Grace Alive: a Christian Romance (16 page)

“This isn’t over, man!” he said as he
stumbled toward the door. The McDonalds employees didn’t even see
what happened. No one else was in the place, so I don’t think
anyone called the cops. Branson looked at his kids then me.

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done
that. When he touched CC I flipped out. CC come here to Daddy, are
you alright, baby girl?”

She came into his arms with tears running
down her cheeks. Evie soon joined in on the hug. Bree started
reaching for him too, so he grabbed her out of her chair, and they
all had a big group hug. I was just in awe of the love and
affection this man had for his kids.

“I think I might have made stuff worse for
you, Zoe.” He looked at me apologetically.

“That was the guy my dad wanted me to
court.”

“I figured that…I’m really sorry. I just
snapped.” He put his kids back in the booth, and we finished our
meals. We headed out of McDonalds, climbed into the car, and made
our way back to my house.

“Mr. Noah had a boat,” Branson sang in a
beautiful tenor voice.

“E-I-E-I-O!” the twins sang. I started
chuckling.

“On that boat he had two cows!” Branson
started tapping the wheel with a beat.

“E-I-E-I-O.” The twins started giggling in
the back seat. I heard Bree squeal in laughter.

“With a moo, moo, here, and a moo, moo there,
here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.”

“Mooo!” Bree shouted and clapped her hands
behind me. I turned around to face the girls who were just mooing
like crazy.

“Moo!” I added in the fun. They loved that!
They started giggling even more.

“Mr. Noah had a boat, E-I-E-I-O!” Branson
finished just as we pulled up into my parents’ driveway.

“I’ll call you soon, okay?” I said as I
grabbed my purse and opened the door.

“Sounds good. Say goodbye to Zoe, girls!” The
kids all waved at me. I walked inside and was struck with the
feeling that I was going to the guillotine. Except the guillotine
would be less painful.

The moment I stepped in the door, I spotted
Jacob. I instantly wanted to run back out the door to Branson. I
had expected my dad but not Jacob, Dad, and Mom. It was like a
three barrel shotgun. My mom’s eyes were swimming with tears, my
dad was scowling, and his hands were balled into fists and shaking.
Jacob just looked like he was a cat who’d eaten a mouse. I was the
mouse. Fear twisted in my gut.

“Jacob tells me he ran into you and that
Branson guy,” Dad said, and I could tell he was trying his best not
to punch something. “He also told me Branson has three kids. Zoe,
you didn’t tell me he had children.”

I actually felt afraid of my dad in that
moment. Terrified actually.

“How could I? You didn’t want to listen to a
word I said! God was the one who told me Branson was the one. God!
His past is not perfect, Dad, but this is the man God told me to
marry!” I was growing angry again as I saw judgment on each of
their faces.

“Zoe, it’s over. Call it off. You can’t court
Branson. I was barely allowing him to see you knowing he wasn’t a
virgin, but this. This…is too much! Zoe, you are heading toward
disaster! He’s going to ruin you as he’s ruined other girls!” he
spat, and his fist slammed into the wall. It shuddered, and I
flinched.

“Your dad and I are demanding you dump this
guy, Zoe. If not then you need to move out. We will not tolerate
sin in this house. Period,” my mom said. I stared at them in shock.
Move out? They were going to make me move out if I stayed with
Branson? I felt fear wrap around my torso. I couldn’t afford to
move out. What was I going to do? I couldn’t dump Branson. I turned
my attention to Jacob for a second.

“You have no idea who this man is.” I stared
at my dad then my mom. “He’s so in love with God…, and his
kids…he…loves…his…children…so…much. You…have…no…right to judge
him,” I choked the words out and then ran to my room.

I slammed the door and leaned up against it.
What was I going to do? I flung myself on my bed and let my tears
fall.

“If you don’t let this guy go, Zoe, you need
to find a new place by the end of the month,” my dad said through
the door. “We will give you one month.” I heard him walk away.

