To Protect and Serve

by Pat Adeff

  As they all cheerfully sat down ready to dig in, the kids started firing questions at Nancy and Doug. At first they tried to answer but ended up just sitting there smiling at each other while the questions flew around the table.

  Nancy found that she and Doug didn’t have to answer anything, since the kids were answering their own questions.

  So they just enjoyed the wonderful dinner.

  EPILOGUE

  “Mom, you look beautiful.” Kate and Christy were standing behind Nancy as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror in Bill and Patty’s guest room.

  Nancy felt beautiful. Her soft green and ecru tea length dress flattered her curves. The sweetheart neckline was the perfect frame for the heart-shaped locket that was Doug’s wedding gift to her. The girls, Jackson and Doug had found the time to get their picture taken together and the locket now held that same picture; close to her heart. The small gold hoop earrings were the only other jewelry Nancy wore.

  Kate and Christy both looked wonderful in similar cut dresses but different darker hues of green to match their own skin tones.

  Their small bouquets sat on the dresser next to Nancy’s bouquet of white roses and orange blossoms.

  “Does Pops have his boutonniere?” Nancy asked again.

  “Yes, Mom, he does. Still.” Christy shared a smile with Kate.

  Just then there was a knock at the bedroom door, and Patty came in. “Well, the guests are all seated and I think that man of yours is chomping at the bit to get started.”

  Patty and Bill had been wonderful about letting Doug and Nancy use their garden for the wedding. Patty had used the opportunity to have her whole backyard redone; including having a rock fountain installed by Johnny’s Landscaping, which looked like a waterfall, as well as building a gazebo that was big enough to hold a ten piece orchestra.

  The fact that she’d also used her and Bill’s wedding vows ceremony as a second excuse helped.

  She and Bill had repeated their vows with just the minister, their sons, Doug and Nancy and her girls and Jackson. It had been perfect beyond words. That evening, Bill had taken her to a small bed and breakfast in Laguna Niguel and they’d stayed the weekend. Patty smiled just thinking about it.

  Now, she handed the girls their bouquets and then smiling, presented Nancy’s to her. Nancy felt such joy in the new friendship she’s found with Patty. It was good to know she had a cop’s wife as her friend. It would make Nancy’s transition into that role much easier. Although Nancy felt she’d done pretty good so far.

  They all went downstairs and made their way to the back door which opened onto the backyard. The very crowded back yard.

  Nancy’s breath caught in her throat. Who were all these people? She’d only invited her and Doug’s families and some of their co-workers from the school and police department. However, the yard was wall to wall people. So much for a small intimate wedding.

  Patty laughed. “It sure filled up fast, didn’t it! It’s a good thing I decided to have the party rental place leave extra chairs, huh?”

  Something about the way Patty said this made Nancy think she’d known all along how many people were coming to this shindig. Nancy turned to Patty to ask her about it, but just then the music started.

  Nancy’s niece was playing guitar and singing the song that Nancy and Doug had danced to on their first date.

  Patty kissed Nancy on the cheek and then went down the three steps and Bill met her there, walking her down the aisle to their seats. The aisle was formed by white folding chairs on either side, leading to the gazebo. Patty was very happy with the results. Of course, she’d had to ride the construction and garden workers like a drill sergeant in order to get everything done in time. But, hey, that was the sort of thing she lived for.

  Nancy watched as first Christy and then Kate walked slowly down the aisle towards the gazebo. Her heart overflowed with love as she watched these two beautiful young women. She was so lucky to have her family.

  As Nancy moved to the top of the steps, her dad stepped forward and held out his elbow for Nancy to take. Since the heart surgery he’d done so much better. He and Nancy’s mom, who was sitting in the front row beaming at her granddaughters, had even taken several trips in their new RV, traveling across America.

  They’d made it home three weeks ago in time for the wedding, but had plans to take off again next weekend, heading for an RV park in northern California where Nancy’s mom would be able to feed baby lambs with a bottle. After that, her dad said they were thinking of

  traveling to New Zealand and renting an RV down there. She was so happy for her folks.

  Nancy slipped her hand through her dad’s elbow and looked up to the end of the aisle where the wedding party was standing.

  The police department chaplain was officiating and looked outstanding in his dress uniform. On the far right, Jackson was standing opposite Christy as a groomsman. Next to him, Andy was Doug’s best man and looked like a best man. He’d gone through rehab with flying colors and was now enrolled at the local college for police science classes. Across the aisle from Andy was Kate, looking radiant and giving a small wave to her new boyfriend, Dr. Coburn, who was sitting behind Nancy’s mom. Darren waved back at Kate.

