Esther came home with Avery and me when we came home Sunday, after dinner with my parents. Father talked to us in private. He asked us to try to talk some sense into her because she had to get married eventually. Will Delaney would be able to provide a good home for her. He is a law clerk now but training to be a lawyer, and will make a good amount money to raise a family with. Father pointed out that if she doesn't cooperate soon, Will probably will choose someone else.
Avery said to me at home, "It almost sounds like love doesn't enter into it anymore, does it?"
"Well I didn't love you when I married you. I didn't even know you."
"I guess that's right. I loved you."
"No you didn't. How could you? I never even spoke to you till we had lunch at your parents' house."
"I loved the idea of you."
"How's that?"
"Well, you know, I met your father at Corbin's store and he talked about you training the horses. Then he mentioned how you made him apple pies and they were so delicious."
"And that made you fall in love with me?"
"Nope."
"Well, then what?"
"It was when the Corbin kid told me how beautiful you were, and I was smitten."
"He did? Which one? Not Sid!"
"Yeah, that's the one. Sid. He told me you were beautiful and he was right."
"I can't believe Sid Corbin thought I was beautiful."
"Well, after that I had to have you and I met your Father again and asked him. He told me you were too young."
"He did? Was this after you came to our house for supper? You never spoke to me."
"He told me I had to get my house built. He also told me that your horses come with you. He said I had to promise him, that I would allow you to do what you want with horses because you had a way with them."
"What did you say then?"
"Well, I told him that was something that I liked about you. Your love for horses, since they are the center of my business."
"Were you disappointed to see I wasn't beautiful?"
"No, I saw you were beautiful. And you still are."
"You never said why you didn't talk to me."
"I didn't know what to say."
"We talk now."
"It is different now. We know each other. I did not know you at all. You seemed childlike and sometimes I felt like I was too old for you."
"And now?"
"You are catching up to me." Avery laughed.
I laughed as he gathered me in his arms. "Oh Rachel, my life is unbelievable since you came into it. I love you with every breath in my body. I want to grow old with you. I want to watch our children grow up and have their families, our grandchildren."
"Our children?"
""I want lots!"
I laughed again, but just then Esther appeared at the door carrying Benjamin.
"Oh excuse me." She started to close the kitchen door.
"No, Esther, you are not interrupting. Come here and bring our little Benjamin here." I stretched out my arms to take my son.
Esther handed him to me and seemed quiet, then she spoke, "You two seem so happy. I know I am not supposed to, but I envy you."
Avery looked her in the eyes and took her hands in his and said, "Esther, marriage is what you make it. If you go into a marriage with a chip on your shoulder and resenting a man because he wanted to marry you. Well, then you will get a miserable husband and you will be miserable as well. If you go into it with expectations of making a life together, having a family and sharing the sorrows and joys to come, then you too, will have happy marriage and a man who loves you."
"But you and Will Delaney are two different men. Rachel is lucky. I will not be."
"Esther," I spoke then, "Avery would not have been a man you would have wanted either. You do not like horses. You would not have liked a man who left you at home while he was away for weeks, like when we first got married. That is why Father felt he was the man for me."
She looked at us both, holding back her tears, "I don't know Will Delaney. What if he doesn't like me?"
Avery said, "Get to know him. Talk to him. Find out what his plans are. Then you can see if it is worth getting so upset over. Might be, that you will like his plans. You won't know unless you talk to him."
She smiled a sheepish grin, "That does make sense. I don't know what he wants to do except be a lawyer."
I said, "Talk to him. Invite him to dinner again. This time sit next to him and talk to him!"
"Okay, I will."
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016
Updated 2016
