G'morning.

It's release day yet again at By Grace, and this month, we're happy to bring you My Silent Heart by Deb Kinnard.

My Silent Heart
by Deb Kinnard

"I’ve done my mourning." Paul’s lips clamped in a tight line. "Don’t know if I’ll ever dance, but I need to—well, do something." He opened his hand, revealing a plain gold band on the palm of his work glove. "You go first."

"What?" Diane grabbed for the ring, certain he would regret this mistake. He closed his fist and snatched his hand out of her reach.

"Go ahead." His voice sounded choked in anguish too deep for expression. "Cast your stone, Miss Marshall. See what comes of it."

Shaking her head, she tossed the round piece of granite into the wet cement near the altar, not looking to see where it landed. Instead, she needed to connect. His hazel gaze bored into hers, bleak and heart wrenching.

"Stop and think. Are you sure this is necessary?"

"I’m sure." With a painfully slow gesture, he opened his palm. His wedding ring rolled off his glove into the ooze. It hit with a tiny metallic sound, sinking immediately. Diane and Paul stared at the spot where the ring vanished.

He gave a deep, unsteady breath, like a ragged sigh. "Believe me, it was necessary."

"No." His action opened a whole world of scary new possibilities. She resorted to annoyance—the rest of the emotions surging through her seemed more difficult to access.

He lifted a shoulder. "You tell me why not. You’re the builder. Is anything built without sacrifice?"

"No, but there are acceptable and unacceptable sacrifices."

"The Lord required it of me."

"Why would He? I don’t believe it. It was your choice. The Lord loves us." He does, right? How much? "He doesn’t ask us to give more than we can bear."

His expression changed slightly. "What would you know of that?"

"Maybe more than you think."