The Eyes Have It

by L. M. Reed

  Chapter 21

  “I didn’t expect to be this nervous,” I admitted trying desperately to still my shaking hands long enough to get the earring posts through holes that suddenly seemed miniscule. “I mean, I’m marrying the man I love, what’s there to be scared about, right?”

  “Every bride goes through the same thing on her wedding day,” Elsee smiled as she took the earrings and began putting them in for me. “It’s perfectly natural. Your whole life will change. This is no small thing you are about to do.”

  Taking Elsee’s hands in mine as soon as the earrings were in place I pulled her down to sit on the bed with me.

  “You know I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone, don’t you?” I asked anxiously. “I’ll do my best to make him happy.”

  “I knew the day we met that you two were meant for each other,” Elsee replied with great satisfaction “Even though neither of you, stubbornly, would agree to meet the other one. I can tell you now that I knew exactly where James was taking me the night you two finally came face to face for the first time. Once I knew you were going, I began hinting to James about taking me. My plan was to ‘accidentally’ bump into you at the concert and introduce the two of you whether you liked it or not.”

  “You little sneak,” I accused laughingly “and you call me a manipulator.”

  “Guilty as charged,” she responded hugging me, careful not to wrinkle my dress.

  “I’m so lucky to have you as a mother-in-law,” I sighed happily.

  “Well, I’m not your mother-in-law yet,” she said briskly getting up and moving towards the door, “but it’s getting close so I’ll go let Richard in. He wanted some time alone with you before the ceremony. Do you need anything else before I go?”

  I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. Elsee smiled understandingly and left. I rose slowly from the bed and walked over to the full-length mirror. Stefan had done wonders with my hair. Under the veil, you couldn’t tell he had used a hairpiece in the back to give me the old-fashioned hairstyle I wanted. I would miss Stefan, but there was no way I would be able to afford him on a teacher’s salary.

  I turned one way and then the other examining my dress. It had been returned to the bridal shop by a bride displeased with how it had looked on her only a couple of days before Elsee and I dispiritedly found our way into the shop, having scoured the whole town desperately searching for the right dress.

  We both knew it was perfect the moment we saw it with the lacy Queen Anne neckline and pointed sleeves along with the elegant Edwardian style gather in the back. The shop owner had marked the dress fifty percent off and, although it was still a huge chunk of change, I couldn’t resist.

  “I wonder if Wilson would notice if I kidnapped his bride?” a voice behind me mused.

  “Hmm…” I pretended to ponder, “I suspect he might.”

  “Just as well, I suppose” Richard sighed resignedly. “I’m too much of a devil to deserve an angel, and you do look like an angel in that dress.”

  “I should, I paid enough for it,” I replied in self-deprecation.

  “Where’d you get the money?” Richard asked curiously. “Your parents couldn’t have sprung for it; they don’t even know you’re getting married.”

  “I’ve been putting half of my monthly allowance over the past three years in a savings account knowing I would be on my own after college,” I shrugged. “Now that I’m marrying James, I plan to give it back to them, but I couldn’t resist using a thousand of it to buy this dress.”

  “So you never had any intention of marrying me.”

  “I’m sorry…”

  “How much have you saved?”

  “Over thirty thousand,” I answered reluctantly. “My parents expected me to dress well.”

  “And you did…do,” he agreed. “You should be the banker, you’re obviously better with money than I am. I’m always broke.”

  “But you never fail to talk your parents out of a couple grand whenever you need it,” I reminded him. “You should be a lawyer, not a banker.”

  “So you’ve said,” Richard looked thoughtful. “I’ll consider it, although I doubt my father would stand for it. Mom and Uncle Felix would certainly be pleased.”

  “There you go,” I grinned. “Law is in your blood as much as banking is.”

  “On the subject of banking,” he said changing the thrust of the conversation back to me, “I think you should keep quiet about the money. The way I see it, it’s yours. You may need it later. Unlike other parents, yours aren’t ever going to help you; in fact, I’ll be surprised if they ever deign to speak to you again. You and Wilson will be on your own financially, and having a little nest egg to fall back on would not be a bad idea.”

