2 months later

6th of February, 1970

The first two months of the new decade as a fresh start have excellently passed not only for the Howards, moreover for Valerie, Lana, Frank, Kit and Allison. 

Kit and Allison discussed along about the wedding since they were madly in love with one another. They couldn't be any longer patient for the wedding day, besides to experience an extraordinary marvel together and go on a honeymoon.

Flashback

A month ago

"Allison, we need to talk!" Kit insisted as he gestured with a hand to his girlfriend on the doorframe of their bedroom, where she Jullia and Thomas were drawing on the bed as they sat in the middle of the large bed, their hands were occupied with pastels unlike the other ones which propped the blankets. 

"Just a second, sweetie!" She glimpsed promptly at him as she returned her dark eyes to the children, stroking their hairs with her both hands. "Julia, Tom! Your father insists to speak to your mom. I will be right back soon. I promise!" Meanwhile she pecked kisses on their heads, hence, getting from the bed as she walked out of the bedroom where she shared with Kit for months. 

Afterwards she escorted the young man out of their bedroom as they headed up to the kitchen table, taking seats next to each other as the young woman exhaled sharply. 

"Ally, sweetheart! I know it's overwhelming once we start to discuss all this but we should do."  The father of two children from two different women said beyond seriously, taking his girlfriend's elfin, creamy hands into his larger, handy ones, his thumbs kneading her knuckles in delicate manner, offering her a soothing, angelic smile. 

"I know, darling!" She confirmed, utterly paying attention to him as their four pairs of chocolate orbs met, locking up their stares. 

"We have been dating and being together for a year, if I am not mistaking." He commenced to utter as when he noted her remarkable smile, distorted in the corner of her plump, naturally rosy-coloured lips, it reassured him and revitalized him to carry on with his speech. In the meantime, she nodded her head, affirming his words. "That's right! And...as you can notice how our relationship has been developing and improving with the passing weeks and months," He paused as he cleared his throat in instictive way, without diverting from one topic to another, suddenly switching them. "I know how much you love me, Ally, because I love you too!"

"That's definitely true! I love you, Kit!" The young lady enounced fluently, courageously as Kit's radiant smile bloomed on his youthful face.

"Nonetheless, I want to propose you and you," The brunette giggled inwardly to herself like a schoolgirl, without peeling a single word. "You are my ray of sunshine, you are the woman who helped me to overcome the deaths of both mothers of Julia and Thomas. You are the woman who renders me a happy man and you are a loving, wonderful mother to Julia and Thomas. It's clearly visible how much they love you with their whole hearts." He removed one of his hands from hers as his hand lowered down to his slacks' pockets, delving inside it until his fingers clumsily tipped a miniature velvet crimson box. "I am grateful you came in my life and you drastically changed me from the miserable man, who grieves over the deceased women that I used to love too, howsoever, not as much as you!" He concealed under the kitchen table the miniature box with the proposal ring until he got from the chair as he was on his knee, demonstrating the box as he opened it, wearing celestially auspicious facial expression, ideally indicating his happiness of seeing his future wife's elated face as she clamped with her both hands her mouth, joyous tears streaming down her cheeks like a perpetual crystal waterfall. 

"Oh, Kit! You couldn't be more sweet." She murmured euphorically. Initially, she thought it was some kind of a joke until she concluded it wasn't actually a dream. It was the reality itself. 

"My beautiful Allison Clarkson, will you marry me and spend the rest of our days as my wife?"

"Aww, of course, I do, my handsome future husband!" She couldn't help but cheerfully chuckle as she put the ring on her finger. Neither it was small, nor that big. It was brilliantly fabulous. Her eyes lowered down to the ring which currently slipped on her finger. "It's so beautiful."

"I am truly glad you like this ring and that's why yesterday I wasn't at home for a half a day." He stated as he rose by leant, throwing his arms around her upper back as their hug endured for a half a minute until they broke off the embrace soon. In this moment, he resat back on the chair as Allison removed her hands from her mouth. "When do you prefer to organise our wedding?"

