by Susan Page Davis, Darlene Franklin, Pamela Griffin, Lisa Harris
“Herbert,” Clemmie’s father said, “can you give us a moment?”
“Sure.” Herbert looked back and forth between them before leaving the small room where the pastor’s aide had led them to wait.
Joel swallowed nervously, the awkward bow tie pushing against his Adam’s apple.
“I know we talked last night in depth, but there are a few things I want to say before you go out there.”
Uh–oh. Here it comes. The warning never to treat Clemmie badly, not that he would, but the threat of what might happen if he should.
Joel gave a tense nod, preparing himself.
“I’m proud of you, son. Proud of who you are today. Your life has been riddled with bad choices and mistakes, and it takes a real man of strong character to learn from those bad decisions and strive to better himself. Sometimes adversity brings great strength—and you’ve shown that. Even your boss at the paper raves about what a remarkable employee you are. I only wish Brent could hear for himself what an upstanding man his wayward pupil became, but of course someone had to stay behind with the children.”
Joel blinked furiously, fighting back the tears that stung his eyes. “Sir … Dad. If it weren’t for your patience and generosity and this past summer with your daughter, I would have never tried.”
“My daughter, soon to be your wife, eh?” He smiled. “I never would have believed this day would come all those years ago, but having seen you together, you two do make a fine couple. I can see how much you love my baby girl, and I know you’ll treat her well.”
“Yes … Dad. Clemmie means everything to me. I only want to make her happy.”
Her father clapped a hand to Joel’s back. “Well then, what do you say we go and take the first step in making that possible?”
With Herbert behind him, Joel followed Mr. Lyons to the front of the church, his eyes widening at the number of people who filled the pews. Good gravy! He didn’t remember them inviting this many—but word must have spread. Spotting old faces from his past with a shock, he had a feeling he knew who’d been the culprit. He glanced his best man’s way with narrowed eyes.
“You told everyone who knows me, didn’t you?” Joel whispered to Herbert as Clemmie’s father took a side aisle to the back of the church.
“So, what’s the problem? Now that you can see and are about to marry the gal who probably loves you most in this world, there’s no longer any reason for the big secret. It’s about time people knew you’re back among the living, and today is a major cause for celebration. Wouldn’t you say?”
“Hmm. Maybe I chose my best man right after all.”
“Who else were you going to ask, the cat?”
Joel softly chuckled. “No. The job would only do for my best brother.”
The organ music started, and they turned to face the back. Joel watched the short procession of bridesmaids accompanied by Clemmie’s brother and two friends at the paper who Joel had asked to be his groomsmen. Then Clemmie appeared in a satin ivory gown, and Joel forgot all else.
She looked stunning. Amazing.
And she was his. Minutes away from becoming his wife.
Why had God blessed him so profoundly?
Because He loves you, Joel.
Clemmie’s answer to him during his weeks of soul-searching rose in his mind at the moment her gaze found and held his.
To deserve such love, as God’s, as Clemmie’s … he couldn’t begin to understand it, but he would do all he could to honor them both the rest of his life.
As the pastor asked who gave this woman to be his wife, and her father answered, “I do,” taking her hand and putting it in Joel’s, he wondered if there was such a thing as heaven on earth because he felt he must be living in it.
Clemmie floated on clouds. Throughout the ceremony, she never took her gaze from Joel’s, and he only glanced away when accepting the ring from Herbert.
“I take you, Clementine Marielle Lyons, as my lawfully wedded wife….” The vows he quietly spoke were sweet music to her ears.
“I take you, Joel Timothy Litton, as my lawfully wedded husband….” She made her promise to him softly, the expression of all that was in her heart, and saw the shine of tears in his eyes that must reflect her own.
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the pastor said moments later. Joel drew Clemmie close and kissed her before the pastor could finish saying, “You may now kiss your bride,” earning low chuckles from some guests and making Clemmie and Joel smile.
Caught up in the resulting flurry, the ceremony complete, they were whisked away to the estate of Hannah’s uncle, where an elaborate feast awaited on covered tables.
The affair was extravagant, with friends, family, and neighbors from present and past converging to wish the happy couple well. Clemmie found herself in constant demand, and to her frustration, she barely saw her new husband, who’d been detained by others eager to see him, glad to know he was alive. Suddenly Clemmie came face-to-face with Sheridan. They had sent her an invitation, but Clemmie hadn’t believed the woman would attend.
“I wish you all the best.” Sheridan’s eyes were sincere. “You and Joel both.”
Clemmie didn’t know what to say and felt bad that if the situation were reversed, she probably wouldn’t have shown such graciousness. “I’m glad you came, Sheridan. Really.”
“Thank you. I hope we can be friends.”
“Of course.” Clemmie still felt at a loss.
“Clemmie, it’s okay.” Sheridan patted her arm. “Everything happened the way it was meant to. Joel loves you very much. He told me so, and I’m just happy to see you both happy.”
In that moment, Clemmie became Sheridan’s fan, too. “Thank you.” She hugged her.
“And you’re always welcome at our home.”
“Clemmie, sweetheart …” Joel came up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist. “Everything okay here?”
