Page 45 of Until We Weren't

Faith smiled. “It’s just the first. I hope we keep dating from now on.”

“We’ll see,” Destiny said with a smile.

“One thing that I’ve figured out is that I’m letting my family go,” Faith said.

“What? Why?”

“Let me see if I can explain,” Faith said. “I’ve never been able to trust them and of course that led to my problems today. But I let what they did to me influence how I saw you.” She set her bowl aside and moved closer to Destiny. She reached for her hand and was relieved when Destiny didn’t pull away. Faith squeezed Destiny’s hand and looked into her eyes. “You’ve never lied to me; you’ve always done what you said you were going to do. If I would’ve come to you with that video I’m pretty sure we would’ve figured out who it was just like we did in the shack that night. But instead I thought you were just like them.”

“Faith,” Destiny said softly.

“No, please, let me finish,” Faith said. “My family only contacts me when they need something. They are never there for me. There is no reason for me to give them another thought.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. “Please don’t laugh, but you are my destiny. I think I’ve always known that and maybe the universe had to test us, but I will never lose sight of that again. It’s time for me to trust myself, to trust you, and trust our love.”

Destiny stared into Faith’s eyes and was about to speak when Faith reached up and put her finger over Destiny’s lips.

“Don’t say anything,” Faith said. “I just wanted you to know that I’m standing up for myself. You’ve had to tiptoe around my issues from the beginning and I’m grateful for that. But I made it hard for you to love me and for that I’m sorry.”

“No, Faith,” Destiny said. “It was never hard to love you. Most of the time I was angry at your family because I don’t understand how they can do that to you.”

“You have always supported me,” Faith said. “Can we stop?”

“Stop?”

“Yeah, I think that’s enough seriousness for today,” Faith said. “This is a date. We’ve had such a good time so far. At least I have.”

Destiny smiled. “I have, too. And by the way, I won’t laugh at you.”

“No matter how cheesy I sometimes sound?”

“There once was a story about Destiny and Faith,” Destiny said with a grin. “Remember?”

15

Faith nodded. “Of course I remember.”

“I still have faith,” Destiny said, dropping her chin and staring into Faith’s eyes. “And it’s getting stronger.”

The smile on Faith’s face told Destiny she’d said what Faith wanted to hear. “I had one more stop planned,” Faith said.

“Let’s go,” Destiny said, gathering their trash.

Faith drove them to their favorite frozen yogurt shop. They sat outside on a bench and enjoyed their dessert. This was so much better than Destiny had imagined. She wanted to spend the day with Faith, but she was afraid things would be awkward. Instead they had a relaxed wonderful time, just as they once did.

“Would you like for me to meet you at the nursery Monday afternoon?” Destiny asked, spooning the last bite of yogurt into her mouth.

“I’d be happy to come get you,” Faith said. “I can say hello to Monica.”

“Okay.”

“Then we can go by the office complex for one more look,” Faith said.

“You’ll have to bring me all the way back to my shop once we’re finished.”

“I don’t mind,” Faith replied.

They threw their trash away and Faith drove them back to Destiny’s apartment. The sun was dropping lower and lower in the sky, so she hurriedly pulled into a parking space. She ran around the truck and opened Destiny’s door.

“We’re just in time,” Faith said, holding out her hand.