Hope in Our Hearts by Lydia Proffitt

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hope is a waking dream

- Aristotle

    "Right foot on red," Lexie said.

    Obediently, Zach, Caleb, Max, and Lucy all put their right foot on the four red circles.

    "I haven't played this game in ages," Lucy said.

Lexie spun the spinner again. Lucy watched as the black pointer circled around the board.

    "Left hand on green."

    Max stuck out both his hands, trying to determine which one was his left. He eventually just copied Zach.

    "Oh, no," Zach said, pretending to be off balance. Zach then pretended to fall so he could sit with Lexie on the couch.

    "You're out!" Max and Caleb exclaimed together.

    "Right hand on red," Lexie said, moving to make room for Zach to join her on the couch.

    "Right hand on red," Lucy said again because Caleb didn't understand the first time. Lucy then moved her own hand and pretended to fall over also.

    "You're out," the boys chanted again.

    Lucy moved to sit on the other couch as the boys finished their long competitive game of Twister. Lucy admired the layout of Kathleen's family room while the boys continued to be competitive. It was big enough to host a huge family. There were two couches, and the floor was big enough for games. There were many windows to allow natural light in. When you looked out the windows, you could see their horses roaming the fields. The view reminded her of something you could see out of a magazine. Lucy loved the family room Kathleen created because it truly had a welcoming feel to it.

    The television was in a built-in entertainment center. On the shelves were pictures of Lexie and Jason as children and even as adults. The one closest to Lucy was a picture of Lexie and Jason sitting in a bunch of mud. Lexie had mud up and down her arms. Jason's face was covered in mud; it looked like Lexie gave him a makeover.

    Max and Isabelle were in many of the frames too. Lucy could even make out a picture of Zach and Lexie's wedding day. Lucy smiled and looked back at them. Lucy believed they still had the same amount of love in their eyes as they did on their wedding day––maybe even more.

    Lucy couldn't believe how elegant Lexie was. She was way more candor than Jason, and she was more outgoing. Lucy could tell Lexie was pretty carefree and loved interacting with people. Where as Jason worried about deadlines and stressed over little things. Lexie was definitely a friendly person who could befriend anyone. Whereas Zach was more reserved and seemed to be a complete opposite like Jason.

    Lexie and Zach made a perfect match because they completed each other. They had created a beautiful family filled with love. A few months ago, Lucy would have been envious of how complete their family was. Now, however, things were different. Her heart was different. Lucy didn't feel as if this dream she once had was gone anymore. She could see it coming true with Jason and she had hope that maybe her dream wasn't gone after all. She felt it was well within her grasp, and she had the courage to grab it whole heartedly.

    Lucy and Jason, at this time, had been dating for over three months. At least, it was over three months since the Watermelon Festival. Lucy knew it was way too soon to be thinking of marriage, but the thought of marriage didn't terrify her. In fact, she loved the idea of spending the rest of her life with Jason. She knew she loved Jason. She knew the night he threw brownie all over her and chased her around the kitchen she was in love with him. She only loved him even more once he said it to her over the phone, and their love only grew every day.