“Wonderful.” She turned a beaming smile on him. “I was just telling Sheridan she must come and pay us a visit—when we find a home, of course.”
Joel raised his brow as if surprised, and then he smiled at Sheridan. “I second that invitation.”
Sheridan laughed. “Then I accept you both. But right now I think you’re being paged.” Clemmie and Joel turned to look behind them. Clint, Miranda, Tommy, and Lance eagerly waved to them.
“Uh-oh,” Joel said. “I don’t like the looks of this.”
The fellows moved into a straight line in the middle of the ballroom floor, facing them, linking arm in arm. Joel’s face turned red. “Now I know I don’t like it.”
Clemmie knew what was coming and bit her lip in an effort not to laugh. After all the mischievous serenading Joel had led his gang in when they were boys, it seemed proper that he should get a taste of his own.
Tommy pulled his harmonica from his pocket and blew a few notes, gaining everyone’s attention. Joel groaned and closed his eyes.
The men all hummed off-key notes, getting in tune, then belted out their tribute to the happy couple: “Oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’, Oh, my daaarlin’ Clementine …”
The red flush in Joel’s face rushed to his ears. Clemmie giggled.
“You were lost and gone forever, oh my daaarlin’ Clementine….”
“Kill me now,” he joked under his breath. “Did we really sound that bad?”
“They’re just hamming it up. You should be used to it.”
“Hmm.”
Somehow he lived through the rest of the song, the words changed to reflect what an idiot Joel had been to almost lose her and what a saint she was to take him back.
“Nice to know how they really feel,” he said, but she could tell he was amused.
Afterward, amid a lot of backslapping and jibes, Tommy made a toast to the happy couple and expressed his delight that the original “Gang of Reformers” was reunited. “May it be the first of many occasions!” he added. His new wife, Angel’s cousin Faye, smiled and winked at him, earning her
a huge smile; it was good to see Tommy so happy.
Joel clapped his hands to Tommy’s and Lance’s shoulders. “Okay, I gotta admit—it’s great to see all you lugheads again.”
Amid much laughing and jesting, the old gang hugged as a group then split up to gather around one of the tables and talk of old days and new. Clemmie, who’d seen some of their antics and heard about the rest, greatly enjoyed all of it. Miranda excused herself to take care of her and Clint’s youngest boy, and the men were in heated discussion over who was the culprit behind an old prank on the schoolmaster. Everyone had a theory. Joel turned to whisper in Clemmie’s ear.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“You mean just leave?”
“I’ve had enough commotion for one day. But if you want to stay for them showering us in rice and all that …”
“Lead the way, husband. I’m with you.”
Her words earned her a quick kiss. He took her hand, both of them furtively sneaking to get their coats, the guests too absorbed in their own good time to notice.
“Henley,” Joel said to the driver who stood in the entryway. “Would you drive us home?”
“Very good, sir. And may I offer my congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Home?” Clemmie looked at him strangely as they hurried into the brisk air. Henley opened the door to the Rolls, and Joel helped her inside. “I thought you rented a room at the hotel.”
“Hush.” He winked and hurried around to the other side of the car.
During the drive, he held her hand, at times bringing it to his mouth to kiss it, but he wouldn’t answer her questions as to their destination. When the car reached Herbert’s street, she groaned.
“Oh, Joel. Not the shed.”
He laughed outright. “What kind of husband would I be to take my new wife to spend our first night together in a box?”
She flushed with warmth at his words and smiled. “Actually, I’d stay anywhere with you. Be it your box of a shed or a fancy hotel.”
“Oh good. Well, in that case …”
“Joel.” She laughed. “Don’t you dare!”
The chauffeur drove past Herbert’s home and stopped two houses down the street.
“What?” Clemmie pulled her brows together. “Why are we stopping here?”
Joel didn’t wait for Henley, hurrying out of the car to come around and help her to the sidewalk. She raised the hem of her long gown, taking his hand as he helped her over an icy puddle.
“Thank you, Henley. We can take it from here.”
“Very good, sir.”
Clemmie watched in confusion as the chauffeur drove away, and she then turned to her new husband.
“Explain yourself, Joel Litton.”
“Open your eyes and look,” he said while taking hold of her shoulders and turning her to see the SOLD sign in the front yard.
Clemmie blinked as realization dawned. “Joel, you didn’t …” He barely made enough at the paper. She turned to him. “I meant what I said. I’d live with you anywhere. Even your shed.”
“Shhh.” He placed his finger against her lips, sending a tingle down her spine. “I didn’t. This is a wedding gift from your grandfather. I didn’t want to accept, but he seemed hurt when I wouldn’t, and I wasn’t about to make you live in that shed.”
“So you buried your pride to make an old man happy and ensure that we have a good place to live at a time when such things like homes are hard to come by,” she said in wonder, realizing just how far Joel had come for a man who refused handouts.
“It was a gift. And he’s family.”
Clemmie’s smile grew wide. “Joel Litton, have I told you how much I love you?”
He swept her off her feet, making her squeal, and held her close.
