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Chapter 25 The Devil's in the Details

Posted on 2009-11-21

What an amazing evening they had spent! When darkness began to fall, the happy group dispersed to the van and jeep. Callie and Georgiana rode along with Will and Beth, where Callie talked incessantly and Georgiana could not help but keep smiling. Beth held on to Will's hand while frequently glancing at the ring to remind her that it all had been real; she actually was going to be married to Will.

Because of the men's early day, a fire was not lit that night, but they descended on the girls' cabin and continued the party. A little before ten, Ed and Marie decided to make the short journey to their small cabin. Richard announced his intentions of the hot tub and then a good night's sleep. Callie was fighting her drowsiness but not before she kissed her Uncle Richard goodnight. She turned to Will and asked if he and her momma would come to hear her prayers.

She asked to sleep in her momma's bed, and Beth agreed to her request. Will and Beth sat opposite each other, each holding one of Callie's hands. She looked from one to the other with her huge toothy grin and she then started to pray. "Dear God, thank you for my very fun day. I love the lake and the sand. I liked the fish, too, though it was kind of yucky." Will chuckled and Callie shushed him. "Anyway, God, thank you for my momma and Mr. Will getting married soon. I am so happy that he will be my daddy soon. I hope we will not have to wait too long. I hope Jeannie will be happy, too. Thank you that we will be a real family and my daddy will take care of us and momma won't cry in her bed anymore at night. Amen"

"Callie, I…" Beth was startled by what her daughter said at the end of her prayer.

"It's alright, momma. You didn't want me to know, but I hear you cry sometimes. Now my daddy will be there. I'm tired now." She hugged Beth around her neck and kissed her, then she turned and repeated the same with Will. "Goodnight Daddy Will." She said. "I know you're not my real daddy yet, but can I call you Daddy Will until it is real?"

"I would like that, princess." Will found that he liked the little girl kisses remembering how much Georgiana's used to sooth him. He didn't realize how much he missed them.

The two walked out hand in hand. Beth was a little embarrassed by Callie's prayer and she remembered the night when she prayed that Will would be her daddy someday. She reminded herself how God does answer the prayers of all His children. She excused herself to the restroom while Will walked out into the living room. Georgiana and Rachel were watching a movie and discussing whether to use the hot tub or not.

When Will approached, Rachel said she really just wanted to go on to bed, told Will goodnight and congratulations again, and left the siblings alone. Will walked over to Georgiana and embraced her.

"What's this for?" she giggled but didn't let go.

"I just realized I haven't told you enough how much I love you, little sister." He held her tightly.

"Will, I know you love me. But you are right, it's nice to hear. I am so happy for you and Beth. You deserve to be happy, Will." She looked up at her brother's face with her eyes shining.

"You were right about us all along. You and your Project Pride and Prejudice." They both chuckled. "You have seemed a little sad, though, Georgie. Can I help?"

"I'm fine, Will. I'm just realizing that next week I'll be away from home for the first time, really. I'm excited about school, but nervous, too. And I know I have some decisions to make before I leave." She hugged him tightly before dropping her arms and flopping into a chair.

"Decisions?" Will hoped she would confide in him what Beth had told him.

"Yes, but not tonight, Will. This is a happy time, and I will not change that. But, would you take a walk with me in the morning? Just the two of us?

"I would love to walk with you Georgie girl."

"I'll let that slide because I know you're emotional tonight. Callie is so excited about you being her daddy. I know first hand that you will be great, big brother." She kissed his cheek and they agreed to meet up before breakfast the next day.

Beth stood in the doorway watching the siblings embrace and she hugged Georgiana as she walked by. Sensing something had just happened, she quickly walked up to Will, "Are you alright?"

He nodded and indicated with a jerk of his head that they should go outside. Snuggling together on the porch swing, Will relayed the conversation with his sister. Beth advised him to listen to what she would say to him tomorrow and be supportive no matter what her decisions might be. They sat in silence for several minutes looking up at the night sky lost in the arms of each other.

"Elizabeth?" Will broke the quiet.

"Hmm?" she was almost lulled into a light sleep listening to his heart and the crickets together.

"When?"

She almost started to ask what he meant, and then she remembered that she never really had answered the question before. "I guess we need to get to some of the details, huh?"

"As far as I'm concern the "when" is the most important now."

'Well, October is a beautiful month, I think."

Will groaned, "that long?"

"Honey, it's only eight weeks away! What about the second Saturday in October? We'll have to see if the church is available, but what about that?" She turned her head around to see Will's face behind her.

"It had better be free. That gives me time to really get moving on my thesis. I don't want to be worried about that after the honeymoon, which I intend to never let end, by the way." He bent down to kiss her.

"I'll hold you to it. If tonight was any indication of your intentions…"

'Yes, about that. Elizabeth, that's another reason why I wish a short engagement. I'm only human, you know. Let's just say I will need to stay very busy and it will be up to you to hold me back, I'm afraid." He smiled sheepishly.

"It's not that long, Fitzwilliam. But if the wedding's in October and you plan on us going away…"

"I certainly do."

"…Then what am I to do about school? I'm new here, I can't just go in and say, 'hey, I need a couple of weeks off in October.' Not going to fly."

"I see your point. But, honey, can you see yourself not teaching anymore?" He moved to sit her next to him so that they could have this rather serious conversation.

"What would you like me to do, Fitzwilliam?' She asked sincerely wanting to know his wishes..

Will exhaled slowly. He felt he needed to choose his words carefully but still answer Beth honestly. A hand raked across his hair, a sure sign to Beth of his dilemma. "Honey, I can think of nothing better than to work side by side with you, but you are an amazing teacher with a special gift. I could not make demands on you to leave a profession you love."

"But…"

"…But I'm also a very selfish man," he grinned with a devilish gleam in his eye.

"And I'm a selfish woman.' She replied pertly.

"I would disagree with you there."

"Hear me out. I'm just selfish enough to say that I have waited all my life to be loved by a man. I know that I have told you over and over that I don't need you to rescue me, but this past year has taught me that it is not rescuing, it's loving and caring that I so desperately need. So I'm just selfish enough to say that I'd like to just bask in our love fulltime for awhile." She looked up at him and again, her face was glowing. Will couldn't help himself as he hungrily sought her mouth and lavished her with his kisses.

"You won't get sick of me?" He asked after several minutes as he was unraveling her braid and twisting her hair in between his fingers. "You know the winters can get pretty brutal up here. We could get stuck on the farm for days. Just you and me…."

"…and Callie and Richard." She laughed

"Yes, but we can steal away. I guarantee we will find a way for that."

Beth's face grew serious for a moment, "About what Callie prayed tonight…"

Will's face softened as he sensed her anxiety, "We don't have to talk about that."

"No, I want to. I do cry sometimes at night. Last winter I was despondent over Jeannie and you. I knew that I had pushed you away and…"

"That's ancient history, Elizabeth." He held her face in his hands while his thumbs traced her cheeks.

"Yes, but sometimes I get overwhelmed, darling. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night certain that something terrible has happened or will happen to Jeannie. I still have nightmares that I can't get to her. I guess that is what Callie hears."

"Listen, they are not as frequent as they once were, but I still see my family in those cars. I still hear Seth screaming. I don't think our worse fears ever leave us. We just learn to deal with them. But now, in the middle of the night when Jeannie has exceeded your grasp, you can turn to me. I will be there then to hold you and to remind you that she is safe and Callie is dreaming of Butterscotch. And you will do the same for me. Our pasts and our fears will not be stronger than the two of us fighting together. I am certain of that, my love."

Beth nodded her head in agreement then buried her head in his chest. "I love you, Fitzwilliam. These weeks will fly by, and then we will never have to part again."

As much as they loved waking in each other's arms, they both agreed that they needed a good night's rest in their separate beds. After several futile attempts to leave, Will finally forced himself off the swing and slowly made his way to the now dark cabin. The lonely nights were now most certainly numbered.

Not much had been planned for Wednesday except the petting zoo for Callie and miniature golf in the evening. There were several shops and sights to see, so the group had determined they would meet at breakfast and decide to fill in from there. After the rousing success of Beth's breakfast the day before, she volunteered to make pancakes for the entire crew in the morning. She enjoyed cooking for the large group but was grateful she didn't have to do it everyday.

A little after eight o'clock, Will heard a light knocking on the door. Figuring it was Georgiana, he finished putting on his shoes and quietly opened the door. He was pleasantly surprised to see Beth standing on the deck smiling and offering a mug of coffee. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked before kissing her good morning.

