Time is a funny thing. What seemed like a lifetime away was suddenly here. They had seen great violence with Rud rescuing Patience and Billy, then Martha and Alice's father, and the uncle's men from town, but they had also had some quiet, yet hectic years with the sawmill and expanding into other businesses. Billy, who had turned seventeen, was proving even at this young age he had a talent for business Patience was sure exceeded her father.

Billy and Alice had been living together full time in their cabin for quite some time. The trips back to Bessie's had become less frequent until Alice just stopped going back. With Martha, Ollie, and baby Charlotte living with Bessie, not having Alice coming and going was easier on everyone.

Alice turned seventeen on a Tuesday. Billy asked Rud and Patience for advice on asking Alice to marry him. Rud told him to talk with Bessie then ask Martha for permission since she was Alice's only remaining immediate family member.

Patience, a few tears escaping her eyes at the thought of her baby brother getting married, managed a smile, and said he better marry that girl before she drove everyone crazy.

Bessie was more serious. She wanted Billy to understand how big a decision this was and not to let Alice rush him into anything. Marriage would be for the rest of their lives, and if he needed more time to think it over, he should take the time.

Billy told Bessie he was sure, he had come to cherish Alice, and without question had grown to love her more than anything. Bessie said, "Alright then, it's all she has talked about since you two met, and I am tired of hearing about it, so get on with it!"

Billy cornered Ollie and Martha coming out of the barn and asked if he could talk with them about Alice. Martha, with a smile, said, "Marry her, so she will shut up about it!" Ollie told him it was time.

That night when Alice came to bed, she lay down as usual on Billy's left side. Billy put his arm around her and pulled her close. Billy asked, "Alice, will you marry me?"

Alice had waited a long time for this, and Billy expected her to explode, but she didn't. Alice reached up, kissed him on the lips, and just said, "Okay." Then she swished her hair back into his face, squirmed about until she was comfortable, and exhaled deeply.

She said, "Billy Billings, I will marry you anytime or any place you want. I love you, not because I've always known I'd love you, but because I feel it and know it in my heart." Alice closed her eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Billy reached down and kissed her head somewhere under all that hair.

* * * * *

The next morning Alice walked hand-in-hand with Billy to the barn where Rud was waiting. Alice kissed Billy then went to tell Patience the news. Rud was down on his knees, checking the wagon wheel when Billy walked up. Billy told Rud he had asked Alice to marry him last night.

Rud looked at Billy and asked, "Really, what did she say?" Rud was trying very hard not to smile. Billy told Rud, "Well, she didn't say yes, she just said, 'Okay.'" Rud said, "Huh, you sure she wants to get married. Maybe it surprised her, and she didn't know what to say."

Billy looked at Rud and said, "Alice, not wanting to get married. Are you serious?" Rud couldn't hold it back any longer and started laughing. Rud said, "I am surprised the whole valley did not hear her. Two things; First, thank goodness we won't have to hear her talk about it anymore, and second, how soon is the wedding?" Billy laughed and said he didn't know, and it surprised him how calm she was when he asked.

Alice knocked on the door frame as she walked into Patience's cabin. Patience was dealing with the twins already this morning and said, "Morning honey. You are up and about early." Alice walked over, picked Henry's cup up from the floor, and set it down next to his chair. Patience saw Alice's face and immediately knew Billy had asked her. Patience said, "Oh my goodness, Alice, what did you say?" Alice told Patience she had imagined Billy asking her so many times that when he did, it was like a normal thing. All she said was, "Okay."

Patience and Alice started talking. The more they talked, the more excited and louder they became until Alice almost screamed, "I am finally getting married!" Rud did not need to be there, he knew they were holding each other's hands and jumping up and down. Their voices carried throughout the valley. The ladies were screaming, and the twins were getting upset with all the commotion.

Rud looked at Billy and said, "There is your excited response." Billy just smiled. Rud, using a line he often kidded Billy with, said, "You know, I liked you better when you didn't talk. See how much trouble talking has gotten you into." Billy and Rud drove the wagon out of the barn and were off for another day of work.

* * * * *

Billy and Alice rode a horse over to Bessie's to tell her the news. As usual, Alice was riding double behind Billy. No one was surprised, but they all made a big deal out of it anyway. Martha and Ollie joined Alice and Billy and rode down to let Charlotte know while Bessie got some alone time with little Charlotte.

Charlotte loved weddings and was a little teary-eyed talking about it as this was the last wedding she might ever have a chance to see. Charlotte reminded them she was not getting any younger. Martha told her she would just have to hang in there as she already had two great-grandsons and a great-granddaughter she needed to see married off. Charlotte said, "Just three? I may have to change my marriage talk to a why aren't you having more babies."

Fall was a tough time to organize a wedding as most of the farms are busy harvesting, so Alice and Billy would need to wait until November to marry. Alice had already picked out her dress design and had purchased the material earlier in the year. Bessie and Martha had cut and pieced most of the dress together, but it still required fitting. There was still work to do before the dress would be completed.

Patience, Alice, and the twins would visit Bessie several times over the next few weeks to complete the dress. Rud would have watched the boys, but you did not visit Bessie without the children.

Alice decided to get married in Bessie's barn, so by the wedding day, the barn had been cleaned out and decorated for the event. The same judge who had performed the ceremony for both Patience and Martha would officiate.

Rud bought several turkeys they would bake and serve for dinner. Fall is a good time for pies, and Billy wanted pies, especially his favorite, sweet potato pie. Ollie would give Alice away. Alice was concerned Rud might be upset not being the one walking her down the aisle, but Rud thought it was appropriate Ollie be the one. Ollie was her older sister's husband, and it seemed right he would give her away.

Alice would not hear of sleeping at Charlotte's the night before her wedding. She would spend the night before her wedding in bed next to Billy, just like she had most of the last five years. Martha and Patience did spend the night at Charlotte's and, even with all the children, had a pleasant evening. The day of the wedding, Alice got up very early and rode her horse down to Charlotte's to get ready.

When the time came, Billy walked with Rud into the barn and took their places. Ollie drove the buggy with Alice, Charlotte, Martha, Patience, and the kids back to Bessie's. When everyone was ready, Ollie walked Alice down the aisle.

The Judge, remembering Patience's kiss before the ceremony, took one look at Alice and said, "Folks, looks like we may have another kisser with this one." Alice took the lead and gave Billy a quick kiss, then told the judge, "I've been waiting five years, Judge, get on with it."

Dinner was wonderful, but you could tell Billy and Alice were anxious to leave. Alice whispered in Billy's ear, and then Billy stood and thanked everyone for coming. Everyone gathered around and wished them well as Billy and Alice got on their horses.

Bessie insisted they kiss for everyone to see, so Billy led his horse next to Alice's, but in the opposite direction, so they were facing each other. They kissed, not just a little kiss, it was a real kiss. Everyone clapped and cheered, which embarrassed Alice.

Billy and Alice rode their horses out of Bessie's yard, turned, and waved as they galloped towards home. They made it about a quarter-mile when Alice steered her horse over to Billy's, and just before they bumped, Alice grabbed her skirt, yanked it up on that side, threw her leg up, and jumped on Billy's horse behind him. Billy reached around, pulled her tightly against him, and used his heels to keep his horse moving.

Alice and Billy had waited a long time for this, and they were hungry for each other. The last year had been difficult, but true to their word, they had never crossed the line even though their bodies had cried out for the others many times. Alice's arms were around Billy as they rode towards their cabin. The horse could not run fast enough.