A month later

7th of July, 1970

A month passed since the Howards and Sally's problem with Ms.Morrison and they eventually concluded the conflict as Ms.Morrison gave a second chance to the twins and Kaitlyn to pass the kindergarten's year though her ginormous wish to not let them pass otherwise.

Kit and Allison's wedding was in a month and the couple were no longer patient to experience something marvelous. Something aesthetically mind blowing. Something they were looking forward with immense enthusiasm for the development of their relationship even taking a step forward in their relationship.

As Jude was sunbathing on the scorching sun outside as she was dressed up in nothing more than appealing ravishing red bikinis which suffieciently covered her most intimate parts, supervising the rejoicing twins and Agnes as Ellie and Tristan were grasping the jumping rope from both sides, stretching it to be as longer as much, whereas Agnes was jumping merrily. Childish laughters and screams yachting in the grand yard's background. Meanwhile, the former nun's eyes were shielded with retro sunglasses from the scintillating sunrays which gouged her frail eyelids. In the interim, Timothy was mowing the grass in the backyard, taking care of the yard since the lawn wasn't mowed for a week.

"1...2...3," The twin siblings were counting as Agnes was vigorously jumping on the rope, without her ankles contacting its rope and stumble suddenly. Content smiles crawled on their pure angelic, childish faces. "4...5...6," They resumed to count after her, calculating the quantity of jumps which she yielded in a matter of milliseconds. In the meanwhile, the young girl was breathlessly jumping and dodging as much as possible.

All of a sudden as Valerie left the mansion via the front door as she has finished with the housework and cleaning after the wealthy family, she was strolling up leisurely by wearing nothing than her housekeeper's summer outfit as her black and white ballerina flats stomped the short glass, tickling the sensitive, slightly tanned skin of her feet. The redhead was thrumming a tune to herself, closing her eyes as the children's laughters and screams interweaved with the lawn mower's buzzing in the background's area.

When she proceed with her leisure destination in the yard, suddenly she unintentionally bumped into Jude's summer chair, faintly hitting her knees as she opened reluctantly her eyes, looking down as Jude looked up at the Russian-American, offering her a sympathetic, angelic smile, curled up in the corner of her plump, rosy-coloured lips.

"Oh my holy chics!" Valerie swore unwillingly as her mouth was agape, widening her eyeing as her hazelish-green eyes wandered up and down from the blonde down to her vaguely bruised knees. "Excuse me, Judy!" She apologised directly without oscillation at all.

"It's okay, Val!" The former sister of the church forgave the maid, rapping lightly her left knee as the both women couldn't oppress chuckles, escaping their lips. "At least, you didn't stumble your toes in the bed."

"That's right!" Then she scrutinized Jude and by the way she was dressed, bewitched how the bikinis hugged her still extraordinarily attractive body with lacking signs of aging, wrinkles and stretch marks which curbed her ethereal grace to ooze from her. "Well, Judy. All I can say you look amazing even for your age."

"How to not thank you, Val! You are so gracious."

"No need to thank me! I was truly meaning it." The younger woman winked at her as Judy's heart raced in her ribs. "Also did you check the mailbox?"

"No! Why?"

"The court's case is going to be on 22nd of December this year with this Tartuffe." Valerie added as her smile vanished, replaced with a grotesque frown, honed up in the corner of her lips once she thought of the foe of the Howards, Sally and Frank.

"Good! I, Timothy, Frank and Lana won't be alone. I mean, Sally's going to be with us." The middle-aged mother commented cold-bloodedly, wiping her clammy temple with the back of her brittle, petite hand.

"Yeah, no shit! He's going to team with doddering Father Malachi." The redhead and blonde couldn't contain guturral cheerful guffaws as the older lady's stomach hurted from the joke which Valerie made about the elder priest, who was no longer a tutor of Timothy.

"Yeah, yeah!" Jude evoked plainly until she realized how Valerie called the elder man of the cloth in sarcastic manner. "Val, that was pretty rude!" She carried on with her soreful guffaw, incapable of halting and controlling herself.