"I thought you'd might like a cup to get you going a little bit."

"You get me going more than a little bit." He growled and demanded another kiss.

"Yes, I can see that. But, this is actually so that you can be awake to spend some time with Georgiana. She needs you, Fitzwilliam. I believe with all my heart that she is happy for us, and even though she's eighteen and going away to school, she might be a bit insecure of where she will fit in with us."

"But she loves the idea of us together. Remember her conniving last year?"

"Yes, but you are the closest thing to a father she has ever known. Hearing Callie and hopefully Jeannie call you daddy has to be a little difficult for her. Did she ever call you that when she was younger?" They had moved to the swing on Will's deck and sat down next to one another.

"A couple of times in the first several years, but after she was, I don't know, six or so, she never did it again. She called Juanita mommy a couple of times then, too. That's when we all started calling her mamacita, little mama. She's not that much older than me, but she's been a mom to me nonetheless." Though this was an emotional topic Will felt comfortable explaining it all to Beth.

"Wow, it still really affects me to think about all of you back then. I really marvel at how you raised them, Fitzwilliam. God enabled you to be what they needed." She encircled him with her arms and laid her head on his chest.

"I marvel at your faith, Elizabeth. God and I weren't exactly on speaking terms back then. It took me a long time before I walked back into a church building, and even then it was so that Seth and Georgie could learn. I certainly wasn't in any position to teach them about God." He had set the coffee down and was winding his fingers through her hair as he loved to do.

"But you came back. That's the main thing. So are you on talking terms now?" She closed her eyes hoping for the answer to be 'yes'.

"Well, sometimes I talk to my mother's picture, have I ever told you that?" Beth shook her head. She removed her arms around him so that she could see his face. They laced their fingers together then; an understanding between them that they needed each other's touch. "I've come to realize that she is sort of a conduit for me to praying. I tell her the things that I would tell God. I hope He understands that. Yet, I have to admit that since I've known you, I've been forced to reflect on my relationship. So I should thank you for leading me back." He bent and kissed her lightly.

"I am glad that I could help, but honestly, He never stopped speaking to you, Fitzwilliam. You have just recently begun listening again." They both saw Georgiana coming out of the cabin and waved to her. "Well, say a little prayer now, big brother and be what she needs. I'll have breakfast ready at nine, OK?" She stood and handed him his coffee while kissing him gently and whispering her words of love before leaving the two siblings together.

Will figured he would let Georgiana lead the way in both their walk and their conversation as she had hiked around the cabins much more than he; and she had initiated this time together. They started in the glen and walked though a thicket before she finally spoke. Assuring her brother how happy she truly was, she then revealed her feelings of guilt that she had prevented Will from having a life for so long. Will was astonished at how deeply Georgiana felt in this regard and did all he could to reassure her of his love and that he had no regrets when it came to her or Seth.

Figuring that he had nothing to lose, he then asked his sister if she was going to break up with Justin before heading of to college. She looked at him in surprise but then affirmed that she had made the decision to let him go. While vigorously defending him to Will, she also said that she just wasn't ready for a physical relationship. Will told her held her in the highest respect and that Justin would too, eventually. He told her that he truly liked the young man and hoped that they could somehow remain friends.

He wanted to inquire of Seth and Rachel's relationship but thought better of asking her to betray her friend. Georgiana did say that Rachel had confided in her that she was going to make her decision during this vacation as well. She said that she actually believed that Justin and Seth both already knew what the two girls were going to do but were just waiting for them to make the first move.

As they approached the cabins, Will stopped and took Georgiana into his embrace. He told her again how much he loved her and how proud he was of her. He said he knew that their parents would be excited about how both of them were embarking on great adventures and he had every reason to believe that they were both on the right track. Before they reached the door he told her that he would always be there for her and that Beth would be, too. They each took a few deep breaths and entered into the morning melee confident in each other and in the directions their lives were headed.

Everyone was still in a great mood after the previous evening's celebration so the day flew by with fun and laughter. They all frolicked at the lake and even played sand volleyball as there were ten of them altogether. Eventually covered in sand, they cleaned off the best they could and then headed back to their prospective cabins to shower up and laze around in the afternoon. Callie's predictable water induced nap left some time to relax, so Beth pulled out another swimsuit and eased into the hot tub.

What seemed to be just moments later, Beth opened one eye to see Will gazing at her. The unmistakable look of desire burned through her and she felt herself begin to blush. "How long have you been standing there?' she asked self consciously.

"Long enough to curse the fact that my trunks are back in my cabin.' He approached her then, leaned down and sought her mouth with a hunger that left them both breathless. "Nine weeks, does it really have to be nine weeks?" He didn't even wait for her to answer as he covered her mouth again. He let his mouth begin it exploration of her face and neck and began travelling to her shoulders. "Elizabeth, please let's not wait so long." He begged again.

Beth's eyes were closed as she felt her body explode with the sensations Will's touch was sending through her. She could hear his pleas but had no voice to answer or to stop his advances. A moan escaped her throat as he found her pulse point on her neck and then...a splash of water hit her face. She opened her eyes to see Will standing in the tub laughing and splashing her again. "You were asleep, I think." He said as he moved to sit across from her in the tub. "You were moaning or something. Were you dreaming?"

"I, uh, well, I guess…I don't know Will. You scared me half to death just now!" she was quite embarrassed that she must have, indeed, been dreaming – and a steamy dream at that.

"Sorry, well not really." He reached over and pulled her to him. She fought him off and much splashing ensued. It took several minutes for Will to realize that Beth was either angry or upset about something. "Honey, surely you can't be mad at me for waking you with a little splash?"

"No, it's not that, it's just that I…Will I can't talk to you about it. Just leave it be." She had dreamt of Will many times, but this was the most sensuous dream and it startled her. She was also very conscious of their two barely clad bodies in the hot water together. "How did you know I was here?" It came out as practically an accusation.

"OK, that's two Will's in record time. What is the matter? I came over to the cabin; the girls said you were in the hot tub. I went back, threw on my trunks and ran over. You were obviously asleep. You had the most beautiful look on your face and then you let out this little moan; I couldn't help myself. Elizabeth why would you be getting so flustered about a little splash…" he paused and then a very slight but very sly grin appeared. "Elizabeth, were dreaming?" no response. "Were you dreaming about me, about us?" Her face grew even more red.

"You, you flatter yourself. I don't even think I was asleep. I just thinking about something…" he started laughing and pulled her into his arms.

"You were having a sexy little dream, weren't you? And I do flatter myself, thank you very much." He kissed her soundly. When she didn't return the kiss, he let her go and started laughing again. "Oh, come on, Elizabeth. Now you know what I go through constantly. All my cold showers, and I have about ripped the hair out of my head! Honey…" he lifted her still mortified face to look at him. "Why should this upset you so much?"

"I don't know. It's just embarrassing. And then I got caught." She pouted for a second and still seeing the laughter in Will's eyes, she eventually gave in and laughed a little self consciously. "You were trying to talk me into not waiting for nine weeks. You were being quite persuasive."

"Oh, was I? Tell me, what was I doing? I may need some pointers as I totally agree with your subconscious." He sought her lips and quickly deepened the kiss. "Was that close to your dream?"

"A little too much, yes." Beth pulled away and sat down opposite of Will. "This might not be the best idea, you know."

"It's broad daylight, and I was just kissing my fiancé. Oh, I like that word. First time I've said it actually. Honey, you need to lighten up just a bit."

"You laughed at me." She pouted again.

"You were funny. But I won't do it again. As long as the dream was about me," he shot his gaze up to her face to see her nod, "then I'm satisfied. It's natural, Elizabeth. Please don't tell me that's the first time you've ever dreamt of me."

"No, it wasn't. But this time was different. I can't talk to you about this. It's embarrassing. Please, can we drop it?" She felt her face flush again. She was beginning to be upset with just how inexperienced she really was and it bothered her. It also bothered her that Will seemed to find it amusing.

"Ok, it's dropped. No more laughing. Am I forgiven?" He saw her nod. "Still love me?" another nod. "Still going to marry me?" nod with a smile. "Still going to make us wait nine weeks?" Nod, smile and a huge splash.

The remainder of their trip was uneventful but full of swimming, canoeing, eating and wedding talk. Taking advantage of a moment alone with Marie, Beth had explained her dream and how uncomfortable she was with the stronger feelings of desire for Will. Marie agreed that Will was right; these were natural as her emotions were running higher and she loved Will completely. Marie suggested that if Beth truly wished to maintain her convictions, then she and Will would have to come to a meeting of the minds about the amount of time they spent and how they spent it.

