by Lilah Rivers
Annie wanted to hear the words again. She wanted to know what it was that Jethro saw in her that was special. She wanted to know if he really meant what he was saying, and if he did, what it meant for their future.
“Me? You love me? Really?” she asked, frightened that it was all a dream and Jethro was going to reveal an uglier truth. She couldn’t believe that he would mean the word that he was saying.
“Yes, Annie. I love you. I am so impressed by your faith and your faithfulness. Honestly, I don’t even know how to tell you what a wonder that is to me. You are so constant in your obedience to the Lord. That is the most beautiful trait that any woman could show,” Jethro said.
Annie let out a burst of joy that sounded like a restrained laugh. She didn’t want to interrupt him but couldn’t hold in her feelings any longer.
“Oh, Jethro,” she said.
“I mean it, Annie Blake. You are a wonder. I didn’t think there were any women like you in all the world. I wanted a pious and good woman, but you are so much more than I ever even dreamt of,” he said.
Jethro’s eyes brimmed with emotion, as though he was feeling as near to tears of joy as Annie was.
“I regret every day that we lost due to my stubbornness. I regret every moment that I was not in love with you. My heart was made into something new and wonderful when you came into my life. The Lord has used you to soften me,” Jethro told her.
His words continued to humble Annie, and she wished that they could just go and get married right at that moment.
“I love to hear you speak, Annie. Just listening to you is a treasure. And your kindness? Oh, how can I even express what I think of your kindness. It is so constant. Of course, nothing has been so constant as your patience,” he said.
“Is that so?” she asked. It was difficult not to giggle when she knew only too well how true that was. He had certainly tested her patience time and time again. Even then, Annie held on to the knowledge that she had been wise to remain patient.
It had not been easy, and there had been so many times when she had wanted to give up. But Annie had held on.
She had held on in the hopes that it would lead here. To love.
“I don’t know how you have managed to stay so patient with me through all of this. My foolishness was beyond the telling of it, but even then, you were patient with me. You gave me chance after chance, no matter what I did,” Jethro said.
His words warmed her heart. Annie was deeply moved and humbled. She was delighted by the fact that Jethro had finally seen her for who she truly was.
It felt like the first time she had ever been truly heard and seen. After all of this time, she could finally be known as the woman that she was. Jethro was finally giving her a chance.
“Annie, I know that we are already set to marry. I know that this is a plan that was put in place before we even wanted it. But I do want it now. I want to be your husband, and I want you to be my wife,” Jethro said.
“So, having said that, I thought it was appropriate that I should ask you if you are willing to be my wife? I want to formally ask you. Not through our mothers and fathers. Not through any other arrangements. Just you and me. Do you consent to being my wife? Is it what you want?” he asked.
Her voice was choked with emotion, but Annie nodded heartily. Of course she wanted to be his wife. Of course that was her greatest desire.
“Jethro, I can’t think of anything that would make me happier. Yes, I will be your wife. I will marry you,” Annie said, allowing him to take her hands in his.
Jethro brought one of her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. It was a sweet, innocent display of affection that made Annie melt with love.
“May I confess something to you?” she asked.
“Anything,” he replied.
For a moment, she had worried that he might think she was going to share some secret that confirmed Bartholomew’s lies, but instead, it was clear that Jethro hadn’t thought it possible. He didn’t, for even a moment, think that she was hiding something so heinous.
Mercifully, her confession was rather a small one anyway.
“I could not have been happier when my father told me that we were to be married. I had restrained myself, knowing that things were not always as simple as that. But if there had been any man to whom I was meant to be wed, I was happy that it was you,” she told him.
“Really?” he asked.
“Honestly,” Annie replied.
“Then I suppose I may confess that I have always found you beautiful. I am grateful that the Lord has brought us together, Annie,” Jethro said.
Annie was grateful as well. She couldn’t imagine her life without Jethro now, and she was amazed that God had brought them together, after everything that happened. She was astounded by the Lord’s goodness over them.
