An Unexpected Treat - Part 4

June came to Leverton with temperatures soaring into the 90’s. Melissa and her co-worker Anne stopped into Joe’s for a quick lunch. “The cool air in here feels so good!” Anne exclaimed as they found a seat. “Okay, Missy, you have to tell me what’s going on with Lance. You two seem to be pretty inseparable.”

“I can’t even believe it myself, but Anne, I think he really likes me,” Melissa replied. “I had an incredible crush on him when we were kids. It is so surreal that we’re actually dating now! He is such a gentleman, and I love how he is careful to keep our relationship Christ-centered. Anne, I love everything about him!”

“It sounds like this is getting serious pretty fast,”  Anne frowned.

“We definitely have the same hopes and desires for the future,” Melissa mused, “but we aren’t using the L-word yet. I think we both want to be very careful and guard our hearts until we know for sure what the Lord is doing.”

“Well,” warned Anne, “I just hope he doesn’t pull you away from the bakery. You know how much I count on that job!”

Oblivious to Anne’s concerns, Melissa hugged her saying, “Thanks for all your help in the bakery. I don’t know what I’d do without you! I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ve got to get home to cook. I’m making Lance dinner tonight. I hope he likes my cooking!”

Anne returned her hug, but averted her face so Melissa couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Lance stopped by his dad’s for lunch and advice. He was pretty sure that Missy was the person he wanted to spend his life with, but he wanted the wise counsel of his dad and Sallie. “Dad, how did you know that Mom was the person for you? Then when she died, how did you know that you should marry Sallie?”

“Son, with your mom, the Lord gave me a verse to share with her, Ecclesiastes 4:9, ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.’ When I shared that with her, she exploded with joy and showed me in her journal where she had asked the Lord to give that verse to the man He wanted her to marry, so it was pretty obvious that He had brought us together. With Sallie, it was a little different. After your mom died, Sally reached out in friendship because she understood what I was feeling. She wisely encouraged me through the stages of grief. One Sunday when I saw her in church something inside me changed, and I realized I was falling in love with her.”

“It was crazy,” added Sallie, “because I had never planned to remarry, but that Sunday when I looked at your dad, my heart did a flip, and I felt feelings I hadn’t felt for years.”

“I know it was hard for you, son: continued his dad, "and I’m so sorry. But we knew that the Lord had brought us together, and Pastor Mike confirmed what we were feeling.”

“Maybe Missy and I need to go talk with Pastor Mike. I think that’s a great idea. I do feel like he will have wise counsel,” said Lance.

“I have something special for you, son,” his dad said. “Wait right here for a minute.” When he returned from his bedroom he was carrying a small box. “Before your mom died, she asked me to save this for you. We both had prayed that God would lead you to the right woman in His timing. Your mom wanted you to have her engagement ring when that day came.”

Speechless, Lance looked at the brilliant marquise diamond. He remembered thinking his mother had the classiest, most beautiful ring, but he had assumed she’d been buried with it on. Tears filled his eyes as he took the box, carefully putting it in his pocket. “Dad, I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much!”

“Son, the Lord will show you the right moment and make everything clear to you. Just wait on His timing!”

As he left his dad’s house, he drove past Melissa’s house thinking about the wonderful evening ahead. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of someone running around the side of the house and ducking into the garage. Something didn’t seem right, so he backed up, stopping at the curb. Getting out of his jeep, he walked toward the garage calling out, “Hey, is everything okay?”

Before he realized what was happening, a figure covered in black attacked him, knocking him to the ground. He looked up to see a gun pointed at his forehead. Confused thoughts filled his mind as he wondered what this person was doing at Melissa's house. What kind of danger was she in? Remembering a move from his high school wrestling days, with a rush of adrenaline he grabbed the gun with both hands twisting his attacker's wrist and gun away from his head. As the gun fell to the ground, he scissor-kicked his opponent's knees knocking his assailant to the ground where he was able to climb on his back and get him into a choke hold.

Hearing the commotion outside, Melissa ran to see what was going on. When she saw the intruder and Lance on the ground, she called 911. “Lance, are you okay?” she cried. “I just called the police.” The intruder continued to struggle, but Lance deepened his choke hold, effectively neutralizing his opponent.

The police arrived and took the intruder into custody, pulling off the black hood to reveal Anne. Angrily Anne spat at Lance, “You’ve come here and ruined everything! I had Melissa all to myself until you arrived. I figured I’d work at the bakery forever and we’d just grow old working together.” Tears flowed as she continued, “But now she’s got you and doesn’t need me anymore. I hate you!”

Shocked, Melissa stammered, “Anne, I thought you were happy for me. I thought you were my friend. How could you?” Turning to Lance she said, “I’m so sorry! I would never do anything to endanger you. I had no idea Anne was capable of something like this!”

As the police put Anne in the back of their car, Lance put his arms around Melissa. “When I saw the gun pointed at my head all I could think of was how much I care about you. I was determined to live so I can tell you that I love you and that all I want to is protect you!"

“Oh Lance,” exclaimed Melissa, “I love you, too. I think I’ve been a little in love with you since I was 13, but now that I know your character and integrity, I am crazy in love with you!”

“I hadn’t planned to do this yet,” Lance replied as he dropped to a knee and pulled his mother’s engagement ring out of his pocket. “Melissa, I want to build a life with you. Will you marry me?”

“Dreams really do come true!” she cried, as he placed the exquisite solitaire on her finger. “What a life we will have! I can’t wait.”