The two friends also made a pact to make their yearly appointments together for moral support. The call was made before they left to go back to Bryan and they were scheduled for two weeks before the tentative wedding date. Marie told Beth that she knew of Rachel's decision, but she was going to wait until they were back in Bryan. Neither woman knew how this would affect all four of the young adults, but the hope remained that somehow friendships would be maintained.

A clue that might not be the case arrived when, again, Georgiana asked to ride home in the jeep. She appeared agitated when she sat down in the front seat. She was texting for the most of the trip home and feigned sleep the rest of the time. Will whispered to Beth that he thought the fireworks would wait until the weekend, but apparently that wasn't the case.

They van followed Richard to Pemberville as both Seth and Callie were passengers. As they got out, Callie ran to her mom and said that she didn't like it when people argued. Seth emerged obviously angry and pushed past the group, but at least thanked Ed for the ride. Richard secured the luggage and other items that were stowed so that they could take off. Beth walked up to Marie's window and motioned for her to roll it down. Marie shook her head and mouthed, "I'll call you later." As they drove off rather quickly.

Once inside, Will hollered for Seth to come down and get his things. Loud music blared from his room, but he did come down and pick up his belongings. Will started to say something but Seth cut him off and said he just didn't want to talk about anything at the moment. As he spoke his look to Beth could have sent her to an early grave. He also shot the same look to Georgiana as he muttered something under his breath not anyone could catch. Will, however, caught the looks and demanded the young man stop and explain himself.

"I said not now, Will." Seth retorted angrily.

"I can tell you're upset, but I think you need to calm down. Those looks you just gave Elizabeth and Georgiana spoke volumes." Will answered calmly.

"I'm not going to get into this now, man. Let me go." Seth was seething.

"Seth," Will began.

"Fine! You want me to talk now. I'll talk now. I'm telling you now that after SHE moves in here, I won't be back. If Richard's house is built by next, Spring, fine, but I'm not going to live here anymore." He attempted to run up the steps, but Will caught his arm.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Will demanded.

"I thought I was pretty clear, Fitzman. I'm not going to live with her." Seth's steely gaze shifted to Beth as he wrenched his arm away. Taking the stairs two at a time, he bounded down the hallway and slammed the door.

A stunned silence fell over the room until Callie began sobbing and hid her face in her shocked mother's capris. Beth's hands fell to her daughter's shoulders and held her tightly. "Honey, it's going to be OK. Maybe we should just head home now. Everyone is tired." Beth attempted to move Callie from the middle of the hallway.

"But Seth is really angry at you, Momma. You always say that we have to work our anger out before it gets worse." Her daughter's tear streaked face implored Beth to do something about the situation.

At that, Georgiana burst into tears and ran up the steps and into her room also forcefully shutting her door. Callie looked back at her mother and asked what did she do to Georgiana. Now Beth felt like crying. Richard and Will were standing in the middle of the hall resembling the proverbial deer in the headlight. Will finally had himself under control enough to move to the foot of the stairs. "Family meeting, NOW!" he roared and stumped into the den. Richard followed close behind, shrugging his shoulders as he passed Beth.

"Momma, does that mean us?" Callie asked looking a little frightened.

"Yes, it does," Will called from the other room. Beth and Callie walked hand in hand to their first Stephens family meeting.

They waited for what seemed to be an eternity. Neither Will nor Richard spoke and neither Georgiana nor Seth came down the stairs. Callie sat on her momma's lap staring at the men in wide eyed wonder. Beth was praying that they would figure out what was happening and that she would be able to help Seth with whatever he was feeling towards her.

Finally, Will made a move to get up. Richard placed his hand or Will's arm and shook his head. "Let me go." Beth could hear him climb the stairs. He headed toward Georgiana's room first. He knocked softly, "Georgie, girl. You know what it means when a family meeting is called. You have to come." He opened the door and walked in.

A minute or so later, a door opened and Richard walked out first followed by Georgiana. She came down the steps while Richard walked down the other end of the hall. Again he knocked, but this time more loudly. "Seth, come on, man. You know the rules." There was a muffled response. "I don't care how old you are. It's a family meeting." Another response. "Too bad, brother because you are in this family. Don't make me break down the door 'cause you know I will. I've done it before."

Richard returned to the room and squeezed Georgiana's shoulder as he walked by her. Loud music was heard again overhead and Seth pounded the stairs before he strode rigidly into the den. He threw himself into the chair closest to the door. Everything about his demeanor screamed anger and defiance. He refused to look at anyone.

Before Beth could stop her, Callie slid off her lap and walked over to Seth. She stood in front of him for a moment eyeing him carefully. Seth refused to return her gaze. Callie suddenly sat on the floor and then looked up into Seth's downcast face. "Momma says that we have to use our words when we're angry but we can't use words that will hurt. Since we're in your family now, you have to follow that rule, too. What did my momma do to you to make you so mad at her?"

Seth closed his eyes trying to ignore the sincere little girl trying to reach out to him. "Are you kidding me with this? Will, are you kidding me?"

Instead of Will it was Richard who spoke up, "Watch what you say and do, little man 'cause right now an eight year old is acting more mature than you. What in the world has happened and what does it have to do with Beth?"

"Yes Georgiana," Seth spit out, "What in the world does it have to do with Beth?"

"Seth, this isn't the time or the place or the audience to do this." Georgiana was pleading with her obviously furious cousin.

"He called the meeting. So let's meet. Go ahead. Tell them Georgie how you and Rachel chose to end the vacation. Go ahead." He still had not looked at anyone in the room.

Beth was feeling more and more uncomfortable with each exchange. She was also worried that Callie might hear things that she really had no business hearing at her age. She glanced over at Will who met her worried glaze. They all heard the back door open. Juanita. Will called Callie over to him. He whispered in her ear that he wanted a special snack for the meeting. He asked her to fix it and to get Juanita to assist her. Callie was quite happy to leave the room and she could be heard calling out to Juanita as she entered the kitchen.

Mouthing "thank you" Beth felt Callie's absence keenly and started to think of herself as the outsider to this meeting. Will sensed her discomfort but was torn. He didn't want Seth to think he was going to automatically "side" with Beth, but he wanted her to feel his support. He was beginning to realize that Rachel had broken things off and Seth was blaming Beth. Poor Richard was totally clueless and kept shifting gazes from Seth, Georgiana, Beth and back again.

"Seth," Georgiana broke the charged silence, "What happened and our decisions were our own. Beth is not responsible."

"She is and you know it! The High Virgin Queen over there guilted you both into breaking up with Justin and me." Seth had still not looked at anyone, but it was obvious he was referring to Beth.

"The high virgin – what? Seth, you better watch your mouth young man. Show some respect for Heaven's sake." Richard admonished his brother. "And look at people when they're talking to you!" He was in command mode now. "I mean it Seth, you want to be treated like an adult then act like one. It's obvious you're pissed off and I guess now at least we've figured out that Rachel broke things off, but again, why are you taking it out on Beth?"

Seth did raise his head at Richard's command, reason finally reaching him that his brother had no idea what was going on and didn't deserve his anger. Will was guilty by association, Georgiana was duped, but Beth was the real perpetrator as far as he was concerned. "I apologize to you, Rich, you obviously don't have a clue what's been happening around here for quite awhile. Let me bring you up to speed. Apparently Beth has been holding meetings of the 'All Guys Want is Sex Club" with Georgie and Rachel as key members."

"Seth, that's not fair. You are out of line!" Georgiana got up and walked toward her cousin. "She is not like that at all. She has helped us, but she has NEVER pushed her beliefs on us or told us what to do."

While Georgiana was lashing out at Seth, the light dawned on Richard and he suddenly wanted out of the room so fast his head was swimming. Not only did he not want to think of Georgiana even contemplating sex, he had absolutely no desire to talk about the subject in mixed company. He whipped his head around in Will's direction. If Will had not been so upset by what Seth was spewing, he would have actually laughed at Richard's desperate look of a trapped animal begging for release.

"I find that hard to believe!' Seth countered.

"Do you actually think that Rachel and I have no brains for ourselves? There was a lot more than just that one issue that brought us to make the decision, Seth. Did you even bother to listen to her this morning? Did you even stop one minute and try to see it from her point of view?" Both cousins were standing toe to toe at this point. Seth obviously had the height advantage but at that moment, Georgiana was the stronger of the two and was forcing her cousin to look at his own behavior. "Seth, I know you're hurt. I really thought that you saw this coming. Justin did. He doesn't like it, but he's trying to accept it. Seth, it's not that Rachel doesn't love you, 'cause I think she does. But she wants to experience college and really try to not come home very often. We both feel like we have some growing up to do. You and Justin will be twenty soon, we're just barely eighteen."

