Page 271 of Conveniently Wed
“Tired.”
Stella heard them and returned to the bedside. “Are you in pain anywhere? Do you need more laudanum?”
Aunt Mary shuddered. “No more of that stuff. It does strange things to my mind. Now go away so I can get up.” She shooed Bruce from the room.
The aroma of coffee filled the air. He poured himself a cupful and waited as Stella took care of his aunt. They emerged and Aunt Mary hobbled to the chair. Stella helped her get settled.
Bruce poured a cup of coffee for his aunt.
The children exploded from the bedroom. “Mama, can we go see Tippy and the cats?”
“Yes. But come when I call breakfast.”
“Yes, Mama.” Donny took Blossom’s hand as they trotted to the barn.
Stella and Bruce watched them. Simultaneously, they yawned. He grinned at her. “I might be needing more than three cups of coffee this morning.”
She chuckled. “I’m not sure there’s enough coffee in the world to help me.”
He held her gaze. The night spent at Aunt Mary’s bedside had taken them down paths that converged, united into one. A path bright with sunshine.
And he had grown fanciful and melodramatic. He blamed it on needing more coffee and hurried to the stove.
Stella was on his heels. She put a fry pan on the stove and began cutting cooked potatoes to fry.
“Is it possible the laudanum was responsible for last night?” He hoped she would understand he meant how Aunt Mary acted, not his changing feelings, though she would be unaware of the latter.
“It’s possible. And likely. Though I will keep a close eye on her to make sure there isn’t something else happening.”
He made a noise of agreement and moved aside to nurse his cup of coffee.
Aunt Mary watched him, a question in her eyes.
“What?” he asked, after waiting a moment for her to voice what was on her mind.
“Nothing.” She grinned. “Just thinking you aren’t going to need two weeks.”
“Aunt Mary, perhaps you could forget that notion of yours.” Knowing Stella had heard his aunt, he kept his back to the kitchen.
“There would be no fun in that. Besides.” Her expression went from amused to serious. “I want to see you happy. Both of you. In fact, all of us happy.”
“Aren’t we?”
“You don’t know happiness until you know love. Real love. Lasting, abiding, and sacrificing love.”
“You mean God’s love.” He hoped she would understand he didn’t want her to suggest anything else.
“God made us to love each other. Doesn’t the Bible say, ‘Love each other as I have loved you’?”
He didn’t respond, knowing that in Aunt Mary’s mind quoting a Bible verse clinched any protest.
Behind him, Stella clattered utensils. Was it her way of informing Aunt Mary she didn’t agree? He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, perhaps see her displeasure at how persistent his aunt was about seeing them fall in love.
Instead, he went to the window. “Donny and Tippy are tumbling around on the ground. Tippy is trying to lick Donny’s face, and Donny is trying to stop him.” He laughed to see the pair.
Dishes rattled as Stella set the table.
“Now Blossom is carrying the kitten out with mama cat following. Kade says the milk cow is due to freshen any day. It will be nice to have milk. I’ll start plowing today.” He realized he rattled like a loose shingle in a strong wind and clamped his mouth shut.
