Chapter 64

A few months later, Jane, her mom, and the bridal party are preparing for the wedding. It’s a gorgeous backyard wedding on the ranch where Brad and Jane will live. It’s an open field with lilac bushes all around them.

Jane and her mom work on the table decorations, white with gold ribbon centerpieces, plus white and purple roses.

“Oh Jane, I really am so happy you are getting married. I honestly didn’t think it would be this soon, or ever, for that matter. But this is better than I could have imagined.”

“Really Mom? You never thought I’d get married? How come?” Jane asks curiously.

“Well, you know, we never exposed you to boys, and you were so focused on your path as a ballerina. You also didn’t show much of an interest in them. I especially didn’t think you’d marry this young,” her mom responds.

“Wow, I had no idea you thought that way, Mom. You and I really never talked about these things. It all just seemed off topic. Honestly, I had to figure all this out on my own, and the girls at school used to tease me because I hadn’t ever slept with anyone,” Jane says, recalling the hurt she experienced because of feeling so naïve and awkward.

“Oh Jane. I’m so sorry. I really didn’t equip you for the world. You are so special, and I really thought boys would have distracted you,” her mom confided, trying to comfort her.

“Well, you’re probably right. I wouldn’t be here today with Brad if I had been with anyone before. He was looking for a virgin, you know?”

“Really? Interesting. I guess this all has a way of working out. You’re still a virgin, right?” her mom smiles, hoping it is true.

“No comment, Mom,” Jane replies, turning her eyes away to look over at the next table to decorate.

“Here, let’s keep working over here.”

The sun starts to go down, and they only have a few more things left to put up. Brad is at the other side of the house with his buddies, and they have a huge spread laid out for a barbecue.

Jane and her mom walk together slowly, wanting to get all their special moments in.

“When did you realize you wanted to marry Dad?” Jane asks, surprised she never asked this before.

“Oh well, that’s quite a story, I have to tell you. Where do I begin?” her mom considers. “Well, honestly, Jane, my mother thought it would be a good idea to meet him. His family was considered to be the envied family in the town. They had the latest farming technology and had the most money.

“My mother would take me over to their farm all the time, from when I was a kid, right up to age 16. Finally, his mother forced him to ask me to the prom. He wanted to go with so many other girls, but his mom insisted he take me. So, he did… out of obligation.

“He was nice enough, though he ignored me most of the night to be with his friends. Then, that summer, for some reason he wanted to ask me out on dates. I later found out that his mom had coerced him to do it, feeling sorry for me, but also because my mom was a new board member in the community.”

As Jane’s mom is telling the story, Jane realizes her mom has never known love. She thought her mom and dad were pleasantly content with each other, but really, they never had feelings for each other. It was a marriage of convenience.

“Wow, Mom, that’s so crazy. Did you date anyone else other than Dad?”

“No, I really didn’t have a chance to. We just kept dating and then got married a year later. We took over his parent’s farm 10 years after that. It’s where we live now,” her mom sighs.

“That’s so… oh Mom… that’s so sad,” Jane comments, reflecting on how her relationship with Brad is so different—the passion, the aliveness, the sex, the tenderness, and the deep desire.

“Oh Mom, I’m so glad you didn’t pressure me to be with anyone, so that I could make the choice myself,” Jane acknowledges.

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, dear. I never wanted you to end up the way I did. I knew I was missing something,” she says, looking off into the distance, “but we wouldn’t have had you, now would we?”

“Let’s go eat, Mom. We’ve worked hard for it.”

“Yes, let’s,” says her mom, picking up the pace.

Brad is chatting with his friends when he catches Jane’s eye.

“Jane, come over here, sweetie. I want you to meet everyone.”

Jane walks up beside him, and Brad wraps his arm around her.

“Guys. This is the love of my life. No kidding. This woman has caught my heart in ways no one else ever could. She has brightened up my life and turned it upside down. Don’t underestimate what comes in small packages!

“This is the woman I’m going to marry tomorrow, and I can’t wait to show her off to the world.” He leans over and kisses her in front of everyone.

His friends cheer, hoot, and cat call. “Go get ‘er, buddy.”

Jane looks over at her mom and dad, standing separately and not holding hands. Her mom has tears of joy in her eyes, seeing how much love is between her and Brad. Jane’s eyes well up, too, seeing how lucky she really is.