Walking Straight (The Walking Together Series Book 1)
Page 23
When he entered the kitchen, his mom was sitting at the table with an empty coffee cup in front of her. But she didn’t seem to be aware of the fact that the cup was empty.
She was staring out the window at all the trees back there. He remembered that when his parents built that house that she’d said she wanted the backyard landscaped with nothing but evergreen bushes and trees so she could look out there in the dead of winter and think it was summer.
From the look on her face, Matt wasn’t sure if he should say something or just back quietly out of the room. She took the decision out of his hands when she looked up at him and smiled.
“Good morning Matt. Dad’s at church and Grace and Brianna are over at Trish’s helping her and Betty Sue get things ready for tonight.”
He went to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup. He held the pot up to her. “Do you want a refill Mom?”
When she nodded, he stepped over to her and poured coffee into her cup.
By the time he was back at the table sitting across from her, she had that faraway look in her eyes again. She was just staring out at the evergreen trees.
He was trying to decide if he should leave or not when she turned to him and sighed.
“Oh Matt, I love you and Grace so much that it hurts sometimes.”
He really didn’t know what to say so he didn’t.
After a moment, she smiled a dreamy smile up at him. “When you two were little, you were the most adorable kids anyone had ever seen.” She grinned at him. “Still are.”
He had to say something to that. “Mom, I would say that it’s been quite a few years since anyone thought of me as adorable don’t you think?”
She laughed at that. “To me, Son, you’ll always be my little boy even if you are a big brute of a man now.”
He knew that this was a losing battle so he conceded with his silence. He knew there was more that she wanted to say so he sat back sipping his coffee and waited.
After a long moment, she looked back at him. “Matt, I’m so proud of you . . . and so is your father. We’ve prayed for you for years and years and the Lord’s timing is just so perfect. Because when Betty Sue came to town, it was finally time for you to come back to the Lord and to us.”
He didn’t know what to say to that so he stood and made his way slowly around the table and as he reached his mom, she stood and walked into his arms. And it felt better than almost anything ever had before.
Yes, as she’d said earlier, he was home now, in more ways than one.
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Betty Sue awakened early on her special day in spite of the fact that she didn’t have to go into work today. Trish had arranged for replacements for her and Betty Sue both so they could spend the whole day just getting ready for her wedding. Her wedding! Didn’t that have such a wonderful sound to it?
She just sat in her bedroom for a few minutes thinking before joining Trish in the kitchen. She wanted to savor the feelings that were coursing through her right then. There were so many that she simply couldn’t keep up with all of them.
She began to think about how her life had changed so much since that dark dreary night back in December. She had been attracted to this little town by all the Christmas decorations. And when she stepped off the bus that night, her whole world began changing. In fact, it was still changing, especially today.
She simply loved managing the motel and meeting new people every day. She had talked to a lot of people about the Lord too. She especially loved her two-bedroom apartment behind the motel office. It would be the perfect place for her and Matt to start their married life.
In fact, she hadn’t even moved into it yet. She had stayed at Trish’s house until now. She wanted her new home to be new for her and Matt both at the same time. Sure, they both had almost all their things there already. But they would not move in until after the wedding tonight. That was going to be their honeymoon suite.
Finally, she forced herself to get off the edge of the bed where she’d been sitting for some time and began getting dressed.
When she entered the kitchen, Trish was just coming in from the pantry with a loaf of bread in her hands. She looked up at Betty Sue and said, “How about French Toast this morning?”
Before Betty Sue could answer, Trish said, “Grace just called and she and Brianna will be here in a few minutes and I’ll swear that little girl can eat more French Toast than most grownups.”
Betty Sue laughed. “Then that’s exactly what I’d like to have this morning too.”
Trish laid the bread on the counter and stared into Betty Sue’s eyes. “How are you doing this morning Sweetie? Any wedding day jitters?”
Betty Sue shook her head emphatically. “No way Trish, not this time. When I married Dave, I was so nervous that I actually threw up. But not today. I love Matt and I know that he will always be good to me.”
Trish clasped Betty Sue’s hand. “Good because I know that you’re right about that boy.”
