Two Rings, One Heart. Martha Mason

to the other. She wasn’t sure how to take this new turn of events. She didn’t want to put Mr. and Mrs. Thurlow in any kind of financial jeopardy. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” she asked, feeling overwhelmed.

      “Positive! We checked with a lawyer. He said people do this all the time,” Mr. Thurlow said, grinning smugly.

      “If this isn’t the answer to prayers, I don’t know what is,” Megan said, smiling bravely. Then she broke down and bawled.

      “We know you’ll love this place as we have. This is the right thing for you and for us,” said Mrs. Thurlow, as Megan wiped her eyes.

      Mr. Thurlow stuck out his hand to Megan. “Is it a deal?”

      “You better believe it,” she replied, grabbing his hand and shaking it heartily.

      This was one of Megan’s best memories. She thanked God every single day for being so good to her. Her little family thrived on the farm. Meeting the mortgage had been tight in the beginning, but she had found creative ways to meet her payments.

      One year, she made pine wreaths and sold them to make the December payment. The next year she put in a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. She always had just enough to pay the bills and give to the Lord.

      Megan knew these “patch jobs” weren’t going to work forever. She started reading everything she could get her hands on about growing plants. Before long she built a small greenhouse and started her own bedding plants for the coming spring. She planted Christmas trees as part of a long-range plan.

      She continued to educate herself. Eventually she offered tree service, snow removal, lawn care and landscaping, along with her florist’s service. She even planted bedding flowers in the spring for those who wanted a pretty yard with no bother. She especially enjoyed doing this for older people who really weren’t up to digging.

      When the time came to hire someone, she prayed, asking God to help her find the right person for the job. Soon she ran into an old high-school friend, Ted Garrett. He was out of work and desperate. He had been a business manager and the store had gone out of business. He had a wife and three little kids.

      Ted happened to see Megan at the local building supply store, while picking up a washer for a leaky faucet. “Hi, Megan. How are you doing?” he asked.

      “I don’t have enough time to do all the jobs that need doing. I’m getting ready to build a retaining wall,” she answered distractedly.

      “Need help?” he offered.

      “I sure do, but everyone’s looking for a suit job. They want an office and easy work,” she said, thinking he was just making conversation.

      That statement hit Ted where he lived. Not knowing he was out of work, she continued on, “I need someone who’s willing to put in a hard day’s work.”

      “About what would the job pay?” Ted asked curiously.

      “If someone did a good job, more than they would make in an office. For a real hustler, I would be willing to work out a salary-plus-commission job,” she said, trying to figure out why he was asking her all these questions.

      “What does the job entail?” he asked.

      “Being able to keep up with me,” she said kidding.

      “I can do that,” he said cockily. “Consider me.”

      Megan was surprised. “Why? Are you tired of the retail scene? Or do you want to see what the other half does?” she teased.

      Ted looked embarrassed. “No. I lost my job months ago. I haven’t been able to find steady work since. All I’ve looked for is white-collar work, but I need a job and I need it now,” he said seriously.

      Megan looked away, thinking. Lord, is this the employee I’ve been praying for? Show me! She turned back to Ted. “If you’re serious, be at Meadow Flowers tomorrow morning at eight o’clock sharp,” she said briskly, and left.

      Ted showed up before she got to work the next morning. It had been a hard day, she recalled. She nearly worked him into the ground. He had been working for her ever since. She kept her word; when business grew, so did his paycheck. Ted had definitely been the employee she’d prayed for.

      Now Megan had two more full-time employees, and Zack worked part time. Looking back, overall, life had been pretty good. She had few complaints. Though she could use a little more free time…and do without people like Mr. Carlyle.

      It always did Megan good to remember her humble beginnings. Her life was in God’s hands. She needed to please Him. That was the most important thing.

      As the sun began to drop behind the mountains, Megan trekked back down the hill to the farmhouse. It was so empty without the children. She had thought a night by herself might be fun. It wasn’t! She found herself wandering from one room to the next as though looking for someone. Finally she went to bed.

      Unable to sleep, other memories came into play. Megan began to hear Mr. Carlyle’s accusing words. “You probably ran him off…ran him off…ran him off…” She looked at the empty place beside her as the words echoed.

      She’d gone over this so many times, but she’d never come to a conclusion. Maybe because she’d never heard Mitchell’s side of the story.

      She’d been pregnant with Jess. The pregnancy was difficult from the start, kind of like Jess. She had gone to see Doc Crawford for a routine checkup. Her blood pressure had been excessively high. Doc slapped her in the hospital before she had time to argue with him about it.

      Once in the hospital, all Megan wanted was to see Mitchell. Ruth had an awful time finding him. He had been fired from his job and hadn’t bothered to tell his family. Ruth finally tracked him down at a local bar and drove him straight to the hospital, hoping he would sober up before Megan saw him.

      One look at her bleary-eyed husband made her face things she had been refusing to see. He confessed that he had lost his job, blaming it on everyone but himself. Doc pulled him aside and tried to talk some sense into him. Then Ruth drove him home to let him sober up, while she picked up Zack from school.

      Later, Mitchell came back to the hospital. He was still in a self-inflicted alcoholic fog. Megan reached for him. “Mitch, what’s wrong?”

      He came closer and gave her his hand. She took it in both of hers and kissed the palm, then pulled him closer. He looked away, unable to face her.

      “Mitchell, I love you,” she whispered. She ran her hand through his dirty, tousled hair and down the side of his face, cupping his chin. She waited for their eyes to meet. His were bloodshot and seemed vacant “We can’t go on like this,” she said gently. “You need help. Don’t you understand? I need help, too,” she pleaded, hoping to see some understanding in his eyes.

      He shrugged as if it were of little importance. He seemed to want to get away.

      His careless attitude caused something in Megan to snap. All the things she had been thinking, but never daring to say, came shooting out “Mitchell, something is going to change. I will not lose this baby worrying about you. It’s time for you to get straight, grow up and accept some responsibility. I need a husband I can depend on. Zack needs a father, not a playmate. When are you going to be there for us, instead of off somewhere with your buddies or lost in a bottle?” Megan began to tear up. “We love you. Why can’t you see that?”

      She steadied herself. “I know everything seems awful right now, but it will all work out if we just hold on together and trust God to help us.”

      “When are you coming home?” Mitchell had slurred, ignoring her words.

      “In a day or two,” said Megan wearily.

      “Meg, I never meant for things to get like this,” Mitchell finally admitted.

      Tears began to run down Megan’s face. “I know, but they have.”

      Mitchell