FIVE AND ONE HALF - Chapter 12

France to New York

 

The call was long distance, and I hesitated for a moment because the next few moments would be crucial to my future.

I just blurted it out, “Are you going to marry me or not! I’ve had enough of this foolishness and I want your answer.

You have had enough time to make up your mind and it’s either yes or no. If you don’t know your own mind by now; then when will you?”

She said, “If you will let me get a word in edgewise I will answer you.”

It is amazing how long fifteen seconds of silence can be when your future depends on the answer you’re waiting for.

She started to explain how she arrived at her answer when I broke in and said, “That stuff can wait. Is it yes or no, don’t say anything else; yes or no.”

She said, “Well it’s yes but I want to tell how I came to that conclusion.”

I didn’t want to hear anything else but I listened to her while my mind was making plans for the future.

I asked her if she had enough money for a flight ticket.

She said, “I think so, I’ll have to check.”

I stopped her and said, “Are you ready to become my wife?”

She said, “Yes, right now, yes.”

“Go to the airport and there will be a ticket waiting for you. Get on the plane and I will meet you in New York.”

She said, “I don’t have any clothes.”

I told her, “The clothes you have on will do fine and you have clothes at your home here. We’ll go there and get what you need temporarily and then we will go shopping.  We will send a wire to your folks telling them of your decision when you arrive in New York.”

I made her reservation and one for me to fly to meet her. I did it that way because I knew how her parents held sway over her and I didn’t want them to get control of her before the wedding.

I also knew her mother will try to get the marriage annulled but that wasn’t going to happen.

When Lesley didn’t come home her parents went after the guy she was suppose to be with but he hid out.

Later he will deny knowing anything about what happened.

The next eight hours were the longest of my life. I arrived in New York three hours before she did.

I had time to prepare a wire to her parents and had it ready to send as soon as Lesley got off the plane.  The wire told them we would be married shortly and be on our honeymoon by the time they read the wire.

When she deplaned and came into the airport I just wanted to hold her. It was hard to talk even though we had a lot to say to each other.

She was tired but I had to hold her face in my hands and look at her.

We went in the lounge and had a sandwich and got ready for our flight to Reno.

She said, “What about my clothes?”

I said, “We will get everything you need after we get married but you becoming my wife will be the first order of business.”

She gave me a sly look and said, “You are in a hurry aren’t you?”

I said, “Yes but you know with school and all…”

What was first and foremost in my thinking was her mother trying to stop the wedding.

 

That wasn’t going to happen if I could help it. She had made one last effort to stop us by calling the police and saying I was forcing Lesley to go with me against her will. As we were boarding the plane I heard the police enquiring about a flight we might be taking.  

Being one step ahead of her mom, I had purchased the tickets to Reno in my mother’s maiden name and registered as Mr. and Mrs.  They were going to have a hard time figuring that out.  

We landed in Reno and went shopping for all the necessities Lesley needed and then we registered at the hotel as Mr. and Mrs. and put our stuff in the room.  Lesley showered and got dressed for the wedding.

We got our license and thirty minutes later we were wed.

I was thinking a lot has happened in the last twenty four hours and I couldn’t be more happy.

We went out for dinner and then went to our room and lay on the bed with our clothes on and just talked.

Now I was willing to listen to all of her experiences. After relaxing for an hour she got up and began to undress.

She smiled and asked if I brought my paints and brushes.

 

To be Continued