Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

F R A N C I N E R I V E R S
Miriam’s eyes swam. “Then how can you leave him now?”
“Because I don’t belong with him. I never did.” Seeing that Miriam was
going to say even more, she put her hand on the girl’s arm to stop her. “Please.
Miriam, I can’t have children. Do you know what that means to a man like
him? He wants children. He deserves them. I was ruined for all that long ago.”
She struggled with her pain. “I’m begging you, Miriam. Don’t make this any
more difficult than it already is. I’m going because it’s best for Michael. Try to
understand,” she said brokenly. “Miriam, I have to think of what’s best for him.”
The coach was coming at last. Angel stepped quickly into the road and
waved to the driver to stop. As he drew rein on the six horses, she worked
the wedding ring off her finger and held it out to Miriam. “Give this back to
him for me. It belonged to his mother.”
Tears pouring down her cheeks, Miriam shook her head and wouldn’t
take it. Angel reached out and took her hand, put the ring into it, and closed
the girl’s fingers around it. Turning away quickly, she handed her carpetbag
up to the driver. He began lashing it down with the other cases.
Angel looked at her friend’s pale, distraught face. “You love him, don’t
you, Miriam?”
“Yes, I love him. You know I do.” She stepped closer. “You’re wrong to do
this. Wrong, Amanda.”
Angel hugged her tightly. “Help me be strong.” She held her a moment
longer. “You’re very dear to me.” She let go and stepped quickly up into the
coach.
“Don’t go!” Miriam cried, putting her hands on the window opening.
The coach started moving.
Angel looked down at her, fighting against the pain. “You said you loved
him, Miriam. Then love him. And give him the children I can’t.”
Miriam let go in shock. Her face went fiery red and then white. “No. Oh,
no!” She started running after the coach, but it was picking up speed and not
slowing down. “Wait! Amanda, Amanda.”
But it was already too late. Dust swirled back, choking her, and by the
time she could run again, the stagecoach was too far down the road for her
to catch up. Standing in the middle of the road, she looked at the wedding
ring in her hand and burst into tears.
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