The Valentine's Dance

Sarah came out next, gave Matt a kiss on the cheek, and led him away without a word. They got in his buggy and rode off.

Leah was last. "Sam, please take the children home. Jeremiah will bring me home in a little while, okay?" She helped get her little ones in their buggy, gave Sam a kiss, and watched as they drove off down the lane.

Next, she turned to Charli. "Charli, I'm so sorry, but I need to speak with Jeremiah privately for a little while. You can have him back as soon as I'm done."

Then she turned to me.

"Inside, big brother. We have to talk."

I mouthed an "I'm sorry" to Charli before heading inside. She looked worried, but nodded to me anyway.

The chair I took at the kitchen table still felt warm from the person who'd sat in it for the past couple of hours. "What's going on, Leah?"

She was fighting tears as she said, "Jeremiah, once upon a time, you promised Daddy that you'd take care of us and then promised Mama that you'd take care of us and find us good husbands who'd do the same."

I nodded, remembering the countless times I'd done the count to when my responsibility would be over. I'd succeeded in five of the six, only to be stymied by the last.

"Jeremiah, what you don't know is that after Deborah and Esther were gone, the rest of us had a little meeting of our own that first time you went to Nashville to sell our produce. Remember that trip?"

Did I ever! I couldn't quite come out and say that, though, so I nodded. "What about it? What did you do?"

"We made a promise to each other that Mary and I'd forgotten until Sarah reminded us today."

"What kind of promise?" I didn't see how a girly promise from seventeen or eighteen years before would have any impact on what was happening now.

"You always teased us about being six sisters, Jeremiah, but we also considered you as our leader, our number 1. We promised each other that day that you were most important to us and that we'd never leave you by yourself without one of us being there to help you until you found someone, too."

The impact of what my little sisters had promised hit me like a train and tears started streaming down my cheeks. "You promised that for me?"

Leah nodded. "You always helped us so much, we figured we had to do that for you. Time passed and we each fell in love and moved on, but Sarah, the last of us, remembered. Now she feels trapped between a promise she made for your happiness and her own. She doesn't feel she can marry Matt until she knows that you'll be with Charli, or whomever, and be happy, too."

"But Sarah was engaged to Jacob years ago. Why wasn't it important then?"

"Because Rachel would have been number six then. She was still there for you. Sarah said she and Rachel talked about it then and again when Rachel went off to become a nurse and got married. Sarah was the youngest, but she took it most seriously, too. Now she doesn't see a way out."

My head was practically hurting with the implication. My sisters loved me as I'd always known. What I didn't know was that they loved me so much that they'd made a pledge that effectively prevented me from ever fulfilling my own pledge to our mother about their happiness. Something had to be done, and it was up to me to do it.

"Leah, let's get you home. I'll talk to Sarah this evening and get this mess straightened out."

"Thank you, Jeremiah. We want you both to be happy, but not one at the expense of the other."

I gave her a hug and a kiss on her forehead. "I know exactly what you mean. That's what sisters, and brothers, are for."

***

I took Leah and Charli home in the carriage, with Shade trailing along behind. After dropping Leah at her home, we headed to Tewkesbury Hall.

"Well? Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to tickle it out of you?" She slid a hand inside my jacket and looked like she was ready to have a go of it.

As tempting as her offer was and as fun as it sounded, I gave her a short version of the issue and a quick explanation of what I was planning to do. We were standing in front of her door when we were done so we held each other in our arms and kissed goodnight.

"If it's not raining, I'll be out tomorrow for lunch and you can tell me how it comes out. I love you, Jeremiah."

She stepped in the front door and closed it as I stood there, realizing that I might be falling in love with her, too.

***

Later that evening, I was sitting on the front porch when Sarah came out to join me.

"Jeremiah, did Leah tell you?"

"Yes, sweetheart, she did. What you girls did was sweetest thing I've ever heard, and I appreciate it so very much, but, Sarah, we can't let an old promise by a group of little girls ruin your life. You have to let it go."

"No, Jeremiah. I can't, just like you can't let go of your promises to Daddy and Mama about us. You know, I never met Daddy and I even have a hard time remembering too much about Mama now, but I do remember her making you give that promise. Seriously, when you're six and someone's talking about you getting married...well, that's kind of hard to understand at the time and hard to forget afterward."

I sighed. The easy method had been declined. Therefore, I proposed the harder method. She looked at me to be sure I meant it before smiling and saying, "Deal."

***

Day of the annual Saint Valentine's Dance,

Saturday, February 11, 1893

A double wedding was held at our church that afternoon, with Matt and Sarah tying the knot first, followed immediately thereafter by Charli and me. I felt fortunate that things had worked out between us, allowing Sarah and me to complete our deal to get married at the same time instead of the much less desirable outcome of not marrying at all.

