The Gate of Heaven (54 page)

The two stood staring at the door, and then Demetrius entered. Both of them were struck dumb at the sight of the beautiful young woman by his side. Her hand was on his arm, and her glossy auburn hair was done up in an unusual way. She was shapely and dressed in a beautiful gown, and her eyes were lustrous, and yet her lips were trembling as if she were afraid.

“This is my former owner, Dinah, daughter of Israel. Dinah, this is my father, Metus, and my mother, Theodora.”

“Why, you young fool! What do you mean by all this?” Metus cried out. He could not take his eyes off the young woman, who seemed very timid.

“Be quiet, Metus,” Theodora said. She went at once to Dinah and put out her hand. Dinah grasped it instantly, and Theodora said, “Welcome to our home, Dinah, daughter of Israel.”

“What's this nonsense about your owning my son?” Metus demanded, though in a softer tone.

Dinah was overwhelmed by the opulence of the home that Demetrius had brought her to. She had fallen more in love with her husband on the long sea voyage, but now to meet his parents was overwhelming. “It's true enough. I did own him, but now—”

“But now I own
her
.”

“What do you mean you own her?” Metus demanded.

“I mean she's your daughter-in-law now, and I hope you'll love her as I do.”

“Your wife!” Theodora exclaimed. And then she went forward at once and kissed Dinah on the cheek. “Welcome to the family, daughter.”

Metus, not to be outdone, blustered as he came forward, “I'm afraid you'll have to give your father-in-law a kiss, my dear.” He took the kiss from Dinah, then said, “Now, we've got to hear all about this.”

“Come. There's food on the table. You must be starved,” Theodora offered.

“One more thing,” Demetrius said. He could not contain his smile, and his eyes were lit up. He looked strong and handsome as he stood before them, holding his bride. “Dinah has a gift for you.”

“A gift? Why, how sweet,” Theodora said. “What is it?”

Dinah suddenly straightened up, and there was pride in her voice and in her demeanor. “I can't give it to you now…but in about six months I hope to give you a strong, handsome grandson.”

And then Metus and Theodora knew true happiness. They came forward rejoicing and could not make enough over Dinah. Demetrius stood back watching them and saw the happiness that flooded his wife. He knew she had been apprehensive, but now he saw that she would be as much a favorite with his own parents as she was to her father. And he was glad!

“Look,” Dinah said, “that silver road. It looks like it's going right up to the moon.”

“Yes. It's beautiful, isn't it?” Demetrius said. He was standing with his arm around Dinah. They had come out after the meal for a moment before retiring. “What did you think of my parents?”

“They're so wonderful.”

“They love you already. I can tell.”

The two stood holding each other, and finally he said, “There's a spot down the coast where I want us to settle. I'll take you to it tomorrow. We'll build a house there and have our children there.”

Dinah turned and put her hand on Demetrius's cheek. “You went a long way to find a wife. All the way to Canaan.”

“But it was worth the trip.” He kissed her then, and a thought came to him. “I found more than a wife in Canaan.”

She looked at him in surprise. “What was that?”

“I found the true God.”

They stood underneath the moon, the silver light flooding down upon them. They watched the path on the sea as it sparkled and glittered with the movement of the water. Suddenly a star made a silver track as it streaked across the sky, and the sea whispered.

“I had to become a slave to find the true God—and the woman that God had for me,” Demetrius said. “But it was worth it.”

Dinah laughed with exultation and embraced him. “Yes, and now we belong to each other.”

“That's the kind of slavery I like.” Demetrius laughed.

He kissed her, and the two stood gazing out at the sea. The night was brilliant with the light of the moon, and as the sea whispered its message, they knew they had come home and that their home was in each other and in God.

GILBERT MORRIS spent ten years as a pastor before becoming Professor of English at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas and earning a Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas. A prolific writer, he has had over 25 scholarly articles and 200 poems published in various periodicals and over the past years has had more than 180 novels published. His family includes three grown children, and he and his wife live in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

BOOKS BY GILBERT MORRIS

T
HE
H
OUSE OF
W
INSLOW
S
ERIES

1. The Honorable Imposter

2. The Captive Bride

3. The Indentured Heart

4. The Gentle Rebel

5. The Saintly Buccaneer

6. The Holy Warrior

7. The Reluctant Bridegroom

8. The Last Confederate

9. The Dixie Widow

10. The Wounded Yankee

11. The Union Belle

12. The Final Adversary

13. The Crossed Sabres

14. The Valiant Gunman

15. The Gallant Outlaw

16. The Jeweled Spur

17. The Yukon Queen

18. The Rough Rider

19. The Iron Lady

20. The Silver Star

21. The Shadow Portrait

22. The White Hunter

23. The Flying Cavalier

24. The Glorious Prodigal

25. The Amazon Quest

26. The Golden Angel

27. The Heavenly Fugitive

28. The Fiery Ring

29. The Pilgrim Song

30. The Beloved Enemy

31. The Shining Badge

32. The Royal Handmaid

33. The Silent Harp

34. The Virtuous Woman

35. The Gypsy Moon

36. The Unlikely Allies

37. The High Calling

38. The Hesitant Hero

39. The Widow's Choice

40. The White Knight

C
HENEY
D
UVALL
, M.D.
*

1. The Stars for a Light

2. Shadow of the Mountains

3. A City Not Forsaken

4. Toward the Sunrising

5. Secret Place of Thunder

6. In the Twilight, in the Evening

7. Island of the Innocent

8. Driven With the Wind

C
HENEY AND
S
HILOH
: T
HE
I
NHERITANCE
*

1. Where Two Seas Met

2. The Moon by Night

3. There Is a Season

T
HE
S
PIRIT
OF
A
PPALACHIA
**

1. Over the Misty Mountains

2. Beyond the Quiet Hills

3. Among the King's Soldiers

4. Beneath the Mockingbird's Wings

5. Around the River's Bend

L
IONS OF
J
UDAH

1. Heart of a Lion

2. No Woman So Fair

3. The Gate of Heaven

4. Till Shiloh Comes

5. By Way of the Wilderness

6. Daughter of Deliverance

*
with Lynn Morris
**
with Aaron McCarver