Billie closed the library doors and turned to Sheldon, looking at him expectantly. He explained that the library held a special place in his heart since it was the place where they had had their first meeting for Project Success.
Then he handed her the rose.
She searched his deep blue eyes and saw an expression in them that sent a thrill through her, knowing that the one, white rose meant something very special. “Thank you Dodds,” she whispered.
“Sit down, Bliss.” He led her to one of the couches, then took the rose and set it on a table. Sheldon’s face became serious, then he knelt on one knee before her, his eyes searching hers.
“My dearest Bliss, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Her eyes filled with tears of joy. Without the slightest hesitation, she replied, “Yes. Oh yes!”
A film of moisture blinded Sheldon for a moment as he fumbled in his coat pocket, bringing out a small, velvet box. He opened it up and handed it to her. “As I told you, this ring belonged to my mother.”
Billie blinked away the tears and, her hand shaking slightly, took the box from him. She studied the beautiful old ring, gasping in delight. On a gold band, large fire opals flanked each side of the very large pinkish diamond.
“It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.”
A look of relief flooded his face. He took the box from her and pulled the ring from its housing. “It probably won’t fit, but let’s try it.” He pushed it gently onto her left finger.
“It fits perfectly, Dodds,” she exclaimed with excitement.
“It does, doesn’t it?” he said with amazement. He stood, pulled her up, and put his arms around her waist. “I love you, Bliss.”
“I love you too, Dodds,” she said, standing on her tip toes and putting her arms around his neck. He bent down, his lips gently touching hers, savoring the warm softness until he could stand it no longer. He pressed his lips into hers with the merciless ardor of pent-up longing and the passion of many lonely years. When reluctantly they pulled apart, he covered her face with kisses.
“Oh, Dodds,” she said breathlessly, “do you realize that you really did what you said you’d do? You proved to me that romance is not dead.”
He smiled in happy triumph, “I did, didn’t I?”
“And do you realize just how romantic our whole relationship has been?”
“Yes, starting from the beginning when you wrote that silly note, telling me that it was my fault.” They both laughed.
Sheldon turned serious. “Let’s sit down, Bliss, we have some decisions to make—like when can we be married?”
They sat on the couch, holding hands, smiling, looking deep into each other’s eyes. “When do you think we should be married, Dodds?”
“Next week. You see, my Bliss, if we are going to have a whole passel of children, we had better get started.”
Feeling her heart swell with joy, she exclaimed, “You’re right, Dodds, how about two weeks from now? I only want a simple wedding in the backyard.
The weather in middle September will be wonderful—warm and balmy. Is that all right with you?”
“It’s more than all right. I thought you would insist on a couple of months to prepare for it, so I decided to bargain for a week to start with.” He was so excited, he stood, picked her up, and swung her around.
When he set her down, she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “We’re really engaged?”
He laughed. “Yes, we are!”
For the next hour, they were lost in each other, sharing their hopes and dreams, and joyfully planning for the future.
Once again, Billie looked at the ring on her left finger, aware of the unfamiliar feel of it. “Let’s go show them my beautiful ring. I wish I could have known your mother, Dodds. I feel privileged to wear it. I’m dreaming, I know I am, but then as I feel my ring and look at into your eyes and see and feel your love, I know that I’m not. It’s real!”
“It’s even more unbelievable for me, Bliss., after all these years of bachelorhood.”
“Oh, you know what, Dodds?”
“What?”
Mother and Aunt Tilly must have had a feeling you’d propose tonight.
They made homemade ice cream and sugar cookies.”
Sheldon’s eyes lit up, realizing that his appetite had returned. “Great! Let’s go tell your family. In fact, I’d like to find a way to tell the whole world.”
Thirty-Four
Wednesday morning early, Billy picked up the phone and called Lora.
While the phone was ringing, she admired her ring and sighed.
A sleepy voice said, “Hello.”
“Oh, Lora, did I wake you? This is Billie.”
“No, my alarm just woke me.”
“When can I come over, Lora. I have some wonderful news.”
“You have?” she asked eagerly, the sleepiness gone. “How about 11:30 this morning?”
“Good. See you then, Lora.”
At 11:40, Billie and Lora were seated at the small table, smiling at each other. “After you tell me your news, Billie, I have some for you.”
Billie’s eyes lit up even more. “I’m anxious to hear.” Then she held out her left hand. “Dodds and I are engaged.”
Lora squealed. “You are? I’m so happy for you! The ring—it’s very unusual, but beautiful.”
“It was Dodds’ mother’s”
“It was? Oh,” she sighed, “how very special.”
“Now, tell me your good news, Lora.”
“Arly asked me to marry him.”
“He did? I’ve suspected he liked you, Lora, but marriage?”
“Well, he asked me for the wrong reason.”
“Oh? Tell me about it. Tell me everything from the beginning.”
