September 2009

It had been one year since Justin and Emma reinstated their relationship, and the time had been perfect.  They continued to grow closer to each other, and it was only a matter of time before they took in next step.  In fact, Justin had been thinking about it more and more.

Emma was different, and she had changed him whether she realized it or not.  He couldn’t picture his future without her in it, and he was fairly confident that she felt the same way.

They had been able to see each other once a month, which was made possible because Justin wasn’t hopping all over the country.  He was just as busy as ever though.  They would switch weekends, and it was Emma’s turn to be out in LA on this particular weekend.

“Emma.”  Justin reached out to grab her hand with his free one before she could walk any farther.  He had taken her out shopping for the day and was spending way too much money if you asked Emma.

“Yeah?”  She stopped and turned to look at him.

“Try this on.”  He pointed to a red dress that was hanging on the rack.

“A dress?”  Emma questioned.  They had known each other for two and a half years, and not once had she worn a dress with him or without him.

“Yup.”  Justin pulled it off the rack and held it in front of her.

“Really?”  She wasn’t sure as she took it in.

“Come on Emmy,” he said.  “For me?”

“I suppose.”  Emma sighed as she gave in to his pout.  She took the one he had in his hands and looked at the tag.  “I think this will fit.”

“It looks right,” Justin said.

“Can I help you guys with something?”  A saleswoman approached them.

“Yeah.  She’s going to try that dress on,” he said.

“Great.”  The woman smiled.  “Follow me.”  Justin and Emma followed her to the back of the store.

“Come and show me when you have it on,” Justin said.

“Okay.”  Emma smiled.  She followed the lady into the dressing room.  Emma changed into the dress and let the saleswoman zip it up for her. 

Emma checked herself out in the mirror.  The red dress fell just above her knees and was low-cut, but still conservative.  She couldn’t believe how different she looked.

“Are you done yet?”  They heard Justin’s voice from outside of the dressing room.

“Yes,” Emma said.  She turned to walk out of the dressing room.

Justin let out a low whistle when she stepped out.  Emma blushed.

“Perfect … spin.”  Justin twirled his finger around and Emma complied.  His grin spread across his face when he saw that her tattoo was in full view.  That never happened.  “You have to wear that tonight.”

“Tonight?”  Emma questioned.

“Yeah.  We’re going out,” he answered.

“Um … k,” she replied and looked at the price tag.

“Don’t look.”  He walked over to her and grabbed her hands.  Emma let go of the tag when he did that and looked up at him.

“That’s too much.”

“Not if you look like that.”  Justin checked her out again.  “You need to wear dresses more often.”

“The things I do for you.”

“Lucky me.”  He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.  Emma groaned and rolled her eyes.  “Go change, and we can get out of here.”

*  *  *

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”  Justin asked.  He really did like her in that dress and the heels, which she had found to go with it.

They had barely made it back into his house after dinner, when he stopped her in the middle of his living room, to give her a hug and just hold her for a while.  Justin had wanted to do that all night, but he had refrained to keep the not-so-false rumor mill down to a minimum for Emma’s sake. 

Although she had been in a few magazines with him, there hadn’t been a lot of speculation as to who she was much to Emma’s delight.  She would have been tolerant though if it was more; for him she would put up with just about anything.

“I think you’ve mentioned it.”  Emma smiled.

“Em …” He said quietly after a couple of minutes wrapped in her arms.  Justin put his hands on her cheeks, and his fingers threaded through her hair, which she now wore at chin length.

“Hmm …” Emma hummed and looked into his eyes. 

Justin rubbed his right thumb over her lips softly and then leaned down to kiss her just as sweetly.  He didn’t really have anything to say; he just wanted to kiss her.

“How about a drink?” Justin asked.  He dropped his arms from around her, and Emma pulled away too.

“Sure.”  Emma nodded. 

Justin walked into the kitchen, and Emma sat down on the couch.

“Wine?”  Emma heard him moving around in the room behind her.

“That’s fine, as long as you don’t plan on taking advantage of me.” 

“I wouldn’t do that.”  Justin knew she was just teasing him.  “You pick out some music.”

They always listened to music after they had dinner.

“Okay.”  Emma stood up and walked over to the entertainment center.  He had a stack of CDs sitting on one of the shelves, and Emma reached to pick them up.  She looked at the different cases.  Emma smiled when she saw the new CD from The Wedding.

