A Forever Family: Their Miracle Child. Susan Carlisle

She looked nervously from the window at the solid wall of grey and white fluff surrounding the small plane. She had to be brave, and with Mitchell so close she found it a little easier. It was only slight turbulence and perhaps the worst was already over.

      Suddenly the plane dropped about fifty feet from its flight path. Steadiness disappeared as Jade felt her stomach churn and her heart begin to pound. She gripped the armrests, her knuckles quickly turning white. Without thinking, Mitchell’s arms held her tightly. He didn’t care that she had tried to build a barrier. He ignored what she wanted and gave her what he knew at that moment she needed. Security and a sense that everything would be okay.

      Mitchell had travelled in enough light aircraft over the years to know they would be fine but she didn’t have that experience. He understood her fear was very real and he didn’t hesitate to reach out to her.

      Jade didn’t pull away, even after the turbulence subsided. She felt like she had found her safe harbour with Mitchell. And this time she wasn’t about to tell it any other way, to him or to herself. It was the truth. He made her sense of fear lessen and it was as if she could halve the worry, knowing he was there to lean on. She could not remember the last time she’d felt that she could rely on someone, more particularly a man. She had never let herself feel that way.

      As she looked down at the strong hand that was covering hers so warmly and the arm that was holding her tight, she wondered if Maureen and Arthur had raised two exceptional sons.