Chapter Twenty-Five ~
Jackson pulled up in front of an old peach-colored building that had
'County Courthouse' written in faded black letters across the front. There were
two doors inside. One read 'courtroom,' and the other 'everything else' in the
same faded black lettering above the door. He snickered, and so did Amy.
He opened the door to 'everything else' and ushered Amy inside by an
elbow. He walked up to the tall, scarred wooden counter and cleared his throat
at the pretty, blonde-haired woman sitting behind it reading a romance
novel.
"I need a marriage license." He said.
The blonde's head popped-up and she smiled happily. "Are you two
getting married?"
"We are if we can get a marriage license."
"Okay, hold on and let me get Myrtle. She does that sort of
thing." She gave Jackson a flirty smile.
Amy glared at her and gave a low-throated growl. Jackson laughed, bowed
his head closer to hers and whispered in her ear, "Easy Tigress, I'm all
yours." He squeezed her hand before dropping it to her side.
"Okay, we'll wait." He pulled Amy toward an equally old and
scarred wooden bench that ran the length of the back wall. They sat down and
busied themselves reading the names carved into the seat.
'Myrtle' turned out to be a woman of unknown age with bright purple hair
and bright neon pink horn-rimmed glasses. She was short and chunky, and
obviously full of life and laughter. "Are
you the couple who wants a marriage license?"
"We certainly are." Jackson said.
Both women stared at Jackson dreamily, and Amy felt a little of the
green-eyed monster rising to the forefront. She swallowed to dispel the feeling,
but wasn't successful. Her voice sounded rude, even to her own ears when she
asked, "How long is it going to take?"
"About five minutes miss." The purple-haired woman said
shortly, and with a hint of steel in her voice.
"That's fine, isn't it?" Jackson asked as he pulled her to a
standing position and propelled her back to the tall counter that was even with
her chest. He looked down at her with tenderness, the love apparent in his
eyes.
“Where are you guys from?” The
purple-haired lady asked.
She was fishing, and Amy's radar went off. Maybe she was paranoid, but
she wasn’t taking any chances. "Yes, but we're thinking of moving here,
aren't we Jackie?" She batted her lashes at Jackson.
"Yes we are pumpkin nose." He tweaked her nose for emphasis.
"Okay," Purple-haired Myrtle said, "Here's the license.
Just fill in the blanks and I'll stamp it when you're done."
Jackson looked at Amy. "When's your birthday, I don't even
know."
"I was born January tenth, nineteen eighty-three. When were you
born?"
"My birthday's July twenty-sixth nineteen seventy-nine. I feel so
old compared to you, brownie-cakes." He gave a teasing smile.
"If you brownie-cakes me one more time you're going to be eating
bread and water for supper." She whispered with a sweet, loving smile in
his direction.
"There's my tigress." He said as his hand feathered down her
back lightly.
She shivered and whispered again, "Stop it now, I mean it."
"Here you go Myrtle, it’s all filled-out." He shoved it across
the counter into her waiting hands.
"Okay, let me see here." She ran long, black-painted
fingernails down the application. "It looks to be in order. Let me see your
IDs, please."
Jackson handed over his and Amy's IDs and waited while she perused them.
She wrote the license numbers in the appropriate spaces and stamped the
application after signing it. She gave it back and said, "Congratulations,
and I hope you have a long, happy life together."
"Thank you, we do too." Jackson grabbed the license and they
left.
"Wow, that lady had some purple hair." Jackson said as soon as
they cleared the building.
"I know right. I couldn't even tell how old she was. I feel sorry
for her, though. It's sad to see an older lady try to act like a
teenager."
"You totally amaze me, all the time."
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Most people would make fun of that old lady, not feel sorry for
her. That's one of the reason's I fell in love with you." He opened her
door and helped her into the car.
"I don't see anything to make fun of her for, it's just sad. She
probably lacks love in her life and tries to compensate by acting like she's
young again." She pulled her seatbelt across her chest.
"That may be true. I didn't even think of that. I was too busy
making fun of her."
"A few years ago I would've made fun of her too, but circumstances
changed all that. I met God. Without Him, I couldn't feel compassion, either. I
would be just like you."
"I want to have your attitude. How do I go about that?"
He looked serious, and Amy didn't want to discount it. "First-off,
you have to pray and ask God to call on you. You have to ask Him to give you
the ability to accept Him. Once you've accepted Him, you have to live for Him. You have to glorify Him in all
things. The only way you can do that is through His saving power. Through His saving power you grow in love and
obedience to Him. There's nothing for you to do. God has to call on you and
give you the desire to seek Him. It's all Him, and none of you."
