Ready to wed, p.22
Ready to Wed,
p.22
“That’s understandable, Belle. Most little girls have similar dreams.”
“But I think now that if I really did have a wedding, I would do it differently … not so much hoopla. Do you know what I mean?”
Jane nodded.
“And I think I would focus my energy on my husband instead of playing the role of queen for a day.”
“I think that sounds very sensible,” said Jane.
“That’s Belle for you. I figure it all out after the party’s over. I’m always a day late and a dollar short.”
“Oh, I don’t think—”
“I just feel so sorry that I’ve dragged all you good folks in Acorn Hill through my little drama. I think I should just pack up and head South.”
At that moment the phone rang, and Jane was thankful for the distraction. Without waiting for Louise, she ran and picked it up. “Grace Chapel Inn,” she said formally.
“This is Richard Watson,” said a male voice. “Is Miss Bannister there?”
Jane handed Belle the phone. “It’s for you,” she said, quietly identifying the caller. Jane hoped that it wasn’t more bad news.
Belle mustered a congenial hello, then listened quietly, her face completely devoid of expression. Finally, she said, “Well, I suppose I could do that. If you really think—Okay, I’ll be down in a little bit.” Then she hung up.
“What is it?” asked Jane.
“Richard wanted me to know that I could make another offer on the house. He said that I could go higher than the other bid and maybe get the house. Of course, the other buyer could go higher than my second offer.”
“Do you really want that house?” asked Jane. “I mean still?”
Belle shrugged.
“Do you want to remain in Acorn Hill even if you don’t get married?” asked Jane. Despite Ethel’s desire to keep her here, Jane was not convinced this was in Belle’s best interest. And, as much as Jane had first been uneasy about this woman, she sincerely cared about her now.
“I do like it here, Jane. Acorn Hill feels like home to me. More so than the place I grew up.”
“But do you like it well enough to reside here as a single woman?”
With tears still glistening in her eyes, Belle took in a deep breath then answered. “Yes. I do feel at home here, Jane. I really, truly do.”
“You are absolutely certain?”
“I am certain.” She gave a very firm nod. “Naturally, I would feel even more at home here if I were a married woman, but I will not let that stop me now.”
Jane smiled at her. “Well, that’s honest.”
“And I really do believe I want that adorable cottage, Jane. I just love every little thing about it. Even if I take your advice and don’t paint it pink. Do you think I’m crazy?”
“No, I don’t. I think it’s a darling little house—pink or otherwise. Do you want me to go down to the real-estate office with you?”
Belle’s eyes lit up. “Yes. Yes, I do, Jane. Just give me a few minutes to clean up a bit. Not the whole nine yards, mind you, but I can at least put on some lipstick and run a comb through my hair.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
To Jane’s surprise, Belle was back downstairs in less than ten minutes. Her hair was combed and fluffed. She’d put on some makeup and changed into jeans topped with a crisp pink oxford shirt.
“Ready?” asked Jane as she reached for her car keys.
“Ready.” Belle seemed to be returning to her old cheerful self as they drove toward the real-estate office. Her optimism and hopefulness were returning. But, to Jane’s relief, there was no mention of weddings, husbands or dreams. Belle’s primary focus seemed to be fixed on getting that bungalow. And Jane was ready to back her all the way.
Richard, an energetic man in his forties, greeted them both warmly, escorting them to his private office and explaining about making a new offer in meticulous detail. Belle decided on her terms and signed the necessary papers. She and Jane were in the reception area saying good-bye to Richard when the phone in his office rang, and he excused himself to get it. As he left the room, a middle-aged woman and a lanky middle-aged, balding man walked into the office. Jane recognized the woman from church but didn’t know the gentleman.
“Hi, Mrs. Wren,” said Jane, introducing her to Belle.
“You ladies have not met my cousin Larry Mitchell,” said Mrs. Wren. “He just retired from the post office in Pittsburgh and plans to open a small business here in Acorn Hill.”
“What sort of business?” Jane asked Larry politely.
He gave her a shy half smile, and his big brown eyes, which reminded her of a puppy’s, lit up. “A shoe store actually.”
“Oh, I simply adore shoes,” said Belle. “If there’s one thing a girl can never have too many of, it’s shoes. Now what sort of shoes do you plan to carry in your shoe store, Mr. Mitchell?”
“You can call me Larry.” He stood straighter. “I plan to sell sensible shoes. Comfortable shoes … shoes that are good for your feet.”
