by Robin M Helm
As soon as Xander and Elizabeth received a nod from the photographer, they went to Richard. Xander shook his hand, saying, “We are very pleased you came, Richard.”
Elizabeth opened her arms to him, smiling. “I’m so glad you changed your mind, Richard. We’re so happy to see you.” He hugged her, and then stepped back to admire her, still holding her hands.
Richard smiled at both of them, and returned his gaze to Elizabeth. “You are absolutely beautiful, as always, El. I saved some leave time. After I thought about it, I decided that I couldn’t miss your wedding. This will be one of the happiest days of your life, and I wanted to share it with you. We grew up together, and I hope that we’ll always be good friends.”
Xander, hearing his thoughts, knew that what Richard was saying was true, but it was not the only reason he had come. Garnet stood behind Richard, and his face was serious. I have been speaking peace to him, but he is determined on this course of action. He has spent much time thinking about it and feels strongly that this is something that he needs to do.
There comes a time when people have to take responsibility for their actions. This needs to be done. It will help them both to let go of the past, answered Xander. Michael, would you, Gabriel, and Niall watch the situation, please? You can step in if necessary.
The three groomsmen, who were standing with Charlotte and Jonathan near the punch table, looked at Xander and smiled.
Depend upon it, thought Michael.
There will be no problem, added Gabriel.
Niall, who had actually been present during the terrible ordeal concerning Elizabeth, Richard, and Caroline had a slightly different viewpoint from that of his brothers. Richard deserves the opportunity to confront Caroline, and she needs to understand the gravity of her actions. She must face the consequences so that she sees how her sin affected everyone around her. I will interrupt them, however, if it starts to get out of hand.
Across the room, Caroline stood with her parents, Anne and Donald Bingley. Xander saw her scan the room, and he knew the moment that she saw Richard holding Elizabeth’s hands. Her smile had been genuine, but it became forced, her face frozen in a mask. Caroline had not known until that moment that Richard was at the wedding; he had entered a side door to the sanctuary in order to avoid her at the guest registry. Behind Caroline, Ros met Xander’s eyes and nodded solemnly in greeting.
One of the caterers came up to Xander and Elizabeth, asking if they were ready for her to begin serving the cake. Xander answered her in the affirmative, and he took Elizabeth’s elbow, speaking to her in a low voice, “We need to move so that she can serve the guests. I think the photographer wants us at the punch table. He is there now, motioning for us to come over.”
Elizabeth smiled up at her husband, releasing Richard’s hands and promising to talk to him later. Xander guided her through the crowd, both of them smiling and chatting to guests as they made their way to the photographer.
Xander glanced at Richard just as the young soldier looked across the room and caught Caroline watching him. Richard’s mouth was set in a grim line as he made his way through the throng, greeting friends while he continued doggedly on his way. Finally he stood before her and the Bingleys.
Michael, Gabriel, and Niall made their excuses to Jonathan and Charlotte, leaving them in order to move closer to Richard and the Bingley family.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Bingley. It’s good to see you again,” Richard said, making a great effort to put a smile on his face.
Donald grunted in acknowledgement as Anne smiled nervously and said, “It’s wonderful to see you, too, Richard. How have you been?”
“Good, thanks, and you?” Richard answered, holding his irritation at the small talk.
“Fine, thank you. Will you be home for very long?” Anne asked.
“I’m just home for the week. I came especially for the wedding.” He turned his head to look at Caroline who had remained silent throughout the banal exchange. “Caroline, we have some catching up to do, but it’s very crowded in here. I see an empty corner over there by the kitchen door. Would you join me?”
Caroline swallowed hard and nodded. Richard smiled at Anne and Donald before he turned on his heel and strode toward the area, Caroline following close behind him.
Xander spoke to Garnet and Ros, I do not wish to have a scene at our wedding. If you cannot keep peace between them, try to get them to go outside.
I think being surrounded by people may keep them from raising their voices. Richard does not intend to cause a problem for you and Elizabeth, thought Garnet, following his charge closely.
The last thing Caroline wants is for anyone to hear this conversation. She saw his expression, and she knows that all is not well, added Ros, close on Caroline’s heels.
All the same, we will monitor their conversation, answered Michael.
Gabriel, Michael, and Niall watched Richard and Caroline cross the room, waited a few moments, and then began to move casually in their direction.
Xander watched their procession and carefully monitored their progress. He listened to both Richard’s and Caroline’s thoughts as he smiled for the photographer.
Richard stepped into the empty corner behind a conveniently placed Christmas tree and leaned on the wall, waiting for Caroline.
She stopped short of walking behind the tree, trying to compose herself. When she finally approached him, her face was serene.
Richard leveled a cool stare at her, and she had the grace to blush.
Michael positioned himself on one side of the tree, facing the guests and drinking a cup of punch. Gabriel and Niall stood on the other side, talking to each other quietly. They effectively blocked anyone else from seeing the couple or accidentally coming upon them.
Caroline looked beautiful in her fitted red dress, her caramel colored hair cascading down her back and her makeup perfectly accenting her green eyes and fair skin.
