A/N: I just realized that I hadn't put a disclaimer on this story. I do not own any of these characters in this story. They belong to Stephanie. I hope you are enjoin' this story so far. I have an outline of how this story will take place and the direction it will take. The drama will get very exciting and please know that I am from Oklahoma so I know how people speak around here and in Texas. Harris County is the real county that Houston is apart of and is accurate for this time period. I don't feel the need to describe the characters too much because we already know what they look like, no need to keep doing it. I plan to write a couple of chapters a day and keep the story moving. I always hated reading a story and then having to wait for months just to read 1 chapter. Thank you for reading my story!
1 month had past and Jasper and I have gone on several chaperoned dates almost every week. We discussed all the things we would love to do in the future like the things we would like to see. I have always wanted to see San Francisco and St. Louis. I've been to Denver but would love to see a bigger city and the history fills them. Jasper was more interested in making sure he could provide for our future and promised many things but his mind was set on joining that damned war! He already told me he planned to try to sign up early before his 17th birthday. I cried when he told me this and tried to convince him to wait but his mind was set. He said that he needed to be there; it would solidify him as a man and promised to come home a war hero. I have no doubt that he'd do just that. He was aiming for the cavalry unit and my heart swelled with pride picturing him in an officer uniform mounted on his horse. I blushed when I had these thoughts. But he was made for military life. He was proud, strategic and very resourceful and I convinced myself that he would make it out alive. That was a hard thing to do after hearing of all the men lost in this horrific war. The Confederacy was taking a hard hit at this time and our side was full of much younger men. Daddy has gotten tired of the reading about it in the papers. It seemed the list of those missing or killed were growin' longer and longer by the day. We had just finished dinner at my house and Jasper was in the parlor with my father and I was in the sitting room with my mother. "I think a marriage proposal is coming very soon Isabella". "Already? It's only been a month mother that's a little rushed". I pointed out to her. "Yes normally it would be, but with all the young men going off to the war, they are proposing faster than ever to be married before they leave. Have someone to write to I suppose". Could he be really asking for my hand right now? I was excited at first but then I'd hope that if he was to propose it wasn't because he wanted to be married before the war but because he wanted to be with me. I knew deep down it was probably because of the war and that saddened me. It meant he didn't think he'd make it out alive. Then both Jasper and daddy came into the sitting room and Jasper asked if I'd accompany him outside. "Have Miss Mae go out there with you two!" Mother cried. I rolled my eyes and then "Oh let them be, they'll be fine" my father decided. I love him!
I held on Jasper's arm as we walked through our garden. It has dried up some since the fall has come and Jasper took his jacket and put it around my shoulders to keep me from getting cold in the night air. He stopped to look at me for moment as if he was debating something and then he kissed me. It was short and sweet but I felt like fireworks going off on the 4th of July! He smiled at me and said "Bella, um, you seem to have captured my heart. I promise to love and honor you for the rest of my days if you'd do me the honor of becoming my wife". My heart started drumming quickly and I had to sit down on the bench nearby. "Of course I'd marry you! I love you so much it hurts Mr. Whitlock and that scares me. But are you only proposing to me now because you plan to join the war soon? Or do you really want to marry me because you love me?" I questioned. "I'd be lyin' if I told you it wasn't because of the war, that is a big part of it but, if this war wasn't happenin' I know I'd marry you and why wait? My father has already given me ½ of his business and a home that I have been building for a few years now. It's not as grand as yours but I think you'd like what I put into it." "Jasper you know I don't care about money or a grand house I just want you and you to come back to me from the war, in 1 piece preferably!" "That's the plan darlin'. Look I know it may seem selfish of me to leave so quickly but knowing I have my lovely wife waitin' at home for me, it will make my mind and body fight harder to come home to you. I have somethin' to live for now and besides I'll have Peter with me now. He's decided to join with me so we will have each other's back out there!" That made me feel a little better but the thought that I could lose both my Jasper and my 'brother' Peter was even more dreadful. "You better come back to me Jasper Whitlock or you'll be sorry! " I declared. "Yes m'am!" and then he kissed me again. It was passionate and wonderful. I held on to him not wanting to leave his embrace. He picked me up and spun me around and I couldn't help giggling. "Oh! I almost forgot! This is my mother's ring." He pulled a small ring out of his pocket and placed it on my finger. It was intricate and had a small diamond but the fact that it was his mother's ring meant more to me than anything else about it. His mother died in child birth while having him and knowing that he was willing to give it to me was somethin' special. "I love it!" I told him and kissed him again. I love kissing him!
