The suitcases stood on end at the back door. A clothes bag hung on the peg along the wall. All sizes of pretty wrapped packages sat on the bench beside the suitcases.
It was still pitch black outside when the alarm went off at 5:30. Mark gave it a punch, rolled over and put his arms around me.
"Honey this is the day we head north." he whispered into my ear.
"Yep...tomorrow Bret will be a married man! Can you really believe that? Married! Well he chose well! Emma is such a sweet girl and so much like Bret!"
"Better get up and get started!" he said sitting up and pulling on his jeans and shirt. "Could you handle the sows and farrowing shed chores this morning? I need to put a few extra bales out before we go, plus run the feed wagon. We should try and leave by 10, don't you think?"
"I suppose...What time are we to be at the rehearsal supper?" I asked stretching then throwing off the covers.
"I'm remembering around 7. We have to stop by the college and pick up Kate then meet Peter at exit 36. From there I figure it will take at least five hours to drive. We'll be pushing it so, yea, we better leave no later than 10."
It was dark when Mark and I made our way out the back door. He to the shed to get the John Deere and me to the farrowing shed. It was a nippy 20 degrees and the stars were bright in the black sky. The cold had a way of cleaning out your nostrils! I love to do chores in the dark sometimes. It was so quiet, every thing still asleep and the night sky so clear and sparkling with stars. Just hope Mark can get the tractor started. He did hook it up to the power cord last night so that should help.
The minute I turned on the light in the farrowing shed, the momma's started to get up and bang, bang with their noses. "OK I know you are impatient but I can move just so fast. So please, not so much noise!" I said to the air or sows or whatever would listen to me.
After running the grain into the wheelbarrow, I started down the aisle, a gallon here, a gallon and half there. I walked back into the nursery and started to fill the feeders. The farrowing shed was noisy. Mother pigs sure eat load! Making my way back up to the front, I found a piece of paper and wrote out the chores for the neighbor man, and stuck it under a bottle of penicillin, then took a wheelbarrow full of grain to the sows and boars outside. It was just getting light when I made my way to the house. My mind was three states away. I was wondering how Emma and her mom were getting along. I still couldn't believe that we would be leaving in a short time for Bret's wedding day!
After taking a shower and combing my hair, I started to carry the suitcases and gifts out to the car. Mark would have to pack them into the trunk when he got home.
It was 9:15 when I heard the JD and feed wagon pull into the yard and park beside the shed. Mark came running into the house, heading right to the shower.
"Could you come in here with a pencil and paper and write down the instructions for feeding the cows? Did you write them for the sows?"
"Yes and yes," I said grabbing a paper and pencil and sitting myself on the stool lid while Mark instructed me from the shower.
The clock on the living room wall said 10:04 when I pulled the back door shut and locked it. "Did you get all the things into the trunk?" I asked looking into the back seat.
"Barely, but yes." Mark answered as he put it into drive and we were off.
Being farmers, we always enjoyed the hour drive through the flint hills to the college. This morning was no exception, as we wound our way down interstate, through hills of pasture grass that lay a rusty brown, with little patches of snow laying here and there. We just rode in silence, each in our own little world.
"Honey, we're here," Mark was shaking me awake.
" Oh, I must of drifted off to sleep," I said sitting straight up and looking around.
Sure enough we were parked in Ada's narrow driveway. The driveway that is usually full of cars, but Bret and Kate's were gone and Adam's sat catty-wampus in the street, motor running.
"Well looks like neither Kate or Bret are here," Mark said as we made our way to the large front porch and up the steps. We opened the door and made our way up the narrow dark stair case leading to the landing between the two apartment doors.
Kate's door stood ajar. "Hello...anyone home?" Mark said knocking lightly on the door, but all was quiet.
He hadn't got turned around, before the door across the landing banged open and Adam, book bag over his shoulder, came running out. "Oh Hi! Didn't hear you come up!" he said. "Both Bret and Kate had some things to finish up and I'm heading there now. Make yourselves at home. Kate said she'd be home around 2." With that he was gone, taking two steps at a time.