Belle frowned. “Well, I suppose that could catch on, with some people anyway.”
“After spending more than twenty years on my feet delivering mail,” he continued in an earnest tone, looking directly at Belle, “I believe that people can only be as happy as their feet.”
Belle’s eyebrow creased as she thought about what he had said, and then she nodded. “You know, Larry, as much as I hate to admit it, that does make sense. Goodness gracious, my tootsies can be wailing something awful by the time I kick off a pretty pair of pumps.”
“You see?”
“I certainly do. I never really thought about it before, but I can get terribly grumpy after wearing high heels all day long.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you grumpy,” said Jane.
“That’s only because I hide it.”
Larry laughed. “Perhaps I’ll have a customer in you after all.”
Richard joined them. “I see you’ve all met.”
“Yes,” said Belle. “Larry was just telling us about his plans for a shoe store.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Jane asked Larry. “Are you looking at business property in town?”
Richard cleared his throat. “This is awkward,” he said, “but I might as well get it out into the open. Larry is the other party bidding on the McCullough house.”
“My house?” asked Belle with wide eyes.
“It’s not your house yet,” said Mrs. Wren indignantly.
“You’re the other bidder, Belle?” asked Larry. “Well, I’m sorry. Perhaps I should—”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” said Mrs. Wren sharply. “It’s called free enterprise, Larry. You can bid on a house if you want to.”
“And if you really want it,” began Belle. “I could always cancel my off—”
“No,” said Larry quickly. “I can’t ask you to do that, Belle. Maybe I should cancel my—”
“Maybe no one wants the house,” said Mrs. Wren irritably. She turned to Richard. “This is certainly quite a fine kettle of fish.”
“I’m sure we can work this all out amicably,” he said. “This is awkward. I didn’t anticipate your coming in this morning.”
“Well, I think this was highly irregular,” said Mrs. Wren.
Richard tried to explain to Mrs. Wren that his obligation was to the seller, whom he represented. He had the duty to get the seller the best price he could. As Mrs. Wren began to go on about business ethics and business etiquette, Jane noticed that Larry and Belle were standing about a foot apart, talking quietly while staring into each other’s eyes in an infatuated manner.
“I have an idea,” said Jane. “Why don’t we let Belle and Larry settle this?” She nudged Richard. “Do you have someplace where they can sit down and talk about this alone?”
“Well, I suppose they could use my office.”
“Come on, you two,” said Jane as she led them toward Richard’s private office. “You can go right in there, make yourselves at home, and discuss the situation.” She smiled at Larry, whose expression was a mixture of bewilderment and happy anticipation. “I’m sure you’ll discover that Belle is a kind and good-hearted young woman who wouldn’t take advantage of a soul.” Then she closed the door behind them.
“What on earth are you doing?” demanded Mrs. Wren.
“Oh, it’s okay.” Jane winked at the woman. “I have a feeling they can work this out on their own.”
Belle and Larry did work it out. After a few minutes in Richard’s office, the couple came out and announced that Larry would purchase the house. Then Larry said he was taking Belle for a ride and to dinner.
When the sisters tried to ask Belle about the decision on Friday morning at breakfast, she simply said that she felt it was the right thing to do. Then she excused herself from the table and rushed upstairs to get ready for her date with Larry.
The next evening, they went out again, and over dinner at Zachary’s, Belle received Larry’s wedding proposal. As it turned out, Larry popped the big question on the first Saturday of June, and Belle joyfully accepted.
“You see,” she told Jane and her sisters at breakfast the following morning. “I just got my dates a little mixed up. That’s all.”
“So when is the big day?” asked Ethel who had joined them.
“We haven’t set the actual date yet,” said Belle with a happy sigh. “I think I’ll be leaving that up to Larry. He needs to get his business plans worked out, and, really, I’m in no hurry now.”
Jane refilled Belle’s coffee cup and smiled. “That sounds wise.”
“Besides,” said Belle, “this gives me more time to work out all the details.” She unfolded and smoothed out a wrinkly magazine page that showed a model wearing a ghastly pink bridesmaid’s gown and showed it to them. “I would still love to have the four of you in my wedding. Oh, I can just see y’all standing up there in the chapel waiting for me to come down the aisle, wearing these delectable dresses and looking like a pretty row of pink tulips. Oh my, it’s going to be simply divine.”
Before the sisters could respond, Larry arrived and stopped at the dining room door. “I know I’m a little early,” he said to Belle eagerly. “But maybe we can take a little stroll before we go to church?”
