Seal of the King (37 page)

“
I hope you can all forgive me, but if I have any chance of keeping up with Molly tomorrow I’m going to need some rest.”

“
We can get started first thing in the morning. Don’t you worry, Ruth, we’ll have everything sorted out in no time.”

They all said their goodnights
and Gabe went back with Ruth to get her settled in for the night. When he came back, David asked, “How’s mom doing, Dad?”

“
She’s doing well. She cried a little last night. After all that time, she thought she’d never get home again. She seemed really good today though, and I barely had her tucked in under the covers, and she was asleep.”

“
I don’t blame her for that. I never dreamed all of us would be sitting here together again. We aren’t going to stay up too late either. I want to get an early start in the morning. I’m going to take Aurora to Bob Johnsons on our way into the city.”

Gabe chuckled a little
, and said, “Oh, I bet she’ll like that.”

Molly clicked her tongue
and said, “oh, you boys, really.”

Aurora asked
, “What is it.”

David said,
“It’s a surprise for you. Trust me. You’ll like it.”

Aurora looked at Molly questioningly
, and Molly said, “He’s probably right, dear. It’s just not my cup of tea.”

Aurora, looking pleased,
said, “Considering everything, tomorrow will probably be a surprise, I’d better get used to it.”

“Oh Dad, I just realized
, we never talked about the farm. They day I first met Aurora I had gone into the city and paid off the loan. So we are debt free and have enough reserves for a few seasons.” David said. He was thinking about all the shopping to do. He had never been one to spend much money on himself. He wanted his dad to know he had been responsible with their finances, and that he wasn’t going to compromise them by spending some money the next day.

“
I never worried about it. I knew you could handle things. It sounds as if you’ve earned a good long vacation, and now you have a good reason for one.”

“Thanks Dad. Now, that has me thinking. When we get back
, I guess we should consider a place of our own to live.”

Aurora said
, with a look of surprise, “A place of our own, really?”

Gabe
said, “of course you too are going to need your privacy. I haven’t forgotten what it was like to be young, and in love.”

Aurora smiled at the words ‘in love’. She still couldn’t believe that she could be this happy after all these years. “I just haven’t had a place to call home for so long I never even considered it.”

“Hey, Dad, what do you think temporarily, about the cabin out on the north ridge? The road isn’t too bad, so it only takes about 20 minutes to get there. It needs a little sprucing up, but just until we sort things out, it might do.”

“Oh
, dear. You two will be all alone out there, and that place is so small, and well… it isn’t very fancy, and that’s putting it mildly.” Molly said.

Aurora
said, “It sounds perfect.”

Gabe laughed
, and said, “I don’t think you two could be a better fit.”

Michael
said, “I have to agree with you on that Gabe. I’m calling today their pre wedding counseling. I don’t have any worries about these two getting along.”

Molly turned to David
, and said, “at least get her some decent curtains for it. Would you dear?”

David chuckled
, and said, “I promise Aunt Molly. On that note, I guess we’d better call it a night. It sounds like we have more shopping to do tomorrow.”

They all stood
, and exchanged hugs, and said goodnight then David and Aurora headed back to their room. David pulled the door shut behind them, and Aurora said, “I’m going to go use the bath. Can I wear one of your shirts to sleep in?”

“
Of course. Anything you want.”

While she was in the bathroom, David changed into some sweatpants
and a t-shirt, and thought to himself that this is the first night he hadn’t slept in his clothes since they left. Aurora came out, and David went in to wash up himself. When he got out, Aurora was in bed under the cover lying there staring up at the ceiling. David walked over and saw a tear on her cheek.

He sat down next to her
, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She pulled him down to lie next to her
, and put her head on his chest holding him tightly. Then she asked, “Is all this really happening? Please tell me it isn’t just a dream.”

David held her
and gently stroked her hair, and said, “It is a dream, it’s a dream come true for me, and it’s all real.”

Aurora squeezed him
, and said, “It’s a dream come true for me too. Promise you’ll never leave me.”

“
I promise, never. You’re stuck with me.”

“
That’s OK with me.”

“
Do you promise you’ll never leave me either?”

“
Never.”

David lying still stroking her hair could feel her breathing slow until he realized she had fallen asleep. He closed his eyes
, and pictured the two-room cabin he and his dad had built years ago. His mother didn’t like sleeping in a tent, and he and his dad built it so she would come with them hiking. Then if they got back late, they could stay there for the night. As much as he wanted to spend time with his parents, he thought they needed to have time, just the two of them, to figure out how to be a couple. He thought about what they could do to make the place nice. What it would be like waking up in the morning just the two of them, in a real bed, not on the floor of a carriage, and then he too drifted off to sleep.

David woke as the sun started to enter the room. It was still early
, but he was looking forward to the day. Aurora was still asleep with her arm and leg wrapped around him. He smiled to himself enjoying the way she was still holding onto him as if to make sure she didn’t lose him. He carefully slipped out from under her, and made sure to make as little noise as possible in the bathroom, before he left the room.

David made his way to the kitchen. He could smell the fresh coffee
and hear the sounds of his parent’s voices. When he entered the room, he saw his mother and father standing by the counter near the stove.

“Go sit Ruthie. I’ll fix breakfast.”