We made our way across the landing and into the boys room. Oh my!! The cupboard doors stood open and bare. Two pans, their lids lopsided stood in the sink full of dirty water. Plates, silverware, glasses and a pitcher with a bit of orange juice stood on the small counter, a few cups and cereal bowls had found a place on the floor! On the small table along the east wall, were books, papers, salt and pepper shakers, a small coffee maker and a box of toothpicks.
We just stood there for a minute, getting our bearing's. "Oh my, Mark, we need to get busy here! We can't leave this looking like a pig pen!" I said dumping the water, oatmeal, egg mixture, out of the pans and into the sink, where it slowly drained away.
"Well, we have an hour to make things look different. I hope Kate remembers that we are to meet Peter at 3." Mark answered, checking his watch.
After about a half hour of washing, drying, running fresh water, and washing again, Mark decided he had to use the bathroom.
"Oh good grief," I heard from the other side of the door.
"What now?" I asked running to the door.
"We're not done! There's some dishes in the shower!"
"What? You have to be kidding right?"
"Nope"
"Well, bring them out!" I said shaking my head.
Mark was just putting the last cup in the cupboard and I had pulled the plug, when...bam, bam, bam someone was coming up the stairs two at a time.
Bret busted through the door at full speed, through the kitchen and into the living/bedroom. "Wow! Thanks you two! Looks good. Mom could you pack my necessaries in that bag over there, please. I'll probably be a little late getting there. Still have to get a paper in, if I can find the thing." he said throwing papers here and there.
"We need to get on our way as soon as Kate gets here, cause we are to meet Peter at 3." I said heading to the dresser. "But I'll do what I can. Be sure you look through it before you leave though."
"I will" he said grabbing up some papers, stuffing them into his back pack. "Got to go. See you guys later."
"Drive careful" I hollered to the slamming of the door.
"I'm going next door to see if Kate's dishes are done while you do that," Mark said
We had just sat down for a minute when we hear our Kate. "Hey you guys. I'm home. Let me change real fast and grab my stuff. Will we be late for Peter?"
"We need to get moving but I think we should be OK," Mark said, getting up off the couch, stretching and pulling his Phillips Seed cap on his head.
We said a fast hello to Ada as we went to the car. Kate threw her back pack in the back seat and climbed in. Mark backed out of the drive way and we were off, heading north.
Sure enough Peter was parked by the side of the filling station, and out walking around, appearing to be a bit nervous, when we pulled in about a hour late.
"I was beginning to wonder about you guys! I was wondering if I was at the wrong exit!" he said coming up to the car.
"We are so sorry! It took us longer to drive it than we judged." Mark said opening the door for Peter to get in. Then hopping back into the drivers seat and we were off once again.
"I just hope Bret and Adam get there sometime tonight!" I said turning around so I could visit better. "Their place was a mess and they both were still at college finishing up with something."
The lights of the Super 8 were bright as Mark pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. "Well this is where we have rooms, I'm about sure."
Grabbing our coats, we hopped out onto the light packed snow and made our way slowly to the front entrance.
"Can I help you?" a young lady asked as Mark made his way to the counter.
"We have two rooms reserved. Beck is the name." Mark said taking his wallet out of his back pocket.
"Let's check," the lady said clicking in a few things on the computer. "Sure do, right here. Rooms 92 and 94. They are across the hall from each other on first floor. I'll get the keys while you sign on the line with the x," she said handing Mark a pen and piece of paper. "We serve continental breakfast from 6 - 10. Hope you enjoy your stay."
After hauling the things into the rooms, and freshening up a bit we headed for the Pizza Hut.
"We're here for the Beck/ Darling rehearsal supper," Mark said to the young man who seated us.
We could hear chattering and laughter as we got close to the room in the back. Standing just inside the door was Emma and Dena, her bridesmaid. They were admiring their freshly manicured nails.
"Oh you made it!" Emma said coming over and giving each of us a hug.