  “I’m not sure…”

  “Don’t penalize yourself for being a good steward,” Richard rationalized “As far as your parents are concerned that money is long gone so technically speaking it doesn’t matter whether you spent it or saved it…gone is gone. It’s your money.”

  “Oh my gosh, we only have ten minutes,” my eyes flew to the clock radio on the nightstand.

  “We’re fine, we only have to walk down the stairs,” Richard said mildly “Think about what I said regarding the money.”

  “I will,” I promised hurriedly. “We should head down now.”

  “Not quite yet,” Richard said coolly “I’ve changed my mind about my conditions.”

  “But the wedding is about to start,” I panicked “and you have to walk me down the aisle. I may pass out or trip and fall down the stairs if you’re not there to hold me up.”

  “Not about that,” Richard calmly reassured me “About the other part, the kiss. I want to kiss you before the wedding, not after. Even I might feel some small amount of guilt about kissing another man’s wife. Besides, this way Wilson won’t be watching.”

  “But…I…you…my…my makeup and…and…the ceremony…”

  “Don’t worry,” he said soothingly putting his hands on my shoulders “I’m sure they won’t start without you.”

  “Richard…”

  I was confused and more than slightly panicked not expecting to be alone with Richard when he gave me his goodbye kiss.

  “I’ll be gentle with you,” he promised, his lips only inches from mine. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

  I stood very still, arms at my side, eyes wide in apprehension. I felt his lips touching mine, soft and featherlike, moving slowly in search of any type of response and, although it wasn’t unpleasant, it was nothing like the sensations James stirred in me with simply a glance.

  Suddenly, it came to me, I knew what he was after, knew that his plan had never been to kiss me after the wedding. He had known we would be alone before the ceremony and had banked on his expertise as a lover to…to…what? Change my mind? Run off with him instead of marrying James?

  Carefully, I remained as cold and motionless as a statue. If I made any type of move, he might misinterpret it and I could feel how hard it was for him to hold back, to wait for an invitation.

  “You aren’t participating,” I could hear the slight annoyance in his voice though he tried to mask it.

  “My part of the deal was to allow you to kiss me,” I reminded him as gently as I could. “Nothing was said about me having to return it.”

  “Didn’t light your fire?” he asked lightly, hiding his disappointment.

  “Only one man can do that.”

  “I had to try,” he shrugged and released me.

  “I’m sor…”

  “Don’t,” he interrupted abruptly putting his index finger on my lips and then continued in a milder tone “apologize. The better man won.” Removing his finger and glancing at his watch, he said briskly “Time to go. Fix your lipstick.”

  Quickly turning back towards the mirror, I reached over to the dresser and picked up my lipstick and a tissue.

  “Allison,” Richard mov
ed to stand behind me, eyes meeting mine in the mirror, “I just want you to know that if you ever need me, for any reason, I’ll be there for you,” he vowed somberly. “Remember that.”

  “You almost died saving me, don’t you think I’ve used up my quota already?”

  “I realize you are unfamiliar with my more responsible, serious side,” Richard bantered, “But I do have one. Just promise me if you ever need me you’ll let me know,” he finished soberly.

  “I promise,” I said gratefully, “and thank you…for everything.”

  “Good,” he nodded “and you’re welcome…for everything.”

  “I guess it’s time,” I said taking a deep breath as I lowered the veil over my face. “I’m ready.”

  “Shall we?” Richard asked holding out his arm.

  Picking up my bouquet and putting my hand in the crook of his elbow my thoughts turned toward the man waiting for me below. We could hear the music as we exited the bedroom and I knew Elsee would already be almost down the aisle.

  It was time.

  “Nice of the Fowlkes to lend you their house,” Richard commented as we reached the top of the stairs.

  “Yes it was,” I agreed absently, glancing over the railing at the numerous people seated in the huge foyer below.