I went to work the next day in a daze. I was
not going to let Branson go.
Zoe, My ways are higher than your
ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
I let the
Holy Spirit’s words soothe my mind. I had to figure out where I was
going to live. I couldn’t live under a rock. I would ask Mia, but
she had a houseful already. There were a couple other singles in
our church, but would they want to face the wrath of my dad for
taking me in? Branson was stopping by after I was done with work.
The hours dragged by so, so slow. Finally when ten o’clock hit, I
closed up and walked outside. He was waiting for me and leaning up
against his car. He looked like he was struggling with
something.

“Hi,” he said, and I could tell that he was
beating himself up. “Listen, Zoe, I’m really sorry about punching
that guy. I just lost control. I’m so sorry I caused trouble for
you with your parents.” He wrung his hands together. There was a
lot of stress on his face.

“There’s always been trouble, Branson,
please, don’t worry about it. I have to ask you though. Do you know
anyone who’d take a roommate? My parents said if I didn’t dump you
then they were kicking me out of their house.” Saying it out loud
made it feel even scarier than it was. I wrapped my arms around
myself. Branson pulled me into his embrace and tucked my head
against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry…” His hand pressed up against my
back. The warmth of his embrace melted me. It was going to be okay.
God was going to take care of me. He was the one who told me to do
this, so He would take care of me no matter what happened. Branson
brushed my hair behind my ear and pulled me into a kiss.
Butterflies exploded in my stomach. He looked down into my eyes a
teasing smile dancing on his lips.

“I do know someone. You remember Alison?” He
held me back to look into my face.

I nodded. She’d been the one who’d changed
Bree.

“She just lost a roommate and asked me if I
knew anyone who needed a place to stay. It’s 250 a month. Is that
okay?”

That was better than I’d expected. I could
still save money up for a rainy day.

“That would be amazing. I’ll pack up my room
and be ready to move in a couple weeks. She’s okay with that
right?”

“Yeah, she needs someone as quick as
possible.” Branson pulled me into another hug and held the back of
my head.

“Zoe, I can’t believe you’re doing all this
for me. I don’t know what to say.”

“Just tell me I’m not insane, right? I’m
doing the right thing right?” I said, and I really did feel
hesitant at times. I was going against everything I’d been raised
on. My dad had pounded the word of God into my head since I could
understand. I was breaking every law in the book. Or was I? I was
confused about it all.

“If you want to you can come over for a
little while. I got Bree, but the twins are at their mom’s
house.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Branson lived in a decent sized home, with a
fenced in yard, and flowers decorating the sidewalk. Cute. Very
cute. A lady with graying hair met us at the door.

“She’s fast asleep, Branson, goodnight.” She
kissed Branson’s cheek and headed toward the door.

“Thanks, Sarah, I really appreciate it,”
Branson said. I watched the lady smile and head out the door. The
house was spotless.

“Sarah likes to clean,” he said as he nodded
toward the sparkling home.

“Do you want anything? Coffee? Water? Pop?”
he asked as he headed toward the kitchen. I watched him walk away
with a smile on my face. He was really attractive. Oh my goodness,
I couldn’t get over it! I actually forgot what he asked until he
looked at me with amusement.

“Were you checking out my butt?” he
asked.

“No!” I said and blushed.

“Zoe Reed, I think you were.” He laughed.

“Maybe a little,” I said and shrugged with a
teasing smile.

“What did you want, sugar?” he said with a
drawl. I laughed.

“Water is fine.” I looked around the room at
the photos that lined the walls. The twins were always laughing in
the pictures. There was a picture of Branson holding Bree’s hands
at the beach. So cute. He came out of the kitchen a moment later
toting a glass of water and a glass of milk.

“I like milk.”

“I’ve noticed,” I said.

“So, this courting stuff…” he said with a
grin and took a swig of his milk. He got a milk mustache. I took a
drink of my water and tried not to laugh.

“Courting stuff indeed. So, yeah, Jacob told
my parents about your kids. That was fun.” I leaned against his
chest on the couch. I felt myself relax against him. He wrapped his
arms around me and pulled me close.

“Fun indeed. As fun as chewing on nails?”