"You didn't even give us a chance to fight it through. Your minds were made up. You've got the big role model here of being able to do things by yourself." he pointed to Beth as he spit out the words.

'Seth…" Richard warned again. He looked between Will and Beth and couldn't understand why neither one had spoken. Beth's face was flushed and she was fidgeting with her ring. Will was watching her and was obviously fighting to control his anger. He then realized that Will was struggling between what his sister had talked to him about, what his cousin was livid about, and what he dealt with everyday in complying with Beth's wishes. Somebody just shoot me if I say I'm lonely again.

"Seth," Beth spoke quietly and every eye turned to her except for Seth's. "Seth, this is an adult situation and I refuse to be involved any further until you behave like an adult. You are attacking me and then acting like I'm not even in the room. You just accused Georgiana and Rachel of not giving you a chance and you are guilty of doing the same thing right now to me. I am perfectly willing to discuss this with you privately. Now be a man, and let's go into Will's office." Beth walked out of the room without looking back. All eyes turned then to Seth.

Will began to say something, but both Richard and Georgiana motioned for him to stay silent. Seth's head was hung and he was obviously struggling with himself. Finally, he stood up, said, "Fine!" and marched out and into Will's office slamming the door behind him.

"If you think I'm letting him have a go at her, you're crazy." Will started getting up to leave the room.

"Don't go in there, Will." Richard warned. "Let her handle this. She has got to establish herself here. The sooner the better. She's a teacher; she's stared down angry teens and parents I daresay. She can handle Mr. Hothead."

Will sat down but then stood up again and started pacing. Georgiana explained to Richard why the girls made their decisions. She said that they both still loved the young men, but they really felt they needed to become individuals for awhile and believe that if they were meant to get back together, they would. She teared up again and both men tried to comfort her although they were clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. By and by, she excused herself saying she just wanted to be alone for awhile.

They could hear the muffled conversation from next door. A few times voices were raised, but mostly it was relatively quiet. Richard remarked that he thought the girls were making a wise decision. He waited for Will to make some sort of comment, but nothing came. "Will," Richard finally addressed him directly, "do you agree with Seth's ranting? Do you think Beth influenced the girls too much?"

"What?" Will looked at Richard in disbelief. "No, not at all. I'm just trying not to throttle him and at the same time I'm congratulating myself in my choice of fiancées. Richard, she is so perfect for me, for this family. You see it too, don't you? If mom were alive, she'd be taking the praise for raising me to pick the wisest, liveliest woman outside of her that existed." His face was beaming.

"Hmm. You know, she does remind me of Aunt Olivia. Freud would have a field day with that, my friend." The two laughed for the first time that day. The door opened to the office and Seth walked out. The anger was gone but a look of pure misery replaced it. He stood at the entrance to the den and mumbled "sorry" to the two men and they heard him shuffle back up the stairs. The door to his room shut and the music blared on.

"Honey? Elizabeth? Are you alright?" Will asked as he swiftly walked to the hallway.

"I'm fine. I'm coming." She met him in the hall wiping her eyes with a tissue. Will dug out his handkerchief and handed it to her. "I love you, Fitzwilliam." She wiped her eyes and then reached up and put her arms around his neck. "I love this family, too. I would never do anything to…"

Will cut her off with a kiss. "I know that. We all know that. You didn't think my silence was anger or doubt, did you?"

"No. I had your eyes to tell me what you were feeling." They walked arm in arm back to the den where Richard was waiting. "He's going to be OK. He's very hurt and he still cares for her very much. Seth doesn't like to say good bye. He's had too many of those in his young life. Call me a romantic, but of the two couples, I do see Seth and Rachel getting back together. They are good for each other most of the time."

"I suppose." Richard answered. "What a day! I'm starved for some reason. I'm hitting the pool after that. Who needs soap operas with all this drama around here? I don't even need Dr. Phil today since Miss Elizabeth is in the house." He chuckled, but he stopped in front of Beth and opened his arms for a hug. "Welcome to the family. I'd say after today, there is no escape hatch open." He kissed her on the cheek and left calling for Callie and Juanita to feed him something.

"That escape hatch closed a long time ago, madam." Will encircled Beth and kissed her soundly.

"I'm not looking for it anymore." She answered.

Chapter 26 The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Posted on 2009-11-24

The next week was a blur of activity for all concerned. Beth spent the majority of Monday on the phone securing the church and getting estimates on cakes, reception halls, photographers and all things wedding related. Tuesday she asked Marie, Georgiana and Rachel out to breakfast and then asked them to be in the wedding. The girls were genuinely touched and excited. Marie fussed that she was too old to be in a wedding, but Beth would not hear of it and insisted that her best friend be her matron of honor.

Though both girls were busy getting ready to leave for college, they took time out to check the local bridal shop for dresses. Beth must have looked at over two dozen but nothing really moved her to say this is it. She looked online and conducted her own research as she was leaning toward having a Regency era themed wedding in deference to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The group decided to travel to Shipshawanna outside of Ft Wayne on Thursday to see if the giant flea market had any wedding dresses that Beth could purchase off the rack. Of course they would see Jeannie as well.

Will was amused at the idea of the Regency theme, but refused to wear all the layers of clothing that the gentlemen of the day were saddled with no matter the weather. He did agree to wear a cravat and tails but again put his foot down to anything other than black. This was what Beth had desired all along, but she thoroughly enjoyed teasing Will and baiting him for his reactions. When he finally caught on, Beth was forced into plying him with many kisses for her harsh treatment.

Although still not his usual self, Seth did speak to Beth when she and Juanita made supper for the family on Tuesday evening. He and Justin had decided to leave for Lafayette on Saturday so a family dinner was planned for Friday. Since they were going to live in the dorms for one more year, packing Seth's truck would not take long. The young men also announced that they did not need their families tagging along to see them settled. Marie wasn't too happy about that, but she also knew how much the two were hurting over the break ups.

For Rachel and Georgiana, their adventures into the sorority world involved a whirlwind of shopping and coordinating. This ritual was quite foreign to Beth and Marie, but they enjoyed tagging along with the girls on Wednesday to complete their lists. They drove into Toledo and hit several malls until Callie could no longer stand waiting around and carrying bags. The thought of trudging through the flea market nearly brought her to tears, so Beth asked Jordan's mom if Callie could spend the day with her daughter. A sleep over was suggested, so Callie left shortly after their supper.

As she was finishing up the dishes, Will called into the house through the screen door. Beth was thrilled at his unexpected arrival only to be further delighted by his suggestion that they take a walk through the historic district of the town. Beth loved the Victorian designs that graced the streets where Marie and Ed lived. Walking hand in hand, they shared their stories of their separate endeavors in the wedding plans and the shopping. Will was quite secretive about his reason for requesting to choose the music. He also was not very forthcoming in regards to their honeymoon itinerary. He simply suggested that October was a perfect month for doing all sorts of things.

They returned to Beth's as the sun was setting in an array of bright colors. This was Beth's favorite time of day when she could recount her activities and languish with Will on the porch swing. They laughed at growing old together sitting on the swing at the farm. A comfortable silence enveloped them as each saw the picture of contentment in their minds' eyes. This was their time and they determined to make it a ritual as much as possible.

She went inside to pour out glasses of iced tea and returned to his arms marveling at how quickly she missed feeling him near. Will seemed deep in thought as well, so they sat again in silence. They could hear Callie two doors down playing and laughing. As if reading her mind, Will stated that he knew Callie would miss having close neighbors, but anytime she wanted to come into town or her friends wanted to come out to the farm, he would make sure it happened for her.

The comment turned the tide of the conversation to Will asking Beth about what had been on his mind since Callie had asked him if he would be her daddy. "Honey, what do you think about me adopting Jeannie and Callie? I would love to do it; to give them my name – our name."

Beth's eyes immediately misted over. "Would you really do that?" she asked hopefully.

"I'd love to do it. As a matter of fact, I've called my attorney to look into what it would all entail. I don't know if I'd have to go through classes or anything like you had to." He was pleased with her reaction. "He did tell me that both of our names would appear on their birth certificate just like you gave birth to them and I was there. I thought that was incredible."