“You got the guys’ new one?”

“Yeah,” Justin replied.  “Did I not mention that?”  He walked back into the living room carrying two glasses of wine.

“No.  What do you think?”

“It’s good.  Want to listen to it now?”  He knew she’d pick that one.

“Of course.”  Emma grinned when he walked up next to her.  Justin set the glasses of wine down on the shelf.  The plastic case rattled more than normal, but Emma just figured the CD was loose from its place.

When she opened it, her jaw dropped.  Instead of the CD, there was a white-gold ring with a diamond set in it, and around the band there were smaller ones along with a little design engraved in it.

“Justin?”  She looked up at him with a question in her eyes.

He picked up the ring from the plastic case and got down on one knee.  Emma covered her mouth with the hand that Justin hadn’t taken in his own.  Its not that they hadn’t talked about marriage, but Emma was still surprised.

“I could drag this out forever, how much you mean to me, but I know that you already know all the reasons why I love you.  I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.”  He swallowed heavily. 

“Emma Leigh will you marry me?”

“Yes, yes, yes …” Emma laughed at the unintentional rhyme in the proposal and out of shear happiness.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  Justin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer to him.

“It’s nice to see that you’re so excited.”  Justin grinned when she pulled away from their kiss.  “Hand.”

“Oh yeah.”  Emma giggled and brought her left hand in front of him again.  He was still on one knee, and after he slipped the ring on her finger, he stood up.

“Perfect.”  He admired the ring and then threaded his fingers through hers.  Justin kissed her.  “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Emma replied.

“Shall we toast?”  Justin turned to pick up the glasses.  He handed Emma hers.

“To us …”

“To us,” Emma replied.  “And many happy years.”

“And many happy years.”  They clinked their glasses together, and each took a sip of the wine.

“You know we’re living in Arkansas, right?”  Emma grinned after she had taken another sip.

“Wherever you want, Emma.”  Justin didn’t care where they lived as long as he could come home to her.  Wherever she was, was home because that’s where his heart was.

“So …” Emma looked up at Justin.  “There’s something I always wanted to do when I got engaged.”

“Oh yeah?”  Justin brought his glass down from his lips.  He looked at her curiously.  “What’s that?”

“Pray with that person,” Emma said. 

“Oh … okay.”  He shrugged.  Honestly, it had been a while since he had really prayed, let alone with someone else. 

“We don’t have to.”  Emma knew that he was slightly uncomfortable with that idea. 

“Let’s do it,” Justin said with a smile.  He grabbed Emma’s hand and led her over to the couch.  They set their glasses down on the coffee table and sat down on the couch facing each other. 

“Ready?”  Emma grabbed both of his hands in hers, and Justin nodded.  Emma smiled before she started.

“Father, I want to thank you for the relationship Justin and I have with each other.  I am so thankful that you have brought him into my life, and I know that you will continue to open his heart, mind and soul to what it is that you have to offer him.  I have been blessed to have been a part of his growth so far and I can’t wait for more. 

“May we always be open and honest with each other during both the good and bad times.  Continue to bless our relationship, be the third person in our relationship, and may we glorify you in all we do together.”

Emma paused and she looked up at Justin with an encouraging smile.  She squeezed his hands.  It took him a few moments, to gather his thoughts, but he did speak.

“I know that I have done a lot of not-so-good things, but I must have done something right to have Emma in my life.  I don’t think I thank you every day for her like I should, and for everything else in my life.  But thank you for bringing me someone who is so understanding, caring, beautiful, fun, honest, blessed, focused on what she wants, and everything else I could ever think of to describe her.

“She is more than I deserve, but I won’t ever throw it away.  I pray that you will help me grow into the man she believes I can be, and that I don’t doubt my ability to do just that.  I can see your light in her eyes every minute I’m with her and it’s a beautiful light.

“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.  And I do,” he swallowed, “I do hope that we glorify you in all we do.”

They were silent for a few more minutes; taking in what they just prayed.  Emma was a little teary even with her eyes closed.  She loved it when she could feel a stronger presence in whatever place she was in, and she hoped that Justin could feel it too.

“In Jesus’ name,” Emma said.

“Amen,” they both said together.