"Look who just arrived," Dave said walking over to us and shaking Marks hand.
"Come and get a seat," Emma's mom said waving her hand to the chairs along the wall.
There was quite a bunch of us. Emma's mom and dad, her brothers and sister in law and Dena. Everyone but the groom and best man!
"Well where is the important man?" Dave asked chuckling.
"Well you know Bret by now right?" I asked taking off my coat and sitting across from Judy.
"They will be late, I'm sure. They had some papers to get in the last minute," Mark said taking a chair next to me. "Oh this is Peter, Kate's friend."
"Hello and welcome. So glad you could join us," Judy said smiling.
"We already ordered the pizza's, so they should be here soon." Dave said sitting across from Mark.
There was talking about the wedding, and crops, and livestock, and fish. The pizza's were hot and delicious. Emma would look toward the door every once in a while, and I found myself doing the same. I was hoping those two boys were safe out there in the dark.
"Well you finally made it!" It was Chad, Emma's brother who saw them come in. "We were wondering if you were ever going to get here!"
It didn't take long for Bret to find his little bride to be. Adam took off his coat and hung it on a peg behind the chair.
"We were wondering if you chickened out on us or something," Dave said with a laugh.
"We probably would have got a ticket if we had pushed it any faster," Bret said in his easy going manner.
"Well we are all here now and safe, so bring on another pizza or two." Judy said with a laugh.
There was chattering, laughing, hugs, a kiss or two, and a joke or two, until the clock said 10:00.
"Better get this party wrapped up," Dave said getting up and holding out Judy's coat for her. "Do you want to come to the house and pick up the tuxes tonight or in the morning?" he asked Mark.
"Well, I guess we just as will come now, and that way we will have them." So Mark and I followed them to their new home on the outskirts of town.
It was quite lively in room 94 when we made our way to room 92. We hung the three black tuxes in the little closet, got into our jammies and turned off the light. As I drifted off to sleep, I could picture Bret standing there in his black tux as he waited for his bride to come to him. Tomorrow would be a beautiful day.
.
It was still pitch black outside when the alarm went off at 5:30. Mark gave it a punch, rolled over and put his arms around me.
"Honey this is the day we head north." he whispered into my ear.
"Yep...tomorrow Bret will be a married man! Can you really believe that? Married! Well he chose well! Emma is such a sweet girl and so much like Bret!"
"Better get up and get started!" he said sitting up and pulling on his jeans and shirt. "Could you handle the sows and farrowing shed chores this morning? I need to put a few extra bales out before we go, plus run the feed wagon. We should try and leave by 10, don't you think?"
"I suppose...What time are we to be at the rehearsal supper?" I asked stretching then throwing off the covers.
"I'm remembering around 7. We have to stop by the college and pick up Kate then meet Peter at exit 36. From there I figure it will take at least five hours to drive. We'll be pushing it so, yea, we better leave no later than 10."
It was dark when Mark and I made our way out the back door. He to the shed to get the John Deere and me to the farrowing shed. It was a nippy 20 degrees and the stars were bright in the black sky. The cold had a way of cleaning out your nostrils! I love to do chores in the dark sometimes. It was so quiet, every thing still asleep and the night sky so clear and sparkling with stars. Just hope Mark can get the tractor started. He did hook it up to the power cord last night so that should help.
The minute I turned on the light in the farrowing shed, the momma's started to get up and bang, bang with their noses. "OK I know you are impatient but I can move just so fast. So please, not so much noise!" I said to the air or sows or whatever would listen to me.
After running the grain into the wheelbarrow, I started down the aisle, a gallon here, a gallon and half there. I walked back into the nursery and started to fill the feeders. The farrowing shed was noisy. Mother pigs sure eat load! Making my way back up to the front, I found a piece of paper and wrote out the chores for the neighbor man, and stuck it under a bottle of penicillin, then took a wheelbarrow full of grain to the sows and boars outside. It was just getting light when I made my way to the house. My mind was three states away. I was wondering how Emma and her mom were getting along. I still couldn't believe that we would be leaving in a short time for Bret's wedding day!
