Chapter 21 – Something to Think About

The suits were ready, the gowns were made, and Reverend Miller was on his way to the ranch. The men were all at Bret's house drinking coffee and the women were all at Bart's house sipping tea. Everyone was dressed but the bride, and she was taking small swallows of brandy from a glass to steady her nerves.

Doralice looked at the clock and took the glass from her mother's hands. "Time to get dressed, mother. Reverend Miller will be here soon."

"Come with me, Doralice," Maude pleaded. "I could use some help." Maude, Doralice and Belle went into the bedroom to get the bride ready.

Reverend Miller arrived, and Ginny showed him where the ceremony was to take place. Within a few minutes the male contingent arrived from Bret's and waited for the signal that everything was in place. At precisely three o'clock, Belle went straight to the Reverend and announced the bride was ready. Beauregard and Bentley took their places, and the procession began.

Bret escorted Ginny, Beau escorted Dani, Bart escorted Lily Mae, and Benny escorted Abby. Maudie and Belle followed, then Doralice walked the bride down the aisle. Pappy stood next to the Reverend and beamed at his bride-to-be. It was a short ceremony, with individual vows recited by Beauregard and Maude. Rings were exchanged, and Reverend Miller pronounced the bride and groom husband and wife. Beauregard kissed his new wife, a long, lingering kiss, and the entire assembly applauded.

Sawyer's had closed for the afternoon so they could provide the wedding dinner, and all of the ranch hands and Pauly Wilcox were invited, as well as Dr. and Mrs. Simon Petry, Dave Parker, and Mr. and Mrs. Billy Sunday. After dinner the men adjourned to the backyard for a smoke, and the ladies played games in the front yard with the children.

Around six o'clock Pappy and Maude cut the wedding cake, and it wasn't long after that that the bride and groom took their leave of the wedding party. By the time the sun went down, everyone had returned to their own homes and the reception was officially over.

Bart and Doralice lay in bed and talked about the day's events. "Never thought I'd see Pappy get married again," Bart ruminated.

"Are you sorry he did?" Doralice quizzed her husband.

"Nope, not a bit. Just sorry he waited so long. They should have done that a long time ago."

"They seem happy."

"I think they are."

Bart rolled over and scooped Doralice into his arms. "We haven't talked about Benny staying here for his last year of school."

"I think it'll be fine, don't you?"

He kissed her all down her ears and neck. "I think it'll be easier than when we had Jack with us all those years ago."

"We're different people than we were then."

"Yes, and Benny is different than Jack."

Doralice giggled. "And the twins aren't babies anymore."

"So you don't have any problems with Benny staying here?"

"No, Bart, I don't. But I don't expect him to spend the whole entire year here in this house. There are other people that he can stay with."

"I agree with you, blue-eyes. Bret and me already talked about that. He's gonna spend time with Bret and Ginny and Pappy and Maude. But I think he should start out with us, and part of that is his closeness with Maudie. I think he'll settle in better if he starts out here. You have any problem with that?"

"Not a bit. Can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"Can we go to sleep now?"

"Goodnight blue-eyes."

"Goodnight handsome."

XXXXXXXX

Belle was spending the night at Bret's house with Abby. The two girls had become fast friends over the summer, and neither was looking forward to Abby returning to Baton Rouge with her parents. Growing close had been mutually beneficial to both girls; Belle learned the advantages of having an older sister, and Abby got to enjoy a sibling that wasn't a boy.

"Abby, are you awake?"

"Yes."

"Can I write to you?"

"I hope you do. I'm going to miss you."

"Me too. Maybe you can come back next summer."

"Or you can come to Baton Rouge and spend the summer in Louisiana."

"That would be wonderful. It's been fun with you here."

"If you come to Baton Rouge you can visit the colleges with me and decided where you want to go."

Belle giggled. "What fun that would be!"

"Do you think your parents would let you come?" Abby was really hoping that Belle would be allowed to make the trip. After all, she'd be eleven, almost twelve years old, and she could take the stage with Benny when he returned at the end of the school year.

"I think they would, especially if I do well in school this year. I sure have enjoyed you bein' here, Abby."

"Me too, Belle."

XXXXXXXX

"I see you couldn't sleep, either," Bret told Beau as he walked out onto the porch and lit a cigar.

"Nope, I'm not looking forward to going back to Baton Rouge."

Bret took a good look at his cousin, the man who had once been like a brother to him. That was a long time ago. "You have to keep workin' sellin' land? Isn't there somethin' else you could do?"

Beau took a long draw off of the cigar in his mouth. "Not really. Not as long as we live in Baton Rouge."

"And there's no way Dani would leave?"

"No, I don't think so. Her parents are still there."

"Is it really that bad, Beau?" Bret hated to think of the good life that he and Bart had, while Beau was miserable in Louisiana.

Beau sat down in one of the rockers on the porch and gave it some thought. "I guess not, Bret. It's just not what I wanted to do. It does have its good moments, when I get to go look at the properties, or when I close a big sale, but it's not like being in the casino. I miss that."

"Have you ever thought of buyin' a saloon and startin' over again?"

"I don't think Dani would think much of that."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

Beau shook his head. "Not really."

"Don't you think you should? You'll never know what she thinks unless you ask her."

"Maybe I will. The worst she can say is no, right?"

"Right."

"C'mon, Beau, let's see if we can get some sleep."

"Go on in, Bret, I'm not quite ready."

Bret put out his cigar and threw away the remainder. Maybe he'd given Beau something to think about. He certainly hoped so.