"What's the rude? I am just saying the things how are actually, Judy."

"I comprehend you. But at least, try to be nicer."

"I can't! I am a wayward and brutally honest rebel. I don't care how offended are going to be the others as much as the truth is once being told and hurted them."

***

"Lana, I have wonderful news for ya." Valerie called her girlfriend via the Howards' retro phone in the living room after beholding her friends and their children, combing her fingers through her glossy crimson tresses, spiraling them.

"Tell me, Val! Spill the tea!" The brunette insisted to spit it out immediately as she was having a short break, seating in her office though not having enough time to take a break from the overwhelming tasks that await her in a matter of minutes.

"You, Frank, Sally and the Howards are going to court a few days before Christmas. Against Father McKenzie and his cuckoo minion!" The housekeeper replied, grasping the earpiece, keeping it to her ear.

"Ah, great!" The journalist gasped in ironic way as a derisive grin spread across her peach stained lips. "On Christmas happen the miracles."

"Exactly, sweetie!" The both women couldn't help but titter as well. "If we win, his Christmas present is going to be in jail for the rest of his miserable life." The redhead kept on, closing her eyes for a while.

"We will win, Val! For sure our victory will sparkle as a twinkling falling star." The reporter responded encouragingly, sipping her lukewarm lemonade as it resurrected her body abruptly as its fresh liquid gushed down.

"I wish this madness ends as soon as possible." The younger lady complained, huffing.

"Me either! He will pay for his deeds." Meanwhile infant, joyful squeals rang in Valerie's ears as she was beyond distracted for a couple of seconds, peeping out the window, noting the children encompassing a stray kitten, whereas Jude and Timothy promptly ran over them to check what their children have found in the yard.

"Val, Val?"

"Urm, yes, Lana?" Then the redhead unsettled snickered. "I was just distracted. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I think I should get back to work and send greetings to Judy, Timothy and their little angels. Also don't forget Frank and Shona."

"Of course! Bye and send greetings forward to Johnny."

Then their phone conversation cut off as the maid adjusted the earpiece by zing as swiftly as possible by walking away from the living room as she went outside, speeding up a bit.

"Mommy and Daddy, look what we have found!" Ellie cautioned as she ran her elvish hand, petting the stray kitten's head as it meowed anxiously in the beginning since it was so small, vulnerable, innocent and lovely.

"Ellie, don't you remember the family policy about the animals being adopted at home?" Jude loved the animals, of course, although what it bothered her was the additional care and time they should invest in taking care of an animal.

Meantime, the both adults crouched down as Tristan and Agnes were encircling their older sister. Slight, benevolent smiles flashed on their fresh faces.

"Oh come on, honey! Let our rays of sunshine be happy at least once during their early years." Timothy rejoinder calmly as he placed a colossal, smooth hand on her shoulder. "Adopting a kitten for example!"

"Please, let us have one pet along. We promise we will take care of it. We will be responsible." Tristan protested persistently.

"Yes, Mommy! Daddy's right. Let us be happy."

"Well, how we are going to name it?" Valerie questioned spontaneously with massive interest, oozing from her.

"Yeah, auntie Val! I have wondered if we name it Blossom." Tristan exclaimed joyfully.

"No,no! How about naming her after our idol Elsa?" Ellie persisted in pig headed manner, pursing her lips as she still stroked delicately the kitten's soft head.

The stray kitten that occasionally was spotted in the Howards yard wasn't actually occasional. It was black one with white spots on her belly and legs. It looked as old as a 6 months old baby. It was compact which was readily obvious. So compact. So innocent. So vulnerable. So cute. It was actually a female one.

Ellie, Agnes and Tristan were the first who spotted the kitten. They instantly became fond of it and hankered to adopt it though the oblivion of their parents' opinion on this question was questionable and arcane for them.

