Lucy shivered as Kevin carried her out the his truck. Even with the quilt wrapped around her, the December cold went through her. He climbed into the truck. "Ready?"
No, she thought. Don't make me leave the ranch. Don't take me closer to Jeremy. Instead, she simply nodded. "Do we really have to go?"

"Yes. We can't stay here."
They had talked about this all ready. His reputation. Her reputation. Appearances. And Kevin's feelings for her. She understood all of it.
Kevin reached across and held her hand. "Everything will be fine."
She watched as the ranch disappeared behind her. Only Kevin's hand kept her from jumping out of the truck and running back. Tears formed in her eyes.
"Trust me Lucy, it's the best choice."
"I don't remember it being a choice."
He smiled. "Decision then. God is watching over us."
She shook her head. "I don't think so. If he was then bad things wouldn't happen."
"Bad things happen because people have free will. Trust me Lucy. And trust Jesus. Let Him prove He's real."
She pulled the quilt tighter around herself. Everything was going to be fine. Kevin knew how to make it all right. She just had to trust him.
Kevin let her sleep has he drove. How could he reach her? How was he going to let her know that trusting in God would bring her peace? He didn't want to hurt their fragile relationship. He watched her sleep. He wondered what it would be like to come home to her everyday. To fall asleep with her every night and to wake up to her every morning. He'd always thought that God had wanted him to marry. He hadn't thought about it a lot, until Lucy showed up. And even more when she left to go to the Walker rental.
Lucy woke up. She looked exhausted. Although the antibiotics were great for the pneumonia, she still didn't have a lot of strength. Maybe driving straight through wasn't the best thing. He got off at the next exit and found a motel. "Wait here."

He went to the office and rented two rooms. He got back to the truck and gave her a key. He showed her his different number. "You have to trust me."

"I'll take you in then come back for the bags."
"I could help you."

"Yes you can, by getting inside."
He took her key and slid it into the slot. He turned the knob.
"Kevin?"
"Yeah?" He caught the door with his shoulder.
"Have you ever been with a woman?"
His eyes went to all the rooms along the hall. It was a fair question, he supposed, after all she had told him. "If you mean intimately, no."
"Why?"
This wasn't the time or place he wanted to talk about this, but Lucy seemed urgent. "It's not right."
"How do you always do what's right?"
He could give her some biblical verse, but decided to be honest. "I learned from Ben's mistakes. His senior year, Ben got his girlfriend pregnant. They were going to get married, but her family refused to let it happen. They made her get an abortion and broke off all contact with him. It really tore him up. It tore all of us up. It showed me there is a right way to do things." He laid his palm against her cold check. "God's way." If only he could make her see.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The snow blanketed the fields as they drove up to the house. Kevin drew a long breath. This was still his home. Gray shutters flanked the windows and shrubs surrounded the house. The tires squeaked on the snowy drive and then they stopped. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired."

"You can rest when we get inside."
Hank came outside greeting them. "Welcome!" They got to the porch and his mother met them at the door. "Come in. You look half-frozen."
"The heater isn't working to well in the truck."
"Mom, this is Lucy. Lucy this is my mom, Karen."
Karen's brown hair had been replaced by gray. She was still energetic and hadn't lost any of her vigor. She was still a ranch wife. Warm and hardy.
She squeezed Lucy's hand. "That's an awful long drive in a truck."
"Thank you so much for letting me come."
Kevin led her in and motioned to the couch. "You can sit here while I unload the truck."
"I'll help you out." Dad patted him on the back.
They left Lucy and Karen and went outside. He began unloading the truck, well aware of his father's curiosity and scrutiny.
"That's not the same young lady I met last summer."

"No it's not. She fell off of Aldebaran, broke her leg and bruised her ribs."
"That explains the limp."
"Then she moved to town to the Walker rental and caught pneumonia."
His father stopped on the stairs. "And?"
"Not now Dad."
He smiled. "Your mother won't let you get away so easily."
"I know."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Kevin! Mom, why didn't you tell us Kevin was coming home!"

Lucy startled and sat up on the couch. She looked around confused.
"How long is he staying. How long has he been here?" Girls voices.
She could hear Kevin in the kitchen. "You think I would miss you girls opening your bags of coal? Ouch! Stop or I won't show you what I brought?"
A young girl spoke, "What did you bring?"

"Something that is definitely lacking in this house."

"What?"

"A lady."
"You have a girlfriend?!"
"All I said was she is a lady. Unlike you girls."

"Can we see her?" The little voice again.
"She's in the living room. You can see her only if you're quiet."
The door opened and four girls came out of the kitchen. They were all talking at once and Lucy couldn't help but stare.
"I knew you guys couldn't be quiet. You woke her up. Everybody, this is Lucy. Lucy these are my sisters. "Therese, Stephanie, Tiffany, and Patty-Mary."
Patty-Marry, the youngest, smiled. "You're Kevin's girlfriend?"
"It doesn't matter to you Patty-Mary." Kevin replied "And you all can leave now."
As they left, Kevin knelt down next to Lucy. "I'm sorry they woke you up."
She stared. "You never told me you had four sisters!"
"You never asked."