And, although it was Jethro that she loved more than anything, in her heart, she was also excited for the prospect of being a reverend’s wife. Certainly, no other man would make it feel so amazing, but she was glad to be marrying someone who spent his life in service to the Lord and to the church.
Before another word could be said, their friends entered the room once more.
“Oh! Looks like we have stumbled upon something,” Timothy said.
“Yes, you have!” Jethro exclaimed.
“And what is that?” Rachel asked, her eyes suspicious.
“You have stumbled upon love of the purest kind. Love that has been brought together by none other than our Lord,” Jethro said.
Abigail clapped her hands together and smiled, delighted.
“Well, I, for one, could not be happier for the two of you. I ought to get home now, but I dearly wish I could stay and celebrate with you all,” she said.
“Thank you, Abigail. I know you have a journey to get home. I cannot thank you enough for your assistance in getting Bartholomew to leave us in peace,” Annie said.
“It was the least that I could do. After everything, I owed you this much and so much more,” Abigail said.
She departed, and Annie was sad to see her go. Abigail may have done something that hurt Annie once upon a time, but it had exposed Bartholomew for his true character. That had been the reason Annie could move on and find a love like the one she now had with Jethro.
Not only that, but Abigail had exposed Bartholomew at the perfect moment, ensuring that he could never again pretend that he was innocent.
But for now, it was just Timothy and Rachel, Jethro and Annie, seated in the living room, drinking tea and laughing and enjoying themselves.
It was a wonder to Annie, how things could make such a drastic shift. How was it that all of the burdens and trials could suddenly change and everything was lovely and good? The Lord had done so much work in their lives to create this peace.
By the time her mother and father came home, Annie and Rachel had cooked while Jethro and Timothy set the table for eight and helped to prepare anything that was needed.
“What is this here?” Annie’s mother asked.
“We are having a dinner party! The Reverend and his wife are coming as well; Timothy has just gone to fetch them,” Annie said.
“I hope you don’t mind terribly,” Jethro said, sheepishly.
But Annie’s parents looked at one another and then at Annie, excitement in their eyes.
“We are more than happy to have you all for dinner. I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening before the wedding,” her father said.
They had been through so much. But now, everything was coming together.
And their lives were only just beginning.
Chapter 28
Jethro put his neat, trimmed jacket on over the white shirt that his mother had sewn specially for the day.
He looked himself over in the mirror. He certainly looked like a groom.
He ran his fingers through his short, dark curls and tried to get them into some sort of order but abandoned the attempt and figured that it would just have to
do.
When he got downstairs, his mother was already waiting, dressed in her nicest dress and eyes filled with tears of happiness.
“Mother? What is it?” he asked.
“I am just so proud of you, Jethro. After everything, after all of the confusion that you have been through, after trying to discern between so many lies, and now? You are finally happy with the woman we chose. Not just happy. You are in love. Do you have any idea how wonderful that is for a mother to know?” she asked.
“I’m certain it is wonderful. I know that it is incredible for me. I couldn’t be happier with the choice that you and father made for my wife. I do love her, Mother. More than I ever thought possible,” he said.
“In that case, you should probably head to the church. I know your father is nearly ready, and we can go,” she told him.
When his father came down the stairs, he, too, was overcome by emotion.
“My boy, my boy,” he said, looking straight at Jethro and placing his hands upon Jethro’s shoulders.
“Father, thank you for this. For all of it,” Jethro said.
“I couldn’t be happier. You are going to make a wonderful husband, and Annie will be a tremendous wife,” he said.
“Yes, Father. I have no doubt on that second point,” Jethro said.
“So long as you honor the mandates of Scripture, you are going to be an ideal husband for her. I am sure of it, my son. You will lead your home in the Word of the Lord, just as I have tried to,” his father said.
“And you have done it well. I hope that I can lead my home the way that you have led this one,” Jethro said.
