This Time Forever
Authors: Rachel Ann Nunes
| This Time Forever |
| Ariana [5] |
| Rachel Ann Nunes |
| White Star Press (2010) |
Mickelle Hansen never realized marriage could be so challenging. Her husband's epilepsy has caused him to become cynical and verbally abusive, but with love in her heart and strength from her Heavenly Father, Mickelle is determined to make her marriage work. Then the worst happens. Can she ever pick up the shattered pieces of her life?
Meanwhile, Rebekka Massoni arrives in America to work for handsome widower Damon Wolfe, leaving all her hopes and dreams back in her beloved France. She has loved and idolized Marc Perrault since she was five years old, but he can offer only her friendship in return.
Can Rebekka forget Marc and learn to love another man? Both Damon and Samuel Bjornenburg, successful CEO of Corban International, hope to win a place in her heart, but Damon's daughter doesn't like Rebekka, and Samuel doesn't share her faith. To make matters worse, Rebekka's heart is still breaking over Marc. Suddenly she must make the most important decision of her entire life. Will it be the right one?
Join Mickelle and Rebekka as they search for love and self-discovery. This tender story of heartbreak, healing, and faith is one you will not soon forget.
If you love this book, be sure to follow Mickelle's continuing story in Bridge to Forever and Rebekka's story in Ties that Bind and Twice in a Lifetime, also by Rachel Ann Nunes. (For readers who loved the Ariana series, This Time Forever bridges the time between Ariana: A Glimpse of Eternity and Ties that Bind.)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRIDGE TO FOREVER SAMPLE CHAPTER
This Time Forever
a novel
by
Rachel Ann Nunes
Copyright © 2010 Nunes Entertainment, LLC
First Printing 2001
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without permission in writing from the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Thank you for supporting the author’s rights.
Dedication
To Susan Eyring Jones for sharing personal experiences that gave me insight while writing
This Time Forever
. This is not Susan’s actual story, but the novel was enhanced by her recounting of real-life challenges. Thank you, Susan! I pray that you and Mike receive all the happiness you both deserve.
CHAPTER ONE
Sometimes Mickelle Hansen wished she had never married. Eternity was a long time to spend with someone she often didn’t like very much. Of course, she didn’t tell anyone her deepest thought; in fact, only recently had she begun to admit it to herself, and then only on days like this, when everything—absolutely everything—seemed to go wrong. Feeling this way about her marriage went against all she had ever been taught, and against all her dreams. Deep down, she loved Riley, but when she’d exchanged vows with him, she’d never expected their life together to be so difficult.
She stared at the pile of dirty laundry filling a corner of the unfinished basement where the washer and dryer stood like mismatched sentinels, witnesses to her newest dilemma. For two weeks the washing machine had refused to work, and she’d been cleaning the most necessary items in the bathtub. Her neighbor, who had already fixed the washer twice as a favor, had told her this time that it wasn’t worth fixing again. “You need a new one,” he had declared, shaking his graying head.
She’d hoped Riley would do something about finding a machine, but wasn’t surprised when he didn’t. Instead, his solution was for her to go to the Laundromat. Indefinitely.
Dutifully, Mickelle piled clothes in several large baskets and took them to the ancient Ford station wagon that gleamed a dull gold in her driveway. Secretly she called it the Snail, but she never said it aloud the way she once would have. It was too real to joke about.
Outside, the late April weather was warm and filled with sunshine. A beautiful, perfect day. There were a few clouds to the east that would probably bring showers that night or the next day, but Mickelle didn’t mind the rain. Her peas, planted early last month, needed the moisture.
She drove to the Laundromat in downtown American Fork near her home. While the place wasn’t overly dirty, there was a certain air of depression and despair about it. She could have endured that, as she had so many other things, but she balked when she considered the cost of washing her family’s clothes each week. They only had two children, but Riley was a large man, wide if not tall, and the dirty clothes he generated took up half the space in each load. Then there were Jeremy’s sheets, still wet several nights of the week. In the long run, buying a machine would save time and money. She’d suggested as much to Riley last week, but his mind was made up.
Moving past the dryers, she caught sight of a faint reflection in the glass. A slender woman with smooth, honey-blond hair, blue eyes, and a pinched face stared back at her. Could that weary-looking woman really be her? Rebellion surged inside her heart. Why did Riley have to be so stubborn?
She left the Laundromat and took the clothes instead to her older sister’s house in Provo, feeling like an idiot and glad that her two sons were in school and couldn’t witness the lies or half-truths she might be forced to tell.
