Yule Tidings (26 page)

             
When at least six pies were sitting on the table, Merle stopped the chattering by lightly tapping his knife against his glass.  The room went quiet as everyone looked at Merle expectantly.  Merle cleared his throat, nervously, before beginning.  “Before we finish this feast, and partake in these delectable looking desserts, I have something I would like to ask you, Anne.”  Merle looked at Anne’s surprised and reddening face, wondering, for a moment, if he should wait to ask her in a more private place.  Jason uttered a loud ‘here, here,’ giving Merle the courage to continue.  He’d asked Michael and Jason while they watched football together in the living room what they would think if he asked their mother to marry him.  He didn’t want to upset either of them, and after talking to them for a while, he’d come to the conclusion that they were both level-headed and reasonable.  Both young men were surprised at his question, but neither had any complaints or reservations.  “Will you marry me?” Merle asked, pulling a ring from his pocket as he knelt by her chair. 

             
“Oh my God,” Anne whispered looking at Merle and then the beautiful diamond ring he held out to her.  It occurred to Anne that he’d been asking her to marry him before, talking about his plans for the next few years, and she’d missed it entirely.  She knew he’d been talking about making a future with her, but she hadn’t realized he’d meant so quickly.  Well, she certainly couldn’t miss it this time.  No one could, she thought, glancing around at her family, watching her with interest.  Franklin’s eyes were gleaming in delight, as were Donna’s and everyone else’s at the table. 

             
“Anne?”  Merle asked, his voice deep and gravelly, his eyes full of sincerity.  He prayed she’d say yes.  He couldn’t imagine losing her.

             
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”  Anne looked at Merle, smiling.  She couldn’t believe her good fortune as she hugged him quickly.  Merle kissed her head, hiding the tears that welled in his eyes. 

Chapter Twenty-Nine

             
Anne and Merle talked nearly the entire way home that evening.  The snow hadn’t slowed down a bit, and Anne doubted they’d be able to get into her driveway until it was plowed clear.  Merle took her cell phone as she prepared to call her neighbor.  He’d already talked to Jim about plowing his drive.  Jim planned on doing it sometime around eight at night, whenever the baby went to sleep for a bit.  Merle wanted to take Anne back to his house; it was starting to feel horribly empty whenever she left, and he didn’t want to be alone tonight.

It was late when Merle finally pulled into his driveway, his eyes burning from the strain of driving in the snow and darkness.  They hadn’t left Rose’s house until well after six, and the weather added a good hour and a half to the drive. It was nearly midnight before Merle turned off Anne’s car and looked at her sleeping form next to him.  She’d finally dozed off at about eleven.  Merle smiled, “Anne, we’re home, wake up.”  Anne opened her eyes, slowly.  She let Merle lead her into the house; they’d talked a lot on the drive home.  It wouldn’t be long before they were married.  Neither saw much reason for waiting.  Anne sank onto Merle’s bed gratefully, barely even bothering to take out her earrings before snuggling under the covers against him.

Just over a week later, Anne and Merle arrived at the church thirty minutes before the wedding.  People Anne had never met filled the rows of the small Catholic Church as she snuck a peak into the chapel from the vestibule.  The rows were decorated with white ribbons.  Merle left Anne to be seated second to last, as he followed Michael, who was acting as an usher, down the aisle.  Merle waited for Anne p
atiently.  Her daughters sat
behind him, whispering to each other.  Franklin sat next to him.  Since neither man knew what to say to the other, they sat in an easy, companionable silence.  Merle knelt and prayed for a bit before Anne was led down the aisle on Brandon’s arm, followed by Alex’s mother, escorted by Michael.  Anne was radiant.  Her hair was piled cleverly on top of her head and she wore a simple lavender dress. 