“Well, then, you must lead it in faith. You must love your wife. And, above all, you must never let the things of this world distract you from what it is that God has in store for you,” his father said.
These words echoed in Jethro’s mind as they took the cart into town and to the church. Once they arrived, he remained in the room behind the sanctuary, where his father always did his final preparations before a service.
But soon, Jethro heard the sound of the piano and the notes striking. He peeked out to see all the guests seating themselves. Within minutes, his father came to collect him.
Jethro went and stood beside his father, at the front of the church.
“Is she here?” he asked.
“She is. And, at any moment, you will see her come in, and you will be amazed as she is walking toward you,” his father said. “Don’t ever forget that moment.”
“I won’t. I won’t ever forget this day,” Jethro promised.
Just then, the piano struck up anew, and the guests stood. At the same moment, the door of the church opened, the light from outside turning the figure of Annie into a silhouette.
But after a moment, Jethro could see her. He could take in the sight of her.
His Annie.
Annie looked incredible as she walked down the aisle of the church. Her deep, auburn hair cascaded down her back, half of it pulled up, binding the rest in a waterfall of reds and browns.
Her dress was a muted, brick red that accented her hair in a beautiful way.
Jethro had meant the promise he had made to his father.
He would never forget this moment.
Soon enough, Annie reached him. Her smile was bright enough to light the whole sanctuary. It was a moment that he wanted to cling to and never let go.
He turned to his father, who gave each of them a nod of approval before addressing the church.
“Good afternoon, my friends. Today, I have the joy and privilege of leading my son, Jethro Clive Mills, in marriage to Annie Olivia Blake. Nothing could make a father prouder than being able to see his son wed,” his father began.
“Now, let us begin with prayer,” he said.
Jethro glanced at Annie once more before bowing his head and closing his eyes. He thanked the Lord for every second that he would have with his new bride.
“Dear Lord, our God in Heaven, we thank you for this day of celebrating a holy covenant, ordained by you and you alone. We thank you for the mercy and joy that you give to us,” he prayed.
“I ask that you would be with my son and his wife. Be their guide every moment and every day. Show them your glory, show them your wisdom, and lead them in obedience and affection.
“Have mercy upon them. In the good days, be their joy, and in the trials, be their refuge. We ask that you would open their eyes to your will, every day of their lives. In your mighty and holy name, we pray, amen.”
With that, Jethro opened his eyes again and was, once more, in awe of Annie before him. His father preached a brief sermon before leading them in their vows.
“I, Jethro, take you, Annie, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be wholly and devotedly yours through all and in all, whether we are rich or poor, ill or well. I will be yours if we are in trial or triumph, in freedom or in fear. By the grace of our Lord, I am yours,” Jethro vowed.
Annie echoed her own vow, and Jethro felt that he was going to swoon to hear her so delightfully commit. It was an incredible thing, to be sure.
Finally, it was the moment that Jethro had been excited for in the past few days as he discussed some things with his father regarding the wedding.
“Now, Jethro would like to take a moment to read a few verses,” his father said.
Annie looked at him in surprise, and Jethro grinned at her before clearing his throat and turning to the congregation.
“I have a series of verses from Scripture that I would like to read. I want you all to know, as I want Annie to know, that I see my role as a husband similar to how I wish to be as a minister in due time,” Jethro announced.
“I believe that, as both a reverend and husband, a man must lead with humility and servant-heartedness. I have not always been good at this. I let my pride get in the way, as so many men are prone to do. And I allowed myself to think that I was justified somehow,” Jethro said.
“Well, I want to begin with a section from Ecclesiastes,” he said. “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Jethro paused.
“Annie,” he said, turning to his wife, “I promise to be your second. I will help you up, and you will not be alone. Likewise, Church, I will be your support, so long as the Lord gives me strength.”
“Of course, I would be remiss not to address a letter that Paul sent to the Corinthian church. He wrote this letter while scolding them, but in it, he gave a reminder of what love ought to look like,” Jethro said.
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away,” he read.