It wasn't exactly easy. Charli and I had our ups and downs as we grew to know each other better and as I proved in my heart that she'd meant what she told me about loving me and as I came to love her, too. After our visit to see William and Charlotte in Franklin to get their blessing on our union, we had several more months to wait.

Sarah, who had accepted Matt's proposal just after we'd made our deal, took the coach to Nashville on several occasions to spend time with him. I never questioned her accommodations on the trips, and I noted with a smile that she never volunteered the information. Oh, it was possible that she was staying with our sister Rachel and her husband, but based on the look on her face each time on her return, I really didn't think so.

We'd agreed that the minister would wait to do the proclamation until after all four of us had said "I do." When he proclaimed Matthew and Sarah as husband and wife, I automatically counted "Six!" When he did the same for Charli and me just moments later, I mentally added, "Plus one!"

Following joyful goodbyes after the reception, Sam and Leah drove Sarah and Matt to catch a train to leave for their honeymoon, but Charli and I made it a point to stop by the Valentine's Dance that evening before we went home. After we were recognized, we headed out.

A couple boys from down the road had taken care of the milking and farm chores that evening, so when we arrived, I picked Charli up out of the carriage and carried her inside, being careful to avoid bumping her head on the door jamb (one of Leah's favorite stories, though it embarrassed Sam to no end and really hadn't made her very happy at the time). The boys dealt with the horses and carriage, and then headed out, leaving us alone together.

"Welcome home, Charli," I said as I held her close to me. "I love you."

"Our home, Jeremiah," she said looking up at me. "And I love you, too."

She wiggled a bit, leading me to wonder what she was doing as I admired her décolletage and cleavage.

She caught my eyes looking and grinned. "Jeremiah, you'll see a lot more if you'll help me undo this thing."

It was only then that I realized she was trying to undo the corseted top of her wedding dress rather than tempt me.

"Turn around, dear, so I can see this in the light." I fumbled with the ties for a few moments before getting them undone.

"Loosen?"

My fingers were against the closure panel rather than her skin as I loosened the laces, but I could feel her body heat through it.

"Looser," she said, "or you'll be doing it all again." I followed her advice and watched as her top slowly freed itself from her body. Mary and Leah had offered to come out to help her out of her wedding dress and into something special from her trousseau, but Charli wouldn't hear of it.

"My husband will be all the help I'll need," she'd proclaimed and I was so glad she had. I was getting more excited with each loosened lace, each bit of newly visible skin.

When I reached the midpoint and all was loose, I slipped by hands around my wife's lovely waist and pulled her behind tight against my hardness. "That was the most exciting thing I've done in ages," I whispered to her.

"And the night is still young." Holding her top in place, she turned around and kissed me, letting it tip forward just a bit so I could get the briefest peek inside before she snapped it back and ran into the other room. "No peeking!" she called. "Until later, anyway."

I dimmed the lights in our room, giving us a gentle glow rather than darkness or bright light, before removing my suit and tie, leaving on my dress shirt and pants.

Charli came out minutes later wearing a long white nightgown with lace trim that was cut low enough that it revealed the shape of her breasts and her form below, while really leaving it all to the imagination. Believe me, I was quite busy imagining.

"My God, you are beautiful," I whispered.

"Thank you, Jeremiah. I'm yours, my love."

Most of the gown was a soft silk and feeling her warmth in my arms felt as if she had nothing on at all. She started unbuttoning my shirt as I kissed her neck and shoulders, dropping one thin strap past her shoulder onto her arm.

She was pushing my shirt off of me and then pulling my undershirt up over my head. She had it about half way off of me when she stopped and giggled, kissing my chest. With my arms over my head and unable to see her, I shucked it off and tossed it in the far corner before scooping her up in my arms. She put her arms around my neck as our lips came together, her hands roaming over my shoulders, chest, and into my hair.

Moving to the bed, I gently lowered her down and watched as she unbuckled my belt and unbuttoned my pants. She pushed them down from the back, sliding her hands over my buttocks, and then watched as my cock came into view. She looked at it for what seemed to be several seconds before looking up at me with an appreciative grin and nodding.

"I plan to get to know this very, very well," she said as she ever-so-gently wrapped her hands around me. "Jeremiah, please, let me know what feels good.."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. That does, and we'll both know as we learn together."

She was still holding me with one hand and massaging gently as I lay down on the bed next to her and slid the other strap over her shoulder. I gave her many kisses as she lay back pushing her breasts upward. Giving the strap a gentle tug toward her elbow, I slowly revealed more and more of the top of her breast before her areola started coming into view. She was biting her lower lip as she watched my anticipation and reaction as her nipple slipped out of the silk.

Gentle kisses caused her nipple to harden as she gave a little moan. I concentrated on that spot for several seconds before she shifted, trying to pull down the other side of her gown. I helped and was soon splitting time between two lovely nipples as I gently massaged her soft breasts. Leah and Mary had given me hand conditioner and softener weeks earlier with instructions to use it on my callused hands daily. They'd also trimmed my nails neater than I'd ever seen them before.

