Hope Springs - 05 - Wedding Cake Read Free Page A

beat up here too,” she noted.
    “That’s true,” Jessie responded. “Sad, but true. However, I don’t think Charlotte moved to New Mexico just to find abused women.” She sat back in her chair.
    “Why do you think she went out there?” Beatrice asked. She folded her arms across her waist. “Do you think she was unhappy here?”
    Jessie shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. I do know that there was a time when I wanted to move and live somewhere else.”
    “But you didn’t, and now you’re glad you stayed, right?” Beatrice remembered hearing about Jessie’s wanderlust and how she had wanted to live in another place when she was younger.
    “I am glad I’m here now, but I still think I would have enjoyed living in another place for a while. But once the children were born and then when James left, I just couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.” Jessie glanced out the window, remembering how it was for her when her husband walked out on her. He was gone for a lot of years before he came back.
    “How long have you guys been married?” Beatrice asked.
    Jessie thought about the question and counted up the years. “Well, if you add all of the years together, since we never really gotdivorced, it would be fifty years. But if you take away the years that he was gone it would be less.”
    “Which one do you count?” Beatrice asked.
    “I think the first one, the long one, because even though we weren’t together for all those years, I still felt married to him, still connected to him. He has always been my husband even when he wasn’t here.”
    Beatrice perked up. “You should have a vow renewal service,” she announced.
    “A what?” Jessie asked.
    “A second wedding,” Bea answered. “A ceremony where you and James renew your vows. I mean, he came back and you took him in but you didn’t have an event of any kind to celebrate.” She clapped her hands together. “We can do it at the church. I’m sure Reverend Joles will be happy to do it. No!” She stopped and looked directly at Jessie. “We can ask Charlotte to come back and officiate! That way we can look into her eyes when she talks about her officer and we’ll know for sure if he’s right for her.” She stopped and gasped. “We could even make her bring him with her! We get to plan a party
and
find out the truth about Charlotte.”
    “Wait, wait, Bea.” Jessie put up her hand. “Let’s just take a minute to think about this. A second wedding? Charlotte coming back to officiate?” She shook her head. “I’m not sure this is something James and I would want.”
    “What wouldn’t I want?” James had come into the house and was standing at the back door.
    Both women turned to look in his direction.
    “Hey babe,” Jessie called out.
    “Hey babe,” Beatrice repeated.
    “Hello, my lovely women,” James responded. “And what are thetwo of you cooking up?” He reached down and gave Jessie a kiss on the forehead, then turned around and walked over to the cabinets to get a coffee cup. He headed back over to the table and squeezed Beatrice on the shoulders.
    “We are going to plan a second wedding for you and Jessie and we’re going to invite Charlotte to come back and officiate!” Beatrice was all aglow with her new idea. “That will give us the chance to meet Charlotte’s new beau and spend time with her, maybe make her stay here, and celebrate something wonderful: your love!”
    James turned to his wife and winked. Then he poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the kitchen counter. He took a sip while both women waited for his response. Beatrice was especially eager to hear his reaction.
    “I think it’s a great idea,” he remarked with a grin.
    “Really?” Jessie asked, surprised.
    “Really,” he replied. “After fifty years I would like nothing more than to tell the world that I am marrying you all over again.”
    Jessie blushed. A big smile swept across her face.
    Beatrice rubbed her hands together.