by Joy Redmond
Tori pushed Jill. “You mean you knew last night? How could you do this to me? Weren’t you about to burst a gut? There’s no way I could have kept such a thing from you,” Tori said, and then added, “And I’m not sure I like you being able to keep something that important from me!”
“Oh, get over yourself.” Jill turned Tori by the shoulders. “Get in the house and get yourself beautiful. You’ve waited long enough for this day.”
Tori hurried toward the side door, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll get you for this one, Jill!”
“I’ll be waiting,” Jill said with a laugh. “Call me tomorrow and give me the nitty-gritty.”
“Will do,” Tori said as she shut the door and headed toward the living room.
She felt a little faint as she raced up the stairs to get ready for their first date – their second first date
Tori’s hands were shaking with joy and anticipation as she showered and shampooed. Then she began the process of making herself look beautiful for the man she loved – the man she would always love.
She dropped the hair dryer twice, burned her little finger on the curling iron, and poked herself in the eye while applying her mascara. She searched frantically for the perfect outfit, and chose a jade-green shirt and a light beige sweater. Then she picked up a multicolored silk scarf that felt as soft as a butterfly wing in her hands as she draped it across her left shoulder. Finally, she slipped into a pair of beige heels. She admired herself in the full-length mirror and said, “Okay, big boy, your sexy kitten is back!”
By six o’clock Tori was ready. She slipped on a tan suede coat and waited on the front stoop. Although she was hot from all the rushing to get ready, she pulled the coat around her to keep out a brisk wind that had come up.
At ten minutes past six, Wes still hadn’t arrived – but just as she was about to give up, she saw his car coming up the street. She was waiting at the curb before he even reached the driveway.
Wes jumped out and ran to the passenger side of the car, and opened the door like the gentleman he’d always been. As Tori gazed upon the six-foot, broad shoulder, muscular athlete, she thought he had the walk of an aristocrat and she thought she had been more than a mental case. She had been a contender for the Idiots Hall of Fame. How could she have ever let him get away?
Once in the car, Wes leaned over and gave Tori a sweet kiss – and she again felt that old familiar spark pass between them. Everything felt so natural, so right – and at that moment, she knew she was finally, really, and truly home.
As Wes put the car into gear, Tori snuggled close. “Where are we going?”
Wes looked at Tori, winked, and replied, “I thought it might be nice to go to the Executive Inn. That was where we went on our prom night and on our wedding night, if I remember correctly. I thought it might be kind of romantic.”
“I’d say your memory and your choice of restaurant are both perfect.”
In the parking lot, Wes again opened the car door for Tori and she took his arm as they walked inside. When the waiter seated them at the same table where they’d sat on prom night, Tori knew that Wes had made arrangements before he picked her up. He’d always been a romantic sort of guy.
You sly dog. Tori stifled the urge to giggle.
Once they were seated, Tori couldn’t tear her eyes away from the handsome man in front of her, and she struggled against an almost overwhelming urge to run her hands through his hair and kiss his sensual lips on the spot.
Although she was sure the food was wonderful, she was too much in love to notice. She could hardly wait for the moment when Wes would take her in his arms and make passionate love to her.
Tori barely tasted anything on the plate, and she finally folded her napkin. Wes took her hand and said in a low voice. “I reserved us a room if you’d like to stay here tonight.”
“Again, your instincts are perfect,” Tori whispered, looking deeply into his eyes. “Let’s skip dessert.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Wes smiled and signaled the waiter.
As they stepped into the elevator, Wes pushed the button for the third floor. They held each other tightly as the elevator rose, then stepped out and walked hand-in-hand down the hall toward room 324.
In their room, Wes walked to the window. “I want to draw the drapes. All we need to make everything perfect is moonlight, and there’s a full moon tonight.”
