Love's Challenge

by Aubrey Wynne

  “God will bring you back to me, Joey, I know that. I feel it. But the thought of being without you for so long… Austin seemed like a million miles away, but Korea is on the other side of the world.” She sat up and took his offered handkerchief, pulling herself together. “When do you leave?”

  “Beginning of January. At least we have the holidays.”

  “Do Max and Leroy know?”

  “Only Pa.”

  “Y’all have been through so much. It doesn’t seem fair.” She laid a palm against his cheek. “Do you want me to be with you when you tell Leroy?”

  He nodded. “I was wondering, under the circumstances, if we should rethink our future.”

  Anger flashed across her face, and she jumped from the swing. “Joey McCall, if you think to release me from our engagement because of a war, I’ll—”

  Joe stood up abruptly, surprising her into silence. He had a second chance to do this right. He’d been too nervous the first time and had just blurted it out. Fishing in his pocket, he pulled out the little black box and went down on one knee.

  “Laura Beth Walters, you are the epitome of compassion and beauty and all that’s good in my world. I love you with a fierceness I didn’t know existed in my soul. Will you be my wife this Christmas and make me the happiest soldier in Texas?”

  He didn’t know if the gasp was over his speech, the ring, or both. She clasped her hands under her chin, a tremulous smile on her lips.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, a hand over her mouth. “Dixie showed me this. It belonged to her mother.”

  “It will have to be your engagement and wedding ring for now. So what do you say? Will you marry me?”

  “I wouldn’t let you leave Texas without your name attached to the end of mine. Yes, Joey. Yes, I’ll be your Christmas bride.”

  Chapter 6

  “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”

  Elon Musk

  Sunday after Thanksgiving

  Laura Beth shook her head in disbelief. The gems in her ring dug into her palm as she clenched her fist and struggled for control.

  “You can’t get married because the boy has been drafted.” Her father sat stone-faced in his stuffed leather chair. “There are consequences you are not considering. As your parents, we must guide you.”

  “Consequences? I’m marrying the man I love. We were already planning our wedding. What difference does it make if we push the date up?”

  “Laura, you are thinking with your heart—”

  “And yours must be made of stone if we are having this conversation.” She swiped angrily at the tear escaping down her cheek. “I thought you had finally accepted him.”

  Her mother put an arm around her shoulder, her tone calm and reasonable. “What your father means, is marriage is a hallmark in one’s life, and with Joe leaving… Well, there is always the possibility that…” She gave her husband an imploring look.

  “Sweetheart,” her father began, his tone softening, “what if he doesn’t come back? You will be a widow before you’ve even had a family.”

  “Don’t you see? That is the point.” She stood and took in the concerned faces of her parents. “I cannot take the chance of never knowing the joy of being Mrs. Joey McCall. If he does die, I want to have known him as my husband, understand that special bond that only marriage can bring. I want to send him away with a gift only I can give him.”

  Her father turned red and his jaw set. “I forbid it, and that’s the end of the conversation.” He snapped the newspaper in his hands and raised it up in front of his face, indicating the matter was settled.

  “Daddy, I am nineteen years old. You cannot forbid me to do anything. I have loved that man since first grade, since the first time I laid eyes on him.” She took two steps and pushed the paper down, and stared back at him unflinching.. “We will get married, and I will send him off with memories that will remind he is loved and keep him strong. And if he is killed in action, then I will treasure those memories until we meet again.”

  Laura Beth turned on her heel and walked out of the house.

  December 23, 1952

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Joe squeezed her fingers. “Your folks will be furious.”

  “Mom will understand and help smooth things over with Daddy. He doesn’t want me to get hurt. I think she suspects already.” She waved a hand as if to dismiss her parents. “Did I mention how handsome you look?”

  Joey wore his dark gray suit and tie with a light gray shirt. The cufflinks sparkled, and the tie clip held his initials. His dark hair was parted and smoothed back with a little Brylcream to keep it in place. She fought the urge to mess it up just a smidgen.

