Betsy Read online

  “I understand that, but I can’t wait for the day when you live under this roof.” Charles stood up and walked Betsy to the door. He kissed her goodnight, placing a hand on her hip as his lips brushed against hers.

  Betsy felt a tingling sensation in her stomach. She took a deep breath. “Now I really need to go. Thank you for everything. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  Charles watched Betsy walk away, thrilled that things were finally working out for him. For the first time since his parents had passed, he felt like things were shaping up. He had the woman of his dreams. Six months would go quickly…wouldn’t they?

  Chapter 10

  “There’s the cakes, there’s the dresses, there’s the food, there’s the flowers—my, my, so much to do!” Edna Petunia clucked around the kitchen. A giant book of newspaper clippings and advertisements sat on the kitchen table.

  Betsy felt miserable. She had only been engaged for two months, and it was pure agony. She hated attention, but since she was the bride, Edna Petunia was focusing all of her energy on Betsy. She had even stopped going all-out on planning the baptism for Penny’s baby, which was to take place the following day. Everything was focused on Betsy and Charles.

  “What kind of cake do you want?” Edna Petunia had turned to her pictures of cakes she had seen before. She even had a few hand-drawn sketches she had imagined on Betsy’s behalf.

  “I like plain old chocolate cake. I think that would be nice.” Betsy was just trying to go along with what she thought Edna would want. She didn’t even like cake that much, but she ate it whenever Edna Petunia made it because she didn’t want to upset her.

  “No, no, no…plain chocolate won’t do for a wedding! It needs to have a twist or an elegant design.” Edna Petunia laughed at Betsy’s simplicity. “This is a wedding. It is a sacred, special, once-in-a-lifetime event! We will not be having plain old chocolate.”

  This was how most of the wedding planning went. Betsy would say something that she liked or wanted, and Edna Petunia would tell her that was silly, and of course she actually had to do something else. But she still allowed Betsy to voice her opinion—so at the end of the day, Edna Petunia was planning the wedding that she felt was exactly the way Betsy wanted it.

  They were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was the weekend during the day, and Betsy wasn’t sure who it would be. She went to the door and opened it. She was ecstatic when she saw it was Charles.

  “You’ve come to save me!” Betsy whispered, and Charles gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

  Edna Petunia came to the entryway. “My future son-in-law! Come on in and give me a big kiss!”

  Charles gave Edna Petunia a hug, and Edna Petunia grabbed his face and gave him a loud kiss. Betsy smiled. She loved her adoptive mother and all her eccentricities…even if some of the woman’s quirks were driving Betsy crazy.

  “I came to see if Betsy needed a break from wedding planning.” Charles smiled at Betsy.

  Edna Petunia frowned. “Why would she need a break? We’ve barely just begun! Maybe you can help us with the cakes!” Edna Petunia grabbed Charles’s hand and dragged him into the kitchen. She began to list all possible cake batter and frosting options.

  Betsy almost laughed in spite of herself. Charles looked even more miserable than she felt. She coughed. “You know, I’m feeling a bit hot in here. I think I should go out for some air.”

  “Yes. I should go with you!” Charles leapt to his feet.

  Edna Petunia looked disappointed. “Hurry back! We have decisions to make!”

  Once Betsy and Charles were out of the house, Betsy let loose. “I don’t see how I can handle four more months of this!”

  “I don’t know, either. Sleeping without you at night is torture. You belong at the house with me, with all of us.” Charles stared into Betsy’s eyes. It seemed so unfair that their love should be denied for reasons that neither of them could control. “What are we going to do?”

  Betsy smiled, a gleam in her eye. “I do have an idea…”

  The following day, the entire Sanders family gathered at their church for baby Benjamin’s baptism. Micah would perform the service, then the group would adjourn outside for a picnic luncheon.

  Betsy had volunteered to get to the church early to help set up. Charles and the children met her there. Although they weren’t yet married, he’d planned to attend the service to show his commitment to Betsy and her entire family.

  Betsy brought a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies with her. She knew from her sister, Sarah Jane—Micah’s wife—that he had a soft spot for them. And she needed him to be in a good place for the huge favor she was about to ask of him.

  “Good morning, Micah.” Betsy brought in the cookies and set them on Micah’s desk in the parsonage.

  “Wow, thank you! I love these!” Micah bit into one of the sweet, chewy cookies. “Thank you for coming here early to set up.”

  “Of course. I do have something to ask of you.”

  Micah frowned. When one of Sarah Jane’s sisters wanted something from him, he usually ended up in trouble. “What is it?”

  “I’m trying my best to do what’s right, but I don’t think I can wait another four months to get married to Charles. We love each other! And there are practical reasons, too. I’m not much of a help to him and his siblings living all the way across town with Edna Petunia and Cletus.” Betsy’s thoughts were jumbled. She didn’t know the best way to express what she was trying to tell Micah.

  “What are you asking, Betsy?” Micah thought he knew where she was going –and he didn’t like it.

