His Forever Valentine by Kit Morgan

Charlotte tried again.
    “We ain’t made no definite plans,” Tom pushed out. “In fact, we need to have ourselves a long talk with certain family members before we … commit to anything.”
    “Well you’re courting the girl, aren’t you?” Mrs. Riley huffed. “Isn’t that commitment enough?  Why else would you be doing it except to get married?”
    Charlotte let her face fall into her hands.  Her shoulders shook, and Tom didn’t know if she laughed or cried.
    “A double wedding?” Rose said to herself.
    Just then, Nellie Davis came into the parlor, with Matthew’s mother in tow. “Charlotte! Why didn’t you tell me?” She quickly turned to the other matrons. “A mother is always the last to know these things!”
    Charlotte brought her face out of her hands, her eyes meeting Matthew’s first. He sat, a horrified expression on his face, his jaw so tense she doubted he could speak.  She turned to her mother as she shook her head. “It’s not what you think.”
    “Of course it is,” her mother said sternly. “Especially if I say so.”
    “Now wait a minute,” Tom put in. “Ain’t I the one that’s supposed to say so?”
    “You did!” Mrs. Davis said as she spun to him. “And now you’re courting my daughter! I cant’ wait to tell Mr. Davis!”
    Charlotte fell back in her chair and began to fan herself.
    “Really, this has gone far enough.” Matthew said as he stood.
    “What do you mean?” his mother asked. “It hasn’t gone anywhere yet. But I’m sure by the time you and Rose get married, Deputy Turner and Charlotte can too.” She grasped one of Mrs. Riley’s hands in her own. “We have our work cut out for us, Leona!”
    “We’ll have to get Abbey to help!” Mrs. Davis cried.
    Tom, Charlotte, Matthew and Rose sat. It was like watching three giant hens pecking and clucking at one another as each went on and on about wedding details, none of which had to do with whatever detail the others were talking about.  Matthew got up, hobbled to the stove, took a pot and banged it with a ladle.
    The three matrons stopped, and gawked at him.
    “Please, may Rose and I continue with our visit without any further interruption from you?”
    The women looked at each other, then back to Matthew. “We were only trying to help,” his mother sniffed. “But if you don’t want it …”
    “Rose is perfectly capable of telling you what she needs for the wedding,” he stated in a diplomatic tone. He glanced to Charlotte and did his best not to clench his jaw. “And I’m sure that goes for Charlotte as well.”
    Mrs. Davis stepped to her daughter. “Come along, Charlotte, we have plans to make.”
    Charlotte’s jaw dropped. “What plans? Don’t you think daddy ought to speak to Deputy Turner?”
    Matthew tried not to smile. “ Now , it’s Deputy Turner …”
    She sent him a glare, before giving her attention back to her mother. “He hasn’t actually asked me yet.”
    Mrs. Davis gave her a condescending look. “Of course not. He’s hardly courted you yet!”
    Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I mean, he hasn’t asked if he could court me yet!”
    “Of course he has!” her mother shot back, “Why else would he be wanting to marry you?”
    “I’m sorry, Mrs. Davis,” Tom said as he stood. “But I ain’t marrying nobody unless I decide it, and neither is Charlotte.” He took one of Charlotte’s hands in his own before facing the three matrons. “I know you ladies mean well, and we all appreciate it. But we’ll all get to courtin’ in our own time, and marryin’ in our own time too. Ain’t that right, Matthew?”
    Matthew still held the pot in one hand, a ladle in the other. “Right.” He set them on the tab le and limped back to the love seat. “Deputy Turner and Charlotte mentioned courting, but neither has decided.  They are here as chaperones, nothing more.” He shot Tom a nervous glance.
    “Now if you ladies will excuse us, we’d like to get