Wings and Faith

by Joy Redmond

  Mandy waited as Gill unlocked the door, then he held it open for her. She walked inside and couldn’t believe the huge display room full of beautiful bikes. “What kind of work do you do?” she asked.

  “I’m the owner and operator. I have bike mechanics and this is a busy place. Sales are great and I love to ride. If you like bikes, I’ll ride you all over Georgia.”

  “I love motorcycles and I love to ride, but I don’t think we’ll have time to ride all over Georgia,” she said with a laugh, but her soul yearned to straddle a bike and take off. She could almost feel the wind blowing through her hair, feeling free as a bird.

  “I didn’t mean this weekend. I meant when—” Gill stopped talking and tucked his head. “When you come back for a visit, and I sure hope you do.”

  “I’ll come as often as I can, but I have a twelve-year-old and I might not get to come as much as I’d like. You can come see me when I can’t make it down here. By the way, do you have children?”

  “I have two sons and one daughter. My oldest, Jordon, is one of my bike mechanics. He’s married to a wonderful woman. My daughter Trish will be starting her freshman year in college this fall. My youngest Wyatt just turned twelve back in April. So we have two the same age. He lives with his mother over in Douglas, Georgia, but I go get him every other weekend.”

  “That’s great. Children are what make our lives worth living.”

  “Children and a mate to share your life with,” Gill said, smiling. He put his arms around Mandy, hugged her, then took her hand and led her back outside.

  The weekend went too fast. On their last night together, the lovemaking was more blissful than it had ever been, and Gill took her to heights previously unknown. After they were both spent, Gill sat up in bed and lit a cigarette. He took a long drag and handed it to Mandy. Mandy accepted the inviting smoke and took a long drag. She coughed a little and felt embarrassed.

  She had smoked when she was in high school, but after she had gotten married and had babies, she hadn’t thought about a cigarette.

  She and Gill passed the cigarette back and forth until it was down to the filter. Gill seemed to be antsy for some reason and Mandy wondered if she had been disappointing in bed. She pulled the sheet up to her chin and felt like a fool.

  Gill got out of bed, slipped on his tighty-whities and walked over to the chest. Mandy watched him open the top drawer and take out a small box. He slowly walked back over to the bed where Mandy was still sitting, pulling the sheet tightly around her.

  “Scoot over to the edge of the bed,” Gill said.

  Still clutching the sheet as if it were a suit of armor, Mandy scooted to the edge and let her legs and feet dangle.

  Gill dropped on one knee and opened the box and pulled out a gold chain with a sparkling diamond hanging on it. “Will you marry me?” His eyes were misty.

  Mandy felt faint. She reached out with a trembling hand and nestled the diamond in her palm. “This has to be at least one carat. It’s beautiful. I’ve got to give this some thought. I just moved to Tennessee and I love it there. And I have a young daughter that I have to think about. I’m not sure that she’ll take to a step-daddy and moving again so soon. She loves Tennessee and her new friend. I hate to uproot her again.”

  Gill smiled. “This is an engagement necklace. I didn’t say we need to get married tomorrow. When you’re ready, you just let me know.” He swallowed hard. “That’s if you’ll agree to accept this and my proposal. I noticed that you already wear a nice diamond,” he said, as she reached over and caressed her finger. “So I wanted you to have a necklace. And I like to be different.”

  Mandy still couldn’t speak. She just sat, but Gill slipped the necklace around her neck and clasped it. “It looks like it was special made just for you, my little beauty.”

  Mandy caressed the diamond again, her mind spinning. She felt as if she was in love even if they hadn’t spent that much time together. He made her feel special, secure, and loved. It was the same feeling she remembered as a child when Daddy would hold her, his strong arms wrapped around her as he’d swing her to sleep.

  “So, are we engaged and will you marry me?” Gill asked, and he had the look of a child who was waiting to get a yes for a toy he had asked for.

  “Yes!” Mandy cried before she realized the words were coming out of her mouth.

  Gill pushed her body backward and covered it with his. The lovemaking was better than ever, and Mandy felt as if she were soaring through space, circling all nine planets.

