The Wrong Wedding

by Maggie Rivers

  No, it won’t be okay. You don’t love Ralph and you know it.

  More steps.

  Where are you Jack! I need you.

  Women were already crying. It seemed women always cried at weddings but they seemed to be crying a little too much as far as she was concerned. They hadn’t cried this hard during the Mayor’s funeral.

  Merle sat with Francine. Francine smiled while Merle sobbed into her handkerchief.

  There was the Mayor’s wife, too. She was crying but then she’d just lost her husband so that was understandable.

  Seemed the entire population of the town sat sobbing over her wedding. Well, she felt like crying, too.

  But Jack doesn’t love me.

  She had to make it to the front of the church. Ralph was already standing there watching her.

  I can do this. One foot in front of the other. Step by step. Just keep walking.

  The angel on her right shoulder said “It’s okay. This will be good. Reverend is a nice, kind man.”

  While the devil on her left shoulder said “Remember the taste of Jack’s mouth.” She licked her lips and remembered that taste. “Remember what it felt like to have him lying on top of you.” Her sex grew warm at the thought. “Remember his kisses at your breast.” Her nipples pebbled in anticipation.

  Claire reached the front of the church and stood in front of Ralph. The visiting minister stood facing the crowd with Claire and Ralph facing each other in front of him. Claire could see out of the corner of her eyes, the minister to her left and the congregation on her right.

  “The door is right there,” said the devil on her left shoulder.

  Now why had that thought crept into her mind? She could hear the minister as he began the ceremony.

  Then her breath caught in her throat as she caught a glimpse of a figure as it entered the sanctuary and sat in the back corner.

  Her sex grew hotter. She instinctively thrust her breasts ever so slightly. Her nubbin ached. She wanted to feel Jack’s lips on hers. She wanted to taste the essence of his sex.

  “Miss Jones, Miss Jones,” whispered the minister. “You have to answer before I can go on.”

  “Answer,” replied Claire, looking at him in confusion.

  “I’ll repeat. Do you, Claire Marie Jones, take Ralph Waldo Wolfe to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  Claire’s thoughts raced. She looked at Ralph. He was smiling safely at her. She glanced out and caught Jack’s wickedly sexy eyes. There was something there. She couldn’t quite make out what it was but something in his eyes seemed to call to her.

  “Miss Jones, you need to answer.”

  Claire looked at Ralph and opened her mouth to speak, no sound came out. She glanced back out at Jack. He smiled.

  Oh God Jack, can’t you see that I’m in love with you.”

  “Claire,” Ralph said, “Claire honey, answer the good reverend,” as he squeezed her hands.

  Claire turned her face back to look at Ralph and then at the minister.

  “I don’t.” Claire whispered as she turned and ran back down the aisle, glancing at Jack as she ran straight out the front door.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  An instant sigh of relief went up from the female onlookers and a huge wave of noise arose. Ralph stood bewildered. It took a moment before the humiliation set in.

  That little bitch had said no. After all the years he’d spent keeping her pure. He’d warned off so many suitors over the years he couldn’t count them all. He’d had to get physical with more than one of them and now, now she had the nerve to say no. He was furious with her.

  He would just have to pay her a visit later and soothe her frayed nerves. He should have been more attentive these last few days. He’d noticed her mood swings and should have picked up on it.

  He should have gone ahead and fucked her years ago but his pride at having a virgin bride just wouldn’t let him. Besides God had given him all the sex he wanted and he still got all the sex he wanted. The women in his congregation were always in need of him.

  Why just last night he’d been with Nellie again. He liked being with her, too. Being the high school gym teacher kept her limber and she could get in those darned positions he loved so much.

  No matter. He’d let Claire have a day or two to relax and calm down and then he’d just take her to the Justice of the Peace and they’d get married without all the fanfare. Then, if she wanted, they could have another ceremony in the church and since they’d already be married she wouldn’t be able to run.

  Jack got up from his seat and quietly walked out of the church.

  * * *

  Claire jumped into her car, pulling her white dress in as best she could. She had to think.

  She had to get away from everyone and figure out what she was going to do. Her mind was racing in all directions at once and she just needed some time alone to think.

  As soon as she got some sleep, she could think this through. Her mind was tired and she just needed time.

  Ralph had been in such a hurry to get married. She’d tried to postpone the wedding longer but Ralph was impatient and insisted.

  She drove out of town and headed toward Ralph’s cabin. Ralph had taken her there years ago and they were going to spend time there this coming summer after the wedding and do some fishing.

  No one would think to look for her there. Ralph certainly wouldn’t. He had only bought the cabin because he knew Claire liked being outdoors. He never took her there after that initial visit. He had wanted to show it to her to be sure she liked the place.

  Now, he’d not think to look for her there and neither would anyone else. Maybe she could get the rest she needed and the time to think on her own.

  Claire pulled up in the drive, got out of her car and walked onto the porch. She thought she saw car lights down on the road but when she turned and looked there were none.

  She reached overhead and took the key down from its hiding place and unlocked the door. Rushing inside, she closed the door from the cold outside.

