Authors: Shirlee Lewis
“Is there any news about the meeting?” I asked.
“The date is set for the meeting. Now I have to call the airline and get our schedule and tickets,” he said, picking the receiver. He found a scrap piece of paper to write down the information beside the phone.
On my way to get a soda from the refrigerator, I watched Tony look for a pen. I had one lying beside the cookbook on the counter. Getting a soda and pen, I handed it to Tony. “When is it?” I asked going to the front door.
“March thirteenth and fourteenth and I asked father to let mother know you will stay with her.”
“Okay.”
Standing in the doorway, I saw Mildred come out of her house and head toward mine. I went outside and sat in the chair. She was mumbling to herself as she opened the gate to my yard. “Can I help you Mildred?”
Mildred looked up shocked. She had no clue I was sitting on the porch. Backing out of the gate and closing it, she ran as fast as she could back to her house. I smiled the biggest smile because I had caught her. Now that I was aware of her sneakiness and nosiness, I was going to watch her from now on.
Getting up from the chair, I went back inside. Sitting on the sofa, I took a drink of my soda. Tony didn’t look up when I came in and sat down. He was consumed with his program.
Tonight the program was about inventing the first car. Surprisingly, I watched it with interest until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Yawning, I got up to go to the bedroom. Tony got up and came over to me. He started at my neck kissing it lightly. He kissed my arm down to my fingers. “Is it June?” he asked leading me to the bedroom.
“Tony, I don’t want a big wedding. A small simple wedding will be just fine.”
“Don’t think about that now,” he said.
Tony kissed my neck that always made me melt like butter. It wasn’t long before I forgot about the wedding and Mildred. As Tony picked me up in his arms and carried me to the bed. But in the morning, I would call several stationary shops and price invitations.
Tony gently laid me on the bed and before I could blink all my clothes had been removed. I smiled so wide and laughed out loud. “What?” Tony asked, bewildered.
“When you want something, you don’t muck about it.” I was still laughing and it felt good.
Tony started laughing too as he pounced on me, gently of course. “And don’t you forget it.”
He purred in my ear. We play wrestled, nibbling and kissing each other all over until we couldn’t resist any longer. Tonight, it was Tony and I loving each other.
Chapter Four
In a few days, we’d be leaving for England. Calling several stationary shops, I found one that would give me a good deal on invitations. Scribbling the prices and quantity, I didn’t notice Tony behind me. “The invitations are taken care of, Jess.”
“How could they be? You haven’t had time to order any and neither have I.”
“Don’t worry sweetie. They’re taken care of.”
“You’re the best,” I said, getting up from the table and hugging him.
Tony hugged me, “I have to go to Portland today. Come with me?”
“Isn’t the blood bank ready to open?” I asked.
“It is, but I have a few things to do and I need your advice on some equipment.”
“Okay. Let me get ready and we’ll head that way.”
I showered, dressed in my comfortable blue jeans and sweatshirt. Tony waited for me on the porch. From the bathroom, I called the police department to ask Detective Sean to watch our house because I didn’t want Tony suspecting anything. Tony and I headed to Portland.
Tony pulled up
at the stationary store. “We have to pick up the announcements,” he said, helping me out of the car.
“How did they get them done so fast?”
“I stopped by here the day after we agreed on the date,” he said smiling his half smile.
“You couldn’t have known who to invite.”
“I handed the clerk the phone book and asked her to invite everyone in it,” he said.
“Everyone in town,” I said shocked.
“Yes, I know your parents are gone and you have a small number of friends to come to your wedding, so I invited the entire town. Hope you don’t mind?” he said, opening the door to the stationary store.
“Well it’s a bit much to invite everyone. How much did this cost?”
“I only want the best for you and don’t worry about the cost. I’m more than happy to do it,” he said, as we entered the store.
The clerk handed Tony two boxes of invitations. He paid the clerk and carried the boxes to the car putting them in the back seat.
We got back in the car and headed to the blood bank.
Grabbing a box from the back seat, I was curious to see what he had ordered and opened it. Taking out one invitation I read it silently,
Our Weddin
g
.
The outside was laced in gold with yellow roses in all the corners. Opening it, it read:
Jessica Lea Pearl
&
Tony Michael Mureaux
Request the pleasure of your company of their union,
Saturday, the twenty-fifth of June, two thousand and twelve
At two o’clock in the afternoon.
Mayville High School Gymnasium, Mayville, Oregon.
Reception is to follow and please no gifts.
Behind the announcements were the envelopes. Picking up an envelope I turned it over. I was surprised they were already addressed. “You had these addressed too?” I asked surprised.
“I figured we wouldn’t want to do it, so I asked the clerk to address them for us.”
