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d. Watch over Luke. Give him strength. Give him full healing.
“Let me take you to the family waiting room,” Jax said, taking her by the arm and leading her down the hall. When he pushed open the door, Morgan saw a large group of family and friends gathered together. Luke’s parents were holding each other while Callie stood with her cousins, Case and Charlotte, along with their parents.
Callie rushed toward her, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Oh Morgan, I’m so happy you’re here.”
Morgan broke down, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation and the distressed expression on Callie’s face. “I’m sorry, Callie. I know you must be so angry with me about Luke, but I know how wrong I am. I wish I could run to him right now and tell him.”
“Shh,” Callie crooned, still tightly holding on to her. “You love him, Morgan. I can see it in your eyes and it’s written all over your face. All that matters now is that he makes it through this.”
Morgan swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “I don’t know what to do other than pray. And wish I could be with him.” She couldn’t imagine never talking to Luke again or getting the chance to tell him that she loved him. Regret pierced her straight in the heart.
“Just sit with us. Be with us. Pray with us,” Callie said.
“I will,” Morgan said with a nod.
For the next hour Morgan sat with Luke’s family and waited for any news from his surgeon. Just when she thought she might explode from worrying, a doctor in scrubs came hurrying into the room calling out for the Duvall family. As they huddled around Dr. Stein, Morgan almost crumpled to the ground in relief as Luke’s condition was revealed to be guarded. He had made it through surgery and the blood clot had been snipped.
“Praise the Lord,” Morgan called out as other members of Luke’s family expressed their joy and relief.
“Can his immediate family members see him?” Lionel asked. Morgan could see the deep worry lines etched on his face. In the last few hours Lionel Duvall had aged at least ten years.
“Yes,” Dr. Stein said with a nod of his head. “But let’s start out with just one until Luke gets his bearings. He hasn’t woken up yet from the anesthesia. I’ll send a nurse in to bring you to his room.”
“I’d like to see him, Davinia, if it’s all right with you,” Lionel said to his wife, Davinia, who nodded through her tears. She was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue and sniffling. Relief was etched on her beautiful features.
Callie tugged at her father’s sleeve. “Daddy. Morgan needs to be the one to sit with Luke.”
Lionel frowned. He looked at Callie, then swung his gaze toward Morgan. “Morgan? I know you’re old friends with my son, but at a time like this, one of the family needs to see to him.”
“Daddy, you don’t understand,” Callie said. “It’s so much more than friendship.”
Morgan tugged at Callie’s arm. For so long now she’d stood in the shadows. She’d hidden herself away so that she didn’t have to face rejection or abandonment or pain. She’d been running from the love of a lifetime. And in the process she’d let go of Luke a second time. Fear had ruled her. She wasn’t going to do it anymore. Callie would fight her battle for her at this very moment if she allowed her to. But she couldn’t. Part of reaching out and grabbing ahold of her dreams was to step up and claim them. Right here, right now she was claiming Luke.
Morgan stood up straight and met Lionel’s gaze head-on. “Mr. Duvall, I’m not just Luke’s friend. I’m the woman who loves him. And he loves me too. I was supposed to have dinner with you and your wife and Luke, but I kind of blew it. I hope to still have dinner with you as soon as Luke is feeling up to it. And if God grants me the opportunity, I’m going to be Luke’s wife. I’ll be your daughter-in-law.” Tears welled up in her eyes. It didn’t feel comfortable to lay herself bare in front of everyone, but her heart wouldn’t allow her to walk away from this moment. She owed this moment to Luke. He’d always been so brave and forthright about his feelings. So incredibly honest and loving and true. She had been the one who had wanted to hide in the shadows. She’d lacked faith and courage and conviction. She’d wavered while he’d been as sturdy as an Oak tree.
Her insecurities had led them down the wrong path. Only she could make things right.
“Two years ago I ended things with Luke because I lacked courage. I was so consumed by the past that I couldn’t believe in our future. I didn’t trust what we felt for one another. Luke and I were fortunate to be granted a second chance and I almost blew that too.” She shook her head, her long hair whirling about her shoulders. “Life is too short for that. Luke’s blood clot proves that without a shadow of a doubt. Tomorrow isn’t promised, Mr. Duvall. We have to make the best of today and step up. That’s what I’m doing right now.”
Something flickered in Lionel’s eyes. Morgan chose to believe it was understanding. As rigid as Lionel Duvall could be, he also was a man who fiercely loved his children. There was nothing more powerful for a parent than to know that their child was loved in abundance.
“If you’re the woman he loves, then you belong by his side.” Lionel’s words were straight to the point. “I know Luke would want to see you.”
“Go ahead and sit with Luke, Morgan. He needs you more than anything.” Callie’s gentle encouragement spurred her on. Lionel nodded in agreement.
With a nod of her head she turned toward the nurse, who led her down a long, stark hallway to Luke’s room.
“You can sit by him for a little bit. We’re still waiting for him to awake from surgery. It should be any time now,” the nurse informed her.
Morgan nodded and entered the room. Pain seized her chest at the sight of Luke lying helplessly in the hospital bed, with tubes attached to him. She let out a wounded cry, then clapped her hand over her mouth. Strength. She needed to be brave. For Luke. For his family. For everyone who loved him.
His condition was stable. His prognosis was good. The Lord had watched over Luke and blessed them all.
She made her way to his bedside. His complexion was pale. With his eyes closed he looked incredibly vulnerable. This strong, beautiful man could have been lost to her today. Never again! She was going to cling to Luke as tightly as she could. Morgan reached out and squeezed Luke’s hand.
“Luke. It’s me, Morgan. You’re going to be fine according to your doctor. I’m so sorry for not believing in us. Because the truth is, you’re the center of my world. I love you, Luke Duvall. I’ve loved you for most of my life. Yet a part of me was always afraid. Most of all I think I was afraid you wouldn’t love me in return. Or that you’d leave me. When you come from a broken place it’s hard sometimes to feel whole. I struggle with that, but I promise you from this moment forward I’m going to be a different woman.” She began to cry quietly. “I know what you said is truer than anything. Tomorrow isn’t promised. So we’re going to make the most of every day and love each other like there’s no tomorrow.”
She watched Luke intently, praying for him to open his eyes. Although she could hear his light breathing, he was still out.
