Love Is Blind

After Dinner Celebrations

  Dinner only lasted about another hour after Mr. Webber arrived. Lacey and I had solidified our cooking skills with each other's family. Somehow, we had even made the pie well enough that there wasn't a single piece left over for later on. Refusing any offers of help from me, Lacey headed off to the kitchen to begin on dishes and wrapping the leftovers up.

  "I'm going to go out there and help her," Mandy informed us, smoothing out the skirt of her dress as she stood from her chair.

  "Think you could convince her to let me help, too?"  I asked, wanting to stand and follow her into the kitchen.

  Laughing, Mandy shook her strawberry blond hair, "Nope. Just girls in the kitchen tonight, Jakey. Go relax and watch some football or something."

  Rolling my eyes, I stood up, "Anyone who doesn't feel like sitting at the table is free to join me in the living room!"

  Pushing my chair in, I turned and went to the living room. Glancing back, I could see that every person who had been sitting at the elongated table had followed. Once everyone chose a seat and got comfortable, I scanned around until I found a place of my own to sit.

  Catching sight of the tattered love seat I had shoved into the corner by hallway, I quickened my pace over to it so that no one else could snatch it up. Settling myself in it, I let out a contented sigh. Before long, the seat beside me sank down with the weight of someone else. Looking over, I saw that Mr. Webber had sat down beside me.

  Silence hung over the love seat for a while before Mr. Webber finally broke it, "So, I hear that you're going to be marrying my daughter. Is that true?"

  Sitting up a bit straighter, I looked at him straight on, "Yes, sir, it is. I proposed to her just a little while before you got here."

  Solemnly, he nodded and it grew quiet for another couple of moments. After what felt like a small eternity, he finally spoke up again, "You know, you're lucky that you got her before anyone else did. She's a special girl, you know."

  Quickly, I agreed, "She's as special as they come. Rare. One of a kind and all her own."

  Chuckling, he nodded, giving me a sidelong look, "If she has to marry anyone, then I'm glad that it's you."

  Flushing with a small sense of pride, I nodded at him and smiled in gratitude, "Thank you, sir."

  "You treat her like the princess that she was always meant to be. From what I have seen in just the hour I have been here, I can tell that you love her fully and plan to cherish her for all that she is worth."

  Nodding, I agreed quietly, reverent with love for her, "Yes, I do. She's everything that I could have ever dreamed of and so much more. I don't deserve her. In all reality, I doubt that anyone will ever deserve someone as unique and precious as she is."

  Noticing my blush, he seemed to smile a bit, but he spoke before it had a chance to fully form on his mustached lips, "Boy, you sure are a sap, aren't ya?" Chuckling, he continued, knowing I wasn't going to answer his rhetorical question, "But you're right on one thing. Nobody will ever deserve my little girl."

  I agreed, mumbling out quietly, "I will do my very best to bring justice to her."

  Laughing softly, he smiled at me, eyes twinkling with humor and light, "Jacob, my boy, you are the only person on this planet that will ever come close to being good enough for my little girl."

  Another shot of burning blood bubbled up to my cheeks, making me desperate to hide my face. Instead, I stood strong and replied bashfully, "Thank you, sir."