“Yeah, about like that. My dad nearly punched
a hole through the wall while Jacob was just gloating. I think he
thought I would just turn to him and profess my undying love or
something. I’m glad you punched him, Branson. That guy needs some
sense knocked into his thick head.” I stared at the toys that were
in neat little totes on the side of the wall.

“Are you sure you want to get into all this
mess?” he asked and ushered toward himself. “I will never live up
to your parents’ perfect Christian man standard.”

“No one can, except greasy Jacob. Are you
sure you want to get into my mess? I mean my dad punched a wall.” I
giggled about it. It was kind of funny when I thought about it. It
made my parents so mad for no reason. I was finally courting! They
should just be happy that I wasn’t going to die an old maid!
Instead they were kicking me out and spitting fire and brimstone at
me. I sighed. Branson kissed the top of my head.

“Greasy Jacob?” He sounded amused.

“Oh, yeah, that’s what I call him sometimes
in my head. He’s so oily he’s like a snake.” Did I just say that
out loud? “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that.” I could feel his
shoulders shaking. Was he laughing? I turned around and looked at
his face.

“Sorry, that was awesome. What did you want
to do?” he asked me as he played with my hair. It felt really good.
I closed my eyes letting my stress just fly out the window.

“Tell me more about that grace stuff Pastor
Dom was talking about.”

“Yes! I was hoping you’d ask me about that!”
Branson said and squeezed me. “You need to read this book.
Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince.
It explains it all.” He
got off the couch and grabbed a book that was sitting on a simple
bookshelf near the TV. He put it in my lap. I looked at the cover
of the book and flipped it open. There was so much highlighted that
the pages looked more yellow than white.

“Wow, you really love this thing. You sure I
can borrow it?”

“Yes, you can borrow it. I practically have
it memorized.” He climbed back on the couch, and I settled back
against him. “Once you grab this revelation as Pastor Dom says: you
will never go back!”

I could feel Branson’s excitement. I climbed
out of his arms and sat beside him. I crossed my legs underneath me
and leaned forward.

“Tell me about grace, Branson.”

“Here, let me see the book for a second.”

I handed him the well loved book, and he
flipped through it.

“
Colossians 2:14-15 having wiped out the
handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary
to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public
spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
”

“I’ve read that before,” I said.

“This was me, Zoe, I had a huge list of sins
stacked against my life. I hurt so many people, but through Jesus
He nailed my sins to the cross and disarmed anything that would try
to come against me. All of it. He did it once and for all. I don’t
have to keep going back to my crappy past and begging God to
forgive me over and over.”

I shifted where I sat feeling his heart as he
spoke.

“I was raised in church when I was a kid, and
all I heard about was the Ten Commandments. It was, don’t break the
law or God would punish me. I tried to follow it for awhile, but
when I hit 14 all Hell broke loose.” He turned his face to me, and
I searched for any sign of guilt. I found nothing. He really truly
believed he was forgiven. I wanted that so bad. I wanted to feel
that way toward God. I wanted to know that no matter what I was
loved and forgiven.

“
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is
written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree
. I memorized
this verse because sometimes I go back to my law based childhood.
Pastor Dom always tells me that we are redeemed from the curse of
the law.”

I sat quietly and rested my head against the
couch. I was trying to take all this in. Branson knew the Word. I’d
never ever heard this grace stuff before. Sure, my dad would preach
about the love of God for us, but it was so conditional on what we
did that it never felt like love. Just law. Keep the laws, and God
will bless you. Keep the laws, and God will love you. It wasn’t
based on pure love like this grace Branson was telling me
about.

“So we are supposed to throw out the Old
Testament then, Branson? Doesn’t that seem extreme?” I asked.

“No! Pastor Dom always tells me that Jesus
fulfilled the law. He brought it to the highest standard. That’s
why He always said some crazy stuff like
but I say to you that
whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.
No one could ever do the things
Jesus said. He said all that because He wanted people to realize
that without Him it was impossible to be holy. How many people do
you know won’t come to church because they feel so unworthy?” he
asked.