"Believe us, Charli will appreciate it more than you can imagine when the time comes," they'd said, and now she was proving them right as she moved in response to my gentle touches.

"Don't stop touching me, Jeremiah. I want to feel your hands all over me."

I explored with soft caresses and gentle massages until I found myself back at her breasts. Her eyes rolled back as I cupped both of her globes and concentrated once more on her nipples.

"Ooohhh!" A few more kisses and my hands again roamed, this time sliding across her pubic mound. She caught my hand as it went across and laced her fingers into mine before pushing our hands down and thrusting her mound upward. She rocked it as she moved our hands, catching her clitoris as her head arched back again. The fabric was thin and she wore no underwear below it, so I reveled in the feel of her body, even as I used my other hand to slide the bottom of the gown upward.

Feeling it get close, she pushed her legs together to hide all but the fine blonde hairs in her triangle and the start of the slit at the top of her sex. My raised eyebrow caused her to smile and slowly open her legs wide, revealing all.

Small circles to her little button were followed by kisses and caresses with my tongue while a finger rubbed her slot, which was soon wet with her anticipation. As I did, I delighted in her taste and her smell, wanting more than anything to please and pleasure her. It wasn't long before she was moaning softly with that pleasure and then she cried out. Her tears were of joy as she asked me to stop for a few moments and snuggled against me, our arms encircling each other.

"That was so...intense, Jeremiah. So good! Thank you, my love. Now, give me a few moments or I'll be screaming so loud I'll wake the neighbors."

I laughed as I held her, since the nearest neighbors were over a half mile down the road. "As long as you need, my dear." I held her and gave a number of soft kisses without trying to hit areas that would greatly excite her.

She smiled before kissing me again as she started massaging me and wiping my seeping fluid around the tip. "Please be gentle at first, Jeremiah, for I've heard it sometimes hurts."

I moved atop her, and her soft hands steered me into her sex. She winced and asked me to stop for a time, but relaxed and responded as I finally began to make sweet love to my dear wife for the first time.

***

Valentine's Day, 1914

Our house was quiet, for both of our boys, Bill, 19, and Chuck, 18, and their little sister, Sarah Ann, age 16, were attending the Valentine's Day Dance together for the first time. They would be joined by Matt and Sarah's girls, who'd come from Nashville for a visit, and several of their cousins from town. With plans to meet the others at the dance, Bill had driven our 1912 Stutz touring car to town with our group, so my dear Charli and I were home alone.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," she said as she slid into my lap.

"Happy Valentine's to you, too, my sweet, and thank you for being my Valentine forever," I replied as I put my arms around her. The kiss that followed was as good to me as our first so many years before.

She settled comfortably against me as we sat in silence, the only sound the tick tock of the clock on the mantle and our own breathing. Charli was never much for silence, though, so it wasn't long before she asked, "Jeremiah, do you remember our first Valentine's dance?"

"Charli, I've tried and tried to forget parts of that night for the past twenty-two years. I'm very blessed that you did."

"No, silly, not the night but the actual dance itself. You don't remember it because we never did dance, not a single one. Our second year, we got married that day, stopped by for the procession where they announced us, and we left."

"Yeah, I think we had more important things to do that night."

She giggled as she said, "Quite true," and kissed me. "Well, we never danced at that one either, and by the next year, I was pregnant with Bill and we didn't go. All those chances and we never danced a single Valentine's dance."

Sitting in my lap in the big chair, she put her head down on my shoulder with her arms around my neck. A tear soaked through my shirt and touched my skin, and I held her tighter. We'd danced any number of other times in other places, but I never realized that one most important dance had never happened.

I felt tears in my eyes, too, as I thought of all she'd been through over the years, the struggles of a well-off, well-educated young lady giving up her career as a teacher to become a farmer's wife and mother, but we'd fought through it all together and come out stronger as a result. This, I knew, was for her.

"Hold tight," I said.

She gave a little squeak as I forced myself up from the chair with her in my arms. At 61, I wasn't as strong as I'd once been but I made it upright somehow, took three steps with her in my arms, and reached for the Victrola. With it already cranked, I started it and lowered Charli's legs to the floor as the music started.

"Dance with me, my love."

"Always and forever," she replied as I took her in my arms.

And with the music playing softly, we danced.

The End

***

Closing Notes

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you've enjoyed it, and I'll appreciate any comments or favorites. Also, please don't forget to rate the story.

Regarding the story, there are a number of little historical points, but I won't bore you with most except to add that while it's not as common today, men in the 1800s often married later in life after they could provide a comfortable living for their much younger spouses. That's fortunate for me since I wouldn't be here otherwise, having had at least one such documented ancestor who was over 25 years older than his wife and several others that were more than ten years older than their spouse.