by Sarah N. Ham
“I’m home,” I grumbled, walking in the door around ten, almost an hour later than normal.
“I’m in here.” A voice called from the dining room.
I dropped my keys in our key bin by the door, took off my jacket, and headed into the dining room to greet my wife. I was stunned to see two settings of chicken Alfredo, breadsticks, Caesar salads, and glasses of flavored sparkling water. Then, I saw her dressed in a cute little cocktail dress with her red hair pulled up in a messy up-do.
“Maybelle, what is all of this?” I asked.
“I know how hard today must have been—Louis texted me about it from the restaurant.”
“That gossip King…” I grumbled.
“So, I figured since I’m your wife, I could have something ready for you when you got home.”
I kissed her lips, saying, “Thank you, Belle. You’re too good to me.”
She smirked and said, “I’m going to try to get into a better habit of doing this every night aside from when my mom cooks a meal. Why don’t you get comfy? I’m just gonna check on dessert.”
“Y-you made dessert, too!? Jeez, you didn’t have to do that, but thanks…”
“It’s no big deal. I just made a lemon pound cake since it’s your favorite.”
I smiled and kissed her before she wandered off. I sat down, admiring her handiwork, wondering what I’d done to deserve her. Then, she sat down by me. We prayed over the meal, and then, I dug in, starved from the heavy day’s labor with little to no breaks. After the meal and dessert, I muttered, “I’m gonna take a shower. My arms are so tired from lifting all those heavy trays.”
She nodded, putting up the dishes in the dishwasher, and then, she shyly asked, “May I join you?”
I blushed but nodded. So, we went to the bathroom and did a similar routine as the previous evening. Unsurprisingly, it ended similarly with her naked and snuggled against my bare chest, her nimble fingers caressing my cheek and hair.
“I love you, Michael.”
“I love you, too, Maybelle, but if you keep this up, you’re going to be the death of me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked, confused but smirking.
“You’re way too beautiful and caring for a dork like me… You’re driving me crazy now that you’re mine, and I’m yours. I can’t even imagine going back to the time when we were just friends, and now, we’re lovers and married… It’s just too amazing.” I whispered, kissing her forehead.
“Michael, how on earth are we going to hide this?” She asked.
“I don’t know, Belle, but if they don’t say anything by the time we’re both 18, then we’ll come forward and tell them ourselves.”
“That’s over a year before I’ll be 18, Michael.”
“I know, but at least that way, they can’t legally keep us from each other.”
“I know you’re right; it just feels so long to wait.” Maybelle sighed, kissing my neck lightly, sending chills up my spine.
“I know, but as soon as they do know, we can start our life together… No secrets, no hiding, just you and me as husband and wife, okay?” I whispered, holding her close with my arm under her neck.
She nodded and leaned into me, kissing my lips. That night I was very careful to set the alarm, and as she slept in my arms, I pondered on our future together and how I was going to make it all work. As I gazed upon her sleeping face, I prayed to God for wisdom.
Chapter Fifteen – Be of One Heart and Mind
The next day during lunch, Drake Parker pulled me aside while I was buying lunch.
“What’s up, Drake Parker?” I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
“Did you do it with Mikey-moo?”
“Don’t call him that, and it’s none of your business.” I growled.
However, when I moved forward in line, my dress shifted, pulling my collar down just enough to see some of the hickeys around my collarbone and neck.
“Oh my g*d, you did do it!” He said with wide eyes.
I readjusted my collar and growled, “Hush! Could you be any louder!?”
“Jeez, what happened to taking it slow?” He said, looking irritated for some reason.
“Why do you even care? Besides, we’re already married. How much slower can we go?”
“Yeah, legally you’re married, but if you are emotionally is a totally different matter.”
I rolled my eyes and said, “I’ll see you later.”
“You’re folks don’t happen to be in Pastor Scott’s bible study group from First Baptist Church of Martinsville? Anthony and Sally Lloyd, as well as Michael’s father, Henry Hawkins, right?”
I froze and asked, “How do you know that!?”
“My mom just recently joined the group. It would really suck if I accidentally told her about you and your husband. She’s a terrible gossip when it involves people who aren’t her clients.”
“What do you want, Drake Parker?”
“Like I said before, grace me with an hour of your presence.” He said with a smirk.
I growled under my breath and said, “Fine, but it’ll probably have to be on one of the days that Michael works…”
Suddenly, he barked out in laughter and said, “That’s priceless! You’re over there having sex with him, but you haven’t even told him that you’re meeting me!”
“I haven’t told him because the last time you tried to make him jealous, he kicked you’re a*s! Besides, you act as if I’m being unfaithful to him by seeing you, but you’re blackmailing me. Plus, your condition is to meet with you to discuss my marriage!”
“You can call it what you will, but it seems rather interesting that you refrained from telling him.”
“Just tell me where and when. I can do Mondays, Thursdays, or Fridays while he’s working, but I can’t outside of that.”
“Fine, Thursday it is. I look forward to it.” He said with a disgusting wink.
