Final Arrangements (25 page)

"Shannon, I--"

"I'm going to Dad's funeral now. Just tell me
you'll do as I say."

"I'll ... okay. You got it. I'll do it."

"Good-bye, David."

Shannon and stretch approached the chapel arm
in arm.

"I'm going to miss my father," she said.

"We all will. The General's wisdom is
correct. Your dad was a great man."

"The General didn't know my dad. He was just
saying that to be polite."

"Wrong," Stretch said. "He was saying that
because he knew Joe Ireland's daughter."

She reached up on tiptoes and placed a
delicate kiss on his lips. "I'm glad you're not going into full
time ministry," she said. "Because your ministry is going to be
more than your work with the developmentally challenged. It's also
going to be your family."

"My family?"

"That's right. We're going to run you
ragged."

"I can live with that. But since we're
speaking in absolutes here, you should know I'm not giving up my
Mercedes."

"Fair enough. And you should know I'm not
marrying you on Saturday. First we are going to meet your pastor
and put ourselves under his authority. As beautiful as the idea of
the arranged marriage is, I still want spiritual guidance. And I
want to be part of the wedding planning. We're getting married in a
church, not on a boat."

"Okay."

"One last thing. There's no way I'm painting
a purple elephant for my dowry. I'll just use the original one in
Dad's office. It'll have to do."

"Agreed."

"I love you, Stretch. But more importantly,
I'm going to commit myself to you."

"Shannon--"

"--Shush. I know love isn't strictly
required," Shannon said, "our forthcoming marriage being something
arranged by our parents and all. But I thought I'd throw it in for
balance."

Stretch laughed. "And I can definitely live
with that," he said.

THE END