"Wow, that's really deep."
Amy felt an imaginary iron fist hit her in the stomach. She couldn't
marry Jackson. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, but her resolve
was sure. "Jackson, I can't marry you." She whispered.
"What do you mean you can't marry me? We just got a license, for
Pete's sakes!"
"Jackson, I am so sorry.
I'm going to be completely honest here and tell you I was so happy you asked me
to marry you at first I didn't even think about God, and what He wants. But
after what I just said, I realize how true it is. I have been changed. I'm no longer the Amy I used to be. I can't
marry you because I can't be unequally yoked. You aren't saved and I can't
marry you." The last words ripped from her chest on a sob.
"You're not serious. Amy, I want to know your God, I really do.
Just give me a chance to come to know Him, okay? Don't tell me no before you
even know what's going to happen." He heard the note of hysteria in his
own voice. No one had ever caused him to feel this amount of pain. He couldn't
lose her. Especially after he’d admitted to her and pretty much everyone they
knew he loved her and wanted to marry her.
"Think of the kids, Amy. They need a Mom, and you're perfect for them.
You can't tell me you don't love them. Everyone knows you do."
Jackson put the key in the ignition and started the car. He sat staring
into space for a couple more seconds before he pulled out onto the road and
headed back to the cabin. The whole trip was made in silence. Amy sat like a
statue with tears pouring from her beautiful eyes and running down her face.
***
Jackson was despondent. He didn't need this right now. He needed to be
on his toes and at complete attention. The lives of his children and the woman
he loved depended on it. He felt anger that she would pull this right now, but
even more, he respected her. He'd never met anyone with such morals. He really
did want to know the God that caused that kind of devotion.
They pulled up in front of the house and Jackson turned the car off. "Don't
say no yet, Amy. Give me time to know this God of yours. Let me get this madman
off the streets and out of our lives. I love you and I will not lose you."
He got out of the car and stormed off behind the house.
Amy was left to go in the house and give the guys the bad news. They
were just as upset as she was.
When she told them what had transpired, Jude and Scott were angry with
her. Otis said, "Good girl, God loves it when you glorify Him."
Amy was so upset she ran into Otis' arms and sobbed inconsolably. Angie
and Benji heard the commotion, and as was becoming their habit, they came
running to see what was going on in their world this time.
Amy pulled them to her and sobbed harder. Angie pushed her head up as
much as she could with her tiny hands and said, "It'll be okay Mamie. God
loves you." The little girl smiled at her with a secret little smile, and
Amy laughed.
Not to be outdone, Benji said, "Yeah Mamie, God loves us."
Tenderness washed over her at the love the little ones were showing, and
she hugged them tightly to her. "Thanks guys. I know He loves me, and I love you."
Jude looked at her in irritation, "Amy, Jackson loves you. How can
you not marry him?"
She stood up and looked him square in the eyes. "The Bible tells us
we aren't to be unequally yoked, and no matter how much I love him, I won’t go against God."
"I guess you're right."
"I think I understand, that doesn't mean I have to like it. I was
looking forward to being an uncle." Scott was sullen. What he said
lightened the mood, and they all laughed.
Jackson came in and said to Jude, "It's set up. We're leaving within
the hour." He looked at Amy. "Let's go do one more round of target
practice for good measure. Uncle
Scott can watch the kids." He grinned and said, "No worries mate, I’m
very confident you will be their
uncle before it's over with." He walked out the door, leaving Amy to
follow.
Amy was sad and a little angry she couldn't marry the man she loved. She
sent up a prayer asking God to call on Jackson that he might be saved. Not only
did she want him saved, she really wanted to marry him. She added a confession
of self-interest and asked God to make her grow the way He desired, and that His
will be done, not hers. She was definitely a work in progress and she moved
uncomfortably at the knowledge.
They went behind the barn where they had before and she took the gun,
checked it, and then aimed and squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit in the
center of the bull's eye. She walked back to him, handed him the gun, smiled cheekily and said, "Do I pass
muster?"
He laughed and replied, "Yes you do." He took the gun and slid
it back in its holster. "I love you Amy, no matter that you've hurt
me." He turned and walked away.
As Amy walked back to the house, a sob escaped her tightly clamped lips.
Jackson was ahead of her, his back ram-rod straight. "I love you too,
Jackson." She whispered.
