“Mmm, You’re up I see.”
“For just a little bit, I’ve been watching you sleep.”
“I guess having you here with not much to wear kept you in bed huh?”
“Very funny, I’m actually quite used to running around naked in front of strangers at this point. The only thing keeping me here is my own free will. Why don’t we clean up and head back to my house so I can change then we can find some breakfast.”
“Actually I’ve got you covered.”
Wren looks down at her naked body lying on the bed then looks back at Norman.
“No, not actually, I still seem to be quite naked over here.”
They get a good laugh out of her joke as Norman rolls over on top of her.
“Okay now you do.”
“Actually what I meant is I have a set of clothes for you so we can clean up, go to church and breakfast afterward.”
“You did think of almost everything.”
“Almost?”
“Well you do only have a twin bed after all.”
“Who says I didn’t think about that?”
“Come on, the sooner we get cleaned up the sooner we eat.”
“Well you know now that I’m here I was kind of thinking of staying in bed just a little longer.”
“Well I think I could be… Oh, Norman, yes!”
Half an hour later finds them in Norman’s shower together. When they are out Norman hands Wren a new summer dress and sandals. Once they are dressed it is a quick trip to Norman’s church. Wren kneels in the pew and pulling her rosary from her new purse starts praying as she now does whenever she is in church. At the end of mass they leave with the other people.
“Norman, I didn’t see you for communion.”
“Sorry father, I wasn’t ready.”
“Wait for me till everyone has gone and we can talk.”
They wait though Wren is anxious to leave. But she does not dare to ignore a request from a priest. Father comes and leads them off into the sacristy at the side of church and into the rectory kitchen.
“Now Norman I have known you since your confirmation and you have never missed a communion unless you were out of town. So what is it that’s bothering you?”
“Father, I would like you to meet my fiancé Wren. We were engaged last night.”
“Father, I guess I am the reason Norman didn’t attend communion today. I guess you could say we did a little too much celebrating afterward.”
“I see so that’s why you were praying the rosary before mass and during communion. Well Norman you know when confession is and that I can’t issue penance in these circumstances to either of you. But I am assuming, Wren is also Catholic?”
“Yes father I am, born and raised.”
“Well we all have our little sins and this one is not too hard to deal with. I am happy for both of you and I look forward to seeing you both soon to work out your wedding details.”
“Thank-you father.”
They leave through the rectory door both a little embarrassed about their encounter. But both are still too overjoyed to let it bother them.
“You know when I’m done I don’t want to imagine what father’s face will look like when I tell him of my sins.”
“You’re fortunate that he is bound by an oath to God not to tell anyone what you are going to confess.”
They go out to breakfast during which they decide that it is pointless for Norman to keep his apartment and start moving his clothes into Wren’s house. His furniture they plan to donate to charity as it really isn’t much and they don’t have a way to move it. Once they’re settled in at home Wren calls her grandma Robbins to tell her the good news. While Norman looks through the morning paper.
“Norman, grandma would like to know what day we would like the ceremony to be on.”
“Oh I don’t know how about June the eighteenth.”
“He says June the eighteenth.”
“Impetuous isn’t he?”
“Sometimes, but I’m sure he is just kidding, I mean that’s just barely two weeks.”
“Yes but it can be done. I tell you what I can do and give you a call back when I figure it out.”
“Grandma I’m sure he was just kidding, he couldn’t possibly mean it that soon.”
“I’ll call you back once I figure it out. Love ya.”
“Norman, you were just kidding about June the eighteenth weren’t you?”
“Why? Sunday June the eighteenth of next year. What’s wrong with that?”
“Well we thought you meant two weeks from now!”
“You can’t plan a wedding in less than two weeks. Can you?”
“Grandma is already on it. Besides, we actually have most of the planning part done already.”
“How is that?”
Wren had to sit Norman down and tell him about the conversation with her grandparents from just a couple of weeks prior.
“So you see we already have the bulk of it thought through so it’s just a matter of assembly.”
“And getting a dress in time. And planning a honeymoon. Unless you have already planned that as well.”
“No but I have always wanted to see the Grand Canyon again.”
“Then consider it done.”
“Don’t you think you’ve spent enough money on the jewelry and dress from Saturday night?”
“It won’t really cost that much just a drive down from your grandparents and a hotel stay.”
“And meals out for three meals a day at a tourist destination.”
“So we get a cooler and a camp stove. We can cut some of the cost that way if you're so worried about it.”
“I guess we could. Do you think your parents would come?”
“For starters how would they get there? They would have to leave yesterday to get there in two weeks in a horse and buggy. Besides as I told you, contact with me is pretty much forbidden lest I corrupt them as well. I will send a letter to my sister and a black and white picture from our wedding. But even that may be pushing it.”
What’s left of the day goes by fast until they fall asleep comfortably in each other's arms once again.
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