After taking a shower and combing my hair, I started to carry the suitcases and gifts out to the car. Mark would have to pack them into the trunk when he got home.
It was 9:15 when I heard the JD and feed wagon pull into the yard and park beside the shed. Mark came running into the house, heading right to the shower.
"Could you come in here with a pencil and paper and write down the instructions for feeding the cows? Did you write them for the sows?"
"Yes and yes," I said grabbing a paper and pencil and sitting myself on the stool lid while Mark instructed me from the shower.
The clock on the living room wall said 10:04 when I pulled the back door shut and locked it. "Did you get all the things into the trunk?" I asked looking into the back seat.
"Barely, but yes." Mark answered as he put it into drive and we were off.
Being farmers, we always enjoyed the hour drive through the flint hills to the college. This morning was no exception, as we wound our way down interstate, through hills of pasture grass that lay a rusty brown, with little patches of snow laying here and there. We just rode in silence, each in our own little world.
"Honey, we're here," Mark was shaking me awake.
" Oh, I must of drifted off to sleep," I said sitting straight up and looking around.
Sure enough we were parked in Ada's narrow driveway. The driveway that is usually full of cars, but Bret and Kate's were gone and Adam's sat catty-wampus in the street, motor running.
"Well looks like neither Kate or Bret are here," Mark said as we made our way to the large front porch and up the steps. We opened the door and made our way up the narrow dark stair case leading to the landing between the two apartment doors.
Kate's door stood ajar. "Hello...anyone home?" Mark said knocking lightly on the door, but all was quiet.
He hadn't got turned around, before the door across the landing banged open and Adam, book bag over his shoulder, came running out. "Oh Hi! Didn't hear you come up!" he said. "Both Bret and Kate had some things to finish up and I'm heading there now. Make yourselves at home. Kate said she'd be home around 2." With that he was gone, taking two steps at a time.
We made our way across the landing and into the boys room. Oh my!! The cupboard doors stood open and bare. Two pans, their lids lopsided stood in the sink full of dirty water. Plates, silverware, glasses and a pitcher with a bit of orange juice stood on the small counter, a few cups and cereal bowls had found a place on the floor! On the small table along the east wall, were books, papers, salt and pepper shakers, a small coffee maker and a box of toothpicks.
We just stood there for a minute, getting our bearing's. "Oh my, Mark, we need to get busy here! We can't leave this looking like a pig pen!" I said dumping the water, oatmeal, egg mixture, out of the pans and into the sink, where it slowly drained away.
"Well, we have an hour to make things look different. I hope Kate remembers that we are to meet Peter at 3." Mark answered, checking his watch.
After about a half hour of washing, drying, running fresh water, and washing again, Mark decided he had to use the bathroom.
"Oh good grief," I heard from the other side of the door.
"What now?" I asked running to the door.
"We're not done! There's some dishes in the shower!"
"What? You have to be kidding right?"
"Nope"
"Well, bring them out!" I said shaking my head.
Mark was just putting the last cup in the cupboard and I had pulled the plug, when...bam, bam, bam someone was coming up the stairs two at a time.
Bret busted through the door at full speed, through the kitchen and into the living/bedroom. "Wow! Thanks you two! Looks good. Mom could you pack my necessaries in that bag over there, please. I'll probably be a little late getting there. Still have to get a paper in, if I can find the thing." he said throwing papers here and there.
"We need to get on our way as soon as Kate gets here, cause we are to meet Peter at 3." I said heading to the dresser. "But I'll do what I can. Be sure you look through it before you leave though."
"I will" he said grabbing up some papers, stuffing them into his back pack. "Got to go. See you guys later."
"Drive careful" I hollered to the slamming of the door.
"I'm going next door to see if Kate's dishes are done while you do that," Mark said
We had just sat down for a minute when we hear our Kate. "Hey you guys. I'm home. Let me change real fast and grab my stuff. Will we be late for Peter?"
