was speaking, and she peered around the heads in front of them to try to see who was sitting in the traditional preacher's spot on the front row. Unfortunately, they'd sat on the next to last row, probably in case Lainey had to go out before church was done, so there were lots of heads to see around.

But as she tried to see the front of the building, Jessica noticed the strangest thing. One by one, row by row, the people in the auditorium turned around and appeared to be looking…at her.

As the bulletins continued making their way from row to row, the people in each row turned.

“You must have written a really amazing thank you note,” Chad said.

Jessica felt her cheeks heating. She had written a nice note, but she didn't understand this response to it. Everyone peered at her, stared at her, and Nathan's giggles were getting uncontrollable. She looked at him and
quietly tried to shush him, which, naturally, made him worse.

“Chad? Something's not right,” she whispered.

“Oh, I think it is,” he said, not making sense at all.

Finally the teens reached the ends of her pew, and then she saw them look at each other and shake their heads, then skip their pew and go to the one behind them.

Jessica wasn't in the habit of turning around and gawking in church, but she did glance over her shoulder, then tried to motion to the boy nearest her end that she wanted a bulletin, too.

When he seemed not to see her, which she didn't think possible, she looked toward the teen at the other end and saw Chad give him a nod. Then the boy passed the basket to her father, who slowly passed it to her mother, then Mae, then Nathan, then Chad…and finally to Jessica. She took a copy, then handed the basket to the boy on her end, who was now looking directly at her.

And then it hit her. The whole church, even Brother Henry at the pulpit—was silent. And the whole church, even Brother Henry at the pulpit—was watching her.

She glanced at the paper in her hand and saw the “special announcement” on the front page.

And beneath the “announcement” in a whimsical font that she was certain her groom had selected, a single line was printed.

This is, of course, assuming she said yes.

The whole church waited. Nathan giggled. And Chad pulled a small box from his pocket. “Just say yes,” he said, reminding her of that night when he'd asked her to have a relationship with him, after that first coffee shop date. Now he was asking her to have a lifetime with him—a lifetime with him and Nathan and Lainey.

“Yes.”

M
erely a few weeks ago when she first ran into Chad that cool crisp night on the Stockville campus, Jessica had experienced that bizarre sensation of feeling as though she was merely watching life occur around her, when an individual wasn't actually participating in the event but an onlooker, observing the activity and wondering how the scene would play out. She supposed it was because the instance was so close to a “dream come true” feeling.

Then she'd thought the feeling unique, probably something she wouldn't experience again.

She'd been wrong.

Because right now, stepping into the church of her youth with her Daddy by her side, her friends and family turning and looking at her with broad smiles of approval on their faces, Jessica definitely know the sensation of a dream come true.

But it wasn't the church building, or her father by her side, or all of the friends and family that made this moment so right. It was the reason that they were all
here, an event that merely months ago she'd have believed would only ever happen in her dreams.

She was marrying Chad Martin, the love of her life and the father of her precious son, in front of God and—from the look of the packed church—in front of the majority of Claremont.

Before they took the first step down the aisle, her father leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. Then he whispered, “I remember standing at the front of the church and seeing your Mom in that dress.”

Jessica glanced down at the dress she'd always planned to wear on her wedding day, the creamy satin shimmering and the tiny pearls that Jessica's grandmother had sewn to the bodice glistening in the church light. “I'm so glad Mom saved it for me. It makes everything perfect.”

He squeezed her hand and smiled. “That dress is special,” he said, emotion filling every word, “but I'd say what makes this day perfect is the trio waiting for you at the end of the aisle.”

Jessica glanced toward the front of the church, where Brother Henry held his Bible close to his heart and smiled, and where the trio her father mentioned waited. Lainey sat on the steps near Brother Henry's feet, her basket of flower petals beside her and her attention on her big brother. She looked up toward Nathan and gave him a full grin, then handed him a couple of red rose petals. Nathan took the petals and smiled. Then he noticed Jessica, looked up at his Daddy and pointed to his mom.

“Dad, look! Mom looks great!” His exclamation caused a few chuckles to ripple through the guests and made Jessica laugh.

But Nathan didn't have anything to worry about. Chad hadn't taken his eyes off of her since she entered the auditorium, and Jessica couldn't think of a time when she'd ever felt more loved.

While the wedding march played, Jessica and her father made their way to the front and to her waiting family. Lainey immediately reached for Jessica's bouquet, and Jessica smiled as she handed it to her toddler.

“Tank oo,” Lainey said, and Nathan sniggered.