I rolled my eyes, ordered my lunch, and stormed off. Once I saw Michael, though, I relaxed. I sat down next to Naomi across from him and instantly, she asked, “Where were you guys yesterday morning? Eddie said you weren’t in first period, and Larry told us you weren’t second. He was joking around saying you two either gave each other mono from excessive snogging or that you were partying at having the house to yourselves and were hungover. If you’re going to have a party, at least invite us.”
“It’s nothing nearly that interesting, Naomi. The storm kept us up, and we both overslept.” Michael explained.
She pouted and hugged me, saying, “You two are no fun.”
Then, she noticed something and said, “Maybelle, what’s that on your neck?”
Panicked, I realized that the cover-up I had tried to put on in the bathroom after buying my lunch was already washing off. She squealed, “You two were snogging it up! That’s a hickey!”
“Hush, Naomi!” I moaned, blushing.
“Oh come on; we’ve been waiting for years for you two to get together. You two are adorable. Michael, please, just one smooch for the yearbook!”
“No, this isn’t a gossip column!” He groaned. “Besides, we already said that we’re trying to keep this under wraps until we tell the folks.”
“But when are you gonna tell them? If you don’t soon, they’ll figure it out eventually. I mean, you’ll be lucky if that hickey alone will heal up before they get back from their trip.”
“We’ll figure that out, but for now, please, just keep the lovey-dovey talk to a minimum.” Michael insisted, causing her to nod but pout.
“Are you two at least going to the dance together?”
“Y-yes…” I muttered.
This caused my friend to squeal in excitement, saying, “We have to find you the perfect dress!”
I blushed but said, “Okay, okay, but calm down!”
She nodded, still jumping with giddiness. So, at lunch, Michael stopped by the ASB office and purchased our tickets to the “Sweethearts Valentine Dance”.
***
After school, Naomi insisted that we go to the mall and various thrift stores to find a dress. I protested, realizing mentally that I needed to make Michael dinner, but he whispered, “It’s okay; go have fun. I can make myself something. I’ve lived the past 17 years without a wife cooking me meals. I can last one night. Besides, how would you explain to her that you were staying home to make me dinner?”
“True, I’m sorry, Michael. I’ll make it up to you tonight.” I muttered, mischievously.
This caused him to blush and growl in my ear, “That’s not fair and you d**n well know it.”
“But it’s not a bad idea, now is it?” I giggled, loving the red that was sprinkling across his pale skin-tone.
That day, we tried on several dresses of different types, but then, Naomi couldn’t help but notice the numerous other love marks that my dress had hid.
“Wow… um, Maybelle, this may be going too far on my part, but… are you and Michael having sex?”
I almost fell over in surprise that she’d found me out so fast.
“Whoops, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I… I just noticed that those marks go rather low…”
I blushed, wondering what to say but finally admitted, “Yes… that’s why we were late.”
She looked stunned.
“Naomi?”
“D-don’t you think you’re taking things a bit fast? I thought you two were waiting until marriage. What about that purity ring that you’re wearing literally right now? You two haven’t even been dating a week!”
I was at a loss for words. I knew that Naomi attended the same church as me and that we shared the same values, but it still hurt, realizing how I must’ve looked to her. She didn’t seem condemning in her expression but rather, disappointed. Then before I knew it, tears had sprung up in my eyes, and she gasped, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you cry. I was just shocked!”
“No, you’re right, but there is more to the story. I just don’t know if I can tell you right now!” I whispered.
“I will always be your friend. I hope you’d trust me in that.”
“That’s not what I mean. I mean that it’s a private thing that I don’t know if I should tell you yet, but… I don’t think I can hide it anymore.”
“Maybelle… you don’t have to tell me if it’ll get you in trouble.”
I took a deep breath, saying, “Michael, forgive me… We’re married!”
“Huh?”
“Michael and I are married, and no, I’m not joking! This isn’t a ‘Mikey-moo and his cow bride’ thing. We found out Wednesday that when we were three and four years old, we did a wedding ceremony for his mom’s sake. It was supposed to be put aside after her death, but somehow the paperwork was sent in, and we’re really married! The certificate was lost in the postal system and only made it to us now. We haven’t told anyone because we’re afraid that our parents will make us annul it.” I explained.
She simply looked at me gaping like a fish and muttered, “Whoa… so you’ve been married for…”
“Thirteen years…”
“You’re really Michael’s wife… You’re Mrs. Maybelle Hawkins… Wow.”
“Yeah, though my name won’t legally change until I file the paperwork to change it.”
“Whoa… so, then, oh, Maybelle, I’m so sorry! You didn’t break your vow of purity; you were honoring it. Gosh, I’m an idiot!”
“No, it’s okay. You couldn’t have known, and I know how it must’ve looked.”
“What are you going to do? If you’re now ‘doing the do’, how are you going to hide it from your folks? You can’t do that in your house once they get back, and until he’s 18, you can’t get a hotel room without someone else making the reservation.”
“I don’t know… maybe when they’re at bible study. Gosh, that sounds so wrong…”
“S-so, how is it like anyway… married life?”