Jude, Timothy and Valerie fell in love with the kitten, despite Jude somewhat disagreed by fostering it.

"Elsa? You have a doll named after your idol." Timothy enquired perplexed, scratching his head with his sole free hand. "We cannot name everything after something which we are obsessed with." He resumed with his explanation, hardly disagreeing with her.

"Your Daddy is right, Ellie! Listen to him." In the meanwhile, Ellie giggled gleefully as she listened attentively her parents' advice.

"Then we can name her Leah?" The little girl suggested another name for the stray animal without wobbling. The idea of naming it Leah was not only liked by Ellie, but also of her siblings, parents and aunt.

"Leah! Sounds wonderful name for her." Jude declared emphatically as her berry-coloured lips motioned.

In the meanwhile, the children couldn't be more than content as having a young cat at home was like a dream come true for them. Their parents and Valerie were happy for them either. What it mattered to them was the younger ones' shimmering happiness.

***

A month later
7th of August, 1970

The month advanced pretty quickly. The summer days were not only scalding and longer, even more they were beyond peaceful and slacking.

The Howards' new pet Leah drastically grew in a matter of a month and the entire family couldn't be more doted on the wee, impotent animal. Not only them, further, Frank, Valerie, Shona, Kit, Lana and Sally.

As a few days left until Kit and Allison's wedding, Jude determined to leave home as she went on shopping for wedding gowns with Kit and his fiancé, Allison. While Timothy and the children stayed at home as he was able to spend more time with them.

The 3 adults visited the nearest store where they can search for the perfect wedding gown for the younger woman, who's going to be officially Kit's wife in a matter of days. 

They spent hours inspecting some of the wedding dresses which whether caught their eyes or occassionally scanned them within seconds until they move on. 

"I don't know about you guys, but I think this gown looks ideal." Jude held by the cloth hanger that hung a strapless wedding gown in white like snow with velvet belt and diamonds decoration. She drew instantly the both younger adults attention in no time as they were surveying some of the nigh wedding dresses as they stood 2 feet away from the former nun. 

In the interim, Kit and Allison turned to Jude as their dark eyes wandered up and down, studying the wedding gown that the blonde recommended as triumphant smiles kissed their plump lips as their chocolate brown eyes glistened by ambling up to Jude.

"What do ya think about this wedding gown for the future beautiful bride?" Jude inquired wholehearted as she offered the both adults her juniors a benevolent smile, spread across her naturally magnificent lips as a crescent. 

"That's wonderful, Jude! I don't know how you are finding them. So beautiful." Kit commented as the 3 adults couldn't repress chuckles on a cloud nine, escaping their dry lips. He and his future wife watched in awe the wedding dress which Jude thought might suit the best the younger lady. 

"It's necessary a good discernment and to have a good eye on the things around you, observing them and assimilate them by the way whether if they are suiting the others or otherwise are," The older woman paused by taking a deep breath, biting her bottom lip as she glanced at the dress as she was complacent with finding something which is eye-catching. "Nah!" Then she shifted her honey brown eyes up to the young couple's orbs. 

"It's gorgeous, Judy. It's unbelievably gorgeous." The brunette evoked optimistically as she help as her smile was growing on her young-looking face. "I think I should try it."

"Well, we should search a bit more before the final results are evident, Ally!" The former pious member of the church advised slyly, winking at her as the 3 adults furthered with surveying the other wedding gowns until they find something else which might be a better choice as a wedding outfit the young woman. 

A half an hour passed in searching other wedding dresses and scrutinizing them until they were deliriously disappointed, due to the fact, the others didn't seem as dazzling as the dress which the former nun has chosen. At last, Allison went in the fitting room and trying the wedding gown as Kit and Jude waited outside the fitting room until she demonstrated by the way she looked in the wedding gown. 