  No fire in the fireplace she thought. She wouldn’t want anyone seeing the smoke from the chimney and coming to investigate. The woods hid the cabin enough that the lights shouldn’t be seen from the road.

  She walked over to the thermostat and turned up the heat, before grabbing a blanket off the bed, throwing it around her shoulders and plopping down on the sofa.

  Looking around, she noticed the disarray around her. Someone had been there recently it appeared.

  Claire bent down picking up photos that had apparently been rummaged through and left on the floor. Someone had possibly broken in.

  Glancing around the room, she noted everything seemed to be in order. Nothing else seemed to be in disarray. Just these pictures lying around on the floor. Maybe there was a draft and the wind dumped them.

  Claire started to lay them back on the coffee table before it hit her. She couldn’t believe the image she was seeing. These were porno pictures. Who had been here looking at these? Was this something Ralph looked at?

  “No, no, Ralph’s not looking at these, he’s in them!” Claire screamed.

  Her gaze fell on the DVDs lying on the coffee table. Picking up the nearest one, she read the label. “Sheriff’s Pusse”. Claire immediately put it in the player and watched as Mary McCoy sat atop Ralph bouncing up and down on his cock.

  Claire felt her stomach flip. She quickly took it out and placed the next one, labeled “Principal’s Whip” in the player. Her eyes could not believe what they saw.

  There were probably twenty or more. “Nimble Nellie” and “Song of the Organist” and many others but her senses reeled with thoughts of what lay on them. She hadn’t realized that her screaming continued.

  * * *

  Jack heard the screams coming from within and immediately jumped from his car and ran toward the cabin, now thankful he had followed Claire when she left the church parking lot. He had turned his car lights off as he approached the road she had turne
d on to keep her from noticing she was being followed. He slammed open the front door and saw Claire standing with pictures in one hand and a DVD in the other. He quickly looked around the room as he ran toward Claire.

  “What’s wrong, are you alright? I heard you screaming.”

  “These. These,” she replied holding them up for Jack to see.

  Color drained from Jack’s face when he saw the picture. He took them from her hand and tossed them down. Picking her up in his arms, he turned and stomped out the door.

  Nothing was going to hurt his Claire ever again. That included the so called Reverend. Jack placed her gently in his car and ran to the other side to crawl in beside her. Turning his car around, he sped down the roadway and headed toward his own cabin.

  Placing an arm around Claire, he pulled her close. She was still shaking. He wanted desperately to comfort her and protect her from the images she had witnessed.

  “I’m here now, honey. I’m here. I won’t let anything or anybody hurt you ever again.”

  For her, he would kill that bastard if she gave him the word. He pulled her head down onto his shoulder and she rode huddled next to him. He could only imagine the thoughts running through her mind at this point.

  Arriving at his cabin, .he carried Claire inside and laid her on the bed, wedding dress and all, pulling the blankets over her.

  “Claire honey, I’ll be right back. I want to get a fire going and get the heat up in here. I’ll be right back.”

  He didn’t want to leave her, even for a few minutes. She looked so pale and fragile.

  Jack quickly started the fire and went to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa for her. She needed warmth inside as well as out. He took a steaming cup of the readied brew into the bedroom and sat down on the bed beside her.

  “Here Claire, drink some of this. It will do you some good.” He lifted her head enough so she could take a few sips from the cup. He sat it on the bedside table then went around to the other side of the bed and crawled in with her. He pulled her close and held her tight.

  “It’ll be okay, Claire, honey, it’ll be okay. I’m here with you now. It’ll be okay.”

  They lay that way for hours before Claire began to cry.

  “It’s okay, honey, I’m here with you. You cry all you need. I’ll keep you warm and safe right here in my arms. Let it all out. I have big strong shoulders made for crying on so you cry all you want.”

  Jack felt as though his heart was being torn from his chest with each tear she shed, but he continued whispering soothing words to her until no tears remained. He reached to the nightstand and grabbed another Kleenex for her nose.

  He was sorry now they had found out their marriage license wasn’t legal. She would have been spared this hurt. She had finally fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion. Jack held her long into the night.

  It took Claire a few moments to realize where she was but that familiar musky scent was so soothing and she knew whose arms were wrapped around her so tightly. She could hear his steady breathing and the clock on the table said it was four a.m. She felt immensely safe at that moment.

  Her fingers softly traced the corners of Jack’s lips. She wanted to taste those lips again, needed to taste those lips again. She lifted her head slightly and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

  “Hello, beautiful,” said Jack as he roused from his sleep. “I’ve missed you.” He gently ran his fingers down the side of her face.

  “Jack—”

  “Shhhh, just rest my sweets. We can talk later.”

  Claire reached up and pulled his head towards hers. She didn’t want to rest. She wanted Jack.

  Her lips found his, softly at first and then demanding. His tongue probed the inside of her mouth and danced with hers. She tasted every corner of his mouth and rubbed her tongue across the top of his, savoring the flavor of him.

  Jack quickly ran his hand down the front of her wedding gown and pulled the bottom up so he could feel the warmth between her legs. He had to have her and he had to have her now. His own arousal was too painful to ignore.

  Claire apparently felt the same as her hand grabbed for his penis and rubbed at it through his pants.

