by B C Yancey
"Yes," he muttered, "I almost can't remember a time when it didn't." He'd have to forgo bending the knee. In his current state, he'd be lucky to stand back up.
She nodded and fell silent, giving his hand a sympathetic squeeze.
"Did you know Simon's entire office is covered in books from floor to ceiling?" He asked, trying to keep his mind busy.
Elyria turned to look at him, "No I didn't…Daphne has talked about his book collection, but I didn't think it would be quite that large."
"I love to read; did I tell you that last night?"
She smiled and shook her head.
"My father hated it about me. Up until the war, not a day went by where I didn't have at least two books with me at any given time."
She gave him a curious look, "Why two?"
He shrugged. "At first, simply because it drove him mad, but then I actually started reading them and took them with me so that when I finished one, I could start the other."
"What do you enjoy most about reading?"
Everett pursed his lips before replying, "The escapism…being able to be somewhere else, part of a life different from my own."
They crossed the street and entered the vacant park, and he immediately steered her toward her tree. It took only a handful of minutes before she turned to him and grinned. "My favorite spot is just up ahead."
"I know," he murmured, reaching in his pocket for assurance he still had the ring box.
"How?"
"A little birdie told me."
She laughed. "Does this little birdie go by the name of Anne, perchance?"
"Indeed, she does."
They walked in silence to the tree, and he swept the branches aside for her to enter under the canopy.
Elyria strolled to the bench and sat, as though it were the most natural thing in the world for her to do. And in a sense, he knew it must be.
An overwhelming fear she would refuse him took hold. Would she be willing to give up her life here, her home and friends, to spend the rest of her days with him in quiet Malad? Was it even fair to ask?
She'd lost so much; would it be cruel of him to rip her away from all she had left?
"You've gotten awful quiet," she said, looking right at him. "Is something wrong?"
Everett cleared his throat and limped over to her, "No…just thinking."
She reached out for him, "What about?"
Taking her hand in his left, he reached into his pocket with his right and grasped the ring box. But instead of following his plan and withdrawing the ring, he released the box. Sitting beside her on the bench, he said, "How much I love you."
She blushed, but instead of trying to hide it, she turned and faced him.
"Elyria…I—"
"Did you hear that?" She murmured with a frown. Standing, she cocked her head to the side. "I could have sworn I heard someone screaming."
"Maybe it's just the wind through the tree," He murmured, hearing nothing.
Her frown deepened, but when the silence continued unbroken, she shook her head and moved to sit once more. "It must have been."
"HEELLLP!" came a loud, panicked cry.
She jolted forward into action, bursting through the shelter of the tree with him following close behind her. "Do you see who it is?"
Everett scanned the area for the source of the increasingly desperate cries and cursed when he turned to the river and spotted them. "The river…two kids—where are their parents?"
A little boy, who reminded him a great deal of his cousin Timothy, struggled to keep both his and another child's head above water while trying to swim against the current toward shore.
There was another panicked scream, drawing his attention to a woman racing toward them from further up the park, but she would never make it in time. He and Elyria were the only ones close enough, and if they didn't act fast, both children would be lost.
"We have to do something, Everett," Elyria gasped.
Muttering another curse, Everett ran at an awkward loping stride, but Elyria was faster—regardless of tripping twice. Before he could stop her, she dropped her walking stick and raced headlong into the water.
Everett's heart nearly stopped. A strangled cry tore from his throat, and for the next ten seconds, he was positive he would witness the love of his life die right before his eyes.
But despite the odds stacked against her, she proved to be a competent swimmer and quickly had a firm hold on both children. "EVERETT?" She cried out as the current moved them further downstream.
"HERE," He yelled, wading into the water toward her, "OVER HERE!"
She rolled onto her back, cradling the children to her chest like an otter with its favorite rock and began kicking.
Everett swam up to her. "I've got you," he panted, anchoring an arm around her and the children. "Keep a hold of them, and I'll swim us to shore."
By the time he touched bottom, a small crowd had gathered at the edge of the river. Three young men rushed forward to help the children and Elyria on to dry land, and Everett couldn't help but wonder where everybody had come from.
"Are they all right?" Elyria whispered, dripping wet. "Did we get to them in time?"
Everett wiped the water out of his eyes and nodded, taking her by the hand, "Yes, you did."
The young woman he'd seen running moments earlier, raced to the boys' side and sank to her knees. "How many times have I told you not to play too close to the river, Henry? William?" She pulled them both against her chest and closed her eyes, her face wet with tears as she cried brokenly, "I could have lost you."
"Sorry, mama," the littlest boy, no older than five or six, cried softly. "I falled in, and Henry tried to save me."
The small gathering quickly dispersed once it became apparent all people involved were safe. A few bystanders even cast disgruntled looks over their shoulders before they went on their way; obviously disappointed over the less than dramatic ending.
Pulling back, the young mother wiped her children's faces and sniffled brokenly, "I'm never letting you two out of my sight again…now, let's get you home and dry."
With only a slight nod Everett's way, the woman with her two sons stood and walked out of the park.
