“Two years ago she put her engagement ring back on. We’re still a couple. Maggie wants that outcome. We may end up having the longest engagement in history if this impasse continues, but we’re committed to each other, to the process. She will have all the time she needs to think about matters, ask questions, and reach the decision that she can believe also.”
“That sounds like a wise place to be.”
“It’s what we have. She’s never stopped trying to take that step of faith. She’s never questioned my convictions or the sincerity of my beliefs. She’s said many times I’m a nicer guy now that I’m a Christian than I ever was before. She likes who I’m becoming. But so far she struggles, hasn’t been able to make the step for herself. She can’t get her arms around the fact a man rose from the dead. That’s so easy for me to believe now—Jesus rose from the dead. But for Maggie to accept it . . . she doesn’t yet have the faith to see it as true.”
“The Resurrection is the pivot point of history for a reason,” Evie said quietly, understanding why Maggie’s struggle would be there.
David finished his drink, nodded his thanks as a waiter stopped by and offered a refill.
“When Bryce got married to Charlotte, it helped,” David said, “as Maggie and Charlotte hit it off and became good friends themselves. Charlotte believes, but also has some uncertainties. She struggles with why God lets things happen. That’s helped Maggie, to know it’s a continuum, that doubt is something even a believer can wrestle with from the other side of the belief that Christianity is true.
“I rest upon this assurance in Scripture, that ‘If you seek me, you will find me.’ Maggie’s searching with an honest heart. She doesn’t believe yet, but she longs to do so. She’ll connect with God one day. And we’ll have our wedding, our good future together.”
“It’s a wonderful hope, David.”
“It is.” He smiled at a memory, and his voice lifted as he said, “In the meantime, life goes on. Maggie certainly treats me as her fiancé. She wants our dates, and the flowers, and the movies watched together. She calls when the sink backs up and asks my opinion on her new song lyrics, gives her thumbs up or down on the latest shirt I’ve bought, and still gets flustered when I’m taking her over to dinner with my parents, knowing they are going to drop hints about grandchildren one day.” He grinned. “Anyway, thanks for listening, Evie. It makes it easier when people I work with know that background, especially when Maggie is going to be around often.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Evie assured him. She considered what else she wanted to say, for the trust he’d offered in sharing was significant. She wasn’t ready to tell him her own past with as much candor, but she respected what he’d done. “You love her, David. You asked Maggie to marry you, and she said yes. If you broke your word to her, you’d be shredding something in your own heart and hers. You two are paused.” Evie nodded, because that felt like the right word. “God may have known this was the only way to one day win Maggie’s heart. Faith was relatively easy for you. But there are a lot of people in the world, like Maggie, for whom coming to accept the truth is not such an easy step.”
“I’ve learned to understand that,” David agreed.
Evie thought a good place to end this conversation was a request. “I’d like an invitation to the wedding, whenever that day comes.”
David smiled and said, “I’m keeping a list current. I’ll be glad to add you, Evie.”
They said their good-nights in the restaurant parking lot twenty minutes later. Evie set the carryout carton on the passenger seat and backed out. At just after seven, she decided it was too early to return to the hotel. Jenna’s journals could wait a bit. She headed back to the office suite. Working sane hours just meant living out of a hotel room longer, and that trade-off didn’t take much thought.
Five
“I wasn’t expecting to see you again tonight.” Evie set aside her interview write-up and stretched her arms. It was just after ten p.m.
David set a laptop travel case on an empty desk. “It turns out one of my PI’s active cases is an open murder. Saul was working for a husband whose wife was killed.”
“That goes some interesting places.”
“Go searching for a murderer, that’s a nice way to get yourself killed.” David shook off his coat. “I wanted to see the full file on it, and morning was a few hours too many away.”