I slept soundly and woke to a rainstorm that didn’t show any promise of letting up so I did the treadmill and laundry while I waited for the girls to come over for lunch.
When everybody cancelled because the weather was so severe, I ate the tuna sandwiches myself and settled in with a book, waiting for Philips’call. Gosh, had I already become this dependent?”
He called and we Skyped while going over everything the attorneys had said and then we began planning our wedding. We agreed on a small affair at his house in one month, and then I listenedas Philip told me the plans he’d been laying out for our honeymoon. We were going to go to Europe, spend some time in both Germany and Italy and then take a cruise that would encompass some of Spain and the Greek Isles. It sounded wonderful and I was on cloud nine. He said he had to get ready for a special Rotary meeting where he was being given an award and I said goodbye because I could hear my cell phone ringing in the kitchen where I’d left it charging.
It was my doctor and I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with her listening to her recommendations and having her explain the procedure for giving one of my kidneys to Michael. The bottom line was that I was in excellent health, and if I was doing it for a family member, then she had no issues with it, but that at my age, there was no sense chancing it for a complete stranger, unless it was for the exchange program. She was referring to a new kidney exchange program where you could donate even if your kidney didn’t have the right tissue type for the person you wanted to give it to, and by donating, someone else in the same situation would end up contributing, doing the same thing, so your recipient would end up with the kidney they needed. I could be a candidate for either. I could give a kidney to Michael, or because of my donation, the service could arrange for someone else who might be a better match to donate theirs. Either way, I was giving up a kidney. And I had to tell Philip about it. I debated. Who should I call first, Philip or Michael?
I made the easy call first and listened as Michael and his family expressed their appreciation and elation. He was being given the gift of life by a mother he never knew, and he was humbled and very grateful. I smiled at how happy I had made him.
Then I fell onto the sofa and cried uncontrollably. I don’t know how long I cried, sobbing for all I was worth, because I was afraid. Sobbing because I didn’t want to tell Philip but knew I had to. Sobbing for Cassandra and how her generous gift had affected so many lives. I fell asleep crying and then woke up and began crying all over again. I couldn’t seem to stop. I had everything to live for, but suddenly I was afraid that I might die.
I don’t remember ever crying quite so hard and never for so long. Huge heaving sobs made my chest hurt and took my breath away. I was afraid now that I would never be able to stop. Hiccups began to accompany my violent weeping as anger at the unfairness of life took over. This was a son I shouldn’t even have had, when I was still a child myself— the pain was devastating and I couldn’t seem to make it stop.
Then firm hands held me and lifted me and I was in Philip’s lap being rocked in his arms. He embraced me and held me tight, crooning that everything was going to be all right when I knew he didn’t have a clue what I was crying about. He whispered encouragement, telling me over and over that he was here, and that he loved me. I managed to sob out, “How did you get here? Why did you come?”
“I was getting dressed for the awards dinner and I walked by the computer in my sitting area. You left your Skype on, so there you were onscreen, crying your eyes out. It sounded like your heart was breaking. I had to come. I called the airport but couldn’t get a pilot fast enough, so I drove my
‘vette, daring a cop to pull me over. You never heard the doorbell; I finally had to break the glass side panel. Honey, what’s happened?”
As soon as he asked why I was crying, it began in earnest all over again. The tears just flowed down my cheeks and the wrenching sobs took over. He held me close and patted my back while asking me questions. “Is it your mother?”
I shook my head.
“Cat? Tessa?”
No. No.
“Roman, Matt?”
No. No.
“Your uncle?”
“No,” I said as I swiped at my nose with a tissue that
was disintegrating. Afresh handkerchief was shoved into my hand.
“Who is it?”
“Michael!” I wailed.
“Michael? Who the hell is Michael?”
“My son!” I howled.
“Your son? You said you didn’t have children.”
Somehow I managed to sob out the story. He held me the whole time, rubbing my back and stroking my hair and face.
When I got to the last part, about the kidney, I felt his whole body steel. His hands became rigid and his fingers gripped my arms so tightly I felt pain in my muscles. Then they loosened and he set me away, pushed me from where I was propped against his chest so he could see my tearstreaked face.
“Oh God, Viv! My God, my God. No!”
I cried harder then, the grief almost unbearable, the fear so tangible it made me shake. But it was no longer fear of the surgery and what that could mean, but fear of losing him, losing the man I now loved more than I ever would have believed possible.
I was heartsick and he held me through it all, kissing my face, my temple, my lips and my eyes, for what seemed like hours, the sorrow so overwhelming it swamped me over and over again. Finally, I started coming back to myself, taking in huge breaths that left me either choking or unable to restart the next breath. Hard slaps on my back kept me fighting back until I finally reached a normal rhythm and I was able get a few words out. The spasms finally died out. “Why a kidney of all things,” I wailed. “Why?”
“I don’t know, Sweetheart. The gods being cruel I guess.” He kissed my nose and said, “In all honesty it’s better than giving up an eye or a limb, or this sweet little nose.”
