Broken Vows

Chapter 19

Without Tyler’s pursuit to worry about or her anger to feed, the month of October was strangely quiet and calm.  So much so, Erin was almost bored.

Almost.

Thankfully, her decision to become a Christian opened her up to other things that occupied her time.  She attended the same “new believers” class that Brody had told her about at Bates’ wedding and she decided to get involved in a woman’s Bible study group as well.  She felt like she had a lot of catching up to do.

She eventually wanted to introduce Alyssa to the church as well, but she knew that would be harder to accomplish.  It would mean changing the custody arrangement with Tyler and she wasn’t ready to go there yet.  He had withdrawn from her presence to the extent that Jo usually greeted her at the door on Friday evenings.

Where Erin’s decision had freed her, it seemed to have the opposite effect on him.  She knew he wasn’t her responsibility anymore, that there was nothing more she could do to fix things.  These were Tyler’s demons alone and he had to come to terms with them on his own time.  But she still found that she worried about him and how, or if, his state of mind would affect Alyssa.

Instead of allowing the stress to work her into a bundle of nerves and anxiety, she used the one tool at her disposal that she wished she had used years before.  Prayer.

She found it comforting and liberating to leave problems at God’s feet and trust that he would bring her to the answers or solutions.

Brody noticed the change in her as well and said as much when he took her out on a date in early November.  The air had turned colder and frost had bitten the life out of the trees, though winter hadn’t yet settled in or produced any snow.  Still, they enjoyed being outside whenever possible and he’d found a café on East street that still had outdoor dining with the assistance of some patio heaters and wind barriers.

Erin sat across from him, enjoying a dessert cup of hot chocolate.  Her hands were wrapped around the mug, soaking up the warmth and she leaned back in her chair with a lazy, contented smile.  She had taken her down vest off and hung it on the back of the chair, but she’d left the knit cap on for extra warmth.  Her hair spilled out the bottom in waves around her shoulders.  Her cheeks still held a hint of pink from the cold air.

Brody studied her and she let him, enjoying the comfortable silence and his attention.

“I think you’ve gotten prettier, if that’s even possible.” He finally told her.

Erin grinned and rolled her eyes.  “You really need to put the one liners to rest Morgan.”

Brody returned her smile, but he shook his head, saying, “I’m serious.  I’ve always thought you were gorgeous, you know that.  But in the past month there’s been this peace that has settled over you, like you’ve finally settled in to your own skin and you’re comfortable with who you are and where you’re at in life.  You just look happy.  There’s no more negativity flowing underneath.”

“I am happy.  Calling me out and forcing me to forgive Tyler didn’t feel so good in the moment, but it sure does now.  It feels good not to walk around with so much pent up anger all the time.”

“So it has nothing to do with me, huh?” Brody teased.

Erin shrugged.  “Oh, maybe a little.”

“Just a little?  That’s all?  Well, then, I guess I don’t have to worry about the second part of our date.  If you only like me a little then there’s no sense in-”

Erin cut him off by throwing a rolled up napkin at him.

Brody ducked and watched it fly by before complaining.  “Hey!  What was that for?”