  Betsy took a deep breath. “I’m asking—we’re asking—if you’ll marry us today. As part of the baptism or right before it. Micah, I’m trying so hard…but if I have to look at another dress or cake or top hat again, I might scream!”

  Micah felt sorry for Betsy. The girl was near tears. He knew from Sarah Jane that Betsy was one of the sweetest and most thoughtful of all the sisters. She clearly was trying to keep Edna Petunia happy by going through the motions of wedding planning, even though it was making her miserable.

  Betsy opened the door to Micah’s office and motioned for someone else to join her. “I’ve brought someone else to help me make my case, too.”

  Charles strode into the room and greeted Micah. “Pastor.” Charles had left Matthew in charge of the younger children playing outside.

  Micah shook his hand. “Good to see you, Charles. I understand you’ll be joining the family.”

  Charles nodded. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.”

  “Betsy and Charles, I wish I could help you. But the last time I performed a wedding ceremony earlier than Edna Petunia wanted, she didn’t speak to me for months. She only recently got over that! I don’t want to cause any more trouble. This is something you need to resolve with her.”

  “Micah, can I ask you a question?” Charles had a strange glint in his eye. Betsy hoped he wouldn’t say anything inappropriate.

  “Of course.” Micah was always polite and willing to listen. He was an excellent pastor to his congregation.

  “You’ve had a calling from God to preach, correct?” Charles began.

  Micah nodded. “Yes, I did. What’s that got to do with this situation?”

  “I’ve had a calling from God that this woman was sent here to be my wife. My life was in a disarray. My parents had died. I was doing a terrible job as a guardian for my younger siblings. I was unhappy with myself and everyone around me. And then I met Betsy.” Charles’s voice shifted and took on a lighter note. “She was the breath of fresh air that I never knew I needed. Ever since I met her, my life has been nothing short of fantastic. She’s my family. I know it, God knows it, Betsy knows it, my siblings know it – and now we need to be married and recognized officially by the church as man and wife.”

  Betsy loved how Charles had put it. She couldn’t have explained it any better herself. He was such a complex and intelligent man. He was right – it was a
bout time everyone else realized what she and Charles had known from the start.

  “That’s very compelling. I see your point. But I still can’t help you.” Micah set his face in a stern line, and Betsy’s heart sank. If Micah wouldn’t help her, she would have to endure another four months of wedding planning torture. She felt panicked when she thought about walking down the aisle in a monstrous creation of a dress, holding flowers that would probably make her sneeze. Even worse, standing up in front of everyone for an hour or more – Edna Petunia insisted on planning each and every word of the ceremony.

  “Please, Micah. I hope you’ll consider it.” Charles made one last attempt at changing Micah’s mind.

  “I’ll think about it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare my remarks for the baptism. Thank you both for coming to see me. I will pray on it.”

  Betsy didn’t want to get her hopes up. She didn’t think Micah would change his mind. He had seemed very firm. But he was a man of his word, and she believed him when he said he’d think on it.

  Betsy and Charles busied themselves getting ready for the baptism and the lunch. They set up food in small baskets on the tables so that after the service was over, everyone could come outside, sit down, and begin eating.

  The other family members arrived as the morning continued. Betsy introduced Charles to her sisters and brothers-in-law.

  “Always glad to meet a new brother-in-law!” Lewis, Ruby’s husband, exclaimed. “Good luck joining this family—you’ll need it.”

  Charles wasn’t sure whether this was a joke or not, but he laughed and shook Lewis’s hand.

  Betsy hadn’t told any of her sisters how she felt about getting married, so everyone continued to ask her dozens of questions about the wedding. Was she going to wear her hair down or pinned up? Would she wear white or ivory? Gloves or no gloves? Potatoes or green beans? Betsy smiled and tried to answer as politely as possible. But she was completely overwhelmed.

  Finally, Sarah Jane announced that the services would begin in a few minutes. Everyone took their place in the pews of the church, anxiously awaiting the baptism.

  Micah pulled Betsy and Charles aside. “I thought about what you said, and I prayed on it. The thing is, I can’t think of a single reason why I shouldn’t marry you today. You both love each other, so I won’t force you to wait. Are you ready?”

  Betsy couldn’t believe their luck. She began grinning from ear to ear. She felt as if a weight had been released from her back. Charles grabbed her, picked her up in the air, and planted a kiss on her lips.

  “Pastor, we can’t thank you enough!” Charles cried.

  Micah grimaced. “Instead of your thanks, I think I’ll need your protection from Edna Petunia.”

  Betsy nodded. He had a point.

  “Would you like me to marry you as part of the baptism? It won’t add much time.” Micah opened his Bible and took out a paper full of his writing.

  “Actually, would we be able to do it here? Just the three of us and his brothers and sister?” Betsy looked up at Charles and Micah pleadingly. “It’s just…I get so embarrassed and shy in front of crowds. It would be more special and meaningful if we did it now, on our own.”

