The Daily Novel

| CHAPTER EIGHT |

Jake paced up and down the small hotel room. He’d been seeing Jessie McCarey now for several months and he knew without a doubt: She was the one. Jake had never been uptight about a woman before; of course, he’d not been anxious to marry one, either.

He’d been too busy enjoying his freedom. And, trying to drum up work. Finally, he tired of the pacing pattern around and around the room and decided to ride out to the McCarey ranch.

When Jake drew close to the house, he spied Tom and the twins reworking some sagging fences. I’d never take for granted what that woman thinks. Maybe talking to the boys, I can get a feel for what Jessie really thinks of me.

“Hi fellas, working hard?”

“Only when we hav-ta!” Jason joked.

“Yeah, it would be a lot easier to slack off if’n Tom wasn’t here,” Josh interjected teasingly.

“Well,” Jake suggested, “Why don’t you three slackers take a break and talk to me about something?”

Tom looked quizzically at Jake. “What’s up?”

“Well, I … Well, uh …”

“This must be about Jessie. Spit it out, man!”

Jake grinned, then grew a bit sheepish. “You’re right—it is about Jessie. How do you think she feels about me?”

Tom threw his head back and laughed out loud. The twins joined in, and soon they were all poking fun at Jake.

“What’d I say that’s so funny? Will ya let me in on the joke?”

Tom finally regained his composure and replied: “It’s just funny that you’d even have to ask, that’s all.”

“Well, I think she likes me and all, but I’m serious, I mean serious about her. I need to know, fellas.”

Josh interjected: “Well, I’d say she was plum crazy ’bout ya, wouldn’t you say, guys?”

Jason and Tom both nodded their agreement.

“Crazy, huh? Crazy enough to marry me, you think?”

“Marry??!!” three voices yelped all at once. “All right!!”

When Jake reached the house, he found Kathleen and Gus McCarey snuggled together on a swing outside on the veranda. He admired, for the upteenth time, the lovely wood-framed house Gus built for his family. Nothing like this back east, he thought.

He tipped his hat. “Good evening, Mrs. McCarey. Sir.”

“Good evening, Jacob,” Kathleen answered him with one of her beautiful smiles.

“How you been, son?” Gus asked.

Jake began to relax. These people always made him feel at home—they were good people. And until lately he hadn’t realized it, but he longed to be part of a real family. He’d felt an emotional distance from his father and brother for a long time.

“Oh, just fine, keeping busy drumming up work. Is Jessie around? I checked at the office in town, but they said she was home today.”

“Yes, she’s home. Around back, Jake.” Kathleen took Jake’s arm and strolled toward the back of the house. She pointed, indicating where Jessie vigorously brushed up a sheen on a handsome black stallion outside the barn. Kathleen discreetly turned back to continue her chat with her husband.

Jessie’s sunlit hair, haphazardly pulled up with combs, moist curls escaping on her forehead and down the back of her neck, emphasized how hot and dirty she was from working on the sweaty horses. Jessie’s expression showed complete surprise in Jake’s visit.

Jake strolled over to a large elm tree behind the house and motioned for Jessie to follow. He could fathom the expected exasperation on her face. But before she could chew on him for coming by unexpectedly and seeing her in such a state, he leaned over and quickly silenced her with a kiss. She looked up in astonishment as he touched her face, softly wiping away a dirty smudge on her cheek with his thumb, then gently caressing a wisp of curl next to her earlobe.

“You su
re look beautiful today, Miss McCarey,” he said, smiling down at her.
“Well, thank you, sir. I always appreciate receiving compliments from a gentleman—if they’re genuine, that is.”

“Oh, this one’s genuine, all right. I think you look so gorgeous, I think … I think I’d like to take you right into town and marry you. What would you say to that, Miss McCarey?”

He waited. Jessie stared at him for a long time. Finally: “You come out here to ask me to marry you, looking like this?!! I could just kill you, Jake Trenton!!”

“Will you marry me, first, Jessie? I need you and I don’t want to be without you anymore. I’m sick of that room in town and being alone, and waking up without you and ….”

“Okay.”

“What’d you say?”

“I said yes, I’ll marry you. When do you want to do it? How about half an hour? I have a few more chores to do around the house, by then I’ll be really good and dirty; we could do it right after the chores,” she teased.     ‘”Jessie McCarey, I love you, you wild woman.’ “You’d better, Jake, because I … love you, too.”

“Well, that’s what your brothers say!” Jake laughed.

