Ready to Wed (30 page)

Belle and Larry did work it out. After a few minutes in Richard’s office, the couple came out and announced that Larry would purchase the house. Then Larry said he was taking Belle for a ride and to dinner.

When the sisters tried to ask Belle about the decision on Friday morning at breakfast, she simply said that she felt it was the right thing to do. Then she excused herself from the table and rushed upstairs to get ready for her date with Larry.

The next evening, they went out again, and over dinner at Zachary’s, Belle received Larry’s wedding proposal. As it turned out, Larry popped the big question on the first Saturday of June, and Belle joyfully accepted.

“You see,” she told Jane and her sisters at breakfast the following morning. “I just got my dates a little mixed up. That’s all.”

“So when
is
the big day?” asked Ethel who had joined them.

“We haven’t set the actual date yet,” said Belle with a happy sigh. “I think I’ll be leaving that up to Larry. He needs to get his business plans worked out, and, really, I’m in no hurry now.”

Jane refilled Belle’s coffee cup and smiled. “That sounds wise.”

“Besides,” said Belle, “this gives me more time to work out all the details.” She unfolded and smoothed out a wrinkly magazine page that showed a model wearing a ghastly pink bridesmaid’s gown and showed it to them. “I would still love to have the four of you in my wedding. Oh, I can just see y’all standing up there in the chapel waiting for me to come down the aisle, wearing these delectable dresses and looking like a pretty row of pink tulips. Oh my, it’s going to be simply divine.”

Before the sisters could respond, Larry arrived and stopped at the dining room door. “I know I’m a little early,” he said to Belle eagerly. “But maybe we can take a little stroll before we go to church?”

“Ready when you are,” she said cheerfully. “See you girls later.”

“And ready to wed,” said Jane after the two had left. “Now if we can only think of a way to talk her out of those horrid pink dresses.”

Later in the day, after all the guests had checked out except for Belle, who had taken Larry for a drive in her pink convertible, Jane fixed a tray with a pitcher of lemonade—not pink—and plate of sugar cookies and took them out to the porch. There, she and her sisters sat back and relaxed, enjoying the refreshments and peaceful quiet.

“It is impossible not to be happy for Belle,” said Louise. “Despite all my earlier misgivings about her dream, I must admit that she seems to have made a good match in Larry Mitchell.”

“I’m so glad she didn’t give up.” Alice smiled at Jane. “And you had much to do with that, Jane. I have a feeling Belle will want you for her maid of honor.”

Jane groaned. “Oh, those awful pink dresses!”

“Speaking of marriages and weddings,” said Louise, “we’ve been so busy that we never heard the details of your conversation with Justin, Jane. I don’t want to seem intrusive, but Ethel continues to pester me with questions.”

“I must admit that I’ve been curious too,” admitted Alice. “I hate being nosy, but we are your sisters, Jane.”

Jane patted Alice’s hand. “You are the least nosy person I know, Alice. Neither you nor Louise ever pry into people’s personal affairs.”

“You should know, Jane,” said Alice, “that Aunt Ethel has been speculating that you and Justin are secretly planning to remarry, despite our assurances to the contrary.”

Louise nodded. “I would not be surprised if she has shared that idea with others.”

“Oh dear, I’d better get that cleared up right away.” Jane shared her conversation with Justin. “Mostly he just wanted to apologize,” she said finally. “There is absolutely no chance that we would reunite. In fact, he has a fiancée.”

“Jane, you have no idea what a relief this is for us,” added Louise.

“Yes,” agreed Alice. “We were getting nervous, Jane. Aunt Ethel kept saying how it was right for you to reunite with him and that we should be supportive if this were the case. She actually predicted that the two of you would remarry before summer ended.”

“And that you would return to San Francisco where you would open a new world-class restaurant,” added Louise.

“She certainly has an imagination,” said Jane.

“And you know how much she loves a wedding,” said Alice. “She’s over the moon about Belle.”

“She would be even more ecstatic if the wedding involved a member of the family.” Louise nodded toward Jane. “Particularly a niece.”

“Not this niece.” Jane firmly shook her head. “I guess
I should be extra thankful that our Belle has come through.”

“I was so glad to hear that she made the decision to settle in Acorn Hill whether or not she got married,” said Alice.

“Yes, it was the first time she wasn’t completely obsessed with wedding bells,” said Jane.

“Isn’t that how God works?” said Alice. “He allowed Belle to reach the place where she accepted being single, and then He brought in the groom.”

“However, there is nothing wrong with being single,” said Louise firmly.

“Being single can be very freeing,” said Alice. “Even though Vera is happily married, she reminds me of this fact at least once a week.”

They all three chuckled.

“Freeing and satisfying.” Jane sighed happily as she leaned back into the porch swing. What she had just said was absolutely and refreshingly true. “You know,” she continued, “I wasn’t so sure of that a few weeks ago. I was in such a slump because of the weather that I began to question my life choices.”

“I think we all question such things at times,” admitted Louise. “It’s only natural.”

“Human,” added Alice.

“Yes. But now, after going through this stress with
Justin and even the craziness with Belle, I can honestly say that I am truly content with my life.” She smiled. “And that feels good.”

“And you know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:6,” said Alice. “‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’”

“Yes,” agreed Jane. “I think that should be my mantra: godliness with contentment
is
great gain.”

“Amen,” said Louise.