Love Refound
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 25

The Big Day

After I dropped Leonora off at Fairacres, I went to the county courthouse, where I was to meet  Autumn.  I parked the car and as I was walking toward the building, I heard, “Doug, wait a minute.”

I turned and Autumn was coming toward me, “I’m running a little late.”

I put my arm around her.  “I just got here myself.  The meeting at the bank took longer than I thought it would and I brought Leonora back with me.  I’ll fill you in on the details after we get the marriage license taken care of.”

We got the marriage license and decided to stop at the hospital to check on Benji, on our way to Summerhill.   There was no way we could talk, because we had two vehicles.  We pulled into the visitors’ lot at the hospital.  I saw Trent and Cole coming out of the hospital and they were talking.  They pulled out of the lot before we could talk to them.

When we arrived at the newborn nursery, the attendant was changing Benji.  When she saw us, she put up a finger to let us know that she would be with us shortly.   She finished changing Benji and opened the top of the of the door and handed Benji to Autumn.

The attendant was laughing, “You sure have a feisty one here.  He was an unhappy camper until his two guardian angels came and fed him.  Cole certainly has a way children.  Trent is a little timid about handling Benji.  It is as if he’s afraid that he might hurt Benji.”

We stayed for approximately 30 minutes but Benji was asleep the entire time we were there.  We still hadn’t had time to talk.  We decided to go to Summerhill so we could talk while we tended the horses.  When we pulled up to the garage, the pickup was at the stable.  We went to see what Cole was doing.

When he saw us, he yelled, “Hi Mr. and Mrs. C. I’m almost finished here.  If you have time, would you tape Benji’s bedroom so we can paint it after dinner?  I need to get to The Shack, so I can help over the dinner rush hours.  Trent and Trevor will be here as soon as they finish eating.

Autumn looked at me and laughed, “Doug, who’s in control here, anyway?”

“Don’t ask me.”

We walked to the house and the message light on the phone was blinking.  Autumn pushed the speaker button and retrieved the message. 

“Autumn, it’s Dad.  Go to the bank and find out what the exact balance of the loan on Summerhill is, so that your mother and I can bring a check to pay off your share of the loan at the same time as Doug’s parents give him Spring’s half of the spread.  That is your wedding gift from us.  Your mother wants to know what kind of things you need for Benji?  Give us a call tonight.”

The second call started, “Autumn, it’s Spring.  I won’t be home for dinner tonight.  It will be late before I get back.  I need to go to my parents’ place and take care of some things for our wedding.  See you in the morning.”

The third call started, “Miss Autumn, it’s Trevor.  Trent and I will be bringing the baby furniture when we come to paint Benji’s room tonight.  You can rest in peace, since the wedding plans are progressing nicely and everything is falling into place.  Did you and Uncle Doug pick out wedding bands yet?  We need them for the ceremony on Saturday night.  You need to decide what riding outfit you will be wearing.  Talk to you after we eat.”

Autumn finally switched off the phone, “Doug, when did we lose control of our lives?”

“Autumn, I guess it was the first day we met.  Things will settle down once we’re married.  Why don’t you go change your clothes and I’ll tape off the woodwork in Benji’s room as directed.  That shouldn’t take too long.”

Autumn started toward the stairs, “I’ll fix us something to eat and then maybe we could go to the mall in Harwood and get some wedding bands.  I cannot imagine how the guys can think of so many things and still maintain good grades.  I can’t understand why the four guys have attached themselves to us.  I can understand Cole and Trent, now that Benji has arrived, but Trevor and Jeff?”

I finished taping the woodwork which was easy because the furniture had all been removed from the room.  I went to the kitchen where Autumn was fixing a salad.  “Where’s the furniture that was in Benji’s room?”

Autumn was so blasé, “The guys decided to put it in the basement until we decided what to do with it.  Now what’s happening with the finances.  I’m still concerned that we are going to be overextended and I don’t really want to work the rest of my life.  I would like very much to stay home and take care of Benji and his siblings.”

“Autumn, believe me, we are going to be financially sound.”  I explained what happened at the bank and she started to laugh.

“Doug, are you telling me that I’m marrying a poor little rich boy?”

“I guess so.  We’ll be fine, even if you don’t work.”

“Doug, I’ve already signed my contract for next year.  I just can’t quit.”

“Autumn, we have all summer to discuss what’s going to happen.”

Our meal was interrupted by the arrival of Trent and Trevor.  Trevor just walked in, “Miss Autumn, we’re going to put Benji’s furniture in the garage until we finish painting.  That’s okay, isn’t it?  Hi, Uncle Doug, did you get the taping finished?”