Tori followed him to the window and when he pulled back the drapes, the room was instantly illuminated with silvery moonlight. Wes swept her into his strong arms and carried her toward the bed, where he gently lay her down and began smothering her with gentle kisses. The lovemaking was like nothing Tori had ever experienced, though she remembered how Cody could send her orbiting in the beginning. Before she realized what a monster he was. Before she was so drugged up that she became numb to his touch.
As Wes lay down beside her, she nestled her head on his chest and touched his lips with her index finger. “Let’s hold each other forever in the moonlight.”
A long, sweet moment passed before either of them spoke as they basked in the joy of being together.
Wes finally whispered, “Tori, I want to explain some things.”
“You don’t have to. I’m just glad to be back in your arms.”
“I know, but I want to tell you some things. I want you to know how sorry I am for making you feel so bad. I was young, stupid, and scared, and when you lost the baby, I guess I couldn’t see any reason to stay married at that time. You were acting like you hated me and you were blaming me for things I had no control over. I know it was wrong not to stop the divorce, but I was confused–”
“Wes,” Tori said, looking into his eyes and wiping away his tears. “Shut up and kiss me.”
He smiled, pulled her close, and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss. Then he looked into her eyes. “I can’t believe we’re finally back in each other’s arms. I was devastated when I heard you’d left town and gotten married.”
“Well, that makes two of us,” Tori said. “I was devastated after writing you a letter, begging you to contact me, but heard nothing at all for three months. Why did you take so long?” she asked, even though she’d promised herself that she wouldn’t.
“That’s a fair question.” Wes nodded. “I had a lot of soul searching to do. I still loved you and wanted you, but it took a while for me to convince my stupid male ego to let it all go.”
Fighting her tears, Tori asked, “Are you sure I’m the one that you want?”
Wes touched her face gently. “Why do you think I didn’t remarry?”
With a sly smile, she replied, “Because you’re too damn ugly?”
Wes pulled her even closer. “Tori, shut up and kiss me!”
It was the most wonderful kiss she had ever had in her life. Wes showed passion that she didn’t know he was capable of. They’d both grown up so much.
Anna’s Note
December 16, 1976
My heart is so full of joy now. I sleep at nights and I feel as if I’m ten-years younger. I’ve always known that Tori and Wes were soul mates, but I have to admit I was a bit surprised when it didn’t seem that they were going to reconcile. I should know by now not to doubt my own vibes and visions. But for the past nineteen years I’ve been thrown for loops that I didn’t see coming. I thought in my old age I was losing my gift. I’m not. I’ve still got it. It feels good!
Anna West-Morgan
Chapter Seventeen
A week before Christmas, Grammy and Tori drove around Madison and dropped money from Cody’s cash box into every Salvation Army bucket in town. Great joy filled Tori’s heart as Grammy and she talked about how many children would be having a truly merry Christmas that year.
After they made their rounds, Tori took Grammy home, helped her inside the house, and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you on Christmas Day.”
“Bye, sweet. Thanks for letting me share the joy of giving to a worthy cause. This is going to be the happiest Chris
tmas of my life.” Grammy smiled and added, “And I’ve had a bunch of them.”
“I haven’t had as many as you, Grammy, but I agree that it’s already been the happiest so far.”
Tori hurried on home to help Momma get ready for the big day. She was overjoyed as she helped her mother with all the preparations. It was the first time she’d had the opportunity to learn how much had to be done to get ready for a Christmas dinner and make it a perfect day.
Grammy and Poppy came to Tori’s house for Christmas that year.
Tori fixed Grammy’s plate and placed it in front of her. “I helped cook all of it, but pretend you like it anyway, okay?” She kissed Grammy’s cheek.
Smiling broadly, Grammy replied, “Well, Mona informed me that I was officially retired and that she’d be doing all the holiday cooking from now on – and you know what? That’s fine with me. I think we’ll all survive your cooking. After all, it was made with love, wasn’t it?”
“Absolutely,” Tori said. “In fact, that’s the secret ingredient. You taught me that years ago, Grammy.”
“Enough talk already,” said Tori’s dad. “Let’s have Poppy say the blessing so we can all dig in.”
