Not Until You

A warm hand gripped her fingers and squeezed. Before he could let go, Violet squeezed back. She needed this connection, this moment to tell her she wasn’t alone, she wasn’t the only one who hurt and didn’t know what to do with it.

This was why he didn’t go out, didn’t talk to people. Eventually, people weren’t content to let you be a stranger without a history anymore. They wanted to know about your past―and they didn’t care if you didn’t want to tell about it.

Holding onto your guilt. You’re not bound by these chains anymore. God has released them. So now you need to let them go.

You have promised us that you are all-powerful and all-loving. And yet sometimes it’s hard for us to reconcile these two things

We finally figured out that holding onto past hurts was keeping us from experiencing future joy. Letting go didn’t make the past hurt less; it just allowed us to recognize that it was only one thread in the tapestry of our lives.

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary

He showed me that he was in control even in all of these losses. That he’s bigger than I am and stronger and that he has a plan for me even in this.

squatted at the corner of the hutch one more time. They’d been trying for an hour to get it loaded, but no matter how many different angles they attempted, it was too heavy for him and Violet to move on their own, especially with Violet’s arm still in a cast. “Let me give it a try.” Barney stepped forward, and Nate scrutinized him. He didn’t appear frail by any stretch, but the man was nearly ninety years old. Nate didn’t want to be responsible for breaking him. “Barnabas Riley, step away from that hutch right this minute.” Gladys bustled into the room, pointing a spatula at her husband. Barney stepped back. “Busted.” But he nudged Nate and whispered, “I wasn’t really going to do it. Just had to show her I’m still willing.” Nate laughed with him, but Violet gave the hutch a regretful pat. “Looks like it wasn’t meant to be.” “Hold on a minute, dear. You’re the one we want to have this.” Gladys disappeared again. Nate and Violet both looked at Barney, but he threw his hands into the air. “Even after sixty-five years of marriage, I don’t understand everything about that woman.” He winked at them again. “Keeps me on my toes.” Three minutes later, Gladys reappeared. “I called Sylvia, and she said her grandson can come over to help us.” “That’s great.” Violet pulled out a chair to sit down and stifled a yawn. She looked exhausted. “In the morning,” Gladys finished. Violet dropped the hand that had been covering her yawn. “I’m sorry. I don’t think we can come back tomorrow.” “Of course not.” Gladys waved her objection away. “You can stay with us. It’s getting late anyway. You don’t want to drive back yet tonight.” Nate stole a subtle peek at the time. It was already eight o’clock. And Violet looked ready to drop. She gave him a questioning look, and he shrugged, hoping she would understand that meant it was up to her. “I guess that would work. The store is always closed on Mondays anyway.” Her eyes traveled to Nate. “Unless you need to be in the office.” He should be. He really should be. If Dad called and he didn’t answer, he would never hear the end of it. But right now, he cared more about what Violet needed. And she needed this hutch to save her store. “I don’t need to be in the office.” “Oh, but Tony―” Violet clasped his arm. She had a point there. He couldn’t leave his dog uncared for. “Unless.” Violet pulled out her phone. “Just a second.” She wandered toward the kitchen with the phone pressed to her ear. “Looks like I’m not the only one with a mysterious woman.” Barney chuckled so hard he broke into a coughing fit. “Oh, we’re―” “Neighbors.” Gladys rested a hand on her husband’s back. “We know.” Barney stopped coughing and straightened, shooting Nate a wink. Nate was about to argue more, but Violet stepped back into the room. Her smile was enough to steal his protest. “Sophie’s going to stop by to take care of Tony tonight and tomorrow morning. I hope you don’t mind, but I told her about your super-secret hiding spot for the spare key.” Nate pretended to be shocked. “How do you know about that?” “I saw you putting it under the mat the other day when you forgot your keys, remember?” He did remember. He had been especially enchanted by her laugh that day. It was amazing how many of his recent memories involved her. Including

It was as if Violet had smashed down all his walls and seen right into his heart. Seen exactly what he needed to hear, exactly what had been weighing on his soul for the past seven years. She knew him without his ever saying a word.

Somewhere along the line, she'd forgotten that each day was a gift from the Lord and had started to look at the days as something to simply survive. But not anymore.

Her heart jumped, and she told herself it was only because he'd surprised her. So what if she'd begun to suspect there was more to it than that? She wasn't brave enough to examine what it might be.