"How about one summer day to gather everybody from our inner circle on the wedding," She paused as she took a deep breath before resuming her reply, her dark brown eyes glancing in awe at the proposal diamond ring. "For example in the beginning of August this year?"

"It's perfect! Who are we going to invite on our wedding?" Allison posed the question enthusiastically.

"Oh sweetie, of course, not only the Howards are going to be there, but also Frank, Lana and Valerie with their daughters, and Sally with Kaitlyn, her daughter." 

"That's awesome! I can't wait up to our wedding."

"Me too!" The both young adults emitted a rejoiced chuckle. "I know it's a bit early to discuss about the honeymoon that awaits us on the horizon," Kit said optimistically as he hesitated if they should discuss the imminent plans about their honeymoon and where's going to take its place. "Have you ever thought where we shall go for our honeymoon?" He proceed sympathetically as his girlfriend's face all flushed after the proposal, the wedding plans and now, ventilating about their honeymoon. It was not only immensely staggering for Kit, furthermore for Allison herself. 

"What a good question, honey! I have always wanted to go somewhere in Minnesota and Maryland, for example. It's such a dilemma, to be honest!"

"Maryland? Minnesota?" Meantime, the brunette nodded her head, proclaiming his words. "Really?" He asked with igniting verve. Allison nodded again. "I wish I could visit them too though Louisiana couldn't be a bad place." She chewed her bottom lip as she listened attentively her fiancé. 

***

Lana invited Valerie and her sole child Shona to spend a couple of days together under one roof in her luxurious, compact apartment in New York. The both females were beyond astounded once the aspiring, persistent journalist offered them a handful of weeks ago. 

Flashback

A handful of weeks ago

Mid January 1970

"It's just a wonder to have a sleepover in your apartment, Lana!" Valerie, Shona and Johnny waited patiently Lana to unlock the apartment's iron front door. 

"It will be exciting. I cannot disagree with you, sweetie." Lana said softly after a click of unlocking door hovered up in the background as the door opened broadly, letting the guests to enter inside the building as they waited for her to shut the door and escort her up to the floor where she lives.

After effortlessly climbing the stairs as they prevailed an adversity altogether, they eventually arrived on the front door of Lana's apartment as she unlocked the door, subsequently Valerie, Shona and Johnny stepped up in the hall, starting to remove their coats.

"Home sweet home! Welcome Val and Shona!" 

***

Today was Jude and Timothy's fifth anniversary since their ethereal marriage and union as a wed couple. Finally the day arrived as swiftly as an arrow. They couldn't be patient anymore to mark their wedding anniversary. 

As the afternoon dawned and the shining sun rays penetrated the lucid window glasses as the curtains were opened, they illuminated the living room, bathing it in saturating light though the weather outside was quenching cold.

Jude and Timothy seated on the leather goth couch as Agnes and Tristan were sitting on their laps whilst Ellie was by her mother's side, her wee arms clasped around her mother's biceps as they watched their parents' polaroid, vintage  photoalbums altogether, incorporating the recent polaroid photographs. Intrigued eyes focused on the pictures, watching them with vast ardor. Flourished smiles on their fresh, sanguine, ruddy tinted complexions. 

"Sweethearts," Jude addressed them through a solicituous smile, formed on her lips as she drew momentarily their attention as their eyes glistened of genuine glee and interest. "That's your mother with your father, actually me and Tim, when I was pregnant with you Tris and Ellie around the first trimester." She carried on cheerily, stroking with one of her free hands Ellie's soft chestnut straight hair, admiring its softness. Fingers combing through dark tresses. 

"You look so pwetty, Mommy and Daddy!" Agnes confessed truthfully, giggling quietly to herself. 

"Aww, thank you, sweetheart!" Jude planted a kiss on Agnes Jude's creamy cheek as she advanced with showing the family photos as she flipped on the next photo with Jude and Timothy in front of the fireplace. "Another photo during my first trimester pregnancy."

