Sweet Lantern

Chapter 19

Darry

It's been a few weeks since we told our parents that we're getting married. The days following have been crazy and chaotic, but fun and exciting too, I guess. Our moms are wedding crazed, it's all we hear about. Alice and I were lying in bed last night and she joked about sneaking away and just eloping. "Something just for us, where no one else has any say over anything", she had said to me. I had to question if she was half serious or not.

We couldn't do that to our families though. We understand the excitement and the static in the air around our farms right now. But not just around our farms; this is big news throughout our little town, actually. It's been awhile since we had a big wedding around here and seeing as everyone knows us and we are such a close knit community, everyone knows everyone and has known everyone's families for generations... everyone is all abuzz about our upcoming nuptials.

We already know who's doing the flowers; Nancy's Floral Shop on Fifth Street. Nancy is friends with our moms. They all went to school together and grew up with each other. The three of them still get together every Saturday morning for coffee and conversation.

Catering is going to be handled by Billie's Cafe. Billie died years ago, her granddaughter owns and runs the place now. She's a friendly middle-aged woman, with red hair and freckles all over her. She's always smiling and sometimes she gives Alice and me free slices of pie after our meals.

Decorations are going to be handled by our moms. They both insisted that they get to have that honor. Fingers crossed that they try and listen to some of Alice's ideas too. I mean, it is her wedding after all.

The minister performing the ceremony will be our local Pastor, of course; Pastor Randy. He's been the Pastor of our local Baptist church since I was a small kid. I remember sitting in the pews on Sunday mornings with Alice and our families, getting in trouble by our moms because we whispered to each other the whole time, ignoring the sermons. I always liked Pastor Randy though because he'd sneak peppermint candies to me and Alice after service, making us promise not to tell anybody. We still attend church every Sunday morning and most Sunday evenings too. When we were growing up, we'd go on Wednesday nights too, but since we aged out of the youth group, we just go on Sunday's now.

I'm actually a bit surprised by the whole lack of surprise from everyone.

It's weird, like they all just somehow expected this to happen one day. Maybe not this soon, but I swear it's like everyone knew we'd end up together. I was so scared of losing her that I waited thirteen years to say anything about my feelings, yet here, all these people had it written in the stars before she ever even knew how I loved her. It's crazy.

Waking up next to her these past few weeks, it's been so surreal. I keep reminding myself that she's about to be my wife. I remember back to that first day of school, when she was so tiny and fragile. She was so scared and looking to me to protect and reassure her. And here we are now, about to tie ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives. I will be whatever she needs me to be, for the rest of my days.

"Darry?", Alice breaks me from my thoughts.

"I'm here, babe", I reassure her, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face.

She smiles at me; her eyes still closed tight and reaches out to hold my hand. She pulls me to her and brings me closer to her face, lifting up to kiss my lips, still careful not to let the sun penetrate her eyelids.

"Good morning", we say together and laugh. "Are you hungry?"

"Ravished" she says, licking her lips and rubbing her belly for dramatic effect.

"Well, let's get you up and get you fed, my sweet Alice."

"I need bacon, Darry. It's not a want. It is in fact a need." She informs me, very seriously. "And eggs. And toast. And blueberry jam. Mmmmm, jam."