  Laura smoothed the emerald green rayon skirt and tugged on the matching jacket. Her toes wriggled in the tight heels, and she adjusted her white pearl drop earrings again. She’d had her hair cut just below her ears, and it now lay in a sleek curl around her neck. A small, white cocktail hat perched on the side of head with netting that fell just below eye level.

  They stood in the parking lot, the courthouse looming over them. Betsy had suggested going to the next largest town to elope. Sweet Water was just too darn small. Max and Leroy were sitting on a bench, looking uncomfortable in their suits, while they waited for Betsy.

  A yellow sedan pulled up. “I made it, I have the flowers.” Her best friend waved a gloved hand out the window. “This is so exciting, like something out of a movie.” Laura was using her as an alibi tonight and would tell her parents tomorrow. She knew her mother would be hurt but had no idea how her father would react. They had given her no choice.

  Betsy climbed out, opened the back door, and pulled out two large boxes. She set them on the trunk of the car and beckoned to the men. “Come and get your boutonnieres, boys.” She pulled out a bouquet of white roses, evergreen, and pink berries. In the other carton were three single white roses on a background of green holly.

  “The flowers are beautiful. These must have cost a fortune.” She squeezed her friend. “I’ll pay you back, I promise.”

  Betsy pinned the rose on Joey’s lapel and spoke quietly, “I want you to know, I’ll be here for your wife. No matter what happens between her and her folks, she won’t be alone.”

  He marveled at the sound of “your wife” and nodded. “I appreciate that, Betsy. You don’t know how much.”

  Laura helped Max and emotion swelled her throat. “We’ll be family in a few minutes.”

  “Darlin’, you were family the first time you walked through the front door. Dixie loved you like her own, the same as me.” His voice was rough, and when she looked up, his eyes glistened. “It’s a privilege to call you daughter.”

  She hugged the man that would soon be her father-in-law. “We’ll get through this together. I promise.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Leroy pulled on Laura’s skirt, his bottom lip sticking out. “Don’t I get a flower and a hug?”

  “Of course you do.” She squatted down to his level. “I’ve always wanted a little brother. And now I get one.”

  “Does that mean I won’t get to marry you when I grow up?”

  They all laughed. Leroy crossed his arms, a pout on his face. “What’s so funny?”

  Joe tickled him and grabbed his hand. “Shall we?” He looked at the small party.

  “Wait,” Betsy called. “Something old, your ring. Something new, you shoes. Something blue, your… Well, we know you’re wearing it. What about something borrowed?”

  Laura gasped and shook her head.

  Betsy grinned. “Just as I suspected. One minute.” She dashed back to the sedan and came back with a large square jewelry box. “I inherited this from my grandmother, and it only comes out for special occasions.”

  She opened the box to reveal a triple strand of pale pink and cream pearls. Laura rubbed the smooth, iridescent orbs. “Oh, Betsy. I’ve only seen you wear this once. Are you sure?”

  S
he nodded. “You’re my best friend and it’s your wedding. Can’t get much more special than that.”

  The courthouse was not exactly what a girl would consider romantic. But the Justice of the Peace was kind and smiled as the ceremony began. Max beamed, Leroy fidgeted, Betsy sniffled, and Joey kept wiping his palms on his slacks. Laura found herself oddly calm. A peace filled her as the familiar words were read to them. When they repeated their vows, her voice did not falter. This had always been her path, and she knew it with a certainty she could never explain to her parents.

  “By the authority vested in me by the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife, and what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” The judge slapped the book closed and winked at Joe. “You may kiss the bride.”

  Max and Betsy let out a hoot. Leroy jumped up and down, clapping his hands. Joe lifted the netting and folded it back over Laura’s hat. Slowly, he bent his head, held her chin in his hand, and softly brushed her lips. Only she heard the low groan that rumbled in his throat.

