Mi-Hi finally broke in. “Please, may I look at the dress in the garment bag?”
Hannah Weitz picked it up and handed to her. “Here, Ma’am. It looks quite nice.”
Mi-Hi expertly removed it from the bag, began to make very appreciative sounds in Korean and English.
“This is the work of a true seamstress and tailor! In fact, I like her ideas better than mine. I think it will fit Abigail better. Ladies, would your aunt mind if I used it, made a few changes?”
“Of course not,” Brynhildr replied. “This is all for Abigail and Ichiro, nothing more.”
“Abigail, please, come here. Try this on…”
Torbin took that as a cue to leave. He would feel funny seeing his little sister in her skivvies. Let Ichiro have that thrill. He went next door to his quarters to check on his sons, being watched over by a pregnant Sue Brown.
As Abigail stripped down to panties and nothing else, Hannah presented Aleks with a package. “Inside are some things I made for you and the bridesmaids to wear.”
Aleks opened up the package. Inside were a dozen small jewelry boxes. Aleks opened one up, and gasped. She carefully removed a silver charm bracelet and looked at it. On it were two charms; a delicate silver cross, and a miniature portrayal of a dog that must be Fuzz Senior.
“I know both her faith and the memory of her canine friend who cannot be here are important to her. I think she would want everyone in her wedding party to share in these parts of her life.”
Aleks looked at the cross, the dog charm, and began to bawl. “They are so damned beautiful,” she sobbed. And memories of a certain beastie who had saved her and her children rushed back in.
The rest of the women and girls quickly crowded around, looking at what had caused Alek’s reaction.
Abigail looked at the charms, felt a lump in her throat as she looked at the symbol of her intense faith and passed best friend. She grabbed Hannah’s hand.
“You are blessed. God must have sent you, with this ability, for a reason. I…” the rest was lost, as tears interfered with anymore talking.
“There are twelve of the bracelets,” Hannah said. “If you want more, let me know.”
“You are a craftswoman that would make the dwarfs and faeries of our legends envious,” said Brynhildr. “Are you sure you are not part Norse?”
Hannah grinned. “Totally Jewish, as far as I know. I just craft what I think and feel fits the people and situation involved. I’m glad it brings joy.”
Aleks hugged Hannah, followed by Abigail.
“I could still make room for another Bridesmaid,” Abigail volunteered.
“Thank you, but no. I’ve had my time in front of a bunch of people. I would just as soon stay in the background.”
“Come, let’s sit and eat some of this food we brought,” offered Brynhildr.
“That sounds like a good idea,” said Fanny.
Soon they were all seated around a large oak table Abigail had found months ago for her dining area.
“Please, hold hands. I need to give thanks,” said Abigail.
As all the women, young and old, held hands, Abigail lifted her voice to her God.
“Lord, thank you for this food and drink. Thank you especially for my sisters, my friends, my new family who are to share one of the most important events in my life; my wedding to the man I love and cherish. Please bless us all in the coming days. We are about to embark on a perilous endeavor fraught with danger. I know thy rod and thy staff will comfort us in the coming days. Bless us with your loving embrace. Amen.”
Brynhildr looked at her cousin. “Your Lord’s rod, staff, and my Thor’s Hammer. The Squids won’t know what hit them.”
Abigail smiled. “I will never turn down help in a fight. Now, shall we eat? Then Mi-Hi can shoehorn me into that dress you bought. I think it’ll look like it was painted on.”
“All the better to smack Ichiro between the eyes with your beauty,” said Aleks. “Start them drooling, panting, and men are easy to control.”
Even the younger ladies laughed, having unfortunately been exposed young to the bluntness of human sexual relations.
“You can take the woman out of spying and manipulation, but you can’t take those skills and habits out of the woman,” opined Abigail.
“So, that is a problem?” replied Aleks.
There was another round of laughter before they enjoyed the repast.
