CHAPTER
ONE OF NEW RELEASE
LOVE LIVES ON
by
Sidney W. Frost
CHAPTER
ONE
Karen Williams was fifty-four and divorced for so
long she'd given up hope for that special marriage everyone talked about, but
few probably had experienced. Then, a year ago, her life changed. Her college sweetheart
charged back into her life, acting as if he'd never stopped loving her. He was
waiting for her at the altar now as she touched up her makeup in the bride's
room of her church.
She
hurried to apply mascara, but her right hand wouldn't be still. The pencil hit
the table with a soft clunk. Tears followed. Tears from nowhere. A glance into
the mirror showed mascara running down both cheeks. What was happening?
Was
it that feeling of unworthiness that crept in when she least expected it?
Couldn't be. God had forgiven her long ago, but she would never forget what had
happened. Second thoughts? Definitely not. She loved Brian and he loved her. He
would never do anything to hurt her. Not again.
***
Brian Donelson looked at his watch again. She was
now officially late. The buzz in the congregation meant he wasn't the only one
who sensed something was wrong. All his friends and Karen's friends were
laughing softly, but he knew there was no reason to be concerned. Not yet.
Surely she'd walk up the aisle in a few minutes.
Perhaps
he should announce a delay. Ardis Twiss stared at him from her perch on the
organ bench as if asking what to do. He shrugged and she kept playing.
All
the turmoil he'd endured the past thirty years came back to him now. His sin.
His self-loathing. His unhappiness with his life. He accepted that God had
forgiven him for what he'd done, so why was he thinking about it now? He feared
she'd changed her mind about marrying him.
Phil
was all decked out in a tux with his gray hair complementing his
caramel-colored skin. He took his best man duties seriously. He whispered to
the pastor, just loud enough for Brian to hear, "We're checking on the
bride." He then gave Brian a questioning look.
Pastor
Jim Dunlap merely nodded and waited patiently. He didn't seem flustered at all.
Maybe this was nothing new to him.
Brian
had a sudden image of Karen driving away from the church with a corner of her
long white wedding gown sticking out from under the driver's side door. He
remembered she'd told him she wasn't wearing a traditional bridal gown. His
imagination adjusted to show her in a suit, but still in her car speeding away
from the church. He saw himself running after the car holding the bride's
bouquet high in the air, yelling to her that she'd forgotten to get married so
she could toss the flowers to all the single women. His legs were like rubber
as he moved them faster and faster without going forward.
He
took in a deep breath, tested his legs, and shook his head to erase the vision.
Could their relationship survive one more difficulty? He hoped so.
***
Karen was glad she'd picked a dress she could wear
again instead of a bridal gown. She'd worn a long white one when she married
Steve only to have their marriage end in divorce.
"Well,
is there going to be a wedding today, or not?" The question came from a
large, some say full-figured, woman standing in the doorway. The floral dress
she wore wasn't much different from her everyday attire at the library, but it
appeared to be newer.
"I'm
glad you're here, Liz," Karen said, standing. "I need your
help."
Karen
knew Liz was a hugger. Still, she was caught off guard when Liz put her arms
around her and held her tight.
"What
can I do, darlin'?" Liz asked as she let go of Karen and moved back to look
into her eyes.
Karen's
hands quivered ever so slightly as she gripped them together in front of her
chest. "I need to talk to Brian."
That
was all it took. No questions asked. Liz was heading out the door when she
called back over her shoulder, "I'll get him."
He
entered the room soon afterwards.
"Oh,
Brian. I'm sorry for holding up the wedding, but I have to tell you
something."
"What?"
"First,
let me say I love you deeply and I hope what I have to say doesn't change your
mind about marrying me."
"Nothing
could do that," he said.
"Don't
be so quick to answer. Remember all the little and not so little surprises we
had for each other during the past year? Well, this is one I wanted to tell
you. I just didn't know how to say it."
"You
don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It doesn't make a difference to me.
I love you and want to marry you. No matter what."
She
smiled and hugged him. "I'm glad you feel that way. But, after so many
years of keeping this secret, I didn't know what to do."
"Why
are you bringing it up now?"
She
gazed at those eyes she loved so much and kissed him. "Because I told you
there were no more secrets."
Brian
smiled as he took her in his arms and held her close. "That's all? No
problem. Let's get married." He kissed her back. "Of course I want to
hear all about it later. Okay?"
They
turned and left the room, walking hand in hand down the hall toward the
sanctuary.
***
Phil's father George was the only one ready to go
when Karen and Brian got to the narthex. Brian's daughter Amy was talking on
the phone while her own daughter Julie played some game on her smart phone.
Karen's best friend Cathy was stretched out on the couch with her eyes closed.
George stood at attention at the door to the church waiting to walk Karen down
the aisle and give her away.
He
turned to the bridal party. "Let's go, ladies. It's show time."
The
three women came over and hugged Karen and got in line to walk down the aisle.
Brian
handed Karen's arm to George in a gesture for him to take it from there. "I
guess I better get back to the altar before everyone leaves," Brian said.
"Not
to worry," George said. "No one left. Ever'body wants to know how
this soap opera's goin' to turn out."
Brian
smiled. "Everything is just fine."
Karen
nodded.
