Chapter 4
Ford
Slipping on a pair of dark slacks and a button up pressed white dress shirt, I stood in front of our mirror beside our dresser and fixed my tie. It was the color blue, almost matching the color of Elise’s eyes. It had been a little over two weeks since I had been out of the hospital, and we were going to the courthouse to get married by the justice of the peace this morning. I was hesitant but not for the reason you would think. Although I was unsure of my life after hearing the sobering words from Dr. Pelker, one thing was certain—I wanted to marry the love of my life.
Elise came out of the bathroom wearing a white dress that hit her just above the knee. She had a long blue necklace hanging from her neck that matched my tie and her eyes. Elise had always been breathtaking but today even more so. I lost my breath looking at her as my eyes immediately met hers. She’d pulled her hair away from her face and over one shoulder, exposing her neck. I loved her neck. She looked like an angel sent to rescue me. Her scent of citrus and flowers decorates the room and my nose.
She meets me in front of our dresser, and we stand together in front of the mirror covered in thick wood trim. She had seen it at an antique store, and it reminded her of Humble because her aunt had one similar to it. I had it delivered to surprise her that next day. She was excited and thankful for the thought I had put behind it.
“Look at us! We clean up nice.” She smiled, taking us both in. She was already wearing her brown boots that had seen better days. We had both agreed to wear the boots we had worn when we first met. Some might say it was tacky or childish, but to us, it was who we were. When we were in the boots, we were happy. Carol had given them to Elise when she had first moved to Humble making sure she had something to wear around the property.
I thought briefly about the time I had admitted I had never even put on a pair of boots until my punishment at Terry and Carol’s.
It was the beginning of my life, the only life I wanted to live. She was sitting on my lap in the back of my truck after our date. There was nothing better than us alone in the dark. Her presence was electrifying, and I couldn’t get enough of her. I watched her, wondering if I would always feel that way, but something told me I would.
She let out a small giggle, a sound I loved to hear. “If Eme from back home saw me in these boots, she would blow a gasket.”
“Why?” I asked, pulling her a little closer to me. She wore them like she was born in them.
“Me a country girl? Yeah, right.”
“Wearing boots doesn’t make you a country girl but …”
She smiled sweetly at me, waiting for my response, but her cocked eyebrow told me she was ready to argue if need be. She was a spitfire, and I loved every bit of it. Hell, I got off on watching her get mad. Of course, I liked to see her smile more, though.
“The country looks good on you.”
“Coming from a person who has probably worn boots all his life, I will take that as a compliment.”
“Well, that isn’t exactly true … I had never worn boots until the first day I came here …”
“Really?”
“Talking about someone who wears it well.”
“Let’s be country together …” I would keep talking; instead, she kissed me, taking complete control over me. I was never a fighter when it came to her. She didn’t even have to ask, and I would still give whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted with no questions asked.
“Before we leave, sweetheart, I want to talk to you real quick …”
“We can’t be late. Our appointment is in forty-five minutes.”
I pulled her over to the edge of the bed, knowing I would be putting a dark cloud over our day. The things I needed to say had to be said.
“Elise … I love you so much … and I …”
“Ford, I have never doubted your feelings for me,” she said, trying to reassure me.
“I just want to give you an out. Things aren’t guaranteed to go as smoothly as we hope. It might, but it may not. I don’t want you to feel like you have to go through with this, no matter how much we love each other. I mean, shit … I have a major health issue going on …since my last game…” I couldn’t make myself speak the word that described it. Tumor.
“Ford Kelly, I one hundred percent want to marry you as much as I wanted to when we fell in love. I have never had any doubt about it. And you don’t have a health issue … you were hit extremely hard. Of course, you are going to need time to recover. Anyone would.”
“But …” She brought her index finger to my mouth to shush any comment I might have to say.
“I love you. And even if either us died tomorrow … I mean, let’s be realistic; it could happen to any of us at any time. Look at Thad.”
I continued to look at her, seeing the serious and the determination of the message she was trying to convey. It must be serious for her to bring up Thad.
“I would rather have the time we have together than nothing. Every minute I get with you is worth it.”
I leaned in and kissed her, laying her back on the bed by habit. Her blonde hair splayed behind her on the comforter like it was imbedded in it.
“Every breath I breathe is worth it to be with you.”
“Although I love this, baby, we have to get going, or we are going to be late. And I can’t wait any longer to be married to you, Mr. Kelly.”
I helped her off the bed and led her to my truck. The next time we walked into our place, we were going to be a married couple. Forever. However long that might be.
Elise
The sound of our boots clicking on the tiled floor walking into the courthouse was music to our ears. We both were confident this was what we wanted.
We had decided not to let anyone in on our ceremony with the exception of Terry and Carol because we wanted it to only be between us. Ford and I wanted it to be intimate and a moment that was only ours. We knew they would respect our privacy at the courthouse, and we didn’t feel right about not telling them. After all, we had met at their house. They were both very important to us.