“What am I going to do?”
He looked down at me and said, “What do you want to do?”
This was the moment of truth; the next few moments would define my life with, or in this case more likely, without Philip. “I want to make Michael better if I can.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. You’ll come to Charlotte and so will Michael. I’ll get you both the best doctors in the field. You’ll have the surgery. You’ll recover. And we’ll go on our honeymoon.”
I looked up into his face, his beautiful, strong, majestic face. “I love you Philip,” I whispered.
“I love you, Vivienne. And I’m going to fight for you. You will not leave me.”
“No, no I won’t,” I said as I stroked the side of his cheek. There was stubble and I realized there was light seeping under the louvers. It was morning. He had driven like a fool to be with me and then held me in his arms on this sofa all night.
“What about your awards banquet?”
“It was for good community works. I imagine this counts. Maybe next year I’ll get an even bigger one.”
“Well you deserve it. Dropping everything and coming to be with me like this. It’s above and beyond I’ll tell you that.”
“You needed me. And as I desperately need you, I can’t let a moment go by without being there for you when you need me. I’m getting another chance at love, this time I’ll do it the right way. I’ll always be there for you Viv, in whatever way you need me to be. Don’t ever doubt that.”
I sighed, this was my Cinderella moment.
He held me for a very long time, clearly in no hurry to let me go. Then I heard his whisper. “You are going to marry me before the surgery. I will not even discuss it.”
“If I die, my stepchildren will be like vultures on your door.”
“My attorneys are the best in the Carolinas, and they haven’t had a chance to thump anybody into the ground in a long time—there’ll be no contest. But no way are you dying. I simply won’t allow it. And no way are you not marrying me. In fact . . .” he lifted me off his lap and gently carried
me to the bedroom where he deposited me on the bed before turning to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m calling Cat. Between her and Tessa and your mother we’ll have a wedding all planned out by tomorrow.”
“Philip!”
“Get some sleep. I have some calls to make. And if you aren’t asleep when I check on you, I’ll have my doctor call in a prescription for some sleeping pills and sit on you until you take them.”
That shut me up, because I knew he’d do it.
Chapter Forty-one
Da-Dum-Da Dum Despite being thrown together at the last minute, the wedding was spectacular. It was held at the tiny Chapel on the Green and it was simply beautiful. My golf group had helped get the word out that though the ceremony was private, the reception at the Sea Trail Conference Center was open to everyone from my church and from the plantation. Philip had given both Cat and Tessa carte blanche for the flowers, the food, and the reception, so everything was magnificent. After my surgery and our honeymoon we would have another reception in Charlotte for Philip’s friends and business acquaintances.
I married a man who had been an attorney, a college professor, a porn star producer and actor, a banker, and an investments developer, who was now retiring from it all, to be with me, just me. In a two-ring ceremony in front of my friends and family I pledged to love, honor, and obey. Philip winked at me when I said obey and I flushed. I wore a lacytiered number reminiscent of a flapper girl dress with a cloche hat to match with a huge Gerber daisy on the side. I was pleased that Michael and his family had even been invited. Roman gave me away, and while most women might have preferred staying on his arm rather than being handed off, I was eager to stand beside Philip and become his wife. Did I say eager? I mean thrilled to death! Talk about Cinderella. He was definitely my Prince Charming—in more ways than one, although most girls don’t think in terms of leather and scarves and oddly-shaped gel toys when thinking about fairytales.
Overheard during the wedding reception Catalina to Matt:
“He must be incredibly wealthy, he gave us carte blanche
and didn’t bat an eye at an open bar. Now look at all these
people, I don’t even recognize half of them. He’s going to
kill me.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head over it. He’ll never
miss this money, won’t give it a single thought. He is beyond
rich.”
“Really?”
“Well, he did pay a million dollars just to find her, you
know.”
“Geez Loiuse!”
Between Roman and Tess:
“I heard he’s really well, you know . . .” Tess murmured. “He is. I’ve seen his films.”
“Oh, I want to see them!”
“Not a chance. We’re all going to be good friends now,
the last thing I need is for you thinking about his schlong and what you’ve seen him do with it while we’re playin’ dominoes.”
Between Connie and Becky, after some wine:
“Now after the surgery, do you suppose she will need to
go more or less often?”
“I wouldn’t imagine it would be much different.” “What happens if later she needs a kidney?”
“Then she’ll go on a list, just like her son is now.” “Can he give it back?”
“I suppose he could, but then what would he do?” “Let’s just hope she doesn’t ever need a kidney. But from
the look in Mr. Camden’s eyes, I’m sure he’d give her one of
his, he doesn’t look like he’d deny her anything.” “And how romantic is that? The kidney should be the
symbol of love, not the heart. You can’t give your heart away
and live, but a kidney . . .”
“The jewelers would just love that, new rings, new
necklaces, new earrings. Is there a kidney-shaped diamond?” “And the songs, just think of it, I left my kidney in San
Francisco.”
“You’re off key.”