Brian
walked down the hallway on the right side of the sanctuary to reach the altar
while Karen looked into the church from the narthex. The organ music was nearly
drowned out by the many voices all talking at once. The buzz from multiple
conversations died down when someone noticed Brian was back and asked loud
enough for all to hear, "Did you find her?"
Everyone
chuckled as Brian smiled and gave a thumbs up. A rippling of applause began and
quickly grew to a roaring accolade as he moved in next to Phil. Ardis sat up straighter
on her bench and started shuffling the music on the stand.
Karen
pulled George closer. "I think you're right. Everyone's here, and they're
pulling for us."
"Amen,"
he said. "Ever'body here loves you two and wants you to be happy."
The
music started softly as the bridal party walked down the aisle, but the volume
quickly increased. Soon everyone was quiet and on their feet looking toward the
entrance where Karen and George stood. Two photographers stepped into the aisle
between them and the front of the church. One was the woman Karen hired and the
other was a young man she'd never seen before. They both snapped photos then
jumped out of the way.
When
Karen and George reached the altar, the pastor asked, "Who gives this
woman to be married to this man?"
George
was resplendent in his tux. His glasses sat so low on his nose he gazed out
over the top of the wire rims. His curly black hair speckled with gray
glistened from perspiration or hair oil. As usual he stood erect with his head
held high. Today, though, when the pastor asked who gave this woman, he seemed
taller. "I do," he said in his booming voice as he handed Karen to
Brian.
She
smiled as she moved into the position next to her fiancé and prepared to take
her vows. Her mind stayed on the unknown photographer and the doubts she
couldn't explain. When she faced the congregation she turned toward George and
mouthed a "thank you." Her father walked her down the aisle when
she'd married Steve, but both he and her mother died a few years ago. They would
have loved Brian and been pleased she was marrying him.
The
room was silent as George returned to his seat. Karen nodded at Phil who stood
next to Brian.
"Who
is that young photographer?" she whispered to Brian.
He
looked around then shrugged.
Pastor
Jim focused on Karen. "Is everything okay?" he asked, speaking
softly.
"Yes.
Sorry for holding up the ceremony."
He
didn't seem upset that she'd kept him waiting. Standing here in front of her
friends reminded her what a huge step they were taking. She took a few breaths
to calm her body. Brian squeezed her hand. Was he nervous, too? Probably. He
blinked more than usual and his forehead was covered with perspiration.
"Brian,
face Karen and hold her right hand in yours," the pastor said. After a
pause and in a voice all could hear, he continued. "Now, repeat after
me."
She
saw only Brian.
"In
the name of God, I, Brian, take you, Karen, to be my wife, to have and to hold
from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death.
This is my solemn vow."
After
they both repeated their vows, the pastor nodded to Phil and Cathy for the
rings. "Bless, O Lord, these rings to be a sign of the vows by which this
man and this woman have bound themselves to each other. Through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen."
They
placed the rings on one another saying, "I give you this ring as a symbol
of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the
Name of God."
The
pastor joined their right hands and said, "Now that Karen and Brian have
given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and
the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife,
in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom
God has joined together let no one put asunder."
When
the ceremony ended and they turned to be introduced to their friends as Mr. and
Mrs. Donelson, Karen saw more than friends. Another unknown person stood on the
side of the sanctuary, staring at her. He seemed angry with his arms crossed.
She should acknowledge those happy faces in the crowd, but she couldn't take
her eyes off the frowning one. As they walked down the aisle, she scanned the
area for other strangers. She didn't see one until they reached the narthex.
The young photographer pushed his way past the woman Karen had hired.
Brian
went with the pastor to sign papers while Karen hung back with the
photographers. The same negative feeling she'd experienced before the wedding
came over her again as a man she didn't recognize approached her.
"Karen
Williams Donelson?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I'm
sorry to bother you at this occasion, but I must give you this." He handed
her an envelope.
She
took it, holding it away from her body as if it could harm her. "Who are
you? What is this?"
"Ma'am,
you're being sued. I don't know why. I only deliver the papers. Like I said,
I'm sorry."
"Sued?
Who's suing me?"
"I
don't know that either, ma'am. You'll find all that information in the
envelope." He nodded and turned around to leave. Before he got far, Liz
had him by the arm and walked him to the exit.
Brian
returned and stood by Karen's side. "Who was that?" he asked.
She
held the envelope for him see. "A process server, I guess. He gave me
this. Said I'm being sued."
She
pulled out the document and scanned it quickly before returning it to its
envelope. "We'll look at this later," she said, holding the envelope
next to her hip. "Right now all I want to think about is our wedding
day."
The
rest of the wedding party moved in closer after the stranger was escorted out.
Karen held Brian tightly and smiled at their friends. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder about what she had seen in the envelope.
***
***
Sidney W. Frost is a Stephen Leader, a Stephen Minister, and a member of his church choir at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas. He has served on the session at a Presbyterian church, and has been on the vestry at Episcopal churches.
While singing with the Austin Lyric Opera Chorus, he was in 42 productions. He and his wife, Celeste, sing with the San Gabriel Chorale and have been in several Berkshire Festivals.
He was an Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College where he taught computer courses for more than thirty years. He received the adjunct teaching excellence award in 2005.
While attending the University of Texas in the 1960's he worked part-time at the Austin Public Library driving a bookmobile after completing service in the U.S. Marines.
He is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Writers League of Texas, and the San Gabriel Writers' League.
