CHAPTER 21
Anne Clark pushed her plate away, "Jessica, that meal was a triumph and your chocolate mousse was heavenly." She said with a smile.
It was Sunday lunch time and Anne had come over to the Kent Farm to discuss the latest crises. Earlier she had gone for a walk with Martha and had heard all the details of William's latest exploit.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Jessica replied as she collected their plates and poured them all some coffee.
"Every time I come here you produce something wonderful and I eat far too much!" Anne said, as she tried easing the waistband of her skirt.
"I like cooking for people with an appetite, it must be soul destroying to cook for people who only pick at their food." Jessica replied.
Hiram laughed, "In that case, honey, you're living in the right place!"
"When we first started dating, I thought Martha must be on some kind of diet because she ate so little. It took me a while to realize that those tiny salads she liked were normal eating for her." Jonathan said, shaking his head at the memory.
Martha laughed, "We'd been dating for about six months before I discovered that he used to go back to his dorm and eat another meal because he was so hungry after our dates."
"Aww, come on honey! Nobody can exist on two lettuce leaves and a slice of cucumber!" Jonathan replied.
"The salads weren't that small." Martha protested.
"I don't think she ate salads because she was on a diet, it was probably because it was the only thing she could make without either burning it or giving you food poisoning." Anne informed him, joining in the laughter.
"Well soon I'll be able to cook all sorts of things. Jessica has promised to teach me how to cook when I finish my college course." Martha said, grinning at Jessica.
"Jessica, you are a brave woman. I hope you realize what you are letting yourself in for." Anne groaned.
"Mom! I'm not that bad."
"Yes, you are, darling. Three people have tried to teach you how to cook, one you reduced to tears, one threatened to hand in her notice and the other one banned you from the kitchen. Jessica, if you can manage to teach her to cook you'll deserve a medal!"
"Aww, come on … nobody can be that bad. Can they?" Jessica said, hoping that Martha wasn't as bad as Anne was suggesting.
Martha and Anne looked at each other, "Well, I'm not very good. I sometimes even have trouble making toast." Martha finally admitted.
"Well, in that case, we will just have to start at the very beginning. There isn't anything difficult about cooking; you just need patience and the ability to read a recipe." Jessica replied reassuringly.
Hiram got up and refilled all their coffee cups, "Maybe I should take out some extra insurance … just in case." He muttered.
In an attempt to change the subject, Martha asked, "Shouldn't we be discussing the reason we are all here?"
"Good idea." Hiram said as he sat down again. "Anne, what are your thoughts about William's threat to send Martha away for a year."
"I've discussed it with him and he's adamant that it's the right thing to do and he won't be persuaded otherwise." Anne replied with a sigh.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" Jonathan asked.
"Well, as I see it, you have three choices. The first is for Martha to go on the trip and you put off your marriage for a year."
"That isn't an option. I'm not going without Jonathan." Martha said firmly.
"The second suggestion is that you wait and hope that William changes his mind."
"Is that likely?" Hiram asked.
"To be honest, I don't think it is. Once William is set on an idea, nothing will move him until he either gets his own way or is conclusively proved wrong."
"So what's the third idea?" Jessica queried.
"That you don't get married next year, but get married this year instead." Anne said, looking at Martha and Jonathan.
"This year?" They both said in unison.
There was a stunned silence around the table while everyone thought about Anne's radical solution to Martha's problem.
Jonathan finally broke the silence, "But what about Martha's course? The whole point of her living in Metropolis was so that she could do her Business Studies course."
"That's not a problem, the course finishes at the end of November and so you could get married at the beginning of December." Anne replied.
"Where would we live? Our house isn't going to be built until next year." Martha said.
"You could live here. You already spend most of the week here and it would only be for a few months until we get your house built." Hiram replied.
"It would also save Jonathan having to sleep in the barn for another year." Martha added, as she tried to get accustomed to this massive change in their plans.
"Another benefit is that you wouldn't have to look for an apartment in Smallville next year. When you find a job you can drive to it from here." Jessica pointed out. "Plus you will be able to save all the money you would have been spending on rent."
Martha turned to Jonathan, "Honey, what do you think?"
"Sweetheart, I'd marry you tomorrow if I could. I just don't want to deny you the wedding of your dreams by rushing you into marriage." Jonathan replied, taking her hand. "What do you think?"
Martha smiled, "The wedding of my dreams is one where you are standing at the alter waiting for me, I'm flexible on all the other details."
"William has a lot of influential friends in Metropolis, could you get married here in Smallville?" Anne asked.
Martha looked at her Mom, "That won't be a problem; I'd already decided that I want to get married here. I don't want a massive society wedding, I just want a small friends and family type wedding."
Hiram cleared his throat, "In that case, I guess we have a wedding to plan." He said with a smile.
Martha looked shyly at Jonathan, "Are you really okay with this? I don't want to ruin any of your plans."
"My only plans were to build us a house and marry you. We're just reversing the order. Sweetheart, I'll marry you any time you like, just tell me the date and I'll be waiting at the church."
"Hiram, you know that bottle of champagne you were saving for Thanksgiving? I think that now would be a nice time to drink it." Jessica said with a grin.
"Good idea." Hiram agreed, getting up and going to the refrigerator to fetch the bottle.
Opening it he filled the glasses Jessica had fetched and passed them around. "A toast!" he announced raising his glass, "To Martha and Jonathan, may their lives be filled with joy and happiness."
"To Martha and Jonathan." Everyone chorused in reply.
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Later that night after Anne had left and all the chores were done for the day, Martha and Jonathan took their usual walk.
"Sweetheart, you're very quiet. Are you having second thoughts about bringing the wedding forward?" Jonathan asked as they strolled with their arms around each other.
"No, I was just thinking that in a couple of months we'll be a married couple taking our nightly walk together." Martha replied smiling up at him.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent." Jonathan said with a grin, "Or are you planning on keeping your own surname?"
"Mr.and Mrs. Kent sounds nice to me." Martha answered.
"I guess we could be real modern and call ourselves, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent." Jonathan suggested.
"No, that just sounds silly. I prefer Mr. and Mrs. Kent." Martha said giggling at his suggestion.
"Honey, how will you manage with your course and all the preparations for the wedding?"
"My Mom and Jessica have both said they'll help. Don't you even start thinking that I'll be doing everything, you'll have plenty of things to do as well!"
Jonathan laughed, "Sweetheart, I'm at your disposal. Your every wish is my command." He said with a bow.
"Every wish?"
"Well, within reason. I don't think I'd be much use with all the feminine things you have to plan."
"Does that promise include shopping?" Martha teased.
"Shopping?" Jonathan groaned. "I guess so, but be gentle with me … please." He begged pathetically.
"Hmmmm, my every wish. In that case, my first wish is that you would stop talking and start kissing me."
"If that's your wish, my lady, it's my duty to obey." Jonathan said theatrically before taking Martha in his arms and enthusiastically doing his duty.