Authors: Shirlee Lewis
“Okay,” she interrupted me. “You’ll help me get through this right?”
“Yes, I’ll be there every step of the way.”
“That’s a relief. Okay, I’m going. Mike’s here. Talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
With the month gone, Tony and I didn’t have time for us. So, tonight I focused all my attention on him. We spent the evening sitting in the gazebo talking about Abigail and Jason.
“What dress did you give Abigail?” Tony asked.
“My wedding dress,” I said.
“You know there’s going to be a wedding in England soon.”
“No, I didn’t. Abigail didn’t mention it.”
“Jason and I talked on the way to Portland and he’s going to propose when they get back.”
“Did he give a date?” I asked.
“Around Christmas,” was all Tony said?
“We’ll be spending Christmas in England.”
“Looks like
it,” Tony said.
I got up from my chair, walked to Tony and put my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist. In the distance a coyote howled and an owl hooted from the trees. Tony looked into my eyes and started to say, “Jess…” but I cut him off with a kiss. Running my hands through his hair, he placed one of his hands
on the back of my thigh, pulling me toward him. I went to his neck, lightly kissing down to his collarbone. Taking my hands, I lifted his shirt and let it drop to the floor. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I whispered, “I love you.”
The low growl started deep in his chest but I didn’t hold back. Nibbling on his ear brought a new sensation to him and he couldn’t take it any longer. He picked me up and started for the back door when I said, “No, out here.”
Tony took me back to the gazebo; gently laying me on the table. He dove into my neck with his teeth and I felt a flow running down my arm. In the middle of loving Tony, I felt a movement from within me. Thinking nothing of it because I hadn’t eaten, I continued to make love to Tony in the gazebo.
We spent the ni
ght in the gazebo. I woke up leaning against the railing in Tony’s arms. The sun peeked over the top of the house and Tony opened his eyes.
We went into the house, showered and headed to Portland.
Opening my office door, a huge pile of paperwork waited. “Ugh! Not again,” I said sitting at my desk. “We have the same program as London. Why can’t they just input the information and file it properly?” I wasn’t talking to anyone but myself.
All week I worked on getting the paperwork cleared from my desk. I called Melody into my office.
“Melody, could you come to my office?” I asked from my office door.
Melody finished with her patient and entered my office.
“Melody, apparently the people who took my place in my absence don’t know how to file. I’d like to teach you. Mr. Mureaux and I are going out of the country for Christmas. Would you be willing to learn?”
“Yes,” Melody answered.
“It’s not hard to input the information for new clients and add information to the existing clients. The only folders you’ll make are for the new clients.”
I showed Melody the program and the filing system.
“Tomorrow, you’ll be handling all the paperwork. I’ll be here in case you have questions.”
“Okay. Are you sure I can do this?” Melody asked.
“I learned in one day in London.”
I had Melody si
t with me for the rest of the day and watch. “I’m worried for nothing,” she said. “The program is simple.”
“I told you.”
On the way home, I let Tony know about Melody taking over for me. He approved.
October breezed in without warning. The cold air snuck in during the night bringing a chill to me when I climbed out of bed. Tony stood on the porch in his shorts soaking up the north wind.
Getting my coffee ready, I went to the bedroom and dressed in my flannels. Tony came back in the house. “Are you cold?”
“Just a tad,” I said. “Malinda and Mike will be married tonight. What a way to start their marriage.”
“What’s that suppose
d to mean?” Tony asked.
“The cold,” was all I said.
“I’m sure Mike will keep her warm.”
The morning and afternoon seemed to hurry until it was time for the wedding. I met Malinda in the nursery of the church. Tony went to find Mike.
“Jess, I understand now what you meant by butterflies. My stomach is fluttering and it’s not the baby.”
“Deep breaths, deep breaths Malinda,” I said.
“I don’t think that’s going to help.”
“Once you get down the aisle, all you’ll see is Mike and everyone else will be a blur.”
“I hope you’re right,” Malinda said getting into her wedding dress.
“Trust me. You’ll do just fine.”
I went to the double doors and waited on Tony. He came around the corner in his tux and was he dashing when he smiled his half-smile.
“Wow, Jess. You’re beautiful.”
“What? In this old thing,” I said. I wore my going away dress which I wore after my wedding. At least, I knew Tony was impressed.
The music started. It was time for Tony and me to walk down the aisle and take our places at the altar.
The wedding march started and I saw Malinda with her dad walking toward us. She was so beautiful in her dress. Mikes eyes lit up when she started her walk toward him. She handed me her boutique and took Mike’s hands. When the vows were exchanged she breathed a sigh of relief. We all went to the dining area of the church. Mike and Malinda’s reception was perfect. Tony and I waited until the last guest was gone to leave.
“One down, one more to go,” I commented.
“Wait until you see how my mother throws a party.”
“I’m looking forward to this party and Abigail walking down the aisle.”
“You won’t be disappointed.”
November was easy and busy. The client’s tripled at the blood bank with phone orders from all over the world. Melody had taken over my office the entire month, so my time was spent in Tony’s office helping with the paperwork and order recommendations. The month flew by and the next thing I knew we were boarding a plane for London.