Putting the box of announcements in the back seat, I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. You’re wonderful,” kissing his cheek again.
Tony pulled up in front of the blood bank. The marquees sign read,
‘
Grand Opening April 1st’
Inside, Tony took me to the first exam room. The IV stands were put together upside down. I laughed. “Did you do this?”
Tony shrugged his shoulders. “I tried.”
After we took the stands apart and put them together the right way, it was time to head back home. Tony stopped by the post office and purchased enough stamps for the envelopes. Arriving home the lights were off and I breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, Mildred didn’t want to come back while we were gone knowing I had caught her sneaking to the house.
Tony and I sat at the table putting the stamps on the envelopes, and then Tony took them to the post office. “Be back in a bit,” Tony said. “I’m going to mail these.”
“Okay, I’ll start getting the suitcases ready for the trip.”
The suitcases were sitting in the rafters of the garage. Looking around for a ladder, I saw it leaning against Tony’s refrigerator. Making sure the ladder was sturdy I climbed up. Dropping my suitcase to the floor, I started to get Tony’s which happened to be out of reach. Grabbing onto the rafter, I leaned to get the handle when the ladder fell to the floor leaving me dangling. I had moved Tony’s suitcase enough for it to fall to the floor. Looking around, I was about three feet from my Mercedes. Shimming myself over to my car, I let go of the rafter and dropped. Picking up the ladder, I put it back beside the refrigerator and took the suitcases
into the house. Opening the back door, I noticed Mildred leaving the front porch. Setting the suitcases inside the kitchen door, I went to the front door. Mildred was looking at a piece of paper going back to her house. My curiosity about her was building. What could she be up too? Why was she always snooping around my house? Mildred folded the paper and put it in her pocket. Maybe she needed to show me something and I was in the garage. Shrugging it off, I dusted off the suitcases, and took them to the bedroom to start packing.
I knew Tony was home when I heard the car door slam. “Sweetie, I’m home,” Tony called from the living room.
“Okay, I’m in the bedroom packing.”
I heard Tony shuffling through some papers. “Jess, sweetie,” Tony called. “I had a paper laying here on the counter with the flight information. Have you seen or moved it?”
“No, I haven’t,” I called from the bedroom. Of course, Mildred came to mind.
“I’ll call the airline and hopefully they can give me the information again.”
Thinking about the piece of paper I saw Mildred with, I wondered if it was the flight information. Surely she wasn’t in the house when I was in the garage, but I did see her on the porch. I didn’t say anything to Tony because I wasn’t sure. I went back to work on getting my suitcase packed, so I could help Tony pack. With both suitcases packed, I went to get a drink and sit on the front porch. Looking over at Mildred’s, I wondered about the paper I saw her with and putting in her pocket. Was it the flight information? Thinking back, I didn’t think I was in the garage long enough for her to get it.
Today Tony and I would be leaving for England. I called the police department to talk with Detective Sean. Tony was busy getting the suitcases in the car.
“Police Department,” the dispatcher said.
“May I speak with Detective Sean, its Jessica Pearl?”
“Hold please.”
“Jess, what can I do for you?” Detective Sean asked when he came on the line.
“I called to let you know Tony and I are leaving for England today.”
“Hank will patrol your house while you are gone.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“No problem, Jess. I have the number in case I need to get a hold of you.”
“Thank you. We’ll be back in a week,” I said.
“No problem. Good bye Jess.”
“Goodbye Detective.” Detective Sean hung up before I could say his name.
“Are we ready?” Tony asked checking the back door and windows.
“It’s a long flight, but I’m as ready as I can be.”
Tony and I arrived at the airport just in time to get our bags checked in and catch our flight to England. The stewardess was going through the safety procedures as we buckled our seatbelts. I slept
for the whole flight. Tony shook me when we landed at Heathrow. “We’re here, sweetie,” he whispered in my ear.
I opened my eyes and smiled.
It was drizzling rain when we got off the plane, I couldn’t see London for the fog. Last time I was here, it was so green and I could see for miles. Jennifer was waiting at the limo when we exited the airport. “Did you have a nice flight?” she asked.
“Yes we did, mother,” Tony answered.
Arriving at the house, Tony and I went to the elevator. He pushed the button for the third floor. When the doors opened the room was exactly as I remembered. William and Catherine’s wall clock chimed when I stepped into the room.
“Mother has breakfast waiting for us. Shall we join her?” Tony said, carrying our luggage to the bedroom.
“Sure.” I looked at the wall separating the third floor. Charlotte was no longer behind it wanting me. “Will the wall come down now that William and Charlotte are no longer here?” I asked.