Then Brother Henry conducted a short ceremony, and then finally pronounced that they were now Mr. and Mrs. Chad Thomas Martin and informed Chad that he could kiss his bride.

Chad pulled her close, his green-gold eyes glistening a bit at the emotion obviously tugging at his heart. “Mrs. Martin,” he whispered, “You've just made me the happiest man in the world.” Then he brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly, sweetly…until Nathan giggled and they both looked at their son, his hand over his mouth, and smiled. Then Chad scooped Nathan into his arms and kissed his cheek, and Jess took Lainey in hers and did the same.

“What a beautiful celebration for Valentine's Day,” Brother Henry said from behind them. He grinned. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I can pronounce the Martin family.”

The entire crowd broke out into cheers and applause, while Chad, Jessica, Nathan and Lainey—the Martin family—officially began their life together.

 

Two days later, Nathan celebrated his sixth birthday, with his Mommy, Daddy, MeMaw, Granddaddy, Miss Mae and Lainey surrounding him, along with his new
Uncle Rob and Aunt Becky, who'd flown in from Alaska for the wedding.

Jessica admired the beauty of her family and the amazing blessings she'd received in the past year. “It doesn't get any more perfect than this.”

Nathan laughed. “Yes, it does.” He didn't explain, but obviously her little man knew what he was talking about. Because after his party, they all loaded up in their cars and headed to the local Little League sign-ups, where his daddy became the new coach for the Cardinals T-ball team and where Nathan found out he would be wearing the number 1 jersey. Then, after donning his new jersey and cap, they got in their car again and headed out for ice cream.

He licked the side of his chocolate ice cream cone and then grinned at his new, big family. “Now,” he told his mom, “it doesn't get any more perfect than this!”

Jessica laughed, and Chad wrapped an arm around her pulling her close to his side.

“Nathan,” he said. “You're exactly right.”

Dear Reader,

Her Valentine Family
touched my heart because it focuses on issues that everyone deals with in a lifetime—forgiveness and trust. Jessica withholds the truth from someone she loves because she believes she is protecting him, but she doesn't realize the impact of keeping her secret. Chad has been betrayed in the past—not only by his first wife but by his father. Those facts play a huge part in Chad's relationship with God and in his ability to forgive. Forgiving isn't always easy, but all things are possible with God, as Chad and Jessica learn in
Her Valentine Family
.

My website—www.reneeandrews.com—includes an alternate beginning for the novel and a deleted scene that didn't make the final cut but will give you the background on what Jessica went through when she made that difficult decision to move to Tennessee.

And if you have prayer requests, there's a place to let me know on my site. I will lift your request up to the Lord in prayer. I love to hear from readers, so please write to me at [email protected].

Blessings in Christ,

Renee Andrews

1. Jessica left her parents and the only home she'd ever known when she was just sixteen and pregnant. Have you ever had to leave home? How did you deal with it?
   
2. After learning about Chad's scholarship, Jessica thought the right thing to do was to leave him and keep the truth of their child a secret until his situation was better. Is it ever right to withhold the truth? Is withholding the truth the same as telling a lie?
   
3. Chad believes that he can no longer trust anyone with his heart. What Bible Scripture would you recommend to someone with trust issues?
   
4. Jessica's concern for Nathan after receiving the phone call from his teacher consumed her thoughts so much that she couldn't concentrate on her class. Have you ever been worried that something was wrong with a child? How did you handle that concern?
   
5. A blending of families can sometimes be difficult on children. Most individuals have experienced some form of family blending, whether in their immediate or extended family. How did Chad and Jessica use the difference in Nathan and Lainey's ages as an advantage for how they helped Nathan accept his new sister? What could a family do if the children were older when their families join?
   
6. Chad had a difficult time trusting. After Kate betrayed his trust so completely, he couldn't consider trusting her again. However, Jessica also betrayed his trust, yet he found a way to forgive her for keeping her secret. What was different about the two situations that caused Chad to be able to forgive Jess?
   
7. Jessica described her return to her home church as feeling like the prodigal son. Have you ever experienced that feeling? Were you welcomed with open arms, like the way Brother Henry welcomed Jessica back? Or were you met with resistance, like those whispering in the lobby?
   
8. Why do you think Mae found it so easy to relate to Jessica? How did her past affect her interpretation?
   
9. Jessica and Chad were both touched by the gathering of people in the emergency room to pray for their son. How much does it mean to know others are praying for you in times of need?
   
10. In researching this book, I learned from doctors who believe patients can hear when they are unconscious, and I also learned from doctors who believed they couldn't. There have been studies regarding both options. What do you think? Do you have any personal reason to feel that way?