“I will, if you’ll tell me everything.”
So the two girls, now feeling like old friends, exchanged their unusual stories, each giving to the other the interest and empathy that only friends can give.
As Billie stood up to leave, she asked, “So when do you think you will be able to give Arly an answer?”
“I don’t know for sure. We need to date and get to know each other more.
He wants to take me to Springfield to meet his family.”
“Wonderful! Are you going?”
“Not until I slim down like you, Billie. The clothes you gave me are getting looser gradually, but not fast enough. I’m embarrassed to let his family see me overweight. I didn’t used to be like this.”
“He has fallen for you just as you are, Lora.”
“Did Professor Ackerman fall for you when you were still overweight?”
“He says, as he looks back, that he fell for me almost from the start, but didn’t realize it.”
Lora smiled. “We both have wonderful men, that’s for sure.” Her face became serious. “But no way am I going to meet his folks until I’ve lost some more weight.”
-
Early Wednesday morning, Sheldon called all the DeePees and invited them to dinner at the club at 6:00 p.m., informing each one or them that he had an important announcement to make. The squeals from Molly Bittle almost deafened him, she was so excited, but he refused to tell her another word until they were all together. He had shared his plan with Bliss the night before, making sure she could attend, and had requested she wear the lovely dress she was wearing when they got engaged.
The phones between Molly Bittle, Sharon Ozog, and Nettie Newman were buzzing. Their discussion was peppered with excitement and curiosity.
However, they were sure they already knew what the announcement would be.
When Sheldon and Billie walked into the country club dining room at 6:05 p.m., everyone was already there. Sheldon grinned from ear to ear as he and Billie, hand in hand, walked over to them.
“I want you all to meet my fiancee, Billie Bliss.”
Molly Bittle squealed, Sharon and Nettie smiled, and the men all clapped.
�
��Will wonders never cease!” exclaimed Robert.
“I know you’re acquainted with three of these people, Bliss, but I would like you to meet Nettie’s husband, Don; Dr. Ozog’s wife, Sharon; and Dr. Bittle’s wife, Molly.”
Billie smiled. “I’m so pleased to meet all of you.”
They all encouraged Billie to call them by their first names now that she would soon become one of the DeePees. Then Billie held out her hand for all to see her ring, explaining who it had belonged to. They were effusive in their compliments as well as their congratulations.
The dinner was excellent and the conversation consisted mainly of general questions directed at Billie and Sheldon. After dinner, they all retired to the lounge for their after dinner-coffee and conversation.
Sheldon knew it was coming and Nettie was the first to ask. “Now that we’re in a private room, it’s time to divulge all, Sheldon. You’ve been closemouthed and mysterious long enough. You owe it to us.”
Billie looked over at Sheldon, puzzled, and he explained, “Small bits and pieces of our relationship came out now and then, and Nettie, Sharon, and Molly tried to find out more, but I could only promise that one day, maybe you, Bliss, would tell them yourself. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like us both to tell our story. Is that all right with you?”
She looked over at her fiance adoringly. “I’d love to, Dodds. Where shall we begin?”
He grinned. “With the note you wrote me, of course.”
Their audience was more than responsive as they heard the account. With both Billie and Sheldon explaining Billie’s unique problem, their friends understood, particularly the women. They all laughed, some teared up, and other times just quietly listened with rapt interest. When Lora Lemmon came into the story, the laughter really began and Billie laughed the hardest, finding out things she hadn’t known about Sheldon and Lora. The greatest fun was when Sheldon told of falling over Lora in the video store. Then came the strange tale of Lora and the ants. Lora and her ‘almost threat’. Then, of course, the sequence of events that followed.
There was one more surprise for Billie; finding out that Lora was Sheldon’s courier with the roses, requiring her once more to hide in the bushes.
They attentive audience clapped as the fascinating story concluded. “But,” Nettie said, “we must hear the poems.
Sheldon and Billie looked at each other, a small smile passing between them as Sheldon gave her hand a special squeeze.
Sheldon shook his head. “That’s carrying it too far, Nettie.”
“Then at least,” insisted Hal, “we need to meet this Miss Lora Lemmon.”
“Interesting that you should say that, Hal,” Billie said, “for I suggest that she replace me in Project Success.”
-
Sheldon drove into the underground parking of his condominium.
“Where are you taking me, Dodds?”
They had said goodnight to their friends, and he had driven here without explaining. “Well, Bliss, I live on the top floor of this building. What I was wondering is, would you mind if we live in my place here until we can build us a house?”
She leaned over and kissed him. “I would love to. I would love to live anywhere with you.”
He decided that they should remain in the car until he told her more about himself. “You see, Bliss, I own this building.”
Billie’s brow rose questioningly. “You mean you own the condominium?”