Once she pushed the abstract curtains that concealed her if she was actually in a magic show, Kit and Judy clapped their hands jubilantly as Allison bashfully questioned them:

"How do I look?" What the younger woman wanted was their approvement, spinning around as the wedding dress looked spectacular on her slender body, hugging it in well-defined way, highlighting her parchment skin tone as she resembled a pure angel. 

"My love, you are so perfect!" Kit responded enthusiatically without being a bootlicker. He gaped in awe his future wife that was dressed up in the wedding dress which she's going to wear unconditionally in a matter of days. 

"You look gorgeous, dear."

"Thank you very much! It's so kind from both of you." Allison humbly nodded by taking their compliments from the bottom of her heart, molting it. "We are going to purchase this one since this looks the best, in my opinion."

"That's right! We will wait." Jude added joyously. 

***

After they successfully shopped the 3 adults, thanks to Jude's counsil, then Jude went on a hairdresser to cut her hair slightly shorter than she used to keep it to her waist as Kit and Allison expressed their gratitude and went directly at home before the former pious member of the clergy to go on a hairdresser salon.

When she arrived in the hairdresser salon, she spent a half an hour in cutting her hair length to her shoulders though Timothy might be not fond of this idea at all since he genuinely appreciated the length of her mane of old Hollywood golden curls especially when it descended down her waist. Length which she could indulge years after being a God servant and the nunnery didn't allow her a carte blanche for her hair's length as the middle-aged woman should attend a hairdresser salon a couple of times a year, keeping her hair length as moderate as possible, in fact, the nuns aren't allowed to have long hair at all. 

Regardless, if the former nun had a short hair or as long as Rapunzel, Timothy will still see her as the most beautiful woman in the world and appreciate and admire the length of her mane. 

Afterwards, she left the hairdresser salon by heading directly back to home by roaming around the Boston countryside's serene streets until an old friend of her from a long time ago bumped into her by an accident as they detected one another by momentarily recognizing each other. It was nobody than Terry, her former boss in the jazz band where she used to sing a few decades ago as a nightclub jazz singer and her Bohemian, disenthrall life prevailed her morals. Morals which were nothing than as weak as the lack of control over the insane amounts of boozed alcohol and the quantity of men with which she get laid for one night back in her sinful, iniquitos past. 

"Oh, I am so sorry for all this." The middle-aged former sister of the Roman Catholic church apologized the darker man.

"It's alright." He rubbed his head uneasily by attempting to release himself from its disorientation that oozed from him, shaking his head until he eyed the blonde that stood before him, wearing a timid smile, distorted across her lips. "Judy?" Suddenly Terry lowered his voice.

Terry was actually a gracious gentleman, who opted to help his old friend in the combat with the severe alcoholism which she fought with for years though he fired her one night when she missed to attend the night club where her jazz band was, besides her inebriated condition and chuntering the song lyrics were the reasons, why she was kicked out of the band. 

"T-Terry?" The mother of 3 stuttered, lowering her voice as she instantly recognized the man that stood before her, offering him a good-natured smile, honed up in the corner of her lips. "It's been a long time since we have seen each other." 

"Yes, Judy! But you haven't changed at all though I can tell you don't seem as miserable and wretched as ages ago." 

"Definitely! I am having a family with a splendid husband and beautiful children." Then a husky giggle escaped from her throat. "I couldn't be more happy after years of fighting this old demon that tortured me."

"I am extremely glad you made it up to here. I mean you are no longer the forlorn woman I knew back then."

"Yeah, I think the right time tells us when we should control our vices." The blonde exclaimed plainly in velvety voice. "Tell me more about your current life, Terry!" She abstained from telling him what she became after the boozing nightclub singer she used to be, because it might be a haze of bewilderment for the man who was as the same age as Jude and scarcely believe any word of her as soon as she tells him she became a nun and took her vows by resisitng herself from the urge and the sweet taste of the alcohol that lingered on her tongue.

"Well, I am still part of the jazz band and you know me. I am a married man with 2 wonderful children." Terry replied in sanguine manner. "It's nothing special at all."