“Mrs. Litton, let me show you just how much I love you. I’ve been waiting for this day a long time.”
His words partly took away her breath.
“Joel, you have no idea how long I’ve waited for you. Is this truly real?”
“Let’s find out.” His kiss finished the job his words had started. “Yeah,” he whispered. “It’s real.”
Breathless with the emotions he’d sparked inside her—from ecstasy at becoming his wife to eagerness at fully belonging to him—she clung to her first and only love as he carried her over the threshold of their new home and into the start of their life together.
Epilogue
Six months later
Oh, aren’t you the fussy one?”
Thea tended to her baby, putting him over her shoulder to burp him, while Clemmie made sandwiches for the girls. Loretta and Bethany sat at the table, drinking their milk and giggling over their pretend game of being mamas, one of their dolls in a chair between them.
“There you two go.” Clemmie set their lunches in front of them. “And if you eat every bit, we have cookies for dessert.”
“Yay!” Loretta squealed. “Chocowit chip?”
“Of course.”
Clemmie’s answer produced another squeal.
“You’re good with the girls,” Thea said. “With little Rupert, too. You’ll make a fine mother one day.”
Clemmie flushed with warmth. “I had plenty of experience at the Refuge, taking care of my brothers and sisters and even some of the reformers.”
“Strange name, that.”
Clemmie shrugged. “It’s what they chose to be called. Once-upon-a-time hooligans learning to better themselves so they can reform the world.”
“Well, when you put it that way, I like it! It’s catchy.”
“I can’t take the credit. That’s Hannah’s line. She’s started writing plays for amusement and comes up with witty little slogans all the time.”
Thea patted Rupert’s back, smoothing circles over it. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that we’re neighbors. It’s swell to be able to chat anytime with you, living only two houses away.”
“I agree. That house can feel empty while Joel’s at work. I’m used to a big family.” The winter had been lonesome in the hours without him, and with the arrival of spring and warmer weather, Clemmie visited Thea’s when her own housework was done.
The cat suddenly made a beeline for the door. Loretta jumped from her chair to let her outside and squealed. “Daddy and Uncle Joel are home!”
Clemmie quickly untied her apron and hurried outdoors to greet her husband.
“Hello, Herbert.” She nodded then turned her full attention to the man of her dreams.
“Joel.”
She smiled, moving into his arms to give him a welcoming hug and kiss.
“Where’s my wife?” Herbert complained. “I want some of that, too.”
“Rupert’s being fussy.” At that moment, Thea appeared at the door, the baby in her arms. With a smile, Herbert went to his wife and embraced her.
“Let’s go home,” Clemmie suggested.
“All right.”
They waved to their friends and walked to their house, whose front Clemmie planned to soon brighten with lilac bushes. Inside, Joel took her in his arms for a real kiss, scrambling her thoughts and her breath.
“How is my darling Clementine today?”
“Swell. Are you hungry?”
“Only for you.”
His words and the light in his eyes left no doubt what he meant, making her go warm inside. Before he so delightfully diverted her from her mission, she wanted to say what she’d waited to say for hours.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Mmm?” He touched his lips to hers again, trailing little kisses from her mouth to her jaw and her ear. “Did you know your hair shines like fire in the sun?” he whispered. His fingers wove into the strands as she struggled to think clearly.
“I had an appointment today.”
“With the hairdresser? Don’t change the color, Clemmie.” Another kiss to her neck.
“I know you’ve never been happy with it and talked of going platinum, but I
love my feisty carrottop.”
“It’s not orange, it’s almost auburn, and I didn’t see a beautician. I went to a doctor.” He froze and moved to look at her. “Are you sick?”
“I’ll be much better this coming winter. But before that, we need to decorate the spare room. Perhaps with a theme of fluffy little bunnies?”
He shook his head in confusion.
“Honestly, Joel.” She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Your senses may have sharpened when you were blind, but sometimes you can be so dull. You might have two carrottops come December, could even be on my birthday—so, what do you think of that?”
His eyes widened in sudden comprehension. “You mean …”
“Yes.” She giggled at his dazed reaction. She’d never known him to be at such a loss for words. “We’re going to have a little carrottop. And I’m so glad you accepted Grandfather’s gift, because with three of us, it might have gotten crowded in that box of a shed.”
At that, Joel laughed and scooped her up, holding her tightly against him, his arms around her waist. She looked down at him, clutching his strong shoulders.
“You are happy then?” she asked softly.
“I can’t think of news that would make me happier. Hot dog! I’m gonna be a father.” He said the words as if he could scarcely believe them.
“Yes. The start of the big family I’ve always dreamed of. I want as many children—more—than my parents had. A dozen at least.”
“A dozen? Hmm.” Joel’s eyes twinkled. “Well, sweetheart, you might be getting that wish sooner than you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did I ever mention twins run in my family?”
Clemmie’s eyes widened with shock. “You’re teasing me again, right?”
His eyebrows lifted high, his blue eyes dancing, his smile wide.
“You are teasing.”
Joel laughed and kissed her soundly, soon scattering all her thoughts and making her forget all else but this man she loved….
Her dream come true.