“I need more wine.”
Between Uncle Lester and Vivienne:
“Uncle Lester, won’t you please tell me how you figured
out where Crystal was? It’s driving me crazy.”
“I do not divulge my secrets.”
“How about as a wedding present? Please? I promise I
won’t tell a soul.”
He gave a great sigh. “All right, all right. While I was at
her parent’s house I noticed they had some prescription pill
bottles on the kitchen counter. They were from Walgreen’s.
Well I figure a young, active, girl like that well, it’s more than
likely she takes birth control pills. And not so likely she can
afford to pay for more than one month’s pills at a time. In her
room I noticed a calendar where there was a circle on last
month’s page. I counted it up, she needed to start a new pack
three days after the night she met the guy in Myrtle Beach.
It’s an easy thing to transfer a prescription from one pharmacy to another, especially within the same company. I had a friend check to see if she’d called a Walgreen’s Pharmacy and transferred hers. She had—to a store in Georgia. It was just a matter of getting there before she picked it up. We had her picture, so your ma and I staked out the store. We took turns sleeping for the better part of two days then we saw them pull up. She sent her boyfriend in to pick them up for her, but they wouldn’t let him. We waited until she came out with the bag and then we followed them back to their motel room and called the cops. But they were getting ready to leave the room so I had to do something to keep them there, that’s when the boyfriend caught on and bailed and when the cops got there I was the one in the room with her. She was so mad she told them I was her boyfriend and that I made her do things she didn’t want to do. I got arrested, and naturally, your mom didn’t take this lying down, so she got arrested,
too.”
“I heard Crystal called to apologize.”
“Yeah, the guy got arrested. He was caught with another
teenage girl, one he’d beaten up and bloodied. Crystal
realized that he never meant anything he’d said about
marrying her, that he just wanted to use her and that when
he was through with her, he’d have beaten her up, too.” “Kind of sad.”
“Could’a been a lot sadder.”
“But thanks to you . . . and your wonderful powers of
observation, you saved the day.”
“Remember, mum’s the word, especially to your mum. I
never told her why we were waiting at the store, she really
thinks I’m a wizard now!”
I laughed and so did he.
“Thanks for the wedding present, Uncle Lester, I always
knew you were more Sherlock than warlock.” I kissed him
on the cheek and winked at him, “Mum’s the word.” Between Amy and Dr. Harris, her date:
“Did you see the size of that ring he gave her, it must be five carats!”
“Well, if it’s supposed to be twenty percent of your annual income, he still shorted her. She should be wearing one the size of a golf ball. I hear his annual income is tallied with eight figures.”
“I heard he gave it to her in a box tied to the first pair of panties he ever took off of her.”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to keep your panties.”
“You’re not silly. Anyway, I think that was very romantic. Red panties, red ribbon and a huge diamond.”
“If you want a huge diamond, I’ll be eighty before I can afford one half that size.”
“I don’t want a huge diamond, I’m satisfied with your huge—”
“Uh uh uh. Not here. No sex talk here. I’m having enough of a hard time just thinking about your panties and how it felt to take them off that first time.”
“Blue.”
“Congratulations. I’m pleased you remembered. Later you’ll get to find out the color of the ones I’ve got on now.”
“I already know. They’re black.”
“How could you know that?”
He kissed her. “X-ray vision.” He didn’t tell her he knew she always matched, top to bottom, and that he could tell by the strap that kept inching down her shoulder, that her bra was black.
Chapter Forty-two
Mulligans “Are you sure you want to play golf with us today, Mrs. Camden? Tomorrow is your surgery, shouldn’t you rest up?” Phillip asked this of me on the day after our wedding.
“I’m antsy and uptight. I think it might be better to get out on the course and whack the ball around. It just might help loosen me up too. Plus, we’ve never played together, this could be very enlightening. Temperaments are ever so different on the golf course. I have been known to let a club fly, so you’d better duck if I miss an easy shot.”
“I’ve been known to break a few sticks myself. So yeah, we might not even recognize each other’s karma out there— hopefully we won’t kill each other. But I’m happy to oblige you if you feel up to playing. Are your clubs in the garage?”
“Yes. They’re in a stand in the back with my shoes.” “Okay, I’ll get them and load them into my truck while you get ready.”
“You’re the best,” I said as he walked by and I then grabbed him for kiss.
“All the women say that.”
I smacked him on the shoulder. “Well, they’d better not say it anymore.”
“I’ll have to remember to warn them not to mention it to you specifically.”
He went out into the garage and came back with my clubs. “What’s this post-it on the side of your bag about? It says take to Maples Lost and Found.”
“Oh. I found something on the course that day I told you about, the day Cat and Tess and I chanted on our magic tree, it’s a charm of some sort.” I walked over, unzipped a compartment, and fished around for the tiny photograph in the silver locket that I had found by my cart that day. I found it, took it out, and looked at it and I then handed it to Philip to see.
The Widows of Sea Trail-Vivienne of Sugar Sands Page 31