"Come on, Terry! You have a marvelous life as a family man and working in a jazz band."

"How about you too, Judy?" She swallowed a heavy lump in her throat once it was her turn to talk about herself a bit. "Spill the tea about your contemporary life."

"Urm, I married 5 years ago and I and my husband are having adorable children. Three of a kind as well. I am jobless after giving a birth to twins, as a result of my first pregnancy."

"It sounds amazing, Judy! I am truly pleased you are having our own family with children which you love to death and a man, who accepts and loves you for who you are."

***

An hour later after Jude lost herself in amiable discussions with her old friend Terry, she returned back at home lastly as she flabbergasted Timothy and Ellie, Tristan and Agnes when they saw her with shorter hair though she was almost the same. 

While Timothy was feeding Leah in the kitchen, whereas teaching the twins and Agnes how to look after and feed a pet especially a cat, meanwhile the sound of unlocking door was sufficiently audible for them as they were unarguably sure it was Jude. 

As soon as she opened the front door and shut it behind her, she kicked off her stilettos, sighing a sigh of relief as Timothy walked away from the kitchen with the children as Tristan was holding cautiously Leah in his tiny arms as the little kitten was meowing in honeyed way.

"Sweethearts, I am home!"

"Oh hi, rare bird!" Timothy took exceedingly his wife into his arms as they giggled softly, whilst the children and the kitten joined them until the couple broke off the hug and the blonde crouches down to her little rays of sunshine by pecking kisses on their foreheads, besides fondling Leah's head in delicate manner. 

"Hi sweetie!"

"Hi Mommy!" Ellie and Agnes exclaimed.

"Hi Mom!" Tristan greeted warmly his mother.

"Leah is such a cutiepie." 

"I can't agree more, darling!" Timothy commented until he noted something much different about his wife. Especially a mild change in her appearance. "Hold on a sec," All of a sudden, Jude rose up as she turned to her husband, earning his shocked though staggered look, imprinted on his juvenile-looking and handsome face. 

"What's it, honey?" She questioned, faking her panting.

"You cut your hair?" His mammoth, parchment hand reached up for her vaguely shorter hair length, taking its tresses with his long, fine fingers by eyeing them for a while as a modest smile formed on his lips.

"Yes, I did." She confessed truthfully without exaggerating. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No!" Then he shifted his warm chocolate brown eyes up to her hazelish-brown eyes, locking up her gaze as they admired one another's facial features, while the children went outside to play with Leah. "You are still beautiful even with slightly shorter hair."

"That's so sweet of you! Thank you! I thought you wouldn't like me even with shorter hair which you have never seen framing my porcelain complexion."

"I know, nevertheless, how long is your hair, I still see the most beautiful woman in front of me. A sheer angel!" They couldn't contain growing radiant smiles on their yet youthful faces.

***

A handful of days later

10th of August, 1970

The days passed exceedingly as quickly as a shooted cupid arrow in somebody's heart. Kit and Allison's wedding was actually today. 

The Howards and the invited guests on the wedding arrived slightly earlier in Kit's house than the usual though the future married couple weren't bothered by that circumstance at all. It took a handful of hours for prepation for the young couple in love to dress up themselves in exquisite outfits and Allison's make-up being done by Jude though she wasn't usually wearing make-up and wasn't expert. 

Hence, they attended the nearest church for Kit and Allison's marriage where it shall take its place as their children and the Howards children were accompanying the invited guests. When they arrived in the church, the Howards and the children took their seats on the wooden pews as they listened attentively the priest's reciting of sacred songs for young couples which are going to be wed very soon. Afterwards, the elder priest posed a grave question to Kit and Allison are they going to take one another as a husband and wife and they smugly accepted by kissing each other in front of the cheering up guests. 

Then the Walkers' family as their inner circle guests were photographed by a professional photographer, collecting partly wonderful memories of their wedding, besides the wedding ceremony advanced in dancing, eating, talking and celebrating most of all. 

To be continued...