"Well, how do you like that?" Everett muttered. "Not even a ‘thank you' for saving her kids."
Elyria grinned and pushed wet hair off her face. Looking up at him, she said softly, "Such is the life of a hero."
He stared at her, stunned speechless as three realizations hit him all at once. First, she was amazing and fearless. Regardless of what many people would have considered being a severe limitation in such an instance; she hadn't even taken a moment to pause and wonder if there might be someone better able to help. She had simply acted.
Second, she was by far the most beautiful human being he'd ever known, inside and out. True, she may look more like a drowned squirrel instead of a Greek goddess, but at that moment—with the way the sunlight bathed her in its warm, cheery glow—he knew he would never meet another woman like her.
And third, he didn't want to live another day without her by his side. The rest of his life looked awful bleak if it meant spending even a second of it deprived of everything that made her who she was. He loved her, so madly and deeply it scared him and liberated him all at the same time. "Marry me, Pegleg."
Her lips bent in a beatific smile that made his gut clench with need. "When?"
"Is that a yes?"
She nodded, "Yes."
Grinning like a fool, he took her in his arms, "Today or tomorrow too soon?"
"How about tomorrow?" She laughed, resting her hands on his chest.
The warmth of her touch seeped through his wet shirt and sent pleasurable chills dancing across his skin.
"Tomorrow it is," he said huskily, tilting her chin up. With painstaking slowness, he touched his mouth to hers in a soft kiss and whispered, "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"
"I'm beginning to," she sighed, her arms stealing up around his neck. "I believe it
's almost as much as I love you."
He kissed her and pulled away slightly, his lips curling in a devilish smile, "When did this become a competition?"
"It isn't. Now stop talking and kiss me," she breathed, pressing his mouth firmly against hers in a deep kiss that left him counting down the seconds till tomorrow.
Twenty-Eight
Thursday, July 31, 1919
Elyria stood next Everett, his right arm wrapped around her, hugging her close. They waited on the steps of city hall while the wedding photographer positioned them to take their last picture before they returned home for their wedding lunch.
Mother's favorite silver lace scarf carefully hidden away in Elyria's cedar chest, served for her veil, held in place upon her head with a strand of pearls and carefully placed bobby pins.
New cream leather boots, a half size too small, adorned her feet and made her wish she'd listened to Everett and worn her regular dress shoes.
But Daphne's eight-year-old wedding gown of floor-length matte satin, interwoven with a design of silver leaves and lovers' knots, hugged her body as though it had been made for her.
Elyria smoothed a hand down the material and lightly pinched her thigh to remind herself she wasn't dreaming. She and Everett really were married now.
To complete what Daphne declared her to be earlier that morning as ‘the ideal picture of a bride,' her bouquet held sprigs of blue forget-me-nots artfully arranged amongst the yellow buttercups.
All in all, the morning and brief wedding ceremony had come together perfectly. Especially when considering they'd only had two days to pull it off.
"Now everyone, hold still…and in 1, 2, 3—smile!" The wedding photographer commanded. Once the flash exploded, signaling the picture had been taken, Elyria relaxed and squeezed Everett's hand.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her brow, "What do you say we skip the wedding lunch and go somewhere we can be alone?"
"I heard that," Daphne murmured with a smile in her voice.
"Remind me," he whispered loudly, "to improve my level of sneakiness while in Daphne's proximity."
"Good luck with that," Daphne chuckled. "Now what do you say we go eat? I'm starving."
"Me too, mama," Anne whined.
"Goodness, you'd think she hasn't eaten for days," Daphne teased. "All right, everybody to the cars. Let's go home."
Everett led Elyria to his rental and then ran to his side and climbed in. Within minutes they were on the road. "You look happy."
She turned to him and smiled—in truth she hadn't been able to stop smiling since he'd proposed. "I am."
He grabbed her hand, his thumb caressing back and forth across the top. "I'm glad…it'd be worried if I was the only one."
She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think I've ever been so happy the way I am right now."
"Me either," he said softly, "except for maybe yesterday, or the day before, or the night before that." He fell quiet for a moment before adding, "Any idea where we're going on our honeymoon?"
"No," she pouted with a shake of her head. "I couldn't get Anne or Daphne to tell me a thing."
"Good."
"What did you have to use to bribe them to such secrecy?"
A bark of laughter escaped him. "Let's just say I had Simon's help on the matter. He knows his wife and daughter well."
Elyria grumbled good-naturedly and then sighed, "Have I told you today that I love you?"
"Only once," he murmured, maneuvering the car over before bringing it to a stop.
"Well, then…remind me to do so later. I don't want you to get tired of hearing it."
He shut the engine off and turned to face her, "I'll never tire of it."
Reaching up a timid hand, she cradled his face to bring him close for a kiss, but just before their lips touched, there came a sharp tap on her window.
"There's plenty of time for that later, you two love birds," Daphne chuckled from outside.
Everett growled low in his throat and delivered a quick, passionate kiss before pulling away. "Say the word, and I'll drive us to the hotel."
