Beginning

Charles Carson reached for the last gift in the pile with a question in the quirk of his eyebrows.

"What's this, Elsie?" he asked when he read the tag.

"It's a wedding present, of course," his wife of three hours replied.

"I'm aware of that," he said with a good natured roll of his eyes. "Why ever did you get me one?"

"Open it and see."

With a last look that eloquently questioned the propriety of receiving a wedding gift from his wife - at least one that was gift wrapped and in with the same pile as the beater-mixer from the kitchen staff - he carefully removed the paper.

Elsie Caron waited patiently, a half smile on her face, as he turned the leather bound book over in his hands.

"It looks like my old Butler's Book," he said, puzzlement mixed with nostalgia.

"It's exactly the same type of journal," she confirmed.

"But why?" he asked, looking at her with confused dark, eyes. "I've no need for a Butler's Book here." He waved his hand around to indicate the small sitting room in which they were taking their last tea of the day.

"Charles Carson, has a day gone by in forty years that you haven't recorded something about it?"

"I suppose not," he acknowledged.

"A new beginning calls for a new Butler's Book, Charles." At his expression, she amended: "An Ex-Butler's Book, perhaps."

"What shall I write in it?"

"You might start with our first tea in our new home? or a list of the gifts we've received so that we can write thank you notes…?"

"Or the way your eyes are shining in the firelight? Or how lovely you looked when you joined me at the front of the church? Or how cheeky you were when you winked at me while the good Vicar wasn't looking?"

"If you like," she replied with a laugh.

"Or perhaps…" he set the book down on the settee between them, "the first kiss we shared in our new home?"

Whatever she was going to reply was lost as he gently cupped her cheek and pulled her closer. Their lips met gently for a long, lovely moment.

"Yes," she gasped when they parted. "Write that."

"It'll have to wait until after the second," he replied, pulling her even closer.