Langcaster House - Chapter 5 - Wedding bells for Linda



Wedding Bells for Linda

 

My last semester before graduation passed uneventful.

The family had settled in and had avoided trouble. Whenever there was a possibility of something coming up they had learned to alert Charlie right off.

This was due to Charlie watching over the whole clan and the confidence they now had in him.

I received my degree and now was working full time for Charlie.

I went to Linda’s graduation ceremony but didn’t make it known to her. I think she spotted me as she got her diploma but I quickly slipped out before it ended.  It is seldom that I allow myself to think about her but down deep I still have a yen for her.

Some months later I heard she was to be married soon and I must admit that news caused me a great deal of pain.  Or better said, it was a grief to me.

I happened to see her in a restaurant and she waved to me and motioned me to come over to her table. When I got there she said sit down and as I fumbled for a reason not to she said, ‘Sit, please.”

After saying our hellos we searched for something to say while avoiding what we really wanted to say. She said, “I’m getting married in two weeks.”

I said, “Oh, I think I heard that.”

I fought against it but it just came out, “Do you love him?”

She said, “He’s nice.”

The best I could muster was, “That’s nice.”

She said, ‘Yes.”

We went on like that till I got embarrassed and said, “I’d better go.”

She said, “Please don’t go, not yet.”  She continued. “I still haven’t said what I wanted to say to you when I saw you.”

“Oh,” I replied.

She said, “I’m fond of the man I’m going to marry but I haven’t got over you.  I still love you and wish things were different. The reason I agreed to marry Jim was I know you don’t seem to want me and I need to have some kind of life.

You know if you want me you can still have me but what I need to know is do you have any feeling left for me or am I the only one with these feelings?”

I have to say that took my breath away. I had written her off after the way she acted with the football star but even with all my determination to forget her she was still anchored in my heart.

Instead of telling her of my feelings I asked her to come back to my apartment and we could continue our conversation. It seemed somewhat cold at the time but she agreed to come.

When we arrived I put on a pot of coffee. As I walked over to where she was standing with her lips turned up toward me, I couldn’t resist kissing her. The kiss was long and satisfying.

I had several things to say to her but that kiss made my mind go blank or maybe the kiss said it all.

She said, ‘I thought so or at least I had hoped so.”

I said, “What about the wedding?”

She smiled and said, “If you are serious the wedding is off.”

I couldn’t help myself and said, “Our wedding is on if you’re willing.”

She said, “The sooner the better.”

I asked, “What about Jim?”

She said I already told him I couldn’t go through with it for I was still in love with you and it wouldn’t be fair to him to marry a woman who had another man on her mind all the time.”

He agreed and said he was glad I told him before we made a mistake.

I said, “If you are willing we can catch a plane to Vegas and be married tomorrow.”

She said, “I’m willing, in fact I have a suitcase packed, and it’s in the car.”

I told her, “You must have been pretty sure of yourself,” and she said, “Far from it but I had high hopes because I knew you really loved me and I didn’t think the flame was completely gone out for I saw you looking at me from time to time and your eyes still had a gleam in them.”

I had to admit she had me there. When we arrived at the airport I received a phone call and it was from Charlie. He said, "Congratulations."

I said, "How did you know?"

He said, "I know everything and I’m glad to tell you that Linda has toed the line ever since she made that one mistake and I’m proud of her.

After the ceremony you can move up to the big house say after a couple of months if you want to.

Just to relieve your mind I won’t be watching you and her while you are on your honeymoon so have fun."

To Be Continued