CHAPTER 29
In the months and years to come, this meal would always be a special memory. A special painting of this meal, by Susan Munsen, Survivor, “Repast before the Storm” would hang in the new U.S. National Museum years later. Beauty came out of a time of ugliness, hope from fear, as it had been throughout human history.
-Excerpt from The Greatest Wedding, Sally Reid, Official Presidential Historian
THE RIVER BAR
BANKS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER
OREGON STATE
Dogman was working the door at The River Bar, acting as bouncer and gatekeeper. The man built like Adonis with a neat and trimmed full black beard had more trouble with keeping intoxicated young women from pawing him than anything else. At least that had been the situation since he had taken care of a couple of hard cases who decided to test him and his business partner Tony the Bartender. Tony had offered him a partnership after deciding things were getting a bit too busy for him to handle it alone. Thus, Dogman had taken care of the two hard cases himself without having to be asked by Tony. One’s body wound up as giant catfish food after being stripped of his clothes, valuables and ID. The other woke up miles from the bar, with a piece of paper stapled to his right butt cheek. When the miscreant woke up, and pulled the offending paper and staple from his ass, he saw writing on it. Focusing his bleary eyes, he pieced together the message.
“This ass could have belonged to me and my dogs. Don’t come back.”
Since then, the word got out for visitors to The River Bar to be civil, or else. Now, Dogman spent most of his times escorting drunk women out to their transportation, or to a small motel a block away for them to sleep it off in a room Tony had permanently rented. One night, Dogman had put six women in the room so they would not wind up raped and maybe dead. The female population outnumbered the male almost two to one along the Columbia Gorge. Thus, Tony had said they had to protect their customer base.
Again, word got around that The River Bar was a ‘safe place’, in a relative sense. It had gotten to the point that Tony had to designate Sunday afternoon and evening as Family Time, with people bringing in their kids to have some hot food. The remodeled bar kitchen now served basic home-cooked meals such as stew and meatloaf, in addition to the usual hotdogs, hamburgers and fries. Sunday morning a person could even get ham and eggs, pancakes and any leftover meat from the night before. A local entrepreneur began providing them with farm grown fish from a local cleaned up large pond. Business began to boom, but in a controlled way.
Young blonde Kay was their main waitress, her mother Ester the cook. They lived in a small cabin next to Dogman’s place. He had set it up so they could help care for his dogs. Both mother and daughter had the hots for Dogman, but he kept them at arm’s length. If he wanted female companionship, he would buy it. Everything was safer that way. They helped him care for his dogs in the large kennel he had constructed. In addition to the Mastiff Matt, he had three Black Mask Curs, some rescued mixed breeds and a newly obtained and now pregnant German Shepherd female. He was trying an experiment in breeding, matching Mastiff with Shepherd. He hoped to get a large Mastiff-type but with longer fur, better able to deal with cold weather.
Tony walked up to Dogman seated at the main door.“Dogman, there is something you need to see on the boob tube.”
As everything was quiet, Dogman moved to where he could hear and see the television screen.
As he watched and listen, he saw the attractive black woman newscaster wax poetic about the upcoming nuptials. There then flashed a photo of his niece Abigail on the sc
reen next to the photo of a handsome Japanese soldier.
“Despite attempts at concealment, due to security reasons, the date set for the wedding has been leaked days early. March 15th, the Ides of March has been chosen as the date for the closest thing to a royal wedding in years. The final guest list is classified, and the equivalent of a division of military troops with large numbers of anti-aircraft weaponry are to be emplaced all around Great Falls, Montana. Rumors have surfaced that any attack to disrupt the wedding of Ichiro Yamamoto and Abigail Jorgensen by the Squids will prompt another nuke attack, collateral damage be damned. I guess every member of the Free Alliance has claimed Abigail as a daughter and are doing what is necessary to insure a successful wedding.”
Dogman kept watching the broadcast for a few minutes, then turned back toward the main door. Standing unnoticed next to him was large Tony.
