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A Pleasant Story - Chapter Sixteen - "A Matter of More Worth"
Back to: A Pleasant Story - Chapter Fifteen - Prisoner of Fear Next: A Pleasant Story - Chapter Seventeen - No Such Ruinous Thought
Dear Readers--you may have noticed that the story chapters do not proceed entirely chronologically; this is because I prefer to stay with one family's story instead of moving back and forth within chapters. I have tried to add explanations to make it clear where we are in the chronology, for example, I start this chapter by explaining that this begins the same day Carla arrested Daniel, so we are going back in time a little from the end of the previous chapter. I hope it's not confusing!

And thank you to all the readers who are leaving such nice comments--I love hearing from you! Please feel free to correct any errors I make--it wasn't until last weekend that I realized the first two chapters had the story occurring in "Pleasantville!" lol




A Pleasant Story

Chapter Sixteen

"A Matter of More Worth"

After arresting Daniel, Carla had returned home to the new house she and her fiance Kaylie had just purchased. It wasn't fancy, and wasn't in the best part of town. But they could fix it up, and the house came with really nice neighbors; the Broke family lived next door. Carla really liked Brandi--her sense of fun and happy nature made her easy to feel comfortable with. And she'd been building a friendship with Dustin, too. He seemed like a nice kid who was making some poor choices, but she thought maybe her example of working in law enforcement could inspire him to choose a better path.

She looked around the ugly kitchen and thought about what they could do with it.




Kaylie was on the phone after a long day of job-hunting. She wanted to work in the law career. Carla listened in on Kaylie's side of the conversation . . .

"Yes, thank you so much! Day after tomorrow? Yes, that will be fine. Okay, I'll see you then!"



Kaylie hung up the phone and smiled happily.

"You got a job?" Carla asked. "The one you wanted?"

"Yup! I start on the day after our wedding, which is a pain, but you have to work too, right?"



Carla nodded.

"Well," Kaylie continued, "Maybe we can schedule a honeymoon SOMEDAY! Oh, hey, come look in the bedroom--my grandmother sent us her old bed to use."

Carla looked in dismay at the very old-fashioned, very huge bed. She hoped Kaylie didn't like it . . .



Kaylie said, "I know it's hideous, but it's just temporary. Until we're both working, we need to save however we can."

Carla sighed in relief. "It's fine for now," she said happily. “Maybe we should try it out?”

As they relaxed on the bed, Carla suddenly sat up and cocked her head, listening. “Did you hear that? It sounded like the door opening.” She was already up and through the bedroom door before Kaylie even replied.

Carla checked the house, then returned to the bedroom and shrugged at Kaylie.

“Nothing. I guess we just have to get used to the sounds this house makes.” she said. “Now where were we?”



Carla said, "I'm going to take a shower, then I'll make dinner. Why don't you move the table we got into the kitchen so we'll have somewhere to eat?"

Kaylie did that, and then wandered around the house, thinking about how they could improve it. She then heard lots of splashing coming from the bathroom. She went in to find huge puddles of water on the floor.

"Well hey there, slob," she said affectionately to Carla, as she pretended to be shocked. "Next priority on the list is a bathtub so you won't make a mess every time you need to get clean! Is it like a rule that getting yourself clean involves making everything else dirty?"



Kaylie went to look at the second bedroom. It was a garish shade of lavender, but she and Carla had decided not to change anything in there until their hope of adopting a child came true--they'd let their kid choose the new decor. They agreed that adopting an older child would be the best choice since they were both so busy. She smiled at the pictures Carla had put on the wall for her to find.



Kaylie then went into the kitchen to watch Carla cooking. "Mac and cheese! Yum! Third time this week! I can't wait!"

Carla laughed. "I'm trying! With you so busy studying, you should be glad I'm willing to do the cooking!"




When they sat down to eat, Kaylie said, "I wanted to talk to you about something. I know you want to work on making this place really nice, and I do too. But I was going over our simoleons, and I realized that if we hold off on doing any improvements for a while, we have almost enough right now to qualify to adopt a child. But I don't want to rush it--if you think we should wait longer, then we can."




Carla answered excitedly, while spraying macaroni, "I think that's a GREAT idea! I was thinking we'd have to wait longer, but we both want a child, and why should we wait if we don't have to?”

She continued, “I've really been thinking about it ever since I met the Picasos.”

“Who?” Kaylie inquired.

“They were the family I met when I got the call about the disturbance that night. It turns out Matthew had been abducted by aliens and the neighbors were concerned by the bright lights and noise that night when they brought him back. I explained that he should get the small telescope if he didn't enjoy being abducted.”



“So then they asked if I'd like to meet an alien, and I said 'Sure!' I didn't know what to expect, but they handed me the cutest little alien baby, named Rigel!”



“Then they went into two little bedrooms, and each came out holding more babies! One alien, and one not, Vega and Pablo. They were all adorable. But it got me thinking that I hoped we could adopt as soon as possible!”




Kaylie nodded. “But we talked about adopting a child because of our schedules — did you change your mind and want to adopt an infant?”

Carla shook her head, “No, I still think a child would be better. And if we want to snuggle babies, we can always visit Matthew and Jessica. I invited them to the wedding, so you can meet them tomorrow.”

Kaylie smiled happily. "And I have another idea too--let's call the adoption service right after we get married--you know, make it part of the ceremony! Oh, wait--if we want to adopt, we can't have a big wedding. We can't afford both."