She’s wearing red. That’s perfect, Richard thought cynically. What a waste. Going to all that trouble to make the outside attractive when the inside is rotten.
Caroline straightened her spine and waited for him to speak. I deserve whatever he says, she thought. I have dreaded this for more than two years. I wonder exactly what he knows. Now it’s time to face the music for what I’ve done.
“I’ve enjoyed your letters, Caroline. Thanks for writing me while I was overseas and for continuing after I came back to the States,” said Richard smoothly.
“Yes, it was the least I could do. It was my fault that you left, and I have felt terrible about it,” she replied.
Niall frowned. Gabriel smiled at him, reminding him that others might be watching them.
“You have? Here’s a news flash – this isn’t about you, Caroline. The world does not revolve around you. I actually thought you meant it when you apologized in your letters. I was stupid enough to believe that a girl who could get me drunk, do me, and plaster pictures of it all over MySpace could get right with God and be sorry for what she had done. I have always been an idiot. Nothing has changed, has it? You’re the same, and I’m the same,” he said bitterly, his handsome features marred by his frown.
She lowered her head. “I did mean it. I have rededicated my life to God, and I am sorry for what I did. I don’t hang out with that crowd any more, and I go to church and read my Bible regularly. I’m trying to be a better person.”
“Well, that makes me feel all warm inside. You basically ruined my life – with my help, I admit – and now everyone has forgiven you for the despicable things you did. I forgave you, too, until I found out that you didn’t tell the whole truth,” he spat out in a low voice.
She looked up at him quickly. “What do you mean? I admitted that I planned the whole thing and set you up.” How could he know? Nobody knew it but me. Even Lydia and Grant never knew.
He stood up straight before he spoke. “I mean that you made it so that I couldn’t help myself. You drugged me. What you did was rape, Caroline. I wa
s stupid to go to that party and get drunk, but I wouldn’t have slept with you if you hadn’t put something in my drink. I had no control over myself, and you knew it.” He kept his voice low, but his hands were clenched with the effort.
“How do you know that?” she asked in a whisper.
The Word says, ‘Be sure your sin will find you out,’ thought Niall.
“What does it matter how I found out? It’s true, isn’t it?” he demanded curtly, his brown eyes blazing.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Yes, it’s true.”
“For two and a half years I’ve thought everything was my fault; part of it was, but the major part of it was yours. For nearly a year you’ve been writing me, and you still never came clean. You made yourself feel better, and you relieved your guilt, but you never helped me to get past what happened. The course of my life was changed that night, and nothing will ever be the same for me again. I might have been the one marrying the woman I love today if you hadn’t set me up. El forgave me for getting drunk; she couldn’t get past my lying about sleeping with you. I lied because it was so horrible that I thought she would never forgive me if she knew. If I had known that you drugged me, I would have told her about it. I would have told her that you drugged me and took advantage of me. She would have understood that, Caroline, and she wouldn’t have broken up with me.”
Richard’s voice had become a little louder, and Michael turned as if to go behind the tree and stop the conversation, but Niall lifted his cup to catch his attention and shook his head a little. Let him finish. The music is loud enough that no one has noticed.
Michael remained where he was. If anyone looks in this direction, I am putting a stop to this.
Agreed, thought Niall.
Richard continued, “But you already knew that, and that’s why you never told me. You wanted to hurt her because she punched you in the nose, and you wanted to hurt me because I never wanted you. You just couldn’t stand it that we were happy, and you weren’t. When you wrote me, you said that you wanted to make things right between us, but you still let me believe that I slept with you willingly. How could you do that, Caroline?”
Richard was angry, but his military training had taught him to control himself under any circumstances.
Garnet put his hands on Richard’s back, speaking peace to him. Some of the tension left Richard’s shoulders.
The tears rolled down Caroline’s face as she listened to him. She knew that every word he said was true, and she had never felt so worthless in her life.
Ros placed his hand on her shoulder and spoke into her mind. You are not worthless. Christ died for you, and He loves you. You are precious to Him.
She lifted her chin a little. “Richard, I know what I did was wrong, and I know that my actions have greatly impacted your life. I’m so sorry for that; I wish that I could change things and make it all right for you, but we both know that I can’t. I wish that I could go back in time and stop myself from doing what I did to you, but I can’t do that either, so I’m asking for your forgiveness. Being bitter and angry won’t help you in the long run. It may feel good for a while, but I know from experience that you won’t be able to move on until you let this go. Until then, you’ll be miserable. Forgiving me is part of that process. I will always regret what I have done, but we both need to move forward with our lives now. Can you forgive me, Richard? Can you put this behind you?”
Richard looked at her tear-streaked face, and he knew that she was right. Suddenly, he was very tired, and all he wanted was for the pain to stop. Lord, I have hurt for so long. I can’t stand it anymore. If forgiving Caroline is the only way for me to stop this agony, please help me to do it. And, Lord, please take away my love for El. Help me to see other women, and not just her. She is lost to me forever, Lord, and I must not love her in that way anymore.
Gabriel smiled. The Spirit is at work here.
Garnet rubbed Richard’s back. You must do this, Richard. You must forgive her. She is truly sorry. Remember that you are not blameless in this.
