Shotgun Marriage. Danica Favorite

here lately. After that, you can put Emma Jane to work. It’ll be waiting.”

      Emma Jane had always admired Mary’s take-charge attitude. But now, faced with a friend who actually cared about her, Emma Jane couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes. She hadn’t realized just how hard it had been on her own. Though she and Mary had only recently become close, Emma Jane couldn’t imagine how she’d managed all these years without Mary’s friendship. She’d thought she’d found that kind of confidant in Jasper, but since their marriage, he felt more like a stranger. No, worse than a stranger.

      “None of that.” Mary gave her a quick squeeze. “What did I tell you about tears ruining your complexion? You’ll feel better once you’ve gotten some food in you.”

      Pastor Lassiter grinned. “And people wonder how I manage with all the people in my home. They should see how well the people in my home do all the managing for me.”

      They all chuckled together as they exited the church, then rounded the corner to the parsonage. Mary’s younger brother and sisters were chasing one another in the backyard, playing some kind of game. The giggles filled Emma Jane’s soul. She hadn’t heard laughter at all since she’d been staying in the Jackson mansion. Even in her own home, laughter had often been missing. But here, at the Lassiter house, where Mary and her siblings were staying until their house could be built, merriment abounded. If Emma Jane could have one wish about her future with Jasper, it would be that their home would be more like this place than where they’d both grown up.

      Emma Jane shook her head. She shouldn’t be thinking such things. She had to believe that she and Jasper would find their way...somehow.

      But how were they supposed to do that when he kept shutting her out? He said that it was for her safety, but that was what men always said to women. Jasper and Will had made Mary stay behind the night of the brothel fire for her safety, but Mary had followed them. And even though she had been in danger, Mary herself had told Emma Jane that it had been her quick thinking that had saved them. When the bandits had them all trapped, Mary distracted the bandits by throwing the lit lamps at them, giving Will, Jasper and herself time to get away.

      Even now, word about Mary’s bravery was getting out around town. She was a hero.

      As they walked toward the parsonage, Emma Jane couldn’t help but wonder if a heroic act of her own might make the town look at her differently.

      So what could Emma do that wouldn’t upset Jasper...?

      “Mary!”

      The youngest little girl came running up to them, and Mary swung her up in her arms. “How’s my sweet little Nugget?”

      “Hungry! You’ve been gone ever so long, and Maddie said we couldn’t start eating until you and Uncle Frank got here.”

      Emma Jane couldn’t help but smile at the child’s honesty. She’d heard that the younger Stone children had taken to calling Pastor Lassiter “Uncle Frank,” but experiencing it for herself warmed her heart. Just last winter, Pastor Lassiter’s wife and all of his children but Annabelle had succumbed to the illness that had run rampant through their community. Many families had lost loved ones, and it had seemed horribly unfair to Emma Jane that the good pastor had suffered such a tragedy. Yet here, in the happy chaos of his yard, Emma Jane saw no evidence of loss, but of the joy of living.

      If only she could capture some of that for herself.

      “They’re something else, aren’t they?” Pastor Lassiter’s voice came beside her.

      “Yes, they are.” She turned to him, noticing the happiness on his face. “Can I ask you what may be an impertinent question?”

      “I’m not sure you’re capable of asking an impertinent question.” His eyes twinkled. “Ask away.”

      Emma Jane took a deep breath. “How did you do it? The past year, you’ve faced unimaginable losses, and yet here you are, still opening your heart and home with such joy?”

      “That’s a good question.”

      Emma Jane watched as he looked around the yard, seeming to take in every detail. “I think it’s several things. The first is that the human capacity to love is limited by our humanness. But when we allow that love space within us to be filled with the Lord, our capacity to love is limitless.”

      Put that way, it was easy to understand as Emma Jane pictured the many folks who came through their church and their community, as well as the nearby communities Pastor Lassiter served so tirelessly. She’d wondered how one person could accomplish all of that.

      “How do you get the Lord to fill that love space?” Immediately, Emma Jane thought of Mrs. Jackson. Perhaps relying on her own power to love her mother-in-law was where she was making the mistake. Could God give her the strength to love Mrs. Jackson?

      “Ask Him. Read your Bible. And let Him work in you.”

      Then Pastor Jackson turned to her and looked at her intently. “The other thing that got me through was the realization that we must see everything that comes our way as an opportunity from the Lord. We remember to thank Him for the good things, but we also need to take the time to look at the bad and ask the Lord what He’s trying to teach us through the situation.” Clearing his throat, he waited a beat before saying, “For me, I learned that while it’s easy to love the Lord during the good times, we must also cling to Him through the bad. Love Him just as much in the hard times, because the kind of the love that most honors God is the love that endures all things.”

      Still, Emma Jane couldn’t imagine the strength it took to endure all of the loss in Pastor Lassiter’s life. He took her hand.

      “I know that your marriage, and the events surrounding it, are less than ideal. But don’t think for a moment that the Lord has abandoned you. Draw near to Him, and I promise that you will make it through in a way far more profound than you could have imagined. He has good plans for you, Emma Jane, and I am praying you will cling to Him as He sees you through.”

      Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. No one had expressed such a deep belief in her before. And yet, as she thought back to the pastor’s earlier words about the love of God, she realized that he wasn’t just expressing his own personal belief about her, but God’s belief in her.

      “Thank you.” Emma Jane squeezed his hand. “I appreciate you sharing your heart with me.”

      Pastor Lassiter gave a small smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I will also tell you that there are days I miss my sweet Catherine so much it hurts. It seems brutally unfair that I had to lose her. But as it says in Job, I can’t accept only the good and not the bad from the Lord. It’s all right to feel that way. Just keep giving it to God, and He will be faithful in standing beside you.”

      His openness touched Emma Jane deeper than any of his sermons ever had. She wanted that kind of relationship with the Lord. That depth of love and trust. She’d do as he said—when she got home, she’d spend as much time as she could reading her Bible. There wasn’t that much else to do at the Jackson mansion, anyway. She might as well spend the time being productive.

      However, before she could formulate a response, Nugget came barreling toward them.

      “Uncle Frank! Let’s eat! Maddie made fried chicken, and I’ve got my eye on one of the legs.”

      From matters of the heart to matters of the stomach. Emma Jane couldn’t help the joy welling up in her at the absolute delight of being with this family. Oh, Lord, she prayed, please let me find this joy in my own home.

       Chapter Three

      Emma Jane’s day with Mary had been exactly what she’d needed. Not only had she found incredible peace talking with Pastor Lassiter, but the afternoon spent visiting with Mary had given her a new strength. Their friend Polly, who was also staying at the parsonage with her family to help with the Stone