Betty Sue wasn’t sure if Trish was going to say more or not, but they were interrupted by the arrival of Grace and Brianna.
The rest of the day was spent doing all the last minute things that were needed but most of all Betty Sue was just so overjoyed to be spending the day with the two women she loved most in the whole world. And of course she couldn’t forget about Brianna too.
Finally, they were all at the church and Betty Sue was in the bride’s room with the three she’d spent the day with plus Matt’s mom. She couldn’t believe how much she had grown to love her soon to be mother-in-law.
Having only been nine when her own mother had died, Linda Livingston was turning out to be everything Betty Sue had ever wanted in a mother.
She was just so happy that she knew she’d burst at any moment.
When everything, including her dress and bouquet, was ready, Linda pulled Betty Sue off to the side, took both of her hands in hers, and began talking in a soft voice.
“Betty Sue, if Henry and I would have sat down together and made up a list of all the things we wanted in a wife for Matt, you would fit every one of them so perfectly that only God could have brought you into our lives.”
She paused to dab at her eyes with a tissue. “And we couldn’t be any happier.” She looked deeply into Betty Sue’s eyes then. “Henry and I would be honored if you would call us Mom and Dad. But if you’re not comfortable with that, we’ll understand and love you just as much anyway.”
Betty Sue had to dab at her own eyes then. “Oh I would be happy to do that . . . Mom.”
They hugged but were interrupted as Judy Wallace opened the door, and poked her head in. “They’re all ready for you now ladies.”
Betty Sue stepped back from Linda just as her new ‘mom’ said, “Well, I guess I’d better get out there to my seat.” She touched Betty Sue’s arm again. “I wouldn’t want to miss a single thing.”
As soon as Linda left, the others all filed out into the foyer and lined up in the order that they would go in. First, was Brianna as flower girl, then her mother Grace as matron of honor, and finally Betty Sue and Trish.
As the others began to march in to the music, Betty Sue turned to Trish and said, “Are you sure you’re okay with walking me down the aisle and giving me away?”
Trish beamed. “Betty Sue! Quit worrying. As I told you before, Pastor Henry said that he’s heard of several times when a mother or another woman like me did it. And most of all, Dearie, I’m so happy and excited to do it that you couldn’t talk me out of it now if you tried.”
“Oh, thank you Trish.”
Betty Sue hugged Trish one last time before the wedding march began and they started walking down the aisle toward her future.
She took a quick peak at the altar where Matt was standing with Kent Jackson beside him. Kent was no small man, but Matt towered over him. She was surprised to notice that unlike everyone else up there, Kent wasn’t looking at Betty Sue. He was staring across the altar at Grace.
Then Betty Su
e turned her eyes back to Matt. When she saw the look on his face, she almost melted right there in the middle of the church. His face was shining with love. And she knew hers was too.
About the Author
T. E. Killian has been an Army Medic, high school English teacher, pastor, hospital chaplain, crisis counselor, police chaplain, and pastoral counselor.
All of these occupations have helped him to understand how men and women build and keep relationships. He also knows how they repair or destroy those relationships. He has also observed how people interact in all kinds of situations.
They also give him firsthand knowledge of how people live and act within each of those types of situations.
Therefore, his characters take on the characteristics and personalities of people who work in all of the occupations he knows so well.
Having been in many crisis situations over the past thirty plus years, he can write about them realistically.
He and his wife, Ann, live in Black Canyon City, Arizona, where he writes fulltime.
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He would love to hear from his readers. Each of his novels has a Christian message in it. If you have any questions or comments on those messages, he would love to discuss these with you via email.
If you would like to contact him or if you would like to be added to his mailing list which is only used to announce the publication of each new book, please send him an email at: tekillianbooks@hotmailcom.
Also please check out his webpage at: www.tekillian.com
Look for all the uplifting Christian novels
By
T. E. Killian
The Sycamore P.D. Series
Lost Memories
Accepted Memories
Resolved Memories
Crowley County Series
No Easy Solution
A Better Solution
The Only Solution
Another Solution
Clear Creek Series
Ryan’s Ruin
Chase’s Return
Hunter’s Revenge
Walking Together Series
Walking Straight
Walking Away
Walking the Line