Letting the feeling of peace and contentment settle,Beverly stayed a while longer, reminiscing about her father and the good times they shared. She was grateful for the time she had with him, even as fleeting as it was. She silently thanked Roy for teaching her how to cherish those memories in a creative way.
It felt like home here.
Beverly stepped forward and ran her fingers across the smooth stones of the arch she crafted, giving silent thanks for all he had taught her.
The sun was beginning to set, and Beverly knew she should be cleaning up her supplies. Roy would be returning any minute now, but she was reluctant to do anything at the moment.
Her eyes closed, and she found herself praying before she even realized it. She prayed for her father's soul, thanking him for all his love and guidance. She prayed for her mother and asked that God fill her with peace and strength in the midst of her grief.Then, she prayed for herself, that she might be guided by the same resilience and faith that Roy had demonstrated. She asked for strength to make it through this journey of life and that she would be able to find joy again in the memories of time shared with him. She prayed for healing and perhaps a little bit of guidance so that she could find the courage to keep going when things felt difficult.
Next, she thanked God for the Easter project. It was the perfect way to honor her father's legacy and remind everyone that family is always worth celebrating even from far away.
Finally, she prayed that the peace and love of this special grotto might bring some solace to everyone who came here in the years to come. She prayed for strength as she went through life and found new ways to honor her father's memory, no matter what came.
ChapterNineteen
When Roy approached the grotto, plants and flowers in a wheelbarrow, he couldn't believe how amazing it looked, but what was that splash of purple?
"What's that?" he asked as he lowered the wheelbarrow.
"What's what?" Beverly asked. "Do you like it?"
"I love it! I can't believe you managed that arch after all."
"You should know by now to never doubt me," she said with a laugh, lifting her chin.
He beamed at her, loving how confident she seemed. "The purple."
"Hmm?"
Was she purposely pretending not to understand him?
Roy walked over and bent down. An egg.
He held it up. "You painted eggs?"
"I did," she said, clasping her hands together. "Do you like that idea? I know it might be secular, but I thought it would be cute..."
"It's not secure. Hatching eggs, rebirth... it's a perfect religious theme for the holiday," he assured her. "When did you come up with the idea to paint eggs?"
"Earlier," she said.
"Today? Wow. Was I really gone that long?" He rubbed the back of his neck. He had gotten caught up talking to his brothers. Maybe they'd talked longer than he had realized.
"It's fine. If we work together, we can put the flowers and plants all set out and be done."
"Let me just get the hose..."
The two of them worked together to put the last finishing touches on the grotto. The sun was beginning to set, and the orchard had a distinct golden hue as it sparkled in the fading light. It was a beautiful sight.
As the stone oval continued to fill with water, Roy eyed Beverly. She was so beautiful, but more than her outward appearance, she had a beautiful soul. She was exploring her faith, and he felt pleased to have had a part in that.
More than anything, he didn't want to think about tomorrow and how life would change. She wouldn't be there to greet him in the morning, and they wouldn't be working together anymore.
The thought of losing her was too much for him to contemplate. He hadn't expected them to finish the grotto so quickly, but she had been motivated, and the holiday was only two days away.
"Will you go out with me?" he blurted out and sucked in a breath as he waited for her to reply.
A part of him felt relieved that he had finally worked up the courage to ask her out. He wanted more than just being friends. He wanted to hear more about what motivated Beverly, and he wanted to always be there for her. Maybe they could go out fishing, or would that not make for a good first date? Should they do something more traditional? Dinner and a movie?