Carla replied, "We already have our dresses and the wedding arch. All we really need is a cake, and we'll explain to everyone that they have to stand up to watch because we are adopting. We don't have to have a buffet--cake is enough. I think it will be fine."

“Or maybe the guests could bring chairs and lights. Then we could have it at night, under the stars. It could be a short of secondhand wedding,” Kaylie said.

They celebrated their decision with a toast.





Kaylie then went to clean up the dinner dishes and the mess Carla had left after cooking.



When she was done, she noticed a small cow on the kitchen counter and wondered about it.



She hadn't gotten it--she wondered if Carla had? She called out to her to ask if she'd put the cow there, but she heard splashing from the bathroom, so guessed Carla was cleaning up her shower mess with the mop.



In the course of the evening, Kaylie forgot about the cow, and snuggled up to Carla to dream of a wedding, and a new child.





The next morning, before work, Carla was trying to get the yard ready for the wedding, but was having trouble making the bushes look nice. She went into the house and told Kaylie to call a gardener just to make everything look tidy, then went to work.




Kaylie called the gardening service, then continued studying her law books.

The gardener arrived that afternoon.

Kaylie was still trying to read, though she felt a little distracted by intruding thoughts, when the gardener came in the house and asked if he could have a glass of water. Kaylie nodded distractedly and went back to her studying.





When he'd finished with his water, the gardener walked over to her and said, "You know, if you need simoleons, I have some friends doing delivery jobs in town. It's really simple and you can make some really quickly."



Kaylie considered, "Delivering what? I could definitely use more simoleons." It didn't occur to her to wonder how the gardener knew this.

The gardener was about to respond when Carla came home from work.

"Oh, hey," she said, "I'm glad you got the gardener over here. The bushes really need help!"




The gardener stuttered a bit at the sight of Carla's blue uniform and said quickly, "Um, well, let me get to work then."

Carla thanked him and told him everything needed to look great for their wedding in a few hours.

"Um, yeah, sure," he said. "I'll make them look nice."





Kaylie put her books away and gave Carla a big hug. "Wedding day! Let's go get ready!" Then she glanced out the window. "Hey, the gardener just walked away! He didn't do the bushes! What was that about? Oh well! Our friends won't care. Let's get dressed!"



They were about to put on their wedding finery when the sound of a rattling truck caught their attention. They looked out side and saw a . . . gardener?

They went out to greet him and Kaylie said, “Hi! They sent two in one day?”




“Ma'am?” He sounded confused. “I just got a call that y'all needed help.” He tipped his hat and moved around her to trim the bushes.

He finished quickly, and Kalie and Carla watched him leave.



“That was odd,” said Carla. Kaylie nodded in agreement. “But never mind–wedding time!”

They put on their wedding dresses and headpieces; Kaylie had chosen a veil, Carla a tiara.



Kaylie moved to the window to watch the first guests arrive just as the sun was setting. It was fun to see their friends, and an occasional passer-by from the street, ready to witness their vows.



The guests came burdened, as requested, with chairs and lamps that they set up in the backyard near the wedding arch. Kaylie and Carla exited the house and stood watching the preparations. They were both thinking what good friends they had!





As they waited for the sun to fully set, Carla said to Kaylie, "Here we go! Together forever after this!"



Kaylie replied, quoting, "Marriage is a matter of more worth; Than to be dealt in by attorneyship."

Carla replied with a chuckle, "Do you have to bring the law into everything?"



They stood under the arch waiting for their guests to be seated so they could say their vows. Carla had invited Mary-Sue and her girls, and their friend Kaylynn, and also Matthew Picaso and his wife, Jessica. Kaylie had invited Cassandra Goth, and her friends Danielle and Nina. Nina had brought Don Lothario. Kaylie hoped he'd behave himself! She'd also invited their neighbor, Brandi Broke, but she'd had to decline because she was so close to giving birth.





They said their vows and exchanged rings just as the sun set. Happy memories of becoming married were placed into their minds.



Rose petals fluttered down as they exchanged rings.



Then they had their first kiss as a married couple.



The guests expressed their happiness and approval, except for Don Lothario, who seemed to be checking out some of the other guests.



Kaylie then turned to the guests and said, "Okay everybody, listen up! This is a cheap wedding because of what I am about to do!" She pulled out her cell phone as the guests watched attentively to see what she was up to.



Everyone clapped appreciatively and congratulated them when they heard her make arrangements to adopt a child the next day.



"Now, everybody gather around for cake!" shouted Carla. The guests laughes as Kaylie cut the cake, then shoved a large slice into Carla's face.




As the guests were watching the cake-cutting, Don Lothario took the opportunity to put the moves on Kaylie's friend Danielle.



Everyone enjoyed the cake, and Don Lothario behaved himself thereafter--being attentive to Nina and staying away from Cassandra.



Then he helped himself to a second slice of cake. Juggling women gave him an appetite. As he grabbed his cake, he noticed another guest who might be worthy of his attentions, but she quickly introduced her husband.



Cassandra and Mary-Sue started up a game of kicky-ball, that ever-popular wedding activity!




The party was a roof-raiser, and everyone left chatting happily about what a good time they'd had and how wonderful it was that the couple would soon be parents.

Carla and Kaylie hugged each other.

The day had been perfect! And tomorrow would be even better when their child arrived! They didn't notice the uninvited guest observing them.

Click Next: A Pleasant Story - Chapter Seventeen - No Such Ruinous Thought to continue...

 
Back to: A Pleasant Story - Chapter Fifteen - Prisoner of Fear Next: A Pleasant Story - Chapter Seventeen - No Such Ruinous Thought
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