When Jessie explained to Jake that it would take a little while to plan the wedding, he replied that he hoped it wouldn’t take too long. When she promised that she and Mama could probably get things arranged in a few weeks, Jake was pleased.

Each went on with their daily work routines, Jake stopping by the ranch to see her on the evenings he returned to Big Spring from his delivery routes.

Jake warned Jessie on more than one occasion about his ‘wanderlust’. “I’m infected with travel, Jessie; you sure you can live with a man who roams the earth? And sky?”

“I get pretty distracted myself, Jake, and sometimes tune people out. You’ll have a few of my bad habits to get used to!”

One rare relaxed afternoon, Jessie and MaryBeth examined fabric at Jeremiah’s store in Big Spring. Jessie fussed a bit, unable to decide what material would be right for her wedding dress. She looked through various muslins and a few silks, examining each swatch by holding it in front of her face at the long, oval mirror in the corner of the store.

Jessie picked up a different bolt and asked: “Ooh! MaryBeth! What do you think of this color?” She put a swath of shiny, apricot-colored silk next to her face.

MaryBeth nodded approvingly. “If you’re not going to wear the traditional white, that would look lovely on you; it accents your hair color.”

“Well, I think I should have my own traditions. It is my wedding. Of course, there is Granny Mary’s dress … For tradition’s sake, Mother probably would like me to try and salvage it. Perhaps I could adjust it a bit more to my taste. Really, it’s only those tight sleeves with the silly puffs I’m not fond of. What would you think if I replaced the sleeves with shorter ones, perhaps of this lacy ivory material …?”

When MaryBeth nodded, suddenly Jessie asked, “When are you and Ben going to do this, MaryBeth?”

Caught off guard, MaryBeth blushed. “He’s asked me,” she shyly and quickly dropped her eyes.

Jessie laughed. “So, when are you going to agree to marry him?”

“When I get enough courage to be a married woman, I guess.”

“What are you talking about? Ben adores you!”

“Well, you know, the..the….”

“The … what?”

MaryBeth motioned for Jessie to follow her outside. They walked behind the store and sat down on an old bench.

“Well?” Jessie questioned.

MaryBeth leaned close and whispered: “The … married part. I don’t know anything about it.”

“What’s there to know?”

“Intimacy, that’s what!” Then MaryBeth looked around anxiously, to see if anyone had heard.

Jessie was taken aback. She’d never heard MaryBeth raise her voice. “Are you afraid of se—?”

“Sh!! Jessie! Somebody might hear!”

Jessie exaggeratedly whispered: “Well, that’s what it is, you know.” After seeing the shocked look on MaryBeth’s face, she added: “Okay, ‘making love,’ is that better?”

“Much. Do you think it’s … difficult?”

“Difficult? Are you kidding?”

“Well, that’s what Mam-maw always says. That it’s something married women have to put up with. She makes it sound like men are beasts!”

Jessie threw her head back and roared with laughter. She laughed and laughed till she was nearly weak. MaryBeth waited for her to calm down and then said, “It’s not funny, Jessie, I don’t know what to do!”

Jessie got herself under control and put her arm around MaryBeth. “Okay, we’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve talked about a lot of things, right?”

“Yes, that’s what I like about you—you’ll tell me … anything.”

“You listen to me, now, and you disregard what that grandmother of yours said, you hear me?”

“I’ll try.”

“At first, it may be awkward for you. I’m not going to lie to you about that. The reason I say that is because I know how embarrassed you are about undressing in front of … even me. I’ve noticed it for a long time, but didn’t make a fuss; afraid it might make you more timid.”

“Well, I do have a little trouble with that.”

“Okay, after you get undressed, Ben will want to kiss you and touch you. In places I’m sure he never has touched you … right?”

“Oh, Ben’s always been a gentleman!”

“Well, you need to try to relax and let him kiss you or touch you wherever he wants …”

MaryBeth looked horrified. “Wherever?”

“Yes, wherever. I know Ben loves you, and he won’t be an animal, believe me. When you get used to it … you’ll love it!”

“Jessie!! You haven’t??!!!! … How … do you know?”

“Oh, silly goose, Mama told me. She said her great-granny had scared the be-jeebers out of women in the family about it, like your grandmother has you. But Mama believes that was probably because Great-Grampa was pretty much … well … a drunken louse.” She giggled.

MaryBeth looked down, blushing again.

“Don’t get prudish on me now. I’m telling you the truth.”

“Aren’t you a bit scared?”