Anne smiled and held Merle’s hand throughout the ceremony.  Alex was stunning as she walked down the aisle in her white, lacy gown.  Jason had eyes only for his bride, and Anne couldn’t help the tears that welled in her eyes.  She’d very nearly missed this.  Merle pulled her against his side as she sniffled. If it hadn’t been for Merle she wouldn’t be at the wedding.  The ceremony was short. Jason and Alex didn’t want a long ordeal, especially since Alex was still exhausted much of the time.  The reception was full of well-wishers to the young couple.  Anne watched the guests mill about while Merle went in search of punch.  Christmas was just around the corner, and then New Years would be upon them.  Christmas.  Anne wanted to have Christmas at the house.  It would be the last year.  She was already starting to move a few things here and there to Merle’s at his request.  He was getting tired of her running home to change every morning.  The morning after Thanksgiving he’d had to come shovel her car out because she’d gotten stuck in her driveway.  They’d been talking about selling her house.  There was no reason for them to own two homes, and Anne was finally ready to say ‘goodbye’ to her past.

Anne took the punch Merle offered her, smiling.  He made her so happy; just sitting on the couch in front of the fire or having dinner with him made her day brighter. “What?”  Merle asked.  Anne was giving him the most adoring look he’d ever seen.

“I was just thinking about how I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you.” Anne hugged Merle close.  Before he could answer, music started softly, and Jason led Alex onto the dance floor.  They watched the couple dance for a few minutes before the DJ requested that the parents of the bride and groom join them on the dance floor.  At first Anne thought she’d be dancing with Franklin, but Merle surprised her by ushering her onto the floor.  Franklin appeared with Donna, and Alex’s parents followed shortly after.  It was the first time Anne had danced in years.  It was only fitting that it was with Merle. 

Merle and Anne drove home in silence.  Anne was frustrated because Merle had insisted on giving Jason and Alex a check for five hundred dollars from both of them.  Anne wouldn’t have cared if Merle wanted to give them a gift from him, but including her name on the gift wasn’t right.  She didn’t want Alex and Jason to thank her, when it was really Merle’s gift to them.  After about thirty minutes of strained silence, Merle gave up.  “Anne, come on now.  We’re getting married.  What’s mine is yours.”

             
“Merle…”

             
“Anne, don’t be angry, please.”  Merle looked at her pleadingly.  He hadn’t even thought about the gift.  He’d put a check for five hundred dollars in the card and signed it Merle and Anne.  He didn’t think of Anne as a separate person anymore. 

             
Anne sighed.  “I’m not angry, Merle.  It’s just…you gave them the money, not me.  It should be you that they thank.”  Anne didn’t know how else to explain it.  Of course, maybe the kids would thank Merle anyway.  Alex seemed fond of him.  In fact, Anne had been surprised when Alex insisted on having Merle included in the wedding photos, saying he was part of the family.  Oh well, Merle wasn’t going to ask for a personal ‘thank you’ anyway; he wasn’t the kind of man who needed one. 

“I’d rather have you thank me anyway, sweet,” Merle cajoled.  Anne groaned to hide her laugh. 

Chapter Thirty

             
The weeks before Christmas were hectic.  Anne worked late most evenings, trying to catch everything up in the office.  She planned on taking at least two or three weeks off after the wedding.   Merle would finish the Anderson project soon, so they’d both be able to slow down, and Merle had convinced Anne that they should go to Europe.  Neither of them had ever been, and Merle was determined to take Anne, no matter how she argued over the expense.  Besides preparing for her up-coming marriage, Anne was decorating the house for Christmas.  The kids were all coming for one last holiday ‘on the farm’ as they had coined the house.  She wanted it to be perfect.  She’d been debating on inviting Franklin and Donna, but much to her relief, they were spending the holidays with one of Donna’s kids out of state, so Anne’s decision was made for her.

             
As Christmas neared, Anne spent more and more time with Merle.  He picked her up for lunch, or brought something to the office almost every day.  On the rare occasion he couldn’t leave the construction site, Anne would run by with something for him to eat.  She never stayed.  It was too busy, and though Merle never said anything, she felt as though she was in the way.  Jim would be back in a few more days, and then Merle could slow down a bit.  The house would be finished the week before Christmas. 