“Ready when you are,” she said cheerfully. “See you girls later.”
“And ready to wed,” said Jane after the two had left. “Now if we can only think of a way to talk her out of those horrid pink dresses.”
Later in the day, after all the guests had checked out except for Belle, who had taken Larry for a drive in her pink convertible, Jane fixed a tray with a pitcher of lemonade—not pink—and plate of sugar cookies and took them out to the porch. There, she and her sisters sat back and relaxed, enjoying the refreshments and peaceful quiet.
“It is impossible not to be happy for Belle,” said Louise. “Despite all my earlier misgivings about her dream, I must admit that she seems to have made a good match in Larry Mitchell.”
“I’m so glad she didn’t give up.” Alice smiled at Jane. “And you had much to do with that, Jane. I have a feeling Belle will want you for her maid of honor.”
Jane groaned. “Oh, those awful pink dresses!”
“Speaking of marriages and weddings,” said Louise, “we’ve been so busy that we never heard the details of your conversation with Justin, Jane. I don’t want to seem intrusive, but Ethel continues to pester me with questions.”
“I must admit that I’ve been curious too,” admitted Alice. “I hate being nosy, but we are your sisters, Jane.”
Jane patted Alice’s hand. “You are the least nosy person I know, Alice. Neither you nor Louise ever pry into people’s personal affairs.”
“You should know, Jane,” said Alice, “that Aunt Ethel has been speculating that you and Justin are secretly planning to remarry, despite our assurances to the contrary.”
Louise nodded. “I would not be surprised if she has shared that idea with others.”
“Oh dear, I’d better get that cleared up right away.” Jane shared her conversation with Justin. “Mostly he just wanted to apologize,” she said finally. “There is absolutely no chance that we would reunite. In fact, he has a fiancée.”
“Jane, you have no idea what a relief this is for us,” added Louise.
“Yes,” agreed Alice. “We were getting nervous, Jane. Aunt Ethel kept saying how it was right for you to reunite with him and that we should be supportive if this were the case. She actually predicted that the two of you would remarry before summer ended.”
“And that you would return to San Francisco where you would open a new world-class restaurant,” added Louise.
“She certainly has an imagination,” said Jane.
“And you know how much she loves a wedding,” said Alice. “She’s over the moon about Belle.”
“She would be even more ecstatic if the wedding involved a member of the family.” Louise nodded toward Jane. “Particularly a niece.”
“Not this niece.” Jane firmly shook her head. “I guess I should be extra thankful that our Belle has come through.”
“I was so glad to hear that she made the decision to settle in Acorn Hill whether or not she got married,” said Alice.
“Yes, it was the first time she wasn’t completely obsessed with wedding bells,” said Jane.
“Isn’t that how God works?” said Alice. “He allowed Belle to reach the place where she accepted being single, and then He brought in the groom.”
“However, there is nothing wrong with being single,” said Louise firmly.
“Being single can be very freeing,” said Alice. “Even though Vera is happily married, she reminds me of this fact at least once a week.”
They all three chuckled.
“Freeing and satisfying.” Jane sighed happily as she leaned back into the porch swing. What she had just said was absolutely and refreshingly true. “You know,” she continued, “I wasn’t so sure of that a few weeks ago. I was in such a slump because of the weather that I began to question my life choices.”
“I think we all question such things at times,” admitted Louise. “It’s only natural.”
“Human,” added Alice.
“Yes. But now, after going through this stress with Justin and even the craziness with Belle, I can honestly say that I am truly content with my life.” She smiled. “And that feels good.”
“And you know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:6,” said Alice. “‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’”
“Yes,” agreed Jane. “I think that should be my mantra: godliness with contentment is great gain.”
“Amen,” said Louise.
Tales from Grace Chapel Inn®
Ready to Wed
by Melody Carlson
Hidden History
by Melody Carlson
Back Home Again
by Melody Carlson
Recipes & Wooden Spoons
by Judy Baer
Once you visit the charming village of Acorn Hill, you’ll never want to leave. Here, the three Howard sisters reunite after their father’s death and turn the family home into a bed-and-breakfast. They rekindle old memories, rediscover the bonds of sisterhood, revel in the blessings of friendship and meet many fascinating guests along the way.
Melody Carlson is the author of numerous books for children, teens and adults—with sales totaling more than two million copies. She has two grown sons and lives in central Oregon with her husband and a chocolate Labrador retriever.
Melody Carlson, Ready to Wed
