The Lord's Plan

The Lord’s Plan

By: kf6tac/Brian and Jamie Sommers

Rated: P/G-13

Synopsis: Landon and Jamie have had their first date now they must face their friends, their family and their own fears. Written from Landon’s POV by Brian (in bold print) and Jamie’s POV by Jamie (in italics).

Chapter 16: Family Blessings

My breath caught in my throat as he whispered in my ear, “I love you, Jamie.” My heart was racing, my smile beaming and as we looked at one another my father came out onto the balcony. From the look on his face he knew something was up. I wasn’t sure what to say to him. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to scream it out from the rooftops, ‘LANDON CARTER ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM!!’ But Landon apparently beat me to it.

“She said ‘yes’.”

“Well, I wasn’t worried. Were you?” My father replied with a smile

“Wait a minute. You mean…” My eyes were darting back and forth between Landon’s and my father’s faces. “Landon??”

“Well…I sort of figured I should ask for your father’s permission first.”

“You knew daddy?”

“Yes, I knew. Excuse me a moment,” he said as he went into my bedroom to grab a chair.

I threw my arms around Landon’s neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. “I love you.”

“Good. I love you too,” he laughed.

My father sat with us and said, “You two both understand what this means, right?” We were both too happy to actually talk so we just nodded our heads.

“Landon, have you informed your parents?”

“No sir. I’ll have to tell them soon, but I wanted Jamie to be there with me when I told them.” I squeezed his hand and felt him squeeze mine in response.

“We can have them over for dinner here, daddy. I can still help with…”

“No Jamie, you really don’t have to do that,” Landon interrupted. “You’re not in any shape to be doing work in the kitchen. I can do some cooking, but not really enough to make a whole meal. And it would be a lot of trouble for your dad. Tell you what: I can talk to my mom about having everyone over at our place for dinner and I’ll tell them then.”

Daddy and I both protested a little, but Landon said something that had us both agreeing to his invitation.

“Well… my dad will be there too. My entire family hasn’t been at the dinner table together since my parents got divorced. I think it’ll be fine. Whatta ya think, Jamie? Will you be feeling up to a trip to my place?”

It was like God had answered every prayer I had ever asked of Him all in one night. Would I be feeling up to a trip to his house? “I’ll try, Landon. I really will.”

Jamie and I sat out on her balcony for a while, holding each other close and looking up at the stars. Her father eventually came out there to check on us, and from the looks on our faces he immediately knew that I had asked Jamie to marry me and that she had said yes. He pulled a chair up from Jamie’s room and sat down with us on the balcony.

“You two both understand what this means, right?” he asked us. We both nodded our heads in response.

“Landon, have you informed your parents?”

“No sir. I’ll have to tell them soon, but I wanted Jamie to be there with me when I told them.” I felt her give my hand a squeeze, and I squeezed back.

“We can have them over for dinner here, daddy,” Jamie chimed in. “I can still help with…”

“No Jamie, you really don’t have to do that,” I told her. “You’re not in any shape to be doing work in the kitchen. I can do some cooking, but not really enough to make a whole meal. And it would be a lot of trouble for your dad. Tell you what: I can talk to my mom about having everyone over at our place for dinner and I’ll tell them then.”

“Landon, your mother already went through a lot of trouble for that meal we had a month ago,” Reverend Sullivan added. “Are you sure it will be alright?”

“Well… my dad will be there too. My entire family hasn’t been at the dinner table together since my parents got divorced. I think it’ll be fine. Whatta ya think, Jamie?” I asked, turning to her. “Will you be feeling up to a trip to my place?”

She smiled at me, and said, “I’ll try, Landon. I really will.”

I got home at a pretty odd hour of the morning, and my mom was already asleep. I didn’t want to wake her up, so I got ready for bed and decided to ask her about dinner the next morning before school.

I ended up sleeping through my alarm though, so after getting myself dressed and having something to eat I bolted off for school. Classes were going into “lame duck” mode where we did nothing all day, but I figured it would still be a good idea to get there on time. When I got home in the afternoon, my mom was in the garden.