"You are so happy here." Ellie pointed with an index finger, tipping on the photo especially the middle aged woman's face. 

"Couldn't I be? Even your father is happy and smiling on the photo, sweetie."

***

Later tonight

The evening hours accommodated at last. Spectacular moon hung up in the nocturnal sky with the trillions of twinkling stars. 

The couple have determined to go on a restaurant to spend their evening some time together, although they have spent the majority of their leisure time with the children and ensured them affection, attention and warmness. For this purpose, they hired somebody to look after them as Sally was the one who was responsible to look after the twins and Agnes along, in spite of her daughter Kaitlyn participated the young mother's company. 

After the former members of the clergy dressed up neatly and nicely for tonight, they peppered their children with kisses on their cheeks and temples moments before fleeing lastly as Sally promised diligently to supervise them during the couple's absence. 

Once Jude and Timothy left their mansion, they got inside the cab as Timothy drove themselves up to the restaurant, where the former sister of the church used to work as a waitress until the first pregnancy she experienced ever in her life.  Soon after driving, the car was parked in the parking lot as a couple of parking lots were available yet. At least, they were lucky. 

Furthermore, what they speculated was there weren't opulent of people nearby and that's the essential reason the parking area wasn't full at all. 

After they got out of the car and locking it up, they headed up directly at the retro restaurant where Jude once worked as a waitress for months. As soon as they walked up inside the facade, they took their seats against one another towards the window. They ordered for themselves some food and alcoholic beverage, in fact, to remark their 5th anniversary together in prominent way. 

As they waited unflappably for their orders during the waiter's omission presence, they were talking, laughing and relishing the romantic dinner's ambience that welcomed them with open arms as the restaurant wasn't crowded at all. It was particularly almost silent and a classy, nevertheless, amorous song played in the background, jingling in the couple's ears like angelic anthems: 

"Goin' to the chapel. And we're gonna get married. Gee, I really love you. And we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel of love."  

The song itself reminded of Jude and Timothy's period of time when they were unwed bond, besides the middle-aged mother's pure, almighty love for the man she yearned to have next to her for years and irrevocably she's not only with him, but also they are married for a half a decade. 

It has been five years since they are lawfully husband and wife together and they couldn't be more over the moon, and most of all, believing after years of struggling and abstinence for confessions and restrictions, due to the fact they used to be dedicated holy faces. The years passed like seconds as the hourglass's sand was gushing down, calculating their still remaining time for life in the world, nonetheless, never interrupting and wracking an inseparable bond. Their love was skyrocketing with each day. Despite the misadventures and the searing conflicts they have had between one another, they couldn't leave with each other even for a single second. It was one of the toughest stage whenever they were ultimately desolated and being encompassed by no one else than the glacial loneliness, cuddling in its icy, abhorring and deplorable arms the vacuum and melancholic numbness conquested. 

"Here are your orders!" The waiter, himself, was sufficiently hospitable and open-minded, hosting affiably the married couple as they were already equiped with glasses of white wine, Boston salad for Judy, whereas Timothy desired to order for himself a sea salad. 

"Thank you a lot!" They expressed their gratitude in unison as they grabbed promptly the glasses of white wine, raising a toast for their anniversary as soon as the waiter made his own way up to the bar.

"Spring is here, the sky is blue, whoa. Birds all sing as if they knew. Today's the day we'll say "I do". And we'll never be lonely anymore."  

"Happy 5th anniversary, rare bird!" The brittle glasses clinked along once a glass met glass, colliding faintly. 

"Happy 5th anniversary, my love!" The blonde stated cheerfully as they sipped a couple of sips from the alcoholic beverage, savoring its smoldering, sweet taste, burning the corners of their mouth and surging down their bodies after their mouths tasted it, consequently leaving their glasses aloof.