  He quickly undid his buckle, unzipped his pants and shoved them down his hips.

  Pulling her thin panties aside, he placed himself at her entrance. He was in a frenzy to be inside her. Her hands grabbed at his buttocks, insistent in their demand. He entered her with a fury and slammed himself to the hilt, filling as much of her as he could. Claire moaned with pleasure.

  Once inside, he just lay there holding himself tight against her walls, feeling the sensations of her muscles as they pulled against him, drawing him even further inside her. This was what he had needed ever since their departure from his cabin two weeks ago and he didn’t want to be anywhere but inside his Claire. His Claire.

  He began long, deliberately slow strokes as he watched Claire’s face. She was the most beautiful creature on earth. Her eyes gazed into his and when she smiled up at him, it felt as though his heart stopped beating.

  And then he saw her eyelids begin to flutter ever so slightly and he knew she was at her brink and he watched as she fell over the edge and he fell with her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  It was Sunday morning and Claire had not been seen since her almost wedding. Sheriff Matt McCoy felt it his duty to see if he could locate her just to be sure she hadn’t done something foolish. Women were like that.

  He knew the road she had taken out of town and he traveled along it not noticing anything unusual until he came to the turn off for what he remembered as being a cabin Ralph had bought years ago. He could see indentations up the road leading to the cabin although new snow had covered portions of the tracks.

  Sheriff McCoy turned his SUV up the road hoping he would find Claire safe and sound inside the cabin. Turning the bend in the road, he could see the lights on in the cabin but it was a little unusual for the door to be standing open this time of the year.

  He glanced around the yard to see if Claire were maybe outside doing something. Her car was parked there but no sign of Claire. Pulling to a stop beside the car, he got out. He glanced around the yard to see if he could spot any tracks leading up to or away from the cabin. Seeing another set of car tracks under freshly fallen snow, he cautiously walked up to the door. He knocked and called out to Claire.

  No answer came from within. He stepped inside and began to take a look around. Photos were scattered all over the floor. She must be here somewhere. Thinking the photos were probably of Claire and Ralph’s many years together, he bent over and began to pick them up.

  Bile rose in his stomach. His fists clenched. In that moment, he got his answer as to why his sweet Mary had up and left him days ago. She had only explained she was leaving him and filing for divorce. She was headed for New York City to study piano and would appreciate it if he just let her go.

  Then his gaze fell on the other photos of the Mayor’s wife, the grade school principal, the high school gym teacher, and the church organist among just a few. The next photo froze him in place. Mayor Hatfield and some young blonde man. The young blonde was bent over and the Mayor was standing behind him, both naked as the day they were born.

  Sheriff McCoy gathered a handful of the photos and jumping back in his patrol car, headed back to town. He skidded to a stop in front of the Holy Family Church of the Last Redemption.

  All six feet eight inches of pure muscle unfolded itself from the car and he stormed toward the church. He shoved the front door open with his foot, pictures in his left hand and drawing his gun with his right. A shot rang out and pieces of plaster fell from the ceiling.

  People began to scream as they ducked down behind the pews.

  “Preacher man,” Matt’s loud voice bellowed out, “it’s your turn to start confessing sins and you better start with my wife.”

  “N-n-n-now just a m-m-m-minute Matt,” Reverend Wolfe visibly cowed behind the pulpit, “Y-Y-Y-You kno
w it’s n-n-n-not our choice to p-p-p-punish sinners here on earth. Now I’m sure, Matt …”

  Sheriff McCoy handed one photo to Mrs. Hatfield. An audible gasp escaped her lips. Her face reddened. “B-b-but I can explain this…”

  “You don’t have to,” replied Matt as he handed her a photo of the Mayor and the blonde man.

  Mrs. Hatfield fainted. Several ladies rushed to her aid.

  “Now b-b-brother,” Ralph started to explain.

  “You son of a bitch, you may be my half-brother, but that doesn’t give you any right to go fucking my wife,” yelled Sheriff McCoy and when the second shot rang out, the good Reverend thought better of completing this discussion and headed for the back door of the church.

  Pandemonium broke out as husbands and wives dove to recover the photos Matt McCoy had thrown to the floor before he turned and left through the front door of the church.

  Stuffing himself back into his patrol car, he headed out of town.

  Wonder how far it is to New York City? He would try and find his Mary and right this wrong between them. This whole mess was his fault. He hadn’t been there for her. He knew that. But he did love her. He’d loved her since they were kids. He’d let his job interfere with his marriage but not anymore. He knew he’d failed her miserably.

  Mary could complete her studies if she wanted. He’d buy her the biggest damn piano he could find if that would get her back in his life.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  It had been over seven months since the Holy Family Church of the Last Redemption had closed. The Reverend Ralph Waldo Wolfe had not been heard from since.

  Today, however, its doors were open and people filed in once again for the wedding that was the talk of the town.

  This time, however, Claire Marie Jones had the right groom waiting for her at the front of the church.

  The organist began to play.

  “Are you okay?” asked Janet.

  “I’m absolutely wonderful,” replied Claire. “It must just be indigestion from all the excitement.” Claire’s hands rested on her swollen belly.