Dancing in the Florida Sun (Completed)

35-FS Content

Copyright © designschool 2020

All Rights Reserved

     Walking through the grass on a warm June afternoon, Brooke smiled as she listened to Noah's giggles while he ran ahead with the sixteen year old granddaughter of her grandmother's longtime friend, Mrs. Bronson. Her grandmother and Mrs. Bronson were watching from the back porch, while they went to feed the cows in the field just behind the enclosed yard. She had been here numerous times when she was younger, and still remembered her amazement at this and all of the other cattle ranches in Kissimmee. When she was a child, Mr. Bronson regaled her with many a story about his childhood days of driving the cows through open fields for miles, back before the Florida fencing law of 1949. Until then, the cattle roamed free. He even had stories of traffic being stopped because of cattle asleep on roads. Of coarse that was years before his dad sold land to Disney, resulting in the exponential increase to the central Florida population. Brooke shook her head, wondering what Mr. Bronson's father would have thought if he had realized the huge impact Disney would have on central Florida.

     Mrs. Bronson called them back to the house for her homemade chocolate chip cookies with lemonade, made with freshly squeezed lemons from their own tree. When Mr. Bronson walked out and kissed his wife on the cheek, Brooke's hand instinctively went to the new necklace that Jacob had sent her as a gift upon finding out she became a Christian. There were other items in the package with it: a plaque with scripture, and a journal, but this was something she could take with her everywhere as a reminder of him, dangerous though it was. It had three silver rings, each with a word engraved: faith, hope, love, and they were suspended from a black cord. He had written a note saying they represented 1 Corinthians 13:13: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." The verse falls at the end of a whole chapter on love. Her chest tightened at the thought. How things had changed over the last month, and after a week and a half of being a Christian, she could truly say she was happier and more content. Yet something inside her would always long for what she briefly had with Jacob. Even though there were never romantic feelings on his part, it felt real.

     She recalled how hours after receiving the package, she met with Sabrina. The thought that maybe there was some underlying meaning to the verse on love was eating at her. Sabrina explained that love is paramount to God, and sited Mark chapter twelve, where Jesus is answering one of the scribes' question asking which commandment is most important. In verses 30-31 Jesus says, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

     That settled that. Something in Brooke had still been clinging to the hope that he felt something more, but now she realized that love was just a common and important theme throughout the Bible. That day she prayed that God would take the desire for Jacob from her. The desire wasn't gone yet, but she would keep praying.

~~~

     "Okay, so what's it like there? Flip the screen and give us a tour!" Elise urged Matt. This was the fourth time they had FaceTimed with him while he and the rest of Madness was backstage for one of their concerts. They had seen backstage in Jacksonville, Charleston, Atlanta, and now Charlotte. "I don't know, they're all starting to look the same. I think I prefer the outdoor FaceTime tours you give." She chuckled.

     "How did your sound check go?" Brooke threw in.

     "It was good! We're really starting to get the hang of it. I'm looking forward-"

     Brad cut Matt off, "Elise! Brooke! I miss you guys!"

     Elise was sure to monopolize the phone for a few minutes once Brad was on, but soon the other members of Madness, and even some of Nine Days In were jumping in on the conversation. Matt was quick to remind them that this was his conversation with Brooke that they were horning in on. Just about that time, Jacob strolled by, glanced at the phone and walked on. It hurt Brooke more than she thought it would.

     Matt noticed Brooke's pained expression and commented, "Just so you know, Mari isn't touring with us. I think she's planning on joining for a couple of shows, but that's all."

     "Thanks, but it really doesn't matter." Brooke said the words, but wasn't sure if she believed them herself.

     "Okay. Well, we still want you guys to come out to one of our concerts on the tour, and I'll make sure it's one that she's not at. I don't want that to be something that makes you uncomfortable."

     Brooke nodded and gave a small smile. "You're a great friend Matt. I don't deserve you."

     "Friend. Ouch!"

     "Maaatt," Brooke drawled out, unsure of what she should say. She truly did appreciate his friendship.

     "What? A man can dream."

     "You know I think you're great, and really attractive, but you're a good friend, let's not ruin that."

     "I know, I know. I'll just hold on to those first two thoughts." He winked at her, then his face changed. "Well, I just wanted to talk to you before things got crazy around here. I love you." He winked.

     Brooke's mouth fell open, then she saw Jacob in the background and understood. She rolled her eyes. "Love you too," then she silently mouthed "friend."

     "I'll talk to you later. Bye." Matt grinned and blew her a kiss.

     "Bye." Brooke shook her head. Matt was determined to make Jacob jealous. He really was a good friend. And even though he really wanted to be more than friends with her, he was always putting her feelings before his own. Brooke sighed and Elise raised an eyebrow. "Why can't I just have feelings for Matt? Why do I choose the guy that sees me only as a friend? I can't seem to find the whole package at once."

     "Just focus on Noah for now, and when and if romance comes later, it will be a pleasant surprise," Elise encouraged her.

     "You're right. My mind knows that, if I can only wrap my heart around it."

~~~

A/N: Short chapter, but the ones before and after needed to be separate.  Only 5 more chapters then the epilogue.  Lots happening in the next few chapters! Hang on!