Winter Wonders by Delia Latham

Author:Delia Latham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian Fiction
ISBN: 9781522300304
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Published: 2017-10-17T04:00:00+00:00

13

He made it to the porch swing without ever touching the ground.

Winter returned within moments. She handed him one of the two steaming mugs she’d brought out and nodded toward the empty space on the swing. “Is this seat taken?”

“It’s reserved for someone really special.”

She grinned and sat next to him—closer than was probably safe, but Brady made no objection. “Then I think I’ll stake a claim.”

“Good move.” He lifted his cup. “And good coffee. Thank you.”

“You haven’t even tasted it.” She made a wry face. “How do you know it doesn’t taste like mud?”

“I can smell it. And you made it, so I’m sure it tastes at least a little like Heaven’s own brew.” Winter’s soft laughter tugged at his heart.

“Schmooze.”

Brady chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I can be a little corny.”

“I love it, angel man.”

Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap.

They both looked up. Winter gasped.

Brady didn’t make a sound. Was that…?

A cardinal perched on the rail. He’d rapped on the wood, and Brady had the strange certainty the bird wanted their attention.

“We’re listening, little one.” Winter must have come to the same conclusion.

The bird hopped a few steps closer and then opened his beak and started singing. One tune after another. At least three songs, back to back, with barely a pause between. At last, he ended the solo performance with a low churr, churr, churr.

Brady sidled a glance at Winter and found her gazing back at him, wide-eyed.

Chip, chip, chip.

Yet another sound emerged from the cardinal’s throat. He spread his wings and rose a foot or so off the rail, where he hovered, watching the two of them as if expecting something.

“That was beautiful, Red,” Winter breathed. “I’d give you a standing ovation, but I’m afraid it would scare you away.”

Brady put his hands together and offered a round of silent applause.

The bird flew toward the opposite end of the deck and back again. Once, twice, and a third time. Then he was gone, soaring off into the trees.

“What…was…that?” Winter seemed barely able to speak.

“The time of the singing of the birds is come,” Brady murmured. “And the turtledove is heard in our land.”

“I don’t understand.”

Brady pulled in a breath and smiled. “That’s a verse of scripture from Song of Solomon.”

“I see. I have to admit I don’t know much about the Bible—hardly anything, although I’m embarrassed to say so, given present company.”

“Well, the Song of Solomon is quite poetic and very romantic. It’s set up as a somewhat lengthy dialogue between a young man and woman in love.”

“I had no idea the Bible included anything about romance.”

Brady smiled. He slipped an arm around Winter and drew her close to his side in a comfortable, sweet embrace. “The Bible is full of love stories, although the word ‘romance’ is never mentioned. God Himself is the ultimate Lover of souls. He woos us with patience and passion and loves us with an eternal, unending love.”

“Maybe you could read to me from the Bible sometime?” Winter’s request came in a quiet, almost reverent tone.

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