"Well you would think that since you come from a family of eight, that might come up every now and then."
"I thought my Dad mentioned them when he was out."

"He talked about them and I heard their names but I didn't know who they were."
"Ben and I try to forget them. We had it good for nine years." Kevin smiled
"That's not true. I saw your face when they all came in."
He shrugged. "I'm sorry they put you on the spot. My sisters like to assume things. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes. I'm very embarrassed though, you mom left for just a minute to check on something in the kitchen and I must have fallen asleep. Not exactly Emily Post."
"Don't worry about it. It'll be the last rest you get in this house. It's always noisy."
She smiled.
"What?"
"I just can't imagine that you had four sisters."
"Why?"

"You're so... such a man, I guess."
He eyed her. "Does that worry you?"

It should. His manliness should terrify her. "No."
Kevin's sisters came back into the living room all at once. Kevin was definitely right about the noise.
"Mom said to come celebrate Advent." Patty-Mary said.
"All right. Take Lucy and I'll go get my guitar."
They led Lucy to a table. In the center was a wreath that held four candles. Three were purple and one was pink. Kevin came in and whispered in her ear. "God songs."
Why did he tell her that? Some kind of warning? Was he afraid she would embarrass him? Or did he just want her to be prepared? He watched Karen light three of the candles. Lucy almost pointed out the missed candle, but realized it must have been left on purpose.
Kevin began to play. His music touched her. His fingers plucked the strings like an expert. She stood silently as the rest sang. Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel. Everyone seemed to be staring at her. She had never felt so uncomfortable around people before. Hank took a Bible from the table and began reading. She sat silently and endured it.
Afterwards, Kevin insisted that Lucy go to bed and get some sleep. She would be sharing a room with Therese, the oldest. It was awkward sharing a room with someone she didn't know. Lucy cleared her throat. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure."

"Why do you do that...." She didn't know how to describe the little ceremony.
"The advent prayers?" Lucy nodded. "It prepares us for the birth of Christ."
"That happened two thousand years ago."

Therese agreed. "Historically yes. But each Christmas we prepares our hearts to receive Him again. In a new and deeper way. You know?"

No, she didn't know. She knew he wanted her to believe with him. But what did she want?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After making sure Lucy had settled in with Therese, Kevin went to face the inevitable. Mom was waiting for him in the kitchen. She even had cookies set out with hot chocolate. He sat down and she didn't waste time.
"How serious is it?"

"I told you my reasons for bringing her here."

"You just told me she needed a place to stay that wasn't the ranch."
"That's right."
"Why? Because you care about her?"
"Yes I care about her. She's special."

"Even if she doesn't share your faith? I think everyone noticed how uncomfortable she was."
"She will in time."

"That's a pretty big expectation."
"Just wait until you get to know her."

"She's very beautiful and very vulnerable."

He warmed. He wanted so much to protect her and heal her. "She won't disappoint you, just give her a chance."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Three days with Kevin's family and Lucy had grown accustom to the noise. She felt more welcome than she ever thought possible. Only Karen seemed reserved. But she hadn't really gotten a chance to get to know her. Kevin's sisters occupied most of her time.
She watched them pull on their gloves and try and find their skates. Kevin came in and they all went out to his truck. He saw he wearing a coat. "You're coming too?"
"Yep." She wrapped a scarf around her neck.
"No your not. It's thirty degrees outside and they're going skating on a pond and you have pneumonia."
"Had. And I'm not going to actually skate, just watch."
He shook his head. "Let me drive them out there and I'll come back. They've had most of your time, now I want some." He reached out and took her hand.
Tara came back in. "Let's go. Come one!"
Lucy smiled. "I think we should go."
"Okay you win." He smiled and motioned her to the door.
They drove out to the pond and the girls got out and went to the pond.
Kevin and Lucy stood away from the pond, watching them. "Therese told me about you last night."
"Really? Do I want to know what she said?"
"We just talked about you and your sisters. You played tricks on them I understand."
"Who me?" Kevin smiled
"Ice cubes in their clothes, switching their clothes, and a garden snake in Patty-Mary's bed?" She laughed
"She deserved that."
"And the time you had to restrain Stephanie's date."
"She's got a dumb streak that gets her into trouble sometimes."
"Well I think you like to protect them."

He turned. "You're imaginative."
She shook her head. "Did I imagine that you saved my life?"

Kevin looked away. "I don't know that you would have died."
"I had given up hope." She reached out and touched his arm. "You saved me."
He caught her hand and brought it to his chest. "I didn't save you Lucy. It wasn't me."
"It is you." Her heart swelled with emotion when his arms closed her safely in.

A/N: Please review!