  Joe fumbled the key, dropped it, and picked it up with a nervous chuckle. Laura Beth gave him an encouraging smile. After only two attempts, the door opened into a small room. It was a nice hotel and the furnishings reflected it. A large four-poster bed of polished oak sat in the center, flanked by a matching dresser on one side and a bathroom, desk and chair on the other. This night of luxurious privacy had been a wedding gift from his father.

  “You both need one night to focus on each other. No family, no future, no war. Time may be the most precious gift I can give you now.” Pa had handed him an envelope with the address of the hotel and cash for a nice dinner. When they arrived, everything had been arranged and ready for the honeymoon couple. When had his father managed to do that? It was something his mother might have done, not Pa.

  A squeal brought him back to the present. “There’s an ice bucket and a bottle of champagne. Have you ever opened one? I don’t even know how.” She peered down at the bottle and giggled. “If I have a glass, you must promise to take advantage of me.”

  His apprehension fled as stepped behind her and their eyes locked in the mirror above the dresser. “Your wish is my command.” He put his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck.

  She was finally his. His wife. He had waited three long years for this moment. He said a silent prayer. If he came back from Korea, he would bring Laura Beth here for their tenth anniversary. And the twentieth. And the fiftieth. As if sensing his desperation, she turned and took his face between her hands and quietly kissed him.

  The groan was not quiet this time, and his hands traced the length of her waist and slim hips while his lips trailed down her neck. Her satin skin seemed to melt against his mouth, and when her head fell back, he thought he would die of hunger. He inched her skirt up, his fingers skimming the supple thighs beneath. Laura Beth panted in his ear then her hands moved down his chest and pushed him away.

  She’s scared, he realized. What an oaf, slow down. But when he looked into her face, he saw only love.

  “You have been my destiny since I was six years old. Nothing will keep me from spending my life with you, Joe McCall. Not my father, not the war. But you need memories that will keep you strong when your faith is challenged. Memories that remind you what is waiting at home.” She kissed him again and loosened his tie. “So let’s start making them right now.”

  Chapter 7

  “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”

  Maya Angelou

  Laura’s heart turned to stone. He couldn’t mean it. It was anger talking, and this tirade would subside. Her father had never shown such rage.

  “My daughter does NOT go behind my back. I won’t stand for it.”

  “Honey, calm down. I’m upset too. Do you think I’m happy about missing my little girl’s wedding?”

  He slammed his pipe down and stared into the fireplace, embers popping and snapping like the tension in the room.

  “We need to be reasonable.” Shirley’s voice softened. “It’s Christmas Eve. The Lord would want you to be forgiving, especially now.”

  “I don’t care if it’s Judgment Day. I want her out of my house.” He snapped the newspaper, tossed it on the table next to his chair, and stalked from the room without giving Laura a glance.

  “He just needs time to accept the idea. You’ve never defied him, and he doesn’t know how to handle it.” Her mother hugged her close. “We’ll give him today to figure it out.”

  “Oh, Mom. I didn’t want it to happen like this either. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I didn’t want anything to get in the way.” She sat down, defeated. “I am a terrible, ungrateful daughter.”

  “Nonsense. I raised you to be independent and make decisions based on your own conscience. Yes, I’m disappointed, but I would have done the same thing.” She joined Laura on the sofa. “No one would have kept me from marrying your father. He’s just so afraid for you. He doesn’t want you to go through the kind of loss he did.”

  “He can’t protect me from life, Mom.”

  “I know, but you can’t blame a father for trying. Why don’t you go upstairs to your room, and we’ll try again later tonight? I’ll warm up some apple cider, and put on some holiday music…”

  Laura shook her head. “No. I will spend my first Christmas as a married woman with my husband. I’m packing a few things and going to the McCalls. I love you both, but I won’t waste the few days we have left fighting with Daddy.”

