Page 131 of Betrayed

Zara joined her. “You need to get some sleep.”

“I will. But I’m starving.”

“Fine. Food first. I wanted to talk to you about something. This isn’t a great time, I know …”

“No time like the present. If life has taught me anything, it’s to embrace what’s in front of you.” AJ grabbed a Greek yogurt and a spoon.

Zara nodded. “I was talking to Granny the other day.”

“I love that you call her Granny now too.” AJ dug into her snack.

“It’s such an honor really. I love that woman. But she offered me a room in her house until Will and I get married.”

“Really?” The spoon stopped halfway to AJ’s mouth.

“Yeah, so you and Logan can have this place to yourselves.”

What Zara was saying fell into place in AJ’s sleepy brain. “Oh. Really?”

Zara chuckled. “Really. You two shouldn’t have to wait any longer to get back to being married.”

AJ ate a giant spoonful of yogurt. She wasn’t about to tell Zara they were already working on it. “Are you okay with that?”

“Of course. I’ll be across the driveway and, maybe sooner rather than later, across town with my husband.”

“I like the sound of that.” AJ set down the now empty yogurt and gripped Zara’s arm. “Thanks for helping look for me.”

“That’s what friends are for. They don’t let them be murdered by crazy lunatics. It’s part of the code.”

“Indeed.”

The women chuckled and went back to the living room where the guys were sitting. Zara sat with Will on the couch, but AJ couldn’t quite bear to sit in the chair opposite Logan. So she wandered toward him, aiming for the floor in front of him. He lifted his arm, inviting her to join him. She sat on his leg and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hand tugged her close.

The friends decompressed by talking about what happened and then about nothing, until everyone started falling asleep.

Zara stood. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m going to sleep in my bed.”

Will and Logan exchanged a look, and Logan nodded slightly.

Will said, “If it’s okay with you, ladies, we’ll both crash here. I’ll be on the couch, of course.”

Zara smiled. “Fine by me.” She kissed Will then left the room. A brief moment later, she came out with pillows and blankets for him. “Good night, y’all.”

They told her good night despite the sun starting to make its appearance.

Will looked at Logan and AJ. “Don’t keep me company. Please, go get some rest.”

AJ stood. “You too.” She took Logan’s hand, and they went to her—their bedroom.

She curled up next to her husband, and in minutes they both fell asleep. The horrors of the day faded away like a foggy mist. They were as they should be. Together.

Three and a Half Weeks Later

The sun peeked through the blinds, and AJ rolled over in bed and found her husband snoring beside her. She still couldn’t believe they’d reconciled. After so many years of being estranged, hoping that reconnecting would be possible, it seemed like a dream. She was afraid she’d wake up one day to find it was, in fact, a dream, but the scars on her wrists from the zip ties told her it had all been too real.

But so good now.

Was this a reflection of how God works all things together for the good of His people? So many bad things, hard things, horrible things … but here they were—childhood friends turned lovers. A marriage reunited. A family reconnected despite tragedy and betrayal. God was so good.