Along Came Love (13 page)

"That should be just fine, it will give me
time to give notice and prepare for my new job." Jake agreed.

"It's where you really belong, isn't it Jake?
And I'm confident it is right. I was simply hoping you'd come to
the same conclusion. I didn't want to pressure your decision. Have
you told your family yet?"

"No…not yet. I haven't even told the folks in
Peaceful yet. That will be hard, I've been there so long, but I've
got a good deputy that is ready to move up and take the challenge.
At home there's the wedding to consider and then I'll announce it.
I wanted to have a chance to talk to you about it first. I have no
doubts, none whatsoever, even though I'm not the best public
speaker. Something I plan on working on. I am sure in time I'll
learn." Jake grinned.

"Do you think Cal and your brothers will come
to accept it?"

"Dad will, the others might take a little
longer, I don't know." Jake chuckled.

"I have to admit, it tickles me that you seem
so satisfied with your decision. It's a pleasure to see on your
face."

"I've had a while to think about it. Deep
down, this is what I've wanted all along. But it isn't something I
could make my family understand that easily. They don't even know I
majored in college for this. I never told them. It wasn't flung on
me as some last minute scholarship, I wanted it. It was the family,
I wanted to tell them and couldn't find the words for it. But now,
I'm at peace with it all, I can tell them. Figured I'd cross that
bridge when I came to it. And now, there's another I must tell.
Samantha Courtland, I've asked her to be my wife and she's
accepted." Jake beamed, knowing his smile spread across his face
wider than the Red River.

"I know Samantha and her mother, a wonderful
young woman. I'm so glad she's moved back into this area. Selma is
doing much better since she came here." The man said coming around
the desk at Jake.

"Yes, I think so too." Jake acknowledged.

"I'm very happy for you Jake. I do hope
you'll be as happy here as I have been these past thirty
years."

"I'm sure I will, although, I will miss
you."

Gathering some paperwork on his desk, he
handed it to Jake, "I'd like you to take these papers home, study
them, and let me know if you have any questions, anything at all.
We want you happy here, Jake. I know you will fit right in.You've
never been a stranger here."

"Thanks, I'll take them home and go over
them, and I'll be in touch."

They shook hands and Jake walked out of the
office feeling better than he had except for when he asked Samantha
to marry him. Now this good news made him feel like a king. If his
family accepted it, then things would really work out well.

***

It was strange, but there was someone he had
to tell right away. He'd promised and he was going to keep that
promise. He knew she'd be proud.

Samantha's car was gone when he drove up and
he hoped Selma was at home. She answered the door on the second
knock.

"Jake…oh you just missed Samantha…" Selma
explained letting him inside.

"I actually wanted to talk to you, Selma,"
Jake smiled.

"Well come on in and sit down. You look…sort
of excited. If it's about the proposal I know all about that."
Selma beamed. "I couldn't be happier."

"I'm glad. And I hope you are as happy about
what I'm going to tell you too."

Selma's head turned in question, "My, you are
mysterious."

"It's no secret that I passed the bar, and
have been offered a job here in town. And it's also no secret I've
enjoyed being a lawman."

Selma nodded, "Yes, you are right. Everyone
in town knows."

"What they don't know is …Selma…I'm taking
Reverend Miller's place. I'm going to preach…" Jake announced.

Selma's eyes became big and round and tears
formed in the corner of her eyes as she jumped up and grabbed Jake,
pulling him to her, she cried out loud for him. "My God, that is
wonderful news, Jake. Oh…I couldn't be happier for you…and
Samantha. Does she know yet?"

Jake shook his head, "No…not yet. I sort of
promised to tell you first. I felt as though you shared something
very precious with me the other day, and I wanted to do the same.
You don't mind do you?"

"Mind? Oh…Jake," Selma cried now. "This is
the most wonderful news I've heard in a long time. I knew there was
something about you. But I never once guessed.

This is overwhelming. I'm so proud you told
me first. And I'm so proud you will be my son-in-law. I've always
tought so much of you. But now…this…" Selma reached up to kiss his
cheek. "You've got to tell your family….too, and Samantha. She'll
be…oh my.

She will be so happy."