A nervous giggle escaped her, and she pressed a hand to her burning lips. His offer tempted and sent a thrill of excitement through her. But even though she longed to be alone with him, knowing what lay ahead also terrified her.
Daphne had spent a solid three hours last night talking about what she might expect from her wedding night. And while most of it sounded rather enjoyable, she couldn't help but be apprehensive.
"What's wrong?" He asked gently, caressing the side of her face. "You've gone pale."
Elyria closed her eyes and took a deep, fortifying breath. "Let's go eat, shall we? I'm famished." A lie told out of desperation, of course. The very thought of food at that moment made her stomach turn.
Everett remained silent but gave her a tender kiss before helping her out of the vehicle.
The wedding lunch, which consisted of chicken cordon bleu, garlic roasted potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, and strawberry cream parfaits for dessert—all Daphne's specialties—was a small but happy affair.
By the time the clock in the hallway chimed the hour of three, Elyria regretted the decision to eat everything on her plate to stall for more time.
"When does your train leave tomorrow?" Daphne asked while starting to clear the dishes from the table.
Everett stood, resting a gentle hand on Elyria's right shoulder, "Eleven in the morning."
"Goodness, you better get going then," Daphne teased walking into the kitchen. She set the dishes down with a clatter and hurried back out to the dining room and over to Elyria.
Leaning down so only she could hear, Daphne whispered, "You look more scared than a three-legged raccoon rafting Niagara Falls."
Elyria let out a nervous laugh and closed her eyes, "How would you know what that looks like?"
"I have a very vivid imagination." She gave Elyria's shoulders a gentle squeeze, "It's normal to be nervous about your wedding night, just remember what I told you last night, and you'll be alright."
Elyria nodded and took a fortifying breath.
"What exactly did you tell her last night?" Everett asked suspiciously.
Daphne straightened and said with a tone full of mischief, "I assume you've been to a rodeo, Captain; what with living in Idaho you must have."
Simon groaned. "Please don't tell me you used the rodeo analogy on her last night?"
Elyria bit back a laugh and covered her mouth.
"Of course I did," Daphne said, struggling to hold back a giggle. "It's very apt for a wedding night, and you know it."
"I have been to a rodeo, I've even tried my hand at riding bulls," Everett said, his voice full of confusion. "Only lasted a second or two."
Daphne squeezed Elyria's shoulder, "Excellent, then you understand."
"No," Everett said slowly, "I'm afraid I don't."
"Don't worry, Captain…Elyria can explain it to you later tonight."
Twenty-Nine
Twenty minutes later, just long enough for Elyria to change out of her wedding dress and collect her luggage for their honeymoon, they were in the car and pulling away from number 224.
The entire trip to the hotel passed in anticipatory silence. Both of them were nervous and excited, perhaps even petrified over what lay ahead.
But instead of there being a feeling of awkwardness between them, the atmosphere grew heavy with giddiness and barely contained joy. Everett found it addictive and loathed the idea of breaking it.
Elyria clutched his hand, sitting so close their legs brushed with each bump in the road. Every few minutes, she would turn to him and smile, but it wasn't just any old smile she cast his way, or the false ones used to waylay anxiety. These were the smiles of the soul, and he couldn't help but smile in return.
It was amazing and humbling, this feeling of complete contentment with life. Especially after considering all he'd done wrong throughout the years and the countless times he'd raged a
t the injustice of watching others get their happy ever after.
Now he had been given him, and not even his wildest dreams could compare with reality.
After parking the car, he hurried over and helped Elyria out just as an attendant rushed over with a baggage trolley. In a matter of moments, they were inside waiting for the newly repaired elevator.
Everett's heart pounded in his chest, the excitement in the air between them palpable. The entire ride up to their floor, and then stepping off the elevator, and walking to their room—no longer his room—he was giddy like a child on Christmas morning staring at a bounty of wrapped presents, all of which had his name on them.
The baggage attendant made quick work of unloading Elyria's bags in the room, helped along by one or two rattlesnake stares.
Quickly shutting the door and locking the bolt, Everett turned and faced Elyria. She stood frozen, perfectly framed in front of the bank of windows and wingback chairs opposite the queen-sized bed.
Her left hand fidgeted with her dress, while her right had a death grip on her walking stick.
He smiled and slowly approached her, "Seymour's lucky he's just a piece of wood; otherwise, you would have strangled the life out of him by now."
She laughed, the tension easing from her body. "I'm nervous, are you nervous?"
"Yes," he said softly, taking her by the hand. For a moment, he stared at her and let everything about the moment sink in.
She was his wife now, from here on out they got to be together. No longer did they have to say goodnight and go to separate corners of the world—or separate beds for that matter.
"Will you show me around the room?" She asked quietly, her voice trembling. "I think I'll feel more settled once I have a grasp of the layout."
Everett winced, silently chastising himself for not anticipating her request. "Where do you want to start?"
"Here's fine," she whispered.
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze and walked her around the room, giving her a vivid description of the elegant furnishings surrounding them before leading her to the adjoining bathroom, complete with a porcelain clawfoot tub.
"Everett?" She said softly, "Do you know what I've just realized?"