Taking Stock

By Sharon

She sat looking at her reflection the mirror in front of her provided, not believing the long anticipated day had finally arrived. Although a bundle of nerves, she took stock of what she saw. Her make-up, although expertly applied hours before, still looked fresh, impeccable, and natural. She had made sure when she'd picked her make-up artist she'd emphasized that point. She wanted the pictures of this day to look like any other pictures guests would find in one of her photo albums.

Her long blond hair was swept up, with french ringlets hanging loosely from her temples. A diamond earring hung from each ear, with a dainty matching sweetheart necklace hanging from her neck. The set had been a birthday gift from Dan only three months earlier. Reaching up and fondling the heart shaped diamond around her neck, a smile crept across her face at the memory of excited anticipation etched across his face, as he watched her open the box the night he had given it to her. He'd expressed his desire to see her wearing the jewelry on their wedding day.

Letting go of the necklace, she let her hands slide down her long slender frame, the dress she wore was stunning. It was a simple white satin dress with spaghetti straps, a tight bodice, and a long flowing skirt. She'd decided against the overdone look of beads, pearls, and lace, feeling the simplicity of the dress spoke more of who she was.

Turning slightly to catch a glimpse of herself in the three sided mirror, she stuck her right foot out, letting the skirt fall down over her leg. She couldn't wait to see the expression on Dan's face when he captured his first glimpse of her walking down the aisle.

While taking inventory of her appearance, her mind swirled with seemingly endless questions. Would everything go as planned? She'd heard all the horror stories about things going wrong from friends and relatives. Would she fall? Would she faint? Would Dan faint? Had he remembered to bring the recording of their first song for the DJ? What about the rings? She hadn't even given those a moments thought all day! Had the best man and maid of honor remembered to bring them? So many unanswered questions pounded in her head.

She supposed the unending questions were just an attempt to hide the ever present void she'd been feeling from the moment she'd woken in the wee hours that morning. She was surprised she'd managed to sleep at all! Try as she might to immerse herself into the rituals of a wedding day. Everything from attending the beauty parlor with her maid of honor, brides maids, her mother and her future mother-in-law, to picking up her bouquet, to having a light lunch made up of salad, fruit, and champagne with the girls, to preparing herself to walk down the aisle. But nothing took away the lingering void.

It was a void she'd been dealing with since her first year of college. She would remember that day in minute detail for the rest of her life.

It had started out like any other for the then twenty-year old. She'd woken at seven in the morning to prepare for her nine o'clock class. After stopping at the local coffee shop, grabbing a coffee and a danish, she'd continued on to her class and followed it with another morning class. After breaking for lunch, she'd had one more class and then headed to the campus library to work on a term paper that was due in the upcoming weeks. After spending three hours in the library, she finally packed her books and headed home. She was dying to have a quick bite to eat, soak in a long hot bath, and then go to bed.

She was surprised to see the white Land Rover sitting by the curb as she pulled up to the house. She hadn't seen Johnny in weeks. He'd been busy; his station had been presented with a second engine, which meant a lot more responsibilities as captain. He'd teased her father many times over, about how easy his captaincy had been to Johnny's.

Placing her car in park, she grabbed her books and walked up the walkway and through the back door of the house. She instinctively knew something was amiss. The house was eerily quiet except for the low sound of stifled sobs. Walking into the living room, she found the source of the weeping, her mother. John Gage, dressed in uniform, sat beside her mother on the couch, his arms wrapped around her, tears falling down his own face.

She immediately started to tremble, break out into a sweat, and the room started to sway. It couldn't be! NO this couldn't be happening! Somebody had to explain this to her. She wouldn't believe it. Just as she saw Johnny notice her, everything went black.

What seemed like hours later, she was later to find it had only been seconds, she found herself on the floor with the fire captain leaning over her. Although he spoke in soft gentle tones to her, to this day, she had no idea what he'd said. All she could remember was her mother's face as she knelt beside Johnny looking down at her. Her face was a mixture of emotions, worry, and panic for her daughter, as well as anguish, fear, and such a look of pain it was hard to continue looking at her. But that's all the young woman could do. Her mother's eyes were red and swollen. How long had she been crying? How long had Johnny been with her. Had it been Johnny who had broken the news to her. Why hadn't anyone contacted her? Or had they tried and couldn't. Where was her brother? It would be a few days before she'd had all the answers to those questions.

Returning to the present, she assumed it would only be a matter of hours before she'd receive all the answers to her earlier questions. Hearing a soft knock on the door, she told the visitor to come in. A smile returned to her face as her mother entered the room.

An audible intake of breath was heard before her mother spoke, "You look absolutely exquisite!"

Twirling around in a circle, so her mother could capture the whole affect, she smiled, "Thank-you. Do you think Dan will think so?"

"Of course he will. He's not going to be able to take his eyes off of you. No one will." Walking across the room, mother took daughter into her arms for a long tender embrace. "I love you."

"Love you too Mom."

Pulling away from one another, the older woman brushed a small tear from her daughter's face. "Now stop that or you'll have us both bawling and our make-up will be ruined."

Laughing a nervous laugh, the young woman reached over and took her mother's hand. "Do you think Daddy would approve of this wedding?"

"Absolutely! He'd be very pleased with your choice of a husband. Your father would be very proud of the young woman you've turn out to be."

"I hope so. I miss him Mom."

"I know baby, so do I. I'm sure he'll be with you somehow, someway today. There's nothing that would keep him away today." She smiled.

"Do you think he'd mind me having my father-daughter dance with my father-in-law?"

"Heavens no. Your father always thought very highly of him."

"Okay ladies, it's time to get this show on the road." The maid of honor announced, sticking her head in the doorway.

"Be right there Sue." The bride replied.

Embracing her mother one last time, the bride finally let go and walked across the room. Picking up a bundle of freshly cut red roses, she exited the room. The mother-of-the-bride started to follow her daughter, but upon reaching the door, turned to cast a look around the room. Glancing out the window at the beautiful ray of sunshine streaming through it, she noticed one single water droplet making its way down the glass. A small smile spread across her face.

"Oh no you don't Roy DeSoto, if you start that we'll both be bawling and then my make-up will be ruined on our daughter's wedding day! You'd be very proud of her Roy, of both the children actually. It's hard to believe she's about to become a married woman. Well I've gotta run, or I'll be late. Johnny would never let me hear the end of it! I'll talk with you later tonight and fill you in on the evening. I love you."

With that, Joanne closed the door and walked down the stairs, accepted the arm of her son, who escorted her to a pew to sit beside John Gage, who immediately took her shaking hand into his. The two sat in companionable silence, listening to the pipe organ and waiting for the wedding ceremony of Jennifer Lynn DeSoto and Daniel James Stoker to commence.

A big thank-you goes out to Janet for a couple of reasons, she provided me with proof that I'm NOT losing my sanity, she fixed a major wording error, and came up with the title for me J - Sharon

*Click on the red rose to send Sharon feedback

Stories By Sharon        Guest Dispatchers