"Yes, when I received the girls' and read them, I was amazed at that. Oh, Will, that would really seal us as a family. Both girls would look back on that and feel that they really belong to both of us. Thank you." Beth was overwhelmed with Will's heart for both of her children and if possible, she loved him even more.

They were down to eight weeks, and each time they separated the struggle grew. Before leaving that night, Will wished her luck in finding the right dress. They had not seen each other at all on Monday and only briefly the past two days. Tomorrow and Friday were not looking much better either. Saturday involved getting all the men fitted for their tuxes before Justin and Seth took off. Then Will and Richard were driving Georgiana over to Bowling Green to get her settled in. One of Rachel's friends was coming over that night to babysit so that the couple could have some time together. Will was literally counting the hours as soon as he was in his truck and driving back to the farm.

The phone rang early the next morning as Beth was preparing for the flea market dress hunt. Her principal was finally getting back to her from her call on Monday. Beth told him about her engagement and wedding plans. He was certainly happy for the both of them, but very saddened that she did not want to come back to teach full time. He talked her into subbing and mentioned that they needed an English sub for the first few weeks of school before the teacher came back from maternity leave. That sounded like fun to Beth and she needed the money to get her through until the wedding.

No sooner had she hung up when the phone rang again. This time it was the pastor of the church calling to schedule their premarital counseling sessions. He required couples to meet with him for six one hour sessions with the last one concluding the week of the wedding. Beth really liked him and believed that the counseling was a great way for them to open up even more and explore what made each other tick. They settled on Tuesday evenings from six thirty to seven thirty. The pastor's wife offered to sit with Callie and do her homework or whatever was needed so that Beth did not have to secure babysitting every week.

Looking at the clock, Beth realized she had about five minutes to get it together before she needed to get in the car and meet the bridal party at Maries. Grateful that she could French braid her hair in record time; she added some blush, put in earrings and flew out the door. She said a little prayer that she would find her dress today so that she could move on to the other matters of the wedding.

The four ladies talked and laughed while Beth looked through bridal magazines that Marie purchased. Some of the designs were so outrageous that several of the laughs came from the either the models or the dresses themselves. They quizzed Beth on honeymoon destinations but she told them Will was keeping a tight lip. They all wondered about his insistence on the music, but Georgiana said that she had discovered her brother was quite a romantic since seeing Beth. She confessed to snooping around, but she would say no more in keeping with her brother's secret operation.

They obtained a map of the vendors and found "Bridal Row". Resisting the temptation to shop for other things, they made a beeline to their destination. It became quickly apparent that Beth wanted nothing to do with most of the modern bride styles. Rachel spied a dealer called "Renaissance Bride". Calling this to their attention they quickly walked over. They all began looking through the racks when suddenly Beth called out, "This is it!"

Before anyone else could see it, she ran to the back and into a fitting room. An attendant followed her in. Several minutes later the door opened and everyone in the store gasped as they looked at Beth. Feeling every bit the princess, Beth stood on the special platform as the salesperson announced in amazement that the dress was a perfect fit in everyway. Beth jokingly thanked the Y for her figure and her daughters for never allowing her to slow down. She stared back at her reflection and her only regret was that her mother was not there to share in all the excitement.

The dress was made of ivory satin with an overlay of delicate ivory mesh. The mesh was dotted with tiny ivory and pink seed pearls. The empire waist was accented with a pink satin ribbon enhanced with the seed pearls as well. Though the dress was short sleeved, Beth wasn't concerned as the wedding was still in early October and she was counting on an Indian Summer day. At the bottom of the three foot satin train, several more rows of pink satin and pearls accented the hem. Matching ivory satin elbow length gloves finished the look.

"Oh, Beth," Marie sighed, "it is you in every way possible. I would never have picked it out of the rack, but on you, it is perfect."

She found ivory satin slippers at the same store as well. The sales clerk was so excited with Beth's outfit that she looked around to find dresses for the girls as well. In the back, she discovered ivory satin dresses that both Beth and Marie were sure would fit Jeannie and Callie. They had ever so slightly different sleeves and bodice work, but they still matched perfectly with Beth's dress. Georgiana was searching the racks for bridesmaids' dresses when she stumbled upon blush pink satin gowns with empire waists and ivory accents. After trying them on, all four looked at themselves and declared victory.

After gorging themselves at the famous Amish buffet in town, they headed back to Ft Wayne. Jeannie was excited to have so many visitors and had many stories to tell about camp. Will had asked Beth to wait to tell Jeannie about the wedding until they could all be together, so nothing was mentioned that day. Melissa told Beth that Jeannie seemed to be settling back into her routine and they were hopeful that the beginning of the school year would not lead to an upswing in behaviors.

Back at home that night, Beth stared at the dress hanging in her closet. I really am getting married. She hugged the pillow wishing it was Will and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Will had a successful day as well. His main goal was to secure the musicians for the wedding and the reception afterwards. According to Beth's wishes for a Regency type ceremony, Will engaged a string quartet in addition to a flautist and pianist. Going online with the help of Georgiana earlier in the week, he was able to get the sheet music he wanted and have it overnighted to his office. His sister definitely approved of his choice and he congratulated himself on his cleverness.

Walking through his bedroom, he remembered Beth commenting on how dark and depressing the room was. He was beginning to agree with her. That being said, he had no desire to turn this room into a flower garden of prints. Again going online, he looked up several linen and decorator websites trying to determine what might look nice there. Quickly realizing he was out of his depth, he determined to talk to Beth and between the two of them, they could pick out what they wanted.

Additionally, he drew the plans for a wall mural for both of the girls' rooms. He wanted this to be a surprise for them, so he determined to keep Callie away from the upstairs for the next week or so. Richard asked if he could help and reminded his cousin that he was quite handy in terms of woodworking. In no time, the two men had designed the perfect room for each girl. Richard set out to the barn to determine what he needed from the lumber supply company. He was genuinely excited to be part of the project plus it took his mind off of Georgiana's imminent departure.

At the lumber yard Richard ran into a local builder/contractor, Tom Jansen who had done some minor work for them on their rental property. Richard asked if they could make an appointment to go over possibilities for Richard's new home. Tom told Richard he could meet with him the beginning of next week, so a date and time were settled. He also gave Richard names and numbers of several architects in the area. With the prospect of buying the farm next to them quickly becoming a reality, Richard was leaning toward razing the existing home and building his own there.

When Richard returned to the farm, he noticed that Seth and Justin were heading toward the pool. He approached them before going into the house and asked if either needed help with getting ready to head back to Purdue. Both young men still looked miserable much of the time. They mumbled that they had everything under control. Richard doubted that but knew better than to question. He began to walk away, then an idea hit him. Turning around he asked the boys if they were game to help him plan the bachelor party for Will. A little of the old twinkle appeared in Seth's eyes and the three began scheming.

"Oh, no! No way are you planning a bachelor party for me, Richard. I will either end of in jail or Elizabeth will leave me due to her utter shame at whatever scheme you have concocted." Will was mortified at the very idea.

"Oh, come on, Mr. Stick up his –Stick in the mud." Richard struggled with trying to lose his military mouth but at times it was quite difficult. "Let us have some fun. Seth and Justin are really fired up about doing this. What are you so worried about?"

"Are you kidding me? I would put nothing past you – and did you say Seth was helping you? Now I'm really nervous. No, absolutely not. I'm not going to end up on the local news, or worse yet, giving you any more ammunition against me."

"Geeze, what kind of opinion do you have me, Will?" Richard was trying to think of an angle that Will would agree to even if reluctantly. "Have you planned the rehearsal dinner yet?"

"No. I was going to talk to Juanita today. She said she wanted to do it and have us all come back here. She wants it to be her gift to us. I haven't talked to Beth about it, but doesn't the groom plan it anyway?"

"Like I'd know that."

"Well, for all I know you've started watching Martha Stewart as well as all the others."

"I'll let that one go. But I say let Juanita throw you a Mexican Fiesta if that's what she wants. Anyway, why can't we plan on something for later that night?"

"Because we're getting married the next morning."

"What?!" Richard was incredulous. "You're getting married in the morning? Why?"

"Because Elizabeth wants a Regency wedding and they got married in the morning and then had a wedding breakfast afterwards." He said this as though Richard was an idiot for not understanding.

"What's a Regency wedding? And who ever heard of a wedding breakfast? Do you mean we are not going to be able to party the night away?"

"I do not care what you do that night, Richard. I have decidedly better plans for myself and my bride for our wedding night." Will raised his eyebrows as he spoke and then laughed in mock sinister fashion.

