A Union of Equals, Life Partners, Moody Spurgeon and Ruby Gillis

Chapter 2

In the Spurgeon house, Charlie, Gilbert, Cole, and Moody gathered in Moody's parlor. Moody nervously paced the floors, hyperventilating into a paper bag, a habit he recently picked up again ever since he and Ruby got engaged, and one he hadn't done since the Queen's exams. His friends quietly watched him until Gilbert finally couldn't take the sound of the paper bag's crinkling as Moody breathed in and out... in and out... Gilbert walked over to him, took the paper bag from him, and tore it in half. Moody looked at him, completely aghast. Charlie and Cole sighed with relief.

"Gilbert!" Moody exclaimed. "I needed that!"

"We didn't." Cole said from the couch where he sat with his legs crossed.

"Moody," Gilbert said calmly, "you must compose yourself. You're getting married in less than two hours."

"That's why I needed it!" Moody whined. Gilbert ignored his old friend's complaint and handed Moody his tie.

"Here. At least get your tie on." Moody snatched the tie and tried to put it on, but he kept on knotting it. Gilbert watched his friend struggle and tried to help him. "Moody, you must slip that part through the loop you make-" Moody groaned and threw the tie at Charlie's face.

"Gilbert, I can't do it!" Moody flopped down on a lounge chair on the other side of the room in distress. Charlie walked over, pat his shoulder and draped the tie around Moody's neck like a scarf .

"Cheer up, old friend. You're marrying Ruby Gillis. She didn't mind when you weren't wearing shoes when you proposed. I'm sure she won't mind if you're wearing a tie or not." Moody brushed Charlie's hand off his shoulder.

"Yes, she will." He grumbled. "And the only reason why she didn't mind was because we were at the beach and what dunce wears their shoes to the beach?" Charlie frowned at his friend's grumpy response but then grinned.

"I don't quite know, Moody. But it's a wonder how Ruby didn't faint from the stench of your feet that day. Poor girl must have been struggling to keep herself upright." Moody scowled and turned to face Charlie.

"At least I don't have your face. You look a great deal like Mr. Philips with that new mustache of yours." Gilbert and Cole stifled a laugh and Charlie hit Moody in the shoulder.

"I thought it looks dashing," Charlie said looking hurt. Moody snorted.

"Dashing? You look like you stuck a shoe brush beneath your nose. Goodness sake's man, you're a business man, yet here you stand trying to look like our old teacher." Charlie gasped and Gilbert and Cole couldn't contain their laughter anymore.

"Well, at least I know how to properly tie a tie." Gilbert finally composed himself from laughing so hard. Cole walked over to Moody and Charlie as the two bickered like they were back in the one-room school house as children.

"Alright, you two." Cole said sternly. "That is quite enough." Moody and Charlie backed away from each other and Cole motioned for Gilbert to help Moody. He went over to him and swiftly tied his tie.

"You'll be okay, Moody," Gilbert said reassuringly. "Ruby is an amazing young woman and I'm sure you'll be a wonderful husband. But you can't do that if you can't even walk up the aisle and say 'I do.' Understand?" Moody nodded his head. "Good." He pat Moody's shoulder. Cole picked up a glass of water he had been drinking.

"Peace at last." he mumbled into his glass.