I thought to myself, ‘How come these three teenagers know what’s going on and no else does?’

Autumn resignedly answered, “Guys, do what you need to do.  Doug and I need to go shopping to comply with your earlier instructions, as soon as we finish eating and doing the dishes.”

Trevor was undaunted, “Good, that means you must be going shopping for wedding rings and appropriate attire to get married in.  Just remember that you will be on horseback during the ceremony.”

I couldn’t stand it any longer.  “Trevor, don’t we have any say in anything?”

“Nope, we told you that we would take care of everything except the booze.  You need to make sure that’s taken care of.  We have everything else under control.  Don’t forget you’re expected at Fairacres to sign some paperwork.  Dad and Mr. W. are already there.

After we stopped at Fairacres and signed the paper for the two farms, we went to the mall and looked at the jewelry stores.  “Autumn, let’s just get a plain ring and we can always replace it later.”

“Doug, I have no problem with getting plain bands, but I would rather not change them later.”

We got the two wedding bands and as we were driving back to Summerhill we saw a western wear store.  Autumn suggested, “Doug, let’s stop in there and see if they have anything that would be suitable for us to wear.  I’m sure that this wedding is going to be a total disaster.  I don’t see how the guys can possible pull everything together in such a short time.”

I glanced over at her, “Autumn, I have no idea what the guys are planning, so let’s just roll with the punches.  I can‘t imagine that it will be a disaster.  It will probably be a very unique wedding.”

As we walked into the store we were greeted by a young woman. “Hi, Miss Summers, I hear you’re getting married on Saturday.  Is this your fiancé?”

“Judy, this is Doug Christiansen.  Doug, this is Judy Gordon.  She and her husband own this store.”

After the greetings, Judy asked, “How can I help you?”

Autumn started, “I was hoping to find something suitable to wear as my wedding outfit.”

Judy laughed, “I heard that you were going to be married on horseback.  What did you have in mind?”

Autumn looked around, “I’m not sure.  I know that I don’t want to wear white because I tend to look washed out.”

Judy looked at Autumn, “I think I might have just the outfit that might be what you’re looking for.  It just arrived today and we haven’t even had time to put it in the show room yet.  Let me go get it and show it to you.”

Judy went into the back room and returned carrying two outfits.  One was purple the other was aqua.  Judy announced, “These are one of a kind outfits.  I think they are both in the size you need.  Why don’t you at least try the blouses on to see which you might prefer.”

Autumn tried the purple blouse on and came and looked in the mirror.  She looked great in the blouse.  She returned with the aqua blouse on, and that looked great as well.  “Which color, do you like, Doug?”

“You’d look stunning in either.  Why don’t you get both outfits if they fit?  Now that I know what you might be wearing, I’ll look around and see if I can find an outfit that complements what you have.”

“Doug, let me get Gary to help you.  I think there were some things in the shipment that came in today that you might be interested in.  Gary, come meet Doug Christiansen.  He’s the lucky guy who’s going to be marrying Miss Autumn.  He’s looking for something that would complement what Miss Autumn is going to be wearing.  She's looking at the aqua and the purple outfits.”

Gary looked at what Autumn had on.  I think there is a matching outfit for the aqua outfit that will probably fit you, Mr. Christiansen.  I know that we didn’t order a purple outfit for a guy.  Let me go pull a couple of outfits for you to try on.  I’ll meet you at men’s dressing room over there.  Why don’t you take off your clothes while I get the outfits?”

I was thinking, ‘That was a strange thing to tell me to do.’

Gary came in with two outfits.  “I think we might be in luck.  Why don’t you try the aqua outfit on first.”

I put the aqua outfit on and looked at Gary. “What do you think?”

Gary laughed, “It looks as if it was made for you.  You might want to wear a jock strap  to keep the ladies and men from drooling though. Why don’t you go see what Miss Autumn says?”

Autumn was standing in the aqua outfit when I went to the show room floor.  “What do you think?”

Both Judy and Autumn looked at me; Judy whistled, “Autumn, you sure found yourself one handsome dude.”

Autumn approached me and stood next to me.  My outfit was several shades of aqua darker than hers, so it wasn’t as if we were twins. Autumn asked, “Judy, what do you think?”

“I think you both look great.  Gary, what did you choose to go with the purple outfit?”

I think Gary was having a ball, “Have Autumn put on the purple outfit while Doug goes to change into his royal attire.”

I took off the aqua outfit and Gary handed me a dark blue outfit.  I thought to myself, ‘There is no way that this is going to go with the Autumn’s purple outfit.’