Walking in the door, Ford held the door for me, leading with his hand on the small of my back. His touch still gave me chills, and that was just another small declaration of his love for me, the genuine kindness and tenderness.
After walking up to report for our appointment, we stand looking out the window of the courthouse rather than taking a seat. I have waited for this moment for a very long time, seems like ages. In fact, I couldn’t remember a time that he wasn’t in my life, or what my life was without him. It seemed so dark and gloomy, full of unhappiness, and then BAM! Ford was in it, and things were different.
I looked over at Ford, the man I have loved for years now, and smiled. I turn back to look at the other couples sitting patiently and waiting for their turn to get married just as we were. I doubted they had the love that we had, only because what we had was special. It would always be unique. Two wandering stars brought together who were meant to be.
I remember the first time he had said he loved me.
I bent down to touch my only brother’s headstone and run my fingers over his name. Thad Johnson.
Ford put his hand on my shoulder, letting me feel his touch at the moment he thought I needed it. And I did. I needed to feel his strength.
I stood and wrapped my arms around him.
“Until Humble, Thad was the only guy I could trust. Now, I have you,” I said lightly.
“Elise, I wanted to tell you something, and I wanted to tell you here.”
I froze with fear on my face.
Ford kissed my hands lightly.
“I wanted to tell you that I love you. And I wanted to do it here in front of your brother who I know loved you more than himself.” He kissed my hands again. “Because I love you more than I love myself. I really, truly love you. I love you for who I am when I’m with you, and I love you for the girl you are.”
I stood, staring into his eyes and not moving. He seemed to be trying to read whether I was upset at his confession or …
So I leaned in to kiss him.
“I have been in love with you since the first time I saw your smile. I have never loved another guy before and doubt that I will ever love another as I love you. You fill my heart with so much happiness and trust …”
Ford leaned in to kiss me, lifting my feet off the ground and bringing me as close to him as he could.
Our names were finally called, and we stood in front of the courthouse with couples sitting behind the wooden partition.
We repeated our vows as we held hands and stared into each other’s eyes. We were happy being together, always had been.
The promises we made in front of the justice of the peace were not taken lightly, and neither of us had any intention of breaking them. Somehow, God had sent me the perfect man, and there was no way in hell I was letting go.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
And Ford kissed me just like he had millions of other times, but I would remember this one as one that changed us. He took me in his arms and lifted me off the ground, kissing me. It felt different now; a different I could get used to.
We were Mr. and Mrs. Kelly now, and nothing would stop us.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, taking my hand after thanking the staff who had helped us.
I watched his face as he smiled all the way down the hall and through the exit of the courthouse.
“So to what do I owe the smile on your face to?”
“That I am the luckiest man on earth who you married me. You are willing to take a risk on me even if …”
“Even if nothing. This is just a hiccup. One day, we will look back and be thankful we got through it.”
“I hope so, baby.”
He let me in his truck and then closed the door.
He climbed in the driver’s side and then sexily smiled before grabbing my hand and kissing it. I smiled and sat back in my seat.
I was finally a married woman, and it felt damn good. The ring on my left hand felt better than I could’ve ever imagined. I could face anything with him by my side, and nothing would stand in our way.
*****
After the ceremony, Terry and Carol wanted to take us to a fancy restaurant for dinner to celebrate. At first, we hesitated, but we knew they just wanted to treat us to something we deserved.
We sat down at the finest steakhouse in the college town not frequented by adults our age. You could tell that the residents owned the place rather than the temporary students.
Sitting down at the table with the white linen cloth and the room dim, I watched as the waiter poured the wine that Terry had ordered. I laughed internally and also gave Ford a look because we were both thinking the same thing. Terry, a wine connoisseur? He seemed to always shock us in some way or another.
“Terry, are you sure that is going to mesh well with the steak?” Carol asked sweetly.
“Of course.” He winked at her.
It was extremely charming to see that they still had a playful connection from something as simple as a wink after all these years.
The waiter poured the wine, and then we all took a sip before Terry asked for our attention.
“Ford and Elise … I could not be more thrilled for you two and the life you have ahead of you. I don’t have to tell you how much I love you both, but I am going to tell you anyway.”
He paused for a minute and looked at us then at his wife, Carol.
“We both do …” Carol spoke up.
“Anyway, I’m going to share with you, Ford, what my dad shared with me when I had just gotten married to Carol. Ford, always know that Elise is right, no matter what.”
“Yes, sir.” He smiled and put his hand on my leg sweetly.
“And Elise, love him no matter what he does wrong. He will always have the best of intentions.”
“Yes, sir,” I responded and acknowledged that he was correct. Ford would always have the best of intentions. He always had.
“To you, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly.” We all held up our glasses followed by a drink.
Carol leaned over and put her hand on his neck, appreciative of his thoughtful words.
“Let’s order,” Terry responded.
I leaned over to my husband and whispered, “I think we can be them in thirty years. You?”
“Absolutely,” he assured me with a kiss.