“Sure. I guess.” She grew thoughtful. “Actually, no, to be honest, I’m anxious. It’s all I’ve thought about lately, especially when I’m spending close time with Jake. If you know what I mean …”

MaryBeth blushed again. “Oh my goodness! I don’t know if I can do this like you, Jessie.”

“You can if you’ll just trust yourself and trust Ben. You love him and he loves you.” She grew serious. “Mama says it’s the ultimate offering—the gift of yourself. And besides, you know it even says in the Bible: the two become one. ”

“Oh, Jessie, you make it sound so wonderful! I … well; maybe … it will be all right!”

Jessie noticed the look on MaryBeth’s face. “Oh, quit that blushing, right now! Trust me on this. Have I ever led you astray about anything?”

“Well … there was that time you got us into trouble for playing hooky and going for a dip in Miller’s pond.”

“Oh, other than that! You just can’t let that die, can you, girl? I’ll never live that one down!” Jessie chuckled and added: “I’m serious as death this time. You know I wouldn’t deliberately mislead you.”

When MaryBeth smiled, Jessie reached her arm around and hugged her friend again.

“We sure had some good times in school. ‘Member when Roger swung way sideways on that rope at the creek and broke his arm?” Marybeth asked, giggling.

“How could I forget? Miss Riley volunteered me to write out all his homework for him. He sure enjoyed bossin’ me around!”

Exchanging secret smiles, they returned to the store thinking the same thing:  It was so great to have a best friend. And now they’d be sisters.

A few days later, Ben approached Jessie in her office. “Have you been talking to MaryBeth?”

“She’s my best friend; yes, I talk to her all the time. Why?”

“She told me today she wanted to marry me, that’s what!”

“And … the problem is …?”

“I couldn’t get an answer out of her till that day after you two went looking at things for your wedding. What did you say to her?”

“You mad at me?”

“Heavens, no; I’m grateful! I just wondered why she had changed so much. She seems more relaxed and happy.”

“Well, I told her you loved her more than anything in this world, that you’d die for her, and that being married to you would be the most wonderful thing that ever happened in her life.”

“You said all that?”

“In a manner of speaking; yes.”

Ben kissed Jessie’s brow. “Thanks ever so much, Sis.”

“You just make sure you don’t ever let her down, you hear me? I know you love her, but don’t you ever hurt her! She’s so delicate, so fragile. You might be my big brother, but I’ll make you pay if you do …” Jessie made a fake, menacing scowl.

“I won’t, I swear.”

Ben smiled and Jessie softly answered, “I know.” Then she added: “How about making it a double wedding?”

“You mean it?! You wouldn’t mind?”

“She’s my best friend, remember?”

Jessie and MaryBeth talked their fiancés into setting the wedding date in May. The girls wanted an outdoor ceremony and felt that by that time, the weather would cooperate. It did. The twelfth of May was a gorgeous Oklahoma day. Trees and prairie grasses painted the landscape vibrant green, brilliant wildflowers sprang up everywhere, dotting the green with profuse colors. Unexpected but appreciated: little wind. Perfect day for a wedding.

Jessie’s brothers did all the expected mean things: wrote teasing little signs and left them everywhere, put rice in her bed the night before, poked their heads into her room several times to see if they could catch her in her underwear so she’d shriek at them. It went on all day.

MaryBeth brought her things to the McCarey home in the afternoon so they could get ready for the ceremony together. As the girls were giggling together, Kathleen gently knocked on the door. When Jessie asked her to come in, Kathleen told the girls how lovely they looked and hugged each of them.

As Kathleen was about to leave, Jessie quickly put her arms around her mother and drew her back. “I know I don’t tell you often enough, Mama, but I love you very much. Thank you for everything you do—you’re always here for me when I need you. Times like this make me stop to appreciate things … like you sewing the altered sleeves on my dress, playing the music, detailing the cake, flowers, all the lovely things you’ve arranged for this wedding.”

Kathleen replied: “I’ve so enjoyed planning this wonderful day with MaryBeth’s mother. It’s been such fun; we’ve become even closer friends. And, it’s the least I could do for my girls…now I’ll have two daughters!”

Kathleen kissed Jessie’s cheek, then turned and kissed MaryBeth. As she quickly wiped away a happy tear: “I better get downstairs to set up the piano arrangement while the two of you finish dressing.”

As Kathleen softly closed the door behind her, MaryBeth picked up some minuscule apricot-colored flowers lying on the dresser.

“I asked Matthew earlier if he could pick some wildflowers in the meadow down by the creek. I told him the colors I wanted, and he’s such a sweetheart…he was so excited, he flew off to help. See what Matty found … they are just perfect, so delicate.”