“I expect you are going. I would if it were my niece.”
He paused, then answered. “Not going to cause a problem if I go?”
“Naw. I’ll make do with Ester and Kay, call the Marshal to make a few visits down here. Hell, I’ll make him work for the protection I pay.”
Dogman extended his hand, and Tony took it. “Thanks, Tony. You’re a friend.”
Tony grinned. “Same here, buddy. You’re one of my few friends that are still alive. Please stay that way.”
“Will do,” Dogman answered. “Though there is a chance they may try to put me behind bars.”
“Won’t happen, Dog. Abigail won’t allow it, especially if she is as tough as you are.”
A small smile formed on Dogman’s usual stern face. “She is.”
Dogman walked toward young blonde Kay, who was standing watching the broadcast. She noticed his approach.
“She’s about my age, your niece.”
“Yes she is.” Dogman looked at the very sexy, slim and tight bodied young lady. Well brushed long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes and just the right amount of makeup added to a package that made everyone look. In another time, she would have been a model or an actress. She looked like a younger version of her mother, Ester, who had been a model before the Squids came.
Kay looked him in his eyes. “Is that why you never tried to hit on me?”
“A big reason, yes.”
Kay suddenly kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a gentleman, Dogman. I would have liked to have had an uncle like you.”
“Consider yourself an honorary niece, Kay.”
With that comment, Kay hugged him. “Please come back, Dogman. We’ll watch your dogs for you until you do.”
Dogman kissed her on the cheek “Thanks. Now I need to go tell your mother.”
Ester met him at the entrance to the kitchen.
“Your niece was your sister’s daughter.”
“Yes, she was,” answered Dogman.
“Was she as good looking as her?”
“Yes. She was beautiful. She married a good man too. Then the Squids killed them.”
Ester took his large right hand in both of hers. “You ever need…anything, just ask. You and Tony gave Kay and me another chance, kept us from being someone’s personal playthings. I’ll always owe you for that.”
“You wouldn’t have let anyone do that to you and Kay. You’re too tough.”
Ester gave a small laugh. Then she hugged Dogman with tears in her eyes. “You come back, so I can put some moves on you.”
Dogman displayed a slight smile. “You’ll find another good man, Ester. I’m just not him.”
Ester sighed with frustration. “Well, a girl can fantasize. We’ll watch your dogs for you. We love them also.”
“Matt, my Mastiff, is coming with me. If I don’t make it back, please make sure the new pups are given to good homes.”
“You’ll make it back. I know you will.”
He hugged Ester, then walked out the back. Matt was laying, guarding the back entrance and rose at his approach.
“Come on, fella. I have someone you need to meet.” With that, man and dog walked toward a large SUV.
CHAPTER 30
MALMSTROM ARMED FORCES BASE
MONTANA
Abigail woke up well before the clock alarm went off, a habit of hers. She opened her eyes to see a large furry head looking back at her. As had become his habit, Young Fuzz was waiting as she woke, sitting next to her bed. She smiled.
“Are you going to do this when I’m married, big fella? What if Ichiro wakes up first?”
With that, the canine leaned forward and stole a doggy kiss with a large wet tongue. Despite still officially a puppy, less than a year old, Fuzz was already larger than many dogs. And the protectiveness that his sire, Sergeant Fuzz, felt for Abigail was clearly already there.
Abigail grabbed and hugged her dog partner, as much a part of her future as Ichiro.
“Come on. Breakfast time, then a shower. I still have a lot of things to do before tomorrow.”
Tomorrow. The day of her wedding. She could not believe the days had gone by so fast. Now, she was about to embark on an adventure of the type she had never done before.
And she was still afraid.
Abigail had tried to talk to Ichiro into eloping, even almost calling Torbin for his offered help in the endeavor. But when she heard that Free Japan was sending a member of the Royal Family to serve as the official representative, she knew that it would a direct insult, and a “loss of face”, if she and Ichiro ran off to be married in private. She realize once more the additional responsibilities and duties her fame had created. Torbin had told her this was going to happen.