“I’m feeling much better Gabe. I need to do normal things. Now stop spoiling me or I’m getting out the frying pan.”

“I see you two are getting back to normal.”

Ruth and Gabe turned to see David entering the kitchen. Ruth walked over to him, arms extended for a hug.

“Good morning David. How are you today?”

David held her tightly. He had missed his mother’s hugs. “Good mom. It’s wonderful to see you looking so much better. I missed you something fierce.”

“
I do feel a lot better” she shot Gabe a sideways look “and if I’m going to get my strength back it won’t be by sitting around all day.”

Gabe said kindly
, “Just don’t push too hard Ruthie.”

“
He’s right, Mom.”

She looked up at her son
, and said, “I won’t. Now please sit down. I want to hear what you have planned for today.”

David gave his dad an
“I guess I can’t argue with her look”, and Gabe shrugged his shoulders slightly shaking his head. David grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down. Gabe joined him.

“I thought we’d go to Bob Johnson’s
and get some gear for Aurora, so we can take a hike up to that waterfall I found. Then I was thinking we could go into the city to the wedding store so she could get a dress.”

“
Don’t forget to get a suit too, dear.”

“
Oh yeah! I guess a flannel wouldn’t do would it.”

Gabe
said, “Molly might have a stroke.”

“Then I was thinking of taking her clothes shopping. She doesn’t have anything to wear except what she borrowed from you.” David
said, “After that, I was thinking about having dinner on the river.”

“
That would be nice. I can imagine it will all be a big shock for her. Things are so different in her world.”

“I was thinking the same thing
, but the day we went to get dad, I was really impressed at how unflappable she is.” David said, “If it gets too late, we may just stay overnight and come home first thing in the morning.”

Gabe
said, “Just give us a call so we don’t worry about you, and don’t worry about tomorrow, Molly is organizing an army to help.”

“
Yes, when the two of you were outside yesterday, she made a few phone calls, and the reinforcements are coming this morning.”

“
Don’t worry about a thing Mom. Just have a good time. The two of you can do whatever you want. All we care about is that at the end of the day we’re married. So if Aunt Molly wants circus clowns, and you want a string quartet get them both. If you want hot dogs on paper plates, that’s OK too.”

“
I think we can find something in between hot dogs and caviar. Neither of us ever had a daughter of our own to fawn over, so we’re very excited.”

"Aurora
. Good morning," Gabe said cheerfully. “How are you?” Aurora, standing in the doorway looking a little sleepy, was still wearing David’s shirt as a nightdress.

"Good morning
." She said as she walked into the room. “It smells good in here.”

David asked
, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“
Yes, that sounds good.”

Ruth
said, “Sit down dear. I’m making breakfast too.”

"Thank you
." Aurora said, “Can I help with anything?”

“
I have it under control. You just relax. It sounds like you have a big day ahead of you.”

“
David said he had some surprises in mind for me.”

“
We won’t spoil it then.”

David asked
, “Did you sleep well, Aurora?”

“
Like a rock.”

“Mom
, did Dad tell you about my idea about us staying in the cottage on the north ridge after the wedding?”

“
Oh that would be nice and cozy, but we’ll have to clean it up for you first. How long do you think you are going to be gone?”

“
I hadn’t thought about it. A few days, at least, I suppose.”

Gabe
said, “That’ll be plenty of time. We’ll go up there, and get it ready for you while you’re on your honeymoon.”

Aurora smiled at the mention of a honeymoon
, and said, “you’re all being so kind to me I just don’t know what to say.”

Ruth walked over to her with a plate of food
, and said, “after all we’ve been through together. You would be part of our family even if you weren’t marrying David.”

Aurora smiled at her a little glassy eyed
, and said, “thank you so much.”

“
Thank you. You helped bring our family back together again.”

David put his arm around her
, and kissed her cheek “you should eat. Mom’s right, we do have a big day ahead of us.” He said to change the subject for her. Aurora nodded silently and took his advice.

Ruth served all of them breakfast then sat down to join them. “I imagine Molly
and Michael should be up soon.”

Gab
e said, “they stayed up a while talking last night. But knowing Molly, she’ll want to get an early start.”

“
I’m going to go shower and dress before we head out. Mom, can Aurora borrow some jeans and a shirt? I was thinking that would be more comfortable than a dress, since we’ll be doing a fair amount of walking.”

“
Of course. I’ll take her back to pick some things out while you’re getting dressed.”

As soon as they were done eating, David headed back to his room
, and Ruth and Aurora went to get her an outfit. They passed Michael and Molly on their way into the kitchen. David came back to the kitchen carrying a small bag, so he was ready to stay the night in the city. Then Aurora headed back so she could shower, and dress too.

Molly was already a bundle of energy “David, I was thinking we could use the grape arbor for Michael to give you your vows. What do you think?”

“Aunt Molly, that sounds perfect, and like I told Mom earlier, whatever the two of you decide will be fine with us as long as we’re married at the end of the day. So have fun.” David said.

Molly said
, like a giddy young girl “oh, we will.”

It wasn’t long before Aurora came back to the kitchen dressed
, and ready to go. She had on the jeans and boots they had picked out, and a flattering top exposing the cross necklace Gabe had given her. She had pulled her hair back into a braid again, and David was struck by how comfortable and confident she looked.