by Pamela Morsi
Only Tom had the power to take that control from her. He took it from her in his arms through tenderness and passion. And he took it from her now as he broke her heart.
Her shaking sobs had lessened to a grim sadness by the time Howard pulled the surrey into the porte cochere. He helped her alight. And she walked into the house with leaden steps.
Mrs. Marin hurried up the hall to meet her. She didn't want supper. She didn't want sympathy. She just wanted to be alone and silent and miserably unhappy.
"Visitor in the sun parlor, Miss Princess."
"I don't want to see anyone," she said. "Send whoever it is away."
"It's Mr. Walker."
"Who?"
"Mr. Walker."
"Mr. Walker, my husband Mr. Walker?"
"Yes ma'am, he's ..."
Cessy didn't wait to hear more. She raced to the sun parlor.
"You're here!" she said.
"I am so sorry I was late. The train was delayed in Kansas City and I swear I would have stepped outside to push if I'd thought it would get me here any faster."
"I waited for you at the picnic place."
"I should have gone out there, but it was so late, I was certain that you'd returned home already."
"No I ... I waited a very long time."
"I'm sorry," he said. "Here, I've brought you some candy." He handed her the fancy box, tied prettily with ribbons.
"Thank you."
"Cessy, I've been thinking about what you said last week," he said. "I know that I was wrong to do the things that I did. I was wrong to marry you for such a reason as mine was. I want you to know that I do care about you. Indeed, I honestly love you and I believe I have told you many times. I don't deserve to be your husband. But if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I am prepared to make it up to you."
"To make it up to me?"
"I have a job now, Cessy, a good job, I think. I can and will support you. Nothing need be supplied by your father. I will provide for you and any offspring that we might have."
"You have a new job?"
"Yes," he answered. "And we can live here, in your house, if you are so inclined. Can you forgive me, Cessy? Can you take me back?"
She raised her chin haughtily. "I don't know if I can forgive you. But it seems that I must take you back."
"You must?"
"It is not certain yet, of course," she said. "But it seems that perhaps I am with child. For that consequence, of course I must give you one more chance."
"Thank you, Cessy, thank you," he said. "I promise you that you will not be sorry."
"Well, I certainly hope not," she said. "I suppose most women, however, would consider it quite a comedown to believe that one is marrying into a wealthy family only to discover oneself married to a tool dresser."
"Oh, I'm not a tool dresser anymore," he said.
From inside his breast pocket he pulled out the silver card box that he always carried. He removed a card and handed it to her.
Cessy glanced down and read the words written in raised gold lettering. ROYAL-WALKER REFINING COMPANY, T.T. WALKER, PRESIDENT.
"What is this?"
"Construction begins tomorrow," he said. "Your father has made me a partner and the head of this part of the operation."
"How can this be? Where did you get the money?"
"Not everything you know about me is lies, Cessy," he said. "I did go to Cuba. And I do have banking friends among the fine families of Bedlington in the New Jersey."
Her mind was awhirl.
"Then . . . then . . . then I'm not poor anymore. I'm rich again and you knew it before I did! You're marrying me again for my money."
"The partnership in the refinery is my own," he said firmly. "I earned it by getting the financing. You are a rich woman again. And you can thank me for that any time."
Cessy didn't feel like thanking him.
"You . . . you . . . you're not going to suffer at all. You are getting everything that you want!" she complained.
"And you are, too. You love me and want me and you are going to have me."
"I . . . no, I told you that I could not forgive you," she said.
"Yes, I know, you're only letting me stay because we have a child on the way."
"Yes, yes, that is the only reason."
"Now I find that really interesting, because that is not at all what I heard."
"What did you hear?"
"Well, you know how Ma can't resist repeating a joke a dozen times," he said. "Poor Moses. The Red Sea, indeed."
Tom walked over and lifted her up into his arms.
"I do hope that when we eventually do have children, lying will not be the only family trait they inherit from us."