“Hey mom,” I said as I approached her. “Would it be too much trouble if we had Jamie and her dad over for dinner sometime this week?”

“No, I don’t see why not. Friday night again?”

“Actually, I was thinking sometime a little earlier… maybe Wednesday?” I didn’t want to leave my parents in the dark about the engagement for that long. “I’ve pretty much stopped getting homework, so as long as it’s okay by you.”

She thought about it for a moment, then replied, “I suppose I can prepare a dinner for four by Wednesday evening.”

“Actually mom, it’s going to be dinner for five.”

“Oh? Who else is coming? One of the Reverend’s friends?”

“I want to invite dad along too.”

She stared at me wide-eyed before saying to me happily, “Landon, that’s great! I’m glad you’re finally spending some time with your father.”

“Well after all he’s done for Jamie and me… I just couldn’t be angry at him anymore.”

“That’s wonderful Landon. You’re really growing up. I’ll have dinner on the table for us all on Wednesday – you can count on it.”

‘You’re really growing up.’ I hoped she would still say the same thing after Jamie and I made our announcement on Wednesday.

I woke up pretty early Monday morning considering I didn’t get to sleep until sometime around 3am. My first thought was, ‘I feel pretty good today.’ My second thought was, ‘He asked me to marry him. Landon asked me to marry him.’ My heart fluttered within my chest, my breath caught and I squeezed my eyes closed just trying to take it all in. I heard my father knocking on the bedroom door and I quickly got up and answered it.

“Good morning daddy!”

“Well!! Aren’t you chipper this morning?”

“Mmmmm. I feel great today!”

“I supposed I don’t need to ask why.”

I threw my arms around my dad and said into his chest, “Oh, daddy. I’ve never been so happy.”

“Jamie? Are you sure this is what you want? I don’t want you saying yes just because you’re afraid you’ll never have this opportunity again.”

Pulling back I looked into my father’s eyes and wondered aloud, “Is that what you think daddy?”

After a minute of careful scrutiny he said, “No. I think you and Landon love each other very much.”

“We do,” I said softly, laying my head against his chest. “We do daddy.”

“Well,” he cleared his throat. “We better hurry up and get going or we’re going to be late for your doctor’s appointment. I’ll bring up some breakfa….”

“No. I’ll come down for it. But thank you anyway.”

“Okay, if you’re sure you’re feeling up to it.”

“I am.”

This was the first morning in weeks that I had woken up and not felt like going right back to sleep again. I was in no way feeling well enough to go to school or anything, but I was able to go downstairs and eat breakfast with my father. Something I haven’t been able to do for a while now.

The phone rang once before he picked it up, “Hello?”

“Hi,” I said softly.

“Jamie?”

“Uh huh.”

“I was just thinking about you.”

“Mmmmm what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I really miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

“Feel like some company?”

“Actually, I’m pretty tired,” I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

“Oh, sure.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be silly. I understand.”

“There is something I need to talk to you about though. It’s kind of important.”

“Uh, okay. What is it?”

“My doctor thought it might be beneficial for me to try a new medication. It’s only in it’s testing phase but it may help with my being tired all the time. I was thinking that you’d like to help me make the decision on whether or not I begin taking it.”

“You wanted my opinion?”

“Well…yes.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I want your opinion?”

“Well, you’ve never asked me before…”

“Landon, if we’re going to get married we’re going to have to do a lot of things we’ve never done before.” I could hear him smiling over the phone as we took the first step towards being husband and wife.

“Hello?”

“Hey dad, it’s Landon.”

“Landon, how are you? How’s Jamie doing?” He sounded really eager to talk. I guess that made two of us.

“I’m doing great dad! Jamie’s been doing pretty well lately too. Her doctor suggested some new medication today and we’re hoping that it’ll help her with not being so tired all the time.”

“That’s good to hear, Landon. So what’s new?”

“Well… mom and I are having Jamie and her dad over for dinner on Wednesday, and I was hoping you’d be able to make it too.”