  Nancy looked at Doug and started to smile at him when suddenly everyone stood up and she lost sight of him behind the sea of shoulders and heads.

  Nancy felt like the aisle was a mile long! Finally as she and her dad got to the end of it, she was able to see Doug again.

  He was waiting for her at the base of the steps leading up into the gazebo. Nancy turned to her dad and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned and put her hand into Doug’s outstretched one and he pulled her next to him.

  Doug looked so handsome in his three piece suit. He’d debated on whether to wear his dress uniform, because he knew what the uniform did for Nancy. But they decided on the suit instead.

  It still made Doug’s breath catch when he remembered the time that Nancy had made him stand there while she undressed him, vest and all. Then, she’d undressed herself – very slowly – until he thought he’d go mad. They’d tumbled to his bed, lost in each other’s arms until the small hours of the morning. Now, he looked down at her and thought he was the luckiest man on the earth.

  As Nancy and Doug turned and looked fully into each other’s face, their bond of love strengthened even more. Their hands clasped tightly.

  When Doug repeated the words after the Chaplain, his eyes misted and he had to clear his throat, he was so overcome with emotion.

  Nancy was just as emotional as Doug and found her hands trembling as she put a matching plain gold band on Doug’s left hand.

  Soon the ceremony was done and the beaming Chaplain informed Doug that he could kiss the bride.

  Nancy should have known that this was not going to be any civilized peck on the cheek.

  Nope. To the accompanying applause from their guests, Doug kissed Nancy thoroughly, tenderly, earnestly. Finally, Doug drew his face back from hers and looked into her eyes.

  “I love you, Nancy Saunders. I will love you for the rest of my life.”

  “I love you, Doug. Husband.” The word felt and sounded perfect.

  Kate gave Nancy her bouquet and hand in hand Nancy and Doug moved down the aisle, receiving handshakes and good wishes from their friends.

  The music was loud and the speeches were even louder.

  Nancy was very happy to see Kate and Dr. Coburn dancing and talking throughout the afternoon. She laughed when she saw Darren do some card tricks for the kids who’d come with their folks.

  Christy and Jackson danced almost every dance and then disappeared, only to reappear right about the time Nancy threw the bouquet. Surprisingly, and delightfully, Sue caught the bouquet!

  When the photographer had Nancy and Sue pose together, Nancy was happy to have Sue’s sincere congratulations. She didn’t think they’d ever be close friends, but she was glad to be on good terms with Doug’s son�
�s mother. It would make everything easier for them all.

  When it came time for the Bride and Groom to leave the party, they were showered with bird seed and climbed into Doug’s truck which seemed to have every single can from the supermarket attached to its back bumper.

  Doug stopped on the next block and they spent a couple of minutes removing the noise-makers.

  ************

  Later that night, Nancy lay curled against Doug with her left hand splayed across his bare chest. Her fingers were writing ‘I love you’ and drawing hearts on his skin.

  They’d left the reception while it was still in full swing and driven up the mountain to a bed and breakfast at Lake Arrowhead. Doug had reserved the honeymoon suite, which consisted of a large bedroom which housed a king size bed, a balcony that overlooked the lake, and a private bathroom with a king size jacuzzi bathtub.

  Doug and Nancy had tried out the bathtub in lieu of dinner. But now, two hours later, after having made it from the bathtub to the bed, Nancy could hear both her and Doug’s stomachs growl.

  “Hungry?” Doug looked down at the top of Nancy’s head while she continued to write on his chest.

  “Starving!” Nancy looked up into Doug’s face and lifted her lips for another soul-shaking kiss. The kiss deepened and his hand moved down her arm and covered her breast.

  She arched and pushed into his hand. The electricity moved through her body. Doug enveloped her and pulled her underneath him while he continued to kiss her thoroughly, then trailed kisses down her throat. His right hand moved down her left side, feeling the smooth silk of her skin.

  The roughness of the skin of his hand was a delightful complement to her softness and warmth.

  Nancy’s breath caught and it was all she could do to hold on to his broad warm shoulders while he continued making love to her. He knew her body so well.

  Doug again lost himself in Nancy. It took him quite a while until his heartbeat died down and the sweat on his back started to cool him off. He shifted to the side and pulled Nancy against his side until her head rested on his shoulder and her arm was once again across his chest.

  After who knew how long, Doug fondly slapped Nancy’s hip, sat up on the side of the bed, and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the bed. “Come on, woman. Let’s get some food. We’ll need our energy.”

