27. Silas
Chapter 27
Silas
Two Days Later
S howered, and wearing fresh clothes, I step up to the front door of Lance and Eliza’s house, my stomach a pit of nerves. It’s been nearly a month since I saw Eloise. And even though we video chatted and spoke on the phone, I’m still terrified she’s not going to want me back.
What if she’s grown so fond of Eliza and Lance that she doesn’t want to come home?
The door opens and Eliza rushes forward and throws her arms around me. “You’re back! Eloise! He’s here!” She tugs me into the house, and Eloise comes around the corner.
Her beautiful little face turns red, and her eyes fill with tears as she races toward me. “Uncle Lassy!”
I drop to the floor, catching her as she throws both arms around my neck. My body still aches from the beating I took first from Yarrow, then the explosion, but it’s worth every second of pain.
My throat tightens, tears burning in my eyes as I hold on to the little girl that may not be mine by birth but is mine in every other way. My sweet girl. My life.
“Nugget, I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, Uncle Lassy. I thought you might not come back.”
“Nugget, I will always come back for you.” I pull her away just enough that I can cup her little face and brush the tears from her cheeks. “I love you so much, honey.”
“I love you, too.” She beams at me, then her gaze turns serious. “What happened to your face?”
I laugh, recalling just how rough I looked in the mirror this morning—bruises, cuts, one eye bloodshot. “I had a bit of an accident. But I’m okay.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Nugget. I’m okay now.”
Lance comes out of the hall and smiles at me as he wraps an arm around Eliza’s shoulders. “It’s good to see you, brother.”
“You, too. You know,” I say to Eloise, “I brought someone else too.” Bianca steps into the house wearing a yellow sundress with small white daisies all over the fabric. Her dark hair is down and loose around her face, her smile bright.
“Bianca!” Eloise yells, then wiggles herself out of my grip.
Bianca kneels just in time to catch the excited Eloise as she throws her arms around her. “I missed you so much, kid.”
“I missed you too! You were gone for so long.”
“I know.”
“Guess what?”
“What?”
“We had another storm! Not as bad as before, but it was scary, and I remember your roof fell in, but we went and checked, and it was okay.”
Bianca beams. “Thank you. I’m not even sure how to repay you for being so awesome.”
“You can come color with me later.”
“Done.”
With Eloise giving Bianca attention, I shift mine to Lance. “Can we talk?”
“Of course.” Lance kisses Eliza on the side of her head and walks down the hall into his office. I follow, shutting the door softly behind me. “Is everything all right?”
“A lot happened to me when I was over there. A lot changed.”
“Bianca?”
“Yes.” My cheeks heat. “That relationship is still new, but that’s one of them.”
“What else?”
“I found God,” I tell him, unsure how else to put it. The statement feels so simple, yet the power it carries is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt.
Lance’s expression turns absolutely thrilled, his smile brilliant. His own eyes fill. “Welcome home, brother.”
My heart warms. “It’s strange that I found Him there, in that pit. But I did. Bianca helped. She talked about God, about His word and His promises, but when I thought we were done for, He was there. Bringing us out of the darkness.”
“As He always does.”
“Then there was the grenade—” I start.
“Grenade? I haven’t been fully briefed on what happened,” he adds.
“Yarrow Bridges threw a grenade at us, and all I could think about was Bianca. I threw myself on it, ready to take that blow if it meant she walked away, but it didn’t go off.”
“Dud?”
I shake my head. “It exploded the second we were outside. It shouldn’t have been that long of a delay. There’s no logical reason why it didn’t kill me. The only thing that makes sense to me is that God had a reason for saving me again, and I want to use what’s left of my life, this second chance, to honor Him in every way I possibly can.”
“Again? How many times did you nearly die over there?”
“Twice,” I reply. “But I think He was there that first time, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“This might sound crazy, but I keep thinking about that man who saved me when Lucian had me. How he was just there, and I never saw him again. He told me that I had more to do in this life. Do you think it might be possible?—”
“That God sent someone to set you free? Brother, we need to do a Bible study.” Lance reaches out and grips my shoulder. “That’s amazing.”