Richard gazed at her for a long moment, and then he spoke slowly and deliberately.
“I am trying very hard to forgive you, Caroline, and I know that I’ll get there eventually, but it won’t be tonight. I also want to believe that you have changed. I wish that you had told me the whole truth before I found it out, but I can sort of understand why you didn’t. I didn’t tell El the whole truth either when the whole mess happened. I hoped she would never find out that I slept with you. I was just too humiliated and embarrassed, and I was afraid of losing her.” He paused for a moment, and then released a heavy sigh. “I think that it will be best if we don’t talk for a while. Give me a chance to deal with this in my own way, and I’ll let you know when I’m ready to be your friend again. Please pray for me.”
Caroline managed a small smile. “Thank you, Richard. I can’t expect any more than that. I will certainly pray for you, and I know that God will help you, just as He has helped me. I’ll wait to hear from you. I really hope that we can be friends.”
Michael thought, They have been back here long enough. People are starting to miss them.
Do whatever you think is best. They are finished, answered Niall.
Michael walked around the tree and smiled at them. “Is everything all right? Is there anything that I can do to help you?”
Richard spoke up quickly, “Everything is fine. We’re just catching up. We’ll be out in a minute.”
Caroline added, “There’s no problem, Michael.” She had been introduced to Xander’s brothers at the rehearsal dinner the night before, and she looked from Michael to Richard. “Have you two met?”
“No, I have not had that pleasure,” Michael answered, extending his hand to Richard. “I am Michael, Xander’s brother. Come and meet our other two brothers.”
They shook hands as Richard said, “I am Richard Williams, a long-time friend of El. We grew up together.”
“Wonderful to meet you, Richard. I know Gabriel and Niall would want to be introduced to you, too. Come with me.”
Caroline spoke softly, “I need to go to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll see you later, then,” said Richard over his shoulder as he walked out from behind the tree, following Michael. Caroline left in the opposite direction.
Michael and Richard stopped in front of the tree, and Niall extended his hand, saying, “Hello, my name is Niall, and this is my brother, Gabriel.”
“I’m Richard. It’s nice to meet you,” said Richard, shaking Niall’s hand, and then Gabriel’s.
Elizabeth spotted them and smiled, waving her hand. “Richard, come over here. There’s someone that I want you to meet.”
“It seems that I’m in demand this evening. Maybe I can talk more with you in a little while, but I have to do as the bride says, I think,” said Richard, laughing a little halfheartedly.
“Of course,” said Gabriel, as Richard strode to Elizabeth.
Richard stopped short when he saw the beautiful young woman standing by Elizabeth at the punch table. He recognized her as one of the bridesmaids, but he had watched Elizabeth during the ceremony, never sparing a glance for anyone else. He could see a faint family resemblance in their features, but the woman was probably five inches shorter than Elizabeth, blonde, and green-eyed. For the first time in more than three years, he felt an attraction for a woman other than Elizabeth, and he knew that God had answered his prayer.
Elizabeth smiled when she saw his expression. “Richard, this is my cousin, Bethany Martin. She teaches at Liberty Academy in Lynchburg.”
Richard could be charming when he wished to be, and when Bethany smiled at him in greeting, he very much wanted to be attractive to her.
As Bethany shook his hand, Richard’s face lit up with a wonderful smile, and he said, “El, where have you been hiding her? I thought I had met all of your family.”
“She’s my Aunt Grace’s daughter from her firs
t marriage, so she traveled back and forth between Aunt Grace and Uncle Scott quite a bit. Also, Bethany is four years older than I am, so we never really got to spend much time together when we were younger. She’s become one of my closest friends in recent years, though,” Elizabeth replied, grinning and giving her cousin a warm side-hug. “We’ve been burning up the phone lines between here and Virginia.”
Richard did the mental math. Bethany is not quite two years older than I am, then. I’ve just turned twenty-one and she’s twenty-two. That’s not bad.
“El told me that you’re a Marine, Richard. Where are you stationed?” asked Bethany, releasing his hand.
“I’m in San Diego right now. How do you like teaching school?” he asked, reaching for a cup of punch.
They rapidly became so engrossed in their conversation that neither of them noticed when Xander stepped to Elizabeth’s side and claimed her for a picture of him removing her garter.
Elizabeth sat in a chair provided for her in the center of the room. She had placed the blue garter just above her knee, and there was much good-natured laughter as Xander carefully slid her dress up her leg to find it. Finally, he slipped it off her leg and stood, calling for all the single men to stand in front of him. After the young men were in place, Xander turned his back and shot the garter – straight into Richard’s hands.
Xander moved the chair, and Lynne handed Elizabeth a separate arrangement of flowers, tied with a green silk ribbon which had been specially set aside for the bouquet toss. Elizabeth gaily asked for all the single women to gather, and the married women helped her by pulling the unwilling ones to the middle of the room with much giggling.
Elizabeth turned and tossed her bouquet over her head. When she heard a squeal, she whirled around to see it in the hands of her cousin, Bethany Martin.
“Now we have to have a shot of the two of you,” Elizabeth said, calling for the photographer.