Page 342 of Under Her Skin

“Yeah, I know,” he says and looks around the room as I help him up. “It’s just that I was having a very odd dream, and in it, I fell on the snow-covered ground, and that’s when I woke up. It’s soweird.”

“You must’ve incorporated my words in your sleeping mind,” I offer as he looks completely out ofit.

“Whatever it was, it felt real.” He takes my hand and pulls me down on my knees as he goes down on his too, next to the bed. “Delaney, will you pray with me for Meagan? She was near death in my dream and I’d like it if you and I prayed for her rightnow.”

Tears immediately spring to my eyes, and I nod. “But Blaine, you shouldn’t ask for what you want. You should ask for what’s best for her in his eyes. And you should ask for the strength to handle whatever that maybe.”

“Okay, I think I have the ground rules down. And thank you for doing this with me and not making me feel like a fool about wanting to do this withyou.”

Running my hand over his cheek, I say, “I am going to be the other part of you. Never feel like I’ll make fun of anything you do or want me to be a part of. Especially where God and prayer areconcerned.”

“And that’s what makes you perfect wife material, Delaney.” He kisses my cheek, then gestures for me to bow my head. Taking my hand, he lays our clasped hands on the bed betweenus.

As he starts praying out loud, I echo his words silently in my own head. I can see he is passionate about having someone hear his pleas for the littlegirl.

“Lord, I am just a human. I have no control, nor want any. I only want you to hear me when I say I care for that little girl who may be close to death right now. I know she is sick for certain, and I’d like to voice my concern over her. Lord, I am asking you to help her. I am asking you to do what’s best for Meagan Sanders. I am also asking for your help for me to handle whatever that will be. And while I have your ear, I’d like to also ask for you to do what’s best for Terry, Colby, Tammy, and little Adam, too, as well as all the rest of the sick children in the entire world. I know that’s a lot to ask for, but I have the faith that on this day, the day you gave us your son and our savior, that you have the ability to make miracles happen. I’d love it if Meagan Sanders could be the recipient of one today. No matter what that miracle is, Lord, I will accept it. In Jesus name, we pray to you,Amen.”

My heart sores as I can feel it in the room, Blaine has completely given this over to God, and for the first time, I can hear it in his voice.He doesbelieve!

Turning to him, I take him in my arms and hug him, then I feel wetness on my shoulder and know he’s crying. “Shh. It’s going to beokay.”

“I know it will. I do.” He sniffles and pulls back to look atme.

Seeing tears go down the handsome man’s face does more to me than I expected it would. It sends pure love in a rush all over my body. “I can see it in your eyes. You get it now, don’tyou?”

“I think so. I think I understand that this world is not ours to control. We should do the best we can for one another while we’re here. But all the begging and pleading a person can do won’t stop even one thing from happening. All we can do is pray for the best to happen and for the strength to accept it if it means that person has to leave their body. And one day, we will all meet again, in anotherplace.”

“That’s what I believe too, Blaine.” Kissing his cheek, I get up, pull him up with me, and take him to look out the window. “And we have snow on Christmas. Now, that’s a real gift from God, don’t youthink?”

His fingers touch my chin, and I look up at him. “You are my gift, Delaney. He sent me to that hospital to find you. The moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew something was happening. Your hatred of me was a thing I had to make it past, but when I did, I knocked those walls all the way down. I will thank him for you every day until he gives me my lastbreath.”

His emotions get the best of me, and I start crying and have to hug him, hiding my face in his chest. “Blaine, you’re sosweet.”

“I think you are, and I’ll strive to be the man you deserve. You are an angel. You are my angel and you’re one to those kids you take care of too. I’ll never try to take you away from that. So you should be prepared for me to make myself just as much a part of that part of your lifetoo.”

“You already are. Having you visit doesn’t have to stop with the holidays. You can still bring cheer to the kids who find themselves in that place that’s so scary to most of them and boring to nearly all ofthem.”

Lifting me up, he carries me back to bed. “We have a few more hours to sleep, and I’ve just decided to add something to our morning. A quick visit to the kids is in order, Ithink.”

Crawling back under the blankets, I watch the snow fall, as I’ve left the curtains open. “It’s just gorgeous out there. The full moon and the white snowflakes that seem to be dancing around in the gentle breeze. It’s hard to close my eyes with a scene like this goingon.”

Putting his arm around me, he pulls me close so I can lay my head on his shoulder. Our heads touch as we both gaze out the window. “It is nice to see,” he says, then sighs. “I don’t believe this was on the weatherman’s radar last night. I wonder where this camefrom.”

“The North Pole, I suspect,” I say with alaugh.

As I lie here with him on our first Christmas, I have to thank God for him too. He is my gift as well.The best one I’ve everhad!

BLAINE

The morning is perfect. A nice blanket of snow completely covers the ground as we pull out of the garage in the four-wheel-drive truck. Snow is still falling, though nowhere near as thickly as it was during the early morninghours.

“This is incredible,” Delaney says as she looks out the window, taking in the sights of snow-covered trees with icicles hanging from their thick branches. “What a Christmas day this is going to be. It’s off to such a greatstart.”

“It is,” I say, then take her hand and give the top a little peck. “And thanks for the Christmas lovemaking this morning. It was right up there with one of the best times ever. But, with you, every time is better than thelast.”

She giggles, and I watch a light pink fill her cheeks. “It was pretty great, and you’re right. Each time is a little better than the last. Look at that squirrel, Blaine. He’s playing in the snow. Howcute!”

Slowing down so she can watch the little creature as it frolics around in a substance I doubt he’s ever seen before, I watch her instead of the animal. Her face is all lit up as she’s obviously lovingthis.