“It’s been fine… awkward due to our inexperience, but oh, Naomi, he’s such a gentleman. I’ve never seen him so patient and loving. He was honestly the one who wanted to wait to do… that since he wanted us to get used to this romantic stuff, but we just got carried away. Not that I regret it! It was amazing. Plus, he insisted on being the one to use protection so I wouldn’t have to face the side-effects of female contraceptives unless I really wanted to look into it.”
“Aw, what a sweetheart! Well, I figured the boy was totally hopeless for you. That’s why when you said he’d rejected you I was so shocked. The boy flippin’ turned down Gwen last year because he said he was in love with another girl.”
“R-really!? Gwen!? I never knew that!”
“Yeah, contrary to popular belief, most girls in the school recognize how handsome Michael is; they just saw that he followed you around like a sad, little puppy, so they never pursued him. Why do you think Gwen picks on you so much? She’s jealous!”
I was shocked but also humbled, saying, “And I only recognized that my feelings for him were love recently! Oh, Michael, gosh, I’m such an oblivious idiot.”
“It’s okay, Maybelle.”
“No, that boy’s been in love with me for five years, and it took me almost 17 years to come to grips with my feelings. I need to make it up to him.”
“Maybelle, you telling him that you love him more than does that. You do love him, right?”
“Oh, yes, Naomi, I wouldn’t have made love to him if I didn’t nor would I have agreed to stay his wife.”
“As long as he knows that, then you will be fine. Just love him as God intended, and He’ll help you two through. Wait, d-does that mean you don’t get to have a wedding ceremony!?”
“Well, technically we already had one…”
“Aw, what about getting to walk down the aisle, getting to pick out a wedding dress with your mom, cutting the cake, or dancing your first dance with him...? That kinda sucks.”
“Yeah… but Michael is more important than all those things. After all, a wedding is just one day, but marriage is until death do us part. I’d rather have a million days with him than one wedding.”
She smiled and said, “You’re absolutely right! Still, you should get to feel the excitement. Why don’t we get you a wedding night outfit for you, and maybe on the Valentines Dance’s night you can do the ceremonial ‘special night’?”
“How? The folks will be back by then…”
“I’ll figure something out for you two.”
“Wait, wait, Naomi, can I ask a favor?”
“Sure…”
“Can you keep this to yourself for now? I know you’ll want to tell Eddie, but I really wasn’t supposed to tell even you.”
“I understand, but can you ask Michael about it? You know that I don’t like to hide things from Eddie.”
“I know, and I will, but you have to know why we’re keeping this under wraps.”
“Do you really think they’d make you reverse it?”
“I don’t know, but Michael seems to think that my father disapproves of him.”
“Why!?”
“They got into an argument when Dad asked us if we were getting romantically involved with each other. He sorta made a comment that made it out like he’d sooner kick Michael out than allow it, but I think he was more worried that we’d have pre-marital sex if we were dating.”
“Wow, I know your dad’s a tad overprotective, but that’s a bit much. Come on; let’s not worry about it. Let’s just find you’re the perfect outfit for the dance… and afterwards.” She insisted, wiggling her eyebrows at me and making me laugh.
I nodded and continued to search around, enjoying the day with my best friend.
***
That night as I lay naked in Michael’s arms, I stared at this man I called my husband and thought about Naomi’s words. ‘How on earth did I ever deserve you?’ I thought to myself, petting his cheek. ‘I’m so unbelievably lucky…’
“Do you have something on your mind, love?” He suddenly asked me, making me come
back to reality.
Something on my mind inadvertently came out as I muttered, “Why did you never tell me that Gwen asked you out?”
He seemed shocked and said, “Who told you that? Did Naomi blab…?”
“Yeah, we were talking about how unbelievably lucky I am to be ‘dating’ such a handsome man as you since apparently half the school’s female populace wants to jump your bones.”
“That’s a load of bull.” He chuckled.
“But seriously… she asked you out a year ago?”
“Something like that… I don’t know; I never really dwelled on it. She asked me out, and at first, I thought she was dared to do it or was joking. So, I blew her off until I realized that she was serious… I told her that I was flattered but that I was in love with someone else. Man, she was p**sed, and she shouted at me, ‘You’re really in love with that oblivious ugly little cow bride of yours?’ Well, that p**sed me off, and I told her that you were genuinely beautiful because you didn’t have to surgically alter yourself to get the boys to notice you. Needless to say, she called me a d**k and told me that I would be a virgin for the rest of my life since my cow bride was the most oblivious person on the planet, and I didn’t have the b**ls to just tell you my feelings. We haven’t exactly had the best relationship since as you’ve seen. I just wish she wouldn’t take it out on you. Besides, she’s dating the friggin’ quarterback, so why should she care that she didn’t end up with nerdy, Virgin Boy Mikey-moo?”
“Maybe because you are just as strong if not stronger than Thomas as well as insanely more talented than him. He can play a mean game of football, but you’re a black belt in judo, borderline a musical prodigy, you’re brilliant and kind and handsome, and I’m babbling… but the fact remains that I can see why she liked you.”
“Okay, I guess, but still, she didn’t like me for any of that. She liked me because I apparently had a handsome face because I barely know Gwen. We’ve shared like one class together, and I think I can count on one hand how many conversations we had prior to her confessing.”