Cora paced nervously and looked in the mirror, making sure her hair was just right and her makeup was impeccable. She straightened her blouse for the third time, a little worried that maybe a baby bump was starting to show. She straightened her stockings and checked her teeth. "Where is he" she wondered aloud. She was as nervous as a canary in a room of cats. The doorbell rang. "Finally she breathed. She opened it to find Marcus. He looked excellent in a coat and tie. She grinned at how he was somewhat uncomfortable in it. "Marcus, I'm so glad you came" she threw her arms around him holding him tightly.
"Hi Cora, yep here I am, I'm not sure what you want from me but here I am"
"Well, we are going to eat with my parents."
"Um okay I guess, but first I need to talk to you"
"Okay," his eyes grew serious as she led him to the couch.
"You know all about the terrible thing that happened to me"
"Yes, I recall you talking to me about it and I took you to your doctors' appointments and made sure you didn't do anything stupid."
"That's what I want to talk to you about."
"You lost me."
"Something stupid, oh I hope it wasn't stupid, all those terrible things that happened, I'm pregnant. fourteen weeks now. I'm just about in my fifth month."
"Okay, what does that have..." She put a finger to his lips.
"I know it's asking a lot, probably too much, and if you say no, It's okay there is still time. But I thought that something good had to come out of this, and I'm hoping it's this." She held his hand against her belly. "I know this is a lot to ask, but I want you to be the daddy"
"Cora, that's impossible"
"Will you at least think about it?"
"You want me to..."
"I want you to marry me, I want to keep you, you are a keeper, your strong and smart and you're good, too good for me."
"What are you talking about too good for you, I'm not nearly good enough for you Cora, I'm not rich or well connected"
"Those things don't mean crap to me, Marcus, you are a good man, your kind and gentle and I know that no matter what you will take care of me, and I don't care if I live in a cardboard box on the side of the road as long as I am with you."
"Whoa!" He looked at the tears welling in her eyes and knew that she meant every word. "You're sure?"
Cora nodded unable to speak more than a croak she bit her lip. "Okay" his words caressed her ears for a single moment and she threw herself against him. Kissing his cheek and his neck.
"Thank you she breathed"
"But what about the child"
"I'll tell him if he wants to know when he is grown"
"A him?" he smirked.
"If it's not you can keep trying till you get one" She smiled slyly.
"Okay"
"I love you Marcus"
"You are an amazing girl Cora"
Cora giggled, "not exactly the response I was hoping for but I'll take it, and it gives me something to work on."
"Okay and the rest?"
"Don't worry about the rest we will get married in a couple of months before the baby, and this makes it much easier"
"How? What?"
"I can introduce you to my parents as my fiancée"
"I haven't even given you a ring"
"But you will" she kissed him hard.
"I will," he said when he caught his breath.
"Let's go." She led him out the door, Marcus stumbled down the stairs he was so confused and overwhelmed.
She drove the hour to her parents' house, a little ranch house outside of town. They pulled up and parked. Cora was almost bouncing as she led Marcus to the front door. She rang the bell.
"Cora Dear, you look so much better and who is this with you?"
"Momma, this is my fiancée Marcus" Joan's face froze for a moment and then she broke into a smile.
"You are the man who helped my Cora when those..."
"Yes Ma'am, I was that man, I took care of her"
Joan put her hands on her hips, "And I expect you to continue to take care of her"
"As long as she will have me" Marcus' face split into a grin.
"All right you'll do, Why don't you go out back and see if hank is done with whatever he's doing and I'll have supper read in about an hour"
"An hour?" Marcus asked.
"I need time to discuss this turn of events with my daughter," she said matter of factly.
Marcus walked out to a complex of outbuildings, some for animals others for more utility. He listened and followed the sounds of someone working. He stepped up to a door and knocked. A few seconds later the door flew open. The massive man on the other side of the door looked at him and then looked around. "All right, I suppose this was one of Joan's brilliant ideas?"
"Yes sir," Marcus said "If that was the woman who sent me over here from the house"
"That would be her."
"Then Yes"
"So, you are the boy that my little girl has been pining over for the last three months"
"Odds are it's longer than that but yes that would appear to be the case"
"Did you give up or give in?" A smile slowly spread across his haggard face.
"I think I gave in, she does make a case"
Hank nodded, "When is supper?"
"We have about an hour"
"In that case come in." Hank let him into the small space where several machines sat. He turned to a desk and produced two glasses and a bottle "you drink?" Hank hesitated for a moment.
"Do fish swim,"
"Good I don't trust a man that doesn't drink, but I trust that you keep your drinking under control."
"Most times," Marcus said.
"You were over there?" Hank asked softly.
Marcus nodded.
"You'll take care of my little girl."
"Have and will." Marcus' voice just a hair louder than a whisper.
"I know, I had a little talk with the Sheriff a few weeks ago, he has some interesting things to say about you"
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that" Marcus said as Hank passed him a glass filled with dark brown liquid.
"I'm not, I am glad you were there, Cora hasn't had the best taste in men, hell you are the first boy she has ever brought home."
Marcus sputtered into his glass. "Well I suppose I should tell you that we are engaged"
"Good," Hank said knocking back his drink, "I couldn't think of a better man for the job"
"Thank you sir, but"
"No words son, I had two brothers who served, I was too young and mom made me go to school, I have an idea of what that does to a man when one of my brothers came back and the others didn't"
"I'm sorry sir, for"
"Thank you, the one who came back never did get whole again. He ended up eating the business end of a forty-five."
"My God"
"No, if my Cora can keep you from that and make you mind your manners and maybe give me a few grand-babies"
"I'll see what I can do"
The two men sat in a comfortable silence after that taking slow sips from a diminishing bottle of scotch.
They stumbled out of the building when they were called and Joan looked at both of them disapprovingly as they came in and washed up for supper. Marcus was surprised to find such a well-appointed meal. Roast beef, and gravy, potatoes, green beans with bacon, biscuits, and corn on the cob. Hank nodded to Marcus and recited a blessing.