Since the Beginning

Epilogue

Stella wakes up and swings her legs over her bed as she's done so many times before. "Thank you Lord for this day. Lord? Please give me back my legs. Legs that can walk and jump end enjoy all that You've given to me." She prays.

She gets into her wheelchair. After taking a shower and changing, Gabe helps her get down the stairs and she wheels herself onto the beach. Her parents are there. Ready for their family day. But before anything else, they pray.
"Lord, we declare healing over Stella's legs. We claim it. In Jesus' Name, she will walk again!" Her dad dad prays and they all say their own prayers as well.

Aquila and Adrian walk out the back door carrying little Grace. Stella hesitates on whether to wheel herself or try to walk. She tests her faith and gets up. She feels her legs. She runs towards Aquila and hugs her, then carries baby Grace.

"I'm healed! Thank You Lord, I'm healed! After a year, You have given my legs strength to walk. Thank You!" She exclaims with tears of joy running down her cheeks.

A YEAR LATER...
{Gabe}
"Dianna?" I call out. Dianna walks through the back door and into my office. "Yes, dear?" Dianna is my wife. We met two years ago. A few days after Stella asked if I found a girl. We got to know each other for a year and God told me she was the one. We got married two months ago.

"We'd better close up. Today's a big day." I say. She nods and starts fixing up her things. I get my computer bag and business bag ready and make sure everything is set before we lock up.

You see, after I graduated, I started a business. It was small at first, but after four years, it's grown bigger and Stella, Dianna, and my parents help me out.

Dianna and I get into the car and we go home. We bought a house in the same neighborhood where my family lives but a few houses down.

We drop off our stuff at home then walk to my parents' house. Dianna grabs my hand. "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces." She says with a smile.

{Stella}
Jon and I walk along the beach while the sun sets. "I'm so glad we get more time to spend together and the pressures of school are behind us." I say.

He smiles at me. We walk towards my favorite place but place the blanket and picnic basket on the sand beside the cave. We lie down on the blanket and stare up at the stars as they come out and the sky turns dark.

"Aster." He says quietly.

"Yes?" I turn on my side and face him.

He smiles. "Do you know why I call you Aster?"

"I'm confused. You brought me here, to have a night picnic, sleep under the stars, and you ask ne why you call me Aster instead of Stella?" He laughs as I explain everything.

"Well? Do you?" He asks bringing me back to the question. I shake my head. I always thought i was just his nickname for me.

"Well, first off... Stella means star. Your parents named you Astella because you are a star in their life. In mine too. But I added another meaning when I changed your nickname. You're not just my bright star. When asteroids crash into earth, they leave a mark. You, Astella Love Philips, left a print on my heart when we first met. You were and are my asteroid. You penetrated through me, left a print on my heart, and it was not and never will be erased."

I stare at him. "So you discovered all that when we were young? We never even discussed that in class! You called me Aster ever since." I say with a tease.

He laughs. "Hey. I'm smart too you know. You knew about space when we were younger because of Gabe and you shared it to me, remember? I don't know but it somehow clicked in my mind how Astella and Aster weren't that far. So yeah, the history of your special nickname." He says with a wink.