by Lenise Lee
“Ms White,” he was addressing me again, “I must apologize for the rude and extremely unprofessional behavior of my eldest son. Carmen is my eyes and ears out here in the executive suite and in the rest of the office and she has nothing but goods words to say about you and your work here. For that, I personally thank you. I trust her judgment and we need more associates such as you, and I would be honored if you would remain on with the company.”
“But, dad – ”
“Shut up, Junior!”
The younger Bank shrank back to attention mode.
“Yes, sir.”
“You, on the other hand, may consider this your last day at Bank, Drake, Lyle, and Company.”
“What?” Junior’s mouth had dropped so far he nearly started drooling on himself.
“Daddy, you can’t.”
“I own this company, so, yes, I believe I can. Carmen has also been providing me with copies of your expense reports from over the last few months. Junior, this is a business not your own personal piggy bank. Your expenditures alone are going to cost our investors a good portion of their profits come next quarter. I cannot allow that, not even for my own flesh and blood. Junior, you’re fired, clean out your desk and we’ll discuss the rest of this at home.”
As everyone, included me, stood like statues in stunned disbelief, Bank Senior addressed me once more before returning to the privacy of his office with Carmen at his heels.
“Again, Ms. White, I implore you to stay. You will not be disappointed if you do so.”
That was the last I saw of Mr. Stephen Bank, Sr. but it was enough of an impression to last a lifetime.
Chapter 11
“You look perfect.”
It was the truth and nothing but. Jeanette was stunning in her pure white wedding gown. The five foot long train was hand stitched by a designer she had met during one of her earlier days trying the catch on at the New York runway circuit. Although Jeanette had not made it big there and the designer had went on to start his own line, the two had remained close friends. He was thrilled when she asked him to design the gown and she had her dream of wearing a one of kind design on her wedding day come true.
As I helped her to adjust her veil over the intricately styled hairstyle the stylist had only finished braiding and then curling under an hour ago, I noticed her smoothing the front of the dress.
“You okay? Something wrong? Did you get something on the dress?”
“Oh, no,” she answered a little too quickly.
I eyed her but my thoughts were elsewhere and I was not in the mood for twenty questions. I placed the last pin in and stepped to the side to admire the full package.
“Yes, you look absolutely radiant, Jeje.”
Jeanette beamed and leaned down to offer me another nervous hug. So far today, I had received no less than ten of those. Today was the moment of truth and she was a bundle of nerves.
“Jeanette, honey, everything is going to be fine,” I soothed as I rubbed her back.
I knew it to be true because I had been repeating it to myself over the last week and had given myself no choice whatsoever but to firmly believe in it.
I left work on that notable day earlier in the week without handing in my resignation yet without promising to return after my well-earned week long vacation that Carmen gladly approved on the spot. Since then, I had been looking up some on-line courses to take over the summer session with hopes of finishing my degree sooner and without having to sit through a full Fall semester. Most of all, I had been thinking about Josh, who, as far as I was aware, had yet to return from Virginia.
I had searched all over for him when we arrived at the church at the crack of dawn this morning. The ceremony was due to begin at 10:30 AM and most of the wedding party was accounted for by 9 AM. It was nearly 10 now and time was moving faster every second. I saw Tyler in the hall about thirty minutes ago, and he simply smiled at me, nothing more, and then he and the pastor moved on to the sanctuary as they discussed some last minute details.
Glancing at my image in the mirror of the bathroom next to the dressing room where Jeanette was, I again congratulated myself on getting my figure in shape for this day. My full curves and lean caramel arms and legs did this bridesmaid dress some justice, I might say. My hair had started growing out again and had reached far enough down my neck so I was able to twist it up and hold it with a small butterfly clip and outline the curve with small white faux flowers. A light beige facial powder and chestnut lip color with matching eye shadow and brown liner completed the look and brought out the soft brown of my eyes.
Walking back into the room, I spied that the clock on the wall now read 10:20. I had wanted to talk with Josh before the wedding, I wanted to explain to him that most of this falling out was probably my fault. I knew he was a free spirit when we first started going together, which was fine for me, as long as we were close to home and my cushion of comfort. I knew sooner or later, he would want to venture out from our small part of the world, and I knew I wouldn’t be ready to go and when the time finally came I wasn’t. I was scared and I wanted him to be scared enough of losing me that he would stay, and that plan had collapsed twice already. It was time for me to get out and face the world, and stop running from the possibilities. Hopefully, Josh would still want to be at my side to lend me some of his strength and adventurous spirit. However, the way things were looking, it seemed as though I would not get to see him until he was standing across from me ten – now, five – minutes from now. After that, he would probably high tale it back down I-95 as fast as his four wheels could carry him.
“It’s showtime,” Jeanette said nervously.
“You’ll do fine, sweetie,” I hugged Jeanette one last time.
