"Yes, soon. We will get married very soon," She said as she melted into his embrace. "Right now, my focus has to be on getting the hospital completed, up and running. I do want us to be married, and as soon as possible, we just can't do it right away, much as I'd like to."
Not only the hospital, but the men staying at the house on watch, her mother, the new doctor, and the threat her father presented. Of course, the men would be lodged in the stable they were building, instead of in the house. There would be room for her mother, and Angie would find her own place; the hospital would be ready by July fourth for its grand opening.
"Of course," Jonah murmured, still holding Leah. The hospital, an orphanage, her mother, the move to the house, stables, rooms for the guards...always something, and never anything completed. But a quick ceremony at the courthouse, or even at the church, and that would be done.
He'd respect her wishes, though, and let her plan things in her time and do his best to help her along. "I do love you," he declared, kissing her gently on the lips, reluctant to let her go, but finally relenting and reaching to take her hand as they walked back toward the house.
"So, I take it your father will be more than happy to pay for the wedding?" He chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze.
"And I love you, Jonah Danforth. I know that you are looking at our wedding as more important than the hospital, and all the other inconveniences I have brought into your life, and for that, I'm sorry." She apologized. "I know that with my mother on hand, things can get a bit out of sorts. The men don't make it any easier either. But once the stable is built with the room upstairs, that's where at least one of them will be staying.
"And no, Jonah, my father will not be paying for our wedding. I don't even want him there. He sacrificed that right years ago." She stated flatly. "Now, about the orphanage, that can take whatever time necessary. Unlike the hospital, there's really no rush to have it completed; the hospital will be needed and used immediately. You and I will have the rest of our lives together."
"No, I don't think the wedding is more important than the hospital, I just..." No way to say that without sounding wrong! "I mean marriage, more than wedding, but I want you to be happy."
To him, a wedding was all flowers, pomp, guests, show...he'd be happy with a few close friends and a simple ceremony in the church. But ladies seemed to look forward to these things more than gents, and if she wanted something elaborate, she'd get it...so long as she didn't want him to help with the planning!
"All in good time..."
They mounted the steps to the front door, but he paused on the porch and pulled her tightly against him, then kissed her passionately. "I hope your mother doesn't catch us and send you to your room!"
"Good." She responded, "You would just like us to have a quick ceremony and be done with it, which is generally what most men desire of a wedding. Perhaps that is what we will do." They turned back toward the house then, and Leah continued, "Happy? I am happy, most of the time. I have you, we share this lovely home and clinic of yours. Other than the need for some protection from Elias, at least so far as the men are concerned. And, we now have a new friend and colleague in Angie."
"All in good time..." she heard him say.
"Yes, darling, all in good time is how life is. All things have their time; our wedding is one of those things. The time will be right soon, very soon, Jonah, I promise you that, and whether it is a church wedding or in the Judge's chambers, we will wed, and soon." It was then that they reached the house.
They mounted the steps to the front door, but he paused on the porch and pulled her tightly against him, then kissed her passionately. "I hope your mother doesn't catch us and send you to your room!"
Pulling back just enough to speak, she said, "She wouldn't dare!"
"You know her better than I do," Jonah chuckled without pulling back. He moved into another kiss, sliding his hands up her back, the actions far more intimate than any previous, demure encounters. No more doubting, no more hoping, it was here, Leah was here, and Jonah didn't want to ever let her go.
For the first time in his life, Jonah realized, this was genuine, no pretenses, no superficial lust, but true...
The front door opened -- Weedy, hoping to escape the adults -- and the wide-eyed expression on the boy's face as comical as he 'Eep-ed', then slammed the door shut, retreating inside.
Jonah couldn't help but laugh!
"You know her better than I do," Jonah chuckled without pulling back. He moved into another kiss, sliding his hands up her back, the actions far more intimate than any previous, demure encounters. No more doubting, no more hoping, it was here, Leah was here, and Jonah didn't want to ever let her go.
She melted into the embrace and the kiss, this being far more romantic than anything he had risked doing, and it was welcomed as she clung to him. Something had deffinately changed!
The front door opened -- Weedy, hoping to escape the adults -- and the wide-eyed expression on the boy's face as comical as he 'Eep-ed', then slammed the door shut, retreating inside.
As the pulled back she said, "Well, Doctor Danforth, I suppose He'll rush in and tell everyone what he's seen, and we will be forced to explain just what he saw." She said. "As for my mother, I do know her better, I've known her all my life, as a matter of fact.
Jonah couldn't help but laugh!
"You can laugh all you want, you still have to face my mother. I'm sure she'll have something to say about all of this." Leah threatened.
"You can laugh all you want, you still have to face my mother. I'm sure she'll have something to say about all of this."
"We could always just run away," Jonah suggested with a grin. "Addy's wagon is here, we could probably make a good distance before they discovered us missing."
++++++
Scandalized, Weedy hastily retreated back toward the room where Pops was resting, but Addy had come looking for him and intercepted him.
"How's Pops?" she asked, frowning. "What's th' matter with ya? Ya look like seen a ghost swingin' a dead cat by th' tail under a alder tree!"
"Pops is good." Weedy shrugged, trying to smile. "Um...there dessert?"
Laughing, Addy patted the boy on the shoulder and steered him toward the kitchen. "I truly do hope so!"
As they entered back into the kitchen, she asked the others there, "Now, do ya suppose that apple pie on th' counter is fer us?"
"We could always just run away," Jonah suggested with a grin. "Addy's wagon is here, we could probably make a good distance before they discovered us missing."
Leah gave Jonah a side glance of disapproval before saying, "Run away? To what may I ask? And, quite frankly, that sounds like old Jonah Danforth behavior if I ever heard it. But since you'd be traveling alone, in a stolen wagon, with a stolen horse pulling it, you would get pretty lonely, not to mention hungry."
"I'd rather not and say we did than to do it and try to lie our way out of it, wouldn't you?" Was her question. "Come on back inside, I think you've been out in the elements a bit too long as it is." She took his arm and guided him back towards the porch and the door, chuckling as they went.
"Are you saying my brain is molding?" Jonah gave her a frown, but took her arm and let her steer him into the house. "Maybe that explains it," he then muttered to himself as they walked toward the kitchen.
He braced himself for the tirades as they entered the kitchen, but all he initially heard was Addy's inquiry about apple pie, and he jumped on that quickly.
"Yes, yes, there's apple pie and cream!" Stepping away from Leah, he rushed to the counter, taking it on himself to get down plates and cut the pie. He glanced quickly at Weedy, who had hastily found a chair, glanced from Jonah to Leah, and was now staring at the floor. Seemed Jonah might have a reprieve from the Wrath of Mother!