“No. I mean I own the whole building. I built it as an investment.”
“This whole building is yours?” she asked, incredulous.
“Yes.”
“I knew you were a brilliant businessman, Dodds, but I didn’t realize you were that well off.”
Sheldon smiled, put his arm around her, and drew her close, realizing that now was the time to tell her just how wealthy he was. “My grandfather left me a small inheritance and I made an investment. I was lucky, for it turned a nice profit. I invested the profit, sold again and so on.” He told her everything he owned. When he was through, he waited for her reaction—and waited. “Bliss?”
“That means you are very rich, Dodds!” she exclaimed in hushed tones.
“Yes, Bliss, very. Your father was quite surprised, too.”
“My father? How does he know?”
“I told him when I asked for your hand. He seemed quite pleased that I could support his daughter in a proper manner.”
Billie sighed. “How romantic that you asked for my hand.”
Sheldon laughed again. He leaned over and kissed her full, delectable lips long and lingeringly. Her warm response left him a happy man. He got out of the car, opened her door, and led her to the elevator. Billie was quiet, still trying to take it all in as they rode to the top.
As they stepped into Sheldon’s condominium, Billie gasped in delight.
“It’s fabulous. Did you do the decorating, Dodds?”
“Yes, and I know it isn’t what a woman would choose,” he began apologetically.
“Oh, but, Dodds, I love it. It looks like you.” She walked around the big room looking at everything. “The colors are strong and the furniture massive—all wonderfully decisive and masculine—like you.” He flushed with pleasure. She walked over to the big picture above the fireplace. “And this watercolor on the wall is beautiful. It shows your sensitive and artistic side,” she said, smiling knowingly. She examined the room further. “The decorative items, such as this large vase and the bronze statue of Lincoln definitely point out your strong aristocratic character. Everything is well placed, wellorganized, like you.”
She walked over to him and smiled, her eyes filled with admiration, “Everything in here is of the finest quality, telling me that you have made money, and that suggests to me a number of things, including your ability to interact and work well with men.”
Sheldon’s chest swelled with that special feeling that only comes to a man who is sincerely admired by the woman he loves. Sheldon knew instinctively that this confidence, inspired by a woman, was the kind that made men want to climb the highest mountain, build the greatest empire, dig the best ditches, paint the finest pictures, hammer the straightest nail, and while he’s at it, leave the world a better place.
With moist eyes, he put his arms around his beloved and held her close, praying that he would someday be worthy of her admiration.
Thirty-Five
Two and a half weeks later, on a Saturday morning, William Bliss, in the presence of a small group of friends and relatives, gave his daughter, Billie Margaret, in marriage to Sheldon Dodds Ackerman. This special occasion was held in the backyard of the Bliss home while the last vestiges of summer lingered on, mingling with the coming new season.
The bride, with one significant white rose in her lovely auburn hair, wore a simple white gown. Her groom, dressed in a black tuxedo, stood beside her with one matching white rose tucked into the lapel of his coat.
The glow of happiness that radiated from the bride and groom renewed everyone’s hope and faith in their own marriage or marriage to be.
Those in attendance were the immediate family, a few relatives from the Bliss side of the family, Henry’s children and grandchildren, several close friends of Will and Margaret,and a few business associates. The DeePees were there, relieved to see their friend finally lose his bachelorhood and join the ranks of the happily married.
Arly Bates and Lora Lemmon, special guests of the bride and groom and the bride’s family, were present, holding hands and looking almost as happy as the bridal pair. They had been issued an invitation with a special thank you note enclosed for their part in protecting the Bliss family from the depredations of a car thief.
Margaret, Matilda, and Billie had prepared a lovely buffet brunch, which they served out on the large back porch. Every one mingled and congratulated the bride and groom, who, as quickly as they possibly could, exited, anxious to leave on their honeymoon.
-
A week later, back from their honeymoon,
Sheldon, under the guise of observing the social amenities, hosted an open house at the Maple Hills Country Club for all his colleagues at the university, his business associates from several cities, and for the rest of the friends of the Bliss family in Claytonville. Sheldon’s real motive was to show off his lovely bride.
As the evening ended, the DeePees—Hal and Sharon, Don and Nettie, Robert and Mollie—cornered Sheldon and Billie for one purpose. They had one last question to ask.
“All right, Sheldon,” Robert said, “we all want to know why you called Billie by her last name, ‘Bliss’?”
“Yes, Shel,” Nettie said, smiling, “tell us.”
He looked at them, contemplating the answer. He gazed down at Bliss’ lovely smiling face, now upturned to his. Her luminous, brown eyes were also curious and questioning.
A slow smile spread across Sheldon’s face. His deep blue eyes shining with happiness, he answered them while gazing at his bride.
“Because, my good friends, getting to know Billie Bliss and being married to her has simply been—pure bliss.”
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