For Lionel and Beverly Love Endures

By Anthony Henry, Staff Reporter

SO IN LOVE: The Bedwards looking on with love and admiration - contributed

'LOVE endures all things' - words that might have comforted teenage Beverly Henry's heart when her aunt put up numerous obstacles to prevent her from seeing Lionel Bedward, her husband to be.

The two grew up in the quiet community of Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine where they are living now as a couple. Beverly said that she grew up with her aunt, who gave her a hard time when she tried to see Lionel.

"My aunty use to beat me come and beat me go when anybody told her that I was talking to Lionel," Beverly Bedward told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Her aunty was a very strict woman who kept a watchful eye on her, but Beverly found ways of meeting her one true love.

"When my aunty send me to shop to buy four things I would always forget to buy one so that I have to go back on the street to see him," she said. Mrs. Bedward, 15 at the time, said that her aunt would curse her for always forgetting items on the list and thought that sending Beverly back to the shop would serve as punishment.

She played right into the hands of the wily teen who always wanted a second glimpse of her husband to be.

During this time Lionel said that he was aware that Beverly got into trouble when she saw him, and made an effort to help. It was common in that time to ask the parent or guardian of a girl you love for permission to court her - and that's what he did.

"I was so ashamed and I begged him not to do it but he came and asked my aunty and she told him no she couldn't do anything he would have to wait on my mother who is working in Kingston to come home and ask her," Beverly said.

"I was getting problems when it came to seeing Bev so I decided to ask her aunty and at first I did not get through, but after they began to like me and I was able to see her," he said.

At age 16, Beverly got pregnant and went to live with Lionel. The couple, who have been married for 21 years, said that during the 12 years they lived together before getting married they tried to know each other and work at the relationship.

"I know everything that he will say and do before he does it. That is how much I know him," Mrs. Bedward said.

"We work hard on our relationship and it is love and understanding that make us reach where we are," said Mr. Bedward.

Both said that before they began courting, they admired each other 'from a distance'. They were drawn to each other by their quiet and calm manner.

"There were seven brothers of them and they were respected in the community. But Lionel was the quiet one and I use to watch him when he ride past my house on his bicycle," she said.

"I use to watch her when we use to go to school and I saw how she was not into a lot of friends and company. That's what I admired most about her," he said.

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