  “I’ll respect whatever you both want.” Micah allowed Betsy and Charles to discuss it.

  Charles placed his hands around Betsy’s waist. “Betsy, you know all I want in this world is to be your husband. We can get married in front of one person or one thousand people. It’s completely up to you.”

  Betsy smiled. “You are so wonderful to me. Let’s get married now, with just Micah and the children.”

  Charles smiled broadly and went outside to get the children. When they all came back in, Amy ran up to Betsy and gave her a big hug. “I knew you would be my mama soon.”

  “We’re ready for you, Pastor.” Charles held Betsy’s hand and prepared for his marriage. It was happening faster than he’d imagined—and he couldn’t be more excited.

  “All right. Here we go.” Micah unfolded his notes and began to run through the wedding service. After a few breathless minutes, he pronounced them man and wife. “You may now kiss the bride.” Charles bent Betsy back and kissed her so long and hard that Micah found himself blushing. “We should really go in and get to the baptism now.”

  Charles straightened up and smiled broadly. “Yes, sir.”

  Betsy gulped for air after the long kiss and straightened her skirt. She felt like her face was probably bright red. She tried to calm herself down as she, Charles, and the children took their seats in the small church.

  “Where have you been?” Gertie hissed. “They were probably waiting for you!”

  Betsy could only stifle a giggle. Gertie frowned. None of her sisters ever took anything seriously.

  Micah baptized Benjamin with Penny holding the infant and Tom standing beside her, looking proudly at his growing family. Betsy found herself imagining the babies that she and Charles would eventually have. They certainly would have their hands full for a while with his younger brothers and sister – but someday soon, she hoped they’d have a child of their own.

  After the service, the Sanders family exited the church and sat down at the tables to start their lunch. David began to run in a circle around the church. Amy stared shyly at all the other children. “Those are your new cousins!” Betsy whispered to her. Amy looked ecstatic.

  “All right. What on earth is up with you two, grinning like two fools?” Edna Petunia pointed at Charles and Betsy. The newlyweds looked at each other.

  “We have something to tell you.” Betsy began gently. “We got married!”

  Charles had never heard a sound as loud or shrill as the cry Edna Petunia produced in that moment. Once his ears had stopped ringing, he grabbed her hand. “We’re very, very sorry, especially because we promised you we’d wait six months. But we felt it was more important to honor our commitment to God and to each other. We hope you’ll find it in your hearts to forgive us and bless our marriage.”

  “That’ll take time, son…that’ll take time.” Cletus came up behind them. “Edna, I’m going to take you for a little walk.” Cletus sighed. He understood why these young people couldn’t wait to get married—he’d felt the same way when he’d met Edna Petunia—but he hated the toll it was taking on his wife. Out of the lot of fifteen orphans, one of them could surely give the woman a wedding she could plan.

  Once Edna Petunia and Cletus were out of earshot, Betsy’s sisters surrounded her and Charles.

  “Congratulations!” Theresa shouted.

  “Welcome to the family!” Ruby clapped Charles on the back.

  “Couldn’t wait another minute, could you?” Frank, Evelyn’s husband, winked at Charles. “I know the feeling!”

  “I am so happy for you, Betsy!” Dorothy exclaimed.

  Betsy glowed. She had her family, and she had Charles. Life was absolutely grand.

  Epilogue

  Ten months later, Charles rushed home from the auction house as fast as he could without damaging the small package he held in his hands.

  When he got home, he admired the freshly-swept porch and newly-painted door. He went into the front room and saw Samuel, David, and Amy lined up in a row, following along in a book with their fingers. In front of them, Matthew was reading a story aloud.

  Betsy rushed to greet him with a big kiss. He bent down and enjoyed her lips mingling with his own. He was a lucky, lucky man.

  “I brought you something.” Charles handed Betsy the package, and she set it down on the kitchen table.

  “You shouldn’t have! What’s the occasion?”

  “I don’t need an occasion to give the woman I love a gift. Go ahead and open it!”

  Betsy carefully unwrapped it. There were four separate objects wrapped in paper. She tore the paper off one and held it up to the light. “Oh, it’s stunning!”

  In all, there were four teacups with the same blue pattern as the tea pot Charles had bought her when they’d first met. N
ow she had an entire set.

  “When I saw them, I knew I had to have them. Just like I felt when I saw you.” Charles gave her another kiss on the lips, and Betsy found herself boldly pressing back. Now that she was a married woman, she was getting much more comfortable being physically intimate with her husband. Betsy sighed contentedly. She had a beautiful family and a wonderful husband. Like the tea set, she had also ended up in exactly the right place.

  About the Author

  www.kirstenandmorganna.com

  Also by Kirsten Osbourne

  If you enjoyed this book and would like to receive emails when Kirsten has new books out, please text ‘Bob’ to 42828.

  For a complete list of Kirsten’s works head to her website wwww.kirstenandmorganna.com