It seemed now that I was engaged to be married, my mother was more than thrilled to start making plans for Jasper and I's wedding. I guess she got over the fact that Jasper was a cattle rancher and liked telling her friends that her daughter had become engaged so quickly. It was to be very grand and Daddy felt the need to invite the whole county. Both Jasper and I would have rather had a small, quiet wedding but with Daddy's influence in our town it needed to be more of a social gathering. Daddy surprised me again by ordering a wedding dress that will be on the next train from Denver. Apparently he wired to have it sent as soon as Jasper started courting me. The wedding is 2 weeks away! How they were able to plan a huge wedding like this in 1 month is beyond me, but like Jasper told me the night he proposed "why wait?" But having a Christmas wedding allows us to already use the decorations for the holiday as beautiful decorations for the wedding. Miss Mae and the cooks have been workin' like a storm planning the meals and desserts. Jasper agreed to wait until spring to enlist, he would still be 16 but The Confederates are in such need of men that he believed they wouldn't care. At least I won't worry about him freezing to death fighting during the winter months.
This is it! I'm about to be a married woman today. It's Christmas Eve and the sun is close to setting over the Texas sky. I can see from my window all of our guests arriving by coach. There were tall lanterns that lined the whole ½ mile path to our house. Women dressed in their best and I noticed more men in their dress uniforms. Not everyone could fit in the church so there were certain guests that had to just wait here for the reception. Mother and Miss Mae came rushing in to finish getting me dressed. I had my hair curled in ringlets already with some holly berries placed around my mother's veil. Miss Mae started working my corset again and this time it felt like she cuttin' me in half! "Miss Mae are you trying to kill me?" "Now, now Miss Swan this is your weddin' day and you need to look your best. Suck in!" I started prayin' that I wound't faint while I was walking down the aisle tonight. "Come now Isabella, time for your dress". She had it hanging in the wardrobe and pulled it from the hanger. It was gorgeous! The most beautiful white lace I had ever seen. There was a big white bow over the chest and one on my low back with the tails that fell all the way to the floor. It was becoming more real by the second. Mother helped me get in the dress and started with the buttons again. "Now, Isabella it's time we had the discussion about your wedding night". I felt the blush rush through me, though I wouldn't have thought it possible with this damn corset! "Mother do we really?" "Have you laid with a man before?" she asked. "Of course not mother!" "Then we need to have this talk. Being with a man for the first time will hurt. Hopefully he will keep this in mind and go slowly for you so he won't hurt you too bad. This is part of your duties as a wife Isabella, you let him take the lead and wait for him to..um..climax." Sweet Lord I need to sit down. "How will I know he does…that?" "You'll know. He is going to touch you and it will feel shocking at first but as a wife you'll learn to enjoy it as well and after the first few times have past it won't hurt anymore. And hopefully out of all of that, a baby will arrive shortly!" She said excitedly. "One step at a time mother". She powered by face a little and put just a little rouge to stain my lips. She pinched my cheeks saying I need to look like a blushing bride. I have no problem in that department. "You ladies ready to go, the coach has arrived!" My father yelled from down stairs. I looked in the mirror one more time and prayed that I will be the wife Jasper deserves. My heart raced as I thought of him thanks to my mother's conversation.
