CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The Call
The next week seemed to crawl by.
Every morning before work, Luke checked his phone.
Every afternoon, Emily asked the same question.
“Anything yet?”
Luke always answered the same way.
“Not yet.”
Waiting had become the hardest part.
? ? ?
Thursday afternoon, Luke was organizing equipment at work when his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He glanced at the screen.
It was the bank.
His heart immediately started racing.
He stepped outside before answering.
“Hello, this is Luke.”
“Hi, Luke. This is Melissa from the bank.”
Luke held his breath.
“I’ve got good news.”
He leaned against the building.
“Your loan has been officially approved.”
For a moment, everything around him seemed to disappear.
He couldn’t hear the traffic.
He couldn’t hear the machinery behind him.
Only those five words.
Your loan has been officially approved.
“You… you’re serious?”
Melissa laughed.
“I am.”
“There are still a few documents to sign before closing, but congratulations.”
Luke smiled so wide his face hurt.
“Thank you.”
When the call ended, he simply stood there.
Then he looked toward the sky.
“We did it.”
? ? ?
Emily answered before the phone rang a second time.
“Hi!”
Luke couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice.
“We got approved.”
Silence.
Then…
A loud squeal echoed through the phone.
“We did?”
“We did.”
“Oh, Luke!”
He laughed.
“I know.”
Emily was crying.
Happy tears.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I.”
“When do we close?”
“Next Friday.”
Emily laughed through her tears.
“I am absolutely not getting any work done today.”
“I don’t think I am either.”
? ? ?
That evening they celebrated the only way that felt right.
Pizza from their favorite little place.
A two-liter bottle of root beer.
And chocolate cake from the bakery.
Luke raised his glass.
“To our future.”
Emily clinked her glass against his.
“To answered prayers.”
“And to a porch swing.”
She smiled.
“A big porch swing.”
“And horses.”
Emily nodded.
“Definitely horses.”
Luke grinned.
“And…”
Emily laughed before he could finish.
“Yes?”
“…a secure place to store gummy bears.”
She laughed so hard she nearly spilled her drink.
“You are never letting that joke die.”
“Absolutely not.”
? ? ?
Later that evening they drove past the farmhouse one more time.
The setting sun painted the white siding a warm golden color.
Luke slowed the truck.
Emily looked out the window.
“Next Friday…”
Luke nodded.
“We’ll have the keys.”
She smiled quietly.
“I still can’t believe this is happening.”
Luke reached over and held her hand.
“It won’t really feel real until we unlock the front door.”
Emily squeezed his hand.
“And when we do…”
She looked at the house one more time.
“…we’ll finally be home.”
Luke smiled.
The dream that had once felt impossible was now only days away.
Soon the porch would hold two rocking chairs.
The barn would echo with the sound of horses.
Three dogs would one day race across the yard.
Family dinners would fill the house with laughter.
And every mile that had brought them here would have been worth traveling.
The future wasn’t just something they imagined anymore.
It was waiting for them just down the road.