  Laughing, Nancy and Doug showered quickly and dressed in jeans and pull-over sweatshirts that said “Bride” on hers and “Groom” on his. The sweatshirts were one of the corny gifts they’d received at Nancy’s bridal shower. However, Nancy didn’t think she’d EVER wear the tee-shirt that was her half of the set that Doug had been given at his bachelor party. Well, maybe around the house, if no company was expected, and it was completely dark.

  It was still relatively early, 8:00 pm, and they found the restaurant next door was still serving dinner. They had salads and huge steaks that covered their plates. They were both famished and laughed at how much food they put away.

  As they finished up a piece of apple pie they’d split, the band started up in the lounge of the restaurant.

  Doug smiled at Nancy, stood up and pulled out his wallet. He left several bills on the table to cover dinner and a generous tip, and held Nancy’s chair while she stood up.

  Waving at their waitress, they went into the lounge and moved directly onto the dance floor. Moving slowly into Doug’s arms, Nancy sighed with joy.

  They danced for several dances and were for the most part the only dancers on the floor. After another slow dance Doug could hardly contain his emotion. He loved this woman so much.

  He leaned back to look into her face. Her sweet face. He lowered his lips to hers and gently tasted her. She tasted of apple pie, and happily ever after.

  Nancy broke the kiss and smiled up into Doug’s face. Her husband’s wonderful face.

  “So, Officer. Did you happen to bring the vest with you?”

  Doug’s breath caught.

  The band members and several of the lounge patrons smiled and laughed as Doug scooped Nancy up into his arms and headed for the door, grinning.

  As they left the restaurant, several people heard him say, “Honey, I live to serve.”

  THE END

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Pat Adeff has diligently indulged her love of writing ever since picking up a pencil in Mrs. Shaner’s 1st grade class at McKinley Elementary School in Redlands, CA. The author of 13 plays, of which 8 have been produced in community theatres across Southern California, Pat has earned several awards for her writing. She was the co-founder of an award-winning arts academy, as well as founding a youth theatre workshop that occurs every summer at the historic Redlands Footlighters Theatre. Her family has learned to live with her disappearing into her writing, and usually coming up for air several days (if not weeks) later. Pat has several more books in the works, a made-for-TV movie, as well as another play. She is an incurable romantic and definitely believes in happily-ever-afters, at any stage of life.

  Being a writer, when confronted with her own divorce, she of course wrote! Although “To Protect and Serve” is definitely fiction (nope, no Doug Saunders yet), the seed of the story grew from her own personal turmoil and overcoming the ups and downs of life being a single parent. Having been an avid romance reader from the start, Pat wanted to give women everywhere a story that was wonderfully romantic, yet was real, down-to-earth, and heartwarming. According to her first reviews, she succeeded! Well, once this first romance was completed, all of a sudden romance stories came to her in droves! In fact, the stories wouldn’t stop, and she finally had to list them all on a huge white board in her writing area, just so she could concentrate on one at a time. She’s almost done with her next book which is about a writer (of course) and the geeky, but cute guy who fixes her computer when it crashes on her. It’s amazing just how often that computer crashes! The third one, which is more than half-way written, is about a divorced legal secretary who finds herself falling for an established country-western singer. Although opposites in many ways, they definitely agree in some important areas, and work through the difficulties that naturally attend such a non-conforming mutual attraction. In romance parlance, they’re hot for each other!

  WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

  “To Protect and Serve.”

  REVIEW FROM TEXAS: WOW! I just finished "To Protect and Serve" by Pat Adeff and what a ride! Lights flashing and sirens wailing! This was such a great read. I read it cover to cover in one sitting. I laughed, I cried and I couldn't put it down. Such a great story of a woman who fought for 20 years for a loveless marriage only to finally give up and find the man of her dreams. Good read. I highly recommend it!

  REVIEW FROM NEW JERSEY: This book leaves out the romantic clichés and focuses on the experiences that are relatable to everyone. It's an easy to read, hard to put down love story with depth, humor, sweetness and spice! Would certainly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good leisurely read!

  REVIEW FROM FLORIDA: This is a great "Hey, it could really happen" type romance! Very down-to-earth and quite enjoyable, with a reality factor that seems to be missing from the average romance.

  REVIEW FROM ALASKA: I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read stories that leave them feeling good about life and that are artfully crafted.

  Pat’s local “fan clubs” are based in Redlands, Yucaipa, Rialto and Grand Terrace, California, and include the FEMS (Female Entrepreneur Mavens) Dinner Network Group, led by Ms. Marsha Landeros, ARBONNE Independent Consultant, and Founded by Ms. Jenny Danforth, SOLAVEI Representative.

 

 

 
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