April sat in the midst of a terrible mess. She was seated on the floor with her skirt hiked up to her thighs surrounded by mangled and smashed flowers. She had emptied all four boxes on the floor and couldn’t find one that wasn’t flattened and out of shape. The beautiful lilacs looked more like lavender something-or-other. The white baby’s breath were entangled and wrapped around other silk flowers and when she tried to untangle them, they began to fall apart. As she sat in despair, she heard the front door squeak open. When April looked up, she saw Matthew gazing at her.
“Hi! I’m here to help address the envelopes…” He stopped in mid-sentence as he saw piles of flowers heaped here and there in the living room and right in the middle sat his fiancée. “Uh… What happened here? Did a whirlwind hit this place?”
April didn’t say a word as a tear trickled down her cheek. When Matthew saw it, he realized that his joking around hadn’t helped one bit. He quickly shut the door behind him, strode toward her, and knelt down on the floor.
With his thumb, he wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled. “Sweetie, all this heartache isn’t worth it. You can’t do this alone. Shall I call your mom?”
April shook her head. “What can she do?”
Matthew shrugged. “Whatever moms do in a situation like this.”
“There’s nothing she can do, Matthew. She can’t make this mess disappear,” she said in a discouraged tone. “Besides, I already called her.”
When he noticed April’s dismay, he asked, “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“What is there to tell? You can see it with your own eyes,” she said as she looked at the mess all around her.
Matthew picked up a flower, looked at it, and chuckled. “This one seems a bit wilted. My guess is that you didn’t water them enough.” When she didn’t laugh at his little joke, he pointed to the mangled and smashed boxes. “Well, it looks like the company located the flowers, but it didn’t survive the trip. I guess being shipped around five different states didn’t do them any good, did it?”
April shook her head but didn’t say a word.
He picked an invitation out of an opened box that sat beside her. “Hmmm. I wonder who this lovely couple is,” he said as he pointed to their photo. “The color seems to be just right, not too pale and not too pink.” He opened it up. “Hmm. I think these turned out just fine.”
“Look harder!” April said with irritation.
He took a second look and saw that April had a light smattering of freckles on her face. His were genuine, but hers weren’t. They were ink spots. Matthew looked up at her and then back at the picture and grinned. “Hey! Look at us! We both have freckles.”
He chuckled but she didn’t smile at his teasing. Before he could say another word, she broke into tears.
“April honey,” soothed Matthew as he took her hand in his.
“We only have two weeks before we’re married. Only two weeks! It’s not… it’s not… it’s not supposed to turn out this way,” she sobbed. “I had everything so well planned.”
Matthew instantly took her in his arms and held her as she cried. That was it! He needed to do something. She had to be cheered up. But how? Then it dawned on him.
He looked into her red swollen eyes and said, “Let’s get some custard ice cream.”
“I’m not in the mood to go out, Matthew,” she said as she wiped her face with Matthew’s tee shirt. “This has been the worst day of my life. I wish Mom were here.”
He smiled as he watched her wipe her face with his shirt. “Hey! This isn’t a towel, you know.”
April sniffled and then said in a mournful tone, “Why isn’t this working out? It was going to be the best reception ever.”
He shrugged as he stood on his feet and pulled her with him. “Let’s get some ice cream and forget about wedding plans for a while. What do you say?”
April shook her head. “I just want to go to bed.”
“It’s too early.”
“Not for me, it isn’t.”
Matthew groaned. “April, if I let you go to bed, then you’ll just think about this mess. You’ll feel sorry for yourself, get depressed, and then you’ll blubber.”
“Blubber?” said April with surprise. “I don’t blubber.”
He nodded. “Oh yes, you do!”
She put her hands on her hips and frowned. “I don’t blubber,” she said indignantly. “I cry. Not blubber.”
Matthew creased his brow and pursed his lips in thought. This was the most discouraged he had ever seen her in his life. He loved teasing her but right now she wasn’t in the mood of being teased.
“Besides,” continued April. “I don’t want to be with you. You said I blubber.”
Matthew tried so hard to not laugh as he said, “I was just teasing you…like we always do.”
She folded her arms across her chest and scowled.
That was it! He couldn’t take it any longer. It was a few days before Thanksgiving but he didn’t care. It was about time he did something that he should have done weeks ago.
He took her arm and gave a tug. “You’re coming with me, April.”
She pulled away. “I don’t want ice cream and I don’t want to be with you. Go away!”
Matthew stared at her for a moment and noticed that she really had a bad attitude. Well, this is for her own good, he thought to himself. And then he said with authority in his voice, “Are you coming with me or do I have to carry you?”
