Juliet was sobbing uncontrollably in Catarina's car.
She was overjoyed that her friend had found love again after everything she'd been through. "Thank you, Jesus, for making my best friend happy again," she whispered.
Someone knocked on the car window, and she quickly wiped her tears before rolling it down.
Her heart skipped a beat—it was Francis.
He looked at her with concern. "What happened, Juliet? Why are you crying?"
She sighed deeply. "My best friend...she suffered so much at the hands of her deceased husband. I'm just happy that she's finally going to be happy again."
Francis nodded thoughtfully. "I can also imagine you being her unmarried best friend, the one she'll leave her children with whenever she goes on vacation with her husband."
Juliet glared at him. "What about you? Are you planning to stay an unmarried bachelor for life?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, because I'm so foolish that I won't let you end up as one."
"How do you intend to do that?" she challenged.
He shrugged.
"What do you take me for, Francis? Why are you playing around with me?" She got out of the car and pointed at him warningly. "Don't think that just because you're a branch manager, I'll tolerate you insulting me!"
He burst into laughter. "How on earth did I insult you?"
"Your whole existence here is pissing me off!"
"Me too! I'm so frustrated that I have to live my life proving to you that you should accept me!"She gasped, and they both fell silent in awkward tension.
Finally, she found her voice.
"You still love me?"
"Why did I come here? Do you think it was just for the job? I wanted to be close to you, someway, somehow..."
Tears trickled down her cheeks as she stared at him in disbelief. " I left you because you didn't have money, and instead of finding someone else who would accept you for who you are, you stayed hung up on me?"
He searched her eyes. "You think love is that easy to give up on? True love doesn't give up that easily."
She hugged him tightly. "Please don't leave me, Francis. I'm so sorry. I wasn't in my right mind. I took you for granted."
"That's what I came to prove to you. Just because I'm relaxed about something doesn't mean I'm not capable." He wiped the tears from her face.
"I told you, I don't like seeing tears in your eyes."
It felt like a dream to Juliet—Francis still loved her, and he had come to Bower Bound because of her.
She hugged him again, this time determined not to let him go.
***
It was Jeremiah Lewis's first public exhibition, and Raymond had pulled out all the stops, inviting influential people to attend.
Tears welled up in Jeremiah's eyes as he watched these powerful individuals place bids on his paintings.
It was a dream come true, a moment he had longed for.
In the midst of the crowd, he walked over to Raymond and embraced him, grateful for the brotherhood they shared.
As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on Catarina.
She had come with some of her former students and was proudly showing them around his gallery.
A heartfelt whisper escaped his lips, "God, thank you so much," he murmured to the Holy Spirit, feeling a spiritual warmth envelop him.
But despite the joy of the evening, a hollow feeling gnawed at his heart—everyone was there except for her.
Swanta had come, but Paula was nowhere to be seen.
As if reading his mind, Raymond leaned in, "It seems Paula had a busy day."
Jeremiah nodded sadly. "Oh, I understand perfectly," he replied, trying to mask his disappointment.
Then, Raymond was the first to notice her. Paula was arriving with her workers, carrying food for the event. "Talk about the person…" Raymond nudged him, and Jeremiah looked up to see her.
Without thinking, he rushed over, tears brimming in his eyes, and hugged her tightly. "Paula, I was worried you weren't going to make it..."
She chuckled softly. "I'm so sorry I'm late. We had to prepare food for everyone—it's our first exhibition, after all."
Her emphasis on "our" melted Jeremiah's heart.
If he hadn't met this woman, he didn't think he would ever have felt so complete. "You've worked so hard, Paula. Please, marry me right now so that I can hold you in my arms and call you my own."
She laughed, thinking he was joking, but when he dropped to one knee and held out a ring, her breath caught.
Gasps echoed around the room as everyone, including Swanta, who was now sobbing joyfully in Catarina's arms, gathered to watch.
"Paula," Jeremiah said, his voice thick with emotion, "will you marry me again?"
Tears filled her eyes as she nodded, her voice trembling. "I will marry you again and again."
Cheers erupted as Jeremiah slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled her into an embrace, feeling like the luckiest man in the world.
***
Raymond gazed at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen—his wife, Catarina.
The thought still filled him with excitement and disbelief.
After Jeremiah's wedding last month, they had celebrated their own, with crowds attending in honor of their dedication to the church.
Now, standing in their bedroom, Raymond was eager to share their first kiss as husband and wife.
He couldn't wait any longer and kissed her impatiently, just as she was about to head to the bathroom.
She laughed softly against his lips. "Won't you wait until after I've had my bath?".
He held her tighter, a playful smile on his face. "You can bathe later, my wife."
Catarina surrendered to his embrace, allowing him to gently remove her wedding gown.
She, too, was eager to fully express her love for him.
They had both longed for this moment, and she loved him too much to deny him anything.
As they were wrapped in each other's arms, Raymond's phone began to ring.
He groaned in frustration, glancing over at it. "Who's calling me on our wedding night?"
They both burst into laughter, and Catarina pulled away to see the caller ID. "It's Jeremiah," she grinned. "You and Jeremiah are still so obsessed with each other. Does he know he's not supposed to be sharing my husband with me tonight?"
Raymond lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, ignoring the call.
Tears of happiness filled Catarina's eyes as she let Raymond touch her soul, their connection deepening with every tender moment.
As she gazed at him, she felt utterly convinced of his love—not just for her, but for God.
That was the greatest assurance she needed, for only a man who truly loved God could love her with such relentless devotion.
And with that certainty in her heart, she knew she was finally home.
THE END