by Sioux Dallas
“Lynn, what are you babbling about?” Sharon was now paying attention.
“If you’d come out of that poor little me phase and look around you, you’d see what I’m babbling about.”
“Lynn, you’re too rough on her,” Sheilah observed worriedly.
“No, I’m not. Someone had to shake her out of those doldrums. Sure she’s had a shock; we all did. That doesn’t excuse this behavior of hers.”
Sharon stared at Lynn and then burst out bawling and shaking with deep sobs. She drew painful breaths and started again. Sheilah hurriedly wheeled to her and tried to take her in her arms.
“I’m truly sorry,” Sharon sobbed. “I was not only in shock, but I’ve been embarrassed because of the way I treated David. I was the stupid one who called Larry and told on David. I blew his cover and could have gotten him k-k-killed,” she sobbed.
“But that didn’t happen,” Lynn soothed her. David is a strong, emotionally mature man. He was too alert and well trained to allow Larry to get the upper hand.”
“You’re right,” Sharon said firmly. “I’m going to find David and have a talk, if he’s still speaking to me.” She hurried out of the office and didn’t see Lynn and Sheilah grinning at each other and giving a high five.
Larry Dauber had been a detective working in the state attorney’s office, therefore, he knew how to argue and how to try to cover his tracks. The evidence was too strong and others had begun to break and confess, including Morrison.
Another month went by before Larry realized that he was in too deep to dig out. He broke one day and shocked everyone by telling who the Big Boss was. A federal officer called David and informed him. David stood so long holding the phone and looking down in the mouth that Jake got worried. “David, boy, what’s up? I can tell it’s bad news. Would it help to talk about it? Does it have anything to do with Sharon?”
“Lynn and Sharon will find it hard to ever trust anyone again. Why do some of the rotten criminal have to hold respectable, responsible jobs and make a mockery of them?
How can I make the girls understand that only a small percentage is bad? The largest part is trustworthy and worth cultivating as a friend.”
Jake didn’t know what to say. “Uh oh. I guess that means someone else they know and trusted has been in the slime with the ring.”
“Yes. Dr. Zimmerman was arrested today for being accessory to the fact and her only, spoiled rotten son, like Jeremy, is the ring leader. Mitchell Zimmerman, known as Mitch is on the run, but there’s an APB out on him. He won’t get far.”
“The Dr. Zimmerman who inspects therapeutic riding stables?!”
David nodded his head and placed his hands in his back pockets. “I’d better go tell the girls, and how I hate to tell them this on top of the Larry Dauber news.”
Sheilah, Sharon and Lynn all looked as if they might faint. Lynn finally mumbled, “Mitch Zimmerman-- and his mother knew. She’s part of a group selling drugs and damaging innocent young lives when her job requires her to protect them. Dear God in Heaven, how easily some of those people could have walked in here and killed, or set the place or fire or --”
“And we would never have been on guard or suspected them,” Sheilah finished. “Why? Why would Dr. Zimmerman risk getting involved in something that she was supposed to be fighting against?” Lynn agonized.
“Greed. Power. Excitement.” David said. “If we knew why, we could stop some of these people before they did so much damage. I was told that she learned her son was involved and, instead of turning him in, she kept quiet.”
Mitch Zimmerman was caught in Indiana and brought back to Florida. Sharon testified that she had never met him, but she believed him to be the second tall man that was with Jeremy, Cassidy and Morrison when she saw them on the street.
January through April of the following year, the separate trials seemed to go on forever. Sharon attended as much as she could and still keep up with college classes and helping Lynn. She was back in her own home which she loved. David had convinced her that their future together deserved a fighting chance. She did accept an engagement ring from him after taking him to Fort Lauderdale to have a discussion with her parents and Malcolm.
Thankfully the doctors agreed that Agnes was too sick and dangerous to be out of the hospital for the insane, so, Sharon didn’t have her around to worry about.