After a big dinner, they went into the living room, where Daddy played Santa. Grammy fussed over the pretty scarf Tori gave her, reminding Tori that her new cane was supposed to have been her present.
“Oh, Grammy, just enjoy it as a symbol of how much I love you,” Tori said as she draped the scarf around Grammy’s neck.
When all the presents had been opened, Momma headed toward the kitchen, motioning for Tori to come and help, but before Tori could leave, Wes stood. “Hold on, Mona, please. I’ve got a special present that I’d like to give Tori, and I’d like everybody to be here when I do.”
Momma and Tori sat back down and waited. Wes walked over to Tori’s chair, smiled, and then bent down on one knee. As he did, he pulled a small black box from his shirt pocket and flipped it open, exposing the most beautiful diamond ring Tori had ever seen.
“Tori, will you marry me – again?”
Tori threw her arms around his neck and screamed, “Yes! Yes!”
Wes’ hands were trembling as he slipped the ring on Tori’s finger. Then he kissed her hand. “This time you can have the big wedding you didn’t get last time.”
Tori kissed him on the lips and replied, “Thank you, Wes. It’s beautiful.”
Everyone gathered around to admire Tori’s ring and to hug Wes and congratulate them both. If Tori lived to be one hundred, she knew she’d never forget this special Christmas.
The next day Tori began planning their big church wedding. She was again a princess, about to marry her Prince Charming.
Cody Baxter was just a distant memory that was slowly melting away from her conscious mind – but the nightmares didn’t stop. There were still times when she’d wake up in a cold sweat after feeling his evil eyes burning into her soul.
* * * *
On May 12, 1978, Tori woke up early, knowing she still had a dozen last-minute details to take care of. It had been three years since she’d married Wesley Asner the first time – but she was determined that this would be the last – this time it truly would be “till death do us part.”
Going to school year around and carrying extra credits each semester had paid off, and Wes had graduated the week before with his BS degree. Then he accepted a position at the new Dixon High as a biology teacher and assistant football coach.
“You are my hero, Wesley Asner!” Tori said, turning her engagement ring on her finger, anxious to see the wedding band that would soon be placed beside it. She stretched her arms high over her head and yawned. She hadn’t gone to bed until three o’clock in the morning. After the wedding rehearsal and dinner, Jill and she had shared their last slumber party as single girls. It had been a happy and slightly sad sleepover. It was their last hurrah!
Tori heard the second step crack as her mother came up the stairs. Tori sat on the side of the bed trying to snap out of her sleepy fog. Her mother walked in and said, “Are you going to sleep all day? We’ve got a beauty shop appointment in one hour, we’ve got to pick up your shoes, we’ve got to go by the florist and tell them you want the extra pots of ferns–”
Tori held up her hand. “I know, Momma. Just give me a second to wake up – and you can cool your jets! It’ll all come together.”
The wedding was set to take place at six o’clock in the country church where Poppy and Grammy had been members for over fifty years. Tori remembered many Sundays sitting between Grammy and Poppy as the official “elbow poker,” in charge with prodding Poppy every time he nodded off during a sermon.
At five o’clock, Tori gathered her wedding gown and makeup bag, rushed out of the house, and piled her stuff into Jill’s Pinto. She shook her head, patted the old car’s roof, and said, “How much longer can you last?” Then she stuck her arm through the front window, blew the horn, and yelled, “Come on Jill, get me to the church on time!”
Jill came running out of her house, her bridesmaid dress in her arms and shoes dangling in one hand. “I’m coming!” She carefully set her dress on top of Tori’s in the backseat, and then bumped her head on the doorframe as she stood up. “Did I mess up my hair?” she asked, quickly checking in the rearview mirror.
“Your hair’s fine,” Tori said. “In fact, you look too beautiful. I’d appreciate it if you could ugly down a little bit. I don’t want you upstaging the bride!”
“Yeah. Like I could, Miss Beauty Queen!” Jill replied, patting Tori’s leg.
