Page 136 of Finding Amanda

“Patricia. Or Pat, if you prefer. Let’s retire Mrs. Johnson, and hopefully, dragon lady.”

Amanda flushed, her cheeks hot. “I’m sorry about that.”

She shrugged. “Well earned, I’m afraid.”

Amanda didn’t disagree. “Patricia, you are welcome in our family.”

The door opened, and then a knock sounded. “We’re back,” Mark called.

The girls barreled in, each holding a can of soda.

Mark followed, looking from Amanda to his mom, who’d turned toward him. His brows lowered. “Everything okay?”

Amanda smiled to put his mind at ease. “It’s perfect.”

Mrs. Johnson—Patricia—snatched two tissues out of the box on Amanda’s bedside table and handed her one before wiping the moisture from her cheeks. She kissed little Joey on the head and then transferred him to his cradle. “We’ll get out of your hair now. I’m sure you need to rest.” She hugged Mark. “Thank you.”

“Uh, okay.”

“Come on, girls. Give your mother a kiss.”

Sophie and Madi did, and then Mark walked the three to the door.

He closed it and returned to her side, settling on the stool Patricia had just vacated. “What happened?”

“She apologized.”

His eyebrows moved toward his hairline. “I’m sorry. I was asking aboutmy mother.”

“I know, right?” Amanda recounted her brief and shocking apology.

“Wow.” He shook his head. “Wow. What did you say?”

“That I forgive her.”

“Just like that?”

“I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but forgiveness never is. It’s impossible, at least for me, to truly forgive someone without God’s help. But He’ll help me, just like He helped me forgive you. And even Gabriel.”

Darkness crossed Mark’s features. “I’m not there yet. Not sure I ever will be. At least we know he’s gonna rot in prison.”

He’d been given a life sentence for the murder of that brave teenage girl.

“I can be happy he’s being punished and forgive him at the same time,” Amanda said. “And so can you.”

“I’ll work on that.”

She grinned, knowing her husband, for all his anger, would find a way to forgive the man who’d tried to kill her, not because Gabriel deserved it but because God deserved their obedience.

“God will help your mother to become the woman she wants to be, the woman He created her to be, just like He’s helping me.”

Mark perched on the side of the bed, his expression filled with tenderness. “I’ve loved you since the day we met, as crazy as it felt at the time—two lost souls brought together by God’s amazing grace. You were gorgeous then, but wow.” He cupped her cheek. “The Lord looks beautiful on you.”

She traced his strong jaw with her fingertips, then slid her hand around to the back of his neck. “Thank you for saving my life, again. For being a wonderful father and husband. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“Never.”

He touched his lips to hers, and the love in his kiss added finality to his declaration. This man, her husband. Forever.