"We need to get moving but I think we should be OK," Mark said, getting up off the couch, stretching and pulling his Phillips Seed cap on his head.
We said a fast hello to Ada as we went to the car. Kate threw her back pack in the back seat and climbed in. Mark backed out of the drive way and we were off, heading north.
Sure enough Peter was parked by the side of the filling station, and out walking around, appearing to be a bit nervous, when we pulled in about a hour late.
"I was beginning to wonder about you guys! I was wondering if I was at the wrong exit!" he said coming up to the car.
"We are so sorry! It took us longer to drive it than we judged." Mark said opening the door for Peter to get in. Then hopping back into the drivers seat and we were off once again.
"I just hope Bret and Adam get there sometime tonight!" I said turning around so I could visit better. "Their place was a mess and they both were still at college finishing up with something."
The lights of the Super 8 were bright as Mark pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. "Well this is where we have rooms, I'm about sure."
Grabbing our coats, we hopped out onto the light packed snow and made our way slowly to the front entrance.
"Can I help you?" a young lady asked as Mark made his way to the counter.
"We have two rooms reserved. Beck is the name." Mark said taking his wallet out of his back pocket.
"Let's check," the lady said clicking in a few things on the computer. "Sure do, right here. Rooms 92 and 94. They are across the hall from each other on first floor. I'll get the keys while you sign on the line with the x," she said handing Mark a pen and piece of paper. "We serve continental breakfast from 6 - 10. Hope you enjoy your stay."
After hauling the things into the rooms, and freshening up a bit we headed for the Pizza Hut.
"We're here for the Beck/ Darling rehearsal supper," Mark said to the young man who seated us.
We could hear chattering and laughter as we got close to the room in the back. Standing just inside the door was Emma and Dena, her bridesmaid. They were admiring their freshly manicured nails.
"Oh you made it!" Emma said coming over and giving each of us a hug.
"Look who just arrived," Dave said walking over to us and shaking Marks hand.
"Come and get a seat," Emma's mom said waving her hand to the chairs along the wall.
There was quite a bunch of us. Emma's mom and dad, her brothers and sister in law and Dena. Everyone but the groom and best man!
"Well where is the important man?" Dave asked chuckling.
"Well you know Bret by now right?" I asked taking off my coat and sitting across from Judy.
"They will be late, I'm sure. They had some papers to get in the last minute," Mark said taking a chair next to me. "Oh this is Peter, Kate's friend."
"Hello and welcome. So glad you could join us," Judy said smiling.
"We already ordered the pizza's, so they should be here soon." Dave said sitting across from Mark.
There was talking about the wedding, and crops, and livestock, and fish. The pizza's were hot and delicious. Emma would look toward the door every once in a while, and I found myself doing the same. I was hoping those two boys were safe out there in the dark.
"Well you finally made it!" It was Chad, Emma's brother who saw them come in. "We were wondering if you were ever going to get here!"
It didn't take long for Bret to find his little bride to be. Adam took off his coat and hung it on a peg behind the chair.
"We were wondering if you chickened out on us or something," Dave said with a laugh.
"We probably would have got a ticket if we had pushed it any faster," Bret said in his easy going manner.
"Well we are all here now and safe, so bring on another pizza or two." Judy said with a laugh.
There was chattering, laughing, hugs, a kiss or two, and a joke or two, until the clock said 10:00.
"Better get this party wrapped up," Dave said getting up and holding out Judy's coat for her. "Do you want to come to the house and pick up the tuxes tonight or in the morning?" he asked Mark.
"Well, I guess we just as will come now, and that way we will have them." So Mark and I followed them to their new home on the outskirts of town.
It was quite lively in room 94 when we made our way to room 92. We hung the three black tuxes in the little closet, got into our jammies and turned off the light. As I drifted off to sleep, I could picture Bret standing there in his black tux as he waited for his bride to come to him. Tomorrow would be a beautiful day.
.
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