As Jill backed out of the driveway, Tori said, “You know, every time I get into this car, I think back to our narrow escape from Georgia.”
Jill glared at Tori. “We don’t talk about that anymore, remember?”
“I know, but I’ve had nightmares about him for two years. When will they stop?”
“After today you’re going to be so happy that you won’t be plagued with nightmares anymore,” Jill said.
“I think you’re right.” Tori smiled.
As Jill drove, they started singing, “Get me to the church on time.”
Twenty minutes later, Jill pulled into the church parking lot and pushed the car into park.
Tori looked out the window at the beautiful building with the stain glass windows, tall steeple and double doors. “Holy guacamole! I really am having the big church wedding of my dreams.”
“That you are, girl. And you deserve the prettiest wedding this county has ever seen.” Jill laughed and added, “I know you didn’t invite the whole country, but the church will be packed.”
Tori stepped from the car and when her feet touched fresh dirt she said, “Well, spit fire. Why did I wear my shoes? I’ll have them ruined before I get inside. She walked as if the higher and faster she made her feet move, the less dirt she would collect.
Tori’s eyes brightened as she entered the church. Palms, ferns, candles, and large baskets of white chrysanthemums adorned the sanctuary. The pianist rehearsed a recital of nuptials that she was going to play as Wes and Billy’s nephews lit the candles. Tori’s parents were already there, and her mother was doing a host of last-minute mother-of-the-bride things.
Tori and Jill hurried down to the basement, where the caterer had decorated the tabletops with white linen and beautiful centerpieces. Each table had several crystal compotes filled with nuts and mints, and the champagne fountain was exquisite.
In the restroom, Tori and Jill dressed, applied makeup, and admired their selves in the mirror. Tori wore a floor-length white taffeta gown with tulle and lace. The fitted bodice was styled with a sweetheart neckline. A fingertip veil of tulle fell down from a crown of lace daisies, and she held a bouquet of French carnations, mounted on the same white bible that both Grammy and her mother had carried on their wedding days. Tori also had the traditional lucky charms: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence inside her shoe.
“We’re th
e most gorgeous belles in all of Madison County,” Tori said. Then she cocked her head. “I think I just heard the pianist hit a cord.”
Tori and Jill listened as Frieda Fisher, the pastor’s wife, begin to sing, “I Love You Truly.” She had a strong soprano voice and when she hit a few of the high notes, Tori glanced at the crystal, wondering if it might shatter.
Momma came downstairs, even though she’d promised to stay upstairs so Tori wouldn’t see her cry – and break down herself.
Maintaining her composure as best she could, she said, “It’s about to start. Are you ready?”
“We’re ready, Momma.” Tori swallowed hard and gave her mother a hug.
As her mother hurried back upstairs, Tori took Jill’s hand. “Okay, Jill, here we go. Thanks for everything.”
“Thanks for letting me be a part of it.” Jill wrapped her arms around Tori and pulled her close. Then Jill gracefully headed upstairs in front of Tori.
When they reached the top step, Tori found her dad waiting for her next to the door that led to the sanctuary. Tears filled his eyes as he held out his arm. “Are you ready, sweetie?”
“Ready, Daddy,” Tori managed to say, choking back her tears.
Wes’ niece, the flower girl, began dropping rose petals down the aisle.
Jill walked down the aisle.
Tori clung to her daddy’s arm and together they began the walk, heel-toe, heel-toe, toward Jill, Billy, and Wes, who stood waiting at the altar.
The light in Wes’ eyes was as bright as the candles surrounding the altar as he watched Tori approach.
Tori took her place at his side.
The pastor asked, “Who gives this woman in marriage?”
Her dad replied, “Her mother and I do.” Then he let go of Tori’s arm and took a seat next to Mona.
As the joy of the moment swirled around Tori, everything seemed to become a blur. They exchanged their vows and put rings on each other’s fingers, shared a warm kiss, and then the pastor announced them to the congregation as Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Asner.