Loose Ends

Chapter 46

"Amen," Grace and Tom said in unison before they all dug into their meal.

"So do you have any plans with Grant after church today?" Kathleen asked Grace, who shook her head.

"No. We're just gonna spend the day catching up on homework and relaxing until the teen praise session tonight." Kathleen was surprised by that piece of news.

"Oh. So Grant's decided to go to the praise session then?" Grace nodded eagerly.

"He's still taking Christianity one step at a time but he's curious about why a bunch of teens would get together to sing songs when we do that during Sunday morning services. I mean I know he's only coming out of curiosity but it's a step," she said cheerfully." Kathleen smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm, both proud and relieved that Grace was finally finding her way back to herself. As they finished their breakfast and got ready to head to the church building, Leo was trying to find his voice. Betty broke the awkward silence.

"Ben, do you really think you're ready for marriage?" Ben turned his face towards Betty.

"Yes. I just need dad's help to work out some of the bigger details." Now Leo was curious.

"And what sort of details would those be?"

"Well, housing for starters. Adrian and I would need to live here until we could save up for an apartment. Then there's the fact I need your blessing in order to marry her in the first place." Leo could tell that Ben hadn't really thought this through.

"And why would I give you my blessing?" Ben looked at his father with uncertainty.

"Why wouldn't you? It's not like I'm asking for permission to marry Amy again. I'd be marrying the mother of my child," he replied, not understanding why his father would even ask him such a question.

"Benjamin, are you telling me that you've fallen in love with Adrian?"

"We're friends and she's someone I care about very deeply." Leo shook his head.

"That's not the same as love, Benjamin."

"Ok, so we're not head over heels in love with each other but that could happen later on." Leo laughed, causing Ben to frown.

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"'No' it won't or 'no' we can't get married?"

"No, you may not get married."

"But you haven't even let me explain why giving me permission to marry her is the right thing to do!"

"I know you and I've been married. Twice," he added, smiling at Betty. You're not ready."

"You were ready to let me marry Amy, if her parents agreed." Leo nodded.

"Yes. Because I knew the two of you were in love and had your hearts set on it. I also believed, at the time, that you'd seriously considered what it would mean to be a father to a child that wasn't biological yours. I was wrong, but that's not why I'm saying no, Ben."

"Then why?" Ben asked with exasperation, frustrated that he'd been shot down before he'd even had a chance to make his argument.

"Ben, you said you wanted to explain to me why marrying Adrian is the right thing to do, correct?" Ben nodded. "That statement tells me that you wanna get married for the wrong reasons. Benjamin, marriage is hard. You have to work at it every single day. There's a reason one of the marriage vows is for better or worse: there will be some worse in a marriage. If you both don't truly love each other, when those worse times hit, that lovey-dovey type of love will vanish in a heartbeat and you've gotta have genuine love for each other to stay together and tough it out anyway. If you're only with someone for the sake of the child you created together, your relationship will never be stable. You'll fight about that child and sometimes you'll resent that child, as well as each other. You don't get married just to do the right thing, Benjamin. Sometimes the right thing isn't the best thing."