  The next morning, Mandy was standing by her car, dreading to say goodbye and leave the man she couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from. He tenderly kissed her, and she swooned from his sweet lips. He was all she had ever dreamed of.

  She fought tears as they said goodbye, but she managed to collect herself and headed back to Tennessee, the happiest women on earth. A nagging feeling soon overtook the joy. This isn’t going to go over well with my children. And my parents will sure enough have a cow when they hear that I’m engaged, and if I move to Georgia, they might just keel over.

  Five hours later, she pulled into the driveway. She stepped out of the car, looked around, and wondered if she would ever be able to leave the splendid mountains.

  Spirits, tell me what to do. I’m too drunk on love to have a level head.

  Wednesday afternoon, Billy brought Abbie home. Mandy was standing in the front yard with her as she waved bye to her daddy, when Tim pulled his car into the driveway. Tina jumped out of the car and ran to Mandy, crying, “Nana!” as she threw her tiny arms around Mandy’s legs.

  Mandy picked her up, kissed her cheek, then told them all to come inside. They all fixed a drink and went out to the back porch. When they were all settled and quiet for a second, Mandy told her children that she was getting married, and proudly showed off the engagement necklace.

  The children oohed and aahed over the necklace. Then they asked when their new step-daddy was coming to Tennessee.

  “He isn’t coming to Tennessee. When we get married, I’ll be moving to Georgia.”

  Abbie jumped from her chair, her face blood red, and spittle flew as she stomped her foot and yelled, “I’m not going to Georgia! You took me away from Debbie. You’re not going to take me away from Karen. I don’t like Gill and I’m not going. I’m staying here with Kati.”

  Kati said,” You’re crazy! So you’re just going to move off and leave me and Tina in Tennessee? You know Tina will cry herself sick for you. Abbie, you know I can’t keep you. I don’t have a place to put you in my little apartment. If Mama will pay the rent, we’ll just stay here in this house.”

  “You know I can’t keep paying the rent, Kati. And Abbie, you’ll go where I go!” Mandy walked back inside. That went well, she thought, but she wasn’t too surprised.

  When she passed the phone she decided she might as well call Tony. She gave him the news.

  “You’ve got to be kidding. I thought you were smarter than that.” Then he said he needed to go somewhere and promptly hung up the phone.

  Well, ain’t this a fine howdy-doody, she thought. I managed to piss off all three of them. I forgot that mamas aren’t supposed to have a life. They are supposed to be mamas only and that doesn’t include being in love.

  She sat down for a few minutes, pondering. Was she crazy? Was Tony right with his comment? Was she disrupting Abbie’s life too much? Was she supposed to give up the man she loved? Where did a mother draw the line in what children wanted and what her heart wanted?

  Every day for the next week so many thoughts were running through Mandy’s mind. Maybe the children would accept him after they spent a little time with him and maybe they wouldn’t give her a hard time once they had gotten to know him. She began to wonder if she should call Gill and tell him not to come back for a visit, then mail the necklace back to him.

  She agonized every day, all week, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell Gill when he called each night. Just hearing his voice made her
weak in the knees.

  My children can accept it or get over it. I’ve given them my whole life. It’s time for me to have a life—a life I’ve dreamed of since I was in my teens. I can’t let my chance go by. I have to claim what my heart desires.

  Gill came down late Friday night. Abbie promptly left the house and went over to Karen’s and refused to be around him. Kati stayed at her apartment and refused to meet him. Tony stayed in Kentucky and refused to meet him.

  “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to hurt and upset my children, but I love you and I can’t bear the thought of not being with you,” she said, after she explained how her children had reacted.

  Gill held Mandy in his arms, the arms that made her feel so warm and cozy, as if she were being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter night. “We’re not that far from the Georgia border. There’s a little place called Ringo. We can go over there and be married within an hour or so. All we have to do is apply for a marriage license, get a blood test, wait for the results, then a Justice of the Peace will marry us. Once we’re married, the children will come around. Trust me!”

  She trusted him. That Monday, they were husband and wife.