"Oh, right," Richard laughed. "Not going to let another moment pass after that ring is on her finger, are you? Can't say that I blame you on that front. But, come on, Will, what about the Thursday night before? I swear to you, I will not hire a stripper if that is what you are worried about. I know that the boys are not twenty one either. I'm your best man. This is my job."

"Alright, but I swear, Richard, if you somehow manage to get me in trouble, I'll take it out of your hide."

"As I am quite fond of my hide, I will bear that threat in mind." Richard then went on to tell Will about meeting Tom in town and the two discussed moving quickly on buying the farm down the road.

Friday was declared Stephens family day, so the day began with all trudging down for breakfast lovingly prepared by Juanita. Beth had offered to come and cook, but Will wanted her and Callie to relax and enjoy themselves. Besides, the day was fast approaching when she would cooking a lot more and Juanita enjoyed her special occasion dinners as much as they enjoyed eating them. They had been at the house for several minutes before the rest of the family came down, so Beth was able to assist Juanita in setting the table and getting everything ready.

"Here's all my favorite ladies in one room," Will remarked bestowing a kiss on Callie and Juanita's cheek before making a gallant show of kissing Beth. "What a way to start my day."

Beth was in the middle of describing her dress to Juanita when Will appeared. Juanita flicked Will's back with her towel, "You have bad timing El Toro. Go out and come back in five minutes."

"Whatever for? I'm hungry and everything looks like it's ready." He glanced at Beth who had an amused look on her face and then over to Juanita standing with her hands on her hips.

"What if I say you don't eat unless I hear the rest of what Elisa was saying?" she challenged.

"What were they talking about Callie?" Will asked hoping Callie would spill the beans.

"Oh, nothing Daddy Will. You are not allowed to know. Momma says." She answered him smugly.

"Hmmph. I don't like the sound of this." He grumbled.

"I was just describing my dress Fitzwilliam. Juanita, I'll bring it by so you can see it sometime. Or better yet, why don't you come over so you can see the girls' dresses as well?" A deal was struck and Juanita seemed satisfied so she let Will fill his plate.

The day was filled with all of their favorite activities including a horseback ride, swimming, cooking out and a friendly game of horseshoes. Richard and Seth came out victorious and somehow Will was thrown into the pool before the day was out. It was a much needed carefree day. Beth cherished this time with all of them, but missed Jeannie not being able to be there. There were times when Will would see a shadow cross her face and he came to realize that she would be thinking of her oldest. He would make a point to come to her and squeeze her hand or give her a kiss or just simply say he loved her. Most of the times, the shadow would disappear. They were both grateful for the support they counted on from each other.

As Beth and Callie left that evening, they embraced Georgiana and Seth and wished them well. Georgiana was steadfast in her resolve to not come home until Beth's personal shower which was scheduled the week before the wedding. She felt she would simply be too busy with rushing for the sororities and doing all her work. Beth and Callie gave her a few bright fuzzy pillows to match her bedspread and she was delighted. When they approached Seth, Beth hugged him and whispered that things would work out the way that they should. He nodded his head in acknowledgment as he returned her hug. They handed him a bag filled with homemade goodies, popcorn and Callie added several gummy bears for good measure. He told Beth that he would not be home until the wedding.

Will walked them out to the car holding onto Beth's hand. He checked Callie's seatbelt then gave her a kiss on the cheek. She surprised him by hugging his neck and saying that she loved him. "I know you will miss Georgie, but I will be here for you Daddy Will."

"That will help me a lot, princess. You are a very special girl; do you know that?"

"Everybody calls Jeannie special, but not me."

"You are both special; just in different ways, Callie. I look forward to you moving in here so that we can see each other all the time." He used his index finger to tap her nose before shutting her door. Walking around to Beth's side, he asked if she needed him to check her seatbelt as well.

"You'll use any excuse to put your arms around me." She laughed as he did just that. "You say the greatest things to Callie. She really does love you, Fitzwilliam." She kissed him quickly conscious that Callie was in the back. "You guys will be alright tomorrow. Try to remember that Georgiana is excited about going but feels the sting of leaving you two bachelors here to fend for yourselves."

"Hey, I changed her diapers, I think I can make it without her." He answered proudly.

"Just keep telling yourself that as you pull away from her dorm." She caressed his face and traced the frown on his lips. "Then come home to me, Fitzwilliam. We will have a good time tomorrow."

"I'm counting on it, my love." He looked back at Callie, gave her a wink then kissed her mother quite soundly. Callie giggled and Beth allowed herself the luxury of Will's love to surround her.

"I can not believe that I led men into battle but I could not stand to see her wave good bye from her room," Richard shook his head as Will pulled away from the curb. "I'm old, and I've turned soft. I should be ashamed of myself."

"Yes, you should. I nearly thought you were going to blubber all over her." Will replied smugly, casting a sideways glance at his cousin.

"I would not get on my bad side if I were you. All I have to do is make one phone call to Beth and tell her how you shamelessly flirted with every mom in that place. I think some freshmen were even checking you out. It's embarrassing."

"You'll do no such thing. I was embarrassed for them. I just don't get it."

"That's just it. You don't get it. That's what is so disgusting. Not one woman glanced my way. It's like I'm Brad Pitt's brother."

"What about Brad Pitt's brother?"

"My point exactly."

They made it back to Pemberville by late afternoon. Will checked on some horses that were sold recently and the new owners were coming to get them the next day. He shook his head thinking about the scene in Georgiana's dorm. He had forgotten how uncomfortable it was when women would stare, ask him questions and openly flirt. When Georgie was in her early teens, she would become quite angry when her friends' mothers or sisters would comment about him and she never let him forget it. As she got older, she thought it was cool that her brother attracted people. Today she was annoyed.

Chalking it up to nerves, Will ignored her sharp remarks and her quick temper. Richard was far more emotional than Will had expected and he found that to be quite humorous. Before leaving her, Will took her aside and hugged her to him. In her ear he whispered how proud he was of her and how much he would miss her. Telling her that she always would have a home with him, he let her go saying to call him whenever she wanted to. He had to drag Richard away before he made a scene.

Beth and Callie had a productive day together. They drove to Defiance to shop for school clothes as Callie had grown over the summer. Walking through a department store, Beth spied a bedroom ensemble that she liked tremendously. The combination of aqua and chocolate brown complemented each other well and Beth could envision it in Will's – soon to be theirs – bedroom. Taking her phone out, she snapped a picture of it and couldn't wait to show Will.

She was more than ready when she heard a door slam at the front of the house. Although less than twenty four hours apart, they both felt the loss and couldn't wait to be in each other's embrace. Will reached the screen door and gladly found it to be unlocked as Beth met him and practically jumped into his arms. "It's agony without you, Fitzwilliam, even for just a day." He moaned in agreement and sought the comfort of her lips on his and no words were spoken for several minutes.

Only Callie asking for a hug from Will broke the two apart. Swinging her in the air, Will enjoyed her squeals immensely and thanked the Lord that though he would miss Georgiana, this little girl and her sister had captured his heart as well. Will informed Callie that she would be asleep when they came home but that both he and her momma would come in and kiss her goodnight. Satisfied with that information, she waved good bye as the couple sped off in the mustang convertible.

Will recounted the trip to Bowling Green intentionally avoiding the eager women he encountered. With jut a hint of exaggeration he described Richard's emotions at leaving Georgiana. Beth knew all too well that Will's heart was hurting too, but she laughed at his telling and shared the jokes on Richard. They had been on the road for awhile before Beth asked where they were headed, Will shook his head and told her simply to enjoy the ride. Looking around, she did recognize the vocational school where Ed had taught before going into administration, but as they passed that, she was unfamiliar with the area.

Looking to her right, Beth was startled to see the Maumee River flowing by. The wide muddy water still sparkled as the sun reflected off its gentle waves. Surrounded by the flat farmland beginning to hint the summer's end, the river reminded Beth that life kept going in spite of what occurred all around and to any individual at any time.

Will was glancing at his beloved as he drove toward his destination. "Wow, you look very deep in thought."

"I believe I was. It's beautiful through here, Fitzwilliam. Where are we?" She turned her full attention back to Will. Sliding over in her seat, she snuggled beside him and hugged herself to his chest. "Not that I'm in a hurry or anything."

"You mean you're not going to keep asking me are we there yet?" They both laughed remembering the childish question asked over and over.

"Fitzwilliam, tell me another story about your family. I love hearing about all of the adventures you had growing up."

