Page 133 of Betrayed
Logan opened his hands to her, so she slid hers into his. “Lord, help us as we face a new layer of grief. We know that grief is a road we will have to walk for the rest of our lives, but with Your hope and comfort, we can face this together. Give us what we need right now as we go through these things that belonged to our little girl. Hold her for us today. Thank You for Your assurance that she is safe with You right now.”
AJ opened her eyes when Logan didn’t continue. Tears already streamed down his cheeks. She let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He held her, and they cried for a moment together, but then AJ turned to the box and ripped the tape the rest of the way off. They pulled out one item after another. Mostly little girl clothes. The outfits Bree had worn to church the summer before she died.
AJ could picture each article on Bree. It was good to go through them and remember, but also to admit they could pass the clothes on to someone else.
Logan opened another box. He removed the first item and unwrapped it.
AJ gasped. Bree’s purple hippo. She took it from Logan and held it close. “I’m keeping this.”
“I was going to say that if you didn’t.”
For the rest of the day, they slowly went through each item. Most things would go to others, but the favorite—clothes and toys alike—would be kept. More children would come, Lord willing. Plus they decided they would put together a shelf of special items as a little memorial to Bree, wherever they ended up living.
Together they decided they would talk about her, unlike that first year and the years since. They would talk about her to one another and to anyone who entered their lives and home. They would tell the world how God had blessed them with the most darling little girl for a short while and how God had worked in their lives despite the tragedy of her loss. Because God was good no matter how difficult life was, and more than ever AJ was convinced of that. Bree would want them to tell the world about Jesus and His love, and that’s exactly what they would do.
Two Months Later
The cold December wind whipped around the car, so Logan jogged around to open the door for his wife. They had just come from the title company’s office, where they’d signed the papers to become homeowners once again. The insurance was going to take a while to come through, but God had blessed their socks off, and they’d been able to get a mortgage to buy a new-to-them home.
He opened the car door, and AJ bounded out. She’d had entirely too much caffeine already.
“Logan, it’s really ours!”
“Yep.” Logan offered his elbow.
She wound her hand around it and tugged him to the front door of the two-story, four-bedroom house on two acres. Their favorite part was it was only two blocks away from Will’s house. There were old-growth trees too. It was everything they could have hoped for.
Logan removed the key out of his pocket and unlocked the front door.
AJ nearly shoved him out of the way in her effort to dart inside, but he gripped her arm.
“Wait up there, babe. Tradition.”
She dropped her head to the side. “You aren’t serious.”
“I am.”
“Maybe I should carry you across the threshold.” The teasing glint in her eyes made him laugh.
“You may be a firefighter, but I’m the husband.”
“Just don’t hit my head on the door frame this time.”
“I’ll try not to.” He slid his arm under hers and around her back before leaning over and placing his other arm beneath her knees.
He lifted her and stepped over the threshold into the next chapter of their lives.
“Now put me down.” She tapped his chest.
He lowered her to the ground and watched her spin around.
“I love this house.” She stopped and grinned at him. “I can’t wait to see … to see all the things. Hopefully, we can afford some furniture for this place. It’s so empty right now.”
“We’ll be fine.”
She clasped his hand and dragged him into the living room at the front of the house. “The Christmas tree can go right here.” She stood by the front window.
