Unbidden

Chapter 12

Erin and BJ squealed as Shelly held out her left hand and Robin glanced around the pub to see a few eyes turn their way.  She grinned, leaning in to shush her friends.

“Take it down a notch guys.  We’re in public.”

“I can’t believe you’re engaged Shelly!” Lisa cried, before turning a playful glare on Robin.  “And I can’t believe you didn’t tell us it was going to happen.”

Robin shrugged.  “I was sworn to secrecy.  Quinn didn’t want it to accidently slip because too many people knew ahead of time.”

BJ finally stopped studying the diamond and released Shelly’s hand.  “Congratulations!  This is so exciting.  Did you guys pick a date yet?”

Shelly shook her head.  Despite the proposal happening a week ago, nothing had been decided.  “No, we’re still tossing that around.  I haven’t even told my family yet.”

Lisa wrinkled her nose in sympathy.  “Not looking forward to dealing with your Mom?”

Shelly took a sip of her iced tea before replying.  “Definitely not.  I’m sure she’s going to want to help plan everything but a big part of me doesn’t want her involved.  After the way she treated me for the past five years having her offer support now just feels fake.”

Robin reached out to squeeze Shelly’s hand.  “Don’t stress Shel.  We’ll work this out.  This is supposed to be a happy thing and we’ll make sure it stays that way, okay?”

Shelly gave Robin a grateful smile and conversation paused as the waiter arrived with their meals.  Once napkins had been unraveled and ketchup puddled on plates, they dug in.  It took a few mouthfuls for anyone to start speaking again.

BJ popped a French fry in her mouth and glanced at Robin with a sly smile.  “What about you Robin?  When will we see a ring on your finger?”

Robin groaned.  “Can we please not go there?  You guys know I’ve got issues with marriage and as of yet, I haven’t gotten past them.”

Lisa’s brow wrinkled in concern.  “But you and Todd are still good, right?”

Robin nodded, her mind flashing back to the tears at the cabin the weekend before.  “We’re fine.  It’s me who has problems.  Todd’s been a saint with more patience and support than any one man should have.  I’m the one getting frustrated with me.”

In the week since the proposal trip Robin’s mind hadn’t stopped replaying Todd’s words and she found herself in an unending prayer that God would heal her old wounds.  She’d been going through her stash of old photo albums one evening when she couldn’t sleep and stumbled across some Bible verses she’d jotted down when she’d married David.  The one that echoed in her head came from Ecclesiastes and talked about how it is better to have a partner than to walk through life alone.  When God made Adam he’d realized the need for Eve.  God made his children to help and support each other, to share life’s burdens.

That much Robin already knew.  She had believed in that when she married David.  It was the end of that passage that she had never focused on but held the most importance.  A reminder that a rope of three strands is not easily broken.

Such a small simple sentence, so easy to gloss over, and that’s exactly what she’d done.  If only she’d paid attention and understood back then, it might have made a difference.

She and David were only a rope of two strands.  Together, but still alone.  That third strand was God and He had not been an active or prominent part of their marriage.  Everything they did, they did on their own strength and in their own wisdom.