  Mandy broke the news to her children and she told Don and Anne. Don was distraught. The children said they were never going to speak to her again.

  Mandy kept waiting for a sign that she had done the right thing. Nothing came to her. Then she remembered the single rose that was placed on the table. She still believed it was a sign that true love was coming her way. And it had. That was my sign, she thought, but her heart was heavy.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Mandy anxiously waited for Gill’s phone call every night for the next two weeks. When the phone rang, she ran to answer it. She tingled at the sound of his voice, and she tried to concentrate as he explained that he would rent a large U-Haul truck, then drive up and load everything the first week of August.

  Tony didn’t come back for weekend visits. Kati and Tim didn’t bring Tina over to see Mandy and eat an evening meal with her. Abbie stayed at Karen’s all day, came home in time to take a bath, then she took Fluffy and went to her room.

  Mandy decided to ignore their actions.

  Don came by one afternoon and he looked as sad as Mandy had ever seen him. Anne’s eyes were red-rimmed as if she had been crying all day. They went out on the back porch, and again as Mandy looked around her, the beauty of the mountains took her breath away. Holy shit! Why did I get married so fast? I should have waited a few months. But school will be starting in a few weeks. I need to get to Georgia and get Abbie enrolled in school. Gill said he would pay for her to go to a private school so she’ll get a better education.

  So many thoughts were running through Mandy’s mind, she almost didn’t hear Don. “Sis, you just made a big mistake. You don’t even know this man and I had a horrible dream about him. He’s evil and he’s going to make your life hell. You need to divorce him and stay right where you are. Isn’t that right, Anne?”

  “Yes, you need to stay close to us. I didn’t have a dream but when Don has dreams they usually come true. He knows what he’s talking about.”

  Then it dawned on Mandy. They want me to stay here so we’ll be close and that’s why they’re telling me that Gill is evil. That won’t work. I hate to leave them, but Gill is a kind soul and I love him.

  “I’ll be fine. And I’ll be back to see you as often as possible. It’s not like I’m moving across country. I’ll miss you two dreadfully, but the heart wants what the heart wants. Would you two have listened to anybody who tried to tell you that you were making a mistake when you fell in love and got married?”

  “There’s a big difference, Sis. God led us to each other and he blessed our union in marriage. Your marriage is legal according to man’s law, but it isn’t blessed by God.”

  “Whatever,” Mandy said, and her feathers began to ruffle. “If it all falls apart, then you two can say ‘I told you so.’” Mandy stared into space.

  August 2nd, Tony called. “Hi, Mama. I’m sorry I got snippy with you the last time we talked. I just don’t like the thought of my mother being with a man. It’s a son thing. Anyway, I told Grandmother and Granddaddy.” He chuckled, as he continued. “Grandmother said your reason for living was to torture her and Granddaddy, and she said she wasn’t ever going to call you again. But, she said for me to tell you that she still expects a letter from you every week, and if you want to talk, then you can call them.”

  “Tell her I’ll write the weekly letter as I’ve done for the past seven years. And when I can afford a call, I’ll call them. Thank you for not being mad at me. I hope you can come down to Georgia and see me for holidays. And, Son, please go back to school.”

  “Mama, you know that I’m working as an orderly at the hospital. I’m making good money and I have car payments and insurance. I can’t go to school and still work enough hours to pay it all.”

  “I’m not going to argue with you. I’ll leave that up to you and your grandparents. I’m sure Grandmother will put enough pressure on you. And Granddaddy will back her up. I’ll shut my mouth and let you three battle it out.”

  “I love you, Mama. I want you to be happy. But if he doesn’t treat you right, he’ll answer to me!”

  Mandy chuckled. “I’ve heard that from a few other people. If he mistreats me, I’ll turn you lose on him and you can have his head to hang on your wall. It would make a good trophy. I love you, too, and I hope to see you soon.”

  For the first time in two weeks, Mandy’s heart felt lighter. Now, if my daughters will just understand, she thought.

  That weekend, Gill showed up with a large truck. Mandy had everything packed. They both loaded the truck and were ready to leave by four in the afternoon.

