Pages of the Past (Bellingwood Book 9) by Diane Greenwood Muir Page B
Authors: Diane Greenwood Muir
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that way for the rest of his life. He has to grow up sometime."
Polly slowly shook her head back and forth. "I don't think so. He's responsible. He goes to work and does a good job every day. He pays his bills. I know that he spends time with his parents. He enjoys his friends. He loves you and apparently will do anything to make you happy. He's kind and good to his dog and he's wonderful with Andrew and Rebecca. Tell me how growing up will make him a better person."
"But..."
"No buts. You fell in love with an amazing young man. Let him be that person until he chooses to do something differently. If he isn't ready to have your girly stuff in his apartment, let that be okay. He wants you there. Learn to fall in love with his best friend, because I'll tell you right now, if you separate those two boys, you'll be the one who pays in the long run. He'll let you get away with it, but someday down the road, it will come back to haunt you."
"Why am I the one who has to change everything?"
"Because you're the one thinking about it and asking the deep questions. This matters to you right now and this is the time when you can do the right thing."
"Crap."
Polly laughed. "What did you think I was going to tell you when you came in here?"
"I don't know, but I didn't think that I was going to be the one who was wrong. How do you make Henry fall in line all the time?"
"What?" Polly looked at her in shock. "Henry falls in line?"
"Everyone talks about how perfect he is. He never does anything wrong. He's always doing stuff for you. I heard someone say that he was whipped."
"Henry Sturtz whipped. That's a good one. It's occurred to no one that he does what he wants to do? If I ask for help, he does what he can to be there, but that goes both ways."
"Nobody else would bring puppies home from their honeymoon. He did that for you."
"Tell me another man out there who would have ignored those puppies, leaving them in the street to die."
"Well..."
"Henry does the right thing. And you'll notice he never apologizes for it either. He thinks about the things he's going to do and then he does them. People don't have enough on their own plates if they're worrying about my husband."
Rachel put her hands up defensively. "It wasn't me. I was just trying to figure out how you get him to be so nice to you."
"Mostly I don't ask him to do things I know he doesn't want to do. And if I am going to ask him to do something like that I make sure there's a darned good reason for it. If I asked him to drive off a bridge, he'd tell me I was nuts, but if I asked him to run the car into the river because the trunk was on fire, he'd figure out a way to get us both to safety and then send the car into the water. He's not a stupid man and I'm not a stupid woman. We listen and we talk and we respect the other person's ability to make good decisions."
"Maybe that's what I need to do."
"What's that?"
"Let Billy make good decisions."
"If he isn't ready for you to move in, you have to respect that."
"You're right. I'm just so ready to get our lives started. He isn't."
"He will be someday and if you let him get there on his own, it will make it easier."
"What if it takes ten years?"
Polly chuckled. "Okay. That might be a bit much, but I doubt Billy takes that long. He's only been out of his parent's house for a year. Let him have this."
"What am I going to do with Doug?"
"You might find him a girl to date. That's always a good distraction. And why don't you be the one to work with Doug to set up a game night. Do it on a Friday night after one of your early wedding rehearsal dinners. Make great food and invite their friends. Let him know that you aren't trying to separate him from his best friend. Encourage their fun."
"Maybe we could do it this Friday night." Rachel jumped up. "Thanks for talking me down, Polly."
"Where's Sylvie this morning? Don't you usually talk to her?"
"She had a delivery coming to the house. I think she's getting new living room
Polly slowly shook her head back and forth. "I don't think so. He's responsible. He goes to work and does a good job every day. He pays his bills. I know that he spends time with his parents. He enjoys his friends. He loves you and apparently will do anything to make you happy. He's kind and good to his dog and he's wonderful with Andrew and Rebecca. Tell me how growing up will make him a better person."
"But..."
"No buts. You fell in love with an amazing young man. Let him be that person until he chooses to do something differently. If he isn't ready to have your girly stuff in his apartment, let that be okay. He wants you there. Learn to fall in love with his best friend, because I'll tell you right now, if you separate those two boys, you'll be the one who pays in the long run. He'll let you get away with it, but someday down the road, it will come back to haunt you."
"Why am I the one who has to change everything?"
"Because you're the one thinking about it and asking the deep questions. This matters to you right now and this is the time when you can do the right thing."
"Crap."
Polly laughed. "What did you think I was going to tell you when you came in here?"
"I don't know, but I didn't think that I was going to be the one who was wrong. How do you make Henry fall in line all the time?"
"What?" Polly looked at her in shock. "Henry falls in line?"
"Everyone talks about how perfect he is. He never does anything wrong. He's always doing stuff for you. I heard someone say that he was whipped."
"Henry Sturtz whipped. That's a good one. It's occurred to no one that he does what he wants to do? If I ask for help, he does what he can to be there, but that goes both ways."
"Nobody else would bring puppies home from their honeymoon. He did that for you."
"Tell me another man out there who would have ignored those puppies, leaving them in the street to die."
"Well..."
"Henry does the right thing. And you'll notice he never apologizes for it either. He thinks about the things he's going to do and then he does them. People don't have enough on their own plates if they're worrying about my husband."
Rachel put her hands up defensively. "It wasn't me. I was just trying to figure out how you get him to be so nice to you."
"Mostly I don't ask him to do things I know he doesn't want to do. And if I am going to ask him to do something like that I make sure there's a darned good reason for it. If I asked him to drive off a bridge, he'd tell me I was nuts, but if I asked him to run the car into the river because the trunk was on fire, he'd figure out a way to get us both to safety and then send the car into the water. He's not a stupid man and I'm not a stupid woman. We listen and we talk and we respect the other person's ability to make good decisions."
"Maybe that's what I need to do."
"What's that?"
"Let Billy make good decisions."
"If he isn't ready for you to move in, you have to respect that."
"You're right. I'm just so ready to get our lives started. He isn't."
"He will be someday and if you let him get there on his own, it will make it easier."
"What if it takes ten years?"
Polly chuckled. "Okay. That might be a bit much, but I doubt Billy takes that long. He's only been out of his parent's house for a year. Let him have this."
"What am I going to do with Doug?"
"You might find him a girl to date. That's always a good distraction. And why don't you be the one to work with Doug to set up a game night. Do it on a Friday night after one of your early wedding rehearsal dinners. Make great food and invite their friends. Let him know that you aren't trying to separate him from his best friend. Encourage their fun."
"Maybe we could do it this Friday night." Rachel jumped up. "Thanks for talking me down, Polly."
"Where's Sylvie this morning? Don't you usually talk to her?"
"She had a delivery coming to the house. I think she's getting new living room
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