Chapter 24

AJ got back from his run and still no one was downstairs. Hi reentered Cassie's room and she waved him towards the bathroom when he'd leaned over her to give her a kiss. After his shower he came out to find her already dressed and ready to go downstairs.

Eating quickly because his first pick up at the airport was at 0830 that morning. Adel would be the first of the out of towners to arrive.

"So you finally found a woman crazy enough to marry an old coot like you?! Is she old and ugly?" Adel asked as she stepped back from the hug she gave him in the airport.

"Yeah and fat too," he informed her.

"Hopefully she has a good personality."

"She does, and three children too."

"Well since you said she was old I'm guessing they aren't babies."

"Her youngest is a daughter, Grace is fourteen."

When they arrived at Grayhouse AJ carried her bag inside. He could tell that she was looking over everyone that was in the foyer. He couldn't keep his smile from showing as George came forward and offered to show her to her toom.

AJ gave George her bag and began to introduce Adel to everyone there. Grace and Brandon had already left for school and work. Cassie was also not present, she had gone into town to open the store. His sister was clearly disappointed that his fiancee' wasn't there.

Putting his arm around Adel's shoulders AJ told her, "Cassie is at her shop. Would you like to take a walk and meet her?"

Making sure they approached the store by way of the new window display AJ paused at her side as Adel admired it. "I see at least three things in this window that I want to buy and a couple of more that I have no idea what they are. Let's go in and meet your old, ugly, fat fiancee'."

They entered the Bell, Book, and Candle together and AJ saw that Cassie was not alone. Adel looked at the two women in the shop and before he could say anything she went up to the one she guessed would be here new sister-in-law and introduced herself.

"I'm AJ's twin sister Adel and you should give him hell because he told me you were (she didn't see AJ cringe behind her, but Cassie did) old ugly and fat."

"He said WHAT?!" Martha Tinsdale exclaimed.

Before either Chegwidden could respond Cassie stepped forward, holding out her hand to Adel and saying, "Adel, I am Cassie Nightengale, AJ's fiancee'."

"Wait a minute! You look just like Mrs. Rabb who I just met at Grayhouse!"

"Yes, but strangely there is no family connection that we can find."

Martha finally recovered from her shock enough to demand, "So just why were you saying such mean things about me AJ? I thought we had become friends!"

"Martha, first off Adel was the one to mention old and ugly, I only added 'fat' to the list…" He realized how that had sounded at Martha's hurt gasp. "I'm sorry Martha we weren't talking about you at all. The conversation was about what my fiancee' looked like not you. Adel came in and for some reason guessed that you were Cassie. I am sorry about that."

"Presumably because I was the older ugiler fatter person in the room!" Martha complained.

"I'm sure that wasn't the case at all Martha. But the three of us ladies can sort it out alone. AJ needs to head to the airport to pick up Bud and Harriett Roberts."

AJ gave her an odd look at this because the plan had been for him to watch the store while she took a turn doing airport pick ups. Nodding at him to be on his way, AJ promised to be back as soon as he could, and left the ladies on their own.

Once he was gone Adel tried to offer another appology but Martha didn't seem to be in the mood to listen so Cassie tried her hand. "Martha, I'm sure that the entire conversation between Adel and AJ was a joke. You know how brothers and sisters can be."

"Yes, Mrs. Tinsdale that is all it was! A stupid joke between twins that have spent their entire lives tormenting each other. Please forgive both of us."

To Be Continued…