  The room fell silent and three pairs of eyes stared her down as she walked through the door. She gave them a brave smile and set the small brown suitcase on the gray rug. Then she collapsed on the coral couch before bursting into tears. A male cocoon surrounded her; muffled murmurs of “there, there” and “shh, now” and “don’t cry or I’ll cry” slowly penetrated her sobs. When she looked up from Joe’s chest, the Christmas star on top of the tree caught her attention.

  It twinkled in the soft glow of the lamp and emitted a peace that soothed her. It was Christmas. A time of great joy and celebration, yet she wasted time feeling sorry for herself. Laura looked at her new family, trying to help her while facing this season without Dixie.

  She untangled herself from Joey’s arms and wiped her face with the handkerchief Max handed her. “Look at me! Thank you for letting me get that out of my system. Now”—she blew her nose into the hankie and looked apologetically at Max—“let’s get that popcorn going so we can get it strung before Santa gets here.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” squealed Leroy. “I told you she’d be back, Pa. I told you she’d be here tonight.”

  “Yes you did, son.” Max nodded his head toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you go on and find the popcorn for us? Get out the cast-iron skillet and oil.

  Leroy skidded into the kitchen, the white scalloped curtains fluttering in his wake. He collided into the white metal cabinets, the bang reverberating into the living room.

  “Careful, boy. That pan is heavy. If you drop it, it’ll bust your toe.”

  Now the men turned to Laura and gave her their full attention again.

  “Stop it. My father blew a gasket, that’s all. My mother’s right, he’ll get it over it soon enough. And if he doesn’t, he’ll spend Christmas alone.” She kissed both men on the cheek and gave them her brightest smile. “I’m counting my blessings tonight, and I’m up to three right now.”

  There was a crash in the kitchen and Leroy yelled, “I’m not hurt, Pa.” And laughter finally filled the air, chasing away the tension.

  “Let’s get this party started,” said Max, rubbing his hands. “Joe, put some music on. Something snappy. Laura, go help our chef with the popcorn. I’ll set up the Lionel train under the tree.”

  Joe walked to the coffee table that held the radio. It sat between the front windows, and he pulled the print drapes shut. When he clicked the knob, Gene Autry filled the silence, singing about the red-nosed reindeer. The ping a
nd pop of the popcorn faded, and Leroy walked slowly out, carrying the large bowl. Laura followed with a dish of cranberries and thread and needles. They sang and chatted then teased Leroy about being on the naughty list. When the red and white strings had been added to the tree, Laura melted some butter, dribbled it on the leftover corn, and sprinkled it with salt.

  Leroy sat between Laura and Joe, discussing his Christmas list while he munched. Max finished assembling the train, and they held their breaths as he turned it on. The engine came to life, smoke trickling from its top, and began the winding journey under the tree. While the boy played with the train, Laura hung the stockings on a bookshelf.

  “What should we leave for Santa?” she asked, watching Leroy’s eyelids droop. “It’s pajama time, I think.”

  “Old Mrs. Avery brought us some sugar cookies ‘cuz we’re three men alone. Santa’s alone too. We’ll share,” he answered her with a yawn. “I hope he got my list.”

  “What did you ask for?” She already knew, of course.

  “A Snoopy Sniffer. Pa won’t let me have a dog, so it’s the next best thing. And I don’t have to teach it to go outside.” He gave them a sleepy smile and yawned. “I’ll get the cookies. Pa, will ya get the milk?”

  “Sure, son.” He took a few steps then stopped. “What was that?”

  Joey peered at the ceiling. “It sounded like little bells.”

  Both men turned to Leroy, who looked both ecstatic and panic. “Hurry, up. We gotta fix his snack, and I gotta go to bed.”

  It was the best Christmas morning Laura ever had. Without siblings, she had missed watching the joy on another child’s face as they opened presents. Leroy was thrilled with his toy, and pulled the little wooden dog around the house, giggling at the spring tail that bounced back and forth.

  “It’s time to get dressed for church, Leroy.” She smiled at his instant pout and drooped shoulders.