“Just think in less than five minutes you will be Mrs. Jeanette Morris.”
“Mrs. Morris, I can’t wait.”
Jeanette tried to sound sarcastic with her comment, but I knew deep down this was the exact moment she had been waiting for and I was happy for her, for them both. Love – true love – is a rare gift only few have the pleasure of experiencing.
With a slight ache of sadness in my heart, I walked out to get ready for the line-up as the three-piece band – a local alternative rock group that Tyler knew – started up an acoustic arrangement meant to signal the march of the wedding party.
I reached the outside of the sanctuary and saw the other ladies lined up on one side, as well as the groomsmen on the other, awaiting the cue to walk in with their partner.
When I reached my spot at the front of the bridal party line, I was glamored by a stunning pair of sapphire eyes wandering over me. Joshua looked more handsome in his tux today than when I saw him at the fitting last week. His usually unruly red tresses were trimmed a bit shorter and combed back neatly and his side burns had a nice close fade. I, and the rest of the bridesmaids, held a white long stem rose in my hand and Josh, like the other groomsmen, had identical short stem roses pinned to their lapels.
Without thinking, I reached over and straightened the fresh flower that had begun to droop to one side of his jacket collar. When I went to pull my hand back, he caught it and pulled it to his lips for a light kiss. I felt my face flush. There was so much I wanted to say to him but, at that moment, the planner, standing just inside the double doorway, nodded her head at us as a cue that it was time for us to start moving. Josh smiled and gave me an adoring look, and then took my arm into the crook of his own. We stepped into the sanctuary and all heads turned back to us. He must have felt my sudden tremble of apprehension, because he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my cheek and all of my trembling ceased.
“Don’t worry, you look beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman I see,” he whispered and then we stepped forward and up the aisle.
At the top of the aisle, we parted ways, he to his side and me to mine. I missed him the moment we separated. In my heart, I never wanted to be apart from him again. I was absolutely sure of that now. Wherever he went, I wanted to
be right there. He was like the other half of my soul, I was never happier except when we were together and never more torn than when we were apart. I wanted him and I wanted him forever.
The others filed in after us and soon it was time for Jeanette to make her grand entrance. The band struck up a yet another version of Here Comes the Bride. I wanted to watch my best friend walk that aisle but I also wanted to keep the intense longing I was sharing with the man I loved in tact for as long as possible. I had no idea where he would disappear to before I had a chance to tell him how I felt and I did not want to take my eyes off of him for fear he might vanish into thin air again.
When Jeanette made her way up and to Tyler’s side, I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Josh as we all angled our bodies to face forward and witness the union. Before I turned away, I noticed Josh shift nervously on his feet and wondered what was on his mind. Had he changed his mind about loving me? Was he really going to leave me again before I had the opportunity to tell him I would follow him anywhere? I was no longer afraid to take a chance and experience life with him.
Whatever the circumstances, I would have to wait to find out what the conclusion of our story would be as the minister was beginning his opening.
The short jolly man was dressed in his all black clergyman wear with the white collar. He held a small bible firmly between his hands.
“Dearly beloved,” he commenced, “we have come together to witness this holy matrimony between this man, Tyler Morris, and this woman, Jeanette Bixby.”
The sound of muffled sniffles sounded from the audience.
“But before we continue with their vows, one of Mr. Morris’s close friends, Mr. Joshua Somers has something he would like to say.”
A wave of murmurs went over the audience and then a sudden hush. I turned back to Josh, wondering if we were both supposed to make speeches and if, in the madness of the last few weeks, I had forgotten mine. I watched him make his way from the line of groomsmen and toward the other side of the aisle and directly to where I was standing.
My face flushed a deep red as I, once again, felt every eye in the room watching us both. I bowed my head shyly when Josh stopped in front of me. He extended his right hand to me. Not knowing exactly what was going on, but trusting him completely, I placed my smaller one in his manly one and he led me out of the line of bridesmaids and back to the center between the two rows of pews. We stopped right behind where Jeanette and Tyler were now standing and, from the corner of my eye, I could see they were also watching the scene unfold.
Once we stopped, Josh dropped to one knee and I had to cover my mouth to keep from crying out. Even on his knees, he was still as tall as my chest. Pools of water welled up in my eyes as he pulled a small blue velvet box from the pocket of his tuxedo pants. He opened it and the most breath taking white diamond solitary ring sparkled back up at me.
Josh took my hand to his lips and kissed my palm as he held up the box to me. The corners of those blue gems were wet with unshed tears. The sight of him being so emotional only made my own tears start to flow even more. I was sure my neatly applied make-up was now an absolute mess, but none of that mattered at the moment.
“Kerine Candace White, I love you with all of my heart,” he confessed through a deep, slightly broken bass.