  I hadn’t planned to be in full view of the guests as I stood looking down on the scene from the railed balcony-like protrusion on which I was standing, but the effect must have been unexpectedly stunning as the guests looked up involuntarily gasping in surprise. I smiled slightly at the thought of James impatiently standing directly below me, unable to see me, yet realizing all of the guests could.

  Urging me towards the stairs as we heard the traditional wedding march beginning—played by a friend of Elsee’s from church on the Fowlkes’ gorgeous ebony grand piano—Richard slowly escorted me to the curved staircase. The minister, realizing we were on the way down, indicated that everyone should stand. The crowd’s eyes followed us until we had almost reached the bottom, putting us behind them, making it awkward for them to crane their necks to see us.

  My eyes desperately searched for James, but the standing guests hid him until we reached the beginning of the rows. As Richard and I made our way up the aisle, James came into view. Grateful for the veil, I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face clearly noting the uncharacteristic impatience on his.

  As Richard gave James my hand, I felt his final squeeze and understood how hard it was for him. Although it was untraditional, when the minister asked, “Who gives this woman?” Richard answered, “I do,” and it was true; he was giving up any rights he had to claim me for himself. The gratitude I felt brought tears to my eyes making me once again thankful I was wearing a veil.

  Turning to face James, all other thoughts deserted me. I heard the words of the minister as through a fog, my eyes locked with James. I could feel his eyes boring into mine even with the veil between us, and his hands were gripping my free hand as though it was his lifeline. The love that swelled in my breast was overpowering. My words, as I repeated my vows, were almost inaudible to the front row, my voice barely above a whisper. I worried that I would burst into tears before we could make it through the ceremony.

  Sensing my emotional distress, James relaxed his grip on my hand and smiled warmly, encouragingly at me, his voice strong and sure as he repeated his vows.

  “Do you have the ring?”

  James turned to take the ring from Jason, his best man, who was grinning mischievously from ear to ear while I turned to hand Elsee my bouquet. I hoped Jason wasn’t planning on playing a joke on James. He did have a strange sense of humor, and I didn’t think it would go over well. I released a huge sigh of relief as I saw Jason handing him the ring without incident.

  “With this ring, I thee wed,” James repeated the minister’s words softly, putting his ring on my finger then lifting my hand up to plant a kiss on the back of it. I felt a thrill of anticipation shoot through my whole body and I was mesmerized for a moment.

  “Allison,” the minister interrupted my reverie politely “Do you have the ring?”

  My face was flushed with embarrassment as I turned and received the ring from Elsee. As I took in the joyous smile on her face, my heart swelled with love for her, overjoyed that I would soon be a member of her family.

  “With this ring, I thee wed,” I said as I slid the ring on James’ finger, my voice stronger and clearer than before.

  I relaxed and let the rest of the ministers words float around me, content just to gaze into the green eyes I loved, my green eyes, knowing there was nothing else I had to remember to do.

  Although we hadn’t practiced James lifting my veil—I hadn’t wanted him to see any part of my bridal ensemble before the wedding—he had no problem uncovering my face and finding my lips. We hadn’t talked about how we should kiss in front of everyone, but it probably wouldn’t have helped even if we had. James kissed me softly, tenderly, about to pull back but my arms had a life all their own. I plastered myself to him, forgetting where we were and who was watching.

  Eventually James lifted his head, amusement plain in his face, and asked mildly “Don’t you think we should wait until we’re alone?”

  “Oops,” I said, my face turning all shades of red, wishing futilely for the veil again.

  The guests laughed heartily as we walked back down the aisle. Elsee and Jason followed us past the bottom of the stairs and continued into the ballroom for the reception as we paused for a moment. James, noticing my eyes irresistibly drawn to the sitting room, darkened and empty, smiled in understanding. That room would always have a special place in our hearts; so much had happened there helping to shape our future.

  We could hear the minister behind us inviting the guests to the reception as we entered the elaborately decorated ballroom. Elsee had outdone herself.

  As soon as we joined her and Jason, Elsee hugged me murmuring “Mrs. James Wilson” in my ear.

  I returned her embrace.

  “Now you truly are my mother.”