He kissed her then. Sweet and long and languidly.
"I love you, Cessy," he whispered to her. "And you'll just have to trust me that I am telling the truth to you when I say that."
She looked up into his eyes and she believed him.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked as he began carrying her across the room.
"Up to bed, of course," he answered. "It's been a whole week since I've made love to my wife. And I've developed a voracious appetite for things married and sexual. Grab that candy box."
"The candy box? Married and sexual includes chocolate these days?"
"I wasn't thinking of the chocolate," he told her. "I was admiring those pretty ribbons. I believe tonight it's your turn to wear them."
EPILOGUE
Methodist Agricultural & Mechanical College
at Burford Corners
November 18, 1929
She looked as beautiful as she had ever looked and he couldn't have been more proud of her. Her dress was a delicate confection of ivory silk, beaded and adorned with lace. The long frothy veil enhanced her dark hair and her handsome eyes. She was obviously nervous and kept picking at her fingernails.
He stopped to peek through the doorway into the sanctuary of the McAfee Memorial Chapel. It was crowded with people dressed in their best finery, all looking back toward the doors expectantly.
"They've seated your mother," he said.
"Thank God," the bride complained. "I think if I had to hear one more word out of her I would have started screaming. She always knows exactly what should be done and spends her every waking minute telling everybody what to do."
Her father smiled. "That's just the way your mother is, Sina. She was born bossy and nothing short of the grave is going to change that. In fact,T wouldn't put it past her to have an earful of advice for Saint Peter when she arrives."
The young woman nodded in agreement.
He peeked through the doorway once more. "Your groom has come into the room,” he said. "And I see Phillip has made it."
"Hail the conquering Cornell Law student," she complained. "Why did Joe have to choose him as best man?"
"They are the closest of friends."
"It's just not fair that anyone should have an uncle who is only a year older than she is,” Sina complained. "If he starts calling me T.T. in public again, I think I will plant my fist right in his face."
"Oh Sina, you are more like your mother than you think," he said. "And if she were here I'm sure she'd tell you that starting a fistfight at your own wedding is not quite de rigueur for brides these days."
The young woman sighed heavily and put her hands together in front of her in a prayerful clasp.
"Oh, Daddy, should we really be doing this?" she asked.
Her father stilled, looking worried. "Are you having second thoughts about getting married? I like the young man, you know that. And his parents are old friends. But I'll go out there right now and tell everyone to go home if you're not sure."
"Oh, I'm sure about Joe," she said. "I'm just not sure about having this big wedding. With the stock market going bad like it has and you and Grandpa losing so much . . ."
"Now, Sina, neither your grandfather or me is likely to take a jump out of a window. The oil
business has always been boom and bust. Filthy rich one day, dirt poor the next. If there is one thing that I have learned in this world is that*money doesn't matter all that much. As long as I have your mother beside me, I've got good reason to be grateful."
"That's just how I feel about Joe," she said.
He smiled at her. "Then let's go inside there and get you married, shall we?"
They walked down the aisle together. He was proud to walk beside her, but she only had eyes for the young man waiting at the altar.
He stood in his place and spoke his part.
"Who gives this woman to be married?"
"Her mother and I do," he answered.
Then he stepped away from the young couple and took his place beside his wife and grasped her hand, squeezing it lovingly. They shared a hasty look and felt their own love swell up inside them with a tenderness that was forever new.
He glanced past his wife to his in-laws. King and Queenie, such a perfectly matched pair. They'd spent the last several years traveling in Europe, but he was glad they were here to see their eldest granddaughter get married.
Across the aisle, he heard the groom's mother sniffling quietly. He knew that they were as happy about this wedding as he was.
In a booming voice, the minister had come to the vows.
"Do you Thomasina Thursday Walker take this man, Joseph Maloof Bashara to be your lawfully wedded husband? For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"
"I do," she answered.