Page 69 of Let Me

Her father’s eyes light up.“Are you kidding me?”

“No, sir.”

He takes a napkin, wipes his mouth, and says, “We went to high school together.”

“No way,” Autumn says.

“Yeah, I think he was a year ahead of me, but we both were on the varsity football team.Yep.Presly Westinghouse.You favor him, too.”

“Well, ain’t that something,” Mrs.Pemberton says.“It really is a small world.”

“Apparently,” Autumn says.

“How’s Presly doing these days?”

“He’s doing great—carrying on the family business.”

“Nice.”

“How long have you two been dating?”Mrs.Pemberton asks.

“Um…a couple of months,” Autumn says.

“You know, me and your father dated for a few months before we got married.”

“Ma!”

“What?”she smirks.“I’m not trying to insinuate anything.I’m just saying.”

Her father says, “We don’t want you to run the fella off.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” I say.“I’m not running from this woman no matter what.I’m running to her—to be her support, to take care of her through sickness, health and everything in between.”

“Well, alright, then,” Mrs.Pemberton says, smiling.

After our meals are finished, her mother goes to get dessert.When she does, I take a moment to ask to speak with her father in private.We take a step outside via the front door.It’s dark as the time approaches ten.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about young man?”

I slide my hands into my pockets.I’m not nervous at all because I’m confident about my relationship and my love for Autumn.I do, however, want to go about this in the most respectful way possible.

I say, “I want you to know that I love your daughter very much.Since I met her, my life has changed for the better—not to say I didn’t have a good life, but it wasn’t as good as it could’ve been.Autumn is the light that brightens the path to show me how wonderful my life could be.She’s special to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

“Are you asking me for my blessing, son?”

“I am.”

“Well,” he hesitates.“That’s difficult considering I just met you.”

“I know, but I also know that I cannot go another day without forging this path for us.I knew Autumn was my other half when we met and nothing has changed, sir.I promise you that I will treat your daughter with the utmost respect.I will love and cherish her every day until she’s smothered with it.”

Mr.Pemberton chuckles.“You might not want to go that far, Judah.See, there has to be a balance with women.Sometimes if you go all in, they resist.”

“Not Autumn.I know that for a fact.She wants everything I have to give and then some, and I’m going to give it to her because she deserves it.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that can I?”He looks me dead in the eyes and says, “If you’re standing here on this porch proclaiming your love for my daughter and you promise to treat her with love and respect for the rest of her life then you have my blessing.”

A smile appears on my face.I reach to shake his hand but he hugs me and pats me on the back.“She deserves the best.”

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