“You can’t force me to go with you…”
Before she could say another word, he wrapped his muscled arms around her waist and lifted her over his shoulder. Then he headed toward the door, holding tight to the fussing woman in his arms. She was scolding him as he went. When he opened the door, he made sure he had a good hold on both legs. Then he slammed it behind him and marched down the steps of the Evans home. She was kicking and flailing her legs all the way, making her skirt fly up and down with each motion. It was hard not to laugh at the sight as he strode toward his jeep.
“You put me down this instant, Matthew.”
He shook his head. “Not on your life. I can’t have you go through any more heartache.”
“Why not,” she said in an ornery voice. “Heartache seems to follow me wherever I go.”
“Why not? Because I love you too much.” When he stopped in front of his jeep, he gently put her on her feet and took her by the shoulders and said, “April, I would do anything for you. You mean more to me than my job at the college. I’d even risk that just for you.”
“Your job?” she asked in amazement.
“Yes, my job. I love you, April.”
Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a passion she had never known until now. Her knees became weak and her mind went blank as he tightened his arms around her. After a moment, he began spreading gentle kisses down her face and along her neck. That did it. Her ornery attitude instantly vanished with each tender kiss. Warmth began to envelop her and joy spread through her…making her heart pound, as it had never done before.
After he released her, he said, “Yes, I love you. That’s why I’m taking you away from all this.” He motioned toward his jeep. “Please get in. I don’t want to pick you up and put you in the seat. Okay?”
She shook her head. “I’m a mess. I haven’t fixed my hair. I’ve cried all my makeup off, my eyes are red, and I’m not in the mood for ice cream.”
He gave her an adoring look and said softly, “I don’t care what you look like, sweetie. Please get in the jeep.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to be seen in public like this, Matthew. You can go. I’ll be just fine.”
“No, you won’t. I know you. You’ll walk in that house and look at that mess…” He grinned. “And then you’ll blubber.”
“I don’t blubber,” she said, trying not to smile at his joking around. “I’ll be just fine. You can go, Matthew.”
When she turned to leave, he grabbed her arm and said firmly, “Get in the jeep, April.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
The thought of picking her up and hauling her into his jeep ran across his mind but then she would probably make a mad dash for the house when he walked around the jeep to get in. Although he could outrun her and it might be fun to tackle her, she wasn’t in the mood for playing around. So he decided to take a different approach.
“Will you get in if I promise not to take you to any place that would embarrass you?” When she looked doubtful, he added, “If you agree, I won’t have to tackle you to the ground when you run away.”
The corners of her lips began to turn up when he chuckled. “Okay. But if you’re trying to trick me…”
“I’d never do that, April. You know me. I wouldn’t humiliate you by taking you out in public with red swollen eyes, messed up hair, and a runny nose.”
She swatted him on the shoulder.
He smiled. It worked.
As he opened the door and helped her in, she asked, “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Surprise?” she said curiously.
“That’s right,” he said as he closed the door. “I’ll be right back.”
With that, he dashed into the house, grabbed her purse and headed back with a smile.
He hopped in, handed her the purse, and started the jeep. Then he grabbed his cell phone, dialed a number, and held it to his ear. While waiting, he pulled out onto the road and drove slowly down the street.
The soft autumn breeze touched April’s cheeks and her hair gently waved around her face. Matthew was right. She needed to get out. She grabbed a jacket from the back seat and put it around her shoulders. The evenings were becoming a little chilly now since fall set in. She looked at her purse. He was so thoughtful. Opening it, she checked her makeup and added a little lipstick for color.
“Hi, Mom,” said Matthew into his phone. “I’m doing fine but April’s really depressed so I’m taking her for a ride to cheer her up. Remember our little talk the other day?” He paused. “Yeah. You were right.” He paused again. “Thanks. That’s all I wanted to know. Just wanted your blessing. Talk to you later.”
April wondered why he had taken the time to call his mother. That was unusual.
After a moment, he turned to her and said, “I’ve got to make a stop at my apartment. You don’t mind, do you?”
She shook her head.
It took about five minutes before they arrived at his apartment. He parked and then turned to April. “This should only take a minute. I’ll be right back.”
Looking at him curiously, she nodded.
After five minutes had passed, he locked the door behind him and headed toward the jeep with two boxes. One was a large white box and the other was very small and wrapped in pink wrapping paper. He placed them in the back seat and then hopped in.
“What’s that?” April asked as she pointed to the large box.
“Something I picked up from the cleaners for your mom.”
“Oh.” Then she pointed to the smaller box. “And what’s that?”
“A surprise.”
“Really?” April’s eyes brightened. “For me?”
Matthew nodded. When he glanced her way, he could tell she was beginning to relax and enjoy their little ride. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her turning every now and then to look at the small package. She was curious. He wanted to laugh out loud. This was going pretty good. So far!
As he drove into the parking lot, Matthew turned to her and said, “Trust me? That’s part of being a couple. Right?”
“What are we doing here?”
