Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

"You finish up what you're doing, Ryder, and I'll be waiting on the church porch when you're done," Susie assured her husband as Ryder's boss yelled at him again to get back to work.

"Are you sure? I'm sorry it's taking so long, Sue. Why don't you go eat without me?"

"Nonsense," Susie waved her hand and kissed his cheek. "Go finish up. The wedding is only three days away and I need to talk to George about a few things."

"Okay then," Ryder kissed her soundly, "I love you."

"I love you too," Susie replied, smiling at her husband as he took off running toward the sawmill. The man never seemed to tire.

Susie shook her head and headed back toward the church. The conversation she wanted to have with George Bass was an important one but she was optimistic that she'd get the answer she wanted from him today.

"Hi there, Susie!" he exclaimed when he saw her come in. His black cheeks crinkled when he smiled at her and his deep brown eyes twinkled.

"Hi, George," Susie smiled back, "Are you busy?"

George shook his head and ran his hand over his course white hair, "No, ma'am, I was just going over what I'm going to say at Wendell and Kaitlyn's wedding. I've performed quite a few ceremony's out there at the ranch and I'd just like to say something a bit different this time."

"I wanted to talk to you about that actually," Susie admitted.

George nodded and motioned for her to sit down on the pew beside him, "Is there something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing wrong," she replied slowly, wondering how to best breach the topic.

"You're worrying me, child, what's going on?" George questioned as his brow wrinkled with his frown.

Susie sighed, folded her hands on her lap and met his gaze, "You've met my friends Nick and Aiden haven't you?"

George's gaze flickered the tiniest fraction before he nodded, "Yes'm, I've met them both."

"Well I just thought it would be nice to—since we're having Kaitlyn and Wendell's ceremony this weekend—to give them one as well."

"Susie, they are both men," George replied doubtfully.

Susie smiled, "Yes I know that. I understand the marriage won't be legally binding but they are very much in love and they have both been through terrible things to get where they are now and I believe it would be nice for them."

"No, Susie," the finality in George's voice shocked Susie and made her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

"Why?" she questioned quietly, though she was nearly certain she already knew the answer and she cursed herself for not anticipating it before.

"It's sinful, Susie, and I will not have a part in such an act. Marriage is between a man and a woman. That is what God intended," George replied sternly.

"Does not the Bible say not to judge, George? I understand that their lifestyle is not something that is encouraged but do any of us live perfect lives? I'm not asking to decide whether or not the men deserve heaven or hell, I'm simply saying that I'd like to give them this small moment, this small memory to hold onto and enjoy."

"No," George repeated. "I will not have a hand in it and I wouldn't have expected a good Christian woman like yourself to want to have a hand in it either."