Hiding Place || Tori Kelly

Matthew 11: 28-30

10:02 PM

An hour into the flight, everyone in first class was asleep except for Tori. Her stomach was in knots and sleeping was too hard. So, she had her bible on her lap searching for a good verse to comfort her through the pain. She stumbled across Matthew 11:28-30, but before she got a chance to read it, her stomach flipped, and she was in a hurried walk to the bathroom. She'd gotten up so fast that she hadn't notice André followed her. She couldn't even fully shut the door of the tiny bathroom before her hair was in her hands. André stood over her, shut the door and helped gather the hair that Tori had missed. "It's okay, babe. Just try to breathe," André comforted. Tori did her best to breathe in between heaves, but it was hard. Her head started to hurt, her heart raced, and her vision was blurring.

After five minutes, Tori had fully recovered and washed her mouth out in the sink. "Come here," André sighed, pulling Tori into his arms and holding her tightly. He felt terrible for her. She was sweating and still trying to catch her breath.

"I hate this," she whimpered into his chest. André silently nodded and kissed the top of his wife's head.

"I know," he replied, slipping his hand to her stomach. "Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you now asking to give Tori comfort during this sickness. We know that carrying this child is a good thing and we are grateful. But your word says that you won't put more on us than we can bear and right now, this feels like too much. Thank you for your healing of Tori and your protection of both of them. In Jesus Name, Amen," André prayed.

"Amen," Tori whispered, before letting André lead the way back to their seats. He sat down in the aisle seats across from her and watched her settle back in under her bible. Now that her stomach was empty, Tori had a slim chance to fall asleep, before she had to throw up again. And she was going to take it. Quickly, Tori marked her page and slipped her book into her carry on backpack. She pulled her blanket over her small body and cuddled in her pillow.

12:17 PM

André, Alexa, Tori, and Carlos settled into Carlos' fathers home after their flight, exhausted. Alexa and Carlos quickly put up the pack and play and laid Ocean and Julissa in on opposite sides. Tori and André made their way up to the second bedroom and dropped onto the soft queen sized bed. "Time to go back to sleep, so baby can grow," André baby talked. Tori shook her head with a small smile and slipped off her jacket and shoes.

"I need to go back to sleep, so mommy isn't tired," Tori reiterated. André giggled and slipped off his t-shirt and tennis shoes. As he laid down, André's shorts rode up a bit and Tori noticed something causing her to gasp.

"Babe, does that hurt?" Tori asked, jumping onto the bed next to him and flopping onto her stomach.

"Babe! You're caring precious cargo!" André worried. Tori shook him off and gently poked at her husband's leg. André winced a bit when Tori presses around his knee. "Owe," he whined. Tori quickly withdrew her hand and sat up on her knee's.

"I'm sorry, babe. Do you want some ice?" Tori asked, genuinely concerned for her husbands well being. André shook his head and opened his arms.

"Nah, I just want to hold you and my baby," he replied. Tori smacked her lips and fell softly in her husband's warm and tender embrace.

As Tori started to fall asleep, she turned so that her back was to him. She felt André's hand slip to her stomach and stroke where he thought the baby was. But in actuality, he was a lot of inches off. However, Tori wasn't going to correct him because it actually felt nice and was kind of soothing her stomach. "I love you, baby," André whispered. Tori smiled in her sleep and settled into a comfortable position to allow herself the best possible rest before she felt the need to throw up.