All too happy to comply, Will thought a minute then began. "When I was sixteen, Richard and his family were home for the holidays. They were stationed in Texas then I think. Anyway, around eleven in the evening, he and I snuck out. We wanted to go into town to meet with friends at one of the pizza joints. We hopped into my dad's truck and took off. We stayed until a little after midnight and we were about halfway home when the truck sputtered and died.

"That's when I finally looked down at the gas gage. Of course, it was empty. Cursing our luck, we started walking. It was freezing out and we probably had about five inches or so of snow on the ground. We got to the nearest farm and banged on the door until they reluctantly opened it. Of course they recognized me and let me in to use the phone. After a quick tongue lashing, my dad said he would be there shortly. I don't know if he was so sleepy that he wasn't thinking, but when he picked us up with my uncle riding along, he realized he hadn't picked up his wallet. Neither had my uncle. We all started digging into pockets for change and any money we could find.

"Richard and I were grumbling loudly about how could they be so forgetful about the wallets when my father not too subtly reminded me of the trouble we were already in and not to add to it by a smart mouth. So I figured we had about five dollars or so in change and maybe three dollar bills. We pulled into the gas station.

"My dad was mumbling something about letting a man take caare of this business and started trudging toward the attendants who were standing inside nice and warm. They also just so happened to go to my school. For whatever reason, my dad walked behind the car instead of walking between the pumps. I really think he was still half asleep. The next thing I knew he wasn't there and all the money was flying up into the air."

"Will what happened to him?" Beth gasped.

"He slipped and fell into a huge pile of snow." Will was laughing at the memory and Beth joined in. "I was laughing so hard I couldn't get it out to Rich and my uncle what had happened. My dad was yelling at the top of his lungs that the money was melting into the snow. The guys inside the station were laughing their fool heads off as well. We finally got out of the car and recovered most of the money.

"Thankfully my dad wasn't hurt, except for his ego. We had to fill the gas can, go back to the truck, fill it up and return the can. I think we finally got back to the farm around one thirty in the morning. We were grounded until they went back to Texas."

"Oh Will, your poor dad. He must have been fuming."

"At the time, you bet he was. But the story got told so many times that it took on a life of it's own. You should have heard him tell it. And he did, every year over the holidays. We all knew it by heart; even Liddy knew the story and would start laughing before dad even got to the part about the gas station. I hadn't thought about that night in a long time." He sighed, picked up Beth's and brought it to his lips.

"Your family was never boring, was it?" she liked hearing his stories, but she didn't want him to become melancholy.

"Heavens no. Even when it was just Lizzy and I, we were always doing something or getting into things we weren't supposed to. She was such a spitfire. Nothing scared her. She would keep up with Richard and me no matter what we were doing. Lizzy was a force of nature, that's for sure. You two would have become great friends I think." He sighed again and squeezed Beth's hand.

"Does talking about them make you sad, Fitzwilliam? I don't want that to happen."

"It's not so much sad or mad really. It's more a longing. So much life was wasted that day, Elizabeth. So much potential was never lived out." They were waiting for a light to turn and Will turned his attention to Beth. "Promise me something. Promise me that we will not take our lives for granted. Promise me that we will raise Callie and Jeannie to be grateful for all they are given." There was almost a desperation to his voice.

Beth reached up and caressed Will's face. "I promise you, Fitzwilliam. As much as I can I will live each day to the full. I don't think that I could ever take you or your love for granted. We have both been given an amazing gift." The light changed and the couple drove on in silence.

Spotting the river again, Beth demanded knowing where they were headed. Will laughed and said they were almost there. A few minutes later, he turned and they crossed the river. The small town of Grand Rapids, Ohio welcomed them with a bright sign. To Beth, it was like they had driven into the past. The main street store fronts were lit up, but most were closed. She saw antique stores, craft shops an old fashioned ice cream parlor and many more. Will pulled in front of an impressive looking brick building and led Beth into a dimly lit, romantic little restaurant. Requesting a seat in the corner, they snuggled into a booth sitting side by side.

Over the well cooked dinner of fresh meats, vegetables and home made bread, Beth and Will exchanged more wedding plan progress. Beth remembered the picture of the bedroom linens and took it out to show to Will. He was surprised at how much he liked the set. They had already determined to request no wedding gifts. No invitations were being sent out, so they were calling their guests instead. They were requesting that in lieu of gifts, donations be given to the SKAT foundation. By the end of the meal, they planned on going to Defiance the next day and pick out the new set.

When they left the restaurant, Will suggested they take a walk. Several other couples and families were taking advantage of the perfect evening. They strolled past the store fronts remarking on the antiques and crafts. A flower arrangement caught Beth's eye and she made a comment about how well that would work with the new colors of the bedroom. The store was closed, but Will noted that name so that he could contact the owner and purchase the decoration. Soon they were watching children play in the community playground.

"Callie and Jeannie would love it here." Beth remarked. "Maybe sometime we can bring them here. They'd love that ice cream parlor as well."

"I think she'll be able to come home on weekends soon, Elizabeth. She seems to be in better control lately. The new meds coupled with the therapy sessions are paying off."

"I hope so, Fitzwilliam. Can we go over Monday and see her? I want to tell her about us. She also needs some new clothes and I'd like to take her shopping if they think it's OK."

By now they were following a sign pointing to a river walk. They came through a little knot of trees and not ten yards away the Maumee flowed past. Huge trees lined the bank as well as swings and benches dotted the walking trail. Looking west the reason for the town's name was apparent as several rapids were swirling around and the river continued to its flow.

"This is a beautiful place, Fitzwilliam! Thank you for bringing me here tonight." Beth enthusiastically kissed Will as he, too was struck by the beauty around him, and he wasn't even looking at the river. He only had eyes for his beloved Elizabeth.

After splitting an ice cream sundae, the started their journey back to Bryan, driving west into the setting sun. They spent most of the drive in a comfortable silence with the occasional comment on the scenery or laughing at what Callie might be doing at that moment. Will told a few more tales on Richard and himself so that Beth would have more ammunition to tease Richard in the future.

After keeping his promise and kissing the sleeping Callie goodnight, they reluctantly parted at the door. Will dropped off the babysitter and drove home again counting the days when his nights wouldn't end on a door step. He was encouraged that he could continue to talk about his family and his feelings to Beth and not remain inward or regretful. She was helping him to really remember the past with happiness. He ran into the house and reminded Richard of the gas station incident. Both men laughed and shared more stories of their families before they called it a night.

Before Beth knew it, she was waiting for Will to pick her up for their first meeting with Pastor Paul. Sunday had been a blur of activity from church to meeting Ed and Marie for lunch then on to Defiance where they purchased not only the bed ensemble but the matching bath accessories for their master bath. Beth was amazed that Will didn't bat an eye at the expense and even encouraged her to pick out more bed sheets and towels. Monday was spent in Ft Wayne with Jeannie. Callie had stayed with her friend in the neighborhood with Beth promising Jordan's mom that Jordan could stay with Callie on Friday evening and into the day on Saturday.

Callie was the first to spot Will's truck and she ran up to meet him as he crossed the lawn. Watching the two together always put a lump in Beth's throat. Her daughter clearly loved Will and was outwardly demonstrative with him by her hugs and kisses. Jeannie had been more reserved when they told her that Will was going to marry her momma. Her only concern at the moment was if she got to wear a pretty dress at the wedding and if she would be allowed to dance. She hugged both of them when they left, but continued to refer to him as Mr. William.

Will greeted Beth with an enthusiastic kiss and they were soon on their way to the pastor's home. He had indicated that he preferred to conduct the counseling there as it was a more casual atmosphere. At times his wife would join them, he had explained, and their older children would sit with Callie. The couple was a little anxious about this process, but they had decided between them that anything that brought them closer together had to be a good thing and an objective observer of their relationship was probably also beneficial.

After the initial small talk and the offering of coffee or iced tea, the Pastor began outlining their six sessions. The first would be a time for them to discuss how they met and their relationship as they saw it. They would be given assignments to work on in between the meetings. The second session would involve their past in relationship to their parents and their views of marriage in general and in a Christian household. Midway though, the discussion would center on finances which would lead to the fourth week centering on parenting and discipline. The fifth week would deal with conflict resolution and appraising each other as communicators. Lastly, the sixth session would discuss the physical aspects of the relationship and setting goals for their married life.