             
Anne was surprised to come home to a house full of people the Friday before Christmas.  Her boss had asked her to finish filing before she left the office, so Anne was slow getting home.  Now she noticed her boss’s car, Claire’s truck, and a variety of other vehicles waiting for her.  Poor Merle.  He was expecting her for dinner.  She’d only stopped to grab her phone charger. Her cell battery died while she was at work and she couldn’t even get her phone to turn back on.  Anne had a moment of irritation before she forced herself to calm down.  There was no reason for her to get upset; obviously they were trying to surprise her.

             
Anne opened the front door to find at least fifteen to twenty women chatting pleasantly in her living room/kitchen.  Rose, Alex, Kelly, and Trisha greeted her at the door, smiling.  They’d managed to plan a surprise wedding shower for her.  Anne didn’t know what to say.  She really didn’t need anything.  It wasn’t like she was a young bride, just starting out.  Between the two of them, she and Merle had everything they needed for the next ten years.  It was a nice gesture, Anne couldn’t argue that, but she had no idea what sort of gifts her guests could possibly give her.  Anne smiled at the girls.  Oh well.  It was the thought that counted anyway.

             
Anne forgot to call Merle.  Thirty minutes later, when her phone rang and she heard his concerned voice on the other end, she felt awful.  She excused herself from her company and hurried to her bedroom to explain.  Merle didn’t care that she was late, he was just glad she was okay.  Apparently he’d tried her cell, assuming she was working late, but when she never returned his call, he’d started to worry.  He was getting ready to go out looking for her, afraid she’d hit another deer, when he thought he might want to try her house on the off chance that she stopped there first.  Anne promised she’d call when the party was over, and depending on whether or not her daughters were staying, she’d see him later in the evening or tomorrow.  The girls were calling her from downstairs, and Anne rushed to say goodbye before rejoining the party. 

             
Anne looked at the large pile of gifts in some surprise.  What on earth?  The girls just smiled, insisting she sit down.  Anne looked at her company.  Most of the women were her age or older, with the exception of her daughters and a few of the women she worked with.  Anne opened her first gift.  It was a set of relaxing oils and bath salts; something Anne rarely used, but loved dearly.  Her boss gave her a book about sex after forty.  Anne was slightly embarrassed, but her curiosity got the best of her, and she flipped through the pages in some wonderment.  The women at the party were all her friends.  They all knew she hadn’t had sex in years, and as Anne opened more gifts, she was bombarded by the fact that they
knew
she hadn’t had sex.  Massage oils she’d never heard of, lubricants, and a few other gifts Anne had a feeling she’d never figure out how to use or what to do with. 

Anne was relieved to open Alex’s gift, a framed photo of her first ultrasound.  A little message around the frame said, ‘Hi Grandma, I can’t wait to meet you!’ and small handprints and footprints of every color surrounded it.  Kelly gave her a lovely travel guide for European museums and Rose gave her a guide for European restaurants.  Trisha gave her a small pocketbook of important words and phrases in seven European languages, so she wouldn’t have to buy individual ones for each country.  Anne was almost relieved to have finished opening her gifts, and she nearly groaned when Rose grabbed one last gift from the kitchen.  It was a small, white box with a simple ribbon tied around it, a card taped beneath the simple bow.  The card said,

Mom,

We know you’d never buy this for yourself, but we thought every bride should have one.  It’s fast becoming a tradition.  We love you.  Congratulations to you and Merle. 

             
             
             
             
Your Loving Daughters

Anne looked at the girls in surprise.  Did they really get her a nightgown?  She could hardly believe it as she opened the box.  She gazed down at the most amazing white silk nightgown. 
Real silk
, Anne thought as she lifted it from the box, almost reverently.  The neckline was a modest v, trimmed with the most intricate lace pattern Anne had ever seen.  Tears glistened in Anne’s eyes as she looked at the nightgown.  It could have been the cheapest one in the store and she would have loved it all the same.  She’d always wanted one of these.  It had long bell sleeves, trimmed with the intricate lace, and instead of slits up the sides, the skirt flared out past the empire waist, something Anne especially appreciated because it would hide her stomach a bit.  She hugged the girls tightly.  It was quite possibly the best gift she’d ever gotten.