Never Alone

Chapter 19

     Driving deep into a wooded area, Trevor glanced over at Annie in the seat next to him. She stared out the window with hollow, haunted eyes, and his heart ached for her. Even though this nightmare began only three days earlier, he struggled to remember what life was like before this ordeal. Stopping the pickup in a small clearing, he turned to face her.

"This looks like as good a place as any to set up," he rested a hand on her arm.

She looked up at him with glistening eyes, "Are we safe here?"

"I don't think anyone followed us," he tried to smile but knew his effort fell flat. "Annie, I know after all that's happened, it's hard to believe we will ever come through this. Just remember, God is still in control. He loves us and has kept us alive so far. We just have to trust Him for our safety."

"I know you're right," she choked. "It's just so hard. I can't see a way out of this." Tears rained down her cheeks, and he held his arms out to her.

Without a moment's hesitation, she fell into his embrace, and he held her close. "That's the beauty of all this, Annie. We don't have to see a way out, because God already does. Just think of the three men in the fiery furnace. From a human standpoint, there was no escape, but they trusted God, and He brought them through it completely unharmed. It's not about the fire...it's about Who is in here with you."

She nodded her head against his shoulder, and his chest tightened with emotion. "Thank you, Trevor. I needed to be reminded. Sometimes my faith is so weak."

"Even when our faith is weak, God is still faithful."

She looked up at him with eyes still glittering, but a soft smile on her lips in place of the thin line of concern. "I'm so thankful for that."

His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he looked into her eyes. The old, familiar spark sizzled between them. It was as if all barriers keeping them apart crumbled in ruins at his feet. Tenderly, he stroked her cheek and swallowed the growing lump in his throat. Tracing her soft lips with his thumb, he heard her breath hitch, and she looked up at him with the same longing burning in his heart.

Bending his head down, goosebumps rose on his neck at the closeness. His heart soared as his lips barely brushed hers. Suddenly, she pulled back. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath. Her blue eyes evidenced her inner struggle between desire and regret.

"We should probably get everything set up," she whispered between breaths. "It will be getting dark soon."

Disappointment coursed through his veins as he nodded in agreement and climbed out of the truck to make camp for the night.

***

Annie sat in the pickup alone for a moment with her breath still coming in short gasps and her heart beating wildly. Placing her hand on her chest, she could feel the frantic pounding through her heavy sweater. Her lips burned from their close encounter, and part of her wished she had allowed the moment to unfold. Not long ago, she would have been proud of herself for being strong and keeping distance between them. Now, instead of satisfaction, she was overcome with regret for so many things. She feared her actions pushed him far enough away he would no longer want to return to the way things were despite how drastically her feelings toward him were changing.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the pickup and shut the door with a heavy thud. Timidly, she walked toward a grove of evergreen trees where he was attempting to set up the tent. The clean scent of pine needles seemed to promise her a fresh start, and she prayed for a chance to undo the damage she caused between them.