"You think she will?" Jake smiled.

"I know she will." Selma cried.

"Thanks for being there for me, Selma.
Somehow I knew you'd be happy for me." Jake said.

Selma wanted to hear all about how he had
reached the decision, and if he had talked with the Reverend, and
how soon. She was so interested. Jake was glad he picked her to
tell first. He knew Samantha would understand. For over an hour he
talked with her and she confided more of what she wanted done when
she was finally laid to rest. Jake assured her he would be there
with her during that time too. Selma was grateful and happy and he
left her smiling.

***

"Jake? It's Bertha, she's running around like
a chicken with her head cut off. She's so nervous. I don't know
what to do with her." Samantha laughed into the phone.

"You are still bringing her, aren't you?"
Jake asked.

"Oh of course I am," Samantha answered, "But
if I drive up yelling for help, ya'll better come running."

"We will. Is your mother coming?"

"Of course, she wouldn’t miss this for the
world." Samantha laughed.

"Good, well, tell her everything is fine out
here and we'll see her soon. I love you Sam…"

"I love you too," she murmured
breathlessly.

"Was that Jake?" Bertha gasped as she walked
into the living room where Samantha was arranging a hair piece for
Bertha.

"Yes, he says everything is fine out there
and not to worry." Samantha smiled.

Selma came into the room and watched the two
of them as they fixed Bertha's hair with baby's breath.

"Those always make a nice tocuh to any
hair-do." Selma said as she handed Samantha more of them.

"Aren't they lovely, you are gonna be one of
the prettiest brides in the county, Bertha." Samantha declared.

"Ah…go on. I'm too old for this….I
shouldn't…"

Selma shook her head and grabbed Bertha's
hand, "Now don't you start that. Love knows no age and you know it.
It's time the two of you became respectful after all. I mean what a
scandal…" Selma chuckled.

"Selma…we never…" Bertha's face screwed up in
a frown.

"Got ya, didn't I," Selma laughed.

"I swear I'm so nervous I'll probably stumble
over my own feet." Bertha tried to laugh.

"And if you do, Cal will be there to catch
you," Samantha reassured her.

"He's a sweet old rascal, isn't he?" Bertha
chuckled.

Selma shook her head and laughed.

***

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Cal was trying
on his blue suit and fiddling with his bolero tie. Jake came in his
room and nodded, "Now that looks much better than those tacky old
flannel shirts you wear around the house. I hope Bertha is teaching
you to dress better."

Cal shot him a mock frown, "Don't even go
there, she's already threatened to throw them out."

"Good, you don't need them. Not with all the
new shirts in your closet." Jake announced.

"So…how do I look?" Cal asked eyeing his
son.

"I've never seen you look this good Dad, I
didn't know you cleaned up so well," Jake chuckled.

"Funny. I'm serious."

"Dad," Jake turned him to look him in the
eye. "You look great. You look happy, and you look nervous as a
cat. And I've got something to tell you…something…I can't wait to
tell you. I was gonna wait till the wedding was over. Until things
quieted down, but you'll be gone a while, and I can't wait."

Cal was keyed up, but he stared at his son
with new anticipation. "Go on…tell me."

"First of all, I proposed to Samantha…"

Cal's face lit with delight, "Wonderful
son…did she accept?"

"I'm proud to say she did…"

Cal studied his son again. "And the
other…."

"Dad, this is kinda hard…all these years. But
it's finally happening, and I'm so happy, so content, so…afraid of
disappointing you…"

"What are you talking about," Cal
frowned.

"In college, my major was not law…"

"Okay, so it wasn't law. What was it?"

"Theology."

Cal tossed the word around as though it were
not familiar. "Theology?"

"Yes, I chose it then, dad. I always had an
interest in it. I wasn't sure where it was taking me. But I felt I
had to know. I tried putting it on the back burner so to speak,
but…well… now…I'm taking Reverend Miller's place, as your
pastor."

Cal's eyes watered and he turned away. Jake
knew he'd disappointed his father and wasn’t sure what to do or
say.

