“I’m so happy for you and this new journey. I would love to take it with you. Yes, I’ll marry you!”

  “That is more than I could have ever wanted.”

  He kissed her until every fear disappeared into her past and all she could see was their happy future together.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “I hear congratulations are in order.” Levi watched her with a questioning expression.

  “That’s right, they are. I also hear they’re in order for you as well. I hear you’re going home.”

  Levi nodded. He didn’t seem really pleased about leaving.

  “These men feel like my family. Out there, I don’t know what to expect.”

  Leah took his hand. “Levi, I’ve been working with the Social Service department here at the hospital and they are creating a program to help you integrate back into society.”

  “Are they going to help me find Opal?”

  “I’ve told them everything you told me. I have hope they can help.”

  Levi nodded but looked away. Leah moved on to the next bed. Lots of her buddies had left and she was making new friends. She’d invited them all to the wedding on the following Saturday.

  Most of them she felt were settling into society just fine, but not Levi. Levi had an obsession. He was completed obsessed with finding a woman named Opal Cooper that no one could prove existed.

  A bell rang on the floor alerting people to shift change. Leah left with a big wave and made her way to her car and home.

  The big day was only a few days away. The cake was ordered. The dress picked out. All friends and family had already arrived at the house. They would be married at the local church by Pastor Young and have the reception at the house.

  When Leah arrived Sun-ja was outside in the backyard putting finishing touches on the tent and chairs. She was a master flower decorator.

  “Leah! It is so good to see you. What do you think?”

  “It’s breathtaking.”

  Sun-ja beamed. “I never thought to see my son again, and to see him get married will be the highlight of my life.”

  They talked a few moments longer, then Leah begged off and went to her room. Inside, she ran her fingers along the silk of the wedding dress. In a few short days she would be married to the love of her life.

  If she could help make others as happy as she felt, she wouldn’t need anything else.

  The next couple of days passed quickly. The morning of the wedding came. She rode to the church in one of Tom’s cars. She walked the aisle and stood beside Tom. Reciting vows was a blur.

  She remembered the kiss. The long lingering kiss from her handsome new husband.

  They took a horse drawn carriage ride back to the house. When he held out his hand and helped her step down her heart leaped into her throat.

  She stood close to him. No more than an inch separated them.

  “What are you thinking, Mrs. Donahue?”

  “I’m thinking I’m the luckiest woman alive.”

  Tom reared back his head and laughed. “You haven’t seen me dance yet.”

  “Oh, is that going to change my mind?”

  “It might.” Tom clasped her hand and led her to the festivities.

  People embraced them and welcomed them. Leah knew in that moment that following God’s lead despite everything that had happened had been the best decision of her life.

  ****

  Levi leaned against his cane. The loving couple walked toward the tent, hands clasped, and happy smiles on their faces.

  Leah deserved the happiness. He was glad she’d received it.

  Despite his anger toward her at times, she really had tried to help him. Deep down he knew that. He blamed Coop. Max Cooper had told him over and over that he had a girl in his life named Opal. If anything happened to him then Levi was to find Opal and take care of her.

  At least that was what Levi remembered Coop saying.

  After spending so much time trying to find Opal Cooper, he was starting to doubt himself.

  The band struck up a tune. Leah appeared at his side and dragged him to the dance floor.

  “My new husband has two left feet, actually he has one right foot, but he can’t dance! Would you dance with me?”

  Leah smiled and Levi had to say yes. He doubted that her reason was completely on the level, but if he could dance with a beautiful woman, he’d do it.

  Maybe one day he’d dance at his own wedding. Time would tell.

  Excerpt from Opal Obsession

  (coming Aug. 15, 2023)

  Levi held the flowers close to his chest as he leaned over Coop’s grave.

  “Look, Max. I tried. I really did. You just didn’t give me enough information. The army says you didn’t have a sister. And I can’t find a record of her either. And if it was a girl you dated,” Levi snorted, “then I know I’ll never find her.”

  Max had dated more women than Levi could count. He gave new meaning to a woman in every port.

  Levi laid the flowers on the headstone and rose up straight. The cane was his constant companion. He’d kept his leg but lost most of the muscle. It wasn’t his only wartime injury, but it was the most noticeable to the outside world.

  “You’ll never believe what job I’m doing. They have me in a recruiting office filing papers! Me a file clerk. I’ve done other things, but they want me hidden. I don’t blame them.”

  He drew in a deep breath. He’d been coming to the grave once a week on different days for a year. He’d rigged a deer camera to take pictures, but the graveyard attendant kept removing it.

  “Look, Coop, I think I’m going to have to give up the search. I need to move away from here and find another job. Maybe even settle down somewhere. I just hate not fulfilling my promise. But here’s the deal, if you want help then you’re going to have to send me a sign. I don’t have enough to work with.”

  “Hello.”

  The sound of a sweet female voice made him grab his chest.

  “Oh, I’m sorry to disturb you. I just heard you talking and thought I would say hi.” She paused. “Do you come here often?”

  “Yes.” His heart was hammering so loud between his ears he couldn’t hear anything else.

  The lady before him had blue eyes and blond hair. She was a little bit on the round side, not as slim as he normally liked a girl, but she had a friendly face and her voice was that of an angel.

  She held out her hand. “I should introduce myself, I’m Mae Girasol.”

  His heart sank. He’d hoped this was the sign he’d been seeking. She’d shown up right when he’d asked, but it wasn’t Opal. She was Mae.

  “Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Levi Anderson.”

  “Did you know Max Cooper?”

  “I did. We were in the military together. Did you know him?”

  Mae shook her head. “No. I come here to visit my brother, Davis Girasol. He died two years ago, and I’m still coming.”

  “Is his grave close by?”

  “A few rows over.” Mae looked into the distance as if she wanted to say more but changed her mind.

  “I guess I better get back to my car. It looks like rain.” She waved as she walked away.

  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as she walked away. Levi lowered his head back toward Max. He would have talked more, but he could feel the heat of Mae’s stare on his back.

  He shoved his free hand in his pocket and walked back toward his car. Huge rain drops began to pelt his face as he reached his truck and climbed into the cab. Once inside, the rain escalated to such proportions that he couldn’t see through the window.

  He turned to look over at Mae, but she and her vehicle were gone. Levi rubbed his eyes to see if that changed things, but they still weren’t there.

  He waited a few moments before putting his truck in gear and pulling out of the lot. If Max was sending a sign, it sure was a strange one. Maybe he needed to reach out to this Mae Girasol so he could figure it out.

 

 

  Felicia Rogers, Sapphire Shoals (Redeemed Soldiers Book 6)

 

 

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