Free Teaching Patience (Homespun) by Katie Crabapple Page A

and Charlie on our picnic tomorrow.  I hope that’s okay.”
    Millie nodded sleepily.  “Of course, that’s okay.  I’m glad you had a good time.”
    Patience smiled.  “Oh, I did.  I think I love him, Mama.”
    “I know you do.  I knew this was coming that day you came home and told me you’d told him you’d pray for him.”
    Patience laughed, leaning down to kiss Millie’s cheek.  “Go to sleep, Mama.  I’ll see you in the morning.”
    Outside, George went to Hugh.  “You wanted to talk to me?”
    Hugh nodded.  “I know you didn’t like it that I was outside alone with Patience tonight, and I want to apologize for that.  I also want to let you know that nothing happened between us.”
    “That’s good.”  George studied the younger man and waited for him to say more.
    “I went to find her and check on Charlie, and she was giving one of the older women a piece of her mind for the way she’d talked to Charlie.  I didn’t get out there to see the whole thing, but I saw enough.  You have an amazing daughter.”
    “Yes, I do.  She’ll make the right man a good wife.”
    Hugh drew a deep breath.  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.  I’d like to marry Patience, and wanted to ask your permission to ask her.”
    George tilted his head to the side for a moment, not because he had to think about his answer, but because he thought a man should have to sweat as he asked permission to marry the girl of his choice.  “You sure?  It seems awful sudden.”
    Hugh nodded.  “I’m in love with her.  She’s a good woman, and my son likes her a lot.  I think she’s what we need.”
    George nodded then.  “ You can ask her.”
    Hugh’s face split into a huge grin.  He was so glad Patience had such an understanding father.  Not many men would have been willing to let their daughter marry a man who’d been divorced.
    He drove home slowly as he thought about exactly how he’d ask her.
    *****
    Hugh and Patience sat watching the children play at the picnic on Sunday afternoon.  The lake was calm and clear, and the weather was downright balmy.  It was hard to believe there’d been such a bad storm just a few days before. 
    He reached over and took Patience’s hand in his own squeezing it tightly.  “I have something I want to ask you.”
    She tore her eyes away from the children playing ball across the way.  “What’s that?”  She couldn’t believe she’d ever looked at him and not seen what a wonderful man he was.  How could he have made her so angry such a short time ago?
    He looked down at their hands where they were joined on the picnic blanket and finally met her eyes.  “I’ve come to the realization that I want nothing more in life than to have you for my wife.   I asked your papa last night after I dropped you off, and he said ‘yes’.  Will you marry me?”
    Her eyes widened in surprise.  She’d known he was interested in her, but certainly hadn’t expected him to ask her quite so soon.  She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, though.  Hadn’t she told her mama she loved him just last night?  Slowly she nodded.  “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
    He smiled, his entire face transformed.  “You won’t regret it!”  He squeezed her hand tightly. 
    “Will you want me to stop working?”  Patience wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep working or not, but she knew she wanted to be able to work if she chose.
    “That’s up to you.  If you want to continue teaching for a year or two until a child comes along that would be fine.  If you want to quit now, that would be fine, too.  We won’t really need your salary.”
    “I’ll think about it then.  When do you want to be married?”  She thought of all the things that would need to be done before the wedding could take place.  She’d need to sew a new dress, and they’d have to plan a meal for the wedding supper.
    He shrugged.  “As soon as we can make it happen!”