Chapter Twenty-Five
"Why am I nervous?' Thomas demanded as he stood in front of the barn at the main ranch and adjusted his fancy black vest that he was wearing with a crisp white shirt and black trousers. His boots were polished and his thick blond hair was slicked back on his head.
"Because you're fixing to get hitched," Cookie replied with a shrug.
"I'm already hitched. I have been for nearly six months."
"Yeah but this time you've had time to think about what's going on," Brody said.
"Well I just thank God that this'll be over soon. Between the grouchiness because she's as a big as a house and she can't move and how stressed out she's been planning your wedding, Ellie has liked to have killed me the last few weeks," Jacob exclaimed, "You'd think it was her getting married."
"I guess Sally wasn't much help with the planning." Thomas admitted.
"Are you kidding? She says she doesn't care about any of it.. She doesn't even want to have this ceremony," Elizabeth said walking over to them.
"Well she deserves it," Thomas insisted, "The woman deserved to have a real wedding and I wanted to give it to her."
"It's good that George Bass was free to perform the ceremony. He married Brody and I and Jacob and Ellie... It'll be a family tradition," Elizabeth smiled proudly.
"Come on everybody! It's time!" Ellie called from the porch. Jacob quickly ran to his wife and helped her waddle her way down the porch and to the bright white chairs covering the yard. The guests all made their way to their seats and Thomas walked up to stand beside George Bass. Brody stood behind him.
Rita Halcomb began playing the piano and Max and Nathan came down the white satin aisle with Lexi and Liza. Nathan kept giving Thomas a thumbs up as he looked at Liza walking beside him. Liza left the flower throwing to Lexi who seemed more than happy to decorate the lawn with the red and white flower petals.
The piano music changed as the four of them took their seats and Thomas looked up to see Jacob making his way down the aisle with Sally on his arm. Thomas nearly swallowed his tongue and his mouth fell open at the sight of his wife.
Her white silk and lace dress, hugged every curve of her body. Her golden hair was pinned up with several loose curls falling down and framing her face, neck and collarbones. Her blue eyes were shining and the smile on her face put the sun to shame.
Thomas was in a daze as George began speaking. Since they were already married they skipped over the part about asking if anyone objected and when George told him to kiss his bride, Thomas was more than happy to do as he said.
He gathered Sally in his arms and devoured her mouth with his, "Alright, that's enough of that.. That is my little sister you're kissing." Brody wanred with a chuckle.
As Thomas and Sally danced close a short time later to the music that Rita and the small band were playing she laid her head on his shoulder and sighed, "Thanks for this, Thomas."
"I'd do anything for you, Sally," Thomas admitted shamelessly, "I'm just sorry it took us so long to get here."
"We're here now, that's all that matters," she assured him.
He was about to kiss her again when Jacob let out a yell, "Holy shit!" he bellowed. Everyone in attendance looked up at the man who was standing with Ellie beside the roasting pig, that was going to be dinner. "She's having the baby!" he told everyone as if they were brain addled to have not figured that out.
"I'll go get the doc," Brody stated he ran into the barn to saddle a horse.
"She's stealing your thunder, Mrs. Cooper." Thomas teased.
Sally tapped her chin, "For my little niece and nephew, I'll let it slide."
"I think it's triplets," Susie said as she rushed over to Ellie's side.
"I will kill you, Susie Atkinson. If there is more than one child in here, I'll shoot you just as soon as I'm done popping them out, " Ellie warned and then she moaned as a pain hit her. Jacob scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the house.
"Ya better go help," Thomas said to Sally and she nodded, lifted her billowing skirt and raced into the house.
***
Later that night, Brody, Thomas, Jacob, George, LeRoy, Sally and Susie all sat on the porch while the kids played in the yard. Elizabeth and Liza were upstairs with Ellie and the baby.
"I got a boy.." Jacob said with a dreamy quality to his voice.
Brody chuckled, "Just one," he thumped his brother in the chest. "I always told you that you were half the man I was," he teased, looking at his twins who were currently busy chasing Nathan and Max around the yard with lassos.
"You can't bring me down today, Brody. I am the happiest man in the world right now," Jacob assured him.
Thomas tightened his arms around Sally who was sitting in his lap and silently disagreed with Jacob.
"Well looks like everybody in the family has settled down except for you, Sue." Sally noted, "We gotta find you a man."