"It's a miracle for being married for over 5 years." The former monsignor evoked smugly, grabbing his fork as he commenced to savor his sea food salad. 

"Yeah! I have never thought it might become a dream come true until you rescued me from the madness for which I am exceedingly thankful."

"I did it not only for me, but mainly because for you. You didn't belong at the nuthouse at all."

"Neither you!" Jude riposted wisely, defending him as she has mustered since she was fond of him. 

"Because we're goin' to the chapel. And we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel. And we're gonna get married." The vocalists in the song still sang in the restaurant's background, filling the building with its retro, picturesque atmosphere, melting the both fools in love's hearts to basics like doomed sandcastles, reluctantly toppling. 

Then they omitted a short-lasting, joyful, instictive chuckle, setting free from their lips. 

"This song reminded me," Jude placed a hand on her chest, sensing beneath her palm of her hand the hammering heart beat in her ribs like incessantly pressed piano keys, playing its piano instrumental, expressing the true colors of the piano song. Her hazel eyes, filled with childish glee and excitement, stared up at Timothy's chocolate ones. "When I used to be a nun and you were still my boss, I mean Monsignor," Then they couldn't oppress a snigger, escaping their throat as Jude's snigger was husky one. "So I was madly in love with you then and all I wished was to confess everything to you from the bottom of my heart, and to marry you," Blinking her eyes a couple of times as she took a deep breath. "Just like in this song. It's the poem of our love story especially mine, dedicated to you."

In the meanwhile, he sipped his white wine as he couldn't oppress a growing, content, loving smile, curled up in the corner of his damp lips. She removed fleetingly her hand from her chest as it drifted down to her glass of white liquor, drinking a couple of sips until she returns it back on the reserved table.

"Gee, I really love you. And we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel of love. Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa. I'll be his and he'll be mine."

"The only sin is," All of a sudden he caught her attention immediately as her eyes widened after emphasizing the word sin as her mouth was agape. "We didn't marry earlier. We missed earlier years behind us to reach up to here or who knows!"

"Exactly! If we were earlier married, otherwise we wouldn't be together as a married couple just for 5 years," She paused, gesturing with a hand as she munched her Boston salad as the lettuce was slowly but surely smelting in her mouth. "Probably for approximately 10 years!"

"We'll love until the end of time. And we'll never be lonely anymore. Because we're goin' to the chapel. And we're gonna get married."

"Definitely! If we weren't part of the church and eschewing ourselves from confessions, on the contrary we would be still there and we would have started dating around the first weeks."

"Absolutely! But I don't know how our unfair abstinence prevailed to make us to wait for years until we admit our mutual feelings."

"At least, we overcame it and let's not forget," The former holy man inhaled merely as his fingers clumsily, idly tipped his glass of white wine as his fingers met the lukewarm glass underneath his smooth skin. "We did it! Perhaps God granted us when the revelations are going to come to light at last.

"Goin' to the chapel. And we're gonna get married. Gee, I really love you. And we're gonna get married."  

"You have the right to say whatever you are pleased to but I think, God helped us to unite us as alliance of angels to serve for him and told us not only to unite professionally," Meantime, she momentarily bit her bottom lip, layered in ravishing red for the special occasion, embodying her past life as a licentious nightclub singer, her passion, adventorous, dynamic and stalwart character which she developed and improved with the years and the mistakes she has ever done in her life as the majority of it was airbrushed in fiendish phantoms of the past and her sins, besides sillhouette of paltry life, hovering over her as a somber, inflexible cloud, gushing down its rain drops of desperation, depression and once attempted suicide to be committed which was a fortunate failure. 

"Further, as a couple, noting something special about us, because you are much different man than anyone who has ever intervened in my life. You have no idea why your different nature is appealing to me and makes you so unique!"

Timothy just smiled broadly, happily to her as he was falling for her eloquent voice and by the way she spoke, and sang any fragment. 

"Goin' to the chapel of love. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Goin' to the chapel of love. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."  

To be continued...