Chapter 43

"Yes, Mom," Woody said quietly as he got up to get them both more cheese. He had to wonder how Jordan would react when she already thought that he used too much cheese!

Woody made sure that he was home before Jordan got there so he would be able to introduce them rather than have them meet on their own. The minute he walked through the door he registered that his mother had dinner cooking, right before she came out of the kitchen wearing an apron that he recognized as hers from home. Before he could say a word she accosted him with questions, "Woody, why is there no picture albums of your wedding? I have been through this entire apartment looking for one and can't find a single one. I also don't see any photos of your life together! I have been here all afternoon and wouldn't know my own daughter-in-law if she walked in that door!"

Trying to hold back a chuckle, he said with the straightest face that he could, "Well, mom, you could guess that she is probably the only nine month pregnant woman with a key to the door."

"Don't be smart with me Woodrow Aloysius Hoyt!" she instructed.

"No ma'am!"

"So where are all the pictures that make a place a home?"

"We don't have any mom. As you pointed out, we were only married at a Justice of the Peace and to be honest, Jordan doesn't really like having her picture taken at any time, but now she thinks she is fat and ugly, so it's even worse."

"Nonsense!" Evelyn declared. "There is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman! She is in the flower of life! You should tell her that Woodrow!"

"I do mom! But that doesn't mean that she is going to believe me!" he protested.

"Are you in the habit of lying to your wife?!" she demanded.

"No mom! I never lie to Jordan. I love her!"

"Well that's good! Now it's probably too late to do this now with the baby due any day, but when the three of you come to Wisconsin to visit, we should arrange for a proper church wedding. That way all of your sisters can be there and Reverend Clary, who married your father and I, and christened every one of the five of you, can marry you and Jordan, plus christen your son at the same time! Have the two of you settled on a name yet? The last time we spoke you hadn't."

"We have decided on a name, mom. He is going to be Riley Jordan. But I don't know if Jordan wants to be married in a church and we haven't even talked about christening Riley."

"Woodrow Aloysius Hoyt! How can you do this to yourself and your family?! Not be married in a church!? Well I have never heard of such a thing! And to not have that dear sweet baby christened…" Neither of them had heard the door open, nor were they aware that Jordan was now home and hearing what Evelyn had to say. "Every child of God needs to be christened! It is bad enough that you got that girl pregnant before you married her! I was sure that your father and I had raised you better than that!"

It was at that point that Jordan closed the door, loud enough that they would be sure to hear it. The change in Mrs. Hoyt was like night and day. She swung around to look at Jordan and walked towards her with a smile and open arms. "Oh my dear! You must be Jordan, and just look at how beautiful you are, blossoming with my first grandchild."

Evelyn enfolded a startled Jordan in a tight hug. Jordan had not been expecting this kind of reaction to her after hearing what Mrs. Hoyt had been saying to Woody. She had been about to wade into the one-sided battle that had been going on in defense of her husband, but then Evelyn's tune had completely changed when she'd seen her. Jordan was understandable confused.

Woody walked over to the two women and said, "Well I was going to introduce the two of you, but it seems mom has beaten me to the punch."

To be continued…