Their heads spinning a bit with all that information, Will attempted to forge ahead by describing the first time he had met Beth. He admitted to feeling an instant attraction but at the same time, repelled by the idea of a single mom and one that had a child with obvious needs to boot. Relating his conversation with Ed after he had expressed his judgmental opinion of her, Beth's face reddened. She had her own suspicions of that conversation and had overheard some of it, but she couldn't help but be a little anxious by his thoughts. Paul picked up on that and asked Beth what she was thinking at that moment.

Shifting uncomfortably she explained her thoughts at the party as well. She had quickly decided he was arrogant and judgmental and no lover of single moms. Admitting that she had been quite ready to tell him off before Jeannie almost ran into the street put a slight smirk to Will's lips. When Beth inquired as to what was so amusing about that, he answered that if they had both had it out that day on the porch, they would probably have been married by last Christmas instead of all the dancing around that occurred.

That brought up the subject of their continual misunderstandings and mistrust that plagued them until the summer. They honestly expressed their frustrations with the other in regards to Will's need to fix things and Beth's tendency to run away. When asked, they both were able to give examples of how they were addressing these issues now. The pastor seemed pleased that the couple was making an effort at honesty and at their progress in communicating with each other.

Believing that was a good place to stop, he told them that this week they should take the time to talk about what they have learned about the other in the past year. He also directed them to take time and write down what life was like for them growing up, their parents' strengths and weaknesses in regards to their marriage and or relationships. Lastly, he wanted them to come up with a mission statement for their marriage.

Back at house on the porch swing, Will remarked, "This counseling thing is more than I thought it would be. I just thought it would be what God said about marriage, setting up a budget and remembering that your wife is always right."

Beth chuckled and drew his arm tighter around her. "I had no idea myself, but I had the feeling that he was going to force us to go deep within our hearts. If he didn't think it was all that serious we wouldn't be meeting six times. They spent some time reminiscing about their past conversations and mistakes. Will said he was going to call Georgiana that night and thank her again for her Project Pride & Prejudice and her continual belief that the two of them were meant to be together.

Schedule conflicts kept the two apart the next two days. Will was working on his thesis as his first deadline was approaching. He and Richard worked both evenings on the girls' rooms and were quite pleased with the progress. Richard quipped that the Extreme Makeover Team had nothing on them and Will agreed wholeheartedly. At the rate they were going, the rooms would be completed the week before the wedding.

Though only teaching for three weeks, Beth wanted to get the room in some kind of an order before school started the next week. She had never taught seventh grade, so she spent quite a bit of time going over the curriculum and reading up on the big differences between twelve and thirteen year olds and juniors and seniors in high school. Beginning to think she had made a mistake in taking the assignment, she chastised herself and decided this was the diversion she needed to make the time before the wedding to fly.

Friday evening, Callie, Jordan and Beth drove out to the farm. Richard escorted the girls to the barn where they rode Butterscotch and assisted with the evening chores. They all ended the evening in and around the pool. Will followed them back to Beth's so that they could have some time together after the girls went to bed. They discussed their mission statement assignment at length and finally decided on "Caring, Communicating and Loving one another as God directs us forward". Both were quite proud of this accomplishment and Beth remarked that would make a great sampler to hang on their wall if only she knew how to cross stitch.

Saturday was cake tasting day. Marie had recommended a friend who made her own cakes and had several weddings under her belt. Since this was going to be a breakfast/brunch reception, so they wanted a light and airy cake. They also didn't want one filled with a fountain or figurines or steps – that just wasn't them. At this point in the preparations, they had figured on about one hundred people attending give or take a few. After sampling several pieces, Will's favorite was a yellow cake with raspberry filling, so they decided on that. Next came the decision of just what they cake should look like and what, if anything they want to embellish it. The woman's husband was watching baseball on TV and Will became distracted. Shooing him off, Beth finished the details of crème frosting adorned with silk Sweet Williams and roses, which were going to be in Beth's bouquet.

She also ordered white chocolate candies to be set at each place in the shape of a book with P&P written in bright pink script. Marie's friend was enchanted with their story and promised that it would be woven somehow into the cake as well. Dragging Will from the game, they met with the caterer from Mason's to finalize the menu. They sampled so much between the two stops that they were not hungry at all and decided to pick Callie up from Marie's and go rent a movie and stay home for the evening.

Amazed with all they had accomplished in such short period of time, they relaxed the remainder of the weekend enjoying the warm weather and each other. Callie was excited for school to begin and talked incessantly about how much fun the year would be and then questioned Will about when they would be moving to his house. This brought up another whirlwind of planning and figuring out what Beth needed to move and what could be given away or sold.

The first two days of school were already under her belt and Beth thought seventh grade might not be all that bad. She would have to remind herself that she was only with these kids for a short time as she could tell she was getting attached. Will questioned her several times if she felt she was doing the right thing by giving up teaching, but she remained confident she was.

Callie was anxious to spend time with the pastor's daughter, Lisa, so there was no problem with Joyce his wife joining them this week. They shared their mission statement first and the married couple remarked it was concise and could be easily checked from time to time to see if the family was living it out. Beth and Will said they thought that part of the homework was the easiest to think of, but would be the most difficult to live out.

Since Will had gone first during the previous session, Beth was asked to detail her life growing up and to discuss her parents' strengths and weaknesses. Most of the information she had shared with Will over a year ago, but she did add that her mother never dated or seemed at all interested in dating. Actually, as she thought of it, Beth realized her mother had undermined men whenever she could and reinforced her daughter's independent nature. "Even the few times I did go out, she never liked the guy. My mom constantly harped at me to not make the same mistakes she did. Then when I was in my late twenties she did an about face and nagged at me to get married and to give her grandchildren. It was confusing to say the least, especially since she read romances all the time and loved Pride and Prejudice so much."

When asked about a sense of family history, Beth laughed mirthlessly. "My mom grew up in a orphanage. I don't even know my dad's name. I used to make up stories about him. I would tell the kids at school that he was an ambassador or even a spy. I had no roots, no real anchor in that way. Most of my friends were my mom's coworkers. It wasn't until I was in college and met Marie that I ever connected with someone my age. Ed was the first male friend I ever had."

Will listened in stunned silence. He couldn't believe the lonely childhood Beth had to endure. He turned to her and held her hand even tighter. "I'm sorry you were so alone. You will have a history now, Elizabeth. We will build it together. And you will never be alone again." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.

Sharing about his life on the farm was easy for Will. He loved his carefree days but his parents gave him chores and responsibilities as well. Laughing about his forays into music lessons and sports, he then described the first time he drew something that he knew was a good likeness; it was of his mother. Though not their choice for their son his parents encouraged his art and were thrilled when he was accepted to a prestigious art school. They were also happy that he had decided to work with children with Art Therapy.

He did remember the sadness of the miscarriages and his need to take care of his siblings. Taking responsibility for them was innate in his nature, so it was difficult at first for him to go away to school. In the natural course of his narrative, the car accident became the turning point of his life. Will expressed his shock and grief and his feelings of regret that he didn't express his love for his family more than he did. He recounted the loneliness of raising the kids and his anger towards Richard, but he added that later as the children grew, he could think of no other way to live his life. He ended by saying that he and his cousin had reconciled their feelings this past winter in part due to Beth's influence.

The pastor and his wife both remarked that they saw how much Will and Beth comforted one and another as they spoke. They encouraged them to keep talking about their pasts as that truly did hold many answers to why they acted and felt the way the did about so many things. Paul remarked that Beth would probably always fight with questioning Will's motives and struggling to be open with him about her feelings, but he had no doubt she would endeavor to break the habits she had learned from her mother. He suggested that Will continue to talk to his cousin about what life was like all those years raising the young children without his help and to realize that he did not have the power to fix everything that he felt was in need of fixing. He ended by stating the fact that everyone was broken in one way or another, but God was the ultimate healer; and He used love to bind the wounds.

Both were quiet on the way home and during the bedtime ritual with Callie. Beth made some coffee and they sat on the porch rocking gently lost in thought. "I don't like thinking of my mom in such a negative light." Beth said breaking the silence. "She was so loving to me and she sacrificed so much for me, but she did teach me that no man was trustworthy. I'm sorry, Fitzwilliam, that you bear the brunt of that sometimes."

"Elizabeth, I do not mind that I had to earn your trust. My parents were not perfect, but they did leave me with memories of affection and of a partnership in their marriage. I will try not to control everything, if you try not to think the worst of me." He extended his hand in order to shake on it. She gripped his tightly and laughed at the gesture. They sat again in silence but this time each believed a tremendous deal had been struck to ensure their happiness.