“So, it’s a well-established place, then?”
“It is, and we’ll be taking over our practice that our father has been working, for us. Our Uncle Terrence has been there part time, as well. He became a doctor just as the Second World War began. He enlisted, and his first posting was close to the front lines. Dad will retire as soon as we get there, and Uncle Terrance will do the same, likely in a month or so.” Adam met his gaze. “Uncle Terrence came back after the war and took over being the town doctor from an older, distant cousin, Jerimiah Parker. Dad joined him shortly thereafter, so being the town’s doctor is kind of a family tradition. When they had a shortage at a nearby hospital, Uncle Terrence joined the staff there.”
“I’d like to ask you one more question, if I may. It’s a bit personal.”
“You’re my father-in-law,” Adam said. “Ask away.”
“In light of the debacle I’d made, I had my lawyer make some phone calls, looking into your offer.”
“I expected nothing less,” Adam said.
“From what he learned, your entire family is as rich as Croesus. Being a doctor can be a stressful career. Why bother, when you clearly don’t have to work at all?”
Adam’s smile was gentle. “Grandmother Amanda and Grandmother Sarah,” he said. “They both passed when I was about twelve, but what an impression they made! Grandmother Sarah, especially, had been adamant. According to her, ‘You don’t live rich, you don’t act better than other people, you spend your time earning your keep, and you live your life in service to others.’ Those are words I’ve never forgotten, and words most of the family lives by.”
“Not a word among them I would disagree with. Son, I look forward to visiting and meeting your family.”
“We’ll look forward to it, too, sir.”
Someone put some music on the stereo, and “The Twelfth of Never” began to play. Reg nudged Adam. “Go dance with your wife. It’s your wedding day.”
Adam clearly didn’t need to be asked twice, and neither did Pamela. Reg watched them as they moved together to the crooning of Johnny Mathis. He watched the way they looked at each other, the way his daughter melted into this man’s arms, and the flow of movement as he led her around the room. The couple had been married by Reverend Sparks right here in this room not three hours ago. Neighbors had brought over a potluck supper, and now there would be a little dancing. Nothing fancy, all homespun. The lights caught a few of the rhinestones imbedded in Pammy’s wedding dress, which had been Elizabeth’s dress that she and her mother had made.
Reg’s throat tightened as he inevitably thought of his Elizabeth and plans made in the dark of night before sleep. Tears shimmered, and for a moment, he felt her right there beside him. “Aw, Lizzie, you’d be so proud watching her in your gown, how she sparkles. I know it’s not the big shindig you imagined for her, but if love and compassion are the measure, our baby’s wedding truly has it all.”
Chapter Three
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re beginning our descent into Dallas, arriving at Love Field. The local time is twelve thirty-two p.m., and the temperature a balmy sixty degrees. Current winds are at about fourteen miles an hour, out of the south, south east. No precipitation is expected this afternoon. We hope you enjoy your stay in Dallas. On behalf of Captain Pettigrew and the flight crew, thank you for flying American Airlines.”
The fasten seat belt sign came on, and Pamela sighed. Except for one notable occasion when she’d gotten up to use the bathroom, she’d kept her seatbelt fastened the entire time for this, her first flight ever.
Her husbands had booked seats in first class, and the three-and-a-half-hour flight had included a light lunch as well as fresh coffee. Adam and James had offered her the window seat, but Pamela had been content to be on the aisle, so she could talk to Adam on her left and James on her right, seated in the same row but on the other side of the aisle.
Her glance was snagged, again, by the shine of the gold band on the ring finger of her left hand. She couldn’t help but look at it, time and again. Adam had placed that slim, delicate ring on her finger yesterday, during their brief ceremony in her father’s living room, with the framed photograph of her mother looking on.
Wearing her mother’s wedding dress, a gown Elizabeth Franklin had made with the help of Grandmother Franklin, Pamela had felt her mother there and felt her mother’s love and approval. She didn’t need anything more to know she’d made the right decision in saying yes to these two men.
We’ll have our wedding night tomorrow, sweetheart. We want to love you in our own bed, behind our own closed doors.
“What did you think of your first flight, sweetheart?” Adam picked up her left hand, placing a kiss right over the ring she wore.
“Except for when everything shook for a few minutes, I enjoyed it. How far is it from the airport to your…oh gosh! I don’t even know if you live in a house or an apartment!” In that moment, as the stewardesses were checking trays, seat backs, and seatbelts, Pamela realized there were a whole lot of things about her brand-new life and her brand-new husbands that she simply didn’t know.
Adam shook his head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just now realized we’ve both been a couple of complete dunces. We haven’t told you much about Lusty or what to expect at all, have we?”
“You’re not a dunce, Adam, and neither is James. This has been a very