  Mandy told Gill to wait for her while she made the trip across town to tell Kati and Tina, bye. “Abbie do you want to go with me,” she asked.

  Abbie was chasing Fluffy around the front yard. It was as if he knew he was about to be wrestled back into the car. “Nah. I’m trying to catch Fluffy and tell him that we’re going to take another car trip. I think I can calm him down. Gill said he’d help me.”

  Abbie is going to allow Gill to help her? That’s a start, Mandy thought, as she got into the car.

  Mandy’s heart was heavy as she said her goodbyes to Kati and Tina, but she promised to come back often to visit. Tina clung to her nana, and Mandy could barely let the sweet baby leave her arms after she gave her one last big kiss.

  Kati glared at her mother and said, “Your name should be Stupid.”

  “Maybe so,” Mandy answered. “I guess time will tell.” She hugged Kati and she felt Kati’s body go limp as she felt her mother’s arms around her. She kissed Kati on each cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Mama. I’m being a big baby. I just want my mama close by me. You have a safe trip and I’ll make Tim bring us down for a visit as soon as you get set up.”

  Mandy cried all the way back across town.

  Gill backed the truck out of the driveway and Mandy waved until he was out of sight. “Abbie, I hope you’ve got Fluffy calmed down. It’s time to get him in the car.”

  Abbie was clinging tightly to Fluffy. “I tried to explain things to him, but he’s mad. You’ll have to help me hold on to him and stuff him in the car. He’s going to fight like a tiger.”

  Mandy grabbed Fluffy’s head. Abbie held him around the stomach. Together, they got Fluffy into the car, but he sat up and instantly howled. Mandy shook her finger in his face. “One more howl and I’ll throw your hairy butt off a mountain. Got it?”

  Fluffy tucked his head and didn’t make another sound.

  As Mandy backed out of the driveway, Abbie said, “I told Karen, bye. She said she’d write to me and I’ll write back to her. I think that’ll help me until I can make a new friend in that Georgia.”

  “That Georgia,” Mandy repeated as she patted Abbie’s leg. “Everything is going to be fine, honey.
Trust Mama. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Abbie answered, and wiped her tears.

  Soon, Mandy had caught up with Gill, and she followed him all the way.

  They pulled into the circular driveway and Mandy looked at the beautiful house that was now her home. For the first time since she left Tennessee, she felt light-hearted. “So what do you think, Abbie? We live on a lake. Just run out the back door, cross the yard, and you can sit on the bank. This is a saltwater lake. Neat, huh?”

  “Yeah, I guess so. Fluffy is going crazy. Help me hold on to him and get him in the house. You know he’ll take off running and the angels might not find him and bring him back to me this time.”

  Mandy reached over and took Fluffy from Abbie’s arms. He was clawing and howling like he had gone mad. “Just let me have him. I’ll hang on tightly. He’ll scratch the hell out of me, but I’ll get him inside.”

  Gill unlocked the door, and Mandy was fighting Fluffy with every step. Abbie stepped inside and quickly shut the door. “You make sure he doesn’t get out while I go to the car and get his food. After I feed him, maybe he’ll explore the house and calm down,” Abbie said.

  As soon as Abbie finished her sentence, Fluffy arched his back and hissed. Abbie reached down to pet him, but he took off running upstairs. Just as he reached the top step, he arched, hissed, and ran back down the steps. “Mama, he doesn’t like this place.”

  “He’ll get used to it,” Mandy assured Abbie, but she had her doubts. She’d never seen Fluffy act as if he had completely lost his mind. He had taken to the house in Cleveland immediately. And he was always protective of Abbie. Now, he didn’t want her to pick him up.

  Gill opened the door and Fluffy made a beeline. Mandy and Abbie ran outside and called him, but he kept running. Abbie burst into tears. He’s gone. He won’t come back this time.”

  “Put his food and water by the door. When he gets hungry, he’ll come home, and while he’s eating, we’ll nab him. Now, stop fretting. He’ll come back,” Mandy said, as she hugged Abbie, hoping she was right.