“From the moment I set my eyes on you, you stole my heart. You are by far the sweetest, most caring, and most intelligent person I know. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my crazy life. It has been a privilege for me to know you and an honor to be able to love you.”
At this point, I couldn’t hold back anymore, and I sobbed openly as I allowed the vibrant happiness to flow over me.
“I was a fool to let you go, not once but twice. I promise you now, if you will have me, that will never happen again. I will spend the rest of the days we have on this earth doing whatever it takes to make you happy. I don’t care where we are in life as long as we are together. Will you marry me?”
Anticipation hung in the air. I could almost hear the entire congregation holding anxious breaths as they leaned forward in their seats.
I covered my mouth again and released another flow of tears as Joshua looked up at me with those pleading eyes. At that moment, my forever began.
“Yes!”
He released a heavy breath, as did the audience.
“Of course, I’ll marry you! I love you so much!”
“I love you too, Keri!” he said as he leaped up and swept me into his arms and kissed me passionately and then hugged me tight to his body.
A unanimous cheer went up from the aisles.
“I’m never letting you go again and I’m not going anywhere without you again. I promise,” he whispered to me and I was sure he meant it with all of his heart.
“I know,” I whispered back into his ear, “I promise the same. Never, ever again. We’ll always be together.”
Our foreheads touched, I felt at peace and I knew Josh felt the same.
“Ahem.”
The preacher chimed in and everyone settled down. Josh placed me back on to the floor. I looked over to Jeanette who beamed back at me with a knowing smile. I do believe she knew about this whole time. I still need to have that little talk with her. I never did shake the feeling that everything from the day of Josh’s return up until today was a set-up on the part of the future Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Morris.
Once we all returned to our places and gave the minister our attention, he continued where he had left off.
“Well, now that we have a new marriage pending, shall we finish up with this first one?”
Everyone laughed and it was a beautiful new beginning for all of us.
Epilogue
A year later and here I was already coddling my brand new godson. As it turns out Mr. and Mrs. Morris were holding more than one secret until the very end. They were already planning to upgrade Tyler’s sporty model to a room van way back even before I mentioned it. He and Jeanette had discovered she was holding a little bun in the oven but didn’t want anyone to fuss about it until they were officially joined as a family.
The baby boy had stunning hazel eyes like his father’s and corn silk golden hair similar to his mother’s. Whenever I made a face at him the infant just cooed and he was too adorable to be believed.
Jeanette came and sat on the red picnic bench next to me and retrieved her son from my lap. We were all enjoying a beautiful spring day at the park.
“You better watch out, Josh, from the way she keeps cradling ours, she’s going to want one of those soon,” Tyler joked from the grill he and Josh were handling.
I looked over at my future husband and blew him a seductive kiss meant for his eyes only. Thankfully, Tyler was staring down at the grill and Jeanette was fiddling with baby’s clothes. Josh caught the kiss and placed it over his heart.
As the divine forces would have it and like I had been trying to convince myself of, everything did indeed work out in the end. I had decided to stay on with Bank and Co. Other than Junior, I had enjoyed working at the company tremendously and had learned so much about the advertising business while I was there. When Bank, Jr. was no longer in the picture, a spot opened up for another marketing executive, entry level, of course. With the highest praise from Carmen and a recommendation from Mr. Bank, Sr. himself, along with all of the business courses I had already completed and the degree I was actually able to finish by taking a full course load last summer, I was offered the job and decided to take it on one condition. I would be working out of the Tinton Falls, DE branch office. Josh and I decided to compromise on our living situation and Delaware seemed like the median point. I was close enough to our main branch in New Jersey to travel up there whenever needed and he was close enough to the news station he worked for so he could continue to photograph for them or any of their sister stations in the surrounding area. We had found a lovely three-bedroom townhouse for a reasonable price and were reasonably close enough to visit family and friends or have them come
to us as often as we liked. We were now in the process of planning our own wedding, with Jeanette as maid of honor and Tyler as best man, of course. Ours, we both agreed, would be much smaller and more hassle free, perhaps having only a small ceremony in the park this summer. The specifics didn’t matter; we just wanted to be Mr. and Mrs. Somers as soon as possible.
Josh came and angled his long legs around me so he could seat himself behind me on the bench. Wrapping his strong arms, covered in fine copper colored hairs, around me, he kissed me on the back of my neck and an erotic shiver went down my back. I turned around and kissed his soft lips and then his nose.
“Don’t worry, Ty,” he grinned down at me and then placed another sweet kiss on my forehead as I closed my eyes to receive the full effect of his affection, “we’re already working on it.”
His hands made small circles as he gently rubbed my stomach over my turquoise tank top. My once flat stomach was already starting to show a small bulge. There was a light fluttering there as the tiny little one developing inside was already starting to respond to its father’s touch.
THE END