Jake hung his head, his dad was disappointed,
it was the last thing he wanted to do on his wedding day. "I'm
sorry dad…. I…"

Cal reached around and stared into his son's
eyes, then slowly pulled his son to him, "My God son, don't be.
That's like telling your mom it's Christmas…she would have been so
proud of you…" Cal burst out, trying not to slobber, but holding
his son to him as though it were some miracle.

"You're happy about it…then?" Jake nearly
shouted pulling away to stare into his father's face.

"Proud, happy, awed…what can I say….son." Cal
choked up. "Oh I admit I'm stunned, I never saw this coming. Not
once…"

"I thought….I thought you'd be…upset..!" Jake
cried out.

Cal smiled then and pulled away, "You don't
understand son. Naturally when you have kids you think…"he'll he
president…" or something just as ridiculous. But your mother…well,
she had her dreams too. And one of them was for one of you boys to
grow up and be a preacher. If she could have heard you just now…my
God, she would have fainted with joy." Cal said. "And it pleases
me, that you've pleased her…"

Jake began to choke up a little too, "Thanks
for sharing that with me, Dad. And I think Mom knows. I think she
has always known."

Deke walked in and saw the emotion going on
and started to leave but they motioned him in the room, along with
Rusty.

Cal looked down at the floor, "You all know I
loved your mother, don't you?"

Jake frowned and again got his father's
attention, "Of course we do, dad. But Mom's gone and I'm sure she'd
want you to be happy."

"Yeah, she was like that, all right." Cal
nodded sadly.

"If it helps, Bertha is as nervous as you
are…"

"Really….great, we'll probably have to hold
each other up," Cal chuckled.

"That's okay, at least you have someone to
hold you up." Jake beamed at his father.

Suddenly Cal smiled at Jake, "You know this
makes you the last bachelor on the 4 Bar None."

"Not for long…"

Cal was caught between a smile and a nod.

"Yeah, I thought when you got back, if she
still wants to, we would get married." Jake laughed.

Cal glanced at Jake and reached out to hold
his arm, "I'm glad son, really glad. Samantha is a great gal and
the two of you will make a wonderful family. That's all I've ever
wanted for all you boys. For you to be happy…"

Tears welled in his father's eyes, and Jake
loaned him a hankie.

Deke and Rusty congratulated Jake, smiling at
their father all dressed up. "Ready to take the plunge, Dad?" Rusty
blurted.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Cal
chuckled. He glanced over at Deke and added, "Look, this doesn't
mean we don't want the grandkids with us as much as possible.
Bertha and I talked it over and she says she needs the noise…"

"Dad you're not leaving home, you're adding
someone to it," Deke reminded him.

"Well, I know…but you know….what I mean."

Deke smiled sardonically, "Yeah Dad, we know
what you mean. All of us are happy for you. We all love
Bertha."

"Have you got the tickets for the cruise?"
Cal suddenly asked Deke.

"Of course."

"Never been on a cruise before, Bertha hasn't
either." Cal chuckled. "Hope I don't get sea sick."

"Well, Emma and I have and it is wonderful
dad, you'll love it." Deke assured him. "And they have medicine for
that now, so if you do get sick, let them know."

"I'm gonna miss everybody while I'm gone,"
Cal almost blubbered up again.

"You won't be gone that long, Dad." Rusty
laughed.

"I still think you should have given me a
bachelor party," Cal tried to sound hurt, but didn't quite pull
that one off.

"Well, if you didn't have to see everything
on that cruise we might have, but you wanted the biggest package…"
Deke reminded him.

"Well, truth is boys, Bertha's never been
many places, or had much good times. I wanted to show her the best.
She's worked hard all her life and had very little. I aim to change
that. Now she's gonna have a family bigger than she ever wanted,
money she can spend on herself, and grandkids she can spoil." Cal
chuckled, his face mirroring the feelings that gave him.

Jake cleared his throat and nodded, "We are
so glad you have the chance to go and have fun. You both deserve
it, Dad. In case we haven't gotten around to telling you, you’ve
been a super dad, all our lives. And we love ya."

Cal's eyes were filled with tears, and he
looked away and cleared his throat, "Good gosh Jake, do you have to
get so darn mushy?"

"Sorry dad, just wanted you to know…." Deke
smiled.