“Mickelle! What happened?” Talia looked with surprise at the laundry Mickelle carried. “My washing machine broke again. This time for good. I was going to the Laundromat but couldn’t bear the thought of hanging out there. Do you mind terribly if I use yours? I brought soap.”
“Of course you can!” Talia took the basket out of her hands. “You shouldn’t have even thought about going to the Laundromat. What are sisters for? You can use my machine—and my soap, for that matter—whenever you want.”
“Well, it’s only for today. I’m sure Riley will get me a new one soon.” Mickelle nearly choked on the lie, but Talia didn’t seem to notice. “I’d better get the rest.”
She headed back to the car, wishing she could toss off the sadness that seemed to eat at her heart. Why couldn’t she face her trials with a better outlook? Why was she so weak?
Inside the house, she found Talia sorting the laundry into piles with her quick hands. Mickelle joined her, feeling her burden lighten.
“You know,” Talia said casually, “last night I saw some ads in the paper for washing machines. I haven’t thrown it out yet. Want to look?” At Mickelle’s nod, she disappeared from the laundry room.
Mickelle finished the sorting, put in a load of whites, and started the machine. The room had ample space for the appliances, as well as an extra refrigerator and a long counter which held seven large baskets—one for each member of the family. She knew even Talia’s six-year-old folded and put away her own clothing. Mickelle thought she might try something similar at her own house. Riley, of course, wouldn’t have the time or inclination to do his, but the boys would. A pity she didn’t have a nice room like this. Mickelle stopped the thought there, unwilling to let envy enter her heart. Talia was a wonderful person, and Mickelle was glad that she and Joe could afford such a nice house.
“Here they are.” Talia came into the room with the same newspaper Mickelle had noticed at the Laundromat. “At Sears. Look at this—only three hundred dollars, and it’s a super capacity. A bare-bones model, but still super capacity. You’ll need that for Jeremy’s sheets. Looks like a good deal to me.”
“A lot cheaper than going to the Laundromat forever,” Mickelle agreed.
Talia threw back her blond head and laughed. “You’re so funny. What a waste—who would do that? Besides, you deserve a new machine. Aren’t you still using the old one Mom gave you when you got married?”
Mickelle smiled weakly. “You know me, frugal to a fault.”
“Come on, let’s go have a snack while we’re waiting for the clothes.”
“Maybe I should zip down to Sears and see about a machine.”
“Why don’t you let Riley worry about that?”
Mickelle swallowed hard. “He’s been busy. Working overtime, you know.” She didn’t mention how much they needed the money.
“That’s great of him, working more so you don’t have to.”
Mickelle wondered what her sister would say if she told her that even though Riley worked a lot, she hadn’t seen any of the extra income. Mostly it went to pay for the new stereo system he’d installed in his truck. “I wish he could get a better job,” she said instead. “Although they have promised him a promotion. The pay just isn’t that great until you get into upper management.”
“Yeah. Department stores aren’t known for their high-paying jobs.”
How well Mickelle knew that! Years ago, she’d urged Riley to go back to school so he could find a better job, but he’d refused.
“If you want to go down to Sears, I’ll wash your clothes for you,” Talia offered.
Mickelle knew she should look into buying a used machine, but she didn’t have enough cash. Buying it on credit seemed the only way. And suddenly, more than anything, she wanted a new washer, one that had never washed anyone else’s clothing. Something that was all hers.
“Mickelle, did you hear me?” Talia said. “I’ll wash your clothes if you want to run to Sears.”
“Would you? You don’t have to dry them. My dryer still works.”
Talia laughed. “Yeah, right. I can just see you taking home baskets full of wet clothes. Very funny. I wish you’d come over more often. You make me laugh.”
“Well, my toaster isn’t working so well,” Mickelle replied dryly. “How about if I come over every morning for breakfast?” Talia broke into laughter once again. Mickelle remembered a time when she had made everyone laugh, but she hadn’t found much to joke about these past few years.
Chuckling herself, she drove straight to Sears, found the least expensive washing machine, and put it on her credit card. The salesman promised to have it delivered the next day. Mickelle felt good, even excited, as she drove back to her sister’s house. She told herself Riley would understand.
He didn’t. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said that evening, his face turning so red that Mickelle thought he closely resembled a tomato with a rotten brown stem for hair. “I told you we didn’t have enough money.”
She’d waited until the two boys were in bed before telling him about her purchase. She’d almost not mentioned it at all but decided that even Riley would notice when a new machine turned up in the basement.