Boy was I wrong.  When I stood next to Autumn in her purple outfit, it was as if they were made to go together.  Autumn smiled, “I think we should take both outfits.  We could get married in one and then change into the other one for the reception.  We need to get matching cowboy boots and accessories to go with the outfits.”

Gary slapped my arm, “I like how this lady thinks.  Let’s see what we can do about the boots.  Judy, why don’t pick some accessories while I get them boots?”

Needless to say, my debit card was a bunch lighter when we left the store.  When we got to Summerhill, Trevor, Trent and Cole were taking things to what was going to be Benji’s room.  Cole admonished us, “Don’t put anything against the walls.  We’ll arrange the furniture tomorrow night.  Mr. Willingham wants you to call him.”

Trevor asked the obvious questions, “Did you get the wedding rings and the outfits?”

Autumn decided to play with Trevor’s mind, “We got the rings and we bought two outfits and we’re going to stop the wedding ceremony and change in the middle of the service.”

Trent was laughing, “Oh, so you bought one for the wedding and one for Benji’s adoption ceremony.  Good thinking.  Uncle Doug, some guy called and wanted to know if you had  talked to President Harder about getting him hired.  He said that he and Dre were waiting to hear from you?”

Autumn looked at me, “Why don’t you make your calls first?

I called Uncle Howie, “This the Willingham residence.”

“I‘d like to speak to Mr. Willingham, please.”

The young voice called, “Mr. W., the call’s for you.”

“This Howard Willingham.”

“Uncle Howie, the guys said I was to call you.”

 “Thanks for calling, Doug, I just wanted to tell you that I have a surveyor coming the first thing in the morning to mark the property lines.  Do you want to be here?”

“Uncle Howie, you and Mr. Nixon can take care of that.  I don’t need to be there.”

“Doug, we have the drinks taken care of for the reception.  The guys have everything planned down to the second.  I’ll be interested to see if everything pulls together as they envision.”

“Thanks Uncle Howie, the world is moving at warp speed and we’re trying to get caught up.  Talk to you later.”

I called the Harder residence, “This is Doug Christiansen, may I speak to President Harder, please?

President Harder came on, “What’s up Doug, you haven’t changed your mind about the job, have you?”

“No ma’am.  There has been a young man, who is graduating on Saturday with his master’s degree from Georgia Tech who has been hounding me to get him a job at Harwood Community College as my assistant, since your husband hired his boyfriend to be his assistant football coach.”

“I guess you must be talking about Clark and Andre.”

“Yeah, Clark has decided that if he were my assistant, he could take care of any problems that gay students might have and I would take care of the straight students.  He also assured me that he would be able to keep his sexual drive under control while he was at work.”

President Harder laughed, “Why don’t you have the young man meet us on Monday and we can interview him.  I think he said that he was getting his master’s degree in some sort of psychology.  We could use him to teach several psychology courses, since you’re going to be teaching political science courses.  See what you can arrange.  I’ll see you at the wedding on Saturday.  What kind of baby things do you need?”

“Doris, I honestly don’t know.  The Nixon guys and Cole Weaver have taken control of everything.”

Doris chuckled, “You’re lucky to have them on your side.  Talk to you Saturday.”

The guys were coming down the steps as I was hanging up, and Trevor announced,  “We’re going to leave now.  We’ve done all we can do until the paint dries.  Miss Autumn, what time are we going to leave tomorrow to go to Atlanta?”

Autumn thought, “Why don’t I pick you up on my way home about 4:30.  That way we can make Doug feed us.  What time is Jeff due in?”

 

“He said he wouldn't be arriving until about nine.”

Autumn asked, “Trent and Cole, aren’t you going to the graduation?”

Cole looked perplexed, “Miss Autumn, we don’t have time.  We need to stay here and make sure everything is ready at six o’clock on Saturday for your wedding and Benji’s adoption ceremony.”

The boys departed and Autumn and I were sitting on the sofa and she leaned against me, “Doug, people are going to think that this a shotgun wedding, because it’s happening so fast.”

I started to laugh, “Autumn, the shot that caused this wedding was fired long before we ever met each other.”

Autumn looked at me with funny glint, “Let’s hope that there will be more shots that will add to our family at the appropriate times.”

“Autumn, on that note, I think I need to leave.  I’ll see you for dinner tomorrow night.”

Autumn walked me to the door, “Dougie, I still think you’re a prude.”

To be continued...

 Editor's Notes: As an editor, I really enjoy helping to bring the story to the readers.  As a reader, I keep wanting more and more and I want something important to happen sometime yesterday.  It seems that everything is happening, leading up to the wedding, but I want to see the wedding taking place. I am ready for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 06/05/09