When You Fall...
Page 31
“It’s my job to do what I think is right, because I have to answer for my actions, just like they will have to answer for theirs.”
It was silent for a minute. Rafe grabbed her hand.
“I love you. I agree with you. I’m proud of you. I love you,” he said again. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips.
“What else?” he asked.
“I sent a letter to Bentley and his wife, separately, apologizing for messing up their day. I’m so far from that woman that I was then, so far from that place and so glad that I had the chance to come here, and find the original me again. I wouldn’t have met you if I hadn’t come home. Funny how things work out. I would have never dreamed of this outcome.
It’s a part of the reason I need to make amends with Bentley and his wife. I don’t want any more bad karma. I’ve got to try and correct what I tried to destroy. We could use as much good karma as we can get. Need to let go of the bad; it’s been too much, with my dad and all. I don’t need any more of it around me,” she said.
He leaned over and kissed her.
#
Things were going great and according to their plans, Carter thought, sitting on the back porch, her feet up on the rail, taking a break. It was Friday evening, a week later, not that that meant anything on the ranch. There was still plenty of work to be done.
She was tired—to the marrow of her bones kind of tired—but happy. It was evening, and she’d come in from the stable and showered. She sat now, a class of wine in her hand, waiting for Rafe to return from his trip to town.
A nice new Mercedes Benz SUV pulled into the back drive. Carter dropped her feet from the rail and walked out the back door. She watched Bentley smile at her as the driver’s side door opened and he stepped out. She started to laugh and he joined her as he made his way around to the passenger side to help his wife, LaShondra. It was her. Carter would recognize her anywhere; her look of shock from the wedding day had been embedded into Carter’s brain.
“You look awful,” he said, smiling at Carter. He and LaShondra stood at the bottom of the step, looking up at her.
“Hey,” she said, her smile tentative as she moved her eyes to LaShondra. She received a small tentative smile in return. LaShondra must have gotten her letter.
Bentley walked up the stairs. “A bed and breakfast/ranch/farm,” he said, joking, as he wrapped her in a big hug. “The only African American horsewoman I know,” he said, laughing as he reached for his wife’s hand, pulling her up the steps.
“LaShondra, I’d like for you to meet Carter, a very, very dear friend of mine,” he said.
“Hi,” LaShondra said, caution still in her eyes. “Thanks for the letter. I appreciate it,” she said.
“I meant every word. I was wrong. I owed you an apology for interrupting your special day. I hope I didn’t spoil it too much,” Carter said.
“Not too much,” she said, looking at Courtney who’d come outside and was standing on the porch.
“Bentley and LaShondra, this is my sister, Courtney,” she said.
“I heard,” Bentley said, shaking his head, chuckling.
“I know. Crazy, huh?” she said.
“You two hungry?” Courtney asked.
“We could eat,” Bentley said, letting go of LaShondra’s hand and following Courtney into the house.
“I really am so sorry,” Carter said to LaShondra now that they were alone.
“I know.”
“Don’t know if there is a way for me to make it up to you,” Carter said.
“I’ve got just the plan. I heard you were getting married soon. I’m sending my sister to your wedding. You remember her?”
“The bridesmaid that followed me out of the church?”
“That’s the one, and she don’t play. We had to keep her from coming to your apartment. You owe me for that,” LaShondra said, laughing now.
Carter laughed, too.
“Bentley’s a good guy. He tried to explain you to me and now that I’m here, the you he knows makes sense. He also said you’re getting married to a farmer?”
“Yes, you’ll get to meet him. He stops by most evenings,” she said.
“Glad it worked out for you. Glad you found someone,” LaShondra said.
“Me, too, and thanks again. Bentley’s a lucky man,” Carter said.
“He sure is,” LaShondra said, as they entered the house, laughing.
#
Epilogue
The reverend looked over the congregation. “If there is anyone who thinks these two souls should not be joined in lawful matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace,” the minister said, his voice reverberating clear into the quiet air surrounding the wedding ceremony for two young people standing before him; one of them had been a long-time member of his flock. She hadn’t been around lately, but they would work on that, he’d been assured.
Carter looked at her bridesmaids. Frankie was working hard to contain her laughter, Gwen and Sandra both had their eyes glued to the minister, and Carter knew they were working to keep a straight face as well. All of her sisters were bridesmaids and they were fighting off their laughter, too.
The room was silent for a few seconds.
Carter glanced over at Rafael. He was also working to keep a straight face. He leaned over to her and whispered, “I thought about paying someone to come and interrupt the wedding, but thought you’d kill me,” he whispered, grinning, turning his eyes back to the minister, who smiled at him and winked at Carter.
“Then by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” he said, winking this time at Rafe, who laughed and did just that, to the encouragement of the 350 family and friends of the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church of Light, Love and Redemption.
The End
About the Author
RUTHIE ROBINSON resides in Austin, TX with her husband and two teenage children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clark College and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Texas in Austin (Hook ‘em horns!). She worked for more than a decade in the banking industry before turning her love of stories into a second career.
When you Fall… is her first self published book. She may be contacted at her website—www.ruthierobinson.com.