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Like me, someone decided you are a hero, a symbol. Now, your life is not entirely your own.” Yet he had offered to help her elope, damn the trouble.
Abigail sighed. If it were just her she had to worry about, she might just have disappeared. But then Ichiro would be harmed. There was no way she would leave without him. So, here she was, about to be on a televised ceremony that a large portion of the world would be able to see. She shivered. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She concentrated on some meditation techniques Ichiro had taught her to help her calm down and control any anger. Then the telephone rang. Abigail had an old hard line in addition to her radiophone to ensure she always had some communication capabilities. She picked up the bedroom extension.
“Major Jorgensen.” After years of being a “Young”, Jorgensen still sounded odd, even though that was her true family name. It was Central Security Control.
“Ma’am, we have the Port of Entry near Cokeville, Wyoming They say a rather large man is asking entry from Idaho, saying he is a relative of yours. Says he is an Uncle Buck, goes by the name Dogman. He has a huge dog with him.”
She froze. After months of no word, he reappears, still alive. Abigail blinked back tears. Family, the last member she knew of who was still alive.
“Sergeant, can you please put the POE on the telephone? I have some transportation to arrange.”
CHAPTER 31
WYOMING
Dogman found himself being escorted down the highway, red and blue lights flashing in front and back. He grunted. Once they had received word from Abigail, it was like he was royalty. He talked with her on the telephone for a minute, the sound of her voice causing a rare smile to form on his lips. She sounded good, happy. That was what he cared about; was she happy. Also, was she safe.
They stopped to refuel his RV and give his mastiff Matt a chance to stretch his huge body and pee at a rebuilt truck stop. He tried to find a form of currency or trade to pay for his gas but was waved off.
“Sir, your money’s no good here,” the strac young Military Policeman who was part of his escort told him. “Orders from General Reed. Major Jorgenson’s family are all guests of the government.”
Dogman had grunted acknowledgement, then went back to refueling the large RV’s gas tanks. As the fuel pumped into his vehicle, he took Matt out for a walk. The mastiff’s size immediately
drew stares and comments from all who saw him. Dogman was used to that. It helped people to think twice about bothering him. As he watched Matt irrigate a small tree, a dark sedan came speeding into the parking area. Dogman thought “cop” at first sight as he waited for his mastiff to finish his business.
He went and grabbed Matt’s leash, even though he knew his canine partner was a danger to no one unless they tried to hurt Dogman. However, he had discovered over the years that very large dogs made some cops very nervous. No point of stirring the pot if it wasn’t necessary.
Dogman watched a tall and somewhat lanky man unfold himself from the driver’s seat of the sedan. The man put a Texas-looking Stetson on his short cropped graying head of hair and meandered toward Dogman. It had been a long time since he had seen someone so relaxed that
they ‘meandered’. He soon saw it was all a controlled act, as the man’s eyes never left Dogman.
“Well, Sir, should I call you Dogman, or Mr. Dogman?” The man’s voice had an air of long time authority in it. Dogman could tell he was used to taking care of business, either in a nice or not so nice way.
“Dogman,” he answered back. “And you?”
“Andy Jackson, Texas Ranger. Retired. Now Madam President’s bodyguard, driver, and chief cook and bottle washer when asked.”
“Texas Ranger huh. I had some dealings with the Rangers pre-Squid.”
“Good or bad dealings?”
Dogman grunted. “We all went home in one piece. So I guess you could call them good.”
He dropped the leash and scratched Matt’s large ear. “They were tough. Are you?”
Ranger Jackson grinned. “Tough enough. Now that we are through sizing each other up, I’m here to insure you get to Abigail’s wedding in one piece. And, to find appropriate attire, in the words of Madam President.”
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