“I don’t have anything on my calendar right now for Wednesday night, and as long as no emergencies come up at the hospital I’ll be free. I’ll mark it down right now.”

“Thanks dad! That’s all I needed to know – I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.” I wondered if he could tell that he had just made my day. It’s not something that happened very often with my father, but I was hoping that would change.

“Alright son, thanks for inviting me. I love you.”

“I love you too, dad.”

After I had cleared everything with both parents, I called Jamie’s house.

“Hi Reverend, this is Landon.”

“Landon… Jamie is asleep right now.”

“Well I won’t disturb her now, Sir. I just wanted to let you know that both of my parents are alright with dinner on Wednesday evening at my place.”

“Very good, Landon. Jamie and I will be there.”

“Thanks Reverend. Please let Jamie know I love her when she wakes up.”

“Oh and Landon,” he added as I was about to say goodbye.

“Yes?”

“I talked to Jamie earlier already, so I thought I’d also ask you to start thinking about who you want as your best man for the ceremony.”

“Right, I’ll start figuring that out. Thank you.”

After I hung up the phone, I stood there figuring out what to do about the best man situation. ‘Eric? Dean?’ I wondered to myself. Would they even take this engagement thing seriously?

It was a beautiful night. I could see Landon and his father walking outside as my father and I pulled up and as I watched him from across his yard, I realized how very much I missed him these past few days. We hadn’t seen each other since the night he proposed, although we had spoken to each other several times on the phone, it just wasn’t the same as being with one another.

“Hi,” I wanted to put my arms around him and kiss him so badly, but it wouldn’t be appropriate considering our parents were right there.

“Hi. Jamie. Reverend Sullivan. This is my father.” As Landon was making the introduction his mom came out carrying a tray with some food on it.

“Jamie! Reverend! You’re here.” She set the tray down and grabbed me in a hug. “How are you? Landon says you’re trying something new for your fatigue? Is it working? And Reverend, we’re so happy you could make it this evening. Now I’ve got just a few more things to get from the kitchen…perhaps you men would like to help me?”

Once again I fell in love with Landon’s mother. She was so intuitive. As she herded our fathers into the house Landon and I stepped into one another’s embrace.

His lifted his hand and cradled my face whispering against my lips, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“…so much…missed you so much,” he continued whispering against my open mouth.

His lips never closed, they just brushed back and forth over mine and I thought, ‘Just kiss me, Landon. Please.’ My fingers dug into his arms just as his mouth closed over my own. My heart sighed as my arms went around his neck. His lips opened over mine as he kissed me over and over again until finally he pulled me closer to him and broke it off.

I could feel his rush of breath blowing out against my cheek. “Pheeeew. Sorry about that. I just…”

“Mmmmm. Don’t be sorry,” I pulled back so I could look into his eyes. “I’m not.”

“You’re looking well this evening. In fact…you’re looking really good.”

“Mmmm, thanks. I’m feeling better too.”

“That’s great! I’m glad you could make it.”

“So when are you planning to tell them, Landon?”

“I was thinking during dessert. I wouldn’t want to shock them and take away their appetites, since my mom makes a killer dinner.”

I could hear the slight tremor in his voice so I tried to ease his concern, “Don’t worry Landon, I’ll be sitting right there next to you.”

Wednesday evening came quickly. I was pretty nervous, sort of pacing around in my room. My mom was downstairs putting the finishing touches on the dinner setting. Since the weather was warming up and the days were longer, we had decided to eat outside. There was a table set up in our backyard, a little ways off from the water. I stayed in my room until my dad, who was the first to arrive, got there. I was pretty much just figuring out how I was going to make this announcement without making a fool of myself. It wasn’t exactly something I had done before.

I went downstairs to greet my dad, and as we were walking out to the backyard Jamie and her father arrived. I had to admit that Jamie was looking better than she had been for quite awhile.

I brought my dad out front to greet Jamie and Reverend Sullivan. After I had introduced them to each other, my mom walked out the door carrying another tray (the third or fourth I think) of food. She practically lit up when she saw that Jamie and her father had arrived.

