Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 89 - A Series of Small Celebrations

For the second day in a row, on Thursday evening, the Abernathy family sat down to dinner without Matt and Ashley, the day after the newlywed couple returned home from their honeymoon and began living in the little apartment on their own. Zack was working that evening, and Matt and Ashley were eating their first dinner alone in their new home. That left only Jessie and Melody with Greg and Susan to have dinner together.

Susan sighed when they finished praying and sat down to eat.

Greg arched a brow at her.

"It seems strange for Matt to be here and not be joining us to eat," Susan explained. "I know I need to get used to it, but still."

"Accepting one's children as adults is an adjustment every parent needs to make ... eventually," Greg said. "It was odd for me too when Alan and Cindy married ... even though they'd been together and dating nearly the entire time we were away."

"Will it be odd for you when Bert and me get married, Papa?" Jessie asked.

"It probably will be," Greg said. "Are you thinking about it?"

Jessie nodded shyly. "Ashley said she thought about her wedding for years before she and Matt got married, and it was really nice."

"Nicer than Neil and Rosemary's?" Susan asked.

"Sort of. Theirs was outside. That was sort of good, because there was grass we could play on ... except we were all dressed up so we couldn't," Jessie said. "Matt and Ashley's was in a church. That was nice too ... maybe even better."

"Why's that?" Greg asked.

"Because they got married in God's house instead of having a pretend house and inviting God in," Jessie said.

"You mean the canopy?" Susan asked.

Jessie nodded. "Isn't that what the canopy is? Isn't that like the house where you will live after you are married, so you can invite God in?"

"That is what it represents," Greg agreed.

"Do you have to get married under a canopy if you are Jewish?" she asked.

"Why are you asking that?" Susan asked.

"Because ... you and Papa did," Jessie said.

"We did because it was important to Papa," Susan told her.

"Was it important to you?" Jessie asked.

"No, because Christians typically don't get married under a canopy," Susan said.

"Did you? When you were married before?" Jessie asked.

"You mean when I married Matt and Zack's dad?" Susan asked.

"Uh huh. Did you then?" Jessie asked.

"No, Jessie. We got married in a church ... the same church where Bert and his family go for services," Susan explained.

"Oh! I didn't know that! Did you used to live here?" Jessie asked.

"I lived with my parents before I got married the first time. We lived near here," Susan said. "Would you like to see our old house someday?"

"Okay," Jessie said. "Mama, what are we doing tomorrow?"

"We don't have any special plans for most of the day, but in the late afternoon, Matt and Ashley have invited us and Ashley's family to their apartment to watch them open wedding presents," Susan said. "They're all having dinner with us afterwards."