Lynn received a large jade ring surrounded by diamonds from Martin who was now walking with only one crutch. Sharon’s ring was a special order of a heart-shaped diamond with three small diamonds on either side. Plans were being made for late summer weddings. Lynn would have a gold wedding band and Sharon’s would have small diamonds across the top.
Mitch, Larry, Morrison and “Duke” all got life in prison with no chance for parole.
Larry insisted on seeing Sharon before he was sent away. She reluctantly agreed to talk to him. He swore that he truly loved her and would never have hurt her or allowed anyone else to do so. He explained that Duke had acted on his own. Sharon reminded him that others could have done the same thing and he was not a protector for her.
Dr. Zimmerman was given forty years which would put her in her nineties when she got out. Of course she might get some years off for good behavior but she could never again work with children or in any program where peoples health and lives were at stake.
The adoption of Keanu went off without a hitch and he graduated as Keanu Rodriguez Donnelly with an A average and awards in baseball and basketball. His plans were to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville to start his studies to be an attorney.
Sharon completed her third year of college with top grades. She and Lynn were disagreeing on weddings. Lynn wanted a double wedding, but Sharon insisted that Lynn deserved to have her own wedding and be the only bride.
David had been offered a job in the state’s attorney’s off ice and was also getting requests from the DEA to remain with them. Sean and Malcolm had told him they would be delighted to have him join them. Martin had said he could use a partner. David told everyone that he and Sharon would discuss their future and make a decision together in a short while.
Chapter Twenty-Two
In June David, Keanu and Gabe built a beautiful wooden diamond-shaped arch, twelve feet high and ten feet wide, and painted it white to be placed in the front lawn covered with flowers. Sharon, Sheilah, who was now walking, and some volunteers planted flowers that were the envy of every prospective bride. The front lawn was made into a fairy scene straight out of a romantic movie. Mounds of various colored flowers gave a sweet scent to the air and the topiary shrubs in tubs were a wonderland.
Singers from the Baptist Church were ready to perform and Dennis, although a music director was also an ordained minister, agreed to perform the ceremony. Folding chairs were borrowed from the church which the volunteers covered in white and placed multi-colored roses on the back of each chair. Long tables, covered in white cloths with lace borders, were set up in a corner of the huge lawn. An extension cord was run out from the stable so that a fountain of cold fruit juice could be available at all times.
A three-tiered bride’s cake, German chocolate with rich pecan frosting was on a small table at one end. A bride and groom figure was on the cake and candy flowers were all around it. A groom’s cake, vanilla with pistachio icing was on another table. Sheilah and Ashley were at a table to greet guests and have them sign the bride’s book. Several photographers were mixing in the crowd taking pictures of the decorations and of the people. Two were ready, one with a still camera and one with a camcorder to record the actual wedding.
Everyone was seated and eagerly waiting for the wedding to begin when the youth band played and Dennis rode in on Banjo to take his place under the arch. He was dressed in an old-fashioned suit with a big bow tie. He dismounted and handed the reins to one of the volunteers who had come to be part of the wedding of their much loved Lynn. They had all leaned to love and respect Martin.
Martin, wearing an old
fashioned white suit that looked like the middle 1800s, rode in on Fleetwood beside David who was in similar dress of light blue riding Cutter’s Gold. The bright red Fleetwood and the gorgeous dark Palomino, Cutter’s Gold were an eye-catching pair. Sharon and three college friends of Lynn rode side saddle wearing pastel dresses and wide-brimmed hats. The attendants’ dresses were pastel blue, green, lilac and pink. David grinned at Sharon thinking that in her lilac, she was the most beautiful of all. The wedding party remained mounted.
Megan was too proud of her girls to cry and was sitting on the front row feeling so relieved and happy that, at last, life was worth living for them. She said a silent prayer for all of them, especially the bride and groom.
