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Micah frowned. “Guilt? What do you have to feel guilty about?”
She ran a hand through her lustrous mane. “I made it out when they didn’t.” She let out a deeply held breath. “And I’ve always felt guilty about the cause of the fire. Oh Micah, I think it was my fault.”
**
There. She’d finally said the words she had been holding onto ever since the fire. Faith had always felt guilty about her parents’ deaths, but she had never been able to articulate her feelings of pain and ownership for the fire. Now, she was finally able to get it off her chest. Because of Micah. Because she trusted him with her truths.
“Faith. What are you talking about?”
“I was your typical teenager, Micah. Obsessed with my looks and my hair and makeup and clothes. I was playing with my hair for hours, trying out new styles and using the curling iron. It wasn’t mine though. It was my mother’s curling iron and I was using it at her vanity in her bedroom. I fell asleep that night without turning it off.” Hoe tears ran down her face. She didn’t bother to wipe them away. Her pain cut like a knife through her soul.
“Oh, baby,” Micah said, standing up from his chair and making his way to where she was seated. He embraced her, pressing kisses against her temple. “I can’t believe you’ve been carrying this around with you for such a long time. That type of weight is way too much to carry.”
“I feel so much better now that I’ve put it into words.” She pressed her eyes closed. “It’s been eating me up inside and I was always too afraid to tell anyone.”
“You don’t know for sure that was the cause, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” she said with a shake of her head. “But what if it was?”
“Faith, we can’t live our lives with what ifs. Can we?”
“No,” she said softly, shaking her head.
“I think you might be dealing with survivor’s guilt. You lived when they didn’t. That’s a hard thing to accept, even though it was exactly what your parents would have wanted to happen.”
“You’re right about that. They were the most loving, selfless parents in the world. Everything they did in this world they did for me.”
Micah tipped her head up by placing his finger underneath her chin. “They loved you, Faith. By being in this world you’re carrying them around with you. They live on through you.”
She smiled at him, marveling at the way he always made things better.
“Thank you. You’re absolutely right. My parents always put me first. They loved me.”
Micah leaned over and pressed a tender kiss against Faith’s lips. It was a bit unexpected, but Faith didn’t mind one bit. She’d been wanting for Micah to kiss her for the longest time, so much so that she had begun to wonder if she
shouldn’t make the first move. But now she didn’t have to. He was kissing her! And it felt special and wondrous. As his lips moved against hers, Faith placed her hand on Micah’s shoulder. She felt so connected to him in this moment. The scent of him filled her nostrils. He smelled like clean, fresh soap and sunshine. His lips were soft and warm and she felt as if she just might lose herself in this kiss.
When they broke apart neither of them could stop grinning.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” Micah confessed.
“I’ve been wanting you to do that for a long time,” Faith teased, her cheeks blushing.
Micah stroked her cheek. “Faith, I’m really glad you came into my life.”
“I feel the same way, Micah. An hour ago I was down in the dumps, yet a simple visit from you has turned everything around. That’s a special talent, Mr. Donahue.”
“You’re special, Faith. I hope you realize how special you truly are. And if you don’t, I’m going to spend every day telling you just how magnificent you are.”
“In the end, it’s about truth and light. Love thrives in the light, not in darkness.”
Jason Donahue
Chapter Eight
Faith had been by his side and soothed his fears through her nurturing personality and prayer. Now, he had an opportunity to help Faith and to smooth things over between him and Rafferty. Micah had set the wheels in motion a few days ago and now he was meeting up with Rafferty at the fire house. He prayed Rafferty would be over their dispute.
The Pelican Bay Fire House was a well-established brick building in the downtown area. The firefighters from this house were some of the bravest, most hard working rescue works in the state. Micah had seen up close and personal Rafferty’s dedication to his profession. Heroes ran into burning buildings while others tried to escape. Like his best friend, the profession was a noble one.
