Loving Eleanor(BWWM)

Chapter Twenty

Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Date: January 15th, 1950
Name: Eleanor Hazel Bush
Age: twenty-three

'clink, clink, clink'

Forks scraped the bottom of the plates as Eleanor's parents and Dale ate in silence.

Eleanor got her parents and Dale together so she could plan the wedding with their opinions, but, as per her earlier statement before dinner began, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." No one had anything nice to say.

"I can't do this," Eleanor said and shook her head. They were being childish.

Leroy slammed his fork down and shot Dale a glare. "I don't like him. I know that I promised to keep my mouth shut, but he's poor, Hazie." He insulted Dale.

"I don't care. He's my fiancé." Eleanor spat out and crossed her arms. "I want to get married in June," She announced and Dale nodded.

"Sounds good to me," He smiled and Mildred frowned at him. "I'd rather marry you this weekend, but June is nice too," He winked at Eleanor, making Leroy gag.

"You're pushing forty and now you've decided to be in a hurry to marry," Leroy chided in snarkily.

Dale opened his mouth to snap at the rude man, but Eleanor spoke first. "When you love someone, you want to be with them," She said shortly and turned her focus to her mother. "Could you make a list of family members and friends that I could invite? It's not an official list of invitees, but I just want an idea," She asked.

Mildred looked at Dale and turned her nose at him. "With a white man as the groom, I'm not sure who would show," She said honestly.

Eleanor closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm her upcoming tears. It hurt so much to know that because of the color of their skin, things would be harder.

Dale gripped her hand and kissed her cheek. He understood why she was upset, but he couldn't relate to her feelings. "It will all work out, princess," He whispered in her ear and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Don't cry," He said and she nodded.

"Thank you," Eleanor took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "Um, just still make the list. All they can say is no, right?" She asked and Mildred shrugged.

With Mildred gone to find a pad and pencil, Leroy felt the need to be petty.

"It's a tradition for the bride's family to pay for the wedding, which I will be doing," Leroy announced, "He probably can't even afford his own suit," He muttered loud enough for both of them to hear.

Dale rolled his eyes and slammed his hands on the table. "Leroy, shut up before I forget that you're my fiancée's father," He threatened the idiotic doctor, making Eleanor happy, though she wouldn't admit it out loud.

"Hazie, you're really going to let this man say that to me?" Leroy asked incredulously.

Eleanor nodded and her mother walked back in with a pen and pad.

"I'm back," Mildred announced and sat next to Leroy and jotted down a few names before looking up with a smile. "Do you remember Walter Johnson?" She asked with an underlying motive.

Eleanor groaned and covered her face.

Leroy on the other hand smiled widely and shook his head joyfully. "He's a Doctor at the same hospital I work at. He's liked Eleanor since he was in high school," He said directed at Dale.

Dale wasn't affected. He had Eleanor, and though she wasn't a prize, he'd be cursed if some snotty doctor tried to take her away from him.

"Don't invite him," Eleanor answered.