The musicians played the wedding march and everyone stood and turned to look toward the back. Oooos and ahhhs broke out all over the large crowd. Lynn rode side saddle wearing her grandmothers white satin and lace gown with a short veil and an arch of peach roses across her head. The skirt of her gown was so full that it covered the horse’s back. Her Palomino horse, Gold Nugget, had a blanket of peach roses across his rump. He tossed his head proudly as if he knew his importance for the day.
When Dennis said, “Who gives this woman?” Malcolm and Sean both answered, “Her mother and we do.” They then dismounted and gave the horses to some teens who took them carefully away while Sean and Malcolm sat on either side of Megan It was a beautiful wedding. Lynn and Martin had written their own vows which would be placed in the bride’s book.
The sun was out bright, but the big trees gave enough shade, and a slight breeze wafted over the flowers bringing sweet relief and breath-taking odors. Butterflies floated merrily over the flowers and some birds even sang in nearby trees as if they knew they were adding to the festivities.
Jardine was in charge of the volunteers who were taking care of the refreshments. She was nervously moving around hoping that everything would be beautiful for Lynn. The young men volunteers, under Keanu’s direction, had served as valets to park cars for people in the adjoining pasture. All of them wore black trousers, white shirts, black ties and black Eisenhower jackets.
The horses were brought back for Sean and Malcolm so that group pictures could be taken. Lynn got her first look at the crowd and gasped when she saw reporters and television cameras at work. What are they doing at my wedding? She thought.
As soon as Lynn was able to get away, she and Sharon tapped Sheilah on the shoulder and the three young women went up to the apartment to change clothes. They could hardly dress for hugging each other and exclaiming how well everything went and how beautiful everything was. Gifts were piled on one of the twin beds; some unopened.
“I can never find words to thank you two for all of your help and your support,” Lynn wiped her eyes.
“Don’t start waterworks,” Sheilah ordered. “This is a happy day for many, many reasons. Sharon, I know you thought David as best man was sooo handsome.”
“Sure I did, but Martin has won a place in my heart for loving Lynn and being so good to her.” She lifted Lynn’s left hand to see the gold band now with the jade and diamond ring. “I have a good feeling that this will be for life. I bet it won’t be long until we’ll be raising some of our own little volunteers around here,” she teased.
“Zip your mouth,” Lynn grinned. “We both want children in a couple of years. Martin needs to get well established and I just need to get used to being married.”
Bird seed was thrown in the air as Lynn and Martin hurried to hug Sean, Megan and Malcolm and all the others. They then ran to get in Martin’s decorated car in which their luggage had already been placed. Lynn turned to give yet more instructions to Sharon.
“Go. Go. I know what to do and have plenty of help. Your stable will be well taken care of and all your four-legged babies will be well and happy to see you when you return.
Relax and have fun you two. Take loads of pictures and take good care of each other,” Sharon yelled as they pulled out. She turned and walked into David and Keanu standing behind her.
David grinned. “Still want our wedding in July or do you want to elope?”
Keanu yelped. “You’d better not elope. This will be the first time I’ve gotten to be best man.” Laughing, the three went back to the stable to join the family for dinner.
Long tables had been set up in the back room beyond the office. Counting family and volunteers, plus Dennis and Peggy, there were fifty-two people seated for dinner. Ladies from the church had volunteered to help with the dinner for which Sharon was very grateful. They had ham, fried chicken, potato salad, three bean salad, peas, celery sticks with strawberry cream cheese filling, carrot sticks, tomatoes, onion rings, olives, peppers, fresh yeast rolls and a choice of coffee, ice tea, lemonade or water. Pineapple upside down cakes had been baked for this occasion.
Sharon had carefully placed the top layer of the wedding cake, with the bride and groom on it, in a special box to be frozen. Lynn and Martin would decide what they wanted to do with it although most people saved it for their first wedding anniversary.
The next day Sharon, Sheilah, Ashley and Jardine were in the apartment looking at the gifts that had been opened. Sharon and Sheilah were making a list of gifts so that Lynn could write thank you notes when she returned. Amelia ran in.