“Wow, you remembered that’s my favorite color!”

MaryBeth brushed Jessie’s long hair till it glowed and then gently French-twisted the silky sides, plaiting a few loose braids in the long curls in back, and then entwining tiny bits of the flowers into those braids.

Jessie helped MaryBeth adjust her veil, and stood back, awestruck at MaryBeth.

“You’re exquisite! With those golden curls and sky-blue eyes, you’re like a fragile, porcelain doll. No … an angel!”

“You’re the one who’s beautiful,” MaryBeth replied. She smiled adoringly at Jessie, who’d decided against wearing a veil. “Your hair looks like Gwenevere’s. You’ve such vibrant beauty; you don’t even need decoration, Jessie.”

“Well, we’d best get down to the two luckiest men in Oklahoma, before they change their minds,” Jessie teased.

The McCarey and Stockton families and many friends gathered outside. The men had set up rows of chairs and tables along the side, to hold the huge cakes, china, and arrangements of flowers Kathleen and MaryBeth’s mother had lovingly created. Jason and Josh acted as ushers, flirting outrageously, all the while escorting the ladies to their seats.

As the girls came down the back stairs, Gus took Jessie’s arm and MaryBeth’s father grasped hers. Gus pecked Jessie’s check as he escorted her around the corner to the back porch. There he nodded for Kathleen to start playing the piano.

The lively chatter quieted. Gus and Jessie walked down the aisle created by space between the rows of chairs, Mr. Stockton following with MaryBeth.

As they turned to watch the lovely sight coming toward them, Ben extended a handshake to Jake. When they reached the grooms standing under a trellis of flowers, Gus placed Jessie’s hand in Jake’s and Mr. Stockton tenderly kissed and laid MaryBeth’s hand into Ben’s.

Pastor Murphy beamed as ladies sniffed into their hankies. After a moment, he began:  “I have known the McCarey and Stockton families for a long time now. Ben, Jessica and MaryBeth have been like my own children—I’ve come to love each of them for their rare qualities. And it’s been a real pleasure getting to know Jake these past weeks—I already sense he is a fine man. Miss Jessie, here, is lucky to have him.”

The pastor winked at Jake. As the audience chuckled, Jessie wrinkled up her nose and then grinned at the minister.

“Jake, before you’re committed, you do understand Jessie is quite the wild one, don’t you?”

Everyone roared this time, MaryBeth fighting to suppress her giggle. Ben bit his lip. And Jake winked at the minister.

“It is always a pleasure to assist wonderful young people such as these engage in that practice God so highly esteems: the holy state of marriage. It is not something to be entered into lightly, but reverently. So now, I must become serious.” He paused.

“These two couples come before us today, of their own free will, to join in this glorious state. If there be any present who have reason why they should not be joined together, let him state so now, or forever hold his peace.”

After a short period of silence: “Then, let us begin. Would you bow with me?” The two couples knelt before the pastor. “Lord, please bless these fine young people. Give them Your love; send them the Spirit of Your Presence, to help them throughout all the days of their lives. We thank you for your blessings and ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus.”

The congregation joined in: “Amen.”

Pastor Murphy indicated the couples should rise. Then: “Do you, MaryBeth, take Benjamin, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in heath, until death do you part?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Do you, Benjamin, take MaryBeth, to love and cherish, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?”

“Yes, Sir, I do.”

“And, do you, Sarah Jessica, take Jacob …”

“Yes.”
The minister looked intently at Jessie. “I hadn’t finished your part, Sarah. I wonder if I need to put in the ‘obey’ clause?”

“If you really think it’s necessary …?” She smiled innocently.

“Let’s just continue … do you, Jacob, take Jessica, to love and to cherish, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?”

“I most certainly do.”

The minister indicated to the best men, (Tom and MaryBeth’s brother, Harry) that they should extend the rings. After Ben slipped MaryBeth’s gently on her finger and Jake placed Jessie’s on hers:      ”I now pronounce that these two couples are … uh … men and wives. That seems a bit awkward. How about … man and wife … and man and wife?”

As the audience chuckled, Jake looked tenderly down at Jessie and whispered: “I promise I’ll always love you, Jessie McCarey…Trenton. Don’t you ever forget that!”

“You’d better, Mister!”

Jake smiled and watched Ben give MaryBeth a gentle kiss, as the audience clapped for them. But Jake roughly brought Jessie into his arms and gave her a rousing kiss that lasted a long few minutes. Everyone clapped again, whispered deliciously, and then heartily laughed before it ceased.