“I have some significant savings left over from my time in the service, along with the inheritance I received after my parents passed. I already spoke to Pastor Redding, but I want to use it to build a church in that village. They’re rebuilding everything River destroyed, and I want to contribute. He’s going to talk to some of his friends and see if he can get an assistant pastor to come preach here, so we can go back, and he can help me get everything set up.”
“Silas, that’s amazing.”
I swallow hard, surprised that I’m far more nervous than I realized. “I’ll need time off. I know it will put a strain on the company, but I feel like I need to help them. As though it’s what I’m supposed to do.”
He smiles. “Don’t even worry about it,” he replies. “We’ve got it covered. Spreading The Word is bigger than what we do.”
Relief floods my system even as I’m possibly more nervous about what I’m going to ask next. “That’s not all, either. Listen, I know that I’m asking a lot of you already, but I’d like for you and Eliza to be Eloise’s godparents. I’m having her baptized Sunday.”
Lance’s eyes glisten with emotion. “Brother, we’d be honored.”
“There’s still more.”
He doesn’t even hesitate. “Then lay it on me. Anything you need.”
“I want to be baptized in the same river I first felt Him. Pastor Redding has agreed to baptize me when we return to that village in a couple of months. I want you there with me. If you’re willing. I know it’s asking a lot. I’m going to take Eloise too, I?—”
“It’s not asking a lot, and I would love to be there. I will be there.” Lance wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a crushing hug. “You have no idea how happy I am, Silas. How proud I am that you’ve found your faith.”
“I am too,” I reply as I pull away. “I know it’s going to take time to fully understand what it all means, but I know that I was saved for a reason. That there’s a purpose to my life and even if it’s not completely clear yet, it will be.”
“Amen to that, brother. Amen to that.”
It’s been weeks since I last cooked, and it feels nice to be back in the kitchen. I was never one for elaborate meals, but tonight I’m determined to make it special. Eloise is coloring at the dining room table, singing happily along with the Christian playlist coming through the speakers.
I finish blending the mashed potatoes, then check the broccoli roasting in the oven, before stepping out onto the back porch to check the steaks I put on the grill.
Bianca’s standing on her porch, staring out at the ocean, her eyes closed, face tilted up toward the dimming sky.
She’s so beautiful.
So breathtaking.
The light that guided me home.
“You’re stunning.”
She turns toward me. “You’re not so bad yourself. I was just about to head over. I wanted to take a moment to pray though.”
I leave the grill and head toward the barrier between us and hold out my arms. “Come on, then.”
She arches a brow. “You’re going to lift me?”
“I won’t let you fall. Don’t you trust me?”
She crosses toward me, her feet bare against the wooden floor of the deck. “With everything that I am.” Raising her arms, she wraps them around my neck and lifts her legs. I pull her against me and turn, lifting her over the short railing between us.
But once I have her in my arms, I don’t want to let her go.
I drop my face and kiss her, pressing my lips to her soft mouth. The kiss is a promise. A slow, delicate dance that expresses how much I vow to cherish her. For the rest of my life.
“Marry me,” I whisper when I pull away.
“What?”
“Marry me.”
“If I say no will you still put me down?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “Maybe.”
She grins. “I will marry you, Silas Williamson.”
“I don’t have a ring yet. But I’ll get one.”
“I’ll marry you with or without one. You’re all I want, Silas. All I’ve ever wanted.”
I kiss her again, then spin in a slow circle before setting her down. It’s strange that less than a month ago, I was closed off, terrified of the feelings I couldn’t shake when it came to this woman.
I was still grieving, pained by the losses I’ve suffered over the years.
But now, I don’t know, I feel like I can start to move forward with the life granted to me when I didn’t die back in that jungle all those years ago.
“Bianca! You’re here!” Eloise comes rushing out and grips Bianca’s hand. “Come color!”
Bianca offers me a final smile, her cheeks flushed pink, as she follows Eloise into the house. I watch as she sits on a chair beside my little girl and starts happily chatting as she chooses a crayon.
This is my life.
Forever.
Always.
And I’m finally able to see the blessings God gave me even when I was determined to keep my face turned from Him.