Emma opened her eyes and saw Justin staring right into hers.  His eyes looked a little watery too. 

“Thank you Emma,” Justin said.

“For what?”  She asked.  Emma let go of his hands so she could put hers on his cheeks.  She brushed her thumbs under his eyes.

“For believing in me, for being tolerant, just for everything, and mostly, for loving me.” 

“I always, always will,” Emma said.  When a tear finally fell from his eye, she brushed it away with her thumb.  “Don’t ever doubt that Justin.”  She leaned over and kissed his lips softly.

“I love you, because you’re you.  No matter what crazy thing you do, within limits of course.”  Emma grinned.

“Good.”  Justin smiled.  He wrapped his hands around her forearms, and tugged her a little so she would move to his lap. 

“Thank you for your prayer.  It was very sweet,” Emma said once she was settled, and the dress she was wearing was situated.  She felt Justin brush his fingers over the tattoo on her back.

“Anytime,” Justin answered honestly.  “Do you think we could do that again?”

“Of course.”  Emma’s eyes lit up at the thought.  “Whenever you want, just let me know.”  She wrapped her arms loosely, around his neck.

“Do you really have to leave tomorrow?”  He asked.

“I do,” Emma replied.  They had thought that saying “goodbye” was hard when they were just dating, but it was only going to get harder as time went on.

*  *  *

“I have an announcement,” Emma said.  She was at her parents’ house for the weekly family dinner on Sunday after having spent the day at church.

“What’s that?”  Karen asked as she passed the mashed potatoes to her husband.

“Well …” She paused and looked at Trevor, who was sitting across from her.  He smiled.  She wasn’t sure what their reaction was going to be, especially after what had happened well over a year before.

“Justin asked me to marry him when I was out there last weekend.”

“Congratulations sweetheart.”  Karen smiled at her daughter.  “We are happy for you.”

“Really?”  Emma let out a sigh of relief.

“Of course.  Why would you think otherwise?”  Doug asked.

“I don’t know … I guess because of what happened before.”  Emma played with the mashed potatoes sitting on her plate.

“Well all that matters is that you love him and that you trust him.  Because if you do, then we do too,” Doug said.  He cut the piece of chicken on his plate.

“Thanks,” Emma smiled.  “He really wanted to be here with me to tell you, but he’s just so busy.”

“That’s all right.  Next time he’s around we’ll celebrate and get everyone together,” Karen replied.

Trevor chuckled knowing that would turn into a huge event.

“Trevor …” Emma sighed.  She slid down in her seat so she could pull the diamond ring out of her pocket.  She had missed feeling and seeing it on her finger even though it had only been a week.

“Ooo … lets see.”  Karen put her fork down and held out her hand when she saw Emma slip the ring on her finger.  Emma put her hand in her mother’s.  “Beautiful.  How’d you get a guy with such good taste?”

“Hey!”  Doug half-shouted toward his wife who just smiled at him.  He knew she was teasing.  Doug held out his hand and motioned to Emma to see her ring.  “You deserve it Emma Leigh.”

*  *  *

“How’d it go?”  Justin asked her over the phone later that night.

“It went well.  They’re happy.”  Emma flopped back onto her bed.  She picked up the Bible that was on her nightstand.

“And you were worried,” he stated.

“Well, you never know.” 

“I suppose you don’t.”  They were quiet for a few minutes.

“When you’re here next month, they want to celebrate, which means it’ll end up being a big party.”  She opened the book and flipped the pages back and forth a few times.

“That’s all right.  I think my Mom wants to do something too,” Justin replied.  He had already told his family that he was going to ask Emma to marry him so all he had to do was tell them her answer.  They were excited and happy for them.

“So what do you think: long or short engagement?”  Emma asked.  “I was thinking long because then we don’t have to start freaking out about wedding plans tomorrow.”

“I think that’s better,” he started.  “Because my schedule is still pretty full for the next four to six months or so with all the recording and what not.  After that, I can block more time to be out there with you.”

“Well, then it definitely makes more sense to wait.”  Emma moved the book off of her lap and rolled onto her stomach.  She put her feet up in the air and brought the book in front of her face again.

They talked on the phone awhile longer, but Emma wanted to get off of the phone so she could read and go to bed before it got too late.  Emma and Justin promised to talk to each other the next day.