Wide Open Spaces

You've Got The Love

Jess is crossing through the living room and hears the conversation. "Welcome back, baby girl. I knew you'd make the right choice" He kisses the top of her head.

"You didn't like him either?"

"Not that he needs to but he didn't ask us for your hand. It's the principle of the thing. Call me old fashioned. Lindsey asked, rather begged us, all those years ago."

Stevie was shocked, not so much with Brock's behavior but Lindsey's. "He...he asked you for permission to marry me?"

Her parents chuckle and her mother wraps an arm around her father. Barbara has never told her the story before. "Yes, he asked us. He was so cute and nervous. If I remember correctly, it was after a conference that Mr Hadley had sent him to."

Cause you got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love

"He came here before heading home and he told us how in love he was and how much he cared about you." Her mother continued. "He said you hadn't talked about it but he wanted it to be okay with us before he asked, no matter what your answer might be. He was so tired, had no money and he was so thin and hungry. He said he didn't feel worthy to ask but we could see how much he wanted you to be his wife."

Lindsey's hand found Stevie's and she looked at him briefly as he laced his fingers with hers.

Time after time I think "Oh Lord what's the use?"
Time after time I think it's just no good
'Cause sooner or later in life, the things you love you lose
But you got the love I need
To see me through

"So your mama made him dinner and I thought it over. By the time he was done eating, which was no time at all, I knew I was going to agree."

"But he made me work for it," Lindsey said with a laugh.

"Damn right" her father said with a wink. "I made him go home to you. I wanted to see if it really mattered to him. He called me everyday for a week. He got on my nerves!" He laughed. "He kept telling me he wouldn't ask if he wasn't serious and if I didn't say it was okay, no proposal would be made. I told him he could marry you if he stopped calling!" Lindsey laughs, nodding and Jess slaps his former son in law's back as one would a dear, old friend. "A few nights later, you called us with news of your pregnancy, TeeDee."

You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love

"Wait...you didn't marry me because of the babies?" Stevie asks Lindsey, tears in her eyes.

"No, I wanted to save for the most beautiful ring but I had no idea how long that would take. Every time I would save up a good amount, I had to use it for rent one month and the next, to fix our car when it broke down. It hurt that I couldn't afford a nice ring. I couldn't give you anything really special but I did my best."

"It was enough. I still treasure that ring. Money doesn't matter to me. I wanted you and that's why I said yes. All these years, I thought you proposed because I was pregnant...but that's not true" She inhales deeply, dissolving into tears and he embraced her. Her parents step away to give them space. "When I panicked the night before we got married, that's what it was about. I thought you wouldn't have asked me if I weren't pregnant and I began to question our future. I thought you were trying to fix the situation. I felt horrible, like I had trapped you and were just doing the right thing."