Stepping off the plane sent a chill through me. The bitter cold wind whirled around me like a ghost in the night. I shivered the entire ride to the mansion. Victor had a fire going in his study and I parked myself on a stool in front of the blazing inferno. The warmth quickly sent the chill away.
Tony saw how chilled I was and started a fire in the fireplace in the living room on the third floor.
The wedding was in a week. Abigail, Jennifer and I spent our time preparing the rooms and organizing cater
ers’ and cleanup crews. The guest list was sizable. Approximately six hundred guests including the Mortensin clan.
The day before the wedding Abigail and Jason were not allowed to see each other per Jennifer’s orders. “This is going to be a traditional wedding. That includes staying away from each other until tomorrow night.”
Abigail protested, but knew she wasn’t going to win. She ended up on our floor under the watchful eye of Tony and me.
“Jess, did you have butterflies when you were getting married?” Abigail asked.
“I sure did. They went away once Tony and I stood at the altar.”
“My stomach is fluttering. What did you do to make it stop?”
“I couldn’t do anything about it Abigail.”
Of course, she didn’t sleep at all so Victor came up and took her with him into his study to make sure her and Jason stayed away from each other. In the morning, Abigail’
s makeup crew arrived. I sat and watched as they applied the makeup and fixed her hair into a magnificent bird’s nest on top of her head.
Jennifer came up to help with the wedding dress. “You’re going to out shine everyone, Abbey.”
“Can I see how I look?”
We walked her to the floor length mirror and the minute she saw herself the emotion showed in her eyes. “Is that me?” Abigail asked as she turned around in the mirror.
“The one and only,” I said, getting her veil.
“I’m pretty.”
“You’re stunning, Abbey,” Jennifer said.
I placed the veil on her and she didn’t move from the mirror. The bride maid’s entered the room to wait with Abigail until the piano started playing.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Abigail said.
Jennifer walked over to her, placed her hands in hers and said, “Abbey, we have rehearsed this all week. You’re going to be fine and remember Jason waiting for you. This is the day you have waited for and you are going to do just fine. Now, Jess and I have to take our places. We’ll see you with Jason at the altar.”
Abigail nodded once.
Victor stood outside the door as Jennifer and I walked into the living room. To my surprise the wall dividing the living room from the study was gone. All six hundred guests weren’t compacted like sardines. The room was decorated in white bows and garland. The aisle was wide enough for one bride’s maid to walk at a time. The end of each chair hung a
white bow. The archway was dressed in white and red roses which stood behind the preacher. He was a long time friend of Jennifer’s.
The guests arrived all morning and afternoon. Thorment saw me and nodded. What did surprise me was Freda’s entire clan with Thorment. He spared
them all, but Freda and Melian. Jennifer, Tony and I took our places in the front row. The piano played a hymn I wasn’t familiar with. The bride’s maids, consisting of five, started their walk down the aisle. Taking their places, we all stood when the wedding march started. Outside the doorway, Victor took Abigail’s hand, leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. She nodded once and they both started toward the altar. Abigail glanced at me and I nodded once to her with a smile covering my face. She was so beautiful in the wedding dress I had given her. The preacher asked “Who gives this bride away?”
Victor calmly said, “I do,” and gave Jason Abigail’s hand. He took his seat beside Jennifer.
The preacher talked about the meaning of marriage and then recited a verse from the bible and then the vows were exchanged. He announced Jason and Abigail as Mr. and Mrs. Morison instead of husband and wife. This was due to Abigail’s request. Jason lifted Abigail’s veil and kissed her with a long and passionate kiss. The entire room hollered including me. This was one day, I knew would happen and Jason and Abigail would forever spend eternity together.
The reception was held in the oversized dining room decorated in dolls. Instead of the traditional bride and groom atop the wedding cake, sat the doll I had given Abigail from Italy.
Jason danced with Jennifer. Abigail danced with Victor.
The festivities carried
on into the morning light.
Thorment came up to Tony and me and said, “Tony, Jess, I invite you to Mortensin Castle this coming summer for our annual summons of vampires. I’ll expect you won’t be disappointed.”
“We’ll attend without hesitation,” Tony answered placing his hand on the small of my back.
“Very well, my friends,” Thorment said. He gathered his clan and was off to Italy before the sun came up.
Jason and Abigail didn’t have a honeymoon. Instead they spent it in Jason’s room. They weren’t disappointed because Jason told Abigail, “We went to America and that I consider a honeymoon.”
Abigail agreed.
Tony and I spent another week in London before heading back home. Up in our room, Tony looked at me from across the room with a low growl starting in his chest. I stood my ground as he flew to me and said, “Let’s relive our honeymoon tonight.”
“Let’s,” I agreed.
Tony started with our song, together forever, and we danced around the bedroom. He leaned toward me and whispered, “You, Mrs. Mureaux are mine forever.”
I looked into his eyes and saw a flame building to new and unexpected heights as he twirled me around the room.
“Forever,” I whispered.
Tony danced us to the bed. He let go only to slowly unbutton his shirt. The moonlight shining from the window gave me a hint of his masculine chest. I placed my hand upon his stomach inching my way to his neck.
“You have no idea how much I love you,” I whispered.
“Show me,” Tony said.
Tony and I spent the entire night giving each other what the other wanted, ourselves. It was the most memorable night Tony and I had since we found each other. We didn’t hold anything back. We loved until we both were out of breath.