“Jamie! Reverend! You’re here,” she said, putting the tray down and giving Jamie a hug. “How are you? Landon says you’re trying something new for your fatigue? Is it working?” That was just my mom, lively and always ready to talk. “And Reverend, we’re so happy you could make it this evening. Now I’ve got just a few more things to get from the kitchen…perhaps you men would like to help me?”

I looked to my mom when she asked for help and was about to step toward the house when she gave me this look that just said, ‘Not you, them.’ I tell you, my mom is brilliant.

After our parents vanished into the house, I wrapped my arms around Jamie and pulled her close to me. I kissed her hair, inhaling deeply the smell of fresh flowers.

I lifted her face up in my hands and whispered against her lips, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” she whispered back.

The feeling of her lips moving against mine was sending tingles across my skin. I had seen her on Sunday, but it felt like sooooo much longer. ‘It’s not easy being separated from your new fiancée,’ I thought to myself. ‘Not easy at all.’

“… so much… Missed you so much…” I continued to say to her. Every time my lips brushed hers, it was like a little taste of heaven… I felt a sense of urgency from Jamie though, and as she began to squeeze my arms harder I covered her mouth in a kiss. She let go of my arms and put her hands around my neck. I knew our parents would be expecting us for dinner very soon, but I just couldn’t bring myself to break off the kiss. Not just yet. I kissed her again and again, until that feeling of being away from her had disappeared and all that was left was… happiness.

I broke off the kiss, slowly toning it down until our lips parted after one more light brush. I exhaled, letting out with my breath the tension that had built up the past few days.

“Sorry about that,” I started to apologize. “I just…”

“Mmmmm. Don’t be sorry,” she said, looking into my eyes. “I’m not.”

“You’re looking well this evening. In fact… you’re looking really good.”

“Mmmmm, thanks. I’m feeling better too.”

“That’s great! I’m glad you could make it.” I didn’t know if I would have been able to tell my parents without her there too.

“So when are you planning to tell them, Landon?”

“I was thinking during dessert. I wouldn’t want to shock them and take away their appetites, since my mom makes a killer dinner.”

I think my nervousness showed through my little joke, because Jamie gave me a hug and said “Don’t worry Landon, I’ll be sitting right there next to you.”

Smiling, I took her hand and led her out to the backyard where everyone else was waiting.

“I hope we didn’t keep y’all waiting,” I said to our parents when we got to the table. They were already seated.

“Oh not at all, we just sat down,” my mother responded with a smile.

“Alright then, let’s get started.” I pulled Jamie’s chair out for her and set her napkin in her lap after she was seated.

“Thank you Landon,” she said to me, giving me another reassuring smile. I smiled back, getting lost for a moment in her eyes before my father pulled me back to reality.

“Son, if I didn’t know better I’d say you were training to be a waiter at some fancy restaurant,” he joked, apparently in response to my ‘chair and napkin’ routine.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Dad,” I chuckled as I took my own seat. “Maybe that’s how I’ll work my way through med school.”

Dinner was, once again, a showcase of my mom’s cooking skills. We had a little bit of everything, from soup and salad to some really great salmon. Of course I was getting really nervous by the time my mom brought out the desserts. Jamie must have felt my leg moving as I tapped my left foot against the grass, because she put one hand on my leg and slowly stopped my movements.

Soon everyone had some sort of pastry in front of them and the two dads were drinking coffee. I looked over at Jamie to let her know I was going to make the announcement, and she nodded knowingly back. I wondered how I was going to get everyone’s attention… just start talking? Do the old “clearing my throat but really I want attention” trick? I looked over at my dessert fork that was sitting on the table, and then at my half-filled glass of water from earlier.

‘What the heck?’ I thought to myself. ‘They do it in the movies.’

I tapped the fork a few times against the glass of water. Everyone turned their heads to see what I was making noise over.

“I uh… I wanted to thank everyone for coming tonight. It really means a lot to me.”