“I thought we could take a little walk.”
When she heard the hope in his voice and saw the anticipation in his face, April’s curiosity got to her. Trust. Yes, that was important. So she looked in the mirror that was hooked to the visor, combed through her hair, and then said, “I guess my eyes aren’t too red for a moonlight walk.”
“No, they’re not,” he said softly.
“And my hair isn’t too mussed.”
“No, it’s not.” He walked around the jeep and opened her door. “You look just fine, sweetie.”
April looked at the beautiful surroundings and then looked up at the magnificent edifice, the place they would be married in two weeks. The pioneers had built it in 1877. Surrounding this building were beautiful gardens, shrubs, pecan trees, humongous mulberry trees planted in the early 1900s, and even a few palm trees.
After climbing out of the jeep, Matthew took her hand and they strolled through the gardens, enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful landscape, stopping every now and then to enjoy the beauty before them. This place of worship was lit up with lights shining upon it, making it look radiant. The pioneers had created a grand building dedicated to the Lord.
As peace began to wash over her, Matthew took her hand in his, knelt on his knees, and softly said, “Will you marry me, April?”
She looked at him questioningly. “I already answered that question, Matthew. Remember?”
“No, will you marry me this instant? Tonight. In this building.”
“Now?” she said with doubt lacing her voice.
Matthew nodded.
“You mean elope?”
“I believe that’s the right word.”
“But what about my parents?”
“We have their blessing. It’s okay.”
“We have their blessing? What do you mean? We can’t elope…”
Matthew rose to his feet and put a finger to her lips and said, “That wasn’t my Mom I was talking to on the phone. It was yours.”
April’s eyes widened. “And they gave their blessing?”
He nodded. “I love you so much, more than words can say. But you have been a real mess lately, mentally stressed over everything. April, I just want to marry you and begin our life together. We don’t need a fancy reception. Let’s get married. Now! How about it?”
She swallowed as she realized what he was saying. Could she really do this? That would mean no reception. Then the clarity of it all came to her. To heck with the reception! She needed to make a decision at this very moment. What did she want to do?
April turned to Matthew and asked, “What about your job? You have to teach and you have exams and…”
“Got it covered! I asked Jeff to take my place if there was an emergency. And my dear April…” He grinned from ear to ear. “This is an emergency.”
“But it’s almost Thanksgiving. We can’t…”
“Oh yes, we can. I even have a honeymoon suite picked out at a Bed and Breakfast Inn. I’m completely prepared.”
“But I can’t get married in this,” she said as if that was the solution to her problem.
“I know,” Matthew said as he led her to the jeep. “Got that covered, too.”
When she saw the glow on his face, April laughed. “Got what covered? What on earth are you saying?”
When they got to the jeep, he took a box from the back seat and handed it to her. “Your mom asked me to pick this up from the dry cleaners. She wanted to surprise you.”
April opened it with curiosity and then blinked a couple times in surprise as she pulled the gown out of the box.
“Mom’s wedding dress!” Her voice was touched with a tinge of emotion and tears welled up in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. I’ve loved this dress since I was a kid. I completely forgot about it.”
Matthew smiled. “She wanted to surprise you.”
April gently ran her fingers over the fabric. “Satin! It’s so beautiful! I can’t believe it. She told me to wait until she got back before making any decisions on a gown.” She looked up and whispered, “I can’t get married without Mom and Dad.”
“Yes, you can. I told them what was going on. They both agreed that under the circumstances this was the right choice. Your mom said that if anything else went wrong, to call her. So I did. And she and your dad gave their blessing.”
When Matthew saw the acceptance in her eyes, he took April by the arm and led her to the entrance of the building. About a half hour later, April was ready. She had washed her face and her countenance was glowing. The wedding dress was simple, not flamboyant like the dresses she had looked at, but it was exquisite in every way.
Matthew was dressed in a handsome white suit that he had placed in the same box and he looked quite debonair. When he saw April walk toward him, his mouth dropped open and he could not take his eyes off her beauty.
“Wow! You look…” He searched for the right word. “You look so lovely, April.”
“Radiant!” said a woman standing at the entrance of the room. “She looks radiant. Her face is glowing.”
He walked to her, took her hands in his, and was about to kiss her when he heard the officiator clear his throat and say, “Uh, uh, uh! You can’t kiss her, yet. Not until you say the right words.”
She blushed and the extra glow made Matthew smile.
April’s heart was fluttering and a warm glow filled her soul. Matthew was doing this for her and her parents gave their blessing. She looked up at him and saw a look that almost took her breath away. It was one of adoring love. His eyes were soft and gentle. His dimples deepened as he smiled. And he looked happier than she had ever seen him. Yes, Matthew had made the right decision. She smiled and they both turned toward the officiator and gave him their complete attention.