Brody's jaw tightened at this and Susie sighed, "I don't think there's any man that'll waste his time on me."
Brody scowled, "Men are foolish."
"There's a man out there for ya, Susie. God makes someone for each of us," George said warmly.
"I already know who he'll be," Cookie said, limping over with his hound.
"Really?" Brody asked, his brow rising. He sat his hand on his gun. "Why don't ya tell me so I can go take care of him."
Susie was too busy staring at Cookie to pay attention to Brody but Sally frowned at him, "Who will he be Cookie?" Susie asked.
"A hell raiser. One for the record books."
"Get out of here before I fire you," Brody warned.
Susie frowned, "You really think so?" she asked.
Cookie nodded, "Yes I do. He'll sweep you off your feet and you'll know what hit you."
Brody growled, "You're moving past firing and getting close to being shot, old man."
Thomas stood up and sat Sally on her feet, "Time to go home." he said.
Sally frowned, "You think you can tell me what to do now that you're here for good?" she demanded.
He nodded, "Sure do," he gave her a hot look that promised she wouldn't regret listening to him and she quickly said goodbye to her family. She, Thomas and Max all mounted up and left for their cabin.
"I've been thinking," LeRoy said once they were gone, "George weren't you wanting to start up a church?"
"I tried once but folks don't wanna listen to a colored man," he replied.
"Ignorance," Brody cut in and everyone nodded in agreement.
"What if we build a church and you and I can both preach there... With Brody backing us folks just might decide to listen," LeRoy offered. George shrugged and then smiled, his white teeth a shocking contrast to the darkness of his face, "I'd say it'd be worth a try. I need something to do with my time now that my daughter and son in law decided to run off to the city."
"Can I help?" Susie asked.
LeRoy nodded, "Of course you can. Having a pretty woman around the church might make even more men take an interest."
"Aren't they taken an interest for the wrong reasons if it's lust that brings them there?" Brody grumbled.
"I think it's a great idea," Jacob said.
Brody finally sighed, "Fine. We'll see about ordering the wood tomorrow."
***
"You are an angel and I was a fool for staying away from you for so long," Thomas gasped as he fought to get his breathing and heart rate back to normal.
Sally looked down at him and laid her hands on his broad chest, smiling at how small they looked against him, "Yes you were."
Thomas grinned and then grabbed her and pulled her off of him. He threw her down on her back and moved his body over hers, pinning her down and kissing her until she was breathless, "I happen to think that maybe you got a bit lucky too."
Sally seemed to think hard about it for a moment and then nodded, "I suppose... Maybe just a little," she teased. Thomas rolled onto his side and pulled her against him, "It's sad that Susie thinks she's going to be alone forever," Sally said after they had laid in silence for several moments.
"Uh-uh," Thomas agreed softly as he ran his fingers up and down the soft skin of her arm.
"Maybe we could find her someone," Sally added.
Thomas frowned and looked down at her, "Are you trying to play matchmaker?"
"Elizabeth did it for Jacob and it worked out," Sally insisted.
Thomas laughed, "Barely," he reminded her. He'd been filled in on the Jacob and Ellie fiasco.
"Still, she needs somebody. A school teacher... Shopkeeper... Doctor... Something boring... Maybe even a lawyer."
Thomas thought this sounded ridiculous but he decided to go along with his wife to make her happy, "And where are we gonna find Mr. Wonderful?" he asked.
"I don't know but we'll find him somewhere. I just have to start searching town. Maybe I'll ask Liza if she knows anybody up in Austin."
"We'll start the great search in the morning... Right now I'm ready to get some sleep," Thomas replied.
Sally smiled and snuggled up into his chest, "I just want to see Sue as happy as we are," she whispered.
"Happy? I'm plumb miserable," Thomas teased.
Sally rolled her eyes and bit down on his nipple, causing him to cry out in pain and laugh at the same time, "You know I make you happy, Mr. Cooper," she said sternly.
Thomas frowned and rubbed his sore chest, "Happier than a opossum eating persimmons, Mrs. Cooper." he agreed dryly. Sally smiled and snuggled up against him. He tightened his arm around her and kissed her hair.
"I love you," she mumbled sleepily.
"I love you too," he replied and he knew that never again would he have trouble telling her those words
A/N: the next story in this series is 'Breaking thru to Sue'