“It was a great idea, Landon,” my dad replied.

“Thanks dad. Jamie and I also have an announcement to make.” Everyone was silent this time, obviously waiting for me to tell them what it was.

I looked over at Jamie once more before finishing. “Jamie and I, we’re getting married.”

I suppose there really wasn’t any easier way of saying it than the way he did and I knew they would be shocked, but I never expected his mother to react the way she did. “You’re what??” She had been the one person that had supported us throughout our entire relationship, but when it comes right down to it Landon is her son and no matter how old he is, he’ll always be her little boy.

He tried to explain it to her, to let her know that the reason for his asking and my accepting wasn’t due to my failing health but our growing love. “Please, hear me out on this one mom. Ever since I really got to know Jamie my life has changed. She’s made everything better for me. She has faith in me. I feel like I finally know where I want to go after all these years. If it weren’t for Jamie, I’d still be that drifting teenage boy who spent a night in jail a few months ago. If it weren’t for Jamie, I would never have accepted my dad back into my life. I love her, and I want her to be my wife.”

I couldn’t let him go through this alone so I stood up and explained my reasoning as well. “And I feel the same way about Landon, I really do. Before I had him, it was like I really didn’t have anyone to turn to. My father was always there, but there are some things that you just can’t say to a parent. And my friends didn’t know about my leukemia – the only person I could talk to about everything was God. Even with Him there, I felt so alone sometimes. Landon changed all that for me. Now whenever I need someone, I know I can count on him to be there. Had it not been for Landon, I don’t know what I would have done. I might have just given up after the play when things got difficult.” I looked at Landon and said, “I love him so much, he’s the answer to all my prayers.”

We just looked at one another and after a minute he put his arm around my waist joining us together in front of the trio.

Landon’s father was the one that broke the silence. “I know I haven’t been here for a lot of Landon’s life, and it seems to me that he’s changed a lot during those years I missed. I don’t quite understand it all myself, and this does seem a little rushed but…. I guess if they really love each other as much as they say they do…”

“How can you say that? They’re both so young still! I understand that they’re in love with each other, but marriage? Landon still has so much of his life ahead of him!”

I know she didn’t mean it the way it sounded and she probably didn’t even realized what it was she had said, but the reminder had hurt. I felt Landon’s grip on me get tighter as if trying to reassure me.

“Please mom, I love Jamie more than life itself. I don’t want to let her go without being able to celebrate our love like everyone else. Please. We can’t afford to wait while life passes us by.”

She looked back and forth between the two of us and after a minute she looked at him as though he were a completely different person.

Both of his parents questioned him and his decision.

“Dad, I already have thought about this. I’ve thought about this for a long time now. I love Jamie with all my heart and soul. Even after she is gone, our marriage will never end. Never.”

The depth of his love never ceased to amaze me.

“Reverend, you don’t have any objections to this?” his mother asked.

“Landon and I discussed this before he asked Jamie to marry him. I’ve already given them my approval.”

“Well Landon, Jamie… it would seem that you two are quite in love with each other. If this is what you feel is right, then I’m not the one to say otherwise. You have my blessing,” his mother said with a genuine smile.

“You have my blessing too. I’m not going to stand in the way of your marriage. You two are wonderful for each other, and I don’t question the strength of your love. Congratulations, and I wish you the best.”

His arms encased me and he twirled me around in a circle. We began to laugh into each other’s ears. We’re getting married.

“You’re what???” my mother said loudly.

“Please, hear me out on this one mom. Ever since I really got to know Jamie my life has changed. She’s made everything better for me. She has faith in me. I feel like I finally know where I want to go after all these years. If it weren’t for Jamie, I’d still be that drifting teenage boy who spent a night in jail a few months ago. If it weren’t for Jamie,” I said, looking over to my father, “I would never have accepted my dad back into my life. I love her, and I want her to be my wife.”