“Here’s the mail. There’s several envelopes for Lynn and Martin. I bet there’s checks in some of them. Where should I put them?”
“On the bed with the rest of the gifts and envelopes,” Sharon told her. “I sure hope they’re having a great time and staying well and happy.”
Jardine stood up sticking her lower lip out and blowing up to get stray hairs out of her eyes. “Where did they go for a honeymoon? I don’t remember anyone saying.”
Sheilah and Sharon grinned at each other. Sheilah answered, “They had discussed going to the Canary Islands and Morocco in North Africa, but with all this world turmoil, they decided to see more of our own country. They’ll be in Wyoming and North and South Dakota. Since they’re driving, they’ll take their time and sightsee between there and here.”
“That’s marvelous,” Ashley exclaimed. She squatted back on her heels and shoved trash into a bag. “Where are you going on your honeymoon, Sharon?”
That’s a secret, but I will tell you that we’ll more than likely do the same and tour our own country. David and I both believe in buying America.” She emphasized the last two words, stood and saluted. “Now my wedding is rushing toward me like a run away freight train. If you still intend to help me, let’s polish up the plans.”
All three young women affirmed that they were ready and willing to help. They looked alarmed at Sharon when she suddenly sat in the floor and looked so dejected.
“What are you thinking, honey?” Sheilah asked gently.
“My wedding to Jeremy. My parents went all out and spent a tremendous amount of money. Loads of people came, brought gifts and were happy for us. Sometimes I get a little afraid to plan another wedding, but David deserves the best. It’s his first wedding and I do feel that this one will be for life.”
“You bet,” Ashley and Sheilah answered together laughing cheerfully.
Four young heads bent over papers with plans written on them and made themselves comfortable on the floor. They lost track of time until Keanu walked in sweaty, tired and smelling of sawdust and fresh air.
“Eeuw,” Jardine waved a hand in front of her face. Ashley stood up by him declaring that she thought the smell of fresh cut wood was delightful. “What have you been doing?” Jardine asked.
“Didn’t you tell them, Sharon?” She shook her head. “I guess you’ve had too much on your mind. Before they left, Martin and David discussed plans for a house. David has drawn the blueprints. Lynn chose the pasture where we parked the cars to build them a new house. Martin thought they would start after Sharon and David’s wedding, but David wants to surprise them and have it well started when they return. We’ve put out the stakes for the borders and measur
ed for lumber, which I’ve been cutting. Several of the boys offered to come back and help. We’ll have cement poured for the flooring before the inspectors from the county have checked for plumbing and wiring. Then we can lay the bricks and get it started.”
“Wow! Zowie!” Jardine chortled. “What a great surprise that’ll be. Sharon, where will you and David live?”
“In my house in town until we decide what job David will accept and where we’ll be most of the time. I hope to get a job teaching wherever we live. Too, I have another year of college to finish.” The girls jumped around hugging each other and laughed when Keanu ran before anyone could hug him.
Riding lessons, trail rides, cook-outs and daily activities went on as planned. Everyone was pleased with the progress. Three weeks passed and Lynn and Martin returned looking rested, happy and eager to go on with their life. They were astonished that David and the boys had almost finished their house. They were very pleased with what had been done and were eager to finish the house and furnish it. Lynn and the girls planned together for the landscaping.
Keanu had already put up a lovely picket fence across the front, with a swinging gate, and painted it white. A country-style fence of a bar top and bottom between posts with two poles making an X centering was planned for the sides and back.
Only two more weeks until Sharon and David’s wedding on July 3rd. There would not be as big a crowd because Sharon didn’t want the attention. She had requested no gifts on the invitation that she had sent. However, gifts galore kept coming in with good wishes.
The same white arch was used with multi-colored flowers on it. A low stand was placed in the center for the minister to stand on. Again chairs were borrowed from the church but were not covered. Wide, white satin bows with a flower in the center of each was placed on the side of each chair making the center aisle. A white carpet was rolled out for the center aisle.