“And I feel the same way about Landon, I really do.” Jamie had stood up beside me and now it was her turn. “Before I had him, it was like I really didn’t have anyone to turn to. My father was always there, but there are some things that you just can’t say to a parent. And my friends didn’t know about my leukemia – the only person I could talk to about everything was God. Even with Him there, I felt so alone sometimes. Landon changed all that for me. Now whenever I need someone, I know I can count on him to be there. Had it not been for Landon, I don’t know what I would have done. I might have just given up after the play when things got difficult. I love him so much, he’s the answer to all my prayers.”

We stood there in silence for a few moments. I reached back and slipped my arm around her waist as we waited for my parents’ response.

My father spoke up first. “I know I haven’t been here for a lot of Landon’s life, and it seems to me that he’s changed a lot during those years I missed. I don’t quite understand it all myself, and this does seem a little rushed but…. I guess if they really love each other as much as they say they do…”

“How can you say that?” my mother shot back before he was finished. They’re both so young still! I understand that they’re in love with each other, but marriage? Landon still has so much of his life ahead of him!”

I saw Jamie’s pain when my mother mentioned only that I had so many years ahead of me. I squeezed her closer to me, telling her in my thoughts ‘It’s okay baby, it’ll be alright.’

My mother looked at me, and I could see tears in her eyes. “Landon, are you sure? Is this really how you want it to be?”

“Landon, son, think hard about this. It was terribly difficult for me to voluntarily break off my marriage with your mother. Do you really want a marriage that will be ended with our without your approval?”

“Dad, I already have thought about this. I’ve thought about this for a long time now. I love Jamie with all my heart and soul. Even after she is gone, our marriage will never end. Never.”

I turned to see Jamie with a surprised look on her face. I realized then that she must have been expecting me to find someone else after she was gone.

“Reverend, you don’t have any objections to this?” my mother asked Reverend Sullivan.

“Landon and I discussed this before he asked Jamie to marry him. I’ve already given them my approval.”

My mother looked back at my father, and eventually they nodded their approval to each other.

“Well Landon, Jamie… it would seem that you two are quite in love with each other,” my mother said to us. “If this is what you feel is right, then I’m not the one to say otherwise. You have my blessing.”

“You have my blessing too,” my dad added. “I’m not going to stand in the way of your marriage. You two are wonderful for each other, and I don’t question the strength of your love. Congratulations, and I wish you the best.”

I turned to Jamie and pulled her into my arms, lifting her up and twirling her in a circle on the grass. I was so happy I could barely keep myself from laughing.

After dinner, I helped my mom clean up all the dishes while Reverend Sullivan and my dad took some time to get to know each other. Jamie spent most of the evening on the couch, talking to my dad as well. She was smiling the whole time, and I knew that I was probably grinning like an idiot myself. I just couldn’t help it. It was a smile that reached all the way to the bottom of my heart and back again. God had granted my prayers. Jamie and I were getting married.

After all the dishes were put away, everyone gathered in the living room and just talked. A little while later, my dad looked out the window and noticed it was getting dark out. He glanced at his watch, and stood up to excuse himself.

“I’d love to stay and chat some more with everyone, but it’s getting late and I need to be in the hospital pretty early. I had a great evening, thanks so much for inviting me.”

“Hey dad,” I called to him as he reached the door. “Hold up a sec and I’ll walk you out.”

We walked toward the car, our shoes grinding softly against the pavement of my driveway.

“Thanks again for coming tonight, Dad. It meant a lot to me.”

“It was a pleasure Landon. Congratulations to you and Jamie. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” There was a brief pause as my dad opened the door to his car. “Dad?”

“Yeah Landon?”

“I was wondering if you’d be my best man at the wedding.” I had thought about it for a long time after Reverend Sullivan had broached the subject, and I eventually decided that the person I wanted up there with me was my dad. He had done a lot to make sure Jamie and I could be together when everything seemed stacked against us.

“Oh Landon,” he began. “I couldn’t. I’ve missed out on so much of your life, I’m sure there’s someone else…”

“This is one thing I don’t want you to miss, Dad. Please?”

“I would be honored to, Landon.”

“Thanks Dad.” I reached out and gave him a big hug.